confucianism influence essays

confucianism influence essays Confucianism has influenced the Chinese attitude toward life, set the patterns of living and standards of social value, and provided the background for Chinese political theories and institutions. It has spread from China to Korea, from Korea to Japan where it was first brought to around the fifth century. Confucius had a great impact on the Chinese civilization. His teachings relating to ethics, honor, social responsibility, familial obligations, ancestor worship, and observation of rites and historical precedence provide the glue that gives the Chinese civilization continuity and durability. Although Confucianism was introduced in Korea before Buddhism, Korean people have their own way to follow and change its ideology of Confucianism. Management of accepting the ideology made unique Korean culture. Although Confucianism is often described as a religion, it is not in the formal sense. Confucius did not write about the gods except to indicate that he accepted the religious beliefs of his day. Neither he nor his followers challenged the existing beliefs in a pantheon of gods and the spirit world, which included the spirits of one's prominent ancestors. The cult of worshipping one's ancestors pre-dates Confucianism. This custom had been formalized under the Zhou dynasty. Princely families had the right to worship their ancestors from the founder of their family line to the present. Secondary families in theory were only supposed to be allowed to worship their last 4 generations of ancestors. The head of the family acted as the high priest of the cult and had the responsibility to see that the ancestors were properly worshipped. Powerful ancestors, like any other spirit, had to be placated because they could still have an impact on the natural world. This practice of worshipping one's ancestors partly explains the strength of the family in Chinese culture. From the earliest stages, Chinese civilization seemed to center around t...

Brand management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Brand management - Essay Example In this paper, the writer will characterise Evisu’s efforts at revitalising and reinforcing its brand equity, and provide suggestions as to how the company can rejuvenate its brand equity. Evisu’s history goes back to the 1980s. During the 80s, vintage denim aficionados fanatically pursued methods to make similar replicas of vintage jeans. In 1988, Yamane succeeded in finding and acquiring a classic American shuttle loom that could weave 40 metres daily and make exact copies of vintage denim. The subsequent small output of just 12 pairs of jeans per week heralded the beginning of the Replica Movement. Evisu’s logo and brand identity are linked with the denim revolution. Evisu enjoyed its most successful period in the 1990s to early 2000s. It was hugely popular with celebrities and young people who identified with its unique designs and innovative marketing. It is regularly lauded as the pioneer of high-end, $600 jeans, and the leader of the â€Å"old school† denim movement (Choi, 2014:43). In the mid 2000s, the company faced many challenges associated with financial, creative and competitive aspects, the core components of the fashion industry. Th e tax evasion case it faced in 2006 hurt its PR and finances. In 2006, Evisu’s founder – Hidehiko Yamane – and the company were reported to Japanese authorities on suspicion of tax evasion. Yamane was accused of colluding with two other firms to conceal income totalling over 500 million yen and evading, over three years, income taxes totalling around 160 million yen. This incident severely dented the company’s image, which it had built for decades and sold to millions of people across the world. However, and prior to this case, the company had also been posting unsatisfactory results in terms of brand popularity and financial performances (Rossolatos, 2014:34). An unexpected lull in quality and industry had allowed aggressive brands like Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, Armani to eat into

Economy of Pakistan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Economy of Pakistan - Essay Example Country also faces the problems of illiteracy, and charges of Fiscal ineptitude. But despite such decelerating factors, Pakistan is on the path of growth with the new government of President Musharraf continuing with a reformist economic agenda, assisted by support from multilateral institutions. Pakistan's economic performance appears to be improving gradually. A thaw in the relations with India is also helping the country in economic progress. In the 2007 country profile Country-Watch points out that Pakistan is a developing nation with agriculture accounting for about 25 percent of its GDP, employing about 45 percent of the people (101). In recent years agriculture is declining as a percentage of total output with other economic activities picking up as well, but still agriculture sector remains the primary economic activity in Pakistan. A high annual population growth rate of two percent not matched with equal rise in opportunities and resources for the country, is also proving t o be a big drain on its economy. Growth of economy and business prospects in a country depend mainly on., macroeconomic factors, political stability, economic liberalization, human resource development index and levels of corruption in the country. A stable business environment requires normalization of the fiscal position, with an increased tax base and a more transparent allocation of resources. A stable government helps in infusing confidence amongst investors. Recognizing the need for liberalization, Government of Pakistan is moving to increase the pace of privatization of state entities, and is removing a number of qualitative and quantitative import restrictions. Financial sector is also seeing a reduction in state involvement with the onset of more and more private banks (EIU, 31). Thanks to such efforts, after several years of declining economic growth, owing to political upheavals, Pakistan has registered good growth rate since 2002. GDP grew 5.5 percent in 2003, 7.1 percent in 2004, and 7 percent in 2005. Such sustained growth also resulted in developing the human resource index as well. Development in human resources is also critical factor in judging a country for investment purposes. Pakistan, a country with less than 50% literacy is still in the process of attaining the ratings that its neighbor India has already acquired. In fact lack of such development has prevented Pakistan from joining India in the lucrative software develop ment, BPO and ITES sector (Country-Watch, 101). The human resources index suffers on account of high unemployment rate. A big percentage of Pakistan, especially women is unemployed because. EIU Statistics (40) point out that in 2000, the unemployment rate for young women was about twice that of the rate for young men. In 2005 the overall unemployment rate was 7.7 percent. The labor force grew at an annual average rate of 4.5% during the 1990s, but growth slowed to less than 3% in 2000-05. At end-December 2005 the labor force stood at 47.7m and the number of employed at 44m, leaving 3.7m (7.7% of the labor force) as unemployed. In addition there's substantial underemployment i.e. there are sectors like Agriculture which employ more people than are actually required. The agriculture sector has been the least tax paying one in this part of the subcontinent, due to couple of reasons ranging from lack of

Merger, Acquisition, and International Strategies Research Paper - 1

Merger, Acquisition, and International Strategies - Research Paper Example Transcontinental Oil Company was the owner of the Marathon brand. Ohio Oil Company transformed into Marathon Oil Company in 1960s, making it grow through purchasing or merging with other companies. Besides, the company has enjoyed good fortunes through drilling oil in regions outside the USA. Such regions include Mexico, Canada, Alaska and Ireland (United States Congress, 1981) United States Steel bought Marathon Oil in 1982 and moved its headquarters from Ohio to Texas. In 1998, Marathon Oil merged with Ashland Inc. and formed Marathon Ashland Petroleum LLC. This enabled Marathon Oil to expand its base in the USA. In 2001, USX sold the steel firm in Marathon Ashland Petroleum LLC and concentrated on oil business. The company was then named Marathon Oil Corporation (Donnell, 2007). The company has opened up drilling facilities in Louisiana, Illinois, Canton, Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky, Texas City, Catlettsburg, Texas, Minnesota, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea because of merging. The com pany also experiences good returns on its investment. For example, the latest financial statement for the company stated returns on investors appreciated by 9.8%, earning yields of 8%, revenue increase of 16 billion and profit margins of 9 billion. The company made a profit of 4 billion more compared to the previous year. Though the company had an increase of daily expenses from 166 million daily to 174 million, it experienced a daily income of 384 million. The main reason why the company has sustained good profits is its ability to conquer new markets and merge with other companies (Donnell, 2007). Question 2 CarMax, Inc was established in 1996. The company deals in second-hand cars through its subsidiaries. Last year the company sold over half a million cars. The company also sales some of its cars through auction; last year, the company sold thirty thousand cars at its on-site auction centers. At times, the company is allowed to sell new cars at four locations together with manuf acturing companies. Last year, two percent of its cars sold were new cars. Apart from this, the company offers other products and services. They include purchasing of cars directly from consumers, guaranteed asset protection, accessories, and vehicle repair. The company acquires cars from consumers through car-buying centers and in-store appraisal process and sales them to other buyers or leases them out to hires or individuals who want to use them in racing or wedding parties (CarMax, 2013). It would be profitable if CarMax merged with Suzuki Motor Corporation. This is because Suzuki Motor Corporation operates worldwide. This would make CarMax expand its services to the international community and widen its market. Lastly, by going international, CarMax would improve its image as an international company. The company would also deal in a wide range of cars such as pickups and Nissan motorcycles. This would enable the company to outshine major rival companies such as General Motors (American Suzuki Motor Corporation, 2013). Question 3 Marathon Oil Corporation has a cost leadership system that improves level of efficiency and reduces costs of operation. Such system is able to convince countries to allow Marathon Oil Corporation to operate in their regions in a cost-effective mode. This has enabled the company to deliver goods and services to its clients at a relatively lower price compared to its rivals. The company has also differentiated its

Blindness in Oedipus the King :: Oedipus Rex, Sophocles

â€Å"The blind man sees and the seeing man is blind.† To what extent is this true in Oedipus the King? â€Å"To be wise is to suffer.† Throughout this play we see that after Oedipus suffers and loses his eyesight it is only then he is able to seek the truth. When we are first introduced to Oedipus, he is a strong leader who is thoroughly respected by the people of Thebes. â€Å"O greatest of men.† Oedipus was the saviour of Thebes 15 years before he solved the riddle of the Sphinx which freed the city from the plague and death. Because of this act, he inherited the throne although when a new disaster threatened the prosperity of the city, the people of Thebes turned to Oedipus. â€Å"I grieve for you my children. Believe me; I know all that you desire of me, all that you suffer.† Oedipus learns that there is an â€Å"unclean thing† which is polluting their soil. He declares punishment to this thing that if he owns up now then his punishment will not be harsh but if he conceals the truth and it later outed then nothing will save him. â€Å"No matter who he may be, he is forbidden shelter or intercourse with any man.† After declaring this punishment, Oedipus is approached by Teiresias, a frail, blind prophet who says that Oedipus is the â€Å"cursed polluter of this land.† Oedipus is horrified by this accusation and mocks the blind prophet. Later on in the play, we see that Oedipus becomes the figure he once mocked. At the beginning, we are informed that Oedipus has murdered his father and married his mother. Throughout the play, we observe how Oedipus is completely oblivious to this knowledge and we are able to watch how he learns about the truth. As he follows the path to his destruction he becomes aware of the truth. Upon learning that he has killed his father and married his mother, Oedipus gouges out his eyes and makes himself blind. He feels that if he kills himself then he must face his mother/wife and father in heaven and he does not have the strength to do so. Blindness in Oedipus the King :: Oedipus Rex, Sophocles â€Å"The blind man sees and the seeing man is blind.† To what extent is this true in Oedipus the King? â€Å"To be wise is to suffer.† Throughout this play we see that after Oedipus suffers and loses his eyesight it is only then he is able to seek the truth. When we are first introduced to Oedipus, he is a strong leader who is thoroughly respected by the people of Thebes. â€Å"O greatest of men.† Oedipus was the saviour of Thebes 15 years before he solved the riddle of the Sphinx which freed the city from the plague and death. Because of this act, he inherited the throne although when a new disaster threatened the prosperity of the city, the people of Thebes turned to Oedipus. â€Å"I grieve for you my children. Believe me; I know all that you desire of me, all that you suffer.† Oedipus learns that there is an â€Å"unclean thing† which is polluting their soil. He declares punishment to this thing that if he owns up now then his punishment will not be harsh but if he conceals the truth and it later outed then nothing will save him. â€Å"No matter who he may be, he is forbidden shelter or intercourse with any man.† After declaring this punishment, Oedipus is approached by Teiresias, a frail, blind prophet who says that Oedipus is the â€Å"cursed polluter of this land.† Oedipus is horrified by this accusation and mocks the blind prophet. Later on in the play, we see that Oedipus becomes the figure he once mocked. At the beginning, we are informed that Oedipus has murdered his father and married his mother. Throughout the play, we observe how Oedipus is completely oblivious to this knowledge and we are able to watch how he learns about the truth. As he follows the path to his destruction he becomes aware of the truth. Upon learning that he has killed his father and married his mother, Oedipus gouges out his eyes and makes himself blind. He feels that if he kills himself then he must face his mother/wife and father in heaven and he does not have the strength to do so.

Newspaper Analysis

The front page of a newspaper provides a great deal of information on various subjects. Most newspapers include a weather forecast, an index or brief description of articles inside the paper, and a small sports scorecard to accompany the local and national news. Newspapers also concentrate on how to grab the attention of readers. They most commonly use a larger, darker type of print, mixture of color, and/or pictures on the front page of the paper. A newspaper s job is to update people on the happenings around the world as well as in their own community. Community size often may influence or even dictate the findings on the front page of a newspaper. Normally the front page of a newspaper lets a person in on the findings throughout the remaining sections of the paper. A small index, or article description containing page numbers, usually shows a reader what the rest of paper contains. Accompanying this index, usually a forecast of the weather to come in the next few days manages to make it on the front page also. Some papers actually save the die-hard sports fans some time by having a miniature scoreboard recapping the scores of the day before. Remember that this doesn t apply to all papers only to some. Newspapers constantly look for more readers and to help attract these readers many attempt to dress up their paper. While some papers remain basic and plain, others add color and size to font in a try to appeal to readers. Background color adds a little life to an otherwise regular dull off white that normally associates itself with newspapers. The larger font highlighted in bold to draw the eyes of a reader in that direction gives each article its own personalized title instead of simply a lead in to the article itself. Negative effects, also come from the attempt at adding life to the paper. A few readers become disgusted with the constant multiple page articles. The large font makes articles small space assigned to it that much smaller, so readers frequently find themselves finishing articles on a second page. Pictures commonly graze the front page of newspapers. From local events to national disasters they provide for a break in reading. Even when reading a book, many people skim the pages looking for pictures to give an image to the writings in that book. The pictures do not necessarily link with the articles on the page either; many pictures make the paper without a story behind them. These pictures commonly differ from place to place. If a person were to pick up a small town newspaper they would most likely notice a range of articles from the town wide garage sale to the result of the football game on Friday night. If a person were to pick up a larger based newspaper, they would notice more articles dealing with the community. The difference between newspapers varies ever so slightly. When a person views or observes the pictures from the big city paper they may find some government officials shaking hands or people from another country with distraught looks overcoming their faces. In a local community the newspaper more than likely will not contain pictures pulled off the associated press wire. Pictures on the front page of a small town paper will show children swimming, playing at a local park, or the rodeo queen. A person won t catch these pictures on the cover of a large paper; in fact, articles similar to these most likely would not exist in larger papers. Like pictures, articles also differ from community to community. Not many small papers feature articles about how the President signed another bill or influenced another treaty. The small papers will contain articles about the local chamber of commerce or the recent school board bond issue. The larger newspaper will discuss a variety of national news and possibly work in some details of how the stock market is rising or falling. The larger paper covers so many different communities it is important for them to keep people up to date on the latest news nationally with their sources. With sources obtained by the larger paper their ability to cover national news makes them the money. Different papers cover different topics or issues. Newspapers bring information about various subjects to people. People in return relay this information to other people, in effect notifying others of the happenings in our world. The importance of the newspaper takes us back in history to the time of the Sons of Liberty. They were not far enough advanced to produce a newspaper and disperse it among the colonies. They had to send representatives to meetings to tell of their mistreatment by the British. This only happened through organized meetings at different times. Small newspapers cover local news happening around several communities. Even though it covers several communities, small papers create a feel of a hometown paper. Large papers just don t create that feel of a hometown paper even though they also cover many communities. These papers are relied on to bring the people the national news that escapes the smaller papers. Their emphasis on national news makes them the leading sellers. Every newspaper covers their fair share of news, only each paper s front page will contain the news they will exhibit throughout the remaining of their paper. Simply put remember to find national news go to the big city paper and for your local news pick up a small newspaper.

The Presidential Powers Has Increased Over Time - 1456 Words

Presidential Powers In this paper we will compare the formal and informal powers if the President and we will explore how and why the Presidential powers have increased over time. The history of the Presidency is an account of aggrandizement; one envisions, today, a President with far reaching power, however, when looking at the Constitution alone we find a President with significant limits. Is the President of the United States the most powerful person in the world or merely a helpless giant? The President’s formal powers, as found in Article II of the U.S. Constitution, begins with Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces. This was the first power listed, signifying the prominence placed on keeping the country secure and safe, especially from foreign invasion. The next formal power of the President is the power to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States. An example of said power would be, President Gerald Ford pardoning Richard Nixon following the Watergate scandal and the President ordering a reprieve or delay in the case of a person on death row until their case can be heard by a higher court. The President also has the power to make Treaties, with Senate approval, and to appoint Ambassadors and Supreme Court Judges, again, with Senate confirmation. The constitution requires that the President inform Congress of the State of the Union, this takes the form of an annual State of the Union Address. This may not seem like much of a power, but theShow MoreRelatedObama Administration : Presidential Power1585 Words   |  7 Pagesthe president would have to have powers that matched and the Bush administration made some of the broadest assertions of Presidential power in history. Suddenly the President could launch wars at will, surveil Americans with impunity, and imprison or assassinate Americans at his discretion. 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