Financial Planning Essay

|Topic: â€Å"Describe the essential element to be a successful financial planner in Hong Kong and China. Explain the challenges of | |practicing ethical financial planning in Hong Kong and China. † | The financial climate is changing constantly with the changing of numerous influential factors. Financial planning is one of the financial industries which gradually developed from a vague concept to a recognized specialty.However, this industry is still in a young stage so that there are some problematic issues concerned especially in some Asian districts like Hong Kong and China. It can be reflected particularly in the remuneration system and professionalization of financial planners as well as public recognition for this industry. To reach a mature level, the first step is establishing a public confidence. Therefore it is emergent for financial planners to think about how to become successful. As the role of helping clients makes some most important decisions of their lives, f inancial planners are required to satisfy a specific set of essential elements.The first and also the most basic requirement for them is strong professional knowledge. Financial planners should be able to implement a comprehensive process when help clients create financial plans and evaluate financial products packages independently to satisfy clients’ need. Well-rounded professional knowledge in varied fields is crucial at the moment which including not only the financial related areas such as economics, business management, and investment, insurance but also some other non-financial related areas such as psychology and sociology.Having the general base knowledge is the start but not the end in the career so that many financial planners are expected to have an expertise in particular field which can help them directly take an advantage position in satisfying some specific clients’ need. Take the insurance planning as an example; a financial planner who is expertise in the insurance industry as well as having the basic all round knowledge will be most likely to gain the clients’ trust.In addition, the ongoing learning is also essential since the financial environment is changing every day and all the decisions should be made according to the particular background environment. The Mainstay’s survey in 2006 shows that 85 percent of the population wants financial planners who are knowledgeable, skilled, and actually care beyond the transaction. And there are also other researches and evidences indicate that interpersonal skills are more important than technical expertise at most times.In this sense, the ability to have emotional resonance with clients and show one’s sincere and caring attitude would be crucial to attract new clients and establish a long term relationship with existing clients. Also it is applicable in making financial plans and implementing related strategies because clients’ assistances and cooperation p lay a significant role in the process. This implication can be obviously reflected in the second step of a formal personal financial planning process, gathering client data and determining goals.When communicating with clients, an excellent financial planner would be able to extract useful information to understand the client’s motivation as well as manage their expectations. It is no doubt that a good reputation is the most valuable thing for financial planners. In addition to professional knowledge and strong interpersonal skills, ethical behavior is a great concern. Proposed ethical behavior standards are based on principle of integrity, objectivity, competence, fairness, confidentiality, professionalism and diligence.These principles given by CFP Board aim to encourage public confidence to financial planning industry as well as explicitly identify practitioners’ responsibilities and obligations to different stakeholders. However, practicing these ethical principles in real world may not an easy task. The following part of the essay will examine the challenges of practicing ethical financial planning in Hong Kong and China. With rapid wealth accumulation and increasing investor demand in Hong Kong and China, a higher potential development opportunity for financial planning services had been witnessed.But at the same time, a higher expectation for quality financial planning with insufficient confidence from the pubic becomes a source of challenges for this industry. It appears to be tougher when considering the implementation of ethical financial planning since the nature of the industry is based on trust between clients and planners. These challenges are reflected particularly in the following aspects. Firstly, fee-based financial planning barely exists in Asia due to the low consumer acceptance degree, which most likely to lead to an issue of interest conflicts.A financial planner is commonly compensated by commissions from selling product qu otas given by their companies and the selection of product may not be the best choice for clients. It also matters when considering the risk tolerance for financial planners’ income. Only commission-based compensation may result in unethical behavior practiced by financial planners to survive because of sharp drop in income during the business recession. Secondly, it is challengeable for financial planners to offer high quality services without sufficient confidence and trust from clients.Financial planners must have deep understanding about their client’s financial status, needs and concerns in order to give desirable advices. However, most Chinese consumers are not willing to offer their private information to people whom they are not familiar with, which make it difficult to decide the initial plan and identify the expected outcomes. It is true that an excellent financial planner should have the interpersonal skills of encouraging clients to provide related informat ion as much as possible.The contention about what degree an planner should pursue discovery conversations and how to justify the ethical position when making effort to gain the consumer information is concerned. Finally, the level of knowledge and education of financial services to the public are relatively low in districts for some undeveloped cities in mainland China, which may become a kind of misguided incentive of unethical behavior to financial planning services providers affected by the poor review mechanism and lapses of checks.It can be strongly reflected in the fairness issue such as disclose of information between planners and clients It will take long for this industry to develop mutually, some improvement measures can be practiced now. Efforts could be focused on several aspects including the closely supervise of cooperate governance, adequate training for practitioners’ competence and professionalism, as well as the education for the public.

Forward the Foundation Chapter 13

16 Gambol Deen Namarti was not, at even the best of times, noted for his politeness and suavity-and the approaching climax of a decade of planning had left his disposition sour. He rose from his chair with some agitation and said, â€Å"You've taken your time getting here, Andorin.† Andorin shrugged. â€Å"But I'm here.† â€Å"And this young man of yours-this remarkable tool that you're touting. Where is he?† â€Å"He'll be here eventually.† â€Å"Why not now?† Andorin's rather handsome head seemed to sink a bit, as though he were lost in thought or coming to a decision, and then he said abruptly, â€Å"I don't want to bring him until I know where I stand.† â€Å"What does that mean?† â€Å"Simple words in Galactic Standard. How long has it been your aim to get rid of Hari Seldon?† â€Å"Always! Always! Is that so hard to understand? We deserve revenge for what he did to Jo-Jo. Even if he hadn't done that, since he's the First Minister, we'd have to put him out of the way.† â€Å"But it's Cleon-Cleon-who must be brought down. If not only he, then at least he, in addition to Seldon.† â€Å"Why does a figurehead concern you?† â€Å"You weren't born yesterday. I've never had to explain my part in this because you're not so ignorant a fool as not to know. What can I possibly care about your plans if they don't include a replacement on the throne?† Namarti laughed. â€Å"Of course. I've known for a long time that you look upon me as your footstool, your way of climbing up to the Imperial throne.† â€Å"Would you expect anything else?† â€Å"Not at all. I will do the planning, take the chances, and then, when all is quite done, you gather in the reward. It makes sense, doesn't it?† â€Å"Yes, it does make sense, for the reward will be yours, too. Won't you become the First Minister? Won't you be able to count on the full support of a new Emperor, one who is filled with gratitude? Won't I be†-and his face twisted with irony as he spat out the words-â€Å"the new figurehead?† â€Å"Is that what you plan to be? A figurehead?† â€Å"I plan to be the Emperor. I supplied advances of credit when you had none. I supplied the cadre when you had none. I supplied the respectability you needed to build a large organization here in Wye. I can still withdraw everything I've brought in.† â€Å"I don't think so.† â€Å"Do you want to risk it? Don't think you can treat me the way you treated Kaspalov, either. If anything happens to me, Wye will become uninhabitable for you and yours-and you will find that no other sector will supply you with what you need.† Namarti sighed. â€Å"Then you insist on having the Emperor killed.† â€Å"I didn't say ‘killed.' I said `brought down.' The details I leave to you.† This last statement was accompanied with an almost dismissive wave of the hand, a flick of the wrist, as if Andorin were already sitting on the Imperial throne. â€Å"And then you'll be Emperor?† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"No, you won't. You'll be dead-and not at my hands, either. Andorin, let me teach you some of the facts of life. If Cleon is killed, then the matter of the succession comes up and, to avoid civil war, the Imperial Guard will at once kill every member of the Wyan Mayoral family they can find-you first of all. On the other hand, if only the First Minister is killed, you will be safe.† â€Å"Why?† â€Å"A First Minister is only a First Minister. They come and go. It is possible that Cleon himself may have grown tired of him and arranged the murder. Certainly we would see to it that rumors of this sort are spread. The Imperial Guard would hesitate and would give us a chance to put the new government into place. Indeed, it is quite possible that they themselves would be grateful for the end of Seldon.† â€Å"And with the new government in place, what am I to do? Keep on waiting? Forever?† â€Å"No. Once I'm First Minister, there will be ways of dealing with Cleon. I may even be able to do something with the Imperial Guard-and even with the security establishment-and use them all as my instruments. I will then manage to find some safe way of getting rid of Cleon and replacing him with you.† Andorin burst out, â€Å"Why should you?† Namarti said, â€Å"What do you mean, why should I?† â€Å"You have a personal grudge against Seldon. Once he is gone, why should you run unnecessary risks at the highest level? You will make your peace with Cleon and I will have to retire to my crumbling estate and my impossible dreams. And perhaps, to play it safe, you will have me killed.† Namarti said, â€Å"No! Cleon was born to the throne. He comes from several generations of Emperors-the proud Entun Dynasty. He would he very difficult to handle, a plague. You, on the other hand, would come to the throne as a member of a new dynasty, without any strong ties to tradition, for the previous Wyan Emperors were, you will admit, totally undistinguished. You will be seated on a shaky throne and will need someone to support you-me. And I will need someone who is dependent upon me and whom I can therefore handle you. Come, Andorin, ours is not a marriage of love, which fades in a year; it is a marriage of convenience, which can last as long as we both live. Let us trust each other.† â€Å"You swear I will be Emperor.† â€Å"What good would swearing do if you couldn't trust my word? Let us say I would find you an extraordinarily useful Emperor and I would want you to replace Cleon as soon as that can safely be managed. Now introduce me to this man you think will be the perfect tool for your purposes.† â€Å"Very well. And remember what makes him different. I have studied him. He's a not-very-bright idealist. He will do what he's told, unconcerned by danger, unconcerned by second thoughts. And he exudes a kind of trustworthiness so that his victim will trust him, even if he has a blaster in his hand.† â€Å"I find that impossible to believe.† â€Å"Wait till you meet him,† said Andorin. 17 Raych kept his eyes down. He had taken a quick look at Namarti and it was all he needed. He had met the man ten years before, when Raych had been sent to lure Jo-Jo Joranum to his destruction, and one look was more than enough. Namarti had changed little in ten years. Anger and hatred were still the dominant characteristics one could see in him-or that Raych could see in him, at any rate, for he realized he was not an impartial witness-and those seemed to have marinated him into leathery permanence. His face was a trifle more gaunt, his hair was flecked with gray, but his thin-lipped mouth was set in the same harsh line and his dark eyes were as brilliantly dangerous as ever. That was enough and Raych kept his eyes averted. Namarti, he felt, was not the type of person who would take to someone who could stare lm straight in the face. Namarti seemed to devour Raych with his own eyes, but the slight sneer his face always seemed to wear remained. He turned to Andorin, who stood uneasily to one side, and said, quite;is though the subject of conversation were not present, â€Å"This is the man, then.† Andorin nodded and his lips moved in a soundless â€Å"Yes, Chief.† Namarti said to Raych abruptly, â€Å"Your name.† â€Å"Planchet, sir.† â€Å"You believe in our cause?† â€Å"Yes, sir.† He spoke carefully, in accordance with Andorin's instructions. â€Å"I am a democrat and want greater participation of the people in the governmental process.† Namarti's eyes flicked in Andorin's direction. â€Å"A speechmaker.† He looked back at Raych. â€Å"Are you willing to undertake risks for the cause?† â€Å"Any risk, sir.† â€Å"You will do as you are told? No questions? No hanging back?† â€Å"I will follow orders.† â€Å"Do you know anything about gardening?† Raych hesitated. â€Å"No, sir.† â€Å"You're a Trantorian, then? Born under the dome?† â€Å"I was born in Millimaru, sir, and I was brought up in Dahl.† â€Å"Very well,† said Namarti. Then to Andorin, â€Å"Take him out and deliver him temporarily to the men waiting there. They will take good care of him. Then come back, Andorin. I want to speak to you.† When Andorin returned, a profound change had come over Namarti. His eyes were glittering and his mouth was twisted into a feral grin. â€Å"Andorin,† he said, â€Å"the gods we spoke of the other day are with us to an extent I couldn't have imagined.† â€Å"I told you the man was suitable for our purposes.† â€Å"Far more suitable than you think. You know, of course, the tale of how Hari Seldon our revered First Minister, sent his son-or foster son, rather-to see Joranum and to set the trap into which Joranum, against my advice, fell.† â€Å"Yes,† said Andorin, nodding wearily, â€Å"I know the story.† He said it with the air of one who knew the story entirely too well. â€Å"I saw that boy only that once, but his image burned into my brain. Do you suppose that ten years' passage and false heels and a shaved mustache could fool me? That Planchet of yours is Raych, the foster son of Hari Seldon.† Andorin paled and held his breath for a moment. He said, â€Å"Are you sure of that, Chief?† â€Å"As sure as I am that you're standing here in front of me and that you have introduced an enemy into our midst.† â€Å"I had no idea-â€Å" â€Å"Don't get nervous,† said Namarti. â€Å"I consider it the best thing you have ever done in your idle aristocratic life. You have played the role that the gods have marked out for you. If I had not known who he was, he might have fulfilled the function for which he was undoubtedly intended: to be a spy in our midst and an informant of our most secret plans. But since I know who he is, it won't work that way. Instead, we now have everything.† Namarti rubbed his hands together in delight and, haltingly, as if he realized how far out of character it was for him, he smiled-and laughed. 18 Manella said thoughtfully, â€Å"I guess I won't be seeing you anymore, Planchet.† Raych was drying himself after his shower. â€Å"Why not?† â€Å"Gleb Andorin doesn't want me to.† â€Å"Why not?† Manella shrugged her smooth shoulders. â€Å"He says you have important work to do and no more time to fool around. Maybe he means you'll get a better job.† Raych stiffened. â€Å"What kind of work? Did he mention anything in particular?† â€Å"No, but he said he would be going to the Imperial Sector.† â€Å"Did he? Does he often tell you things like that?† â€Å"You know how it is, Planchet. When a fellow's in bed with you, he talks a lot.† â€Å"I know,† said Raych, who was always careful not to. â€Å"What else does he say?† â€Å"Why do you ask?† She frowned a bit. â€Å"He always asks about you, too. I noticed that about men. They're curious about each other. Why is that, do you suppose?† â€Å"What do you tell him about me?† â€Å"Not much. Just that you're a very decent sort of guy. Naturally I don't tell him that I like you better than I like him. That would hurt his feelings-and it might hurt me, too.† Raych was getting dressed. â€Å"So it's good-bye, then.† â€Å"For a while, I suppose. Gleb may change his mind. Of course, I'd like to go to the Imperial Sector-if he'd take me. I've never been there.† Raych almost slipped, but he managed to cough, then said, â€Å"I've never been there, either.† â€Å"It's got the biggest buildings and the nicest places and the fanciest restaurants-and that's where the rich people live. I'd like to meet some rich people-besides Gleb, I mean.† Raych said, â€Å"I suppose there's not much you can get out of a person like me.† â€Å"You're all right. You can't think of credits all the time, but you've got to think of them some of the time. Especially since I think Gleb is getting tired of me.† Raych felt compelled to say, â€Å"No one could get tired of you,† and then found, a little to his own confusion, that he meant it. Manella said, â€Å"That's what men always say, but you'd be surprised. Anyway, it's been good, you and I, Planchet. Take care of yourself and, who knows, we may see each other again.† Raych nodded and found himself at a loss for words. There was no way in which he could say or do anything to express his feelings. He turned his mind in other directions. He had to find out what the Namarti people were planning. If they were separating him from Manella, the crisis must be rapidly approaching. All he had to go on was that odd question about gardening. Nor could he get any further information back to Seldon. He had been kept under close scrutiny since his meeting with Namarti and all avenues of communication were cut off-surely another indication of an approaching crisis. But if he were to find out what was going on only after it was done-and if he could communicate the news only after it was no longer news-he would have failed. 19 Hari Seldon was not having a good day. He had not heard from Raych since his first communique; he had no idea what was happening. Aside from his natural concern for Raych's safety (surely he would hear if something really bad had happened), there was his uneasiness over what might be planned. It would have to be subtle. A direct attack on the Palace itself was totally out of the question. Security there was far too tight. But if so, what else could be planned that would be sufficiently effective? The whole thing was keeping him awake at night and distracted by day. The signal light flashed. â€Å"First Minister. Your two o'clock appointment, sir-â€Å" â€Å"What two o'clock appointment is this?† â€Å"Mandell Gruber, the gardener. He has the necessary certification.† Seldon remembered. â€Å"Yes. Send him in.† This was no time to see Gruber, but he had agreed to it in a moment of weakness-the man had seemed distraught. A First Minister should not have such moments of weakness, but Seldon had been Seldon long before he had become First:Minister. â€Å"Come in, Gruber,† he said kindly. Gruber stood before him, head ducking mechanically, eyes darting this way and that. Seldon was quite certain the gardener had never been in any room as magnificent as this one and he had the bitter urge to say: â€Å"Do you like it? Please take it. I don't want it.† But he only said, â€Å"What is it, Gruber? Why are you so unhappy† There was no immediate answer; Gruber merely smiled vacantly. Seldon said, â€Å"Sit down, man. Right there in that chair.† â€Å"Oh no, First Minister. It would not be fitting. I'll get it dirty.† â€Å"If you do, it will be easy to clean. Do as I say. Good! Now just sit there a minute or two and gather your thoughts. Then, when you are ready, tell me what's the matter.† Gruber sat silent for a moment, then the words came out in a panting rush. â€Å"First Minister. It is Chief Gardener I am to be. The blessed Emperor himself told me so.† â€Å"Yes, I have heard of that, but that surely isn't what is troubling you. Your new post is a matter of congratulations and I do congratulate you. I may even have contributed to it, Gruber. I have never forgotten your bravery at the time I was nearly killed and you can be sure I mentioned it to His Imperial Majesty. It is a suitable reward, Gruber, and you would deserve the promotion in any case, for it is quite clear from your record that you are fully qualified for the post. So, now that that's out of the way, tell me what is troubling you.† â€Å"First Minister, it is the very post and promotion that's troubling me. It is something I cannot manage, for I am not qualified.† â€Å"We are convinced you are.† Gruber grew agitated. â€Å"And is it in an office I will have to sit? I can't sit in an office. I could not go out in the open air and work with the plants and animals. I would be in prison, First Minister.† Seldon's eyes opened wide. â€Å"No such thing, Gruber. You needn't stay in the office longer than you have to. You could wander around the grounds freely, supervising everything. You will have all the outdoors you want and you will merely spare yourself the hard work.† â€Å"I want the hard work, First Minister, and it's no chance at all they will let me come out of the office. I have watched the present Chief Gardener. He couldn't leave his office, though he wanted to, ever so. There is too much administration, too much bookkeeping. Sure, if he wants to know what is going on, we must go to his office to tell him. He watches things on holovision â€Å"-he said with infinite contempt â€Å"as though you can tell anything about growing, living things from pictures. It is not for me, First Minister.† â€Å"Come, Gruber, be a man. It's not all that bad. You'll get used to it. You'll work your way in slowly.† Gruber shook his head. â€Å"First off-at the very first-I will have to deal with all the new gardeners. I'll be buried.† Then, with sudden energy, â€Å"It is a job I do not want and must not have, First Minister.† â€Å"Right now, Gruber, perhaps you don't want the job, but you are not alone. I'll tell you that right now I wish I were not First Minister. This job is too much for me. I even have a notion that there are times when the Emperor himself is tired of his Imperial robes. We're all in this Galaxy to do our work and the work isn't always pleasant.† â€Å"I understand that, First Minister, but the Emperor must be Emperor, for he was born to that. And you must be First Minister, for there is no one else who can do the job. But in my case, it is just Chief Gardener we are ruminating upon. There are fifty gardeners in the place who could do it as well as I could and who wouldn't mind the office. You say that you spoke to the Emperor about how I tried to help you. Can't you speak to him again and explain that if he wants to reward me for what I did, he can leave me as I am?† Seldon leaned back in his chair and said solemnly, â€Å"Gruber, I would do that for you if I could, but I must explain something to you and I can only hope that you will understand it. The Emperor, in theory, is absolute ruler of the Empire. In actual fact, there is very little he can do. I run the Empire right now much more than he does and there is very little I can do, too. There are millions and billions of people at all levels of government, all making decisions, all making mistakes, some acting wisely and heroically, some acting foolishly and thievishly. There's no controlling them. Do you understand me, Gruber?† â€Å"I do, but what has this to do with my case?† â€Å"Because there is only one place where the Emperor is really absolute ruler-and that is over the Imperial grounds. Here, his word is law and the layers of officials beneath him are few enough for him to handle. For him to be asked to rescind a decision he has made in connection with the Imperial Palace grounds would be to invade the only area that he would consider inviolate. If I were to say, ‘Take back your decision on Gruber, Your Imperial Majesty,' he would be much more likely to relieve me of my duties than to take back his decision. That might be a good thing for me, but it wouldn't help you any.† Gruber said, â€Å"Does that mean there's no way things can be changed?† â€Å"That's exactly what it means. But don't worry, Gruber, I'll help you all I can. I'm sorry. But now I have really spent all the time with you that I am able to spare.† Gruber rose to his feet. In his hands he twisted his green gardening cap. There was more than a suspicion of tears in his eyes. â€Å"Thank you, First Minister. I know you would like to help. You're-you're a good man, First Minister.† He turned and left, sorrowing. Seldon looked after him thoughtfully and shook his head. Multiply Gruber's woes by a quadrillion and you would have the woes of all the people of the twenty-five million worlds of the Empire and how was he, Seldon, to work out salvation for all of them, when he was helpless to solve the problem of one single man who had come to him for help? Psychohistory could not save one man. Could it save a quadrillion? He shook his head again, checked the nature and time of his next appointment, and then suddenly stiffened. He shouted into his communications wire in sudden wild abandon, quite unlike his usually strict control. â€Å"Get that gardener back! Get him back here right now!† 20 â€Å"What's this about new gardeners?† exclaimed Seldon. This time he did not ask Gruber to sit down. Gruber's eyes blinked rapidly. He was in a panic at having been recalled so unexpectedly. â€Å"N-new g-gardeners?† he stammered. â€Å"You said ‘all the new gardeners.' Those were your words. What new gardeners?† Gruber was astonished. â€Å"Sure, if there is a new Chief Gardener, there will be new gardeners. It is the custom.† â€Å"I have never heard of this.† â€Å"The last time we had a change of Chief Gardeners, you were not First Minister. It is likely you were not even on Trantor.† â€Å"But what's it all about?† â€Å"Well, gardeners are never discharged. Some die. Some grow too old and are pensioned off and replaced. Still, by the time a new Chief Gardener is ready for his duties, at least half the staff is aged and beyond their best years. They are all pensioned off generously and new gardeners are brought in.† â€Å"For youth.† â€Å"Partly and partly because by that time there are usually new plans for the gardens and it is new ideas and new schemes we must have. There are almost five hundred square kilometers in the gardens and parklands and it usually takes some years to reorganize it and it is myself who will have to supervise it all. Please, First Minister.† Gruber was gasping. â€Å"Surely a clever man like your own self can find a way to change the blessed Emperor's mind.† Seldon paid no attention. His forehead was creased in concentration. â€Å"Where do the new gardeners come from?† â€Å"There are examinations on all the worlds-there are always people waiting to serve as replacements. They'll be coming in by the hundreds in a dozen batches. It will take me a year, at the least-â€Å" â€Å"From where do they come? From where?† â€Å"From any of a million worlds. We want a variety of horticultural knowledge. Any citizen of the Empire can qualify.† â€Å"From Trantor, too?† â€Å"No, not from Trantor. There is no one from Trantor in the gardens.† His voice grew contemptuous. â€Å"You can't get a gardener out of Trantor. The parks they have here under the dome aren't gardens. They are potted plants and the animals are in cages. Trantorians, poor specimens that they are, know nothing about open air, free water, and the true balance of nature.† â€Å"All right, Gruber. I will now give you a job. It will be up to you to get me the names of every new gardener scheduled to arrive over the coming weeks. Everything about them. Name. World. Reference number. Education. Experience. Everything. I want it all here on my desk just as quickly as possible. I'm going to send people to help you. People with machines. What kind of a computer do you use?† â€Å"Only a simple one for keeping track of plantings and species and things like that.† â€Å"All right. The people I send will be able to do anything you can't do. I can't tell you how important this is.† â€Å"If I should do this-â€Å" â€Å"Gruber, this is not the time to make bargains. Fail me and you will not be Chief Gardener. Instead, you will be discharged without a pension.† Alone again, Seldon barked into his communication wire, â€Å"Cancel all appointments for the rest of the afternoon.† He then let his body flop in his chair, feeling every bit of his fifty years and feeling his headache worsen. For years, for decades, security had been built up around the Imperial Palace grounds, thicker, more solid, more impenetrable, as each new layer and each new device was added. And every once in a while, hordes of strangers were let into the grounds. No questions asked, probably, but one: â€Å"Can you garden?† The stupidity involved was too colossal to grasp. And he had barely caught it in time. Or had he? Was he, even now, too late?

Michael Moore Loves Rhetoric

Jeffrey Lee Professor Lewis English 2 10 February 2010 Michael Moore Loves Rhetoric One of the most effective ways Moore draws our attention is by using real testimonies. By interviewing Americans who have been wronged by the health care system, he cleverly intertwines rhetoric to create a strong argument for universal health care. For example, after he presents the audience with a logos appeal, an ethos and/or pathos appeal will follow, or vice versa. Like a chain reaction, the appeals go hand in hand, making the viewer feel as if what they are seeing is real and not exaggerated. From the beginning, â€Å"Sicko† relies heavily on ethos and pathos to show that the health care industry is not sympathetic to the medical needs of Americans. One example of this is the story of a man named Tracy who had kidney cancer. His hospital refused to perform surgery on him and Tracy died soon after his wife challenged the hospital on the issue. Tracy’s wife, Julie, says that Tracy wanted to know why a good person like him had to be put into such an unfortunate situation. Here, Moore uses different techniques to get the audience to feel sympathy for this family. When the film first introduces us to Tracy and his family, we see segments of home videos depicting a happy family. As Tracy’s wife gives the interview, she tells an unfortunate story of Tracy’s death and how their health insurance failed them which further grabs the audience’s sympathy. She is interviewed in such a way where we feel as if she is in the living room with us; she seems like a friend or neighbor, and we sympathize for her loss. We are made to feel that his death was preventable. Further, we learn that despite Tracy’s wife being employed in the very hospital that provided them with so-called health care, they were denied treatment even though Tracy’s brother was a perfect donor. Essentially, she was working for the very people who were denying her family the care they need. Through the use of ethos and pathos, Moore makes the audience feel mournful for Tracy, while making the American health care system seem out of touch with common ethical values. Tracy’s story is followed by another ethos and pathos appeal told by Dawnelle Keyes, a woman whose daughter, Mychelle, died due to the low value that insurance companies lace on people’s lives. The hospital claimed that certain portions of Mychelle’s treatment could not be paid for by the hospital. In order to cover these expenses, Keyes would have to take Mychelle to a different hospital. Keyes did not want to do this, and she recalls, â€Å"I just continued to ask them to treat her and they refused†. Finally, Keyes took her daughter to an alternate hospital, but because of the delays, Mychelle went into cardiac arrest and died. After Keyes was done talking about her tragedy, she cried for her lost child. Just like the scene with Tracy’s widow, this scene prompted the audience to sympathize with the victims. Again, this is a clever use of ethos and pathos. Moore also chooses his background wisely in order to appeal to the audience’s emotions even more. Notice when Keyes tells her tragic story of Mychelle, the interview takes place around a playground with children playing in the background. This is an effective way of appealing to our pathos because we are reminded of children and their innocence. Keyes’ testimony further persuades the audience that insurance companies are merciless and should therefore be replaced by mandatory universal health care. Not only does â€Å"Sicko† have many scenes of Americans describing the hardships that insurance companies have put them through, the movie also criticized the way health care workers are forced to work. For instance, Becky Malke works for an insurance company and describes the distress she experiences at her job. Becky answers phone calls for the company and tells the story of one phone call that disturbed her. Becky cries through most of her story. As she cries, Moore slowly zooms the camera onto her face, allowing us to see all her emotions, almost making the audience want to cry with her. This is a great technique for the film’s message here – that even those who work for the health care industry are emotionally distraught by how uncharitable and inhumane medical insurance companies can be. We are left to feel that the current system should be overthrown in favor of universal health care. Yet again, Moore strengthens his argument through the use of personal testimonies that evoke our emotions. As the film progresses we see Moore display himself as the â€Å"common man† in an effort to appeal to the audience the genuineness of his own character – his ethos. He is casually dressed wearing only jeans, T-shirt, and a baseball cap. His message is more acceptable to the audience when he is perceived as an everyday type of guy. The audience’s guards are down. Where if he was dressed in a suit, the audience would surely view him differently, possibly feeling more distant and requiring Moore to defend his viewpoints. Instead, Moore’s stories are believable because he makes the audience relate with him and his storytellers. Another form of pathos used in â€Å"Sicko† is the association of happiness with universal health care. For instance, Alexi Cremieux was recovering from chemotherapy that treated his tumor. Because Alexi lived in France, where there is universal health care, Alexi was given three months of paid vacation time to get well. Moore flashes images of Alexi relaxing with friends during his vacation, smiling in all his pictures. Through pathos, we are made to believe that Alexi is happier because he was assisted by universal health care. In turn, we too are left to feel that universal health care can help achieve our happiness, versus the U. S. counterpart that can only put people through hardship. Furthermore, Moore also uses humor as a form of a pathos appeal. For example, Moore visits a British hospital, which is managed under a universal health care system, and tries to find out how the hospital’s patients pay the bills for their stay. Moore asks a pregnant patient at the hospital, â€Å"So what do you pay for a stay here? † She replies, â€Å"No one pays† with a chuckle. Next, Moore asks a couple walking through the hospital with their newborn baby, â€Å"What did they charge for that baby? † The baby’s father answers, â€Å"You know, it’s not America† and the couple laughs. This is a powerful scene because it mocks the U. S. system in an amusing fashion. It makes the viewer think â€Å"hey those people don’t have to pay for health care, why should we? † Their humorous attitude towards the idea of paying for health care makes the viewer believe that the current system is ridiculous and that the U. S. should adopt universal health care. Lastly, the music Moore uses also ties into the humorous appeal. He emphasizes an issue by accompanying it with a soundtrack. If it is a humorous scene, he will use sarcastic, over the top sounds; if he wants to shock the audience, he plays something more melodramatic. For example, while telling the story of a woman who was eligible for health coverage but was later denied because of a mere yeast infection, when the film got to the yeast infection part, it was followed with a â€Å"buh buh bum† and a crow screeching. The use of these sounds dramatizes the ridiculous fact that this woman was (and should not have been) denied over a simple yeast infection. Through the use of each rhetoric appeal, ethos, pathos and logos, Moore effectively convinces the audience that universal health care is more charitable than the current U. S. system and should therefore be replaced. He presents us with real-life people who the audience can easily identify with. The unjust manner in which these people are treated causes us to sympathize for them. And the facts given to us appear to be supported and convincing. All three appeals are blended together in a way that conveys a powerful message to those watching it. After watching â€Å"Sicko†, it is hard not to be convinced that universal health care is essential. With that said, are you convinced?

The Founding Docs of the U.S Government Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Founding Docs of the U.S Government - Article Example It was also precursor to the social justice that was intrinsically linked to declaration of independence. It emphasized equity and freedom for people from all walks of life cutting across race, culture and color. The representative republic governance was considered as American experiment mainly because it laid the foundation of democracy that worked for people and was formed by the people through elected representatives (Stedman & Lewis, 1987). They received the right to power from the constitution to safeguard the interests of the people. The new democratic framework tested the enduring ideas of founders and proved that experiment of representative government can succeed. The Bill of Rights fulfills the ideas of American enlightenment as well resolves the differences between the federalists and non federalists. Through ten amendments, it comprehensively promotes equality and freedom of speech. The various clauses within the constitutional amendments ensure the federal and state rights work towards the wider welfare of the people and safeguard their interests through legal provisions. National interests are taken care by the federal government which enjoys huge power but the limitations imp osed by the constitution ensure responsibility and accountability in their actions thus, satisfying both the federalists and non federalists. (words:

Criminology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Criminology - Essay Example The critical criminologists believe that the marginalization and criminalization are highly integrated with each other. This may affect the mental state of the individuals under marginalization and some of them may indulge in any criminal activities. The marginalization may occur at individual level or at group or community level. The people with physical or mental disabilities are subjected to marginalization at individual level. This is against the basic principles of human rights and several nations have made their legislature to reduce or avoid this practice. The employers or organizations may consider the inclusion of disabled people as a stumbling block to the productivity. In this process, they indulge in marginalization which is unfair. Moreover, the companies must work with principle of equality and corporate social responsibility. Therefore, marginalization must be eradicated by the employers. The marginalization may also be found in community or group level in the form of women and aboriginal groups. When the people are subjected to colonialism, they will have to leave their place of residence and will be settling in new areas and during this process, they are marginalized to participate in any social functioning. Similarly, the women are subjected to marginalization as far as the employment in some organizations is concerned. Criminalization means a process of imposing a criminal penalty for the illegal act committed by any person. According to critical criminologists, it is a social process in which individual may undergo a transformation of their behavior to crime or violent act (Mc Laughlin et al., 2002). The origin of criminal behavior may be in the form of discrimination or victimization (Walklate, 1989). Criminalization may disrupt the social order, and hence the society requires legal order that controls the crime rate. Some times, the criminalization may be originated from lack of health safety measures due to which other persons in the soci ety get potential harm. For example, the defendant was sentenced to two year imprisonment under criminal law for being responsible for the transmission of Hepatitis B in UK (Mohanty, 2009). As mentioned earlier, critical criminologists argue that the criminalization may be originated due to distorted mental behavior when a person is subjected to marginalization in the society and having historical link with criminalization may be considered as a cause for marginalization (Walklate, 2003). Hence the criminalization and marginalization are correlated with each other. For example, the criminal history of the Black youth, the black cultural spaces were excluded from new playgrounds of the night time economy in UK (Talbot and Bose, 2007). Hence, in the control of crime rate in the society, the steps for reducing the marginalization would be of immense help. The thorough analysis of causes or factors of victimology would certainly help in reducing the menace of criminalization in the soci ety (Fattah, 1992). References Fattah, EA. 1992, The Need for a Critical Victimology, In Towards A Critical Victimology. Ezzat A. Fattah (ed.). New York: Palgrave Macmillan Publication, pp.  14–23. ISBN : 0-312-07551-0. Mc Laughlin, E., Muncie, J & Hughes, G. 2002, Criminological Perspectives: Essential Readings (Published in association with The Open University), Sage Publication, pp: 612, ISBN-10: 0761941444. Mohanty, K. 2009, â€Å"

Change of Command Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Change of Command - Essay Example to admit that existence of mistakes in our records such as failing to identify unfavorable traits among candidates in recruitment processes call for improvement. New approaches are therefore necessary for better results. Greater success can be achieved through diligence that leads to more efficiency. I therefore recommend approaches that have been successful to me in developing trust among people towards cooperation. As a member of a team, I learnt that positive interactions with the community, as well as with team members, develop positive relations and cooperation into efficient operations. Some of the most effective strategies towards positive interactions with the community include preventing and solving the community’s problems that develops the community’s trust in you. I am also confident that your â€Å"knowledge, skills and attitudes† can be applied to greater achievements that will set performance standards for future personnel (Lawrence and Mathew, 2012,p.

Research Project Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Project - Research Paper Example This psychological and emotional distance between the young and elderly population has created many problems on personal and social level, which can threaten the psychological, emotional and the physical health of the family structure and the society as a whole. Introduction Old age is a graceful phase of life as it makes people free from most of their responsibilities in life, and gives them a feeling of fulfillment, contentment and freedom. It also provides them with leisure, and opportunity to undertake those things that they were not able to do in their youth due to professional and personal responsibilities. However, instead of enjoying their old age in leisure and relaxation, elderly people are being indirectly forced to feel that they have made a mistake by becoming ‘old’. The reason behind elderly people feeling ‘unwanted’ and ‘worthless’ is the prejudice and the discrimination with which they are being treated in the society. Sadly, it is the Western society where elderly people experience major problems. In the United States, the negative attitude and misconception about the old age has resulted in elderly people experiencing disadvantage in their personal and social life (Macioni, 2009, p.396). ... o understand that the negative treatment of elderly people is not only destroying the life of elderly people on individual level, but is also destroying the health of the society as a whole (Andersen & Taylor, 2008, p. 363). Society cannot afford its elderly population to be depressed and psychologically weak as the sociology of age reveals that age composition is essential for a healthy society as the solution of social problems depends on â€Å"how well social institutions serve different generations of people† (Andersen & Taylor, 2008, p. 363). Moreover, due to their experience and wisdom gained from life, elderly people have lot to contribute to the society. Hence, it is high time for people to understand that for the formation of a healthy society, it is important to give respect and positive treatment to the elderly people, as they not only comprise the largest age group of the society, but also deserve it for successfully fulfilling the responsibilities and facing the c hallenges of life. Ageism Ageism is a term used by sociologists to define the prejudice and discrimination practiced against elderly people due to their age (Andersen & Taylor, 2011, p. 93). Ageism has seeped in every aspect of the society and is not limited to a single attitude or belief towards the elderly people (Andersen & Taylor, 2011, p. 93). Elderly people are not able to take advantage of different sources and opportunities in social and professional life as they experience discrimination and prejudice in different areas of life (Andersen & Taylor, 2011, p. 93). People think that with growing age, the abilities of person are reduced. It is wrongly believed that elderly people are not capable of handling the responsibilities of adults as they are childlike and forgetful in nature (Andersen &

Leadership Phase 1 individual Project 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Leadership Phase 1 individual Project 1 - Essay Example Similarly in case of change the situational leader will concentrate on the people or his subjects who cannot adjust themselves to change. According to Ken Blancard the situational leader will analyses the needs of the situation dealt by him and his team. This will be the first step in adopting him and his team to the situation. After analyzing the situation he decides on the style of leadership. This has been applied with different types of managers at different levels. The situational model is simple to understand and can be applied in various environments. Not only to the managers, can the situational model of leadership be applied universally to any person in work and at home? The leadership behavior depends on the strengths of the leader. The strength of the leader decides the direction and the support received by him from his supporters and vice versa. In this manner the style I select is about direction the leader gives to the followers and the support he receives from them. In the direction the training is involved and in the support of the followers, the delegation is involved. This involves problem solving, which can be termed as an important aspect in the course of leadership. The style of leadership decides the development level. As the leadership style depends on the followers it is up to the leader to mould them according to the style. This can increase the development level of the follower by the leader. The leader should show competence, commitment to make the followers increase their development levels according to the styles of the leader. Here the styles are direction and support. The followers must be in a position to support the leader an d this position shall arise due to activities and strength of leader. The direction and support styles will suit the situational leadership because the development levels of the followers are situational and should vary with changes they face. The situational model I chose will be comfortable to me

Addiction is a Brain Disease Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Addiction is a Brain Disease - Research Paper Example This means that there are two types of addiction: behavioral addiction and substance dependence. This can be harmful for oneself and for others. Furthermore, it is important to distinguish between a habit and an addiction: a habit is what a person chooses to do, and there is no physical and physiological aspect to it, till you become so used to that substance that you cannot do without it. With addiction you also cannot survive on the same doses every time; you need to increase the dosage every time in order to satisfy yourself and you cannot stop without help. It causes many problems in every aspect of one’s life and needs to be considered. Its causes and treatments need to be laid out for better understanding. (Nordqvist, March) The prefrontal cortex is the area of the brain that allows human beings to evaluate situations, make rational decisions and control their emotions and desires. This part of the brain is still developing in adolescence and abusing it will have a very dire effect in the future. (Buljan, 2010) An addict is a person who is addicted. This person will have desires and cravings, in which he will urgently want to indulge, and usually symptoms of withdrawal accompany this feeling if he does not get the substance he craves. There are several reasons for this disease. Genetics are suspected, and so is the environment, but the new explanation that has been discovered is that it is a brain disease. (Maureen C Nash, 2011) The roles of the reward mechanisms in the brain are suspected to be involved with this disease. Dopamine systems stimulate the brain when it receives a reward be it food, or any other thing that the person likes. This is the only centre of the brain that stimulates it, and no additional centre has been found to cause addiction. Taking the substance that you are addicted to changes the wiring of your brain and you require special needs to fulfill your cravings. Dopamine is activated with the use of the substance or aspect th at you are addicted to; and this is not a natural process, but a highly unnatural one as you make your brain accustomed to the aspects that it is usually not used to, but is in fact actually sensitive to. It not only arouses your brain and rewards it but the arousal it leads to is of abnormal nature, leading to changes in the brain’s motor and cognitive abilities. Other researchers believe that what is involved in addiction includes: the medial prefrontal cortex, the hippocampus, amygdala and nucleus accumbens. There are other cortical structures involved in the rewarding centre of the brain apart from dopamine. This was shown by Hans Breiter with the help of functional magnetic resonance imaging. In simple terms, drugs such as morphine, or money, or shopping, rewards your brain and satisfies it. But if you don’t acquire them, you will experience withdrawal. This is not just the case with drugs, but also non-drug expectations. A drug will lead to ‘drug rewardsâ⠂¬â„¢ whereas a non drug will lead to a ‘non-drug reward.’ (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2000) Positron emission tomography studies by Nora Volkrow showed that substance abusers had fewer striatal D2 receptors. There was also lower monoamine oxidase B which is important in the reward circuit of the brain in those who were addicted to smoking. This meant that more dosage was needed every time to stimulate the reward centers because addiction was reducing the enzymes needed to stimulate it. (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2000) The brain reward system can be further extended beyond the dopamine system. The stimulation has to do with the synaptic actions when dopamine is stimulated which are affected by addiction. Since the brain is not used to such stimulation, it is required to adapt to it, a

Digital Marketing and Social Media Marketing in Luxury Industry Essay

Digital Marketing and Social Media Marketing in Luxury Industry - Essay Example The emergence of digital and social media marketing have opened up new and exciting ways of branding. Specifically, luxury brands are the ones which have capitalized these relatively newer tools in a most decent and â€Å"luxurious† fashion to design their brand images. The affluent customers of these luxury brands have also joined in the social media sites and their dominating presence is effectively being utilized by the companies to attract the new customer and retain the loyal customers (Kerin, 2010). Reason of choosing the topic The reason of choosing this topic is basically divided into two broader areas such that one area pertains to a specific marketing strategy and the other area relates to the industry on which that marketing strategy is actually applied at. Digital and social media marketing is undoubtedly the most emerging and recent development in the overall marketing strategies whereas luxury industry is the one which faces the most crucial dilemma of getting al ong with this new area of marketing. Methodology This article is composed with a view to emphasize more on the development of digital and social media marketing specifically in the luxury industry. At the beginning, key definitions along with necessary explanations of the digital marketing, social media marketing and luxury industry are discussed. Second part of this paper highlights some brief statistics regarding the development of these marketing strategies in luxury industry.... Users hardly click on banner ads to browse the site of that brand or product, as he/she gets frustrated in getting along to all together to a new web page or new window (Bird, 2007). However, with the emergence of the concept of digital marketing, the orthodox online marketing tools are effectively put to wall as the new digital marketing strategies have replaced them in practical terms. With the invent of digital marketing, marketers especially are highly benefited such that they can track their marketing campaign rather on a wider scope such that they have the availability of real time tracking of marketing campaign (Ryan, 2012). They know that what is being viewed right now, how many times on average, a product is viewed in a day, the response rate of the customers etc. However, each marketing campaign is different from others and thus the feedback which the marketers obtain may remain quite different as compared to other marketing campaigns. 2. Social Media Marketing Social media marketing refers to those strategies in which the marketing campaigns of the companies are launched particularly on the social networking sites mainly including Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace, etc. The existing marketing companies on the social networking sites are gaining much momentum and success because these are the sites on which millions of users are present and it is more convenient for the marketers to catch their attention. Unlike the traditional marketing tools like TV, radio and other channels which are becoming less effective due to increase in number of channel, social media sites however are providing the largest avenue for the marketing companies to attract the

Resume Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 10

Resume - Essay Example I have very good recommendations from my professors. I currently have a GPA of 3.0. During the course of my work, I am interested in doing a Master’s in Human Resources in California. This greater work experience and knowledge will enable me to accomplish greater goals and promote perfection for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. My skills include my abilities to speak more than one language, English and Arabic. I am a native citizen of Saudi Arabia from Dammam. My family name is Al-Dosssary. I am skillful in managing people in the department. Based on my prior experience working at British Airways in Saudi Arabia, I have solved numerous issues with people. For example, I have managed passengers who have overload weight of baggage. My solution to them was to assist them with strategies of how to decrease the weight by putting some of the weight in their handbag. With this solution, the passenger was able to fly safely without paying extra and I was able to not go above or beyond the company policy limit of bags lower than 23 kilos. I thank you for your attention in reading my letter and I am open to having further continuing relationship. Enclosed, is a copy of my resume. I thank you for your attention. You can call me during normal Business Hours from Monday-Friday at my cell-phone (720) 421-8371 or at

Against Abortion Essay Example for Free

Against Abortion Essay How would you feel if someone took away your ability to live? Imagine not having any say in whether or not you want to have a life. Well babies dont have a choice in their mother’s womb. If a woman decides to abort her baby, they cant do anything about their life being taken away from them. Their whole future is demolished. I believe abortion is wrong when committing it for a selfish reason. One reason why I dont support abortion is because it can harm the mother as well. You are highly risking the mothers life and affecting her. Not only does it have an effect on the USA but, it affects other countries as well like Spain. According to psychiatrist and member of the Right to Life Committee, Carmen Gomez-Lavin states that: Sixty five percent of women who abort suffer symptoms of post-traumatic stress syndrome after undergoing the procedure. Many women are regretting that choice. Abortion can also result into not being able to get pregnant in the future, many sickness and even death. Abortion affects both victims in dangerous and physical ways. Another reason is Abortion is Murder! And Ill bet if you asked an unborn baby if he wants to be murdered, it would tell you to at least wait until it was old enough to fight back. My last reason is a baby can feel pain. Even though it may not be fully formed, a baby in the second trimester is still able to feel pain. Why do you think a baby starts kicking its moms stomach whenever the father makes stupid noises at it? I agree with the reasons why they’d find it alright to abort the baby in some ways. The pro-choice believe this due to the fact of not harming the baby from your sickness but another option is adoption! You’ll still be able to let the baby live. For teen pregnancies, there are some religious beliefs as to where you shouldn’t have premarital sex. If you don’t want a child, you shouldn’t have sex at a young age because it’s not always safe. Also, abortions can result into a risk of getting ill, physical damage, stopping you from having a child again or even death. Not only will the baby die, but the mother will as well. One last reason for the side that agrees with abortion is that they believe outlawing it, would be discrimination. Women with a lower income can lead them to into joining in an illegal abortion or a ‘black-market’ abortion. Getting an abortion illegally can cause much more harm to the mother and baby than giving birth. I believe that it is not worth risking the lives of you and your child for a surgery I believe abortion is wrong when used for not good reasons. There are many other things you can do to prevent abortion. There are reasons why I dont support it. You can use adoption as a solution, it can harm the mother as well, and you are a taking an innocent life. Teenagers can rise awareness and either speak or show how strongly they believe about this topic. Abortion should not be legalized.

Toyota Company Strategic Planning

Toyota Company Strategic Planning TOYOTA COMPANY 1.0 Companys Description Toyota Motor Corporation is engaged in manufacture of passenger cars and their assembly, minivans, recreational and sport vehicles worldwide. Toyota has a network of more than 45 manufacturing companies and 12 plants affiliated in Japan. Toyota is working on its strategic global vision program of 2010. This program describes the long term Toyotas policies like recycling of goods and pro-environmental stance. Toyota has its global vision to respect the different people and communities and providing the new marketing opportunities in Asian markets and aims to get more than 35% of vehicle by the tapping the emerging markets. In automobile industry the need of the local customization and global strategy required the regional production. After 1990 Toyota has become first organized car manufacturer. The main targeted markets of Toyota industry are the Europe, North America and Asia with capability to customize the regional markets. Toyota has reacted very quickly and bypassed the regional and trade barriers; based upon the local suppliers to impact the cost efficiencies. 2.0 Strengths of Toyota Toyota possesses much strength due to its quality products and reputation. Prices of the Toyotas products are not affordable as the automakers in America, however Toyota has continued to succeed because customer rely and depend on its products. Toyota has been number one in sale of cars in 2007 and also 2008 better. Toyota has two different significant opportunities. Toyota has a step ahead of its competitors due to its hybrid products; as eco-friendly consumers demand the new brands. Toyota has scope to develop and design the technology for the advance models. Other opportunity lies in untapped market of youth; Scion has brought an inspiring revolution. The Marketing, product design and credit assistance are other hallmarks of Toyota which will prove to be great opportunities in future. Globally Toyota has several regions for its business and purchasing power of large Chinas population has been recognized. This has created a place for the Toyota to set up its headquarters in China. The purchase of Toyotas full size truck is increased in South America due to strengthen of its economy. In Middle East the demand of full size Toyotas SUVs is increased. This has resulted in the acknowledgement of opportunities of Toyota. Toyota has acted according to the streamlines of its export system. 2.1 Global Strategy Toyota is ranked among five best companies of automobile industry with total 500 companies. Toyota has made success in global strategies. It has a clear agenda to distribute the channels, production, marketing and supply chain aspects. Toyotas best production system and continuous improvements are the essential pieces of its global strategy. Concept of Kaizen (continuous improvement) has empowered the company to think about the new strategies and methods no matter in any area of the company. TPS (Toyota Production System) makes a link between the global automaker to manage the supply chain system, inventory management, production capabilities and planning methods. This TPS has empowered the Toyota to dominate the global automobile industry. Actually the Toyota is based in Japan but it has established itself throughout the world. No doubt the Toyota is most well known automobile brand of the world. Toyotas market is based upon the mission: Stable long-term growth, while striving for h armony with people, society and the environment (Toyota Motor Corporation Home Page). Toyota is providing thousands of jobs in America. Cultural, economic and social issues have allowed the Toyota to move beyond the brand equity and shaped an international marketing place for Toyota and achieved the success as a global corporation. 3.0 Rivalry of Toyota When Nissan and Toyota entered in American market the cost advantage for Toyota increased over the American companies. The market share of Toyota in Japan was higher which forced the Nissan to cut the costs of their best cars. Both Nissan and Toyota made rapid increase in shares in Japan. Toyota also impacted the car companies of America. Detroit made efforts to manufacture the small cars but could stay before the products of Toyota Company. Other rival companies included the Ford, General Motors and Volkswagen. It is best know that cars of Americas companies are cheaper in price but not reliable as compared to products of Toyota. Before Toyota the Volkswagen was main dominant company in USA market. Volkswagen being the best foreign car supplier company had shared 60% in USA market. For example Volkswagen Beetle was the best car in America before the Toyota introduced its Toyota Corolla in 1975. Volkswagens cars have the vibration problems but Toyota possessed the powerful cars witho ut vibration problems. The yen currency also played an important role to sell the Toyota more cars than Volkswagen. Japans yen was weaker as compared to German mark which made the Japans currency and goods cheaper for the purchasers in America. 3.1 Bargaining Power: Toyota has facilitated the Buyers and supplier of Toyotas cars as rental car companies liked to buy large number of cars which did not affect the overall prices of cars. When raw material for cars (steel, fiberglass and plastic) is lowered due in price there are many supplier and bargaining power of supplier is neglible. The sale of Prius exceeded when overseas units were added to it. The launch situation of Pirus in America and Europe market occurred in a same as in Japan. Local municipalities and people who love to use the new technologies always purchase the Toyota cars. 3.2 Competitor Analysis Toyota operates in car bodies and motor vehicle center. This analysis is done by comparing the Toyota Motors with other three main companies as shown below 3.2.1 Honda Motors: The sale of the Honda Motors during the year 2010 was noted to be 101.92 $ with 76% Automobile business. 3.2.2 Nissan Motors: The sale of the Nissan Motors cars was $ 89.31 billion during the year 2010 with automobiles 93%. 3.2.3 Motors Liquidation Company: This Company is based in USA and its sale during the year 2008 was noted as $148.98 billion with 99% automotive products. 3.2.4 Toyota Motors: The sale of the Toyota motors was $225.14 billion which decreased to 7.7% versus 2009, when companys sale exceeded to 2010 years sale. Consumers of Toyota cars prefer to purchase the Toyotas cars because these are reliable motor cars. During the 2008 survey Toyota and Lexus model won the 11 segment awards out of total 19 (Toyotas Home Page). This show the commitment of Toyota to its quality products; which also shows that quality of the Toyota Products is the same wherever they are manufactured. It can be said that these products are manufactured by the Toyota. 4.0 Current Attractiveness of Toyota 4.1 Relations with suppliers Toyota has established good relations with its suppliers to build a harmonious and mutual society. As the business of Toyota has been expanded on a global scale the Toyota is stressing more on close relationships to achieve the customers satisfaction. Toyota does respect of its suppliers throughout the world to promote the development and mutual growth. Toyota believes in CSR activities and issued a guideline for the suppliers in 2009. Toyota is focusing to make joint manufacturing activities with suppliers to improve the working practices. To promote the sale of cars in next five years on the basic principle of Customer first, dealer second, third manufacture Toyota is acting on the policy to benefit their dealers. Toyota has more than 170 distributers and 8000 dealers located in overseas countries. In this way Toyota engages its partners in many ways. 4.2 Acceptable car building by Toyota When Prius the first hybrid car was produced with new technology, it was expected to sale this car in various countries. Prius was welcomed at different locations which proved its popularity but usage conditions like culture, regulations and traffic situations were required to do more for the acceptance of Prius a global brand of Toyota. The potential problems and deep understanding of advantages was needed to be focused upon in two next years. 4.3 Innovative Cars A hybrid system enabled the Toyota to produce the large medium and minivans for their customers. All designers of Toyota dreamed to build an innovative car which offered more enjoyment during driving and riding with low fuel consumption. Estima Hybrid is a example of such cars. Manufacturing of such cars was started before the Prius with great technical issues but Toyota was successful to introduce this kind of cars. As mentioned above Toyota wanted to expand its Hybrid system to evolve the automobile industry in next 5 years of 21st century. Company wants to produce more than 300,000 units per year in next few years. Toyota Company wants improvement in its Environmental Action Plan 2011 in six key areas: Change in Climate and Energy, Air Quality, substances, recycling and resource utilization, Environmental management and Societal Cooperation. Company wants to reduce the Carbon dioxide emission to ensure that environment is kept clean by adopting and observing all economy fuels values. 5.0 Companys Strategies There are main four marketing mix components which are shaped in a way to fight the firms in market and provide the easy access to companys products and services. 5.1 Product Strategy The company is focusing on strategies to compete the other firms by adopting a mass production program to sell its product in global market. A hybrid product can enhance its production to meet the demands of changing market. 5.2 Location Strategy Toyota is a global producer of automobiles and their components, Toyota has positioned itself at the most central locations where it has clear and very optimistic control over the companys products and their delivery to customers. In next three years Toyota Company aims to achieve the 35% of market share. 5.3 Promotion Strategy Toyota Company is determinant towards pricing mechanism which can give it an edge over its competitors. Company can get highest level in automobile industry by using the best pricing method to get the hold of market. 5.4 Pricing Strategy Toyota Company is producing new vehicles of best quality which can be purchased at a reasonable price. The new pricing strategy is aimed to attract more customers throughout the world. 5.5 Target Market Strategies Each unit of Toyota is designed in a way to attract the targeted markets. The design of the vehicle cars is based on their speed, external appearance like color and shape. There are two seat model cars with high speed, small in size designed for the adventurous young people. Young people like to make drives on smooth tarmac roads, rough and rugged terrains (Thomas, 2001). People in America have made complaints about the Toyotas products in design and flair as compared to GM and Ford. Launch of V8 pick up resulted in response to this ambitious and a big volume of sale is in progress. Overall Toyota is giving hard time to its competitors as it experienced a recall and holding the leadership position in market. 5.6 Corporate Strategy Stability, growth and efficiency are the main components of the companys financial strategy. Company is optimistic towards the automotive market in producing the fuel-efficient, electro and segment vehicles in next coming years. Company is focusing to invest in the technologies for the sustainability and growth of advanced units to meet the customers needs. Adequate liquidity is the next step of Toyota Company to invite more investments to improve its technology for the next generation technology (Annual report of Toyota 2009). Automakers in USA are in struggle to improve their strategies and operations to match the Toyotas strategies and operations. US automakers have said that three dimensions of Toyotas business plan they seek to emulate. These three dimensions include the Toyotas Production System with manageable legacy costs, high quality vehicles and dealers network. Although the Toyota Production System (TPS) has encountered serious quality issues yet Toyota is dominating the American markets. Toyota is also replacing the GM products by giving the timely attentions to correct the issues with a best teamwork. Toyota has learn very painful lessons and concentrated on its TPS system with continuous improvement while other automakers have felt difficulty to implement these systems. Toyota has leant more about the US market and GM motors are also following to make the small cars like Toyota. GM could not continue to work at a joint venture with Toyota. 6.0 Potential Challenges for the Rivals of Toyota The new firms need a strategy development to face the challenges of rivalry from Toyota. This strategy consists of creation of new brands and exploiting the new resources with new aspiration and distinct from Toyota. Mercedes is in effort to tackle these issues to make A-class small vehicles. Porter (1980) has defined the strategic group where firms or groups follow the same dimensions with similar strategy. The concept of strategic group was well developed in the following years (McGee and Thomas 1986). The use of the Porters five forces is very useful to examine the forces which act on the automobile industry. New entrants in automobile industry face the issues of capital requirements, brands equity, legislation and ability to distribute their products. Another force which offers barriers for the new entrants are the bargaining powers of buyers and customers. Toyota is well established automobile with best brands it will be hard for the new firms to get the share of automobile mark et in a short time. Customers always buy the car of well known company and avoid purchasing the car of new entered company. Conclusions In this paper we have discussed the history of the Toyota Company with new development in car industry. Competitors of the Toyota are also given with data of their sales and compared it with Toyota Company. The sale of the Toyota recorded in the financial year 2009 was higher than the year 2010. Toyota Company is focusing upon the global strategy to attract the worlds most famous markets throughout the world and achieving more than 35% shares of car markets. Automakers in USA are try to match the Toyotas products by offering the best quality cars with reasonable prices. It is discussed that how the Toyota is providing best cars and services to its customers and suppliers by a strategic planning. Porters five forces are also included in this paper to analyze the impacts of these forces on automobile industry. We have learnt that Toyota is a leading the automobile industry due to its best strategic planning throughout the world.

Concept Analysis Patient Advocacy Nursing Essay

Concept Analysis Patient Advocacy Nursing Essay The purpose of this concept analysis is to identify, focus, and refine how patient advocacy is perceived by professional nurses in the nursing community. Â   This paper will follow the Walker and Advant (2011) method of concept analysis to identify the concept of patient advocacy from existing literature with the aim to analyze and provide clarity and direction for enhancement of advocacy in nursing. Â   Further, steps will include the process of identifying attributes of the concept, describing all model cases selected, identifying antecedents and consequences regarding the concept, and lastly, identifying examples of empirical referents of the concept (Walker Avant, 2011). Â   Â   Identification of Concept and Aim of Analysis Patients often have an inadequate knowledge of illness and medicine, yet they desire more control over their personal healthcare. Â   In many healthcare settings, patient care is unpredictable and patients right to self-determine and quality-of-life has a tendency to be ignored (Bu Jezewski, 2006). Â   Advocacy is understood as the act of pleading for, supporting, or recommending (Websters Online Dictionary, n.d.). Â   Moreover, the concept most often noted in literature as a component of nursing advocacy involves acting on behalf of patients, including nurses activities of speaking, fighting, and standing up for their patients (Hanks, 2007). Â   Nurses are in a unique position to support their patients interests in the re-establishment of health and well-being through patient advocacy. However, due to the limited number of quantitative empirical studies of patient advocacy in nursing, the definition of patient advocacy is not consistent, and many nurses have a limited view of what patient advocacy is and how to perform the challenging task of protecting and supporting patients rights. (Bu Jezewski, 2006). Â   The aim of this analysis is to clarify, define, and refine the concept of patient advocacy in order to expand understanding of this concept in nursing practice. Defining Attributes According to much of the literature, defining attributes of patient advocacy involves a series of specific actions by nurses to protect, represent, and safeguard the patients rights, best interests, and values within the healthcare system (Bu Jezewski, 2006). Â   As well, safeguarding patients autonomy, acting on behalf of patients, and defending social justice in the delivery of health care are all core attributes of patient-care advocacy (Bu Jezewski, 2006). Â   The title of patient supporter and patient representative is also used frequently in research literature to describe the role of the nurse advocate (Hank, 2007). Â   These attributes place patients at the center of the of the healthcare system, emphasizing patients legal rights and well-being, and nurses humanity, kindness, and fairness in the delivery of health care (Bu Jezewski, 2006). Cases of Patient Advocacy Cases of patient advocacy can be examples of several main factors that define and challenge the attributes that facilitate or hinder nurses as patient advocates. Â   A model case is defined as an example of the use of the concept that demonstrates all the defining attributes of the concept (Walker Avant, 2011, p. 163). Â   In addition to the model case exemplar, the attributes of patient advocacy will be defined and challenged through case examples of borderline, related, and contrary cases. Model Case An example of a model case for patient advocacy involves a Registered Nurse who has been working as the charge nurse of a busy Emergency Department for 15 years. Â   P.B. has just come on shift, when an air emergency vehicle lands on the helipad with a 22-year-old, male, trauma patient. Â   The paramedic reports that the patient was involved in a two vehicle head-on collision, the patient was ejected from the vehicle, and that there is a possibility of a spinal cord injury. Â   Immediately, the trauma team attends to any life-threatening injuries, while P.B. quietly and efficiently attends to the patients emotional and safety needs. Â   She quickly determines that the patient would like his mother contacted only, that he would like to know the extent of his injuries, and that he suffering a considerable amount of pain. Â   After the patients primary care is complete, P.B. explains spinal shock to the patient, allows the previously-contacted mother to enter the Emergency Department, and carefully reviews the plan-of-care with both the patient and the mother. Â   She then offers to contact further family as needed, and presents herself available for any further questions. Â   Further, after administering ordered pain medications, P.B. is very astute with timed, follow-up, assessments regarding effective pain control. Â   The above nurse demonstrates the core attributes necessary when a nurse is successful in the role as patient advocate. Â   The nurse acted as a patient protector from pain and fear, representing and safeguarding the patients rights and autonomy through contacting the appropriate family members, and addressing the patients pain with medication and personal reassessment of patients pain control. Â   As well, the nurse showed kindness, fairness, and humility with congruity of care by personally providing the patient and the patients family with compassion and education regarding the patients injury and treatment. Borderline Case An example of a borderline case regarding the role of a nurse as a patient-advocator would involve the same scenario, but slightly different reactions from the above charge nurse. Â   As the helicopter lands and the patients life-threatening injuries are attended to by the trauma team, P.B. offers to contact the family members of the patient. Â   The patient asks that only his mother be notified, that he is afraid, and that he is in tremendous pain. Â   P.B. quickly reassures the patient that she will contact his mother, that being afraid is natural, and that as soon as she is given the order, she will provide the patient pain medicine. Â   When the patients mother arrives in the Emergency Department, P.B. explains the nature of the patients injuries, assures the mother that her son is going to be fine, and then leaves the two alone to discuss their options for care. The above example represents a borderline case due to the mid-range of appropriate reactions by the nurse attending the needs of a patient. Â   The patients autonomy, privacy, and rights were safeguarded when the nurse contacted the appropriate family members. Â   However, the nurse did not demonstrate effective fairness when assuring the patient and the patients mother that everything would be fine with regard to the patients injuries. Â   Further, the nurse did not display kindness and compassion when leaving the patient and his mother alone without first determining that their educational and emotional needs were met. Related Case An example of a related case using the previous scenario involves a variance in the actions of the charge nurse. P.B has just begun her role as charge nurse on the night shift in the Emergency Department. Â   One of the trauma nurses has called in sick, and she is now required to provide care as a nurse on the trauma team as well as fulfill the role as charge nurse. Â   Shortly after her shift begins, a 24-year-old, male, trauma victim arrives via air transport, and P.B. realizes that she will have to be the primary nurse on this patients case. Â   The patient is quickly stabilized, but a spinal cord injury with possible paralysis is soon diagnosed by the trauma physician. Â   The patient is very frightened, in pain, and requests that P.B. phone his mother. Â   P.B. calmly assures the patient that she will contact his mother, administers ordered pain medication, and then assures the patient that she will return to check on him shortly. Â   However, due to P.B.s charge nurse status, she is needed in another trauma case and the 24-year-old trauma victim is replaced by another trauma nurse. This case appears to demonstrate the concept of patient advocacy. Â   However, when examined closely, the trauma patient may have felt that P.B. did not provide kindness, compassion, and congruity of care when failing to return to his bedside after stating that she would. Unknown to the patient, P.B.s responsibilities as a charge nurse kept her busy for the rest of the shift, and in fact, P.B. explained the transfer of nursing care to the patients mother. Â   However, the patients mother left the department while the patient was asleep, and no explanation was ever made to effectively relieve the patients feeling of desertion. Â   This exemplar may simply be a demonstration of a nurse who is very busy with patient care rather than the absence of patient advocacy. Contrary Case Using the scenario provided above, the contrary case example involves P.B. as she has just arrived to work as the Emergency Department charge nurse for the evening shift. Â   A trauma victim has been transported into the emergency bay, and he is suffering paralysis due to a spinal cord injury. Â   The victim is 24-year-old male, appears extremely frightened, and is in pain. Â   As the charge nurse, P.B. does not typically have individual patients assigned to her, and this is no exception. Â   However, the nurse assigned to the patient asks P.B. to contact the patients mother and to stay with the patient until his anxiety and pain have lessened. Â   P.B. calls the number provided on the patients chart, and asks the patients father to immediately come to the Emergency Department, relaying that he should contact the victims mother as well. Â   Following the phone call, P.B. stays with the patient for a short time, but does not provide any comfort measures; instead, P.B. frequently leaves the patients bedside, avoids speaking with patient, and denies any knowledge of his condition when asked for updates by the patient. The above nurse does not demonstrate the core attributes identified when a nurse is successful in the role of patient advocate. Â   The nurse fails to act as a patient protector from fear or to represent and safeguard the patients rights and autonomy through contacting the inappropriate family member. Â   Further, the nurse does not attempt to exude kindness, humanity, or supporter-of-patients needs by frequently leaving his bedside and failing to offer reassurance or education regarding the patients injuries. Â   This is clearly not the concept of a patient advocate role. Identification of Antecedents Antecedents are those incidents or events in place prior to the occurrence of the concept being researched (Walker Avant, 2011). Â   Antecedents of patient advocacy occur at all levels of the healthcare system, and appeal for nurses to advocate for patients. Â   Advocacy for patients stems from a need to protect a vulnerable population that loses power to represent or defend itself (Hank, 2007). Â   Vulnerable patients are the most frequently mentioned situation demanding nurses advocacy actions (Bu Jezewski, 2006). Â   Populations of vulnerable people include groups or individuals who cannot fully embody and defend their own rights, needs, welfares and wishes, are unable to make suitable choices, or unable to carry out their choices (Bu Jezewski, 2006). Â   Identification of Consequences The consequences of patient advocacy are a result of nurses patient advocacy and can be either positive or negative (Bu Jezewski, 2006). Â   Successful patient advocacy actions produce positive consequences through the protection of patients rights, needs, welfares, and wishes (Bu Jezewski, 2006). Â   The nursing profession may also have positive consequences as a result of patient advocacy through increases in professional fulfillment, self-confidence and self-respect through the preservation of personal integrity and moral principles (Bu Jezewski, 2006). Â   Negative consequences can occur when nurses advocate for patients and risks are reported as the advocator being insubordinate; many patient advocators suffer loss of reputation, support system, and self-esteem (Bu Jezewski, 2006). Identification of Examples of Empirical Referent Empirical referents are classes or categories of actual phenomena demonstrating the occurrence of the concept, and in many cases the defining attributes and empirical referents will be the same (Walker Avant, 2011). Â   The concept of patient advocacy, or specific patient advocacy action, is classified under the core attributes listed above, and the empirical referents of this concept analysis are the same. Â   The defining attributes include safeguarding, protecting, representing patients rights, best interests, and values within the healthcare system (Bu Jezewski, 2006). Â   Safeguarding patients autonomy, acting on behalf of patients, and defending social justice in the delivery of health care are also listed as defining attributes of patient advocacy (Bu Jezewski, 2006). Â   Patient supporter and patient representative are also included in this analysis to be attributes in the role of nurse patient-advocate (Hank, 2007). In conclusion, patient advocacy is an essential part of the professional nursing practice. If the need for advocacy is not appropriately acknowledged and applied, effective healthcare will not be received. Â   The concept analysis of this paper provided clarity, definition, and refinement of the concept of patient advocacy and promotes advocating of patients as a necessary step in the advancement intended for nurses professional practice.

WWI Peace Settlement :: essays papers

WWI Peace Settlement The First World War started in 1914 and ended in 1918. Germany and her Allies, Austria - Hungary, Turkey and Bulgaria lost the war with the British Commonwealth, France, Belgium, Russia and Serbia, who with Japan formed the Allies and who were later joined by Italy, Rumania, USA and some other countries. Millions of people were killed during the war, empires were broken up, countries were half bankrupt so the First World War left whole nations suffering. Idealists on both sides vowed that a disruption like this should never repeat. So The Treaty of Versailles was the way to maintain peace among nations. So, in January 1919, President Woodrow Wilson of the United States, Georges Clemenceau of France and Lloyd George, Prime Minister of Britain who were otherwise known as the ^Big Three^ and representatives of twenty nine other victorious nations met in Paris to draw up a peace treaty. The Treaty of Versailles, which was based on Wilson^s Fourteen Point Programme for Peace, dealt with Germany and the rest of the losers of the First World War. The Peace Treaty mainly dealt with three kinds of arrangement which were territorial, military and war guilt. The treaty was signed on the 28th of June 1919. The Germans considered the treaty to be too harsh, inhuman and unfair. Germany was not allowed to be represented at the Peace Conference, they had no say. The Germans were appalled at the severity of the treaty the Allies expected them to sign. The treaty was practically forced upon them followed by a threat by the Allies saying that they will invade Germany if they do not agree to sign, there was no room for negotiation. The Germans were bitter and felt extremely humiliated and embarrassed. Another reason which caused ill feeling between Germany and the Allies was the treaty terms itself. Germany hated having to be disarmed with her army reduced to a very low number as 100 000 volunteer men and been forbidden to have tanks, only a small navy and no air force and moreover no troops were to be allowed into the Rhineland. The Rhineland was handed over to the League of Nations. War guilt was another major point. Germany had to agree with the allies^ statement that Germany and her allies alone were to be blamed for starting the war. They had to pay for damage and were forced to pay heavy reparations. They had to pay some payments in goods as well. Germany lost 13 1/2 per cent of

Platypus Envenomation :: Australian Animals Wildlife Essays

Platypus Envenomation Abstract The duck-billed platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus), order Monotrema, can be found throughout river systems in eastern Australia. The males have a retractable spur located on each of their hind legs. The spurs are attached to venom glands that produce a toxic cocktail of at least four different classes of peptides. These four compounds (Hyaluronidase, OvCNP-39, OvNGF, and defensin-like peptides) are highly selective enzymes and polypeptides that work together to inflict excruciating pain and edema that can last for months. The first compound identified, Hyaluronidase, lowers viscosity to allow for a deeper penetration of the venom into tissue. A C-type natriuretic peptide called OvCNP-39 contributes to edema. OvNGF is a nerve growth factor that is responsible for extreme sensitivity to heat and pressure. The role of Defensin-like proteins is not well known, but it is believed that they contribute the pain and edema associated with the venom. An unknown compound has been found to induce Ca++ dependent current in root ganglion cells, which may also contribute to the feeling of pain. Research is being done to identify the roles of these compounds and the possibility of them being used in medicine. Introduction The Platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) is a unique animal that is found only in Australia. It is in the class Mammalia and the order Monotrema. Monotremes are phylogenetically the oldest of the mammals and can only be found naturally in Australia and in nearby New Guinea. They are quite different from placentals and marsupials and are believed to be the link between the reptiles and the other mammals. This is most noticeable though their means of reproduction and waste elimination. Montremes have a cloaca, which is a single opening for passage of solid and liquid waste, where the transfer of sperm takes place, and in females, the laying of eggs. This feature is shared only with birds and reptiles. Platypuses live solo, except during the breeding season. They feed on worms and freshwater crayfish (Cheerax destructor) in eastern Australian rivers (Sutherland, 1983). They have low average body temperature compared to other mammals, which further supports their reptilian evolution (Torres et al., 1999). They can live about 16 years and grow to be 40-50 cm long, with males being larger than females (Jackson, 2003). Venom: Production & Delivery A characteristic that helps add even more to the platypus ¡Ã‚ ¯ uniqueness is the males ¡Ã‚ ¯ ability to produce and deliver venom.

Crumbling Dreams in Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman :: Death Salesman essays

Crumbling Dreams in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman is a play best summed up in its title, it is just that, the death of a salesman. This death is not necessarily the physical end to a human life, but the crumbling end to the dreams of Willie Loman, the play's main character. The three main parts to Willie's world are his job, his family, and his image as seen by the rest of the world. Although these parts are interwoven and interrelated, they are best divided and given separate analysis. The first part of Willie's world is his job. Willie is a salesman for a large company in New York. Willie's self-image and much of his self-worth are based in his job. In his own mind he is still as he used to be, well known and well respected among the clientele in the New England area. Things have changed though and the people Willie once knew in the business are no longer there and he no longer has the connections he once had. His inability to cope with and adapt to this changing business has caused, among other things, a loss in pay. Willie has lost his competitive edge, and with it his feeling of self worth and identity. The second part of Willie's world is his family, more specifically his son, Biff. Biff is the firstborn and favorite son of Willie. Willie has high expectations of, and transfers his dreams, as so many fathers do, onto Biff. Biff can not live up to the expectations of his father and has dreams of his own which cause Willie to see him as a loafer, a shiftless bum with no desire to succeed. Although Willie's dreams are not realized in Biff, his son's respect is still important. This respect is lost when Biff catches his father in an affair with a young lady. Even though this is not talked about (Biff never told anyone, not even his mother) it still creates tension and causes Biff to lose the respect he once held for Willie. Willie's main philosophy in life is "Be liked and you will never want" and this is the cause of the problems in the third part of Willie's life, his image. Image is everything to Willie. In his past he was a well liked, well known, respected man who turned his image into his success, but his image has changed.

Influence of Buddhism in the Catcher in the Rye Essay

J.D. Salinger, the author of The Catcher in the Rye, witnessed the atrocities of the Second World War firsthand as a soldier. In doing so, the horrors that he saw gave him concerns about his society. The fact that his native society could do such things repelled him. As a result, he began to read about Eastern Philosophy after the war. The eastern principles he learned about were appealing to him, so he decided to model Holden Caulfield, the protagonist in The Catcher in the Rye, after Siddhartha Gautama, who is commonly known as The Buddha. Siddhartha was a Prince whose father hid from him the atrocities of humankind, but when Siddhartha eventually did see poverty, he was dejected. He decided to become an ascetic, a lifestyle where one supplies himself with minimal materials. Eventually Siddhartha achieved enlightenment, and he created the principles of Buddhism. In The Catcher in the Rye, Holden is born into a wealthy family and attends a prestigious boarding school, although he is kicked out early in the novel. Salinger makes Holden’s life very similar to that of Siddhartha Gautama’s. Holden’s story mirrors that of the Buddha’s because poverty and sickness call them into action, they are displeased by the idea that people are not created equally, and they both veer of the path that has been set out for them. Holden and Siddhartha come across the unpleasant things in life for the first time in very different ways. Siddhartha is twenty-nine years old when he first sees an old man, after being sheltered for the early portion of his life, while Holden is just thirteen years old when his younger brother, Allie, grows sick and dies. When Siddhartha comes across poverty, it inspires him to devote the rest of his life to trying to end suffering. On the night that Allie died, Holden slept in the garage and, â€Å"†¦broke all of the goddam windows with my fist† (Salinger 39). Holden is irate because he couldn’t save Allie from death, the same way Siddhartha was displeased by the fact that he couldn’t save people either, the people that he was supposed to rule over someday, from poverty and suffering. Additionally, Holden, like the Buddha, enjoys helping out those in need. When Holden sees two nuns in Grand Central Station, he strikes up a conversation, and then gives them ten dollars as a donation. That amount of money is equivalent to around ninety-five dollars today. Later on, he says, â€Å"I started getting sorry that I’d only given them ten bucks for their collection†(Salinger 113). Instead of being happy in giving his donation, he is unhappy because he knows that what he has given is still not nearly enough to make a substantial dent in the poverty of the world. Nonetheless, Holden still strives to protect those who cannot protect themselves from the negative aspects of life, just as the Buddha endeavors to save humanity for suffering. One of the lessons that Siddhartha Gautama taught to his Buddhist followers was to reject the traditional class system. The Hindu people of India follow the belief of reincarnation, and that people are born into their social class based on how well they lived their previous lives, and thus those who are born into a low class deserve to be there. However, Buddha rejected that class system, preferring a society without classes, because he believed that all men should be treated as equals. Holden also believes that all men are created equal. In his conversation with his history teacher, Mr. Spencer, Holden says to himself in response to Mr. Spencer’s remark that life is a game that, â€Å"If you get on the side where all the hot-shots are, then it’s a game,†¦but if you get on the other side†¦then what’s a game about it† (Salinger 8). Holden doesn’t think that life should be better for some people than others just because they were born wealthy or have superior traits and abilities than others. He believes that no matter what someone’s social status is, he or she should be entitled to the same things as a wealthy person. When he sees the nuns in Grand Central Station, he is depressed when he sees what they are eating. He says â€Å"I hate it if I’m eating bacon and eggs or something and somebody else is only eating toast and coffee† (Salinger 110). Holden is from a wealthy family, and is saddened by the fact that not everyone can experience the same luxuries that he can. The Buddha was also saddened by the same thing; he could not provide his people with the same amenities that are given to him. For that reason both Holden and Siddhartha wish to find a better way to organize society than the traditional class system. Holden could easily choose to apply himself in school, go to college and get a well-paying job. However, the idea of following the path that society has set out for him displeases Holden, and he desires to create a new path for himself. Near the end of the book, Holden envisions himself hitchhiking out west and living in a cabin for the rest of his life. He exclaims, â€Å"I got excited as hell thinking about it† (Salinger 199). He falls in love with the thought of himself rebelling against society; the society that was the cause of so much poverty. Likewise, Siddhartha Gautama, a prince, chose not to live his life as royalty, which was expected of him, but rather become an ascetic, denying himself of worldly pleasures, as he strove to find a way to end suffering. Siddhartha found success, and he achieved enlightenment, as well as a way to end suffering, which is what Buddhism is. On the other hand, Holden found it to be difficult to break away from his path that is set before him. In response to Holden’s idea to run away, Sally, a friend of Holden, retorts, â€Å"You can’t just do something like that† (Salinger 132). Holden struggles to relate with fellow members of his society, and when they strike down his ideas, he finds it to be even harder to connect with them. Holden’s journey resembles the Buddha’s in three significant ways: he is inspired to end suffering, he believes that everybody should have the same opportunities in life, and he is determined to separate himself from his culture. But perhaps J.D. Salinger did not mirror Holden’s life after the Buddha’s, but after his own. Salinger also saw great suffering when he participated in World War Two. He refuted the values of Western Civilization, wondering how such great atrocities could be committed in it. Holden’s clash with his native land bears striking resemblance to that of Salinger’s. Salinger expresses his beliefs through Holden in the novel. Holden says, â€Å"I don’t think I could stand it if I had to go to war. I really couldn’t.† Salinger could not stand being in the war, just as Holden cannot stand the thought of being in it. Eastern philosophy influenced Salinger greatly after he served in the war, and in turn The Catcher in the Rye is influenced by that philosophy. Salinger subtly teaches his readers about Eastern philosophy as they follow Holden’s journey. Salinger attempts to push the reader into their own journey, in which he or she might wrestle between Western and Eastern thought in a similar way as he did.