The Significance Of The GI BILL Personal Statement

The Significance Of The GI BILL - Personal Statement Example College and home ownership were, prior to the G.I. Bill, thought of as unreachable by those who were not considered privileged in society. Higher education such as university was seen as a privilege reserved for the children of the upper echelon of America. The tuition assistance and the living stipend from the G.I. Bill changed that in short order and veterans flooded classrooms across the United States. With the gift of education, a higher standard and quality of life were guaranteed for many, as well as jobs with better pay and more stability. Low-interest home loans also contributed as returning veterans saw the once unreachable dream of home ownership finally within their grasp due to federally backed funding. They were able to move from apartments in the city to houses in quickly-growing suburbs, which meant expansion for cities and towns around the United States. This, in combination with their educational assistance, provided even greater stability to those that had served th eir country. The ripple effect of better education leading to better jobs with more pay, thus more money to spend and contribute to the economy, was felt throughout the nation in the years after World War II and made the G.I Bill significantly not only to each and every veteran that received its assistance but to the country as a whole. Other benefits were offered in the G.I. Bill that made a world of difference to returning veterans. Alongside home loans, veterans could apply for guaranteed business loans.

Significant Meanings Regarding the Myth of Cronus Essay Example for Free

Significant Meanings Regarding the Myth of Cronus Essay As Hesiod stated in Theogony (126-491), the Titan son, Cronus was born to the Greek God of the sky Uranus, and Gaia, the mother of earth. Cronus had eleven Titan brothers and sisters, and was the brother of three Cyclops, as well as the invincible Hecatonchires. For no particularly defined reason, after each of his children were born, Uranus chose to hide them in the depths of the earth or Gaia. At one point, Gaia devised a plan to free her children, which led to the removal of Uranus from power. In doing so, Cronus was now in control of the throne during the Golden Ages. After doing so, Cronus chose his sister Rhea as his mate. For fear that his promised destiny envisioned him being dethroned by his offspring, much like the fate of his father, Cronus swallowed each of his offspring as they were born, until one day being deceived by Rhea; which allowed his son Zeus to become the new ruler of all. (Pages 60, 67-70). The story about Cronus is one of the most important myths in Greek Mythology as it explains the very basics of human nature, thoughts and desires when combined with greed, overconfidence, and power. Although Cronus strived for everlasting power, and was willing to do anything to stay in control, he may have been emotionally torn in regards to the methods he took. This is stressed repeatedly in the fact that as stated by Morford, Lenardon and Sham in Classical Mythology; most depictions of Cronus show him to be sad or depressed and always with his sickle in hand (Page 70). The fact that he is displayed as sad demonstrates that with all the power in the world, he still is not happy with what he is. The sickle represents the fact that he is continuously on guard against possible actions against him as well as the brute force that he will use in order to retain power. Although not mythical creatures, political figures have allowed this to occur in our recent history. Regardless of their initial reasoning for taking office, at times political leaders get so wrapped up in the power that their office represents that they imprison or slaughter political opponents, and strip certain rights away from citizens due to the aranoia that they face. Modern day examples of this could be seen in countries such as North Korea, Iran and a fragment of the United States population may also claim America is headed in this direction. This demonstrates that regardless of initial motivations, leaders occasionally stray from their natural behavior once they are faced with possible resistance. The harsh actions carried out by Cronus may have also been fueled by the harsh treatment and abandonment that he felt was carried out by his father Uranus. Based on the tactics Cronus carried out once he was in power, it is safe to conclude that he did not necessarily oppose the actions his father carried out as much as he simply opposed the fact that those actions were directed at him, and limited his rise to power. Cronus had every opportunity to become a hero in this story, however due to the fall of grace that he witnessed with Uranus; the idea that he may lose control of his kingdom quickly controlled his actions and turned him into a paranoid villain at the end. It is quite possible that if Uranus as a role model to Cronus chose a different path in regards to handling his power, Cronus may have reacted differently if or when he was given the chance to lead. Another lesson this story exhibits is that regardless of people thinking they know best, human beings more often than not repeat the same mistakes that their previous generations made in the past. As Hesiod stated in Theogony (459-467), there would be negative repercussions for the actions that Cronus was taking, regardless of this, he continued on his path for absolute power (Page 69). Common day examples of this phenomenon can be seen in everyday life. Individual action such as the tragic results of drinking and driving or smoking still take place today, regardless of the fact that we already know the possible long term repercussions of these actions. On a larger scale, it can also be seen with global events such as repeated wars with no foreseen positive outcome. Repeated mistakes and consequences have tainted both our world and Classical Mythology throughout the ages. The fact that Cronus was deceived into believing a simple stone was Zeus as Hesiod stated in Theogony (481-491) displayed that Cronus fell victim to overconfidence regarding his plan to retain control of power, or at the very least was an example a lack of vigilance. (Page 70). Regardless of all the protocols that Cronus was taking in order to retain complete power; one remote instance of carelessness during a critical moment in his life eventually led to his downfall. Hesiod was attempting to demonstrate that regardless of the situation one fines themselves in; you should never be so overconfident that you become complacent. In a time before modern science and vast exploration of the earth, the story surrounding the life of Cronus was a means to clarify the unexplainable negative actions some people make in regards to human nature and society. The classical mythology surrounding Cronus demonstrated missteps, lack of judgment, greed and insecurities that led to his eventual downfall. The actions of Cronus were simply driven by his ambition to gain and retain power. The downfall of Cronus was mostly brought upon by his insecurities as well as greed. Cronus was brought into existence by Hesiod in order to display the insecurities and irrational behaviors of some of those in power. It served as a metaphor at that time, one that is still effective as displayed in politics today. Politics aside, it also served an example of the common evil and greed that is displayed on a daily basis in our world. The rise and fall of Cronus has taught many important lessons that were significant when it was written and the lessons still hold true to this day.

Summary of Life of Pi by Yann Martel Essay -- essays research papers

The novel, Life of Pi, by Yann Martel, is about a young boy, Pi, and his survival on a lifeboat drifting in the Pacific Ocean. It is written in three sections, the second part, spanning from chapters 37 to 94, concerns the events on the lifeboat and what Pi experiences. This part contrasts part 1 as Pi is not alone, the only human, left to dwell in his own thoughts and be self-sufficient. Whereas in part 1, Pi is living in India, surrounded by his family and friends, not alone in the slightest. To sustain interest in this middle section of the novel, Martel uses a variety of techniques. This is needed as the reader already knows that Pi survives the ordeal, as confirmed in section 1, therefore the journey in the Pacific must be fascinating to keep the readers interest. An example of this would be Pi?s decision to tame the tiger, Richard Parker, in which was trapped on the lifeboat with him. This occurred in chapter 57 of the novel. The task that Pi sets out to achieve creates suspense, as there is the ever-present danger of the wild tiger. ?The first training session was over. ...

Meat and Maggots

This week we were asked to attempt a scientific experiment, I attempted to observe 2 jars, in each Jar I put a piece of meat. On one of the Jars I placed a stopper and on the other I left it open so that the air can get to the meat. I then watched for 3 days to see what happens.The question that I was trying to find out is do flys contribute to maggots forming on meat, if meat is exposed to the air and not covered do maggots develop? As I watched the meat I found that the meat that is exposed to the ir has been in contact with flies and maggots are forming in the meat. The meat that has been covered is still rotting because of the temp in the room but it is not forming maggots.What I think has happened is that as the flys come In contact with the meat they cause the maggots for form In the meat. After the meat was out for 3 days the experiment showed that the meat that was exposed to the flys and to the air has maggots. The conclusion is that If meat Is uncovered and exposed to the a lr and has been In contact with flys that It developed maggots which concludes that the flys laid eggs on the rotting meat and caused the maggots. Meat and Maggots This week we were asked to attempt a scientific experiment, I attempted to observe 2 jars, in each jar I put a piece of meat. On one of the jars I placed a stopper and on the other I left it open so that the air can get to the meat. I then watched for 3 days to see what happens. The question that I was trying to find out is do fly’s contribute to maggots forming on meat, if meat is exposed to the air and not covered do maggots develop? As I watched the meat I found that the meat that is exposed to the air has been in contact with flies and maggots are forming in the meat.The meat that has been covered is still rotting because of the temp in the room but it is not forming maggots. What I think has happened is that as the fly’s come in contact with the meat they cause the maggots for form in the meat. After the meat was out for 3 days the experiment showed that the meat that was exposed to the fly’s and to the air has maggots. The conclusion is that if meat is unco vered and exposed to the air and has been in contact with fly’s that it developed maggots which concludes that the fly’s laid eggs on the rotting meat and caused the maggots.

The Failed Dream

The Failed Dream â€Å"The Constitution only guarantees the American people the right to pursue happiness. You have to catch It yourself. † These are the words of the American forefather, Benjamin Franklin. His thoughts reflect the theme that runs through each word, idea and aspect of The Great Gatsby, a novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald. The Great Gatsby highlights the flaws of the coveted American dream and how it can never be achieved. Fitzgerald illustrated the different areas of this principle in various characters, such as the Buchanan, George Wilson and, of course, the Infamous Jay Gatsby.These characters exemplify the empty promises of the â€Å"white picket fence† fantasy and the lies that we have been told all through our lives that If we work hard and honest enough, we will receive our reward. The Buchanan, Tom and Daisy, were created by Fitzgerald to show how the rich have their wealth not due to any merit of theirs, as so the American dream claims. Instead, thro ughout the plot, it is revealed how immoral, selfish, and irresponsible the rich are, all the things that one is told not to do to achieve true happiness, yet they have reaped the benefits of the dream. TheImmorality of the wealthy Is best personified through Tom Buchanan, who not only Is a chronic cheater, but also treats everyone else as Inferior to him. Early In the book, one of the first interactions a reader has with Tom is him talking to his mistress while hosting a dinner party with his wife. What is worse is the next chapter consists of him taking Nick, his wife's cousin, to meet this mistress. This shows not only his selfishness, but his lack of any conscience. Even when he discovered the infidelity of his own wife, he failed to see his own fault for the exact crime. Daisy Is no better.She was eager to have an affair from the first mention of It, when Nick called her to come alone. She didn't even consider the repercussions until push came to shove and she was forced to cho ose. â€Å"They were careless people, Tom and Daisy?they smashed up things†¦ Then retreated back to their money or their vast carelessness†(pig 70). This could not better explain this couple. Their only concern was themselves. They gave no regard to anyone but themselves. Daisy, who claimed to love Gatsby, through him under the bus to take the fall for Myrtle's murder and ran into the arms of Tom.Both f them conspired to contently their superfluous life at the expense of theirs. They lived a life which breaks every code of morality and do not deserve their wealth, yet they are the ones who are enjoying the wonders of the fulfillment of the American dream. If the Buchanan are Fitzgerald example of people who have unjustifiably benefited from the American economic system, the opposite is George Wilson who has been cheated out of his inheritance. Wilson is the person the dream claims you should be to achieve It, hardworking, kind and moral.In every scene, except after the d eath of Myrtle, that George appears In, he Is working. He works his heart out yet all he has to show of it is a failed marriage and an empty bank account. As one edges toward the end of the book and the American dream unravels, George becomes the biggest indicator of this, â€Å"He had discovered that Myrtle had some sort of life apart from him in another world, and the shock had made him physically sick†¦. So sick that he looked guilty, unforgivably guilty. Yet even when he discovers the Infidelity of his George's morality is the end when he finally seeks revenge. Granted, he murdered Gatsby, but he did this out of great mental torment and depression and even when e did it, he was filled with such regret that he could not live with himself afterwards. All the other characters, save for Nick, live in their sin without any sense of a conscience. If the American Dream is accurate, then George should be the most successful character in this tale, however, he is instead the pennil ess corpse.Gatsby is an example of someone who earned his American dream; however, he did not do it in the method that is advertised. Instead, Gatsby not only got his money through illegal means but he was also immoral and selfish. His actions, by definition, go against all that is upheld by the American dream so it should not be possible for Gatsby gain all he has. It is believed that if one works hard and is honest they will get their reward, yet we saw this is not true in George.On the flip side, Gatsby was able to obtain a fortune, but through illegal means. Not only is this but he not a hugely moral person though a reader might want to believe that. Instead, he is trying to take a married woman as his own, disregarding her husband, no matter how bad, and her daughter. These are not the actions of a ‘good man'. He was never content with what he had, always looking for more, even as a young man. He did not even care for his family as they were not wealthy and therefore not up to his standards.Gatsby instead did anything achieve success in the exact opposite way in the way one is told they can achieve it. The Great Gatsby seems like the tragic of failed love on the surface, however, it is really the poetic analysis of the tragedy of the American economic structure. One is told to work hard and be good and they will achieve success. Yet Fitzgerald magnified how this is a gross miscarriage of the truth. Instead, the people who have achieved success were handed it on a silver platter, like the Buchanan, or got it through immoral means, like Gatsby.He also shows how people who truly do believe in the dream try and try again but are cheated and never receive their reward, like George. The American dream is the universal aspiration of everyone on the planet. It is the almost religious belief instilled into the hearts of each person, influenced western society, from a young age. Yet only the select few who are already at the top stay there, looking down at th e rest of us as the gap widens; and leaving us to run the pursuit of happiness only to receive the only thing that is guaranteed, death and taxes.

Invention of Credit Cards

Invention of Credit Cards What is credit? And what is a credit card? Credit is a method of selling goods or services without the buyer having cash in hand. So a credit card is simply an automatic way of offering credit to a consumer. Today, every credit card carries an identification number that speeds up shopping transactions. Imagine what a credit purchase would be like without it.  The sales person would have to record your identity, billing address and terms of repayment. According to Encyclopedia Britannica, the use of credit cards originated in the United States during the 1920s, when individual firms, such as oil companies and hotel chains, began issuing them to customers. However, references to credit cards have been made as far back as 1890 in Europe. Early credit cards involved sales directly between the merchant offering the credit and credit card and that merchants customer. Around 1938, companies started to accept each others cards. Today, credit cards allow you to make purchases with countless third parties. The Shape of Credit Cards Credit cards were not always been made of plastic. Throughout history, there have been credit tokens made from metal coins, metal plates, and celluloid, metal, fiber, paper and now mostly plastic cards. First Bank Credit Card The inventor of the first bank issued credit card was John Biggins of the Flatbush National Bank of Brooklyn in New York. In 1946, Biggins invented the Charge-It program between bank customers and local merchants. The way it worked was that merchants could deposit sales slips into the bank and the bank billed the customer who used the card. Diners Club Credit Card In 1950, the Diners Club issued their credit card in the United States. The Diners Club credit card was invented by Diners  Club founder Frank McNamara as a way to pay restaurant bills. A customer could eat without cash at any restaurant that would accept Diners Club credit cards. Diners Club would pay the restaurant and the credit card holder would repay Diners Club. The Diners Club card was at first technically a charge card rather than a credit card since the customer had to repay the entire amount when billed by Diners  Club. American Express issued their first credit card in 1958. Bank of America issued the BankAmericard (now Visa) bank credit card later in 1958. The Popularity of Credit Cards Credit cards were first promoted to traveling salesmen (they were more common in that era) for use on the road. By the early 1960s, more companies offered credit cards by advertising them as a time-saving device rather than a form of credit. American Express and MasterCard became huge successes overnight. By the mid-70s, the U.S. Congress begin regulating the credit card industry by banning practices such as the mass mailing of active credit cards to those who had not requested them. However, not all regulations have been as consumer friendly. In 1996, the U.S. Supreme Court in case Smiley vs. Citibank lifted restrictions on the number of late penalty fees a credit card company could charge. Deregulation has also allowed very high-interest rates to be charged.

Free Essays on Greek Architecture

Greek Architecture The architecture of ancient Greece is represented by buildings in the sanctuaries and cities of mainland Greece, the Aegean islands, southern Italy and Sicily, and the Ionian coast of Turkey. Monumental Greek architecture began in the archaic period, flourished through the classical and Hellenistic periods, and saw the first of many revivals during the Roman Empire. The roots of Greek architecture lie in the tradition of local Bronze Age house and palaces. The following paper will cover the basic forms of Greek architecture. One of the many types of Greek building structures was Sacred Architecture. The Greeks conceived of their gods in human form, as anthropomorphic representations of the forces and elements of the natural world. These gods and goddesses were worshiped with sacrifices made at an outdoor altar. At many sanctuaries, the altar was much older than the temple, and some sanctuaries had only an altar. The temple designed simply as a shelter or home for t he cult statue and as a storehouse for offerings. This shelter consisted of a cella (back wall), a pronaos (columned porch), an opisthodomus (enclosure), an antae (bronze grills securing the porches), and a colonnade that provided shelter for visitors. The earliest monumental buildings in Greek architecture were the temples. Since these were solidly built and carefully maintained, they had to be replaced only if destroyed. The architectural orders, Doric on the mainland and Ionic in the eastern Aegean, were developed in the archaic temples, and their lasting example tended to make Greek architecture conservative toward changes in design or in building technology. The Archaic period evolved after the Mycenaen palace collapsed in 1200 BCE during the dark ages when people began rebuilding. This era brought about the introduction of both the Doric and Ionic Orders. The Doric Order, which originated around 400 BCE brought rise to a whole new type of building tech... Free Essays on Greek Architecture Free Essays on Greek Architecture Greek Architecture The architecture of ancient Greece is represented by buildings in the sanctuaries and cities of mainland Greece, the Aegean islands, southern Italy and Sicily, and the Ionian coast of Turkey. Monumental Greek architecture began in the archaic period, flourished through the classical and Hellenistic periods, and saw the first of many revivals during the Roman Empire. The roots of Greek architecture lie in the tradition of local Bronze Age house and palaces. The following paper will cover the basic forms of Greek architecture. One of the many types of Greek building structures was Sacred Architecture. The Greeks conceived of their gods in human form, as anthropomorphic representations of the forces and elements of the natural world. These gods and goddesses were worshiped with sacrifices made at an outdoor altar. At many sanctuaries, the altar was much older than the temple, and some sanctuaries had only an altar. The temple designed simply as a shelter or home for t he cult statue and as a storehouse for offerings. This shelter consisted of a cella (back wall), a pronaos (columned porch), an opisthodomus (enclosure), an antae (bronze grills securing the porches), and a colonnade that provided shelter for visitors. The earliest monumental buildings in Greek architecture were the temples. Since these were solidly built and carefully maintained, they had to be replaced only if destroyed. The architectural orders, Doric on the mainland and Ionic in the eastern Aegean, were developed in the archaic temples, and their lasting example tended to make Greek architecture conservative toward changes in design or in building technology. The Archaic period evolved after the Mycenaen palace collapsed in 1200 BCE during the dark ages when people began rebuilding. This era brought about the introduction of both the Doric and Ionic Orders. The Doric Order, which originated around 400 BCE brought rise to a whole new type of building tech... Free Essays on Greek Architecture In the time of the New Stone Age in Greece, sometime around 5000 B.C., one the most popular forms of architecture was started by the Greeks. This form, being that of Greek Architecture. The Greeks started out using mud and wood in their building of huts. â€Å"Their most important innovation was the replacement of wood by stone, which changed Greek Architecture into what it is recognized as today.† (1) They used these materials and their architectural knowledge to build such things as houses and temples, and then later palaces, tombs, and other buildings that served as social meeting places. In these buildings, they used different styles starting with Doric order, and later upgrading to Ionic and the more complex Corinthian. Along with these styles they used a design that included light functions, columns, arches, and vaulting. All the buildings in Greek Architecture were built for different purposes and are unique in their appearance, due to the different influences. The Greeks had many influences on their architecture, such as geographical, religious, social, and geological. The geographical influences consisted of the island of Crete being one of the main sea powers of the Mediterranean Sea, which allowed for trade ships to establish routes. When the Aegean Civilization fell, these routes became ways for colonists to bring their cultures over to Greece’s mainland. The sea was even more important because the mountains made intercommunication difficult amongst Greeks. Along with geography, religion was a big influence that was derived from the Aegean Civilization. The Aegean’s worshipped the natural phenomena but the Greeks did it more developed, with the role gods played in their culture. It was also their religious belief that unified the Greeks socially. In fact, in Sir Banister Fletcher’s book, History of Architecture, he writes: †Greeks were essentially democratic . . . the citizens shared in all affairs of ...

World War 1 Battles

World War 1 Battles The battles of the World War I were fought across the globe from the fields of Flanders and France to the Russian plains and deserts of the Middle East. Beginning in 1914, these battles devastated the landscape and elevated to prominence places that had previously been unknown. As a result, names such as Gallipoli, the Somme, Verdun, and Meuse-Argonne became eternally entwined with images of sacrifice, bloodshed, and heroism. Due to the static nature of World War I trench warfare, fighting took place on a routine basis and soldiers were rarely safe from the threat of death. The battles of the World War I War are largely divided into the Western, Eastern, Middle Eastern, and colonial fronts with the bulk of the fighting taking place in the first two. During World War I, over 9 million men were killed and 21 million wounded in battle as each side fought for their chosen cause. Battles of World War I by Year 1914 August 7-September 13: Battle of the Frontiers - Western FrontAugust 14-25: Battle of Lorraine - Western FrontAugust 21-23: Battle of Charleroi - Western FrontAugust 23: Battle of Mons - Western FrontAugust 23-31: Battle of Tannenberg - Eastern FrontAugust 28: Battle of Heligoland Bight - At SeaSeptember 6-12: First Battle of the Marne - Western FrontOctober 19-November 22:Â  First Battle of Ypres - Western FrontNovember 1: Battle of Coronel - At SeaNovember 9: Battle of Cocos - At SeaDecember 8: Battle of the Falklands - At SeaDecember 16: Raid on Scarborough, Hartlepool, Whitby - At SeaDecember 24-25: The Christmas Truce - Western Front 1915 January 24: Battle of Dogger Bank - At SeaFebruary 19-January 9, 1916: Gallipoli Campaign - Middle EastApril 22-May 25: Second Battle of Ypres - Western FrontMay 7: Sinking of the Lusitania - At SeaSeptember 25-October 14: Battle of Loos - Western Front 1916 February 21-December 18: Battle of Verdun - Western FrontMay 31-June 1: Battle of Jutland - At SeaJuly 1-November 18: Battle of the Somme - Western FrontAugust 3-5: Battle of Romani - Middle EastDecember 23: Battle of Magdhaba - Middle East 1917 January 9: Battle of Rafa - Middle EastJanuary 16: Zimmermann Telegram - Western FrontMarch 26: First Battle of Gaza - Middle EastApril 9-May 16: Battle of Arras - Western FrontJune 7-14: Battle of Messines - Western FrontJuly 31-November 6: Battle of Passchendaele (Third Ypres) - Western FrontOctober 24-November 19: Battle of Caporetto - Italian FrontOctober 31-November 7: Third Battle of Gaza - Middle EastNovember 20-December 6: Battle of Cambrai - Western Front 1918 March 21-April 5: Spring Offensives - Operation Michael - Western FrontJune 1-June 26: Battle of Belleau Wood - Western FrontJuly 15-August 6: Second Battle of the Marne - Western FrontAugust 8-11: Battle of Amiens - Western FrontSeptember 19-October 1: Battle of Megiddo - Middle EastSeptember 26-November 11: Meuse-Argonne Offensive - Western Front

How Buddhism Integrated to the Chinese Society Essay

How Buddhism Integrated to the Chinese Society - Essay Example Buddhism succeeded to integrate to the Chinese society through its branched meditative practices, ethical practices, and theories of psychological, philosophical, and cosmological trends. In addition, Buddhism appealed to the Chinese people through its prospect of the release of frustration, the full development of human potential, with a personal relationship with an intangible and ultimate spiritual reality ("Buddhist Principles, Customs and Manners"). Hence, analytically speaking, the Chinese people accepted Buddhism with its teachings, which come from Siddhartha Gautama (the "awake"), and considered the historical Buddha. The life of the Buddha is rich in legends describing miracles and divine apparitions. But only 300 years after his death it began to be known by text, along with his teachings, with the Emperor Ashoka that the promotion throughout its area and sends missions abroad (Background to Buddhism: A history of Buddhism"). One of the paths through which Buddhism reaches the Chinese people is related to the essence of the Buddha, who is not regarded as a god or even as a divine messenger. It is the symbol of a principle, a thing which cannot be achieved but we must try to sketch by definitions ("Buddhist Principles, Customs and Manners"). ... However, modern Buddhism does not believe in reincarnation in a strict sense, but uses this concept in the form of parable ("Buddhism: What Buddhism is"). This parable says that a person is sentenced to die and return to Earth on the number of times it will take until it has reached the spiritual level necessary to escape from earthly life. Each time he dies he will be reincarnated in a different shape. These suites of reincarnations symbolize what Chinese people are experiencing in their lives ("Buddhist Principles, Customs and Manners"). Thus, according to the Buddhist theory of incarnation, if we drive someone brutal to satisfy our needs, we are reborn into an animal. In a spiritual work, we can kill these horrible things that we are born again and become once more, in a better form (â€Å"Background to Buddhism: A history of Buddhism"). Hence, these spiritual beliefs that are related to the theory of incarnation helped Buddhism to be integrated to the Chinese society. Moreover, for the Chinese people, what seemed appealing in Buddhism is the concept of "Dharma". It is the idea that the universe has meaning and humans have a role to play. There is only one dharma, by definition the same for everyone. Each religion is a light on the nature of Dharma, it teaches men how they should behave. A religion like Buddhism, for the Chinese, bases its teaching on the absolute. This religion teaches that the soul of the dead will live forever ("Buddhism: What Buddhism is"). It gives a specific instruction. It therefore resembles in many points of view other Chinese principles and religions derived from the Bible. What is unique about Buddhism, from the Chinese point of view is that it teaches that nothing is absolute

Defining my identity Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Defining my identity - Personal Statement Example At 19 years of age, I believe the greater part of my life still lies ahead. I know that one day I will no longer be living under my mother’s rules, and that is my motivation as to why I strive to be a better person and avoid struggling in future life. I have built my identity mainly by being determined not to be like many people I know. Some are not in school, doing drugs or serving jail terms. Others messed their lives by getting pregnant while still young. But for me, I am a responsible young adult already doing two part time jobs. Most importantly, I am a future-oriented person. My age, gender and ethnicity often cross over each other in the determination of my identity. At 19, I have seen my age mates succumb to peer pressure, but I am not that kind of a person. The culture shock that I suffered when I joined college could easily have led me into self-destructive habits, like the drug abuse that many teenagers indulge in. Instead, I chose not to go out much, opting to stay at home when not working or in school, as well as limiting the number of friends. Despite living with my mother, I pay my own bills, feed myself buy my own clothes and take care of my own doctor’s visits. Apart from that, I also ensure that I provide food for my sister when there is no food at home. My gender means that I must be responsible since, traditionally, women are home keepers. However, as a result of my uniqueness, I want to enjoy the power of providing for myself, rather than taking up stereotyped gender roles. I want to look at gender and ethnicity differently, and mor e positively when I am more mature, hence the aspect of age defines me in a dynamic manner. Inadvertently, I belong to a specific gender, race and ethnicity. It is not my wish to associate myself with any socioeconomic class because such divides only serve to magnify stereotyped differences. So long as one can be responsible enough, get an education and provide

Weathering and Mass Movement Event Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Weathering and Mass Movement Event - Essay Example (Kawamura, 2008).. This is the downward movement of rocks and regolith on the earth’s surface due to gravitational force. Mass movements have significance to the process of erosion. It moves materials from the higher elevation to lower elevation. The type of mass movement showed was slope failures; This is a type of slide whereby there is a downward rotation of regolith and rocks along the concave upward surfaces. The upper part of the block remains undistributed. The moved slump leave scars on the hill slope. It is caused by heavy rain and earthquakes. On rocky slope it is caused by chemical compositing of the rocks as seen in picture A (Kawamura, 2008). Rock slides result when rocks fall down a pre-existing surface such as foliation surface, or joint surface. Frequently the spaced fractures in rock are caused due to expansion that occurs during cooling and of the rock mass. It occurs when a rock falls down slope. The debris is similar except that they contain regolith, and rocks. The effect of this collision is that the rocks break more in size and deposit down hill; talus. Single and mass rock are forms of rock fall. Some of the rural areas show relatively week slope stability and are more susceptible to landslides because of the nature of the area’s soils, landslides are also triggered with other natural hazards such as heavy rains, floods, earthquakes and wildfires, landslide also destroy property and infrastructure and mass movement occur slowly or it takes time: warning time. Due to the above reasons people have resulted to move to urban areas that are free and

Critique Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 3

Critique - Essay Example nimous concern that there will be a knowledge-based generational gap if higher education is not transformed to keep with the accelerating changes of digital information. Levine and Dean do identify and make the valid claim that the majority of students believe they will achieve success based on previous generation’s ability to do so, and how students do not take into account the reality of a poor economic infrastructure. However, students do recognize that a stagnant economy will curtail the possibilities of monetary success. It is important to acknowledge what students today think about the future of the economy; twenty years ago, tuition was never thought to reach the price and investment that it has today. Although the authors reveal and extol their concepts on how society as a whole is changing inevitably through the digital revolution, it is conveyed in an editorial point of view. The author’s concerns have a sense of legitimacy, but many assumptions are made witho ut taking into account that life and society is always changing. Change, by definition, is an ever-evolving transformation that at times can seem to occur instantaneously. The credibility such as the statistics given becomes skewed and misleading to the audience because of the way Levine and Dean interpret them. Although Levine and Dean make broad assumptions, they do, however, make agreeable depictions on the concept of how grades are more inflated, but not how they perceive it to have been done. â€Å"Forty-one percent of undergrads have grades of an A- or higher† (Levine & Dean), this statistic may be true, but the point of view from the authors mislead the audience by claiming that a student who has an A got that grade because grades are inflated, which leads to their assumption that today’s undergrads are â€Å"weak academically†. The authors do not take into account that every teacher is different in his or her own way, an assumption cannot be concluding with the evidence given. This is in

Zara - The Fast Fashion Leader Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

Zara - The Fast Fashion Leader - Essay Example The essay "Zara - The Fast Fashion Leader" explores the fashion leader, Zara company. Zara is also successful in ensuring barriers are established for new market entrants through self-operated manufacturing capacity and logistics strategies that cannot be rivalled without substantial capital investment. Weaknesses in the model were identified by conducting a comprehensive European/global environmental analysis of the competitive industry as well as through examination of Zara’s current business model. Weaknesses lie is in isolating the company from negative publicity, which has been a large problem recently with accusations of the company being supportive of sweatshop labour conditions with foreign suppliers. Additionally, research has identified weaknesses involving a lack of focus on more relevant, behavioural marketing strategy development as well as the company not maintaining proper focus on building more independent supply and logistics networks that would be owned by Za ra to improve its scope of control. Because of these weaknesses, it is recommended that Zara consider repositioning the business to a premiumisation strategy as a new business level strategy, diversifying self-managed manufacturing and logistics capabilities, and focusing on promotion that is more consumer-centric. It is further recommended that Zara differentiate its products with an emphasis on fashion-forward design in order to capture the attention of target markets that value exclusivity. These strategies will sustain Zara.’s future brand position and build more positive brand equity. TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1.0 Introduction..................................................................................................... 2.0 Strategic issues and competitive forces........................................................... 2.1 Industry Life Cycle analysis................................................................ 2.2 Porter’s Five Forces analysi s............................................................... 2.3 PEST framework................................................................................. 3.0 Internal strategic audit..................................................................................... 4.0 PR crises at Zara.............................................................................................. 5.0 Recommendations for future business sustainability....................................... 5.1 Improving supply capabilities.............................................................. 5.2 Better utilisation of marketing theory and practice.............................. 5.3 Premiumisation..................................................................................... 5.4 Differentiation as business level strategy............................................. 6.0 Conclusion........................................................................................................ References 1.0 Introduction The fast fashion leader, Zara, provides fashion and accessory products to a variety of profitable consumer markets in multiple international markets. Zara stands out from competition most distinctly for the retailer’s ability to restock in-store inventories with a lead time of only two weeks or less. This is unparalleled in the retail industry as most retail competitors require months in order to launch a

Critique Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 3

Critique - Essay Example nimous concern that there will be a knowledge-based generational gap if higher education is not transformed to keep with the accelerating changes of digital information. Levine and Dean do identify and make the valid claim that the majority of students believe they will achieve success based on previous generation’s ability to do so, and how students do not take into account the reality of a poor economic infrastructure. However, students do recognize that a stagnant economy will curtail the possibilities of monetary success. It is important to acknowledge what students today think about the future of the economy; twenty years ago, tuition was never thought to reach the price and investment that it has today. Although the authors reveal and extol their concepts on how society as a whole is changing inevitably through the digital revolution, it is conveyed in an editorial point of view. The author’s concerns have a sense of legitimacy, but many assumptions are made witho ut taking into account that life and society is always changing. Change, by definition, is an ever-evolving transformation that at times can seem to occur instantaneously. The credibility such as the statistics given becomes skewed and misleading to the audience because of the way Levine and Dean interpret them. Although Levine and Dean make broad assumptions, they do, however, make agreeable depictions on the concept of how grades are more inflated, but not how they perceive it to have been done. â€Å"Forty-one percent of undergrads have grades of an A- or higher† (Levine & Dean), this statistic may be true, but the point of view from the authors mislead the audience by claiming that a student who has an A got that grade because grades are inflated, which leads to their assumption that today’s undergrads are â€Å"weak academically†. The authors do not take into account that every teacher is different in his or her own way, an assumption cannot be concluding with the evidence given. This is in

Management Research Reports- Labour turnover, hospitality Essay

Management Research Reports- Labour turnover, hospitality - Essay Example Apart from these, there is lack of coordination between the industry and the educators due to which both the students that enter the work field and the industry, experience a gap. Conclusions have been drawn extensive study. The business environment today is turbulent and challenging. The hotel industry is characterized by low job security, low pay, shift duties and limited opportunities for promotion (Wong, Siu & Tsang, 1999), no breaks, fluctuating demand, simultaneous production and consumption (Birdir, 2002). The sector offers a range of contradictions on a daily basis (Baum & Nickson, 1998). Human capital is considered the greatest asset in meeting these challenges and gaining competitive edge. However, attracting, managing and retaining talent in the hospitality industry is the biggest challenge. Competitive advantage relies on service quality and delivery of service quality itself has become challenging due to high staff turnover in the industry. The industry does realize that high turnover of staff ultimately results in high recruitment and training costs but despite all efforts they have not been able to bring about changes in the situation. High turnover indicates that staff is not sufficientl y motivated to work for the organization. This in turn implies lack of commitment and loyalty from the employees. Since this is an issue that concerns the smaller as well as the larger firms in the industry, this requires an in-depth study. Various studies have been conducted in the past but most studies have focused on one particular issue or one particular region. This study proposes to be an umbrella study where all the various factors that cause high turnover will be looked into. High labour turnover is not a country-specific problem but is a global problem. This study would provide greater insight than is possible in one

Matrimonial Rights of Women Essay Example for Free

Matrimonial Rights of Women Essay Islamic law is a very great jurisprudence worldwide, Islamic law is defined as the law according to the Muslim faith and as interpreted from the Quran also known as Sharia law. The sacred law of Islam is an all-embracing body of religious duties, the totality of Allahs commands that regulate the life of every Muslim in all its aspects. Important feature of Muslim law is the fact that there is no clear separation of Mosque (is a place of worship for followers of Islam) and state. Under Islamic law, the religion of Islam and the government are one. Islamic law is controlled, ruled and regulated by the Islamic religion; a theocracy. Islamic law purports to regulate all public and private behavior including personal hygiene, diet, sexual conduct, and child rearing. Islamic law now prevails in countries all over the Middle East and elsewhere covering 20 per cent of the worlds population. Despite its relative inflexibility, in some ways, Islamic law is superior to other systems of law, such as the preference given to arbitration in civil disputes. Islamic law composed of following elements * Sharia: * Quran * Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (generally known as Hadith) * Sunnah, literally means path. * The Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad consists of his sayings, actions, approval and disapprovals. * ?Fiqh: * Collection of juridical opinions given by various jurists as they pondered over the day-to-day application of Sharia * ?Fatwa: * Legal opinions (typically non-binding) issued by qualified jurists. * Usually provided as an answer to a specific question. Sharia is based on wisdom and achieving people’s welfare in this life and the afterlife. Sharia is all about justice, mercy, wisdom, and good. Thus, any ruling that replaces justice with injustice, mercy with its opposite, common good with mischief, or wisdom with nonsense is a ruling that does not belong to the Sharia even it is claimed to be so according to some interpretations. The main criticism on Islamic law from the western society is â€Å"Islamic law discriminates women’s rights†. Western society has identified so many women’s right violating incidents occurred in the countries which practices Islamic law or the countries which identify themselves as an Islamic republic. For example the following incidents could be recognized as the discriminatory aspect of Islamic law. Traditionally, the Muslim woman marries at a young age to a man of her fathers choice. A husband is entitled to divorce any time, even against his wifes will, by merely declaring verbally that this is his intention.Although the image of the egalitarian woman is slowly developing within some more secular Arab states, it remains largely confined to urban centers and upper-class circles. Ritual sexual mutilation of females is still common in rural areas of Egypt, Libya, Oman and Yemen. According to the UN, utilization of Arab womens capabilities through political and economic participation remains the lowest in the world in quantitative terms†¦.In some countries with elected national assemblies, women are still denied the right to vote or hold office. And one in every two Arab women can neither read nor write. Wife-beating is a relatively common practice in Arab countries, and abused women have little recourse. As the State Department has noted regarding Jordan (and most of the Arab world): Wife beating is technically grounds for divorce, but the husband may seek to demonstrate that he has authority from the Quran to correct an irreligious or disobedient wife by striking her. Abstraction of all above issues points out that most of the restriction on Muslim women connected with their marital life. A patriarchy family system has been formed through Islamic norms and values. however Islamic legal experts and scholars denies the above statement and they strongly argue that Islamic law grants much wider rights to women’s especially in case of marriage life the Islamic women enjoys much wider rights other than non Islamic women’s. Now let’s analyze myths and facts regarding the matrimonial rights provided under the Islamic law. First of all let’s see how Islamic laws treat gender equality. â€Å"And women shall have rights similar to the rights upon them in a just and equitable manner; but men have a degree over them† (Holy Quran2:228). Interpretation given for the above verse by Islamic scholars is the rights of the wives in relation to their husbands are equal to their obligations toward their husbands but men in their obligations toward their wives stand a step further The â€Å"step further† of which the Quran speaks is not a position of greater rank or nobility. The â€Å"step† the Quran makes reference to is the obligatory duty given to the man in the care of the woman; it is not a degree of superiority. Allah ordained men with the responsibility to preserve and solely sustain women. The â€Å"step further† is in no way a form of dominance or preferment. The Quran consistently makes reference to equity, parity, and equilibrium among the genders. It disposes of genders and makes no distinction whatsoever between the superiority or inferiority of men and women. On the contrary, it is the piety of a person that distinguishes him or her by ranks or degrees, not gender or lineage. As stated in this verse â€Å"step further† husband duty bound to maintain his wife, Now let’s see how does Shariah law ensures the Right to Maintenance of a wife. The duty to maintain a wife is the sole responsibility of a husband under Islamic Law. This can be seen in the Quran where it states that: â€Å"Men shall take full care of women with the bounties which Allah has bestowed more abundantly on the former (men, with several special merits) than on the latter (women) , also because they spend a part of (their wealth) to maintain them†¦.† This command is further strengthened by a number of Hadith as follows: Prophet said the following concerning women,   Ã¢â‚¬  And their rights which are your responsibility is to feed and clothed them in accordance to their needs† Hence, from the above it is the duty and responsibility of a husband to support his wife from the day he married her. This responsibility continues as long as they are married to each other. Upon divorce, a husband has to maintain his wife during the iddah period which is approximately 3 months. After the 3 months is completed, a husband may no longer have to support her. Apart from maintenance a woman is also entitled to mutaah (consolidation payment upon divorce) and matrimonial property (harta sepencarian) In case of Maintenance Srilankan Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act provides that any claim for maintenance by or on behalf of a wife, legitimate child or illegitimate child (where both parents are Muslims) falls within the exclusive jurisdiction of the Quazi. A Muslim woman’s right to maintenance during marriage is derived from the concept of nafaqa, which encompasses the provision of basic needs such as food, clothing and accommodation to the wife. In contrast to the Maintenance Act, the husband has the primary obligation of providing support and a wife’s own financial means are irrelevant in determining her claim for maintenance. Maintenance after divorce is not recognized under Muslim personal law. However, the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act provide three situations in which a divorced wife may claim maintenance: 1. until registration of the divorce; 2. During iddat (the period of time that a divorced wife must remain unmarried); and 3. If such woman is pregnant at the time of registration of the divorce, until she delivers the child. A wife who leaves her husbands house without valid and sufficient reason is not entitled to claim maintenance from her husband under section 21 of the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Registration Ordinance. In the case of Seyed Mohamed V. Mohamed Ali Lebbe Court held that â€Å"When the woman abandons the conjugal domicile without any valid reason she is not entitled to maintenance. Simple refractoriness, as has been popularly supposed, does not lead to a forfeiture of her right But if she were to leave the house against his will without any valid reason, she would lose her right, but would recover it on her return to the conjugal domicile. What is a valid and sufficient reason for the wife to leave the husbands home is a matter for the discretion of the Judge. As a general principle a wife who leaves her husbands house on account of his or his relations continued ill-treatment of her†¦. continues entitled to her maintenance . Custody of the child Shariah law give priority to women’s in case of custody of child, One of the key relevant hadith is the following:, a woman came to the Prophet and said: Truly my belly served as a container for my son here, and my breast served as a skin-bag for him (to drink out of) and my bosom served as a refuge for him; and now his father has divorced me, and he (also) desires to take him away from me. The Prophet said: You have a better right to have him, as long as you do not marry again. From this hadith we could arrive a clear understanding that in case of child custody the Mother has the priority. However, if the mother marries again she would generally forfeit her right to custody. This concept in custody which favors to mothers has been adopted in several legal systems which include Muslim law as a personal law. For example in India the first and foremost right to have the custody of children belongs to the mother and she cannot be deprived of her right so long as she is not found guilty of misconduct. Mother has the right of custody so long as she is not disqualified. This right is known as right of hizanat (custody) and it can be enforced against the father or any other person. The mother’s right of hizanat was solely recognized in the interest of the children and in no sense it is an absolute right. Srilankan legal system also follows similar phenomena in regarding the custody of Muslim child which ensures the priority of the mother to keep her children under her custody even without the consent of her husband. In re Wappu Marikar case Wood Renton CJ stated that according to Shafii school, the custody of a girl remains with the mother, not merely until puberty, but till she is actually married; and in the case of a boy, till completion of his seventh year at all events, and from thence until puberty he may place himself under either parent whom he chooses. This case is a clear example to quote that srilankan Muslim law provides a wide safeguard to women’s in regarding the custody of child. Rights on matrimonial property Shariah law clearly defines the rights of women on property. The Muslim woman has always had the right to own and manage her own property. Marriage in Islam does not mean that the man takes over the womans property, nor does she automatically have the right to all his property if he dies. Both are still regarded as individual people with responsibilities to other members of their family parents, brothers, sisters etc. The husband has the duty to support and maintain the wife, as stated in the Quran, and this is held to be so even if she is rich in her own right. He has no right to expect her to support herself, let alone support his children or him. If she does contribute to the household income this is regarded as a charitable deed on her part. Because of their greater financial responsibilities, some categories of male relations, according to the inheritance laws in the Quran, inherit twice the share of their female equivalents, but others, whose responsibilities are likely to be less, inherit the same share -mothers and fathers, for instance are each entitled to one sixth of the estate of their children, after bequests (up to one third of the estate) and payment of debts. Women are thus well provided for their husband’s support them, and they inherit from all their relations. They are allowed to engage in business or work at home or outside the house, so long as the family does not suffer, and the money they make is their own, with no calls on it from other people until their death. â€Å"Men shall have their share of that which they have earned, and women a share of that which they have earned†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Quran4:33) From the above verse from Quran married women’s are treated sole owners of their property husband cannot claim any part of her property while marriage exist of dissolved. Moreover Upon marriage the husband is required to give his wife a mahr (dowry) which then becomes her exclusive property. A woman can work for financial gain, without any obligation on her part to contribute to the household expenses. Islam also gives her inheritance rights, making it a requirement for women to get their determined share. Two significant features regarding Muslim women matrimonial property are Mahr and Kaikuli. Mahr is like dowry in other communities which is demand by bride and provided by groom when marriage is solemnized. Mahr is a sole property of wife and husband did not have any interest on mahr property. Even after the dissolution of marriage husband cannot claim the mahr from wife but if there any balance has to be settled on agreed mahr the wife could claim that balance mahr after the dissolution of marriage. kaikuli means any sum of money paid or other movable property given or any sum of money or any movable property promised to paid or given, to a bridegroom for the use of bride, before or at the time of marriage by a relative of bride or by any other person. Husband has the ownership of kaikuli property but he is liable to pay it over to the wife if she demands it, even during the subsistence of the marriage. The obligation is to return the property to his wife whenever she demands it or, if she dies, to her heirs. Rights on marriage and divorce. Marriage in Islam is viewed as an important and sacred union between a man and woman that fulfills half of one’s religious obligations. A well-known passage in the Quran discusses marriage as follows: â€Å"Among His signs is that He created for you spouses from yourselves so that you might find repose with them. And He has placed between you affection and mercy. In that there are certainly signs for people who reflect.† (Quran 30:21). Marriage requirements There are basic requirements for marriage in Islam. First, a couple must mutually consent to the marriage. This requires both a clear proposal and acceptance. A woman also must have a WALI or legal guardian present during the process. If a WALI is not present a woman must be past puberty and competent to make the decision to marry. Brides are also entitled to a dowry that is typically negotiated at the same time as the marriage contract. The dowry is specifically a gift showing love and devotion to the bride. There are two types of dowries a bride is entitled to: the mahr and the MUAKHR, first, the mahr is the dowry given to the bride at the time of marriage before consummation takes place. She is not required to share this dowry and is free to do what she wishes with the gift. The bride is often asked her opinion to make sure she receives a gift she enjoys. MUAKHR is the second type of dowry that is given upon the death of the husband or the couple’s divorce. This is also referred to as the â€Å"deferred† dowry. MUAKHR is meant for both financial support and as a large consequence that the couple should consider when contemplating divorce. In situations of death, this amount is paid out before the estate is divided. If the estate cannot cover the entire amount, the wife is entitled to collect the amount from the husband’s surviving family members who are also heirs to the estate. She can also waive the obligation for any reason, including hardship on her husband’s family. Polygamy The most controversial topic in Islamic law is polygamy some critics say this concept is is a distinct violation of married women rights. However now let’s analyze what Islamic law says about polygamy and polyandry ‘If ye fear that ye shall not be able to deal justly with the orphans, Marry women of your choice, Two or three or four; but if ye fear that ye shall not be able to deal justly (with them), then only one, or (a captive) that your right hands possess, that will be more suitable, to prevent you from doing injustice’. (Quran 4:3) Historically, the practice of polygamy existed before Islam without restrictions. Islam limited the number of wives to four and established clear rules and regulations for the practice to ensure fair treatment of each wife. Polygamy is an option and not a requirement in Islam. As was mentioned earlier, Muslims must follow the laws of the land that they live in as long as it does not contradict the requirements of the faith. Polyandry, or marrying more than one husband, is not permitted to maintain the children’s lineage for purposes of inheritance and protect children’s rights as heirs. Monogamy is the normal practice in the majority of Muslim communities due to the financial and emotional burden it carries. Divorce TALAQ is the word, used in Islamic law for divorce. It is an Arabic word and means â€Å"set free†. It is only in unavoidable circumstances that TALAQ is permitted as a lawful method to bring marriage contract to an end Requirements for divorce in Shariah Law 1. He or she must have reached puberty and be capable of making a decision 2. He or she must be sane, conscious, alert, and free from intoxication or anger 3. He or she must be free from external pressure 4. His or her intention must be clear Divorce must take place after the wife’s menstrual period and no sexual relations have occurred since her period ended. If all the above factors are present, either the husband or wife can pursue a divorce or they can pursue a divorce jointly and amicably. In SriLanka Muslim marriage and divorce act provides clear guide line for the marriage and divorce procedure for Muslims. Most of the provisions in this act accordance with shariah law. In case of consent of the bride did not taken in account for marriage, consent of the bride is deliberate through the WALI (guardian of bride). This provision seems to be a clear violation of women’s right however he movement for Muslim personal law reforms in Sri Lanka from a feminist perspective has been spearheaded by the Muslim Women’s Research and Action Forum (MWRAF), a small group of professional Muslim women continuously emphasis the legislation to bring changes to ensure that the consent of both parties are obtained as an essential condition of a Muslim marriage and to make provision for the bride’s signature, given the fact that there is no space for her signature in the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Registration Form and it is the wali or marriage guardian who conveys her consent on her behalf. However this recommendation has not been taken account by the legislation yet. In case of divorce, second schedule of Muslim marriage and divorce act defines the steps to get a divorce by women which obviously accordance with Muslim Shariah Law. Eventually the authority of implementing the divorce is vest ed with the Quazi. Conclusion Sharia has certain laws which are regarded as divinely ordained, concrete and timeless for all relevant situations. It also has certain laws which are extracted based on principles established by Islamic lawyers and judges. The sharia as interpreted by Islamic lawmakers is believed by Muslims to be merely a human approximation of the true Sharia, which is understood as the divine and eternal correct path. In deriving Sharia law, Islamic lawmakers are not, therefore, actually creating divinely correct or incorrect actions beyond question, but rather attempting to interpret divine principles. Hence Sharia in general is considered divine, but a lawyers or judges extraction or opinion on a given matter is not, though the process and intention to refer to Allahs law is divinely sanctioned Muslim laws developed from the shariah law are not merely reflecting shariah principles. It purely based on circumstances, traditions, communal influences and etc. as I stated earlier most of the critics from western society comments that shariah law lays some savage rules regarding women’s. But actually Islamic laws are the pioneer laws which grant wider rights to women’s. this article could only analyze the matrimonial rights grant to Muslim women’s by shariah law apart from this rights shariah laws has given adequate rights on each social activities for women’s. Islam provides rigid guide lines for pleasant domesticity. In Quran most of command orders the men to safeguard the women and to provide them all necessary rights and to treat hem equally. One of my favorite quotes in Quran is â€Å"The most honored of you [male] in the sight of Allah is he who is most righteous of you†: (49:13). Interpretation given by Islamic scholars for â€Å"righteous† is â€Å"maintaining the wife with equal rights† from this verse we could realize how far the Islamic shariah law ensures matrimonial rights of women. Srilankan Muslim law is Constructed from Muslim social and communal structure which consist Islamic shariah law as a core part of it. SriLanka Muslim law deals with almost all social conduct of Muslims. Most of the matrimonial disputes arises in Muslim families has been amicably solved by Quazi courts which operates under Muslim marriage and divorce act. As we have discussed earlier part of this article srilankan Muslim law tries to ensure the married women right and it bound to operate within the criteria of shariah law. However the core concept of shariah law is to prevent party (husband and wife) from exceeding their limits. I had an interview with a Quazi judge who had come across more than 3000 of matrimonial disputes he stated that â€Å"Muslim Marriage and divorce act bound by shariah law is primarily intended to bring a peaceful settlement regarding family issues. It provide safeguard to the married women for an extend, but we are required to act in moral manner which should give remedies for the weaker party (mostly women’s). Moreover most of the divorce application initiated by women’s and their husband are duty bound to provide adequate financial support to them even after dissolution of marriage this is a very essential safeguard for women’s. As per the Muslim law, matrimonial properties of women are entirely belonging to her. Even though I wish some changes should be brought in Muslim law regarding the consent of bride at the time of marriage and the duties of register when he registers a second marriage† -M.I. Abdul Qader Quazi Judge Akkaraipattu From the above statement we could understand Srilankan Muslim law has given matrimonial rights to a Muslim women for an extend. But it should be amended to meet the needs of modern era therefore government should take essential steps to find put the contemporary life style of Muslim people and Srilankan Muslim Law has Amend according to satisfy the modern need of the people. [ 1 ]. Ibn al Qayyim (One Islamic Scholar, d. 1347) [ 2 ]. Arab Human Development Report 2002, NY: UN, 2002. [ 3 ]. U.S. State Department, Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1999. [ 4 ]. Quran: Surah An?Nisa’:3 [ 5 ]. Riwayat Musli [ 6 ]. sec 34,35,36 and 38(2) of MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE (MUSLIM) act [Cap. 134 [ 7 ]. S. C. 565-Board of Kathis Appeal 488 [ 8 ]. 14 NLR 225 [ 9 ]. (Quran 4:11) [ 10 ]. sec 47 64 of Muslim marriage and divorce act. [ 11 ]. Sowdoona v. Muees 1[(1955) 57 N. L. R. 75; 53 C. L. W. 47.] [ 12 ]. Abu Dawoud, a companion of the Prophet, reported the following: Omair al-Asdee was reported as saying: ‘When I accepted Islam, I was married to eight wives. I discussed this with the Prophet Muhammad who said: â€Å"Keep four only, and divorce the other four.† [ 13 ]. See Hammudah Abd al Ati, Family Structure in Islam 54-56 (American Trust Publications 1977). [ 14 ]. sec29(4) of muslim marriage and divorce act.

Organizational Diagnosis Plan Of Six Box Model Information Technology Essay

Organizational Diagnosis Plan Of Six Box Model Information Technology Essay The six-box model is a structure developed by the American analyst Marvin Weisbord to evaluate the performance of organizations. It is a general structure and is proposed for use across a wide variety of organizations. It is based mainly on the techniques and assumptions of the field of organizational improvement. The model represents a exacting way of looking at organizational structure and plan. It gives awareness to issues such as planning, incentives and rewards, the role of support functions such as personnel, internal competitions among organizational units, standards for remuneration, partnerships, hierarchies and the delegation of authority, organizational control, accountability and performance assessment. The model also follows the basic systems approach to organizational functioning including the well-known inputs and outputs categories. (The Marvin Weisbord Six-Box Model (Weisbords Model)) Table 1 1.0 Scope This plan provides information about Organizational Diagnosis control of XYZ. It is used to plan and implement organizational process based on a thorough understanding of the current strengths and weaknesses of the organizations processes and assets. 2.0 High-Level Overview Application Development is performed according to the phases of the Software Development Lifecycle. Below is a high-level overview. Each of these stages is described in more detail, in the sections that follow. Generally, a customer or site manager initiates a request for development based on the customers needs. The request is then analyzed to determine if it should be done as a request task or a project. If it should be a project, then it is analyzed to create a project charter. It should then be determined whether planning can be done with pre-allocated hours or whether a planning project is required. These results should be documented in the planning SOW, a planning schedule, and a PID if necessary. This can be done during by meeting with the customer depending on the scope of the project. The purpose of the planning project is to perform all of the planning and requirements analysis required in order to get an execution project approved. During the planning phase, business requirements and a project plan with all of its subordinate plans should be created. This can be done depending on the scope of the project. During the requirements analysis phase, the software requirements should be developed based on the project plan and business requirements. Then, an estimate should be created based on the project plan and software requirements. And finally, a schedule should be done based on the estimate, software requirements, and project plan. Once approved by the customer, these documents should be combined with an execution SOW. Once approved and resourced, the project and its resources are entered into the Project Lifecycle Application (PLA). Once approved, the execution project begins; and, the first phase is design. During this phase the architecture is developed and a test plan is created. The design and test plan are then reviewed and approved. Once approved, the construction phase begins. During this phase all components are created and integrated. The components will also be unit tested, integration tested, system tested, and then user tested. After construction, preparation to move the software to production is done. A Transition plan is created which is intended to train the support staff and users on the software and to coordinate its release to production. All help and support documentation should be created and approved. After the migration is complete, a post project meeting should be held to conduct lessons learned exercises. The Measurement Analysis repository should also be updated, analyzed and re-baseline when necessary. 2.1 Overview Organizational Diagnosis enables steady method routine across the organization and provides a foundation for cumulative, long-term benefits to the organization. The Quality Management System (QMS) is a group of items maintained by the organization for use by the employees and projects of the XYZ organization. This collection of items includes descriptions of diagnosis and process elements, descriptions of life-cycle models, process tailoring guidelines, process-related documentation, and data. The organizations Quality Management System supports organizational learning and process improvement by allowing the sharing of best practices and lessons learned across the organization. The organizations set of standard processes have been tailored by input from the Process Owners, XYZ QRB, MRB and the Director of Process Excellence to create XYZs defined processes. Additionally, tool manuals, templates, etc. have been incorporated into the extranet portal to provide all needed assets to perform the expected activities of a CMMI Level 3 and ISO 9001:2008 organization. 3.0 Purpose The purpose of Organizational Diagnosis Plan is to document and implement XYZ organizational diagnosis activities based on a thorough understanding of the current strengths and weaknesses of the organizations diagnosis and process assets. Vision: Grow into a leader in the Commercial industries by solving important logistics and supply chain problems on-time, under-budget, and with integrity and positive customer economic impact. Mission: Provide on time, on budget, logistics and technology solutions with unmatched integrity and business principles.   Values: Operate business with integrity and high ethical standards. 4.0 Structure The table two below provides a guide for the general software life cycle activities to which specific processes and procedures have been defined in this plan. A separate responsibility matrix has been provided that maps each activity and associated responsibilities. Some of the activities listed below may not apply depending on the project. The PMP will provide justification for skipping activities. QA functions are performed throughout the Product Development Life Cycle (PDLC) shown below: Software Lifecycle Activity Project Planning and Oversight Software Development Environment System Requirements Analysis System Design Software Requirements Analysis Software Design Software Implementation and Unit Testing Unit Integration and Testing CI Qualification Testing CI/Hardware Configuration Item (HWCI) Integration and Testing System Qualification Testing or software product inspection Software Use Preparation (Pre-deployment preparation) Software Transition Preparation (Deployment) Life Cycle Maintenance (On-going support) Table 2 Software Lifecycle Activity Table 3 Software Lifecycle Activity Break Down For a typical software product development, the PDLC will have a number of various activities some of which are show in table four below. These activities shown below are the typical activities that QA is typically involved in. Inception Analysis/Requirements Deployment Design Validation Develop/ Implement Table 4 Development Life Cycle (PDLC) 4.1 Management This section describes each key essentials of the XYZ organization that influence the quality of the developed product. The organization chart below provides the general structure of the XYZ organization. Table 5 Organization Chart Executive Management is responsible for Establishing the Quality Policy, and reviewing it for continuing suitability. Executive Management is responsible for Communicating the Quality Policy, the importance of meeting regulatory and statutory and customer requirements. Executive Management is responsible for identifying the Key Processes to be included in the QMS. Executive Management is responsible for identifying the data required for effective review of the QMS. Executive Management is the management review team. It is the responsibility of the Management Representative to schedule and conduct management review meetings in compliance with this procedure. The Management Representative is responsible for collecting summary reports and data from the responsible functions and for ensuring adequate employee awareness of the companys QMS. The Management Representative is responsible for bringing information and progress reports on action items assigned to them at previous management review meetings, information on planned changes that could affect the QMS, quality planning needs and activities and recommendations for improvements to the QMS. Executive Management consists of the Chief Executive Officer, Executive Vice President, Senior Vice Presidents, Vice Presidents, Senior Directors and the Management Representative. Product realization processes: the processes that contribute or result in the product being produced or the product being provided. Key Processes: product realization processes, customer related processes and quality management system processes that are included in the QMS. Each Software Development Project will have a Project Manager or Program Manager who is directly responsible for achieving the project objectives and defining the management team. The Project Management Structure will depend on the project size, scope and requirements. Table six below describes common configurations for the project management team. Table 6 Software Development Organization Chart The table seven below provides an overview of the roles and responsibilities of the personnel on the software development team. Role Responsibilities Program Manager The main responsibility of the Program Manager is to coordinate interdependencies between projects. The Program Manager may also be responsible for the direct management of a project. The responsibilities of the Program manager are: 1. Managing shared resources across all projects that are administered by the Program Manager 2. Identifying and developing project management methodology, best practices, and standards 3. Coaching , mentoring, training 4. Monitoring compliance with project management standards, policies, procedures, and templates through project audits (Conduct Quality Assurance reviews) 5. Developing and managing project policies, procedures, templates, and other shared documentation 6. Coordinating communication across projects 7. Manages major program scope changes 8. Ensure project teams have access to tools and repositories 9. Measure and report progress of project teams 10. Monitor and report status of key milestones and deliverables 11. Conduct regular status meetings 12. Monitor issue resolution 13. Manage change control process 14. Coordinate strategic initiatives through cross-project management 15. Promote and support software object reuse 16. Foster clear communication and synchronize activities among multiple project sites 17. Maintain project documentation repository 18. Monitor sign-off of key deliverables 19. Facilitate workshops and software trials 20. Conduct risk reviews Project Manager/Leader The Project Manager is the person assigned by the organization to achieve the project objectives and insure delivery of a quality product that is on budget and on-time. The responsibilities of the project manager are: 1. Focus on specified project objectives 2. Control the assigned project resources to best meet project objectives 3. Manages the constraints, (scope, schedule, cost, quality) of the project on a daily basis 4. Guide and evaluate the performance of the development team 5. Use project schedule and work breakdown structure produced to guide team in the implementation of the project 6. Provide continuous feedback to Project Team on status of project to include issues 7. Select, develop and oversee an effective team and allocate team members to project tasks and coordinate activities of sub-teams 8. Mediate problems encountered by team members 9. Report project progress to Program Manager and/or Senior Management 10. Ensure adherence to the project plan by all project participants 11. Conduct status meeting or report progress to customer and management 12. Communicate with the customer, program manager, senior management and stakeholders 13. Manage project Risk and Risk Mitigation 14. Define clear milestones and deliverables Team Lead A Team Lead is a experienced Software Engineer who is responsible for: 1. Oversee the work being done by other software developers/engineers on the team 2. Act as a mentor for new or less experiences software developers/engineers on the team 3. Act as a mentor for other members of the team 4. Delegates work to other members of the team 5. Monitors team progress and assists the Technical Lead with updating status of work activities 6. Responsible for ensuring that the work product(s) are delivered within the timeline 7. Responsible for ensuring the teams unit testing and code reviews are completed and appropriate 8. Responsible for ensuring that team deliverables are tested to criteria prior to handing off to testing Technical Lead A Technical Lead is a experienced Software Developer/ Engineer who is responsible for: 1. Responsible for the fundamental architecture of the software application 2. Recommends / researches software solutions 3. Recommends /researches COTS solutions 4. Oversee the work being done by other software developers/engineers 5. Act as a mentor for new or less experiences software developers/engineers 6. Act as a mentor for other members of the team 7. Act as an interface between the team members and the Project Manager 8. Delegates work to other members of the team 9. Assists the Project Manager with updating the work plan and activities 10. Responsible for ensuring that the work product(s) are delivered on time and on budget 11. Serves as the Project Managers technical advisor and provides programming perspective on requirements 12. Lead or attend meetings as required 13. Responsible for ensuring unit testing and code reviews are completed and appropriate 14. Responsible for ensuring that deliverables are tested to criteria prior to handing off to testing 15. Responsible for ensuring that all team members follow approved policies and procedures to include configuration management Software Developer/Engineer Responsible for designing and implementing an executable code solution, testing the resulting components, and analyzing runtime profiles to debug errors that might exist. A software developer may also be responsible for creating the softwares architecture and/or employing development tools. Database Administrator Responsible for the design, implementation, maintenance and repair of a database. Also responsible for the development and design of database strategies, performance, and security measures. Also responsible for mentoring/assisting junior DBAs and DBA programmers. Database Programmer Design, develop, and maintain database applications. Create Scripts; perform data maintenance or bug fixes. Write SQL statements and procedures/functions. Analyze, define and document system requirements for data, workflow, logical processes, interfaces with other systems, auditing, reporting requirements and production configuration. Software Architect Responsible for creating and maintaining the overall structure and layout of a software systems components and their interfaces within and outside of the system. Business Analyst Lead Performs a liaison function with the customer as required in addition to a role as a business analyst. Responsible for mentoring and assisting junior BAs. Business Analyst Responsible for analyzing the business needs of clients and stakeholders to help identify problems and propose solutions. Responsible for documenting, defining. And communicating customer requirements. May be required to document requirements using cases and UML. Systems Engineer Analyzes the role of the system in the broader enterprise, defines the requirements the system needs to meet, in terms of services and non-functional requirements, and defines the architecture of the system to meet the requirements. Systems architects may also be doing similar activities in their roles. Database Architect/Modeler Responsible for leading the coordination and collection of database requirements, documenting, organizing and communicating the requirements for the database, modeling the database architecture and ensuring it supports the business needs. Test Engineer Responsible for writing test plans, cases, and conditions for manual testing of the application Assisting with implementing an automated functional/regression test. Helping mentor other testers in testing and Best Practices. Supporting Quality Assurance initiatives. Reporting regular status of testing. Recording and tracking defects through use of designated tools. Writing automated test scripts for applications and databases. Software Quality Assurance Responsible for reviewing and commenting on the projects QA Plan. Implementing the quality program in accordance with this QA Plan. Developing statistical analysis and process quality metrics data for process and product performance using data from QA analysis/audits. Reporting on the results of all statistical analysis to the program/project management and other responsible parties. Performing root cause analysis on problem areas to help support improvement plans. Providing guidance and recommendations on improvement areas. User Experience Designer Responsible for translating customer requirements into defined user interfaces. Developing and maintaining design mockups, usage scenarios, prototypes, specifications, navigation maps and other design documents. Working with development teams to make sure that the workflow reflects the customers needs and ensure consistency among features. Defining innovative user interfaces and interaction styles which result in improved user productivity. If required may code/wire up UI screens to backend code. Configuration Management Responsible for reviewing and commenting on the projects QA Plan. Implementing the quality program in accordance with this QA Plan. Resolving and following-up on any quality issues raised by QA related to CM. Ensuring the quality factors are implemented in the software related to CM. Implementing the CM practices, processes, and procedures in accordance the companys quality policies and other program/project planning documents. Table 7 Roles and Responsibilities 4.2 Program/Project Roles and Responsibilities The following describes the functional groups that influence and control product quality in any project and their influence on QA functions and activities. Program Management is responsible for the following items: Establishing a quality program by committing the project to implement the Software Engineering Process Policy in accordance with the companys quality policies. Reviewing and approving the relevant QA Plan. Resolving and following-up on any quality issues raised by QA. Assisting the independent Quality Control (QC) group from the project to audit and report on the projects QA functions and compliance with prescribed standards. Identifying the quality factors to be implemented in the system and the project as a whole. Project Management is responsible for: Implementing the quality program in accordance with the companys quality policies. Identifying the QA activities to be performed by QA. Reviewing and approving the QA Plan. Identifying and funding an individual or an independent group from the project to perform the QA functions. Resolving and following-up on any quality issues raised by QA. Identifying and ensuring the quality factors to be implemented in the system and software. Identifying, developing and maintaining planning documents such as the Program Management Plan, Test Plans, and the QA Plan. Product/System Engineering when applicable is responsible for: Reviewing and commenting on the projects QA Plan. Implementing the quality program in accordance with the QA Plan. Resolving and following-up on any quality issues raised by QA related to software engineering activities. Identifying, implementing, and evaluating the quality factors to be implemented in the system (software and hardware). Implementing the engineering practices, processes, and procedures as in accordance the companys quality policies and other program/project planning documents. Product/Software Design/Development is responsible for: Reviewing and commenting on the projects QA Plan. Implementing the quality program in accordance with the QA Plan. Resolving and following-up on any quality issues raised by QA related to software design and development. Identifying, implementing, and evaluating the quality factors to be implemented in the software. Implementing the product/software design/development practices, processes, and procedures in accordance the companys quality policies and other program/project planning documents. Product/Software Test/Inspection is responsible for: Reviewing and commenting on the projects QA Plan. Implementing the quality program in accordance with the QA Plan. Resolving and following-up on any quality issues raised by QA related to product/software test. Verifying the quality factors are implemented in the system. Implementing the product/software test practices, processes, and procedures in accordance the companys quality policies and other program/project planning documents. Product/System Test is responsible for: Reviewing and commenting on the projects QA Plan. Implementing the quality program in accordance with the QA Plan. Resolving and following-up on any quality issues raised by QA as related to system test. Verifying the quality factors are implemented in the system (software and hardware). Implementing the system test practices, processes, and procedures in accordance the companys quality policies and other program/project planning documents. Configuration Management (CM) is responsible for: Reviewing and commenting on the projects QA Plan. Implementing the quality program in accordance with this QA Plan. Resolving and following-up on any quality issues raised by QA related to CM. Ensuring the quality factors are implemented in the software related to CM. Implementing the CM practices, processes, and procedures in accordance the companys quality policies and other program/project planning documents. Quality Control (QC) is responsible for: Reviewing and commenting on the projects QA Plan. Implementing the quality program in accordance with this QA Plan. Develop statistical analysis and process quality metrics data for process and product performance using data from QA analysis/audits Report on the results of all statistical analysis to the program/project management and other responsible parties Perform root cause analysis on problem areas to help support improvement plans Provide guidance and recommendations on improvement areas 4.3 Strategy and Business The Strategy and Business Development department is organized to include the front end pieces of the business which includes business development, business development support, marketing, proposal writing, capture, and strategy. The structure includes the designation of leaders to lead the Integrated Growth Team (IGT) for a specific swim lane of business. Here are the IGTs: 4.4 Commercial Logistics Services Leader Donald Duck Focus -Logistics services Defense Technology Leader Duffy Duck Focus Logistics technology solutions Adjacent Marketing Leader Red Bull/Mickey Mouse Focus State of Texas technology and maintenance related solutions Supply Chain Solutions Leader Red Ants Focus Commercial distribution industry via our indirect partner channel The structure also assigns resources to each IGT for various functional areas, but the actual resources from an organizational structure perspective reside in the originating department. The management of the Business Development support and proposal writing resources is done by the Director of Business Development Operations. The Strategy and Business Development department rolls up to the Senior Vice President. While the IGT leaders can push opportunities through the various gates, the final submission and pricing will need to be signed off by the following key positions: Senior Vice President of Strategy and Business Development Chief Executive Officer Executive Vice President Programs 4.6 Human resources 4.6.1 General To ensure competence of our personnel, job descriptions have been prepared identifying the qualifications required for each position that affects product quality. Qualifications include requirements for education, skills and experience. Appropriate qualifications, along with required training, provide the competence required for each position. 4.6.2 Competence, awareness and training Qualifications are reviewed upon hire, when an employee changes positions or the requirements for a position change. Human resources maintain records of employee qualifications. If any differences between the employees qualifications and the requirements for the job are found, training or other action is taken to provide the employee with the necessary competence for the job. The results are then evaluated to determine if they were effective. Training and evaluation are conducted according to the Human Resources. All employees are trained on the relevance and importance of their activities and how they contribute to the achievement of the quality objectives. 4.7 Business Manager Job Description A business manager may take on a variety of different positions within a business, all of which involve the planning, directing, and coordinating of operations within a company.   A business manager is also responsible for developing policies and managing the daily operations of the business.   A business manager may also be responsible for planning for the most efficient use of materials and human resources. A business manager may specialize in a specific area of business operations.   For example, a business manager may specialize in purchasing, personnel, or administrative services.   In other cases, a business manager may cover all aspects of business operation.   A business manager may also be held accountable for the accuracy of financial reporting for the business. 5.0 Rewards Rewards will be base on each project if they finish on time and under budget. During the testing if the software is found to have many bugs the rewards will be up to the management. The amount of rewards can be from twenty five dollars gift cards to two hundred dollars. The amount will be dependent on the Management Review Board to decide what the amounts will be given. 6.0 Helpful Mechanisms Executive Management is responsible for conducting Management Review meetings. The Quality Management Representative schedules the QMS meetings and notifies 6.1 Management Review Team. Management Review Team is responsible for bringing information and progress reports on action items assigned to them at previous management review meetings, information on planned changes that could affect the QMS, quality planning needs and activities, and recommendations for improvements to the QMS; reviewing Management Review Items; and recommending dispositions in their respective areas of responsibility. 6.2 Quality Management System XYZ developed and implemented a Quality Management System in order to document the companys best business practices, better satisfy the requirements and expectations of its customers and improve the overall management of the company. The Quality Management System of XYZ meets the requirements of the international standard ISO 9001:2008. This system addresses the design, development, production, installation, and servicing of the companys products. Each policy statement is followed by specific information pertaining to the procedures that describe the methods used to implement the necessary requirements. This manual is used internally to guide the companys employees through the various requirements of the ISO standard that must be met and maintained in order to ensure customer satisfaction, continuous improvement and provide the necessary instructions that create an empowered work force. This manual is used externally to introduce our Quality Management System to our customers and other external organizations or individuals. The manual is used to familiarize them with the controls that have been implemented and to assure them that the integrity of the Quality Management System is maintained and focused on customer satisfaction and continuous improvement. 6.3 Quality Review Board The primary purpose of the XYZ Quality Review Board is to review and audit XYZs operating plans, policies, processes, work instructions, forms, templates and procedures. The XYZ Quality Review Board will assure XYZ business processes are in compliance with, but not limited to, adopted process frameworks such as Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI), International Organization for Standardization (ISO), Lean, and Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL). 6.4 Management Review Board MRB is responsible for Establishing the Quality Policy, and reviewing it for continuing suitability. MRB is responsible for Communicating the Quality Policy, the importance of meeting regulatory and statutory and customer requirements. MRB is responsible for identifying the Key Processes to be included in the QMS. MRB is responsible for identifying the data required for effective review of the QMS. MRB is responsible for bringing information and progress reports on action items assigned to