Cross cultural management definitions free essay sample

Heterogeneity – we are not all the same; groups within society differ. Similarity and Difference – many people differ from me culturally. Equifinality – many culturally distinct way of lining life, working and reaching one’s goal exists Cultural Contingency – many different and equally good ways can be used to reach the same goal. Cultural self-awareness an understanding of their own cultural assumptions and patterns of behavior; Cross-cultural awareness – an understanding of the others cultures’ assumptions and patterns of behavior. Roman dictum â€Å"knowledge is power†: in knowing yourself you gain power over your perceptions and reactions; you can control your own behavior and your reactions to others’ behavior. 3. Organizational Culture vs. National Culture Many managers believe that organizational culture moderates or erases the influence of national culture; Assume that employees working for the same organization – even if they come from different countries – will behave similarly. False supposition; employees and managers bring their cultural background and ethnicity to the workplace. Studies of Laurent and Geert Hofstede (research documents a wide range of cultural differences in work related values, attitudes) who pronounced cultural differences among employees from all around the world working in multinational companies. When working for multinational companies, German become more German, Americans more American and so on. 4. Fatalism/ Choice Fatalism is the concept that everything that happens to us is unavoidable, either because it is all predetermined by fate or because it is simply beyond us to control. Free will (choice) is the belief that human beings can make their own choices and determine their own destinies. In a way, a belief in Murphys Law can help these two diametrically opposed concepts to coexist. Murphy reminds us that were likely to mess up a lot of the time, but it also helps us see that were not in complete control of our lives. For example, if it seems like you always get stuck in the slowest lane of traffic, Murphys Law can help you see that it is a combination of your own choices (choosing what time of day to drive, what road to take, which lane to enter) and forces beyond your control (the traffic itself) that cause your delay. 5. Dominance vs. Harmony Dominance = cultural dominance (in business) – continuing to use approaches you use at home; used when managers believe that their way is the only right way, especially in situations involving ethical decisions. Dominant over nature (as North Americans) or in harmony with it (Chinese people with feng shui or â€Å"wind water† – there is no real separation between people and their natural environment, they leave in peace with it) Dominant cultures (America) – approach to agriculture – they use pesticides, fertilizers and genetically modified seeds to increase crop yields; other ex: astronauts’ conquers the space, biotechnology and genetic engineering to alter the nature of life itself. Harmony – approach to agriculture – plant the â€Å"right† crops in the â€Å"right† places at the â€Å"right† time of the year in order to maintain the soil in good conditions. When Sir Edmund Hillary reached the top of the Everest: Dominance oriented press : â€Å"Men conquers mountain† Harmony-oriented press – â€Å"Man befriends mountains† 6. Advantages and Disadvantages of Parochialism Parochialism: view the world solely through one’s own eyes and perspective; a person with parochial perspective neither recognizes other people’s different ways of living and working, nor appreciates that such differences can offer significant opportunities or creates serious consequences. Advantages: As example, America has a large domestic market, so that the global business expertise is unnecessary; English will continue to be a language of international business; Disadvantages: No understanding on how to manage in an international environment; As an example, Americans think about themselves that they do not need to learn other language or to go to other country to succeed in business; No efficiency in working with other cultures or in a multicultural environment; Cultural misunderstandings; 7. Conservatism vs. Liberalism Liberal cultures believe in government action to achieve equal opportunity and equality for all. It is the duty of the government to alleviate social ills and to protect civil liberties and individual and human rights. Believe the role of the government should be to guarantee that no one is in need. Liberal policies generally emphasize the need for the government to solve problems. Conservative cultures believe in personal responsibility, limited government, free markets, individual liberty, traditional American values and a strong national defense. Believe the role of government should be to provide people the freedom necessary to pursue their own goals. Conservative policies generally emphasize empowerment of the individual to solve problems. 8. Substitutable Values/ Unique Values Presented in Metaphysics of Morals written by Immanuel Kant, 9. Career Anchors According to Edgar Schein, he has identified eight themes and has shown that people will have prioritized preferences for these. People tend to stay anchored in one area and their career will echo this in many ways. 1. Technical/functional competence – this kind of person likes being good at smth and will work to become an expert. 2. General Managerial competence – persons who like problem-solving and dealing with people; 3. Autonomy/Independence – people who have a primary need to work under their own rules; avoid standards and prefer to work alone; 4. Security/ Stability – people who seek stability and security; avoid risks; 5. Entrepreneurial Creativity – people who like to invent things, to be creative and run their own businesses; they easily get bored; 6. Service/Dedication to cause – how people can help other people by using their talents; 7. Pure Challenge – seek constant stimulation and difficult problems; change job when get bored; 8. Lifestyle 10. Kinesics Is the interpretation of body language such as facial expressions and gestures — or, more formally, non-verbal behavior related to movement, either of any part of the body or the body as a whole. Ekman and Friesen (1969) in their seminal work on kinesics classify kinesics into five Categories: emblems, illustrators, affect displays, regulators and adapters: a) Emblems = are non-verbal messages that have a verbal counterpart. For example, the British sign for Victory (forefinger and middle finger erect) symbolizes the letter V, a sign for victory often seen painted onto house walls during WWII. However, the same movement may  symbolize the number two in the US and may be seen as insulting in Australia. b) Illustrators = are used to illustrate what is being said. In terms of business communication, the importance of illustrator’s usage is quite significant. For example, in some Asian cultures extensive use of illustrators are often interpreted as a lack of intelligence, whereas in Latin cultures the absence of illustrators is easily construed as a lack of interest. c) Active Displays = are body or facial movements that display a certain affective state, as example, emotions. d) Regulators = non-verbal signs that regulate, modulate and maintain the flow of speech during conversation. e) Adaptors = postural changes and other movements at a low level of awareness. 11. Proxemics Proxemics or the use of space has a great impact on the intercultural communications. The important aspect of proxemics is that areas very close to our body is usually reserved for people we are intimate with, whereas space further away from our body is open to persons one is less intimate with. However some differences can be seen when studying certain cultures. For example, persons from Latin cultures sit closer to each other as are people from Northern European cultures. The importance of proxemics in business communication is important for a number of reasons: through the distance that is chosen when communicating to one another, people express their degree of intimacy and trust towards that person. 12. Chronemics Chronemics – is the cross cultural concept of time. Edward Hall identified two systems used to refer to time and its influence on society: polychronic and monochronic. Polychronic used to describe the preference for doing several things at once (people-oriented; Italy, Brazil; flexible approach of time; no strict agenda) Monochronic refers to an individual’s preference to do their activities one by one (U.S. or Germany prefer promptness, careful planning and rigid commitment to plans; task-oriented) While doing business in other countries, you should consider the different perceptions of time people might have. Everyday global business activities such as scheduling meetings, participating in conference calls or planning a project can be affected by attitudes to time. 13. Cromatics 14. Elaborate Vs. Succinct Verbal Styles These verbal stylistic variations describe de quantity of talk in everyday conversations in different cultures. Elaborate Verbal Style = rich, expressive language, which uses a large number of adjectives describing a noun, exaggerations, idiomatic expressions, proverbs and metaphors. Used in Middle East cultures such as Iran, Egypt, Saudi-Arabia, which are moderate in Hofstede’s UAI dimension and are highcontext cultures. Succint Verbal Style = high context and high uncertainty avoidance cultures; explicit verbal communication does not contain all the information which is supposed to be transmitted; depends heavily on non-verbal aspect, so that verbal message is considered only a part of communication (due to high context cultures). Ex. : Japanese (have developed haragei or the â€Å"art of the belly† for meeting the minds without clear verbal interaction. 15. Cultural Representations of Good and Evil Cultures perceive differently the good and the evil. Americans see people as a mixture of good and evil, they believe in the possibility of improvement through change. Some other cultures see people as basically evil (Puritans orientation). Others see people as basically good (Utopian societies). Societies that consider people good tend to trust them a great deal, whereas societies that consider people evil tend to suspect and mistrust them. Ex: the study case from the book, in which a young Canadian was employed at a restaurant owned by a Bosnian. The owner let the young employee alone in a room where the money for the wages were deposited, in the situation in  which, the owner of the restaurant didn’t know any information about the new employee. 16. Advantages and Disadvantages of Team Diversity Advantages: multicultural teams have the potential to achieve higher productivity than homogeneous teams; more and better ideas; limited groupthink Disadvantages: multicultural teams have the risk of experiencing greater losses due to faulty process. attitudinal problems – dislike and mistrust between members (Indians look down when acknowledging authority). stereotyping communication problems – inaccuracy, misinterpretations and inefficiency stress (the French want to discuss principles and historical precedent while Americans focus on specific details of the immediate situation) decreased effectiveness;

Brandy - Never Say Never free essay sample

If you havent listened to Brandys new CD, Never Say Never, then you havent listened to real music yet. We recently borrowed the CD from a friend and didnt want to give it back. Brandy is a talented singer with a unique voice. (She is a spectacular actress, too.) Never Say Never is both the title of her CD and one of her fabulous songs. Her dance music also gets you into an emotional or romantic mood. A couple of her songs feature other famous singers and rappers. Her feelings are strong and plain on songs such as Top of the World (featuring Mase), where she vividly shows that her life is not suddenly a fairy tale due to her success. Everyone remembers the chart-topping single, The Boy is Mine (with singer Monica) which was number one for weeks. The recently released Have You Ever is currently making it to the top. We will write a custom essay sample on Brandy Never Say Never or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page One of our personal favorites is Everything I Do, I Do It for You. Its a very romantic song when she sings it. Face it it has been awhile since her last CD. Even still, her latest album definitely shows how Brandy has grown up since her first album. She expresses herself, her feelings and life situations through her music the songs she sings and writes. When we listen to her music, we get a tingly feeling that makes us want to smile, sing and dance. Like the title of her CD, Never Say Never, you cant say that Brandy will never come out with something new. Whenever you think that Brandy is done with her music career, she starts all over again. We would definitely recommend this CD to all, even if youre not a fan. We guarantee your feelings for Brandys music will change in a positive way. We give her CD 4 stars.

Thanksgiving Essay Example For Students

Thanksgiving Essay Thanksgiving Essay Day In todays meeting, the President of the United States of America, George W. Bush, officially announced he is having a Thanksgiving party at his ranch in Crawford, Texas this weekend. Throughout the day, invitations were sent out all over the White House. My body grew tremendously excited at the possibility that maybe this year I would be invited. My partner Bill walked in with his invitation in his hand, wagged it around as though it were merely nothing to him and then threw it aimlessly towards the trash can but missed. We will write a custom essay on Thanksgiving specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now My eyes grew large as I was extremely angered by the offense he had just committed in front of me. To my surprise, he caught my severe look and politely asked, Would you rather go instead of me? I could simply change the name without anyone knowing. The tension on my face began to ease as I looked up at him from my seat and to my amusement my lips formed a strong smile in answer to his question. The process took only a short moment but in that time I carefully observed the paper in Bills hand and couldnt help but notice its beauty. The thickness of the card clearly showed its expense and the soft colors of the shade blue played along the edges of the card, showing its artistic side for the affair. And now I was a member. Once I got to my apartment I called my family back home to tell them about the exciting news. Father wasnt home but the message was reassured to get through to him, making sure plans were still set. I packed everything I thought I would need and headed off to sleep. My legs trembled as they always did at times like these and before I knew it the sunlight crept into my bedroom, slowly covering it completely. Now, it was time to go. I arrived at the ranch on time with everybody else so that I would blend in. There stood President Bush, his lovely wife Laura and the adorable twins Barbara and Jenna. It was the twins 23rd birthday as well, so the celebration was going to be a big hit. On the left side of the President stood everybody else from his team like Vice President Richard B.Cheney, Defense Secretary Rumsfeld, Secretary of State Powell, and National Security Advisor Rice. The Vice President seemed happy and eager to eat as he kept rubbing his pot belly. Rice continued throughout the time keeping her firm, strict face as though she didnt quite understand the concept of what a vacation meant which was to relax. And finally the Presidents speech about the meaning and importance of Thanksgiving came along. This included special guests the King and Queen of Spain who would be attending the ball. Extra people I didnt know about but thrilled to know I would be in the presence of such royalty. Afternoon activities included horse back riding, swimming and other outdoor sports. The lunch was amazing. The menu consisted of free-range fresh turkey with giblet gravy, prairie chapel bass, mashed sweet potatoes with maple syrup and chipotle peppers, pan-roasted root vegetables, walnuts and apples, cornbread stuffing, pecan pie, pumpkin pie, and ice cream of all favors for desert. The President, his family and guests all ate inside for security reasons, so I was stuck sitting at the table with people from work. At the end after the food I knew what I needed, a nice cigarette so I went in search for a spot in which I would smoke. But before lighting up I realized I was at the far end of the villa in which I could clearly see into the Presidents office. There he was having a discussion with his advisor about some issue concerning the lack of security. He seemed very worried; by the way he was pacing rapidly back and forth with his hands folded. Before I could get caught I got myself out of there. .uc9612146caef83bb971ac0425dd04c20 , .uc9612146caef83bb971ac0425dd04c20 .postImageUrl , .uc9612146caef83bb971ac0425dd04c20 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uc9612146caef83bb971ac0425dd04c20 , .uc9612146caef83bb971ac0425dd04c20:hover , .uc9612146caef83bb971ac0425dd04c20:visited , .uc9612146caef83bb971ac0425dd04c20:active { border:0!important; } .uc9612146caef83bb971ac0425dd04c20 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uc9612146caef83bb971ac0425dd04c20 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .uc9612146caef83bb971ac0425dd04c20:active , .uc9612146caef83bb971ac0425dd04c20:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uc9612146caef83bb971ac0425dd04c20 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uc9612146caef83bb971ac0425dd04c20 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uc9612146caef83bb971ac0425dd04c20 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uc9612146caef83bb971ac0425dd04c20 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .uc9612146caef83bb971ac0425dd04c20:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uc9612146caef83bb971ac0425dd04c20 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uc9612146caef83bb971ac0425dd04c20 .uc9612146caef83bb971ac0425dd04c20-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uc9612146caef83bb971ac0425dd04c20:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Microsoft Windows Essay Time flew until it was time for the ballroom party. I wore my violet, long, stain dress and left my hair down. Simple, but I knew I looked good. Confident I walked in with . Thanksgiving Essay Example For Students Thanksgiving Essay Thanksgiving Essay The truth behind the tradition is surprising. Thanksgiving and the Pilgrims seem to go together, but the truth is, the Pilgrims never held an autumnal Thanksgiving feast. However the Pilgrims did have a feast in 1621, after their first harvest, and it is this feast, which people often refer to as The First Thanksgiving. This feast was never repeated, though, so it cant be called the beginning of a tradition, nor was it termed by the colonists or Pilgrims a Thanksgiving Feast. In fact, a day of thanksgiving was a day of prayer and fasting, and would have been held any time that they felt an extra day of thanks was called for. We will write a custom essay on Thanksgiving specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Nevertheless, the 1621 feast has become a model that we think of for our own Thanksgiving. The Pilgrims were not the first people to have a celebration of this kind. Many other civilizations held festivals to celebrate the harvest. The ancient Greeks and Romans prayed to the gods and goddesses of the harvest, and also originated the idea of the cornucopiathe horn of plenty. The Jews celebrate the holiday Sukkot, which honors the awards of the harvest, and the Chinese enjoy the celebration of the Harvest Moon. Even native New Yorkers commemorate the harvest long before Thanksgiving arrives. Pumpkins, apples and corn are abundant in the open-air markets of the city beginning in late September. The autumn of 1621 yielded a plentiful harvest and the Pilgrims, gathered together with the Massasoit Indians to reap the awards of hard work. Celebrating Thanksgiving is like celebrating an even that includes the dead of over 11,000 Wampanoag Indians died due to illnesses that they contracted from white settlers. The truth of the matter is, when the Pilgrims arrived, they found an abandoned Wampanoag village and moved right in. In 1618, a massive epidemic of an unknown disease left by English explorers swept across Wampanoag country and decimated many of the villages. This epidemic caused the death of ten to thirty percent of the total population and all but a few of the 2,000 people of the village of Patuxet. When the Pilgrims arrived in 1620, they landed at Patuxet with no idea of what had occurred. At this point, there were only about 2,000 members left in the Wampanoag tribe, down from 12,000 in 1600. Despite the incredible losses to his people, Wampanoag leader Massasoit and 90 of his men sat down for a harvest celebration offered by the white men. For three days the Wampanoag and Pilgrims feasted on deer, wild turkey, fish, beans, squash, corn and other foods native to North America. Although the celebration was good-natured, this event truly signifies the beginning of a drastic decline of native culture and Thanksgiving would be more fittingly observed as a day of mourning rather than a celebration. In the years that followed, skirmishes occurred and more Native Americans were killed. In 1637, English soldiers massacred 700 Pequot men, women and children as an example of the English way of war, yet we still celebrate Thanksgiving as a joyful event. So, as we sit down for our Thanksgiving dinner, let us consider the words of Frank James in his 1970 speech: Today is a time of celebrating for you but it is not a time of celebrating for me. It is with a heavy heart that I look back upon what happened to my people. When the Pilgrims arrived, we, the Wampanoags, welcomed them with open arms, little knowing that it was the beginning of the end. . Thanksgiving Essay Example For Students Thanksgiving Essay Thanksgiving Essay Day, national holiday in the U.S. commemorating the harvest reaped by the Plymouth Colony in 1621. The first national Thanksgiving Day was proclaimed by Pres. Washington for Nov. 26, 1789. Pres. Lincoln revived the custom in 1863. In 1941 Congress decreed that Thanksgiving should fall on the fourth Thursday of November. The customary turkey dinner is a reminder of the four wild turkeys served at the PILGRIMS first thanksgiving feast. national holiday in the United States commemorating the harvest reaped by the Plymouth Colony in 1621, after a winter of great starvation and privation. In that year Gov. William Bradford proclaimed a day of thanksgiving, and the feast was shared by all the colonists and the neighboring Native Americans. Although similar observances were held locally, they were sporadic and at no set time. After the American Revolution the first national Thanksgiving Day, proclaimed by George Washington, was Nov. 26, 1789. Abraham Lincoln, urged by Sarah J. We will write a custom essay on Thanksgiving specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Hale, revived the custom in 1863, appointing as the date the last Thursday of November. In 1939, 1940, and 1941 Franklin D. Roosevelt proclaimed Thanksgiving the third Thursday in November. When a contradiction arose between Roosevelts proclamation and some of those of state governors, Congress passed a joint resolution in 1941 decreeing that Thanksgiving should fall on the fourth Thursday of November. The day is observed by church services and family reunions; the customary turkey dinner is a reminder of the four wild turkeys served at the Pilgrims first thanksgiving feast. Bibliography: Student Referance Library . Thanksgiving Essay Example For Students Thanksgiving Essay Thanksgiving Essay Day, national holiday in the U.S. commemorating the harvest reaped by the Plymouth Colony in 1621. The first national Thanksgiving Day was proclaimed by Pres. Washington for Nov. 26, 1789. Pres. Lincoln revived the custom in 1863. In 1941 Congress decreed that Thanksgiving should fall on the fourth Thursday of November. The customary turkey dinner is a reminder of the four wild turkeys served at the PILGRIMS first thanksgiving feast. national holiday in the United States commemorating the harvest reaped by the Plymouth Colony in 1621, after a winter of great starvation and privation. In that year Gov. William Bradford proclaimed a day of thanksgiving, and the feast was shared by all the colonists and the neighboring Native Americans. Although similar observances were held locally, they were sporadic and at no set time. After the American Revolution the first national Thanksgiving Day, proclaimed by George Washington, was Nov. 26, 1789. Abraham Lincoln, urged by Sarah J. We will write a custom essay on Thanksgiving specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Hale, revived the custom in 1863, appointing as the date the last Thursday of November. In 1939, 1940, and 1941 Franklin D. Roosevelt proclaimed Thanksgiving the third Thursday in November. When a contradiction arose between Roosevelts proclamation and some of those of state governors, Congress passed a joint resolution in 1941 decreeing that Thanksgiving should fall on the fourth Thursday of November. The day is observed by church services and family reunions; the customary turkey dinner is a reminder of the four wild turkeys served at the Pilgrims first thanksgiving feast. Bibliography Student Referance Library History Reports . Thanksgiving Essay Example For Students Thanksgiving Essay When the Mayflower landed at Plymouth Rock almost four centuries ago, settlers laid the foundations for a republic. Thanksgiving Essay is a traditional American holiday celebrated on the third Thursday in November. The roots of the holiday date back to the early 17th century when a group of settlers made a difficult voyage from Europe to start a colony. Their first winter in what is now Massachusetts was devastating, and more than half of them died. The harvest later that year was minimal. In thanks for Gods many miracles that enabled them to survive and prosper. Later, an Indian named Squanto found the hungry and ill Americans, then he ran to his tribe and told them that there were some sick people on the shore so the Indian tribe brought food from there farms and helped the settlers survive. They celebrated with a feast of thanksgiving, which Americans commemorate today. Bibliography: . We will write a custom essay on Thanksgiving specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now

Normans - Medieval Viking Rulers in France and England

Normans - Medieval Viking Rulers in France and England The Normans (from the Latin Normanni and Old Norse for north men) were ethnic Scandinavian Vikings who settled in northwest France in the early 9th century AD. They controlled the region known as Normandy until the mid 13th century. In 1066, the most famous of the Normans, William the Conqueror, invaded England and conquered the resident Anglo-Saxons; after William, several kings of England including Henry I and II and Richard the Lionheart were Normans and ruled both regions. Dukes of Normandy Rollo the Walker 860-932, ruled Normandy 911-928, married Gisla (daughter of Charles the Simple)William Longsword  ruled 928-942Richard I (the Fearless), born 933, ruled 942-996 married Hugh the Greats daughter Emma, then GunnorRichard II (The Good) ruled 996-1026 married JudithRichard III ruled 1026-1027Robert I (The Magnificent, or The Devil) ruled 1027-1035 (Richard IIIs brother) William the Conquerer, 1027-1087, ruled 1035-1087, also King of England after 1066, married Matilda of Flanders Robert II (Curthose), ruled Normandy 1087-1106 Henry I (Beauclerc) b. 1068, King of England 1100-1135 Henry II b. 1133, ruled England 1154-1189 Richard the Lionheart also King of England 1189-1216John Lackland Vikings in France By the 830s, the Vikings arrived from Denmark and began raiding in what is today France, finding the standing Carolingian government in the midst of an ongoing civil war. The Vikings were only one of several groups who found the weakness of the Carolingian empire an attractive target. The Vikings used the same tactics in France as they did in England: plundering the monasteries, markets and towns; imposing tribute or Danegeld on the people they conquered; and killing the bishops, disrupting ecclesiastical life and causing a sharp decline in literacy. The Vikings became permanent settlers with the express collusion of Frances rulers, although many of the grants were simply a recognition of de facto Viking control of the region. Temporary settlements were first established along the Mediterranean coast from a series of royal grants from Frisia to the Danish Vikings: the first was in 826, when Louis the Pious granted Harald Klak the county of Rustringen to use as a retreat. Subsequent rulers did the same, usually with the aim of putting one Viking in place to defend the Frisian coast against others. A Viking army first wintered on the Seine river in 851, and there joined forces with the kings enemies, the Bretons, and Pippin II. Founding Normandy: Rollo the Walker The duchy of Normandy was founded by Rollo (Hrolfr) the Walker, a Viking leader in the early 10th century. In 911, the Carolingian king Charles the Bald ceded land including the lower Seine valley to Rollo, in the Treaty of St Clair sur Epte. That land was extended to include what is today all of Normandy by AD 933 when the French King Ralph granted the land of the Bretons to Rollos son William Longsword. The Viking court based at Rouen was always a little shaky, but Rollo and his son William Longsword did their best to shore up the duchy by marrying into the Frankish elite. There were crises in the duchy in the 940s and 960s, particularly when William Longsword died in 942 when his son Richard I was only 9 or 10. There were fights among the Normans, particularly between pagan and Christian groups. Rouen continued as a subordinate to the Frankish kings until the Norman War of 960-966, when Richard I fought against Theobald the Trickster. Richard defeated Theobald, and newly arrived Vikings pillaged his lands. That was the moment when Normans and Normandy became a formidable political force in Europe. William the Conquerer The 7th Duke of Normandy was William, the son Robert I, succeeding to the ducal throne in 1035. William married a cousin, Matilda of Flanders, and to appease the church for doing that, he built two abbeys and a castle in Caen. By 1060, he was using that to build a new power base in Lower Normandy, and that is where he began amassing for the Norman Conquest of England. You can find lots more about William the Conquerer and the Battle of Hastings elsewhere. Ethnicity and the Normans Archaeological evidence for the Viking presence in France is notoriously slim. Their villages were basically fortified settlements, consisting of earthwork-protected sites called motte (en-ditched mound) and bailey (courtyard) castles, not that different from other such villages in France and England at that time. The reason for the lack of evidence for explicit Viking presence may be that the earliest Normans tried to fit into the existing Frankish powerbase. But that didnt work well, and it was not until 960 when Rollos grandson Richard I galvanized the notion of Norman ethnicity, in part to appeal to the new allies arriving from Scandinavia. But that ethnicity was largely limited to kinship structures and place names, not material culture, and by the end of the 10th century, the Vikings had largely assimilated into the larger European medieval culture. Historic Sources Most of what we know of the early Dukes of Normandy is from Dudo of St Quentin, a historian whose patrons were Richard I and II. He painted an apocalyptic picture of Normandy in his best-known work De moribus et actis primorum normanniae ducum, written between 994-1015. Dudos text was the basis for future Norman historians including William of Jumià ¨ges (Gesta Normannorum Ducum), William of Poitiers (Gesta Willelmi), Robert of Torigni and Orderic Vitalis. Other surviving texts include the Carmen de Hastingae Proelio and the  Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. Sources This article is part of the About.com guide to Vikings, and part of the Dictionary of Archaeology Cross KC. 2014. Enemy and Ancestor: Viking Identities and Ethnic Boundaries in England and Normandy, c.950 – c.1015. London: University College London. Harris I. 1994. Stephen of Rouens Draco Normannicus: A Norman Epic. Sydney Studies in Society and Culture 11:112-124. Hewitt CM. 2010. The Geographic Origins of the Norman Conquerors of England. Historical Geography 38(130-144). Jervis B. 2013. Objects and social change: A case study from Saxo-Norman Southampton. In: Alberti B, Jones AM, and Pollard J, editors. Archaeology After Interpretation: Returning Materials to Archaeological Theory. Walnut Creek, California: Left Coast Press. McNair F. 2015. The politics of being Norman in the reign of Richard the Fearless, Duke of Normandy (r. 942–996). Early Medieval Europe 23(3):308-328. Peltzer J. 2004. Henry II and the Norman Bishops. The English Historical Review 119(484):1202-1229. Petts D. 2015. Churches and lordship in Western Normandy AD 800-1200. In: Shepland M, and Pardo JCS, editors. Churches and Social Power in Early Medieval Europe. Brepols: Turnhout.

Social Meaning of Vampires Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Social Meaning of Vampires - Essay Example Eighteenth century can be bestowed with the credit for promoting the vampire phenomena after tons of vampire superstitions flew into Western Europe. However, it was Bram stoker’s vampire novel by the name of Dracula that greatly popularized the modern vampire superstition. When questioned about the image of Vampires or Dracula to be more precise, plentiful of people will be of the opinion that Vampires are nothing but tall, dark and handsome men dressed in a long white or black cape and have blood flowing out of their mouths like a river. Others think that Vampires are young, gorgeous, sensual and young women who seduce people, men mostly, in their beds at night and then succeed to suck their blood. This wide realm of opinions proves the very noticeable fact that the social meaning of vampires and the cultural meaning of vampires significantly fluctuate from one area to the other, one region to the other and one continent to the other. To begin with, in ancient Babylonia, people faithfully believed that there existed a female vampire popularly known as Lilu and Lilu was seen feeding and nourishing the pregnant women and at times the newborn babies in that region. On the other hand, in Slavic regions, the residents of that area believed that vampires took birth due to a collection of reasons and some of those reasons were offensive burial rituals and practices and dying an â€Å"unnatural death. (Vampires: The Origin of the Myth by Adrian Nicholas McGrath) In this increasingly modernizing world, as science and technology advances with every passing second, several cultural interpretations exist revolving around vampires. Various cultures and societies place unique concentration and even more distinctive interpretation to these deadly creatures. However, there exists an overlapping section where one can find some of

Human Resources as a Strategic Partner Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Human Resources as a Strategic Partner - Essay Example Some of the reasons why HR has been criticized include misleading of employees, poor professional ethics as well as the failure to keep employee information confidential as it should be. Dr. Dave, one of the best writer and thinker in this line of HR proposed three new roles the human resource managers of an organization should adopt to elevate the above problems. These new functions include HR managers acting as executives of their companies, strategic partners as well as employee advocate or mentors. All these, as described by Dave, will improve general employee performance and hence that of the organization. Various functions of HR directly support the general strategy of an organization. To begin with, the staffing function; the HR manager(s) have the responsibility of choosing the right person to work for an organization. It is also the responsibility of HR to develop the capacity of these persons such that they perform their roles best towards the achievement of the goals of th e said organization. Secondly, HR ensures that the performance of employees in an organization is optimum. This is accomplished through employee motivation programs, training and development as well as disciplining of errant employees. Where there is the need for change –management, HR is involved first in line in communication and implementation of these changes. Lastly, the HR administrative function ensures that organizational activities run smoothly and harmoniously to the objectives of the organizations they work for.

George Berkeley And Empiricism Analysis Philosophy Essay

George Berkeley And Empiricism Analysis Philosophy Essay Empiricism is the doctrine that knowledge derives from experience. One very important philosopher to empiricism is George Berkeley. Berkeley denies the existence of material substances and says that existence of substances is depended on perception. In his famous Three Dialogues, he introduces characters Philonous and Hylas whose names ironically mean love of intellect and matter. As the First Dialogue starts, Hylas calls Philonous a skeptic by his definition one who doubts of everything or who denies the realty and truth of things (pg.219, The Empiricist) he soon gets Hylas to admit that he too is a skeptic. Philonous breaks everything down into two groups either having: primary qualities (qualities that can be measured) and secondary qualities (sensible qualities). In the following pages Berkeley goes on to prove that there is no inherit qualities within a material substance that makes it a material substance, and everything is viewed through perception. For example, a cherry is a cherry because it is red, sweet, round etc. But all those things are not innate things that are a cherry. They are sensible qualities because we see, taste, and feel that the cherry is red, sweet and round. Even though we all agree that before us is a cherry, we all will find that we have different perception about whether on not the cherry is sweet or bitter. Anything that is arbitrary is perception. His point was that if it is without being perceived, then it cannot be proven. In order to know a thing exists, we must perceive them. Berkeley also set out to prove that primary qualities only exist in our minds. His proof of this is that an object perceived by two different people could be larger or smaller, depending on how big that person actually is. For example a foot to me may seem moderately long, but a foot to a 6 foot person may seem really short. Hence, extension is not inherent in the object. He also gives the example of motion and how speed is measured by an internal clock In the Second Dialogue, Berkeley introduces Monism (everything is reduced to one), Dualism: 1) thinking (substance pilot) 2) physical material (substance machine), and Idealism (only perceiving minds and perceptions exist). This is where Philonous brings God into the equation because he needs a cause for our sensible ideas. His argument of causation is as follows: 1) sensible ideas must be caused by some spirit 2) I am not the cause of my sensible ideas 3) There must be some other spirit that causes my sensible ideas. Therefore, there is a God. His argument of Perception then is: 1) sensible things cannot exist without being perceived 2) sensible things exist independently of my perceptions 3) there must be some other perceiver. Therefore God is the perceiver. He goes on to say that since were purely passive in our perceptions and God is purely active, it is God that excites ideas in our minds. In the Third Dialogue, Hylas asks how idealism can distinguish a dream from reality (since they are both depending on the mind). Philonous answers him by saying that dreams and products of the imagination are faint and dependent on the will; sense impressions are livelier and do not depend on the will. Hylas also brings up the fact that if God is the author of all things, he would also be the author of evil; Philonous says that evil doesnt exist outward, only inward and that we are in control of our own wills. At first I found Berkley very convincing in his arguments about perception, but as with other philosophers, when he gets to the existence of God, their argument falls apart. The thought of God exciting all our ideas through our souls is a bit strange. Yes all perceptions have to be first perceived by God, and that God had to have an idea of us doing something for it to actually happen is crazy. I dont agree with Berkeleys use of God, but I dont necessarily agree that God just created the world and people in it and steps away from it (Descartes, Meditations); there has to be some type of middle ground. If you fuse the philosophies of Descartes and Berkeley, I believe that one could come up with something more believable, its just too hard to believe that God does everything because in a sense your saying that God who is all powerful and omnipresent uses us to act here on Earth, which is absurd since we are finite and he is infinite. I didnt quite get Berkeleys concept that God is all active and first perceives us doing things before we do them because is flawed. If that were true, you would have to infer that God is also the author of evil. If God perceives everything we do before we do it and everything we do our first His ideas, then he would be able to stop evil doings. What Berkeley says about us being in control of our own wills would have to be false because if that were true, we would be in control of our own perceptions in my opinion. It just seems that if that were true, then everything we did would be in a sense godly, and that obviously isnt true. It makes perfect sense to me that are senses play a big role in how we view the world around us, but although he was convincing in that concept I, couldnt help but thinking that Hylas had a lot of good points also. There must be something innate in objects that make them the objects they are, or else we why would we need to name the objects to discern one from another? I thought that Berkely had a good theory, but it wasnt realistic, although convincing. If I cant agree with Berkeleys use of God, then his whole theory starts to starts to fall apart because hes using God as a sort of cushion for his concept, but I dont think he uses God in the right way. Because Berkely is a bishop, he cant be really objective when it comes to God. He already has preconceived thoughts, and for philosophy to work one needs to dispel all previous conceptions on all subject matter, but obviously he cant because of his vocation. This is where his argument on God is flawed. I believe that the reason why philosopher arguments get confusing or nonsensical when it comes to God is because I believe that back then religion was uniform. Taboo to go against it, whereas now we have many. Many religions open up many different ways of viewing God. I believe this is important when it comes to philosophy because philosophy is most broadly defined as love and pursuit of wisdom by intellectual means and moral self-discipline. You cant truly have self exploration without being willing to accept new things or at least the possibility of new things. In conclusion, I could not agree with Berkeleys idealisms, but they did make me think about they way I view the world. At the end of the day, I feel that personal biases will always get in the way of the way we perceive.