Things To Know About Lao Culture English Language Essay

Things To Know About Lao Culture English Language Essay Laos has its own traditional greeting called Nob. Where palms are placed together as if in prayer and held in front of the chest or face. The person who is socially inferior or younger should be the first to bow, but it is considered polite for the older/socially superior person to respond quickly. There are many levels for showing respect to the person in greeting with Nob. The higher the hands are held and the lower the bow, the greater the degree of respect. During Nob, one should smile and say hello together. Sa Bai Dee is a word used as Hello. Its general meaning is How are you and I am doing good or Im fine. It is common in Laos to ask, Have you eaten yet? after greeting. When person ask this question, he/she does not normally purpose for the answer but to show care. This tells the importance, not unlike many cultures, of offering and accepting hospitality whenever possible. Nation Pride The Lao are truly  happy  being Lao. However, they might not notice themselves. According to the Buddhist Precept, Things are as they are and should be. The Lao  accept  who and what they are. And the Lao are  proud  in their long and well-established traditions. They like when foreigner shows interest in their culture. Never mind Laos is a deeply sensitive culture. They care for other people feeling. Word expressions capture the essence of a culture. One should always bear this in mind before making a strong comment or  taking direct action. Lao has a lot of expressions include the word Chai or heart Two frequently used Lao expressions are Bo Penh Nyang and Tham Ma Dha. These two words have various meaning according to the context. However, all meanings derive from a Buddhist perspective of acceptance of the prevailing situation. Bo Penh Nyang directly means No problem. It also has other meanings as never mind or are you all right?. In some case, Bo Penh Nyang can use for express as I forgive and forget your action.; this is normally used when someone did something wrong. Tham Ma Dha is the word from Buddhist thinking, means everything goes on it way. In everyday life situation, it means average, the norm or proceeding as usual. Religious Culture Similar to other countries in South-East Asia, Lao culture is influenced by Buddhist thinking. This translates to a very patient and accepting attitude. People want to move on to peace and prosperity rather than dwell on the past. Things are as they are and should be and change comes slowly. Body conduct In Laos, as in most Buddhist cultures, head is considered the most precious part of the body as it is the center of the spirit. In the same way, the feet are the least sacred part of the body. There are many manners and aspects that are related to body conduct. It is necessary to remember this conduct whenever in Laos. Dress In big city and urban area, Lao dress the modern cloths in the same way as the western do. However, short and revealing clothes are generally not acceptable in Lao culture. Losing face To lose face, or to cause another to lose face, is serious.   Losing face can make Lao people very sensitive. They are afraid of being insulted. Any form of confrontation for winner and loser must be avoided. Do and Dont Do not offer a kiss in greeting! The Laos word for hello is Sa Bai Dee,usually said with a smile. Hand shaking in public is not common. If you dont know how to greet in Laos tradition way, it is better to bow a little bit and say hello. Touching or showing affection in public will embarrass Lao. Greeting with affection of people with same gender is not widely accepted. Do avoid showing affection Kissing and hugging and hand holding in public is impolite. Handholding in public should be avoided, even for foreigner couple. Men and woman should not touch or have public affection. Please be discrete and show respect to Lao culture. Be clean and neat in appearance whenever possible. Lao people appreciate clean and neatly dressed visitors. Do dress modestly when entering temples, museums, official buildings and government offices; no shorts or sleeveless shirts, tank tops or beach wear. Appropriate dress and behavior when entering places are essential. Lao people are also sensitive with odor. People who have strong body odor should wear perfume however, strong perfume is not appreciated. Do take your hat and shoes off before you enter temple or Laoss home Lao people try to keep their places clean. Taking hat and shoes off also are showing respect to the places. Lao appreciate and expect foreigner to do the same. Do not touch anyone on the head. As head is the most sacred part of the Laos body, touching head is considered as very impolite behavior. Do remember that feet is low Do not point your feet towards people or Buddha images. Using your feet for anything other than walking or playing sport is generally considered rude. Sitting with legs crossed should be also avoided, otherwise, pointing feet at something or someone. When sitting in a temple, keep legs together and to the side in a mermaid position. Do gently crouch down when passing someone who is seated It is polite to gently crouches ones back down when passing someone who is seated. Never, ever step over someone in your path. Do not shout or raise your voice Lao people speak softly and avoid confrontation. Speaking or shouting in loud voice may frighten them. Dont lose your temper in public. Speaking loudly and angrily is often counterproductive. It also consider as uneducated or uncivilized person. People who lose their temper in public might be looked down on from other people. Do ask for the permission first before you take a photo of someone It is better to ask for permission, particularly in villages outside the cities where the people may have superstitions against being photographed. Do not Bathing nude or Semi-nude in public. A lot of travelers bath in the river and waterfall nude or wear bikini. Lao people do not appreciate that behavior as it is contrast to their culture and religious. Do show respect to the temple, monk and religious related things. Foreigner should show respect and dress neatly while in temples and when taking photos around the temple areas. There are many other sacred items and sites in Laos. do not touch these items or enter places without permission. Do avoid involving with illegal stuff The use of drugs is illegal in Laos. The government is serious about this. The illegal sale of wildlife and wildlife products should be avoided. Buying antique Buddha, sacred items and other old artifacts are prohibited. They are not allowed to be taken out of Laos. You might have problem when leaving Laos Sex tourism is illegal in Lao Sex tourism is illegal in Lao and child-sex tourism is a serious crime. Moreover The Lao government prohibits any sexual contact or relationships between Lao nationals and foreigners, unless married under Lao law; penalties may involve heavy fines or imprisonment It is importance to remember how to show respect. When in Laos, try and do as the Laos. Do and remember about body conduct, dress, and public affection and religious manner. Business Value Laos entrepreneurial behavior is culturally influenced by values, beliefs, and disbeliefs. Religion, the caste system, and the family system affected the emergence of entrepreneurship. As Lao is a devoutly Buddhist country, it is important to respect the national religion when conducting business in Lao. Business Value Business culture in Laos is dramatically different from westerners business culture. The expressions of each of the value emphases listed in the following Table.1 for one culture can be found. Table.1 Business value emphasis comparison between Lao and Westerners. Source: Laoletter (2008). Lao Business Culture blog. Relationship Businesses are often based on personal relations developed within social circles. In Lao culture, work and social affairs are woven together in a seamless pattern. Since the emphasis placed on personal relationships is high, having a reliable and well-connected local agent or representative is crucial to the success of a foreign venture. Lao are seeking for accepted, trusted and credible relationships. Relationships progress slowly in Laos with the step-by-step approach. Asking your partner about family, traditions, culture help you understand your partner better and also build the relationship. View of Time Punctuality Do like the locals and keep your sense of time flexible. Expecting punctuality will often lead to frustration. However, punctuality from foreign partner is appreciated Business Hours Official working hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. from Monday to Friday. In factories and private companies work hours are extended until 5:00 p.m., and work days can be extended to six days. Etiquette Greeting In business, Lao are normally greet with a traditional greeting nob. However, nowadays, handshake is becoming increasingly common during the conduct of business but only for people with same gender. Men and women should avoid public displays of affection. Naming Lao people should be addressed by their first names, preceded by their title Mr//Ms//Madame or Than (in Lao). Dress For men, clothing such as shirt and trousers are appropriate for business meetings. Lightweight suits, tie should be worn, especially in special occasion. Women usually wear long skirts and blouse or sleeveless tops. Its unusual to see bare Lao skin above the elbow. Short skirts and bare bosoms and navels is not appropriate for business dress The Lao pay great attention to personal cleanliness and lack of odour.   Westerners who have strong body odour should wear soft perfumes. Language Official language is Lao. However, English and Fresh are commonly used in Business. Knowledge of French is useful because French is more widely spoken and understood than English, though translators are available Business cards When doing business in Lao, carry lots of business cards.   Business cards should be translated into Lao and printed up locally.   A common practice is to have English version on one side and Lao version on the reverse. Business cards should be given and received using both hands as a sign of respect to the person you are dealing with. The example of the correct way to hold business card during exchange is shown in Figure XX. Exchanging business card with one hand also acceptable, but only exchanging with right hand where left hand lightly wrap around lower arm. When receiving another persons card, always study the card for a few seconds in their details for name and position. Never place it immediately into your pocket or wallet as it is impolite. At meetings, other peoples business cards should be arranged on the table. It is a sign of respect and helps them keep track of names.   Do not play with your Lao colleagues business card since this is disrespectful. Business card should be treated with respect in same degree of respect as you would show the person him or herself. Gift It is not required to give the gift when meeting business partner but giving gift shows consideration to other people and good relationship. Gift can be anything especially, things with your countrys content such as stamp or coin sets, calendars, pens or pins is a big hit. You can offer one for everyone in the party greeting you.   At least be sure there is one for the host or person in the highest rank. Gifts are given in the order of peoples importance.   Wrapped gifts will not be opened until everyone has departed.  So if you have a gift that requires explanation,  present it undraped so you can explain Shoes and socks make inappropriate gifts in Laos as the foot is the least sacred part of the body. Green and red are the most suitable colors for wrapping paper in Laos. Avoid the color white, which is considered unlucky. Business Protocol Negotiation Negotiations in the Lao context can be a grinding, slow process. It is highly unstructured and unpredictable. Lao contracts are short, written in simple language, and focus on principles while western contract is obtuse and legalistic. Relationship is important than the terms and conditions of a specific contract. They view the contract as the starting point of relationship and be able to changes later. The agreement may become meaningless if the circumstances change. Good  relationship with your partners helps you in negotiation. If you must break off negotiations, do so carefully.  Do not close the door on future cooperation.   Seeking legal  counsel is public admission that the relationship has failed.   Meeting Meeting in Lao is not well-conducted. Those who attend are not expected to contribute or listen carefully.  People use meetings as opportunities to take a break from their normal work with the speaker at the front of the room drones on, without pausing for discussion.  Some meetings also considered as opportunities to demonstrate group harmony, take a group photo or have a social occasion afterwards. The highest ranking person in the group should lead the way in, and be the spokesperson.   Do not make the  mistake of shaking hands with the interpreter first. There is normally business card exchange before the meeting start. Meetings always begin with informal chit-chat over coffee and/or tea.   Drink the tea that is served before launching in to main topic. A great deal of  discussion takes place before the main topic of the meeting has been raised.   The host will initiate serious talk, and then leave time for you to say a few words in response. Be alert for signals that the meeting should end.   The signals include asking you if you would like more tea, beginning to sum things up, thanking you for coming, and leading you to the door. Table If Lao has invited you to a dinner it is important to return the favor.   Informal occasions such as this are invaluable in terms of building the relationship. Whenever one accept dining invitation, it is important to host next meal. If the meal take place at Laos house, remember to take shoes off before enter the house. Guest should not take seat until host invites to sit. For dining at restaurant, do not ask to share the bill if have dining at restaurant if they propose to pay for you. Instead, accept the invitation and then host the next meal. Communication Writing It is better to have everything translated to Lao. Written documents should be in both Lao and the foreign language. The best way is to have a two column in one page so the  Lao reader can easily cross horizontally from the Lao text to the foreign language to clarify or confirm a  meaning in Lao. And never write in red ink.   It is negative and will displease the recipient. Context and Style Lao culture pays more attention to the interaction process itself. Things are not always what they seem. Body languages are quite reserved. There are little eye contact and few expressive gestures. Lao has indirect communication style. Rather than confront a person with an issue or disagreement, Lao people will often approach a difficulty indirectly through praise, compliments or by moving to another subject. Never ever take yes for an answer. Lao normally say yes to indicate that the message has been heard and understood. Yes means maybe or perhaps or no. Maybe means yes, no, or just maybe. There is really no no. Bad news is often  introduced bit by bit to soften the blow.   Wait for the and., which generally is when the full picture is revealed. Harmony and Conflict Harmony and avoiding the appearance of conflict in relationships are highly valued in Lao society.   Lao have developed very effective non-confrontational ways of communicating disagreement. People are more likely to succeed if avoid anger, confrontation or verbal criticisms which tend to polarize situations and can lead to loss of face. They try to seek an elegant resolution, a subtle way to avoid conflict, and a win-win solution.   It is Lao style to reveal little about ones intentions, goals and needs revelation is perceived as weakness or losing advantage. In order to improve communication with Lao business partner, first thing to keep in mind is Keep it simple, boil the message down to its simplest form. English or French or other not mother language, they might be able to speak but it does not mean that the whole message is correctly understand. Remember to Re-confirm  everything when having conversation with Lao. Ask what you understand in the conversation is correct. Silence is polite. Silence and pause during the conversation in common in Lao. Another important thing in communication is saying Apologize, when necessary, even if you have not done anything wrong.   Lao will apologize because an  unfortunate incident has occurred. And the last advise for communication but most effective Learn to speak Lao.

Are Compact Cities a Desirable Planning Goal? :: essays research papers

Are Compact Cities a Desirable Planning Goal?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The article written by Peter Gordon and Harry W. Richardson entitled; Are Compact Cities a Desirable Planning Goal? shows various arguments against the reason for compact cities to become implemented. They use the city of Toronto in the beginning of the article to compare it with cities in the United States. Throughout the article many topics and arguments are discussed which are; agricultural land, density preferences, energy glut, the scope for transit, suburbanization and congestion, the efficiency of compactness, technology and agglomeration-congestion trade-offs, downtowns in eclipse, rent-seeking and politics, compactness and equity, and competition among cities. From these issues displayed in the article, many valuable arguments could be agreed with. The authors used valuable data from past research done on the topics discussed in presenting their argument against compact cities.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Two main points from the article were considered most interesting. The issues of density preferences and energy glut discussed by the authors were quite interesting and have made a valid point. First of all as discussed in the article concerning density preferences, the authors make it clear that most people preferred low-density living as opposed to high-density living. As stated by Gordon and Richardson, â€Å"The choice for low-density living is influenced by instruments promoting suburbanization, such as: preferential income tax treatment of home mortgage interest, subsidies to automobile use, and interstate highway system† (Gordon and Richardson, 96). The previous quote identifies the preference people have concerning suburbanization. Because of preferential income tax treatment of home mortgage interest, subsidies to automobile use, and interstate highway systems low-density living is preferred. One great factor also concerning low-density preference is the fact that more funds are given to highways and parking than transit as stated by the authors. â€Å"Federal, state and local expenditures for highways and parking were $66.5 billion in ’91. Federal, state and local expenditures for public transit were $20.8 billion† (Gordon and Richardson, 96). As seen in the quote, more subsidies are given to highways making having an automobile beneficial. Another key proponent is that congestion pricing and emission fees are not present in most U.S. states making it less difficult to drive long distances.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Since low-density preference is one key issue concerning suburbanization, another compelling argument is that energy costs are low in the U.S. Since energy is cheap, the cost of gasoline is likewise. It is stated in the article that per capita energy consumption is below the level of consumption as it was in 1973 in the U.

The Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream in Russia

Russia has a known reputation in the ice-cream industry. They are known for their flavorful ice creams that are of a wide flavor varieties. The Ben and Jerry’s Homemade, Inc. founded in Burlington, Vermont decided to have a franchise in Russia, which longs for modernization of its market economy. Since ice-cream is considered as a commodity, they thought of using it as an entry point to strengthen their economic growth. The franchise was named ‘Iceverks’ – Ice Cream of Vermont and Karelia.This was also thought of to bring together diplomacy in America and Russia although there were risks on doing such kind of business, even if Vermont and Karelia are sister cities. There was also an effort of change of political systems from strict social, the communist system, to the democratic political system. The management of Iceverks taught the necessary tools to the employees and managers to equip them for proper and good management strategies.Then suddenly the clima te inside the management changed, with the lessening of the effectiveness in their management because their local partners have become better in equipment to manage the joint venture. With this, they just decided to donate their equipment to the management and the equity to their local partners (Moss, 2000, p. 136). In 1997, Ben and Jerry’s has left Russia, with the Iceverks no longer using Ben and Jerry’s as their brand name.For me, although this happened, we cannot say that the venture was unsuccessful, because the Iceverks was able to maintain their standards for ice cream production and customer satisfaction services, the legacy that the Ben and Jerry’s left for Russian and even other foreign customers. The Ben and Jerry’s intention was not really on the profit but on the development, because instead of withdrawing all the equipment in the Iceverks because they are leaving, they even donated it to them.The corruption in the Mafia also brought about th eir withdrawal of management because of the matter of philosophy. The Ben and Jerry’s did not want to give consent to the bribery or corruption there was just to have protection from the Mafia. The American companies were required to pay 30% more of their profit just to acquire the said protection. Again, the economic shift was hard to attain that time.The mind set of the Russian managers was more on the capitalist ideology, which hinders them from being immediately penetrated by the training they received from the American managers, which the Ben and Jerry’s have given much effort on. Since Ben Cohen, the founder of the Ben and Jerry’s, is more of the ideal businessman, he was more of a diplomatic and socially responsible person. He did not care much of the money involved in the business. But then, there was an observed loss of jobs because the company has enormous money loss that could not support the work force any longer.As mentioned above, the Russian partn ers, who are in profit maximization, decided to split up with the Ben and Jerry’s, which made B&J just leave and leave their equipment to them. Leaving the Iceverks was somehow a much better decision than staying, because eventually the political system will eat them with their principles. In fact, they have succeeded in other countries like Japan, France and the UK, applying the same business strategies. It was a good decision to leave also because of the very unstable economy, with lots of financial risks, etc.that have affected much of their transactions, from simple packing to large machineries and refrigerators, etc. The big cultural differences also contributed to their decision, because they do not have the total control and regulation of the political and philosophical missions and visions of the company, since it is a joint venture. Reference Moss, L. S. (2000). Bankruptcy Reform in Russia: The Case for Creditor Rights in Russia. Review of Russian Economics, 13, 121- 146.

15 News Writing Rules for Beginning Journalism Students

15 News Writing Rules for Beginning Journalism Students Gathering information for a news article is vitally important, of course, but so is writing the story. The best information, put together in an overly intricate construction using SAT words and dense writing, can be difficult to digest for readers looking for a quick news fix. There are rules for news writing that result in a clear, direct presentation, providing information efficiently and accessibly to a variety of readers. Some of these rules conflict with what you might have learned in English Lit. Heres a list of 15 rules for beginning news writers, based on the problems that crop most frequently: Tips for News Writing Generally speaking, the lede, or introduction to the story, should be a single sentence of 35 to 45 words that summarizes the main points of the story, not a seven-sentence monstrosity that looks like its out of a Jane Austen novel.The lede should summarize the story from start to finish. So if youre writing about a fire that destroyed a building and left 18 people homeless, that must be in the lede. Writing something like A fire started in a building last night doesnt have enough vital information.Paragraphs in news stories should generally be no more than one or two sentences each, not the seven or eight sentences you probably wrote for freshman English. Short paragraphs are easier to cut when editors are working on a tight deadline, and they look less imposing on the page.Sentences should be kept relatively short, and whenever possible use the subject-verb-object formula. Backward constructions are harder to read.Always cut unnecessary words. For example, Firefighters arrived at t he blaze and were able to put it out within about 30 minutes can be shortened to Firefighters doused the blaze in 30 minutes. Dont use complicated: We arrested the suspect, Detective John Jones said. (Note the placement of the comma.)News stories are generally written in the past tense.Avoid the use of too many adjectives. Theres no need to write the white-hot blaze or the brutal murder. We know fire is hot and that killing someone is generally pretty brutal. Those adjectives are unnecessary.Dont use phrases such as thankfully, everyone escaped the fire unhurt. Obviously, its good that people werent hurt. Your readers can figure that out for themselves.Never inject your opinions into a hard-news story. Save your thoughts for a review or editorial.When you first refer to someone in a story, use the full name and job title if applicable. On all subsequent references, use just the last name. So it would be Lt. Jane Jones when you first mention her in your story, but after that, it would simply be Jones. The only exception is if two people with the same last name are in your story, in which case you could use t heir full names. Reporters generally dont use honorifics such as Mr. or Mrs. in AP style. (A notable exception is The New York Times.) Dont repeat information.Dont summarize the story at the end by repeating whats already been said. Try to find information for the conclusion that advances the story.

The fight for equality in Martin Luther Kings life and writings

The fight for equality in Martin Luther Kings life and writings Introduction Many leaders have had inspiring literature but not many have been inspiring than Martin Luther King Junior. Since his death, King’s works have received criticism from many quarters. Some of the criticisms portray him as a larger that life character.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The fight for equality in Martin Luther Kings life and writings specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More King’s early life experiences shaped his faith, later life, career and even marriage to a very large extent. Martin Luther King Junior was born and brought up in a strictly religious family. His family; father, mother and grandparents were leaders in the Baptist church in America. For instance his paternal grandfather was a pastor in this church where his father later became a pastor. Due to their active involvement in church Martin Luther King Junior spent much of his childhood in Ebenezer Baptist church. As he grew up he was saddened by the notable differences brought about by racism. At the age of six he discovered that he could not go to the same school as his white play mate and best friend. This and such experiences lead to the realization of how unjust the American society was. Gradually he engaged himself in civil rights movements to become a renowned religious human rights activist. He wrote articles and gave inspiring speeches. Even though his works proposed non-violent protests, they still attracted sharp criticism, both positive and negative from various quarters. His writings have come under heavy criticism especially from Africana Studies scholars who question whether they contained the necessary intellectual content to be declared academic. Furthermore King has also been declared a plagiarist. However not all criticism has been negative. It has been claimed that he was a great leader whose activities had massive effects on the historical human rights movements. Despite all the criticism leveled against him, his works greatly influenced by his early life experiences, have had a large impact in the clamor for equality amongst all races. The history of inequality in the 1950s and 1960s The foundation of true democratic society that respected the basic freedom, liberty and other basic rights can be traced back to the grate American civil war of 1860s. The south was defeated and as such one of the effects of the war was to help reconstruct this region by putting in democratic laws. The American human right and equality movement had gone on for quit a while prior to the 1950. The black American had fought courageously for equality and thus ended the inhuman slave trade and labor. However, an equality revolution occurred in the 1950s and 1960s.The revolution heightened in the 1960s, but the events of that was shaped by what had happened in the1950s.Advertising Looking for research paper on african american? Let's see if we can help you! Get your fir st paper with 15% OFF Learn More The 1950s America was more peaceful in terms of protest. Americans were fairly tolerable of each other. The economy was good as it was driven by the power of the middle class. However, deep a seated cold war between races eventually gave way in the 1960s. The revolution grew out of the increasing oppression, there rising poverty levels, racial and cultural divisions as well as risk political pressure and tensions (Lewis para 3). The tensions underlined were heightened in the 1950s by increasing opposition to legalization of racism and inequality by The Jim Crow laws. The laws legalized racial segregation and inequality. The blacks were also denied basic needs such as the right to vote, decent education and jobs. This inequality was justified by its supporters who argue that the whites economic prosperity depended on keeping the blacks at the lowest ebb of the society ladder (Lewis para 4). Other than the economic reasons, some other f actors lead to the increase of human rights revolution in the late 1950 to 19 60s. Some of the blacks had moved from the south to the northern states which had not legalized racism. The blacks in northern states were treated well and enjoyed equal treatment as the whites. As such this motivated the southern blacks to demand for equality. Finally the events after the World War II also inspired the equality movement in America. This is because America declaration for justice peace and freedom for all. The black in the south thus demanded that the American government hold true its promise of freedom and equality (Lewis para 9- 11). The revolution was lead by a number of activists such as Martin Luther king junior, Malcolm X among others. Early life experiences of martin Luther king influenced his involvement in search fro an equal society Kings earlier life experiences that influenced his later life Martin Luther King Junior’s early life experiences had a very large impact on hi m and his career as a human rights activist. Like all the blacks in the southern states he came into contact with racial inequalities at a very early age. However, there is no record to show that he was unaware of the social inequalities before he was six years old. This is despite the fact that he went to an all blacks Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta. However, when he turned six and it was time to go to school, he for the first time experienced the ugly reality of racism. At that time he was told that he could not go to the same school as his white best friend because he was colored. This shocking revelation came from the parents of his white best friend. Upon inquiry from his parents, they responded well by explaining to him the history of the racism in America (Fleming 6). Growing up under strict Baptist parents was another significant and influential development that shaped his life. He grew up under a very strict father who almost forcibly taught his children to respect the Christian commandments and have an absolute belief in God. It is reported that by the time he was five he could recite the Ten Commandments (9). Martin Luther king junior was close to his grandmother than to his parents.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The fight for equality in Martin Luther Kings life and writings specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More He would therefore accompany her to church and sing alongside her in the church choir. It is probably this early exposure to singing in public that enhanced his commendable oratory skill that later became his chief asset in his works. His opposition to social inequities was evident in his earlier life, such as when he refused to buy shoes from the colored section in a shoes shop as well as when he with his white music teacher refused to sit separately in a bus. Thus his early life experiences prepared him for his career. An overview of kings works in relation to t he fight for equality One of the characteristic factors of all Kings’ writings is the determined and unhindered fight for equal rights. His writings as well as his speeches justifiably assert the notion that equality of all races is the responsibility of all people. His works fought for equal treatment by providing equal employment opportunities. He lamented, however that the under privileged had been denied basic education. As such this put them in an unduly disadvantaged position that would only qualify them for poorly paid menial labor. The black, especially, were the largest victims of this unjust treatment in a country that had implemented the equal treatment for all more than a hundred years ago. The denials of basic education thus automatically put them in lower level jobs t. As such they were relegated to only do menial jobs. Such inequalities are however brought about by the misunderstanding and the different interpretation of the term â€Å"equality† (King, K ing and Harding 8). As such these differences in definition exposed the gaps between the existing realities and the intended goal of an equal society. King in his Letter from the Birmingham Jail also accused the white of being democrats but practicing the â€Å"antithesis of democracy† (King, King and Harding 21). Even though the letter had some religious messages, Martin Luther opted to adopt the intellectual approach in his argument about the need for the church, lead by its clergy, to be at the forefront in the fight for an equal society. In this letter, he drew many examples on how the church had failed the same society it claimed to serve. He argued that the church’s refusal to support efforts to stem racial inequality was equal to preaching water and drinking wine (King para 25). His works continued to highlight that the effect of the legalized racism were greater and went beyond the social protests. The economic burden of racism was too big a burned to handle.Ad vertising Looking for research paper on african american? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Employing the uneducated black in American companies would lead to low quality goods which are an economic waste. Furthermore, the black had to be economically empowered to have the necessary buying power. This is because American as becoming a master of mass production and as such hard to search for markets for its goods. The black community provided a lucrative market. Doing this would mean empowering the black through education, provisions of better jobs that would lead to better buying power. Furthermore king lamented that the distribution chain of manufactured good had to be improved so as to serve black neighborhood (King, King and Harding 21). It would have been easy to accuse King of only fighting for equal rights of only blacks in Americans. he proved his critics wrong by also highlighting the need to not only have social equality but also economic equality amongst all members of the society. King was shocked by the fact that white and black civil rights workers had been br utally killed for demanding a justice course for all (King, King and Harding 2). Scholarly criticism of King’s writings Martin Luther King Junior‘s works has drawn much criticism from many quarters (Carson 1). His writings have received both negative and positive criticism. Anthony Cook, an Associate Professor of Law at the University of Florida asserts that King, like many of the Critical legal Scholars who have bravely sought to transform the great American society wrestled with many of the theoretical dilemmas that were the basis of the equality movement (Cook 985). King did not just stop at that: he and engaged himself in gainful experiences as well the social struggles of the equality movement. Cook adds that martin Luther king junior drew his inspiration and thought from religious as well as the politics of the time. The result is that king created a superior and ideal society devoid of all the social evils that existed in the 1950s and 60s America. Thus his works were beyond mere words. Carson (1) agrees with Prof Cook and adds that King’s writings contained deep religious messages of love and peace. However, religious messages were less evident in his writings as they were in his oral speeches. This is because most of these speeches were constructed as summons. As such they had to assume a religious perspective on the issue of inequality. In many of his speeches he pleaded with the masses not to adopt a philosophical approach to understanding God. This, he reasoned, would add to their confusion. Probably his unspoken conviction is that the uneducated black American would have had a problem philosophizing God. Not all black scholars have whole heartedly accepted King’s writings as purely scholarly. These include some of the most respected Africana Studies scholars such as Molefi Asante and Maulana Kalenga. These two among many others argue that it is no doubt that King was a respected religious philosopher, well established in his own right. Furthermore they add that King’s leadership skills are unquestionable. However King’s works according to these two is subject to evaluation on whether it contains the intellectual content to be included in Africana Studies (Keatts ii). Many of the African scholars argue that even though King’s works played a major role in the fight for equality in America they cannot be equated to the works of early human right activist such as W.E.B. Du Bois (6). Scholars are almost in agreement that Martin Luther King Junior’s contribution to the search for an equal and just American society was more prophetic than academic. Kings activities, which included his preaching’s, his writings as well as social protests on equality have inspired many people over the years. However whether they can be used as valid scholarly sources is a debatable subject. Some of these scholars assert that such prophetic works lack the intellectual validity to be cited a s academic sources. As such so many of the Africana Studies scholars have had to ignore king and embrace other black and equality rights activist such as Garvey, Nkrumah and Malcolm X (Karenga 3). Conclusion The contributions of Martin Luther King Jr., have had great impact not only on him as a person but also on many other people. His works and thoughts are documented in his writings. Scholars have applauded his works as prophetic as they crated a vision of an ideal society. However such woks are debatable whether they can be included as academic sources as they lack the scholarly content. This is not intended to take away any criticism away from his works. They have still inspired the search fro equality in America. Carson, Clayborne. Editing Martin Luther King, Jr.: Political and Scholarly Issues. In palimpsest: Editorial theory in the Humanities edited by George Bornstein and Ralph G. Williams, 305-316. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 1993. Cook, Anthony. â€Å"Beyond Critical Legal Studies: The Reconstructive Theology of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.† Harvard Law Review. 1990. Web. Fleming, Alice. Martin Luther King, Jr.: A Dream of Hope. New York: Sterling Publishing Co. 2008. Print. Karenga, Maulana Introduction to Black Studies, Third Edition. Los Angeles, CA: University of Sankore Press. 2002. Print. Keatts, Quenton. â€Å"A Discourse Analysis of the Centered and Critical Scholar-Activism of Martin Luther King Jr.† 2010. Web. King, Martin Luther. â€Å"Letter from Birmingham Jail.† Mlkonline. 2011. Web. King, Martin Luther, King, Coretta Scott, Harding, Vincent. Where Do We Go from  Here: Chaos Or Community? Massachusetts: Beacon Press. 2010. Lewis, Chris. The Black Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s. 2002. Web.

People in History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

People in History - Essay Example This paper has selected Herbert Hoover and Frances Perkins as its two discussions who are considered to have played key roles in forming the America we know of today. Herbert Hoover, the 31st United States President, was born to a Quaker home and specialized in mining engineering (Hoover 19). He attained American and global prominence in humanitarian liberation efforts, in Belgium war-time, and worked as chair of the United States Food Administration throughout the First World War (Schiff 66). Hoover, an internationally qualified engineer, believed greatly in the Efficiency Movement, which detained that the government, as well as the financial system, were puzzled with inadequacy and waste, and could be enhanced by experts who could spot the problems and unravel them (Hoover 21). He also trusted in the significance of volunteerism along with of the role of people in society and their financial system. Herbert, who had made a petite fortune in his mining job, was the former of two United States leaders to donate their income (President Kennedy was the other) (Schiff 70). When the 1929 Crash of Wall Street hit less than 8 months after Herbert assumed office, he attempted to fight the resulting Great Depression with Congressional enforced attempts, tariffs like the Smoot-Hawley Tariff, public projects like the Hoover Dam, a rise from 25% in the top tax bracket to 63%, and raises in corporate taxes. These proposals did not create economic recovery in his term but worked as th e foundation for a variety of policies integrated in Franklin D. Roosevelts government (Hoover 34). After 1933, Hoover became a spokesperson against the domestic and international policies in Roosevelts New Deal. In 1947, President Truman brought Hoover back to assist in making the federal government more efficient by setting up the Hoover Commission. The agreement

SPSS Analsis for Corporate social performance and results description Assignment - 1

SPSS Analsis for Corporate social performance and results description - Assignment Example We can conclude that the differences between condition Means are likely due to chance and not likely due to the independent variable manipulation. We now check for significance difference in the mean social disclosure between the two groups (B2C and B2B). From the table below, the p-value for Lavene’s test is 0.163 (a value greater than 5% significance level, this means that the variability in the two conditions is about the same we therefore assume equal variances and use the p-value assuming equal variances. The p-value is 0.064 (a value greater than 5% significance level), we fail to reject the null hypothesis and conclude that there is no statistically significant difference between the two conditions (B2C and B2B). We can conclude that the differences between condition Means (for the employee turnover %) are likely due to chance and not likely due to the independent variable manipulation. We now check for significance difference in the mean social disclosure between the two groups (B2C and B2B). From the table below, the p-value for Lavene’s test is 0.026 (a value less than 5% significance level, this means that the variability in the two conditions is different we therefore assume unequal variances and use the p-value assuming equal variances. The p-value is 0.332 (a value greater than 5% significance level), we fail to reject the null hypothesis and conclude that there is no statistically significant difference between the two conditions (B2C and B2B). We can conclude that the differences between condition Means (for the community spend) are likely due to chance and not likely due to the independent variable manipulation. We now check for significance difference in the mean social disclosure between the two groups (B2C and B2B). From the table below, the p-value for Lavene’s test is 0.578 (a value greater than 5% significance level, this means that the variability in the two conditions is about the same we therefore assume