Author: chris

Nokia: Business Interests vs German Pressures Case

In the world, the market trends of mobile handsets are increasing each day. Before 2001, the mobile handset enjoyed healthy market margins but after 2001, the mobile handset companies started experiencing problems in relation to cost pressures, which lead to weak profitability rates. In 2004, there was a resurge but it was expected to move at a slow pace at around 2008. In the Eastern European market during the year 2004, mobile handsets had a growth of eighty-eight percent, which was expected to rise up to one hundred percent by 2011.

Nokia, one of the main mobile handset providers has some strategies that it uses in its business. On of the strategies is to reduces costs of production and increase its products all over the world. This has been possible because, for every ten handsets bought all over the world four of them come from Nokia. However, the global market has affected its strategies leading to the closure of the German company based in Bochum and relocating it to Romania.

            The backlash that Germany had over Nokia was not justified because it was the government policies in relation to their employment laws and taxes that made Nokia to close their company and move to Romania (Scullion & David 25). Additionally, Nokia was not the only company to close down its operation in the country because there were other companies, which closed their operation earlier. The only reason they was a backlash was that they were not aware of its closure. In order for countries to be more competitive, they should try to be friendly with their foreign investors by creating a friendly environment to conduct business by lowering their taxes and labor laws.

            The only thing that Nokia did wrong was to close the company without even consulting with the government so that they could be able to look for ways to solve the problems that they might be having in relation to their closure (Jain & Rajendar 85). In addition to the damages that Nokia has caused due to its closure, they should pay an amount of money to the employees as compensation because what they did was inhuman to their employees. Additionally, they should also pay the government due to the profits they made while in Germany.

 

Works Cited

Jain, Shanul and Rajendar Rathore. Nokia (B): Business Interests vs German Pressures. Ranga Reddy District, India: IBS Case Development Center, 2008. Print.

Scullion, Hugh and David Collings. Global Talent Management. Florence, KY: Taylor & Francis, 2010. Print.

 

Executive Summary

Overview

The Los Angeles Police Department was established to serve and protect the citizens of Los Angeles. It contains approximately ten thousand officers and approximately three thousand civilian staff. It serves the area of Los Angeles, which is four hundred and ninety eight square miles with a population of about four million citizens. It is the third largest police department in the whole of US (Worth, 2011). The main purpose is to serve and protect the people of Los Angeles from any crime. However, this has proven to be a difficult task for this department due to various problems that are affecting the department.

 

The research will aim into dealing with issues of staffing, resources and training with ample suggestions on improving these areas.

Identifying Concepts and Suggestions

1. Staffing
2. a) Does staffing affect the police officers?
3. b) How does staffing affect the police officers?
4. c) To what degree does Staffing affect the police officers?
5. d) Is there a relation between the staffing problems and the community?
6. e) What are the possible solutions of staffing?
7. f) How much money will the staffing require to solve the problem?

2) Resources

1. a) Does the resources affect the police officers and the supporting staff?
2. b) How do these resources affect the police officers and the whole department?
3. c) Will their be any need for additional resources?
4. d) What kind of resources are they expected to purchase?
5. e) What has changed with the old resources?
6. f) What are the possible solutions to these problems of resources?
7. g) How much money will the problem of resources require so that it can be solved fully?

3) Training

1. a) Does the current training have a problem?
2. b) What problem does the current training has?
3. c) Will there be any need to change the current form training?
4. d) If, the current training needs to be changed how will it be changed?
5. e) How will the new training be effective?
6. f) How much money will it need so that it can be implemented?

 

Conceptualize a mode of data collection from the workforce. Provide various means of getting information about the issues identified.

 

Provide a budget for the entire program while identifying the use of available resources for the research. Describe in detail how the funds allocated will be distributed in order to meet the objectives of the research in relation to salaries and the resources to be used. Identify how much money the overall project will require in order to solve the key questions and their break down in how the money will be used.

 

Make a search into how these police grants will be necessary to solve the different issues that have been raised in the course of the police department. Make use of interviews to solve the different questions have risen up. In addition, use the method of observation of the different problems that affect the department and how they affect the investigation of crimes.

Utilize the statistical method in solving the question in relation to money.

 

Identify if there are any other companies that are solving the same problems in another manner. If, there are, identify whether The Los Angeles Police Department is duplicating what they are doing. In addition, identify any form of collaboration with such organizations.

 

Prepare a thorough report including solutions, recommendations and a direct line of implementation directed at improving the current situation.

 

 

 

References

Downing, M. P. (January 01, 2009). Policing Terrorism in the United States: The Los Angeles Police Department’s Convergence Strategy. The Police Chief, 76, 2, 28-43.

Hays, T. G., Sjoquist, W. A. & Bratton, W. J., (2005). Los Angeles Police Department. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing.

Wilms, W. W. (January 01, 2004). From the age of the dragnet to the age of the Internet: Tracking changes within the Los Angeles Police Department. California Policy Options, 157-172.

Worth, R. (2011). Los Angeles Police Department. Buckinghamshire, UK: Chelsea House Publishers.

Classification Essay about the US Constitution

The United States constitution was drafted in Philadelphia in 1787 and ratified in 1788. It divides the governmental powers between the nation and the government of states through the federal system. It separates the government into executive, legislative and the judicial sections that serve as checks and balances upon each other. This constitutional film enables the learner to develop an ability to observe the motion pictures. This gives the learner a sense of feeling thus makes judgment about the production that gives clear constitutional understandings. Therefore, the constitutional film makes the reader to understand the contents of the movie and performance such as the states, the convention and different plans presented.

The movie is eight-part series about the conventional history in the United States. The constitutional convention was a landmark in the history of America. From the experience of the movie, the United States’ constitution and the representatives of people in the constitution has profound influence on subsequent experiments in the government. Among the chief issues presented in the constitution is how much power the central government needs. It also held an issue on the number of representatives in the congress in each state and the criteria of selecting them. The constitution therefore stands as a model of cooperative diplomacy and the art of compromise.

The United States’ constitution in the movie indicates that it was signed by 39 delegates on September 17, 1787. These delegates are the powerful individuals in their home states being selected to attend the convention. Most of them are well-educated individuals in the area of political philosophy. The constitutional convention delegates held in Philadelphia signed the United States’ convention. Every state has a delegate in the convention but not all the delegates signed the constitution as the final approval indicates. Some delegates such as George Mason intentionally did not sign it, saying it was not democratic enough (Peterson 19).

The aim of the convention was to campaign to change the first government charter of the United States in the Confederation Articles. Politicians seemed worried about the problems that face the confederation because they thought the government was too weak to solve the conventional issues. Former associates such as Spain, France and the Great Britain controlled trade thus hindering the development of America and its territories in the Western parts. The confederation faced various problems such as lack of power to resolve boundary disputes between the states. They wanted to avert states from imposing heavy tariffs and other inter-state commercial restrictions. It lacked an independent revenue source and planned to grant congress authority to levy import taxes of 5% but it failed.

The advocates of reform wanted the convention to revise the articles, laying the foundation for interstate conference and conventions to seek similar goals. The delegates from Maryland and Virginia held a meeting in Mount Vernon Conference in 1785. They set a model of reform hoping to succeed on the issue. Some met in a convention for commercial matters at Annapolis and Maryland. In September 1786, twelve delegates from five states gathered and made a report arguing on a general convention encouraging the call for the federal convention. The report was written by one of the delegates known as Alexander Hamilton of New York.

In early 1787, the confederation congress adopted a declaration authorizing the government but restricted its authorization to modification of the articles. Many states by then had named their delegates and citing the Annapolis report of the convention. They authorized the government to take some actions to render the government constitution sufficient to the demands of the congress. The constitution consequently begun with an inconsistent authorization discussed in the congress by various members. These were the state governors, chief justices and attorney generals. Others included various delegates who presented the confederation congress and many distinguished Americans. Although, it has some other members such as lawyers, physicians, merchants, clergymen and soldiers, most delegates were prosperous members of their states’ leaders.

In the convention, Washington was elected as the president of the United States and appointed as a committee member to set up rules. Two of these were crucial to the success of the convention. First, the convention met its secrets that would allow full and free discussion since it is a routine among legislatures in the Anglo-American world. Secondly, the delegates found a free chance to alter their minds and revive any matters for further debate. The delegates revolved between sessions in full convention and committee meetings of the whole house. Later, a useful parliamentary procedure allowed informal debate, freedom of giving views and flexibility in giving suggestions and reconsidering discussions.

The selected committee in the convention worked out cooperatively, prepared drafts and formulated a wide range of solutions to a given problems. The delegates attacked questions little by little, discussing and concluding on the individuals views. Frequently, a debate on a certain issue would need them to re-evaluate other decisions made earlier. The traced a twisted, crisscrossing way, at times pausing in shock as they would appreciate that the vote they had already voted for had not yet fulfilled their requirements. They discarded the articles and changed a completely new constitution in the convention. These declarations planned the formation of a supreme state government that separated the lawmaking, executive and judicial sections (Peterson 16).

The chief task of the convention was to plan for a state legislature. The delegates decided on the authorities they wished to amend in the new congress but differed on how the states and Americans would correspond to them. To secure the state equality principles, delegates from small states assembled behind the New Jersey plan of William Paterson. These plans were to preserve each equal vote of the state in a congress house with augmented supremacy. However, the delegates rejected the New Jersey plans that took them nearly a month of further disagreement before they accepted them. Each state had two votes in Senate in which the House of Representatives were to be appointed.

In addition, other difficulties they encountered included the electing method of the chief executive and the president. There was a dispute over the need for a bill of rights that was proposed in the convention but later rejected. However, the delegates offered little attention to the authority of the president. Almost none of the judiciary structure or the executive branch gave their little attention to presidential powers thus the entire issue was left to the new congress. The United States approved the constitution in September 17 that had a brief outline of government articles summarized in four thousand words. The constitution was signed by thirty-nine delegates and later handed to the confederation congress for submission to the states to be ratified (Peterson 27).

In conclusion, this constitutional film gives a clear view on constitutional history. It shows how the constitution was implemented in the United States. Different methods that were followed in the process are clearly indicated, such as use of debates and voting. Consequently, it shows all the delegates who represented the states in the implementation and ratification of the constitution. The movie contents and performances such as the convention and different plans presented are clearly observed thus helping the citizens to understand them well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Works Cited

Peterson, Christine. The U.S. Constitution. Bloomington, MN: Capstone Press, 2009. Print.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gregory Mantsios-Class in America

Gregory Mantsios is right when he says that class systems do exist in America. Many people shy away from the idea, or are too ashamed to admit that the land of great opportunities is not free from class system and such an ideology is mostly dismissed by a larger part of the society. One of the myths that Mantsios points out is that “everyone has an equal chance to succeed. Success in the united states requires no more than hard work, sacrifice and perseverance.” This is indeed a myth. Domestics, factory workers and janitors work hard. Parents, especially mothers, make untold sacrifices for their families. Minorities persevere in low-income jobs, not because they are not qualified enough to take top positions, but because unfortunately, issues of racial discrimination and sexism still persist in the land of great opportunities. Hard work, sacrifice and perseverance are not enough to make it in this great land of opportunities. Class systems deny people the opportunity they need by promoting income inequality, together with racial and gender discrimination.

Some people who were once poor have managed to turn their lives around and they have managed to become wealthy. Many of these people have abilities such as music and sports and these abilities have enabled them to change their lives for the better. Unfortunately, not everyone is endowed with such gifts and talents. One of the factors, which determine the level of success, is education. Yet education is not usually free. Mantsios observes that the class system determines how well a person does in academics. People who are more privileged tend to do better in academics, they can afford to go to top ranked colleges and this means that they get good jobs. However, people in the lower class do not get the chance to get a good education. Some of those who manage to go to college do not finish because they have financial problems. American schools and colleges reproduce, reinforce and legitimize inequality (Sacks 3).

Educated and wealthy parents want their children to follow their example. They know the best schools and they will do anything so that their children will go there because this will assure them of a successful future. They have an upper class mentality, whereby they believe that, being in the professions they are in, they are better than the others are (Sacks 3). Teaching methods, which involve testing and tracking, differentiate children from privileged background as gifted and talented, and therefore more deserving. Using the same methods, children from the lower class are considered academically deficient misfits who need remediation so that they can fill the basic societal needs (Sacks 195). With such classification, it is no wonder that these children will grow up knowing that they are not worthy and that they do not deserve the opportunities of realizing the American dream. Children who belong to the wealthy class usually inherit their parents’ wealth. Just like wealth is inherited, so is poverty.

Education is not the only factor that distinguishes between different class systems in America and determines the opportunities that come along people’s way. The kind of upbringing that a person has had and the neighborhood that one lives in determines the opportunities that people have. People who earn a low income are usually employed to do menial jobs and they work hard. Unfortunately, their hard work does not make them prosper but provides a means to earn their daily up keep. They live in poor and dangerous neighborhoods, most of which lack in social amenities.

Poverty is a cycle that is sometimes impossible to break. Although poor parents may take their children to school, chances are that they too did not receive quality education. They therefore do not have the capability and knowledge needed to assist their children in matters of education. This means that the children might not know the value of education and those who do not have the resources to move them forward. Poverty and crime are related. Poor people live in poor neighborhoods, which are mostly dangerous. They engage in crime such as selling drugs so that they can supplement their income.

In his work, Stephen Cruz, which is found in “American Dreams: Lost and Found”, Terkel tells the story of a man who comes face to face with issues of racial discrimination in all the places where he finds work. Just as Mantsios noted, women and non-whites have fewer opportunities of finding opportunities. He attempts to change the way his company operates by adding variety. He is Mexican and he decides to hire a black female secretary. This does not augur well with the management and they take the cowardly option of firing her when Cruz is on vacation. Sexism is a major limitation to finding opportunities and realizing the American dream. Many women face prejudice often and they are denied the chance of showing their abilities. This is despite of their academic background (Terkel 321).

As Mantsios noted, women of color are usually more disadvantaged. The situation is made worse if they come from the lower class and they do not have the necessary connections. This view is supported by Wysong and Perrucci, who posit that poor women, poor African Americans and poor Hispanics do not have access to opportunities for a good education and good jobs (Wysong and Perrucci 32). In addition, they do not have the necessary social connections in the economic, political and cultural sectors. Some women and some African Americans who manage to find jobs are usually placed in gender and racially segregated jobs. Wysong and Perrucci show that women make up 95% of nurses, 22% doctors, 98% dental assistants, 10% dentists, 98% secretaries, 86% elementary school teachers, 97% receptionists and 78% cashiers. Many blacks and Hispanics are usually janitors, truck drivers, security guards, construction laborers, farm workers, cooks and gardeners. These occupations are also the ones with the lowest income. Promotions to higher places are hard to come by for women and people of color (Wysong and Perrucci 34).

Class divisions are further enhanced by race. In the United States, the three main racial dives are the whites, blacks and Latinos, with blacks being the largest minority group. The difference between the three races has especially been expounded by Stephen Cruz. Being an educated Mexican in the sixties, he got the chance to work with the majority whites in high ranked organization. He noticed that despite all that was said about equality, nothing much really changed in the work place. One of the most distinguishing factors that he noted was that blacks who managed to succeed usually thought about themselves and forgot the poor. They were not willing to work with him in initiating change in the work setting. It is easy to observe that most whites are in the upper class whereas most of the lower class is made of the blacks. This is however not always the case. Some blacks are upper class whereas some whites are poor and belong to the lower class. Some find it hard to educate their children and they lack the resources to do so (Sacks, 2).

America is not a classless society, as many Americans would like to believe. Though it may be a land of great opportunity, the class system denies many people the chance to realize their dreams. Issues of racial and gender discrimination are especially paramount. There is a huge gap between the upper class and lower class Americans. The upper class Americans will always have an upper hand and they will always be in a privileged position because they have the necessary means to get quality education, which means that they will get good jobs. The lower class will continue to suffer in poverty because they do not have the means and the connections. Hard work, sacrifice and perseverance will not necessarily determine whether a person will get the opportunities promised by the American dream.

Works Cited

Sacks, Peter. Tearing Down the Gates: Confronting the Class Divide in American Education. Los Angeles, CA: University of California Press, 2007. Print.

Terkel, Studs. American Dreams: Lost and Found. New York, NY: The New Press 1999. Print.

Wysong, Earl and Perrucci Robert. New Class Society: Goodbye American Dream? New York, NY: Rowman & Littlefield 2007. Print.

 

What I have learned from this course is very useful in my life and it relates to some of my experiences, that I came to understand during this course. After learning how to plan and evaluate projects, I learned to plan my day according to what I want to accomplish and assess at the end of the day in work and in my personal life. In the course, I found that planning is all around me and in all work places. Having to plan my assignment taught me that a good plan is a key to any success.

I remember one time writing down what I needed to start and complete a project on making a volcano model of a mountain in seventh grade. I came to find out in this course that practical examples last longer in our memory since I have never forgotten about mountains, and as such, practical activities are very appropriate in learning. One of my experiences with these activities was when we had to assess the needs of a project of choice, and come up with a plan that would best fit it. After this activity, and the activity needing us to write reflective report on the project, I learned to reflect on my life and activities after a day. I learned to assess my success, what I achieved or did not, and why. I learned that reflective reports are supposed to be part of learning, since we were able to learn more on our success or failure. I hated having to compete in class with other people through presenting my work in front of class members. I found it hard since I was not much extroverted.

I remember one day when I attended a seminar where a guest speaker addressing a topic in management gave a real life example that related to management. My view of management was controlling people below your position and influencing their performance. After his sermon, I learned that management involved influencing the performance of the whole organization including positions above you. If a guest speaker would be addressing us, I would love to hear his perception on the effects of project management to the organization using his experiences. This topic would help one understand what would be good for an organization from a project management view.

I found that taking the role of planning was easy for me during our team works. This made me develop a liking for this particular topic, which I feel inclined to by my role in the team. The lecturer used different methods in teaching this subject proving that planning is different for different projects, and needs specialization, which carried my curiosity to this topic.

I found learning to be interesting when there are practical examples used. The group activities are interesting. Using activities that are more practical such as participating in practical work for organizations, where students are allowed to take part in organizations as a part of practical lessons would be interesting. Inviting regular guests would make it interesting, as they would provide different perspectives to learn from, and organizing symposiums with other classes and schools, which would involve competitions, would make learning more interesting and interactive.

Sometimes understanding what a question requires one to do is difficult. I remember one incident at the start of this course when I did not complete an assignment in time after I misinterpreted a question that needed a discussion. This resulted because English was not my first language, and more still, we were new and interaction among us students had not taken root. This made me reluctant to consulting other students. After forming teams, discussing what a question requires was one of the first things that our group did before answering it. This made it easier to know the content needed, hence completing assignments became easier.

At the beginning of our course when we formed the teams, due to lack of proper understanding of each other, several conflicts occurred. In one of our first assignment, where we were supposed to complete a detailed analysis of needs of a certain project, we had to go outside class to get the information we needed to make the report more practical. We visited a building project. Each person was supposed to have a role that would define what he or she would analyze. This was the major conflict since the person given the responsibility of defining the roles tended to have a little idea about the project in question. We analyzed the needs that were very basic and earned very few points. Generally, in a team there are those who do not like failing and one of us was this type. She blamed the person and suggested that she should be the leader. This brought quite a conflict among us. We revisited the contract and found that it was important to avoid blames as learners and focus on the problems that arise. We decided to meet and discuss the way forward. We found that it would be necessary to allow the person who had a better understanding of a certain project to lead the group irrespective of his or her role in the team. The contract was quite helpful in determining the way forward for issues that arose.

After the conflict, we learned about each other’s background and characters. This was very helpful in creating a good rapport between us, and better understanding for me. This made me free to talk and express my points without holding back. At first, I felt as a stranger since we were new to each other concerning the cause. This made me hold back a little, especially since I did not know how the others faired in the subject and my English skills were not advanced. After learning that each of us had a problem, we became freer to participate. Back at junior school, one time I was paired with a student that I did not know well when my friend was absent. It was during a physical education lesson and I did not feel free with him. This stopped me from enjoying my lesson. I learned that being friends is very important in working in a group, since it creates a free atmosphere.

Diversity of team members in a group is important to learn from, but it can make the relationship of the team unstable if not all group members are free with each other. In my class, we were not very diversified in terms of nationality but there were several Indians and Chinese students. I found that these people in groups did not openly engage in discussions. However, I found that giving defined roles made them contribute since they had to answer questions from other members about their ideas. I realized that teams are very important in creating relationships among different people since we are close friends out of working together.

When I reflect on my role in the team, I find that a team can never be successful without full participation. At the start of team works, several people were withdrawn and spoke or contributed rarely. Soon, our team lacked enough ideas that were necessary to complete the tasks. The lecturer asked us to give each person a part of the task rather than each coming up with general ideas on all questions. This ensured that even those who held back contributed and the team improved tremendously. My roles and those of others have to be combined to complete a task.

I found that work distribution is very critical in a team when I was given a role of structuring the questionnaire for our task, which needed skills of recruitment to make it better. I was not the best in this area, something that cost the time since it did not meet the details needed. Somebody else did it and it was better, and the work went smoothly. I learned that each person has a role to play in a team that ensures continuous flow of tasks, which makes it easier to complete. Issuing each person with a role ensured fairness since everybody participated.

The course is quite demanding and completing the assignments that are large needed extra time from us. We would organize ourselves during class time where everybody would take a task home, and upload them through email for the others to view. I learned that commitment from each member was crucial to meet the deadline of such tasks. Meetings would be organized outside class, which all members had to attend.

Should Public School Students be required to Wear Uniforms?

The introduction of school uniforms for public school students is not a new subject in the national debate. In the past, public schools considered uniforms as the old and outdated trends, but recently many public schools have started to implement and enforce a uniform policy. The implementation of public school uniform policy is essential if public schools strive to improve in terms of academic standards of their students. Therefore, arguments for and against have been raised on requirements for public school students to wear uniforms.

Some of the possible benefits raised for public school students to wear uniforms are many including uniformity. Researchers found out that students behave well when they dress uniformly. Uniformity is one way of showing loyalty, honor and pride of one’s school. In addition, it enables students to work together as a team at their respective public schools. This is not much as to erase their individuality, but to engage everybody on the same level as far as image and dressing code is concerned (South Africa.Dept. of Education 7).

Uniforms provide safety of the students. They provide safety in a manner that due to high crime rates and gang violence, it is easier to determine a student passing along the place where crime or violence has occurred while going to school. Uniforms will save a student from being subjected to harassment or even worse, getting killed. Therefore, uniforms are essential because they unsettle such dangers, which some students might incur while on their way to school.

 

Uniforms give students the ability to concentrate on learning rather than concentrating on what others are wearing. Researchers found out that uniforms keep students at the same level thus avoiding other students not to feel inferior. They found out that uniforms avoid associated fashion costs subjected to fashion change and avoid stress on what to wear for another day. They are much better especially to poor students who cannot afford expensive fashions like their rich colleagues. They enable students not to waste time in the morning hours looking for a better fashion to wear on thus saving time for learning (South Africa.Dept. of Education 11).

It provides a more businesslike approach to learning and a sense of self-discipline. The image of professionalism, associated with having students participate in a school uniform program is a more of businesslike approach in the learning institutions. Uniforms enable students to realize that their business is to study but not to think of which expensive clothes to wear. Students can develop a sense of self-discipline that will help them in future especially in places such as offices. For instance, they will learn in future which clothes are official and non-official to wear when they will start working in offices.

Students who wear uniforms perform better academically. According to the research carried out in the National Guidelines on School Uniforms, it was discovered that many private schools performed well because of school uniform policy. It was then suggested that even students in public schools should start wearing uniforms. This was done after the advantages and disadvantages of wearing uniforms were compared and found out that, many public schools were not performing well. This was because students wasted a lot of time in selecting a type of fashion to wear (South Africa.Dept. of Education 14).

The arguments against them are the need for students to express their individual selves. Students expressing themselves have taken a sharp turn in the past years. Uniforms did nothing to improve the attendance or discipline and even did not decrease drug abuse within schools. The study found out that it affected students more negatively because they were not left to exercise their freedom on what to wear. Mostly, the adolescents seem to feel as if their freedom of expressing themselves has been stripped. They usually feel as if they are in jail when they are wearing uniforms everyday.

Uniforms are less exciting and harder to recognize where a certain student is located in the crowd. They are sometimes tiresome because students get bored of wearing one type and the same colors of clothes everyday. Others get uncomfortable of wearing boring uniforms that affect their learning. Consequently, it is hard to locate a student especially when they are in the crowd of students. This is because they all appear the same thus makes it hard even for a teacher to find a student easily incase he or she has made a mistake.

In conclusion, students should wear uniforms to create equality, safety and avoid fashion completion thus concentrate in learning. Arguments against school uniforms are fading while the positive reasons are promoting public school uniforms and gaining grounds. The argument against is losing ground compared to the benefits of the uniform policy. Nowadays, many public schools are mandating and enforcing school uniforms for their students because they create a sense of self-discipline. In addition, they require all students to wear uniforms in order to create uniformity. They encourage students to wear uniforms to avoid associated costs that might expense parents on fashions.

 

 

 

 

Works Cited

South Africa.Dept. of Education. National Guidelines on School Uniforms. Pretoria: Government

Printer, 2006. Print.

MBA-Human Resource Management

Having majored in Bachelor of Science in Management as an undergraduate, I worked as a Human Recourse General Directorate, which I enjoyed and has now inspired my ambitions of concentrating on Human Recourse Management, for better improvement of human resource in organizations. My ambitions in this area of study were inspired when I received an award for excellent performance in different training programs in 1999, as a traffic accident investigator. The trainers inspired me and I wished to be like them.

I am interested in Human Resource because of my experiences in it, and more so to achieve my ambitions that I have held since I received my first reward. My projects in graduate school proved my abilities in this area after I did an in-depth research on Human Resource Management and scored an A+ in 2004. This further trooped my interests in the subject, and prompted me to attain promotion as a Human Resource directorate, which I got.

In my studies towards a master’s degree, I seek to study in-depth on how to develop training needs of each department and position, how to implement, follow, and assess their effectiveness. Working as a Human Resource Directorate has given me the chance to experience the challenges of empowering the work force through training needs and job description. In my current job, identifying training needs, setting up the plan, providing requirements for implementation, and evaluation of the plans is my role. I am a member of the Quality Assurance Committee, and Strategic Plan committee of training departments, which are involved in planning training for the employees. These experiences have left me questing to learn more skills than I already have.

In terms of professional training, I have learned a lot about human recourse in many of the workshop trainings that I attended. I attended a workshop that addressed setting strategic planning to enhance work performance in April 2009. In June of the same year, I attended another workshop on Implementation of Quality Assurance System in Training. The previous year in July, I had attended a Time, Self & Work Stress and Management workshop. During the same year I attended a Human Resource expert Program, and a Quality Expert Program. In 2007 I attained an international license of administrative driving, attended a DUCUM workshop on Human Resource and Training Administrators in 2006, and a Job Description, Setting Organizational Structures & Evaluation in 2006. Each time after these workshops, my work got more interesting and easier. However, due to their short period, they were not very detailed, something that I was seeking, though they inspired my ambitions of pursuing human resource studies further.

Throughout my experience, I have contributed to major achievements in my organization that earned me several honors and rewards. In March 2009, I was awarded with the medal for The Distinguished Participation in Achieving the Strategic Objective of Human Resource General Directorate of Abu Dhabi Police. I was awarded with two awards the previous year, one for being The Model Employee in Human Resource General Directorate in April, and the other one for appreciation for distinguished achievement in June. Each time I earned a reward, my motivation to learn more persisted, and I found myself seeking to learn from all people around me.

My career aspirations are to be a highly sought Human Resource Consultant, writing books on human resource, lecturing on the same and giving inspirational and motivational seminars to other people who aspire to be in the same field of specialty. A master’s degree would be a major step towards achieving my career aspirations as well as my ambitions in life, which are empowering others with knowledge. I view it as the guide that will lead me to this goal.

Anthropology

Introduction

Cultural or social anthropology is the study of the science cultural and human behavior and its growth. Cultural anthropologists study the cultural differences that take place in humans when there is a change in the economic, political or cultural occurrences globally (Metcalf 5). The main reason for studying anthropology is to have an understanding of human ways of living and conditions from the past to the present in order to use that knowledge to upgrade those conditions. It helps people understand their culture, values and make their thinking better in relationship with these. Human beings living in diverse places acquire different types of cultures. Sir Edward gave the first anthropological meaning. The creation of cultural anthropology emerged in the 19^th century, which was then known as ethnology. At this time, it involved comparing human societies. E.B Taylor and J.G Frazer worked by using materials, which were gathered by others (Metclaf 6).

Cultural anthropologists

Franz Boas, is honored as the founder of American anthropology. Born in Germany on ninth of July 1958, he is the first person to give anthropology a scientific approach/meaning. Having been studying the Kwakiutl Indians, he was able to get the relationship between race and culture. A number of books have his name. These are such as “The mind of the Primitive Man”, published in 1911 and “Anthropology and Modern Life and Race, Language and Culture” published in1940. One of the theories that Boas came up with was cultural relativism. In this theory, it is taken that all cultures are equal in value and need to be looked at neutrally (Moore 20).

Boas felt that each culture should be looked at with a cold eye so that it can be judged based on its own good points rather than being judged as compared to another. Each culture examines its own ethical values in order to put in place the behaviors of its members. It assumes that individuals find it better to be in a culture they have been enculturated. All this is brought about by two sources. One is the response to the inexactness of the evolutionary system of the comparative school and the second is the longing to look into culture from a point value perception. Robert Lowie, Ruth Benedict, Alfred Kroeber, Ruth Bunzel, Margaret Mead, Melville Herskovits and many others helped him to come up with this research (Gerraro 50).

The tenets of cultural relativism feel that there are no major or minor cultures. Each culture is bound by its own beliefs and it can only be judged in comparison to itself. In conclusion, it was seen that systems of evolution are not objective but ethnocentric. However, the theory had its own limitations, which Boas pointed out. He found out that it is not possible to explain all the similarity in all the types of culture by alleging that they are so due to the togetherness of the human mind. Secondly, the existence of like traits in diverse cultures is not as significant as the relative school claims. Another limitation was that related traits might have been brought out for very different reasons meant in diverse cultures. Finally, the view that cultural differences are of minor importance is baseless.

In continuation with his work, and in order to give a concrete theory, he brought forth the following amendments. Culture traits have to be given a careful study and in the boundaries of the cultural whole. The second was that the allocation of a culture trait within the near cultures should also be observed. This suggests that a culture needs to be thoroughly looked at in the boundaries of its context. Boas felt that this kind of approach would be of assistance to other anthropologists in a number of ways. One is to comprehend the environmental factors that bring out a culture. This would enable them to look at them in a neutral point of view. Another is to explain the psychological factors that surround the culture, and finally yet importantly, to tell the histories of a local practice (Moore 62).

Ruth Benedict is another of the famous American anthropologists who have contributed to some of the theories known. Benedict was once a believer of Boas’ cultural relativism. However, after the outcome of the World War II, Benedict started viewing otherwise. She could not understand how the Nazi culture could be put in the same category as the other cultures. After some research and reviews, she came up with her own concept, which states that people who have a culture that is friendly to human advancements are good, but a culture that works against basic human goals is not human and evil, and can be judged, as it is (Moore 70).

Having studied under Boas at the Columbia University, terms such as racism and culture were greatly used in her works. This was a time when these two terms were viewed quite differently by the society. She is also considered as one of the founders of cultural anthropology. She became of the initial users of anthropology in advanced societies. Her main work, “The Chrysanthemum and the Sword: Patterns of the Japanese Culture” published in 1946, greatly explain the patterns of the Japanese and is recommended as useful even today in Japanese studies. This book was very effective in influencing the Americans’ understanding of the Japanese culture in relation to World War II. Her other works are “Patterns of Culture”, published in 1934, “Zuni Mythology”, published in 1935 and ‘Race: Science and Politics”, published in 1940 (Erickson 65).

Ralph Linton, who was born in 1893 and died in 1953, started as an archaeologist. He was involved in doing thorough research in ethnography. He particularly dealt with Madagascar, a tribe known as the Tabala. In his research, he found out the difference between status and role, which is widely used in anthropology. In his name, there are a number books and articles, but one of his major books is “The Study of Man”, published in 1936. According to many teachers, this book is not only relevant in anthropology, but also in sociology, geography, psychology, biology and many more fields. It portrays a level to obtain evidence, interpret it and then use it without distorting it. His other works include The Tree of Culture, published in 1955 and other articles in different journals (Moore 80).

Margaret Mead, who was born in 1901 and later passed on in 1978, is an anthropologist who has contributed to the growth of anthropology. She was also a student of Professor Boas and a colleague of Ruth Benedict. She was involved with a number of field studies in the Pacific. She is mostly remembered for her study in the sex role in girls. This was due to the study on sex roles in Samoa girls. In her study, Margaret studied adolescence sex in the Samoan girls and saw that their transition into women was without crises. She thought that the American families could learn something from the Samoan girls about raising children. As a result, the book Coming of Age in Samoa was published in 1928 (Erickson 89).

However, an Australian Researcher known as Derek Freeman made a critique of his research. He felt that Mead had not taken the biological factors in favor of sex roles in culture. Another of her works was Growing up in New Guinea, which was published in 1930. Male and Female: A Study of the Sexes in a Changing World was also published. This was mostly based on the observations made of the people of the Pacific and the East Indies. In this book, she defended the rights of women and their wish to develop their talents (Moore 90).

Claude Levi-Strauss is another of the great anthropologists who have made a difference in the anthropology field. Born in 1908, he studied philosophy and law. However, he majored in structural anthropology. He is known to have developed the law of binary opposites. This is the competition of good and bad, cooked and raw. In this theory, he reveals how the structures of myths give foundational structures of comprehending cultural relations. According to him, these relations appear as two and oppose each other as to how the good is opposed to the bad or the cooked is opposed to the raw.

Levi felt that myth is a language and has to be told in order to come into being. The myth is both specific and historical for it is based on some time long ago. He continued and explained that myths can be paraphrased, expanded, translated, reduces, unlike something like a poem, without losing it original structure. In his study, he felt that there are a number of similarities between myth and language. Both are made of sections that are joined in accordance with certain rules. Secondly, these sections associate with each other based on opposites, which give the foundation of the structure (Moore 200).

There are a number of works, which have been published in his name. These include Structural Anthropology and Totemism published in 1962, The Raw and the Cooked published in 1969 and The Savage Mind published in 1972. In his conclusion, Strauss felt that the structural myth method brought order out of chaos. He felt that his method was scientific and thus exceeded all the others that had been derived (Ferraro 100).

Conclusion

All these are a few out of other people who have greatly contributed to the scientific world anthropology. More theories and researches are being developed as time goes by since humans change with time and their behaviors, tastes and preferences are sometimes dictated by their environment. Due to civilization and the coming up of technology, the culture of the different societies is changing and more research work is being carried out. All these anthropologists mentioned above have since died, Strauss’ death being the latest but their research work is greatly used and a critique of their work done as time goes by.

 

Works Cited

Erickson, Paul & Liam Murphy. A History of Anthropological Theory. New York, NY: University of Toronto Press, 2008. Print.

Ferraro, Gary. Cultural anthropology: an applied perspective. California, CA: Thompson Learning, 2008. Print

Metcalf, Peter. Anthropology: the basics. Oxon, OX: Routledge, 2005. Print

Moore, Jerry. Visions of culture: an introduction to anthropological theories and theorists. California, CA: AltaMira Press, 2004. Print

 

 

 

Art History

The Prehistoric Aegean

Early Cycladic Art

This art category is divided into three major periods, each exhibiting various styles and thereby evidencing advancements within the art practice. The first category covered the periods 3200 BCE to 2800 BCE with the earliest decorum being conducted on burial locations. Ceramic was used as the main art and designs were therefore largely incised into the required article. The materials expanded to incorporate marble that was locally sourced for the creation of sculptures. The sculptures generally accorded naked female figures that often had folded hands placed across the lower back region. The figures comprised of triangles for the chest, pubic regions and head, while the lower section comprises of slender and narrowing legs, to accord a violin outline. With the lack of balance, the sculptures could only be placed in a lying position and therefore used on tombs (Kleiner 68). Metal too was used but on a limited basis.

In the second category covering the periods 2800 BCE to 2300 BCE, tomb art expanded to the inclusion of paintings on ceramics and metals were used in the creation of weaponry. Sculptures progressed into the frying-pan outline and abstract shapes were implemented (Kleiner 69). In the third category, ceramic items were fashioned from various types of clay sourced from Asia Minor, as were metallic ones. Demand for marble material was reduced drastically and art shifted from tombs to walls. This was between the 2300 BCE to 2000 BCE.

Late Minoan Art

Minoan art employed ceramic material in the creation of household items. In the first period covering 1550 BCE to 1500 BCE, painting was accorded on the items with the molds comprising of flowers and spiral images. The ceramic products were created with straight features. In the second period marked between 1500 BCE to 1450 BCE, the molds changed to marine patterns like starfish, shells, and sea plants amongst others. The pottery style changed to conical and spherical forms (Kleiner 83). In the third category, 1450 BCE to 1415 BCE, the natural structures were replaced by conceptual ones and symmetry was enforced in the creation of the articles. In the fourth period, plain figures are accorded while the fifth, the octopus mold is principally employed in the painting element. This was in the periods 1415 BCE to 1340 BCE and 1340 BCE to 1190 BCE respectively. The last category in 1109 BCE to 1100 BCE employed the use of spirals. Wall paintings in this period accorded bull-fighting, wrestling, boxing and parade pictures.

Mycenaean Art

Wall decorations comprised of paintings with themes like processions, marine animals, and abnormal sized lions amongst other creatures. The dominating material employed within art practice was ceramic and the painting style focused on dark hues to create high contrast on the light hued ceramic articles. Colors employed within this period were accorded majorly to black and red, or shades of the same like gray. A single color was applied on each article with an exception of large items that mixed two hues. This was in 1650 BCE to 1550 BCE. In the subsequent period from 1550 BCE to 1470 BCE, molds of sea animals were used on the ceramics (Kleiner 76). Within the third era covering 1470 BCE to 1405 BCE, sea animals were substituted by flower molds. The subsequent period beginning in 1405 BCE and ending in 1370 BCE shifted to spiral molds and curvy patterns with pictures tending towards natural forms.

The fifth period repeated the flower mold and only picked the shell as a marine form as the second motif. Both pictures differed from previous periods by the fact that they accorded high creativity in styling with regard to line structure and paints to the shapes. This was in the period 1370 BCE and 1300 BCE. The sixth period ranging from 1300 BCE to1190 BCE, ceramic items expanded to include the unpainted versions with the last period marking the inclusion of foreign styles accorded to relocations and cultural merges (Kleiner 82). This was noted in 1190 BCE to 1050 BCE.

Ancient Greece

Geometric and Orientalizing Art

This art was evidenced around 1500 BCE to 700 BCE with the materials accorded being ceramic for various ceremonial items. The articles evidenced animal and floral figures constructed with geometric approaches. With time, human forms were incorporated in such vessels but in a less distinct manner that accorded the painting as a shadow that could only be identified as wither female or male due to the accorded sketch (Coldstream 362). These items were used for burial purposes. Sculpture maintained the geometric function too. With the spread of cultural movements, the decorative work on such items incorporated oriental patterns, defined by many curves, spirals and rose shapes, acquired from orient lands like Egypt, while the geometric approach was still maintained.

Archaic Art

The archaic art was noted in the 660 BCE to 480 BCE with ceramic items whose images leaned towards legendary images such as gods and goddesses, and other forms of mythical creatures. The initial approach to the paintings is termed as the black pottery that used dark hues in form of color etching to create dark patterns resembling shadows within the article before the baking and glazing processes (Kleiner 102). This would therefore accord black images upon the finish process and therefore the accorded title. The baked clay being a shade of brown accorded a good contrast with the black hue. This was replaced by the red pottery style that had an inverse approach that switched the backdrop to black and the images to brown or red hues. This was in the period 525 BCE. With the progression of the period, three-dimensional workspaces were introduced and the images expanded to include realistic ones. Statues in this era were of naked individuals posed with one foot ahead of the other to reflect movement; male figures were more employed than females.

Early and High Classical Art

As opposed to the inflexible nature of the archaic period sculptures due to the chiseling factor, this period expanded to accord realistic depictions of humans with various forms. As refinements were created, it became easy to fashion a real human in a statue in a recognizable manner (Kleiner 167). With the architectural component especially with the growth of temples, the statues were used for ornamental and faith purposes inside and outside the structures. Tombs also adorned the same approach by sculpting the family members and placing them near the tombs. Measurement ratios were strictly observed within this art form. This style was practiced within 480 BCE to 400 BCE.

Late Classical Art

Artists expanded their approach to statue making by the use plaster moulds that aided in the creation of emotion in the sculptures (Kleiner 168). This was in the period 400 BCE to 300 BCE. As more effort was accorded into this area, temple constructions reduced drastically within the period.

Hellenistic Art

This was practiced in 323 BCE to 146 BCE with statue work being more flexible in term of positioning as it accorded circular patterns that aid spectators to accord various views on the figure (Burn 13). In addition to the nude element, the sculpting expanded to include transparent clothing. Emotions are also highly evidenced in these statues. Paintings were largely accorded in walls with mosaic patterns as depicting realistic life elements like battles. Painting on ceramic articles diminished in this period with the black and red approaches expanding to support various hues in accordance to creativity. Human forms began to be etched in household articles in a wide color scheme as the artist wanted to portray.

 

Works Cited

Burn, Lucilla. Hellenistic art: from Alexander the Great to Augustus. Los Angeles: Getty Publications, 2004. Print.

Coldstream, John. Geometric Greece. New York: Routledge, 1979. Print.

Kleiner, Fred. Gardner‘s Art Through the Ages: The Western Perspective. Clifton Park: Cengage Learning, 2009. Print.

 

A Criticism, Compare/Contrast with Confucius and Taoism

Introduction

These are theories, which date back in the history of the Chinese people. Confucianism is a philosophy that was brought by the Chinese philosopher Confucius, where he said that logic and the reasoning of people could solve the human problems. In the theory, he rejects the emotions feelings and superstitions. Additionally, the theory stated that it is the best way to organize the society according to the traditions of the Chinese (Watson 3). On the other hand, Taoism was introduced by Lao Tzu, where he stated that the people should live in accordance with the flow of nature. This meant that nature dictates the flow of life (Waley 5). The two theories can be compared and contrasted to give the people life teachings, which they can use in day-to-day life.

The differences between the two theories in their principles

One of the main differences in Taoism and Confucianism is that Confucianism despises nature very much. It believes that man has to follow some common set of principles so that he can become what he is supposed to become. The founder of the theory even hates the nature and has a fear of nature. In addition, he said that in order for civilization to take place, the nature must be excluded (Watson 5). This shows that Confucianism theory does not support nature at all. Instead, the theory hates nature. When you compare with Taoism, it is found that it follows nature as its greatest principle in molding people. The founder of Taoism states that the correct path, which people are to follow, is by letting nature take its course. Additionally, Taoism states that people must live with nature together in harmony. This shows that Taoism loves nature and that people live together with nature in harmony (Waley 6).

Another difference in the two theories is that Confucianism is too rigid. It does not believe in too much freedom because the leaders who use this theories use coercion to express their rule on the people. The theory believes that people need to be controlled for the better so that things can be put where they are supposed to be in order for civilization to take place (Watson 5). On the contrary, Taoism theory believes in natural law where the flow of nature is allowed to take its course. This means that the rules or the chaos in the world should only be settled by the forces of nature and not force or coercion. This theory believes in freedom where people should be free in their activities (Waley 6). Therefore, the theory of Confucianism is more rigid and does not believe in freedom but the theory of Taoism is more flexible and believes that people should be free to do whatever they please in accordance with nature.

When it comes to the knowledge of people, Confucianism theory believes that there is nothing, which can be learned from nature. The theory argues that how anybody can associate himself with birds and other creatures and learns some thing from them is very difficult. This shows that the only way of gaining knowledge is to spend time studying different books rather than spending time with nature (Watson 8). On the other hand, Taoism theory states that there is so much in the world to be learned apart from what is written. Additionally, it states that how can one make judgment on something without understanding its nature. Therefore, it shows that one has to understand about nature first so that he can be able to make judgments in accordance with what he has understood. It is because of this that the two theories do not share the same principles about knowledge.

Confucianism theory believes that leaders are made. It means that in order for one to become a leader, he or she must be taught how to become a leader. This means that a leader has to be created through the different teachings. Therefore, for somebody to become a leader, he or she must learn how to become one. In the Taoism theory, it believes that a leader is created by the forces of nature. It believes that nobody has to be taught to become a leader (Watson 10). Taoism theory believes that it is nature, which makes a leader and not the teachings that one has to undergo.

The similarities between the two theories in their principles

On the other hand, the two theories have some similarities in them despite the fact that they hold different principles in them. One of the similarities is that they are both not religious theories. This is because they do not offer any advice in the matters of religion. For example, which gods to believe or when is the correct time to pray. The only thing that this two theories hold is the individual believes of a person and the different behaviors of a person. Confucianism theory states that the ethics and moral behaviors are the way forward while the Taoism theory believes in letting nature mold a person behavior. Therefore, it can be argued that the two theories only state on the different behaviors in which people are supposed to follow.

Another similarity in the two theories is that they both talk about knowledge. The different theories tend to talk about what knowledge is and how it can be acquired. This means that in Confucianism, young children are supposed to start learning the different rules and regulations of the society so that they can be able to know the correct ethics of what is expected of them in the society. On the other hand, Taoism explains that people should let the natural law take its course where people are expected to learn from it. This means that in accordance to nature, people will know what is expected of them without even being taught. Therefore, it can be argued that the two different theories talk about knowledge and the different ways in which knowledge should be administered.

Lastly, it can be said that the two theories are common because they both want harmony. This means that the two theories only want the world or the society to live in harmony. Additionally, the two theories want people to live together without having conflicts between one another. For example, Confucianism expresses this by the teachings of ethics. The theory tries to teach people that harmony can be obtained through learning the different principles of common ethics. On the other hand, in Taoism, it preaches harmony by stating that it is only nature, which can restore back peace and harmony. This means that people should stop controlling their feelings and stress; instead, they should let the nature to take its course and bring back harmony.

The difference in application of the two theories

The theory of Taoism theory by Chuang Tzu can be applied in today’s way of living. For example, the butterfly story where Chuang Tzu was asleep dreaming that he was a butterfly. Suddenly, he woke up. He was thinking whether the butterfly was dreaming to be a man or it was he who was dreaming about the butterfly. Additionally, he asked himself how you know that you have stopped dreaming (Waley 23). The story is about transformation of one state to another or from one behavior into another. In the current world, a person may experience several changes but the transformation from one state into another is not easily known by a person. Therefore, by using this theory, one would understand easily at what point the change occurred. However, in the Confucianism theory it would be very difficult for somebody to know when there is a change or a transformation.

Another way the theory of Taoism the story the butterfly can be applied in the story the butterfly is how people cope with different problems. When one is dreaming, he is able to feel every thing and emotions like fear or happiness are felt. This is the same as to when one is not dreaming because you can still feel the same feelings as compared to when one is sleep. In this case, when one is experiencing troubles in his or her life, he or she can use the same principles that are used to get out from a bad dream. Therefore, it can be argued that people can get out of their problems by the use of the strategies that one uses while he or she has experienced a bad dream unlike the Confucianism theory where it believes that nature cannot teach anybody anything.

In the story about the butcher, Taoism can be applied in the real life story today. The story is about a butcher who has been selling meat for the last seventeen years and he has being using the same knife since then. The knife has never been sharpened. When the butcher was asked why, he says that he understood the different contours in the meat and the only thing that he has to do is place the knife and let it do the work (Waley 77). In life today, it is better for somebody to understand the nature of something so that he or she can easily solve it. For example, if somebody wants to build a new machine that can cut grass, he or she must understand the best position in which it is easier to cut grass. In Confucianism, there is no way one can learn this without learning through nature. Therefore, it can be said that it is easier to apply the Taoism theory in life as compared to the Confucianism theory.

Another story, which the Taoism theory may be applied in real life situation, is the story of the woodcarver. This is a story where a woodcarver has just finished carving a bell stand. People are very much astonished by the beauty of the bell stand. When the prince asked the woodcarver how he did it, he answers by saying that he let every thing that could distract his mind off so that he could let his mind direct him to the correct wood and the image that he would use to curve the correct bell stand (Waley 56). The teachings of the story can applied when a person is making judgment about something where he or she must not be biased. One should first remove all the distraction that could affect his or her judgment so that he or she could make the correct judgment. This can be applied in a court by judges. When you compare this with the Confucianism theory, it does not state where one is expected to be open-minded in order for one to make judgment. Therefore, it can be argued that the Taoism theory of judgment is the best for real life application.

The swimmer is another story of the Taoism theory that can be used in real life applications. In the story, the swimmer floats in the water very well without drowning. When he is asked how he does it, he says that he waits calmly in the water and he does not fight with the flow of the water. This story can be applied where one has to be patient and waits for the right time in order to do something. Additionally, the story also talks about humility where one has to be humble instead of trying to fight with the problems (Waley 43). For example, when one is trying to make something or when one is performing his or her duties, he or she should be patient with the kind of work that he is doing so that he can obtain the best results instead of trying to take shortcuts or doing the job in a hurry. In Confucianism theory, it states that one only learns from what is written. This means that the theory cannot teach anybody how to be humble or patient as compared to the Taoism theory.

What are the lessons learnt in Taoism stories that are a warning to Confucianism theory

In the two theories, the Taoism theory expresses several things like openness as compared to the Confucianism theory, which is very rigid. According to the different Taoism stories, the theory has better arguments about life than Confucianism. This shows a great warning to those who follow the Confucianism theory. In the story of the butcher, the butcher first acquires the skill of cutting meet easily by first learning the meat (Waley 77). This shows that skills are not just acquired by the use of force like the way the theory of Confucianism states. Skills are explored in the nature where one has to explore different things to learn them. For example, there is nowhere one is taught how to cut meat. One learns how to cut meat easily by observing nature of the meat and deciding where it is easier and best to cut. Therefore, the theory of Taoism is a warning to those people who use the theory of Confucianism.

Another teaching that is in the stories of the Taoism theory that acts as a warning of the Confucianism theory is patience and humbleness. In the story about the swimmer, it states that the swimmer waited and did not fight the flow of water in order to float (Waley 43). If the Confucianism theory were to be used, the swimmer would have tried to force his way into floating, which instead of floating he would have drowned and died. This means that people have to be patient and humble so that they can live better or have better results as compared to when people use the Confucianism theory.

In the story of the woodcarver, it teaches us about the openness of the mind. The woodcarver says that he had to fast for more than nine days so that his mind could be free from all so that he could be able to locate the correct tree in the forest. Additionally, he had to be open so that he could be able to come up with the best image of the bell stand in his head in order to be able to carve it (Waley 56). In the Confucianism theory, the woodcarver would have just gone in the forest and chosen any tree without considering facts like the type of the tree. Therefore, he could have not been able to carve the best bell stand since the mind could have been affected by many things. It is because of this that the Taoism theory is more sensible than the Confucianism theory.

Lastly, in the Taoism theory, political life is not the only life to harmony. Its principles of letting nature take its course are very flexible where they let things to solve themselves. One is able to do anything else without the consideration of what the politics say. There is another life to live rather than the political life. In the Confucianism theory, it only expresses the political life where its main aim is to mould people into becoming leaders. The methods that it uses to mould these leaders are very suppressing and rigid since it does not allow anybody freedom to do something else.

Conclusion

            The two theories are very similar in that they do not talk about religion because there is nowhere they state that a person should follow this god or when is the correct time to pray. Additionally, the theories are similar because they talk about knowledge in relation to how knowledge is taught through the different people. Moreover, the theories are more about the personal or individual behavior of a person. On the other hand, the two theories are very different in that, the theory of Taoism states that in order to solve something, nature should take its course while the Confucianism theory states that logic and reasoning are the only ways to solve a problem.

 

References

Waley, A., (1989). The Analects of Confucius. New York, NY: Random House, Inc.

Watson, B., (1996). Basic Writings. New York, NY: Columbia University Press