Tradition, Culture and Issues Facing India Today Essay Example for Free

Tradition, Culture and Issues Facing India Today Essay India is known for their traditions and hospitality. Indian culture is very traditional and is still surviving in the modern era. They greet outsiders and elders buy placing both palms together raised below the face. This is how they show their respect. According to Maps of India, a day in India starts with Surya Namaskar. People offer water to the sun and chant prayers. Trees and animals are worshipped. The morning’s first meal is to the cow and the last meal is to the dog. During prayers they offer flower garlands to gods and goddesses. This ritual is embedded at an early age and is an important part of the education system in India. Three of the world’s major faith, Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism originated from India. India is a secular state and the citizens have the right to choose their own religion. (India. 2009) (Cultural India. net)The culture in India is very old and unique with diverse cultures and ancient civilization. The oldest pilgrimage tradition and practice is found in India. Pilgrimage is deeply embedded in their cultural psyche and some of the pilgrimage sites are so large that the entire subcontinent may be regarded as a sacred place. The majority of Indian people do not believe in killing animals to eat so many of them are vegetarians. Cows are considered to be scared and are not to be eaten. A typical meal is flavored with many spices such as turmeric, coriander, chili, cumin and cardamom. (India. 2009)India is the world’s seventh largest country. It is also the second most populated country in the world. In India, more than 200 languages are spoken and forty percent speak Hindi. The official language is Hindi and English. Over the past 20 years, agriculture and industry have largely expanded. India is one of the world’s top industrialized nations and world’s largest democracy. In India, 600 million people are eligible to vote. The adult literacy rate is 61 percent. Even though it is a fast growing electronics and telecommunications industry, India is still very underdeveloped and many live under the poverty line. According to the Indian Mirror, there is almost an equal number about of men and women. Half of these women are not educated. Because of westernization and approval of education women are now able to start getting their education. Despite its high illiteracy rate, their educational system is one of the best in the world. Physical education is also of high importance in India. They are noted for their skills in science and math. (India. 2009)In India, most marriages are arranged by the parents. Marriage is placed among members of the same social group. The bride’s family has to pay a dowry to the groom and his family. The Hindu weddings are very elaborate and the ceremonies and feastings can last for several days. According to Cultural India. net, The wedding is strictly observed according to ancient culture. A wedding in India is the coming together of two souls and bringing two families together. One of the most sacred customs is the tying of mangalsutra. It is a black and gold beaded necklace with a gold or diamond pendant. It carries great importance in Hindu weddings and in the lives of the married women. There are seven vows known as Saptadi which is performed along Mangalpheras. Magalpheras is the walking around the sacred fire. The vows and Manglapheras must be done in order for a wedding to be complete. According to Indian Mirror, in arranged marriages, the couple will acquaint themselves physically and then discover each other’s personality. They will develop strong bonds of companionship that will last until death. The bride will live with her husband’s family. Rarely do they get a room all for themselves. The bride will sleep with the women, and the groom will sleep with the men of the house. Several generations may share the same house. According to Indian mirror, their social system is based on the Joint Family System. â€Å"The families are closely knit with Grandfathers, fathers, sons and grandsons sharing the same spirit, tradition and property. † Because of this, India has the lowest rate of divorces in the world. India. 2009)An Indian woman wears a sari. It is a bright colored silk or cotton that is very long and it is wrapped around the body and draped over the shoulder. The end of the sari is used to cover the head. The man wears a dhoti which is a cotton cloth that is wrapped around the waist and between the legs. (Azadindia. 2010) According to the Multi-dimensional Poverty Index (MPI), there are eight Indian states that have poorer people than the 26 poorest African nations combined. The MPI is an assessment that is based upon critical factors such as education, health, ad deprivations. An alarming statistic and contemporary issue is that 1/3rd of the world’s poorest is in India. Over 75 percent of the population is living on less than $2 a day. (Azadindia. 2010) Men are the bread winners and women are to take care of the house hold and bear children. In India, a woman who works has to take care of the family and household duties as well. She will have to hand over her salary to her father, husband or her in-laws. Because of limited education and with technological advancements, this has resulted in retrenchment of women employees. Most women cannot or don’t even consider upgrading their skills. It is easier to terminate a woman’s employment and rehire, so maternity leave is out of the question. The working women are subjected to sexual harassment especially in the public transport system. Men will take advantage of these circumstances to physically harass the women. It is especially difficult for the women if their boss made sexual advances towards them. If the woman refuses these advances, life can be made very difficult for her. If the woman is promoted, others will attribute it to her giving sexual favors. These psychological pressures can lead to the woman quitting her job. (Azadindia. 2010) Women do not get equal treatment from infant stage to their old age when it comes to health. Since their health is of low priority, many women do not seek for help. The women in India are discriminated when it comes to treatment. For example, a man with the same condition would get first attention and treated first. It doesn’t matter if the woman came from a rich family or not. Whether the family is poor or rich, parents are more concerned about the health of the boys than the girls. Because of this attitude, the woman of India’s health is ignored and in turn caused the women to ignore their health. (Azadindia. 2010) A very disturbing issue is the female feticide in India. According to the 2001 census of India, there has been a decline in the child sex ratio for the age group from 0-6 years from 1991 to 2001. Reasons have varied from higher female mortality at a younger age due to neglect. The dismal numbers are a telling comment on the educated society that refuses to rid itself of its regressive male bias. † Many families, rich or poor do not want a girl. They do not want to be burdened with having to pay a dowry to the groom. Although the government has stepped in to advocate a girl’s right to live, many families are still aborting if sex is found out to be a girl. This is an ongoing social and contemporary issue that exists in India. Because many Indian women have been unfairly treated, they can be categorized as a subordinate group. In the past they have belonged to a lower class and subjected to the authority of another. Today even with democracy, many Indian women are still treated this way. Even though they themselves were treated unequally, most still favor the boys over the girls. Gender inequality can be attributed to its socio-economic and religious practices that have resulted in a wide gap between the men and women in society. According to azadinida. org, the idea of how an Indian woman should behave can be traced back to rules laid down by Manu in 200 B. C. : â€Å"by a young girl, by a young woman, or even by an aged one, nothing must be done independently, even in her own house. In childhood a female must be subject to her father, in youth to her husband, when her lord is dead to her sons; a woman must never be independent. Even though India is known for their hospitality, there is a silent social issue that has been brought to the rest of the world. India is a very traditional country, but India has displayed gender inequality in education, employment, health and life itself. This blessing, â€Å"May you be the mother of a hundred sons. † during Hindu weddings speaks volumes. UN Secretary General Kofi Annan has stated, Gender equality is more than a goal in itself. It is a precondition for meeting the challenge of reducing poverty, promoting sustainable development and building good governance.

Jim Goodnight Essay Example for Free

Jim Goodnight Essay Goodnight is driven by creating a culture that is full of employee engagement and motivation. On the SAS website, Jim Goodnight is quoted as saying, â€Å"Treat employees like they make a difference and they will†. In a publication from Harvard Business Review that Goodnight co-wrote with author Richard Florida he states, â€Å"companies prosper when they harness the creative capital of their employees, as those are the individuals that are creative thinkers and generate valuable products and services. † Mr. Goodnight understands that his product is a â€Å"product of the mind,† and therefore recognizes that maintaining an environment that retains employees and keeps them engaged is a requirement to be successfully. Jim Goodnight has entrenched motivator factors into his business, while minimizing and eliminating hygiene factors for his employees. SAS uses a vertical loading management style that allows employees to be more engaged and empowered in their work. Employees draw responsibility and challenge from this management platform. SAS employees are often only two or three levels down from the CEO, Jim Goodnight, and work alongside their management writing code and setting deadlines. These factors motivate employees and displays to them that managers can be technical in nature and work alongside them â€Å"in the trenches. † Also, SAS has a strong focus on employee satisfaction and uses all possible means to minimize and eliminate hygiene factors that could cause dissatisfaction. Mr. Goodnight pays his employees a competitive salary, however, he shows his commitment through other means such as; benefits, company programs, and employee facilities. SAS understands that work life balance is a conflict that most professionals have to deal with and overcome. SAS maintains flexibility by offering services that ease this burden such as; lunch programs, unlimited sick leave, and in house childcare. The fact that SAS has never had a layoff speaks volumes to its employees about the dedication that leadership has to its employees on job security and proper staffing levels. These factors have far reaching effects on employees and families, as they recognize and appreciate these benefits. My current employer offers a package similar to the one SAS provides its employees, and I experience similar results. For example, teams are more motivated and engaged in their work with minimal turnover and low dissatisfaction with their jobs, and teams are more likely to accept additional assignments with minimal pushback. Jim Goodnight is clearly motivated by offering his employees the highest quality of work life balance possible. He believes the culture is based on trust between our employees and the company.

Patricia Piccinini and David Hockney Comparison

Patricia Piccinini and David Hockney Comparison Art explores many elements of life and the world. It explores and represents meanings in which are interpreted by the audience in various ways. Artists use different techniques to enhance their own individual message or perspective, whether it be distinctively clear or subtle. Artists such as Patricia Piccinini explore identity through life-like animal sculptures that resemble human characteristics. Her message is more powerful in analysis rather than first glance. David Hockney is also an artist who explores identity of the individual by representing lifes journey through his technique of photo montage. Art is the representation of the many elements of human life. It is the expression of emotion, the representation of objects or landscapes, life experiences and it can also be the representation of people and events. Identity can be represented as well as constructed in the visual arts. Many artists are able to do this in diverse and individual ways. Patricia Piccininis controversial artworks explore the identity and contrast between human and animal life. David Hockneys photo montage illustrates a very different approach to represent and construct identity. His artwork explores this concept through a narrative based artwork that represents lifes individual journey each must take in order to construct ones true identity. However, it is not only these two artists that explore identity. There are numerous artists who explore identity in a variety of ways. Some more subtle than others. This is because identity can be explored in so many different ways. Identity can be seen as a national identity, community identity, cultural, physical, professional, individual, sexual-orientation or marital status etc. There are many artists that explore these identities. Piccinini has explored the physical identity and relationship between human and animal. Whereas Hockney has explored the individual identity, and the path we journey through our lives Identity can be defined as individual characteristics by which a person is recognised or known. Art is a mirror image of a persons identity, circle of influence, and perceived worlds or realities. Art reflects what we feel, think, practice, believe, or imagine (Gaskins, N. 2010). Both Patricia Piccinini and David Hockney represent this in different ways by taking different approaches. Piccininis work is known for her extravagant and controversial life-like sculptures which present a more obvious meaning than that of Hockney. Through the use of symbolism, Hockneys photo montage creates a more subtle representation of identity. It is only with more analysis that Hockneys creation can be more understood. Although the audience perspectives can vary in conclusion as each individual can perceive this narrative type artwork and relate to the journey offered and constructed in different ways. The Young Family (2002-3) Apart from the image that is represented, there is often a second meaning within the artwork, (Clack, M. 2010). At a glance; the work of Patricia Piccinini is disturbing and questionable, hence the reason for the controversial perspectives. However if looked at with more depth and analysis, her artworks become interestingly engaging. The way in which she represents and constructs identity is far different to other artists. Patricia Piccinini is an artist who explores the frontiers of science and technology through her sculptures, photographs and video environments (Kent, R. 2002). Within her artwork she is able to construct a powerful message; that enables her to express personal view on a topic. The work makes public something other than itself; it manifests something other; it is an allegory (Clack, M. 2010). Personal identity and the issues surrounding it lie at the core of Piccininis project. Her works invite the question: what is it that makes us who we are? (Kent, R. 2002). Her artwork titled, The Young Family (2003) has sparked a lot of controversy because of the many perspectives it represents. Her life-like imagery is about compromises about being able to find beauty in a world which can never be perfect. (Papastergiadis, N. 2002). This artwork explores the distinction between animal and human characteristics. The similarities of both identities are obvious, which is what Patricia Piccinini is trying to portray. In a political and scientific perspective the inspiration behind this work is the expectation that we have of growing human organs in other species (Piccinini, P. 2003). In this artwork motherhood is one of the traits we share with animals; Patricia Piccinini has evidently shown this. From synthetic landscapes to artificial life forms, Piccinini creates a world in which fa ct, fiction and fantasy co-exist. She begs the question: what, in our rapidly changing world, constitutes the real anyway? (Kent, R. 2002). Pearblossom Hwy (1986) David Hockneys artwork, Pearblossom Hwy approaches the representation of identity in another way. Hockneys work clearly depicts his life and his love ones (Research Paper 2008). Represented in his artworks is a timeline of individual life on earth. He identifies that individuals have many paths they need to be inevitably travelled with many obstacles on the way. The art work consists of a lot of symbolism. Hockney has used the various stop signs in order to represent the individuals own life obstacles. In life many people will stop to think, is this decision Im about to make the right one? What path should I follow next? Who am I as an individual? etc. One of the many perspectives this artwork offers is that the collage is trying to say that in the beginning of life, people are unknowing of what they will do in their future or that they are lost in life. The end of the highway symbolizes certainty and strength about ones life. (Research Paper 2008). Hockneys art is created for his viewers. His drawings are designed in a special way so that they can be animated to be in the mind of the viewer (Research Paper 2008). David Hockneys aim is to take the audience on a journey that he has created, but one that means something different to each individual. This journey is the exploration of identity. He has captured within this artwork the similarities in lifes journeys, but it is how each individual interprets the story. Identity varies from society to society and individual to individual as variation of systems or personality (Art. 2010). In comparison to Patricia Piccininis artwork, The young family, Hockneys artwork relates solely to each individual. It explores numerous story lines as the interpretation of his artwork differs for each audience member. The identity he explores is more easily related to than that of Piccinini. Patricias outlook on identity explores the similarities between human and animal characteristics, very similar to the evolution theory, the apes transition into human form. Ideas about nature and its simulation are central to Piccininis works, inviting us to question what is real and what is not (Kent, R. 2002). Whereas Hockneys, Pearblossom Hwy explores the concept of what will the individuals future bring? Who am I? Who will I become?. It is more an intimate reflection of ones self. In conclusion, there are many artists who explore and represent identity in many forms and techniques. So in evaluating what is art. Many believe that it is the representation of the many elements of human life such as emotions, objects or landscapes, life experiences, people and events. Patricia Piccinini and David Hockney, while they both explore identity, their ideas and perspectives are entirely different. Patricia Piccininis controversial artworks explore the identity and contrast between human and animal life. While David Hockneys photo montage illustrates a narrative based artwork that represents lifes individual journey each must take in order to construct ones true identity.

The Garment Industry :: essays research papers

Globalization is basically about attempting to make things global and expanding products and companies over seas to countries all around the world. It can also be classified as the process of creating languages, services, and products that apply not just to an individual neighborhood or city or country, but to the whole world. Canadians have experienced many benefits that globalization has brought to their lives including the availability to products and services from all around the world. However, at the same time on the other side of the world it has had many pessimistic or negative effects on workers in developing countries. As Globalization began to boom, the number of sweatshops also increased greatly and its effects were most definitely harming in many ways to the individuals employed by them; mainly women and children. Out of all the industries that have become globalized, the textile and garment industries are amongst the most. Mutually the textile and garment industries mak e up one of the largest sources of industrial employment in the world. In virtually every country around the world clothing is being produced but being sold somewhere else. Around 30 million people are making clothes and textiles around the globe and out of those thirty million, most of them are women. Around the world women and children are suffering because of the introduction of sweatshops, low wages, unsafe working environments, free trade zones, foreign control, sub contracting and abuses of human and worker rights. Historically, the word "sweatshop" originated in the Industrial Revolution to describe a subcontracting system in which the middlemen earned profits from the margin between the amount they received for a contract and the amount they paid to the workers. Today a sweatshop is defined by the government as any business or factory that violates one or more of the federal or provincial labor laws which are as follows: minimum wage and overtime, child labor, industrial homework, occupational health and safety, workers compensation, or industry registration. Originally when the garment industry went global it was all about the positive effects it was having on the developing countries in which the factories were located and about all the jobs that were introduced to those who once could not ever imagine getting paid to work. As Globalization began to show more of its negative effects on those lives of the individuals in developing countries, it became more evident that because of this globalization people on every continent and territory were exposed to and forced to consume a North American culture.

Christopher Marlowe Essay -- essays research papers

Christopher Marlowe   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Comparisons are odious†, was once said by Christopher Marlowe in Lust’s Dominion, Act iii scene4. Christopher Marlowe has been identified as the most important Shakespeare’s predecessors. He was born in Canterbury, England, on February 6, 1564 and then baptized at St. George’s Church, Canterbury, on February 25, 1564. Marlowe was the eldest son of John Marlowe, a shoemaker and Katherine Arthur, a Dover girl of yeoman stock. Christopher’s intermediate family and extended family had a reputation of getting in trouble with the law. His sister was known for being a selfish person seeking the unjust vexation of her neighbor’s, while his father was always continually engaged in lawsuits containing debts.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Christopher Marlowe entered the King’s School at Canterbury in 1579. There he held a scholarship requiring him to study Ministry. The school was a canter of theatrical interests. It contained a large library filled with a number of volumes which have been claimed as sources for Marlowe’s plays. In 1584, Marlowe received a Bachelor’s of Arts Degree. Following that, in 1587, he had received a Master of Arts Degree. Shortly after receiving his Master’s degree, Marlowe went to London. There he was part of a circle of young men which were: Rawley, Nashe, and Kyel. By 1587, his first play was â€Å"Tamburlaine the Great†, had been performed on stage. As a result of his first play, Marlowe has started getting ...

Us-Ukraine Relations :: essays research papers

US- Ukraine Relations   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Recently with the Ukrainian presidential elections, the relationship between the U.S. and the Ukraine has come to the forefront of International policy. Ukraine has been making strides in reformatting its government and culture in a change from communism to democracy. Already they have changed from a command to free market, to an ownership society, and the consolidation of powers should be coming along smoothly with the new president. Lastly, the Ukrainian government has shown its willingness to work with western countries by aligning some polices with the E.U., N.A.T.O., and the U.S. This willingness was also proven in their part in the signing of the START treaty and the signing of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Currently Ukraine has a plethora of natural resources, arable land, and a willing workforce. This combination, with the right economic stimulus can flourish creating a stable and extremely potent economy. In order limit the Russian influence in the area, we must send economic stimulus packages to revitalize the Ukrainian industries. This has already shown promise with the Gore- Kuchma commission and should be continued. Simultaneously it is important that we begin forming a strong trade relationship, focusing on limiting the Ukraine’s need for Russia, by providing an alternate means for goods.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It is important that the U.S. insures Ukrainian independence from Russia. If the Ukraine became part of Russia, not only would Russia obtain the worlds leading supplier of ICBMs, But other countries part of the former Soviet Union are at risk of losing their independence. Russia’s interest in the region has recently come to light during the election scandal of 2004. Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin strongly supported candidate Yanukovych in the election. Yanukovych’s main policies dealt with â€Å"Russifying the Ukraine†, and obviously the west did not support this. On the other hand, Yanukovych’s opponent Yushchenko supports more western based ideas. During the investigation into the voter fraud, it is important to point out the massive public protest to the outcome of the election, the so called Orange Revolution. This protest against the government shows the peoples’ want for a democratic government and willingness to fight the government using industry strikes and sit ins. Another important point was the poisoning of Yushchenko which was linked to the KGB and the Russian government. The results of this election shows the need for the United States to help wean the Ukrainian government off of Russian influence.

Rational Approach of Organizational Change Essay

Committee unanimously approved a financial fair play concept for the game’s well-being in September 2009 and on 27 May 2010 approved the UEFA Club Licensing and Financial Fair Play Regulations Edition 2010, in the presence and with the full support of the European Club Association chairman, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge. The concept, which has been supported by everyone around football, looks at the long as well as short-term health of club football and individual clubs. In particular, the objectives aim to introduce more discipline within club finances and encourage responsible spending and investment. Financial fair play is a key point in the 11 values of the UEFA president presented at the UEFA Congress in Copenhagen in March 2009. Despite a background of huge and increasing public and commercial interest in European club football over the last decade, many clubs across Europe are in poor financial health, struggling to meet their financial responsibilities and commitments, and reporting repeated financial losses. UEFA has a duty to consider the systemic environment of European club football in which individual clubs compete, in particular, the wider inflationary impact of clubs’ spending on salaries and player transfer fees and increasing levels of indebtedness across European club football, as the Club Licensing Benchmarking Report shows. Therefore, as requested by and in consultation with the football family, UEFA has aimed to develop sensible and achievable club monitoring requirements to supplement the existing club licensing criteria, in order to safeguard the sustainability of European club football. To supplement and complement the former UEFA Club Licensing Regulations, the UEFA Club Licensing and Financial Fair Play Regulations, comprising both club licensing criteria and club monitoring requirements derived from the financial fair play concept, entered into force on 1 June 2010, with the various financial fair play requirements being phased in over a number of seasons. The consistent application of the club licensing criteria by licensors and the monitoring of clubs are overseen by the independent Club Financial Control Panel, which was created in 2009. If a criterion or requirement of the regulations is not fulfilled, appropriate measures will be taken against the club by UEFA’s independent disciplinary bodies. Potential disciplinary sanctions are the remit of the competent disciplinary bodies that have a palette of sanctions at their disposal including ultimately the exclusion from future UEFA club competitions. Since its creation, the Club Financial Control Panel has referred numerous clubs to UEFA’s disciplinary bodies for both club licensing and club monitoring breaches. Of course many people also believe that the dream of Michel Platini for competitive but healthy football for all the 660 football teams under UEFA’s jurisdiction will fail. But taking into consideration the fact that if the FFP fails the credibility of Michel Platini will be harmed the UEFA Club Financial Control Panel are determined to help the president of UEFA achieve its dream. The tasks of the independent Club Financial Control Panel to achieve Platini’s dream are to ensure that the UEFA club licensing system is applied correctly across all 53 UEFA member associations and that clubs have fulfilled the criteria defined in the UEFA Club Licensing and Financial Fair Play Regulations. As well as conducting and deciding on licensing compliance audits to check the awarding of licenses by the national decision-making bodies and checking that club competition integrity rules have been observed, the Club Financial Control Panel governs the ongoing club monitoring process (financial fair play) after the awarding of licenses. It was introduced at the start of the 2004/05 season with the goal of encouraging European club football to look beyond the short term and consider underlying longer-term objectives essential for the game’s continued good health. It is based on a series of defined quality standards, which each club must accomplish to gain entry to UEFA’s club competitions, and on the key principles of transparency, integrity, credibility and capability. The 36 specific criteria of the licensing system can be broken down into five main categories: 1) sporting 2) infrastructure 3) personnel 4) legal 5) financial These criteria – developed in cooperation with the national associations – have helped to improve the credibility of club operations and led to better transparency and governance by clubs and national associations. A license granted to a club by its national association proves that it has achieved a certain quality level.