Rhetorical Analysis on the Scarlet Letter Essay

Hawthorne successfully portrays the use of extended metaphors, foreshadowing and language throughout the Scarlet Letter to easily grab hold or grasp the reader’s attentive minds. First of all the utilization of the extended metaphors-the lengthening of the average metaphor was developed in this passage to thoroughly describe Pearls reaction to Reverend Dimmesdale’s approach. â€Å"The child, with bird-like motion which was one of her characteristics, flew to him, and clasped her arms about his knees,† is an extraordinary example of the portrayal of an extended metaphor. By saying that one of Pearls characteristics was having bird-like motion tells the reader she is moving swiftly or gracefully. Then for Hawthorne to say she â€Å"flew to him,† humans can’t fly, therefore extends the metaphor. The effect of this rhetorical device was to amplify the effect of both Pearls and Reverend Dimmesdale’s connection and create an emotional stirring for Hester’s husband, disguised as Old Roger Chillingworth. Hawthorne also developed a successful way to portray sensory details throughout the excerpt to predict, or foreshadow, the coming horror of Dimmesdale’s confession. â€Å"†¦for my own heavy sin and miserable agony-I withheld myself from doing so seven years ago†¦Ã¢â‚¬  helps the reader to connect the dots, they are able to tell what comes next. Dimmesdale is finally coming clean about the sin he committed, created, seven years ago and agrees that he deserves the correct and rightful punishment for his wrongful doing. Hawthorne used this to put the reader in shock and ask questions. The reader can easily predict that the townspeople are going to be furious because the so called â€Å"Man of God† has committed a sinful crime. Finally the way Hawthorne told the story creates a very dark and gloomy setting. Using words such as â€Å"heavy sin†, â€Å"miserable agony†, and â€Å"sin-born† produce a very negative environment and feeling and gives the reader a sense of curiosity and a fearful type of wonderment throughout the passage. Hawthorne uses language to grasp the reader’s attention to make an emotional connection on a more personable level to the reader mind and imagination. Hawthorne effectively demonstrates the purpose of the Scarlet Letter by proficiently portraying the use of extended metaphors, foreshadowing Dimmesdale’s unlawful resignation from the church, and he also uses language to help alter the reader’s mind about the environment or the situation being discussed in the passage.

Commerce Case Study Report

The following report looks at the increase of Sexual Harassment claims within Corporate Australia that have been lodged with the Australian Human Rights Commission over the last decade. David Jones Pty Ltd and Pricewaterhouse Cooper are two prevalent cases which have attracted negative media with regard to Sexual Harassment, and this report utilises both Risk Management and Egoism Theories to scrutinise various impacts, responsibilities and recommendations for Individuals, Organisations and Society. Organisational and Societal culture is identified as the primary contributing factor of workplace Sexual Harassment, and it is identified within the report that further Legislation and workplace risk management approaches need to be enacted if the increase is to be addressed. Methods of workplace mechanisms to curtail the increase have been listed as induction, training, and facilitation of workplace change. Prompt and decisive action is also necessary to address issues when raised. Societal culture also is identified as requiring change through Legislation, and the requirement for male persons of political, social and organisational power to lead the cultural change management process. It is this reports’ recommendation that further review of Legislation and workplace practices be urgently undertaken with a view to reduce the steadily rising number of reported workplace Sexual Harassment claims within Corporate Australia. Figure [ 1 ]: Australian Human Rights Commission Statistics Over the past decade there has been a continual increase in the prevalence of sexual harassment in the workplace. The Australian Human Rights Commission (2010) statistics (Figure 1) demonstrate a steady increase in reported cases of sexual harassment from 2000 to 2009. In 2007 a former executive of Pricewaterhouse Coopers filed legal suit against her previous employer alleging she was sexually harassed by an executive, Mr Edwards. She sought $11 million compensation for damages, loss of earnings and other compensation (Australian Associated Press, 2008). When Ms Rich raised the issue of her sexual harassment with senior management, senior executives responded by placing her on access restrictions, banning her from the office, allocating clients to other partners, and reducing her salary (Clifton, 2007). A settlement between $5 and $6 million was reached on 20 March 2008. Pricewaterhouse Coopers continue to deny the claims, however, each party has accepted that the opposing party had their own perspectives, but would not accept the other as completely accurate (Moran, 2008). More recent evidence of Sexual Harassment in Corporate Australia attracting negative media attention is the case of Kristy Fraser-Kirk vs. David Jones Pty Ltd initiated earlier this year claiming compensation of $37 million for alleged incidences of sexual harassment by former CEO Mark McInnes. The key difference between the two cases highlighted within this report is, in response to Fraser-Kirks’ allegations and intense media scrutiny, McInnes resigned. He claims his resignation was for the benefit of the company and his family. Harrison (2005) argues that many will view this approach to ethical decision making as the antithesis of â€Å"ethical†. This legal case is still before the courts. Notably, in both highlighted cases above, organisational culture is demonstrated to largely consist of sexual harassment and discrimination. Alarmingly, statistics and media attention have highlighted these allegations are not isolated. Corporate Australia requires immediate attention to stem the steady increase of sexual harassment. Alexander and Lewer (1998) state there is â€Å"significant interaction between industrial relations practices and the economy† demonstrating linkages between individuals, organisations and society that must be addressed. Impact on Individuals, Organisations and Society Individuals – the key impact is often emotional. A victim or sexual harassment may lose the ability to attain premium quality of life, when compared to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs as described by Turner (1995): * Physiological – increased stress levels, mental health, decreased sense of self worth, as well as creating many other health issues. Safety – Career focus can be destroyed, income reduced through absenteeism or loss of employment, affecting the level of security one may have. * Belonging – feelings of violation and isolation and decreased sense of value. This view is noted by Weisberg (1996, pg 725) quoting Lin Farley â€Å"the abuse also impacts destructively [by] disrupting female job attachment, promoting female unemployment and inhibiting female solidarity. † * Esteem – as a result of a lack of belonging and lack of reliable income, the self worth and the value placed by colleagues and employer is decreased. Lengthy legal battles impact on an individual’s financial stability whilst media scrutiny impacts on individual esteem and adds pressure on family and other relationships. * Self Actualization – states that to achieve self-actualization, all other needs must be met first. Therefore, by limiting the ability to meet all other needs of the Hierarchy, sexual harassment limits one’s ability to become self actualized. Sexual harassment impacts both the victim and the perpetrator. The credibility and seniority of many of the perpetrators can be decreased. The accusations can lead to loss of integrity in the workplace and subsequent decreases to job opportunities and future earning capability. Organisations – costs to organisations can be both internal and external. Some primary issues are listed below. * Loss of revenue. Due to media and public scrutiny and disapproval of conduct, sales may decrease. * Increases in operating expenditures. There is a range of causal factors for increases in operating expenses. Staff absenteeism and lack of productivity of staff due to ongoing internal and media investigations into the allegations. Increased expenses for insurances. Public relations campaigns to negate media damage to company branding and sales. Increases in recruitment costs due to staff movements to more favourable work cultures and other organisations. * Impacts to other organisations such as Insurance Industry, Government and their resultant use of resources such as Hospitals, Police Services, Court systems, and Mediation services. * Corporate Australia as a whole is impacted with each allegation, as financial measures are taken to minimise the risks of occurrence within their own businesses. Financial costs such as Insurance levies rise, as do taxes to support the Government in its efforts to minimise occurrences, assist the victims, and finalise the claims through Court systems. Status or power differentials occur due to employee composition and sex ratios. * Expense is incurred as internal review committees are formed to critically analyse company Harassment, Anti-Discrimination, Risk Management and Critical Incident Policies and review and implement all recommended measures. Society – Impacts upon society are the changes to societal culture, awareness and drainage of public resources. Medical resources are accessed due to the impact on individuals, as are legal systems due to litigation instigated by the victims. Media outlets and organisational public relations campaigns attempt to influence societal responses and opinions. At the present stage of sexual harassment in Australia, there is a Spotlight focused on Australian Corporate culture making society consider their own workplace experiences and explore their rights. This exploration inevitably leads to questioning of our legal system and its support for worker’s rights and anti-discrimination legislation which currently underpins society. The Occupational Health and Safety Act 2000 states, in Section 8, that â€Å"an employer must ensure the health, safety and welfare at work of all the employees of the employer†. Society then becomes disconnected and disbelieving of the Government’s ability to uphold societal law and value systems. Where many Corporate Australian businesses have global operations, society suffers further through both reduced global economic trade and a stigma of cultural discrimination. Whilst our pursuit of equality in all forms is held tenaciously in the balance buy which side the Media will back, in many cases – forcing public viewpoints from the rational to the superficial. Societal views of the inherent subordinate role of women within the workforce, and the disproportionate power and dominance of a male role is perpetuated and enforced. Risk Management Theoretical Perspective Risk is an unavoidable element of life. It is a perceived or real possibility that an unfavourable outcome (such as loss or harm) could result from taking a particular action (Rescher, 1983). There are three stages in determining a risk, and it’s worth (Rescher, 1983): * Choice of action – what action is to be undertaken. * Negativity of outcome – what risk is inherent to the action. What other options are available to pursue. * Chance of realisation – the probability of risk actually occurring. Risk can be managed in a variety of ways, depending on the risk at hand, and the expense which is willing to be incurred. When a company implements a risk management process, they follow three basic rules – â€Å"The Cardinal Rules of Risk Taking†: (Rescher, 1983) * Maximise expected values (see graphs) Avoid catastrophes * Dismiss extremely unrealistic possibilities When applied within the context of Sexual Harassment in the Workplace the two organisational viewpoints for the management of risk will be: * Take out Insurance * Create a Sexual Harassment Policy Insurance will not prevent the possibility of the occurance of sexual harassment, it will only cushion economic implications (Rescher, 1983). This is designed to enable the organisation to continue operating in the event of an allegation occuring. The creation of an Organisational Sexual Harassment Policy however, will have a far greater impact on prevention of such behaviour if enforced and promulgated throughout the company. It should also provide guidance is resolution of issues and denote penalties or risks to perpetrators as well as support mechanisms for victims. Absence of a policy could be used as evidence that an employee has authority to engage in misconduct, and make the employer liable (Pearson, 1997). When defining a sexual harassment policy, Warfel and Query (2004) state that the organisation must: * Define their meaning of sexual harassment Provide examples of what they consider sexual harassment * An explicit statement that sexual harassment will not be tolerated. * Explanation on how claims will be dealt with * A statement that retaliatory action will not be tolerated * A statement that corrective action will be taken After creating a Sexual Harassment policy it is vital that the policy be communicated, understood and upheld at all levels of the organisation on a regular basis through training, induction and displayed within organisational culture (Pearson, 1997). If claims are made, it is crucial they are investigated and appropriate action taken under the policy. All members of an organisation should be compliant under the policy. Egoism Theoretical Perspective Gibson (2007) comments that â€Å"an egoist would say that one should put one’s own interests and concerns above those of others, regardless of external ethical standards†. This statement is critical if we are to understand Egoism. The concept that we all operate within a sense of self interested morality explains at some levels the complex nature of perpetrators of sexual harassment. It provides a level of understanding along the lines of â€Å"only the strong survive† which is highlighted by Catherine Mackinnon in Weisburg (2010, p726) where â€Å"every incidence of sexual harassment reproduces the inequitable social structure of male supremacy and female subordination which [anti-discrimination legislation] seeks to eliminate. † This level of thinking is the crux of the societal damage caused by the increasing trend towards incidences of sexual harassment within Corporate Australia, where it is perceived only the strong and ruthless survives. The David Jones Pty Ltd’s recent case can be compared with Machiavelli’s (1515) observation that â€Å"a bold leader should acquire and use power to his personal advantage by whatever means possible†. Applying Egoism Theory to the perpetrators of sexual harassment, it can be found that the basic human temptation to take what is wanted or is a perceived â€Å"right†, overrides any awareness or application of Risk Management Theory. It appears that their status or power will effectively protect them, or that the victim inherently will wish to increase their status by accepting these advances. This is ratified by Shaw et al (2009, pg 59) regarding Firestone Tyres where it is stated by a company spokesperson â€Å"†¦. policy was to ask for corrections only when it was beneficial to the company to do so†. The action of Pricewaterhouse Cooper, and David Jones, is reflective of Egoism theory as stated by the Firestone Tyres spokesperson. When incidences of harassment occurred, they appear to have negated their own internal policies and risk management mechanisms, and responded in an Egoist manner. Responsibilities of Individuals, Organisations and Society Victims have a responsibility to report and demand action against illegal activity. This in turn empowers others to feel supported and understood which is demonstrated by the other women who most likely wouldn’t have spoken out about their experience had Fraser-Kirk not done so herself. It also enables change within the workplace, legal systems and ultimately society at large. It is understood that most sexual harassment cases go unreported with the victim instead simply leaving the workplace. This creates an opportunity for perpetrators, as silence is regarded as complicity and acceptance of the behavior. Victims also have a responsibility to act appropriately within their employment contracts and honestly report all incidences of workplace sexual harassment. Individuals must adhere to company policy as well as acknowledge and respect colleague’s rights with regard to relevant workplace policies and legislation. This action will contribute to a positive work culture. Perpetrators are often in a position of power and have an inherent responsibility to lead by example. In the case of Mr McInnes and Mr Edwards, neither man behaved in this manner, thus perpetuating a workplace culture of acceptance, and a perception of â€Å"do as I say, not as I do†. Organisations have a legal responsibility to act in the best interest of all staff and executives, however organizations have a duty of care to ensure that relevant workplace legislation pertaining to the welfare of employees is effectively communicated and enshrined within workplace practices. The best way to do this is to lead by example and ensure that breaches are swiftly and efficiently dealt with. Society itself has many responsibilities to uphold regarding sexual harassment. Society has the power to support ethical and responsible acts to uphold integrity within Corporate Australia. They have the power to influence organizations, legislation and Government to adopt risk management practices rather than egoism in order to maintain a positive brand image. Society can influence good corporate citizenship by enforcing individual, and organisational, accountabilities and responsibilities. Recommendation to Individuals, Organisations and Society It is strongly recommended that individuals continue to pursue their individual and workplace rights in order to work towards actual realisation as according to Maslow. Reporting, and supporting those who do, is an integral component of a workplace free from harassment. They additionally have a responsibility contribute to a workplace free from discrimination by participating in, and adhering to, workplace training programs and policies. Within organisations, it is recommended that the sexual harassment policy be maintained as separate to any anti-discrimination policies with a built in grievance procedure and validation process. Any complaints should be dealt with swiftly and supportively with real consequences for perpetrators, such as probation, demotion or termination. These processes should be communicated to staff on induction to the organisation and throughout their careers by mandatory training and awareness programs, with employees and executives having to sign on receipt of training and policy documents. It is imperative that risk management practices be applied in favour of egoistic approaches if the organisational culture is to support a change within the organisational culture. Organisational change can only be accomplished if it is championed from those with the ultimate power. It is the responsibility of the executive board to drive this change for the benefit of all, the reduction or elimination of sexual harassment practices will ultimately decrease absenteeism and staff turnover due to harassment, and increase morale and productivity. Society too, has a responsibility to ensure equality in every aspect of their lives by teaching our children that gender does not determine worth. We further have a responsibility to petition for change in legislation, and hold Corporate Australia responsible for its actions. As consumers we hold great power and this can be used to influence and support company responsibilities. Conclusion It is this reports finding that an egoist societal and organisational culture is directly linked with the increase in sexual harassment cases lodged with the Australian Human Rights Commission. It further finds that adoption of a risk management perspective for the protection of individual, organisational and societal well being is necessary to ensure fundamental rights, responsibilities and legislation is upheld. Whilst it is understood that organisational culture needs to be specifically targeted to reduce incidences of sexual harassment in the workplace, the significance of a male driven response to the prevalence of sexual harassment within Corporate Australia cannot be overlooked. This is highlighted by Elizabeth Broderick, Sex Discrimination Commissioner where she states â€Å"we should recognise the importance of men’s role in promoting gender equality in workplaces. I firmly believe that we will only see significant gains when men start working with men to solve this problem. After all it is men who dominate nearly every institution in this country, particularly in our workplaces. If there is to be change, male CEOs and business leaders must champion it. We need men taking up the advocacy mantle and leading by example. †

How Far Do the Sources Suggest That James I’s Extravagance?

How far do the sources suggest that it was James I’s extravagant giving was the cause of his financial problems? On the face of it the sources seem to disagree on this issue. Sources ten and twelve seem to show that James’ extravagant giving was the cause of his financial problems however source eleven seems to show that it was not James’ extravagant giving that caused his financial problems.In source ten, ‘Matthew Hutton’ states that, â€Å"His Majesty’s subjects hear and fear that King James’ heroical and excellent nature is too inclined to giving† and that this will soon ‘exhaust the treasury of his kingdom’, thus implying that James’s extravagant nature was and will be the cause of his financial problems. This is further backed up by source twelve as it states that James ‘is very generous with his gifts’ and that ‘gifts to the scots are causing an incurable leak from the cistern, this is demonstrating how James’ extravagance is causing him financial trouble.Whereas on the face of it source eleven seems to disagree with the other two sources as it demonstrates how it was not James’ extravagance that was causing him financial trouble. In this source it states that payments to the king, for example taxes are not paid or collected and also ‘The Earl of Dorset’ goes on to say that the fact James I has a family is another reason for his financial trouble.Furthermore as this this is a letter from the ‘Lord Treasurer’ to ‘The Chancellor of the Exchequer’ this is the most reliable source about whether it was James’ extravagance that was causing him financial problems as between them they are the people who look after and maintain the treasury. However it can be argued that all three sources agree to a large extent that it was not James’ extravagant personality that caused his financial problems.Firstly in so urce twelve it does not specifically say that he is ‘extravagant’ also at the time it was written, 1604, James the I was not actually in debt and so this is not a very reliable source to find out whether James’ extravagance caused him financial problems. Source twelve can also back up the point that it was not James’ extravagant giving that caused him financial difficulty as it states that, â€Å"Parliament could replenish the treasury of his Majesty’ Treasury.This implies that it was parliament who caused James’ financial troubles as they did not give him the funds needed to suffice all of his needs, and so in order to negotiate with others he had to resort to giving as he was not given the money needed to create an army. Also, in source twelve the person who wrote the letter was not a part of the government and so this means that he would not have been that close to James to be able to judge whether he was an extravagant giver or not.This is backed up further by his statement, â€Å"I understand from common talk† thus implying that these are just rumours and so they are not a reliable source of information for the listener, in this case John More, and as the information was not reliable that makes the source not reliable. Furthermore, as source ten was written a few years before the rest it was not that reliable and this was further proved by the fact that it is written before the time that James ends up in debt.Therefore the sources, when taken together, show that it was not James I’s extravagant giving that caused his financial difficulties, but that there were a lot of contributing factors stated in source eleven which is the most reliable source and should therefore have the most weight put onto it. This is because the source is between the two leading members who are looking after James I’s money.And sources ten and twelve are not that reliable so they do have so much weight put onto them th us backing up further that it was not James’ extravagant personality as on the face of it that was they suggest but. But when the sources are looked at collectively they show that it was not James’ extravagant giving that caused him financial trouble. Brendon Head Word Count (686 words)

James Baldwin’s Sonny’s Blues Essay

In James Baldwin’s short story â€Å"Sonny’s Blues† a young man questions his brotherly obligations after finding that his younger brother has been arrested for using drugs. In the attempt to rectify his younger brother’s behavior and life, the young man faces his own feelings for his brother and comes to terms with the life his brother Sonny lives. The developments of certain elements-plot, character, point of view, setting, symbolism-in the story help accentuate the narrator’s struggles and theme(s) of the story. One of the most important elements of this story is the setting. Taking place in the drug-plagued, poverty-stricken, and frustrated streets of Harlem in the 1950s, the setting aids any reader in understanding the obstacles and hardships the narrator and his brother faced growing up in Harlem. From the narrator’s description of the setting, we can infer that the violence, drug abuse, and indigence in the narrator’s community, Harlem, has had a deep emotional impact on him and his brother. Furthermore the setting can also be argued to have somewhat attributed to Sonny’s difficulties. The point-of-view also plays a pivotal role in providing an insight into the lives of the narrator and Sonny and the environment in which they were raised. The story is told in first person by Sonny’s brother, an unnamed narrator. Although the story’s title might invoke the sense that Sonny is main character, making the narrator a subordinate character, the story is as much about the narrator as it is about Sonny. Through the narrator’s perspective, we see the torn city of Harlem and the hurdles that Sonny has faced and will face. The narrator is more aware of Harlem’s dangerous and violent side. In numerous instances, he describes the poverty and crime that are rampant in the community. More importantly, the narrator’s point-of-view enhances the emphasis on the relationship between him and his brother. Furthermore, the narrator is an excellent narrator because he is able to give us a reliable glimpse into to Sonny’s life and his own. The development of the plot stands out as one of the most crucial elements of the story. From the very beginning, the narrator discovers that Sonny has been arrested for his drug use. This action engenders the narrator to reflect on his relationship with Sonny. The discovery of Sonny’s arrest quickly conveys to us a point that is so central to the story. Following the introduction of plot is the conflict. The conflict of the story centers around the narrator and Sonny arguing about Sonny’s decision to become a jazz musician. This conflict,however, has happened before the situation in the introduction of the story but is mentioned further in the story. Sonny’s desire to become a jazz player is seen as a waste of time by the narrator. Consequently, tension is formed between the brothers because of their lack of agreement on the issue. The tension between the brothers gets even more complicated when Sonny moves into the narrator’s apartment. During this part of the story, the narrator and Sonny try to come to terms with themselves and each other. The climax of the story is when the narrator and Sonny argue in the apartment. This is the most important part of the story because both brothers have a brutally honest argument. The narrator discusses Sonny’s drug use, his misunderstanding of Sonny as a musician, and Sonny’s frustration in life. This argument between the two brothers resolves when Sonny invites the narrator to come hear him play. The story concludes as the narrator sends Sonny a drink. The narrator finally understands how important music is to Sonny. The story leaves the readers with the impression that both brothers may finally find peace with each other. Another critical part of the story is the symbolism. Baldwin’s use of the light and darkness as two forces that are constantly clashing with each other is very symbolic in what it conveys. These two contrasting forces seem to highlight the hope and despair of the characters’ lives. At beginning of the story, Baldwin uses light to describe the room full church people. This suggest that light represents positive moments in life. In contrast, darkness represents the problems and struggles of the characters’ lives; it is also more pervasive in the characters’ lives than light. Sonny’s problems and the condition of Harlem are embodiment of the widespread darkness in the story. At the end of the story, the narrator sends a glass that he describes as â€Å"the very cup of trembling. † This very cup highlights the troubles and uncertainty Sonny currently has in his life. It symbolizes Sonny’s effort to redeem himself of the suffering he has caused and endured. Given its unique structure, â€Å"Sonny’s Blues stands out as one of Baldwin’s most critically-acclaimed works. Collectively, the elements of the story paint a picture of the atmosphere during one of Harlem’s renown periods. In conclusion, these elements of â€Å"Sonny’s Blues† enhance the story’s meaning and shed light on the difficulties Sonny and his brother faced.

How might a Christian apply Essay

Through out Jesus’ teaching we see that justice, forgiveness and reconciliation are all the most important features of keeping the peace of the world. However war and conflict are two of the most significant issues in today’s world and will be for many years to come therefore it is hard for a Christian to ignore this and know what is right or wrong. A current example of this is the international conflict in Iraq between many of the western countries. â€Å"Blessed are peacemakers for they will be called the children of God. (Mt 5:9)† This quotation is showing that a person who forgives and makes peace with any enemies will be rewarded by God although Christians have to live in a world where people often make war against each other. Therefore they have to develop an attitude to war campaigning against war and violence in various ways, using different examples from the scriptures to explain their position and different church teachings to help them through. Christians recognise that war is not compatible with the teachings of Jesus, as they believe in peace, and peace is essential for forgiveness to work. Jesus taught his follower to always love and respect, no matter how hard it may be they should forgive their enemies, â€Å"Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. † The principle being that although good does not come from evil, destroying evil allows us to repair the damage and do well. For example, the catastrophic bombs were dropped on Japan and killed thousands, the disaster will never be forgotten but we see that Japan is now one of the most powerful countries in the world and there is peace. Iraq and the Allies were and still are at war. Christians are divided over this war; some believe that there is a moral case for war against Iraq to free the Iraqi people from evil whilst others feel that the people of Iraq are the most affected and something else could have been done to prevent war to reconcile the countries instead. The Pope declared that war is a â€Å"defeat for humanity† and no the way to solve the Iraqi situation, his diplomatic efforts accord with Catholic teachings as a war should be the last resort. However Gaudium et Spes contradicts the Pope, teaching that the war is just to protect the people of Iraq. S and C Danes once stated that, â€Å"Peace is more than the absence of war. Peace is the effect of righteousness. † A just war is one that must be fought but is conducted to certain conditions, they are designed to prevent a war and to limit its effect on people. Christians agree that anyone who engages in war should do so only after every other means have been worn out. In the past there have been many occasions when Christians have fought wars and when Christians countries have fought each other. We see this is wrong because Jesus taught this; â€Å"A new commandment I give you; to love one another. As I have loved you. † Pacifists believe that all war is wrong and support that; for example, Jesus called â€Å"the Kingdom of God† the peaceful solution. Also Lord Donald Soper’s pacifism led him to being banned from broadcasting during the Second World War showing that his beliefs and feelings were very strong and he would stand up to what he believed was right, â€Å"Violence is always wrong and doesn’t always create new beginnings and solve problems. † In 1980 there was a conflict that arose between Iraq and Iran, America and the West came to the aid of Saddam Hussein in this war, supporting a moderate bulwark against Islam. This war lasted until 1988 and the Iraqi government expected the war debts to be written off as they had justifiably defended the entire Middle East against Islamic radicalism. The Christian response should have been to help aid CAFOD and other Catholic organisations. However, Bishop David Konstant argues â€Å"No war is just and reconciliation and justice are the only two grounds for true and lasting peace. † To be reconciled with God , Christians must be able to forgive and to be reconciled with each other, as there is no peace with out justice and no justice without forgiveness.

Causes of the decline of the Devirme System Term Paper

Causes of the decline of the Devirme System - Term Paper Example The non-Muslim population in the empire and outside the empire therefore bore the blunt of the Ottoman rule, since they were targeted by the Sultan as well as other traders who used to offer them as slaves instead of paying taxes to the Sultan, or either as a gift to the Sultan. The youth offered for enslavement could either become military personnel in the kingdom, while others could be educated and trained to joining the janissaries in the Harem. This was the Sultan’s home or center of governing where all the activities of the Sultan occupied. The Devshirme system however collapsed later, due to many external influences, such as the modernization from the external world that crept into the Ottoman Empire before its collapse, and due to the inclusion of many foreigners in the Palace and in the empire as a whole. One factor that led to the collapse of the Devshirme system could be the conversion of many of the non-Muslims in the kingdom, into Islamic religion. Duiker and Spielvogel (337) explained that as a result of hostilities that was directed to the non Muslim inhabitants of the empire, many parents saw it necessary to convert to Islamic religion to save their families from being abducted by the powerful men who could afterwards offer them as gifts to the Sultan. Many of such youths had died in the wars, since they were trained and used for military purposes by the Sultan. It was therefore very disheartening and painful for parents to learn of their children’s death in the military activities. To avoid this, a good number of non Muslims as Duiker and Spielvogel (339) explained converted into Islamic religion. Since it was cultural not abduct the Islam professing inhabitants in the Devshirme practices, it therefore translated into declining of the possible abductees in the kingdom. The practice therefore faded gradually as the people converted into Islam, until it ended by the collapse of the Ottoman rule. In the

Financial strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Financial strategy - Essay Example In the recent past, companies are adopting the value based management approach which is a formal systematic approach used in managing companies with an aim of achieving the objective of maximizing value creation and shareholder value (Chapman, Hopwood, & Shields, 2009, p. 1248). Value based management focuses on the key drivers of value thus helping companies achieve their objectives (Starovic, Cooper, & Davis, 2004, 2004, p.15-17). Increasing focus on core competencies has forced companies to outsource some services to ensure that they remain relevant in terms of their revenues and expenditure in comparison with their competitors. Knowing a company’s position is important because it is useful in defining and redefining strategies to improve profit margins and to capitalize on company’s strengths to enhance shareholder value creation (Starovic, Cooper, & Davis, 2004, 2004, p.10-17). Various methods have been used to measure the shareholder’s value but the most co mmonly used are the profitability analysis, Strategic Profit Mode (SPM), and the Economic Value Added (EVA) method. One of the common methods used to measure profitability is Return On Capital Employed (ROCE) which is the operating profit after tax divide by the net capital employed. However, a major criticism on this method is that it does not measure operating profits and capital employed the way investors do. Investors are concerned about economic profits and the amount of debt and equity invested in the business but these amounts may disagree with those used in company’s financial statements because of the accounting practices in use. For instance, accounting reserves which have to be accounted for in financial statements tend to understate economic profits and the amount of equity capital actually invested in the business. ROCE provides little guidance on the profitability level because of its shortcomings. Given the shortcomings of ROCE, SPM and EVA models are preferred because they enable the company to focus on shareholder value and provide a long-term orientation in their analysis. SPM and EVA are reliable, consistent, and therefore preferred over ROCE method. The Strategic Profit Model (SPM) measures the Return On Net Worth (RONW) of a company which is a tool used to measure the changes in the shareholder value in an organization. RONW is made of three components, which include net profit, asset turnover, and financial leverage. These components are used in the calculation of RONW and they can be controlled by the managers of a company (Viswanadham and Luthra, 2005, p.478). Net profit is the difference between sales and expenses and from it net profit margin is calculated which measures how efficiently a company manufactures and sells its products. Net profit margin is the net profit as a percentage of sales. Asset turnover is the sales divided by the total assets of a company and it shows how efficiently a company employs its assets to achiev e a given level of sales. The Return On Assets (ROA) is arrived at by multiplying the net profit margin with the asset turnover and it relates the profitability of a company to the value of assets employed. The financial leverage of a company provides the relationship between the total