Chinese Civilization Essay Example for Free

Chinese Civilization Essay The land here is broad and diverse. Among this immense piece of earth, one can find both farmer and businessman; mountain and plain; drought and rainfall; wasteland and farmland. It is vast, it is multifaceted. And yet these collections of disparate and dissimilar presences are bound as one, side by side with each other. They are together, they are connected. They are united, united under one name: China. It is impossible to choose a single word that exactly represents all the land of China. The Himalayan Mountains might have majesty, or the Forbidden City might have opulence, but certainly the two are quite different and cannot be swapped. Yet there is a word that can describe all the land of China: the cities, the mountains, the villages, the plains, the towns, the rivers, the deserts. That word is Beauty. Chinas cultural sphere has extended across East Asia as a whole, with Chinese religion, customs, and writing systems being adapted to varying degrees by neighbors such as Japan, Korea and Vietnam. The first evidence of human presence in the region was found at the Zhoukoudian cave. It is one of the first known specimens of Homo erectus, now commonly known as the Peking Man, estimated to have lived from 300,000 to 780,000 years ago China ranges from mostly plateaus and mountains in the west to lower lands in the east. Principal rivers flow from west to east, including the Yangtze (central), the Huang He (Yellow river, north-central), and the Amur (northeast), and sometimes toward the south (including the Pearl River, Mekong River, and Brahmaputra), with most Chinese rivers emptying into the Pacific Ocean. In the east, along the shores of the Yellow Sea and the East China Sea there are extensive and densely populated alluvial plains. On the edges of the Inner Mongolian plateau in the north, grasslands can be seen. Southern China is dominated by hills and low mountain ranges. In the central-east are the deltas of Chinas two major rivers, the Huang Heand Yangtze River. Most of Chinas arable lands lie along these rivers, and they were the centers of Chinas major ancient civilizations. Other major rivers include the Pearl River, Mekong, Brahmaputra and Amur. Yunnan Province is considered a part of the Greater Mekong Subregion, which also includes Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam. [47] In the west, the north has a great alluvial plain, and the south has a vast calcareous tableland traversed by hill ranges of moderate elevation, and the Himalayas, containing Earths highest point, Mount Everest. The northwest also has high plateaus with more arid desert landscapes such as the Takla-Makan and the Gobi Desert, which has been expanding. During many dynasties, the southwestern border of China has been the high mountains and deep valleys of Yunnan, which separate modern China from Burma, Laos and Vietnam. The Paleozoic formations of China, excepting only the upper part of the Carboniferous system, are marine, while the Mesozoic and Tertiary deposits are estuarine and freshwater, or else of terrestrial origin. Groups of volcanic cones occur in the Great Plain of north China. In the Liaodong and Shandong Peninsulas, there are basaltic plateaus. Part II CONTRIBUTIONS Society. Hundreds of ethnic groups have existed in China throughout its history. The largest ethnic group in China by far is the Han. This group, however, is internally diverse and can be further divided into smaller ethnic groups that share similar traits. Over the last three millennia, many previously distinct ethnic groups in China have been Sinicized into a Han identity, which over time dramatically expanded the size of the Han population. However, these assimilations were usually incomplete, and vestiges of indigenous language and culture still often remain in various regions of China. Because of this, many within the Han identity have maintained distinct linguistic and cultural traditions while still identifying as Han. Several ethnicities have also dramatically shaped Han culture, e. g. the Manchurian clothing called the qipao became the new Chinese fashion after the 17th century, replacing earlier Han styles of clothing such as the Hanfu. The modern term Chinese nation (Zhonghua Minzu) is now used to describe a notion of a Chinese nationality that transcends ethnic divisions. China has over 50 minority groups. Each group has different languages, customs, and traditions. Gap between the Rich and the Poor. The Chinese society was structurally complex and not much is known about it. Research is still on. Life in old Chinese society on a normal working day was hard and industrious for the farmers while luxurious and laid back for nobles and merchants. There was a wide demographic gap between the farmers and kings and nobles. The farmers were far more in population as compared to nobles. They were economically exploited and were made to work very hard. The nobles lived in luxurious palaces while the farmers in China survived in small huts. Naturally the nobles were highly regarded and lived with great riches. Religion. There are three main religions in China. They are Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism. They were suppressed by the CCP during the 20th century, but they are still alive and penetrating the minds of Chinese today. These religions are all widespread, and aside from other world religions, they all originated in China. Confucianism was the official philosophy throughout most of Imperial Chinas history, and mastery of Confucian texts was the primary criterion for entry into the imperial bureaucracy. Chinas traditional values were derived from various versions of Confucianism. A number of more authoritarian strains of thought have also been influential, such as Legalism. There was often conflict between the ideas and philosophies, for example, the Song Dynasty Neo-Confucians believed Legalism departed from the original spirit of Confucianism. Examinations and a culture of merit remain greatly valued in China today. In recent years, a number of New Confucians (not to be confused with Neo-Confucianism) have advocated that democratic ideals and human rights are quite compatible with traditional Confucian Asian values. With the rise of European economic and military power beginning in the mid-19th century, non-Chinese systems of social and political organization gained adherents in China. Some of these would-be reformers totally rejected Chinas cultural legacy, while others sought to combine the strengths of Chinese and European cultures. In essence, the history of 20th-century China is one of experimentation with new systems of social, political, and economic organization that would allow for the reintegration of the nation in the wake of dynastic collapse. Economics. By roughly 10,000 BCE, in the Neolithic Era, agriculture was practiced in China. Stratified bronze-age cultures, such as Erlitou, emerged by the third millennium BCE. Under the Shang (ca. 1600–1045 BCE) and Zhou (1045–771 BCE), a dependent labor force worked in large-scale foundries and workshops to produce bronzes and silk for the elite. The agricultural surpluses produced by the manorial economy supported these early handicraft industries as well as urban centers and considerable armies. This system began to disintegrate after the collapse of the Western Zhou Dynasty in 771 BCE, preceding the Spring and Autumn and Warring states eras. As the feudal system collapsed, much legislative power was transferred from the nobility to local kings. A merchant class emerged during the Warring States Period, resulting in increased trade. The new kings established an elaborate bureaucracy, using it to wage wars, build large temples, and perform public works projects. This new system rewarded talent over birthright; important positions were no longer occupied solely by nobility. The adoption of new iron tools revolutionized agriculture and led to a large population increase during this period. By 221 BCE, the state of Qin, which embraced reform more than other states, unified China, built the Great Wall, and set consistent standards of government. [5] Although its draconian laws led to its overthrow in 206 BCE, the Qin institutions survived. During the Han Dynasty, China became a strong, unified, and centralized empire of self-sufficient farmers and artisans, though limited local autonomy remained. The Song Dynasty (960–1279 CE) brought additional economic reforms. Paper money, movable type, the compass, and other technological advances facilitated communication on a large scale and the widespread circulation of books. The state control of the economy diminished, allowing private merchants to prosper and a large increase in investment and profit. Despite disruptions during the Mongol conquest of 1279, the Ming Dynasty continued the Songs economic development. However, when the isolationist Qing Dynasty came into power, Chinas economic development began to slow. Europes rapid development during the Industrial Revolution enabled it to surpass China—an event known as the great divergence. Trade with foreign nations on a large scale began during the reign of Emperor Wu, when he sent the explorer Zhang Yi to contact nations west of China in search of allies to fight the Xiongnu. After the defeat of the Xiongnu, however, Chinese armies established themselves in Central Asia, starting the famed Silk Road, which became a major avenue of international trade Paper and Printing. The greatest Chinese discoveries of all times which the whole world accepts even today are the art of paper making, printing, gun powder and magnetic compass. Paper making was an art which developed in ancient China and they used silk, cloth, bark, fiber and hemp. Later during the Han Dynasty, about 1800 years ago, paper making was refined and was being made from hemp and bark and later from bamboo. Printing technology was invented in ancient China as far back as the 8th century and by 868 they were using wood block printing which was used to print the first book in the world. Advancement in the technology came by 11th century when movable ceramic printer was invented during the rule of the Song Dynasty. By the time the Tang dynasty came to power in ancient China, printing and paper making techniques had prompted the invention of books and book shops in the cities. Compass and Gun Powder. The invention of these two had put ancient China in the fore front in terms of scientific discovery and development. The compass was extremely useful for trade and sea travel. Here they used magnets to magnetize a pointer made of iron. Later the western world borrowed the technique for the navigation on the sea. Gun powder was invented by accident when the ancient Chinese found that throwing some types of mineral powders in the fire produces color and sparkling flame. They used the technology for making fireworks. Later the same gunpowder changed the art of modern warfare when it was used by the European powers against their enemies. Politics and Government. Ancient China had monarchy, i. e. government headed by an emperor and a royal family. Chinese rulers also called monarchs based their government on the Confucian model, which taught that the ruler was a virtuous man who led by example†¦ Despotic leadership. China like many other countries at that time was an agriculture based country with the river Yangtze as its lifeline. During the ancient period the king would be the leader and would be more of a dictator than a king for the people who would take decisions beneficial to them. He has un-surpassing power in all areas be it economy or governance or agriculture which was the livelihood of the people. Earliest incident of despotic leadership could probably be traced back to the Hsia dynasty (2200 – 1750 BC) when the emperor Yao picked Shun as his successor to help his people who were burdened by the regular floods. Enlightened Leadership. Shun can be given credit for being an enlightened leader, but he was very harsh on his people. He could put any of his people to death if they did not agree with his leadership. Other punishments included using whip, stick and fines for small offences. He was succeeded by Yu, who founded Hsia, the first dynasty. During this dynasty the Chinese government or the emperor employed huge labor to work under four groups: military, farming, construction workers and textile labor. Textile labor were given the task of weaving silk thread by hand to make clothes for the royal family, construction work included public work such as building wall, enlarging canals for agriculture etc. Military. Ancient China was most of the time caught in battles against the Huns or the invaders. In military the casualty was very high, because at that time it was quiet common to have mass warfare killing thousands at the same time; ordinary soldiers were simply treated as pawns by the king and other leaders. Shan Dynasty (1750-1040 BC) was ruthless when it came to battles, they even made the whole family fight in battles together because he believed they would fight better with each other. Position of Women. The Shan Dynasty followed the philosophy of Yin and Yan and believed in giving lesser role to women in the society as compared to men. Women were not given opportunities and were treated as inferior. Efforts to reform the Chinese Government. The Chou Dynasty (1040 -256 BC) tried to bring improvements in the government after the corrupt Shan Dynasty and tried to employ the feudal system. This new form of government in ancient China collapsed and ended up with Warring states period (403- 221 BC). Furthermore, corrupt emperors caused the country to fall apart into a continuous war like situation. It was after these that the enlightened Qin Dynasty ruled, which tried to reform and unified the country and builds the Great Wall of China. The Ancient Chinese Government was more of Despotism rather than Enlightened Monarchy which works for the betterment of the people. Legal Systems. Many of the ancient legal systems were considered to be harsh by modern day standards. When societies were beginning to establish civil order and a government hierarchy often many premises seemed extreme; for example, Hammurabi’s Code and the eye for an eye principle or the torture practices common in Medieval Europe. Although, modern China may be suspected of human rights abuses, Ancient China’s legal system was based on morals and the inherent good of the citizens. The Ancient Chinese legal system evolved through the principles of Confucianism and Legalism along with the traditions and morals of Ancient Chinese life. Confucianism. Confucianism as a philosophy gained prominence in the early existence of Ancient China. The Confucian philosophy believed that social control and social order could only be created through education. Confucianism influenced the Ancient Chinese legal system as it believed that humans were inherently good and that order was based on respect for the King and one’s fellow man. The early legal system of Ancient China was as a result, hesitant to utilize codified or written law. This was because codified laws served to tell people what to do without explaining the reasoning. Instead of codified law, the legal system of Ancient China was initially intended to be secondary to moral reasoning. It was believed under Confucianism that by ruling through traditions, norms, and morals that those who broke the accepted conditions would be ashamed and ostracized from society. Over time however, it became clear that in some circumstances people’s self-interest would differ from society. It was because of this that the premises of Confucianism were mixed with those of Legalism to form the first codified law in Ancient China. Legalism. Legalism in contrast to Confucianism was based on the concept that humans were predisposed to evil or wrongdoing. This belief led to the understanding that codified law and punishments were needed in order to maintain order in society. When Ancient China began to incorporate these principles into their legal system a focus was placed on the ruler. It was important to these principles that the ruler remained above the law so that his word could act as a guide. It was also important to Legalism that a ruler was respected so that his laws and punishments were seen as just. As Ancient China’s legal system evolved it remained important that the law had the respect of the people and that the people understood the traditions. Important Principles. Ancient China’s legal system is one of the oldest legal traditions and yet unlike modern day systems there was no separation between civil and criminal law. The legal system of Ancient China was structured around the ruler being able to unify society’s interests while maintaining respect. This premise is why any crimes against the ruler received no mercy. After the ruler in Ancient China the family was held in the highest regard; this is why crimes against the family were considered one of the greatest offences. In general Ancient China’s legal system attempted to enforce filial piety, to uphold the respect of family ancestors, to avoid legal action when possible, to create deterrents to actions and to control outbursts. In comparison, to many other early legal systems, China’s system was relatively relaxed and centered on the citizens rather than government mandates. Ancient China’s legal system was founded on the traditions of the society it was meant to control allowing the system to evolve into the present day Culture. Daily life in Ancient China is as mysterious as it is old. The ancient Chinese were master creators, artists, craftsmen and warlords. They created paper, gunpowder for battles, matches, cannons, compass, umbrellas and many more. They created many artifacts. They developed many martial arts and other art forms such as calligraphy. They used coins with holes in them. As there were no banks at that time they used to collect the money through strings in the coins. Ancient China was ruled by many dynasties and was constantly plagued with war. The peasants celebrated spring which was a very important festival in their life. It was celebrated during spring to welcome a good harvest and good fortune. Usually young men and women paired up and sang and danced. Like today, even in ancient China the Dragon was a sign of good luck. Chinese art is well known throughout the world. Its painting and calligraphy established the guiding principals by which other civilizations would emulate. In Chinese art, each object has its own subjective meaning, and can be interpreted in many ways. To the Chinese, color and form are not just words, but are a part of what makes them a unique people; there ability to surround themselves with beautiful architecture and lavish technique know no bounds. People around the world love Chinese food, and so they should. Lots of tradition and care has gone into some of todays finest and most famous dishes. In addition, Chinese medicine has been around for centuries, but only recently has it become a new, and almost baseline treatment, for common ailments such as headaches and fevers. Ancient Chinese Paintings. There are very few remains of paintings of ancient times except on ceramic and tiles, a clear historic development can be traced only after 5th century AD. Hundreds of caves of Buddhist wall paintings and scrolls dating back to late 5th century AD have been discovered. A highly organized system of representing objects was discovered different from the western perspective; the greatest strength of this art is its incomparable mastery of lines and silhouette. The art of figure painting reached it’s height during the Tang Dynasty, which also saw the rise of the great art of landscape painting executed as brush drawings with color washes Chinese Music and Poetry. Ancient Chinese music can be traced back to Neolithic age based on the discovery of bone flutes. Poetry and Music were influenced by the Book of Song, Confucius and the Chinese poet and statesman Qu Yuan. In the Xia, Shang and Zhou dynasties music was only for the royal families and dignitaries, entering the mainstream only in the Tang Dynasty. In the Song Dynasty ,Kunqu, the oldest form of Chinese opera developed and it was during this time that the writers and artists came up with new form of lyric poetry –Ci. Other Art Forms. There were other forms of art apart from the ones mentioned above during ancient times in China like Seals, Calligraphy, Embroidery, kite making, paper cutting and shadow puppetry. Ancient Chinese culture boasts of glorious forms of Art and traditional crafts which are just two of the many jewels in China’s 5000 year history.

Moss and McAdams Accounting Firm Essay Example for Free

Moss and McAdams Accounting Firm Essay 1. At the end of the case if you were Palmer, how would you respond? It was clear from the beginning everyone involved could have handled things more professionally in order to maximize time, and resources while maintaining a healthy and productive work environment for all employees. From the start of the project it was evident that Olds knowledge and skills were definitely in demand. Because his expertise was so in demand, when met with an organizational structure that had an obvious weak matrix structure, it caused great adversity. In this case we learn Ruby Sands had the role of functional manager and therefore ultimately made a decision that affected Palmer’s account. As soon as Palmer recognized the problems he should have addressed the issue then and presented the possible risk, moving forward the best option for Palmer is to find a suitable replacement for Olds. And accept the fact that valuable employees leave projects all the time for one reason or another. Also, Palmer should address his concerns regarding the situation on a whole to include Crosby’s unwillingness to be a team player as a way to avoid similar situations happening in the firm’s future. In conclusion, Palmer is the project manager; it is his responsibility to handle all aspects of the project to include communication. Effective communication would have lead to a better outcome. 2. Discuss what Palmer could do, if anything, to avoid losing Olds: Project managers are ultimately responsible for performance. Therefore it is Palmer’s responsibility to ensure that appropriate protocol is made between the time, cost and performance requirements of the project. In addition, the project manager is also responsible for the aspects of Leadership, such as problem solving, teamwork, negative politics and customer expectations. To avoid losing Olds, Palmer should have realized the struggles Olds was faced with, such as working extra hours to accommodate both projects and accounts, as a result the impact that it had on work-life balance took its toll on Olds and put him in a difficult position.

Influence of Culture on Multinational Companies

Influence of Culture on Multinational Companies Abstract This report provides with the evidence for deriving the analysis on the cultural influence on the multinational corporations while dealing with the cross-national markets. On the basis of the world famous cross-cultural expert, Geert Hofstedes elements of culture, the report has been guided for making the proper analysis of the example taken i.e. LOreal, which has been taken for supporting the activities performed by the corporation to deal with the cultural differences in various international markets. This report is commissioned by Rumorama Banking Corporation. The report is intended for internal use only and is specific to the factors regarding the adoption of online banking. The internal use is primarily as a managerial guide to the marketing and commercial targets of Rumorama Banking Corporation. 1.0 Introduction Culture It is the set of values, beliefs, rules, and institutions held by a specific group of people. It is learned and shared by common category people and the elements of culture are interconnected. Group boundaries are well defined by the culture. Each large culture may contain some subcultures having the same context. Culture influences the decision making, impacts the management in strategic activities and also the negotiations. Ethnocentricity is a belief that ones own culture is universally superior to others. (Hofstede, 1982) Elements of Culture Aesthetics sense of beauty and good taste Art, color, symbols, music, folklore Attitudes and beliefs Time, directness, achievement, work, change Manners (appropriate behavior) and customs (traditional behaviors) Education Literacy, science, math, trades, management Legal and political system Secular versus religious Free or not free Planned versus laissez-faire Societal organization Family structure, in-laws, extended family, divorce Class mobility Associations by age, gender, common interests, or otherwise Language and communication Verbal and non-verbal Gestures and body language Office size and closed versus open doors Conversational distance Touching Protecting traditional languages 2.0 Background 2.1 Elements of Culture Observed by Hofstede Individualism versus collectivism High/low power distance High/low uncertainty avoidance Desire for achievement/affiliation Long/short time horizon 2.2 Affects of culture on business: Culture has an impact on nearly all the functions of the management i.e. from finance to marketing to HR to IT. Culture is the major factor which decides whether establishing a business in foreign land will be an easy or difficult task by considering various cultural differences. The work ethics of the business will vary with different country leading to a major change in the work structure. Need Hierarchy Lower-order needs must be fulfilled prior to higher-order needs Workers in poor countries motivated by lower-order needs People from different countries or cultures may rank needs differently 5 dimensions of culture are: Power Distance Cultures are ranked high or low on this dimensions based on that societys ability to deal with inequalities, power, authority. Individualism vs. Collectivism Cultures are ranked on their orientation towards intersocietal relationships: Individualistic societies: loose ties, individual achievement and freedom In social orientation the relative importance of the interests of the individual is high in the individualism and the interests of the individual take precedence. And in power orientation the appropriateness of power/authority within organizations is high and in respect of power the authority is inherent in ones position within a hierarchy. Collectivist societies: tight ties, tend to be more relationship-oriented In social orientation the relative importance of the interests of the group is low in the collectivism, the interest of the group take precedence and in the power orientation the appropriateness power/authority within organizations is also low, regarding the power tolerance the individuals assess authority in view of its perceived rightness or their own personal interests. Masculinity vs. Femininity Cultures view relationship between gender and work role: goal orientation. High (masculine: aggressive goal value material possessions, money, and assertiveness) {goal orientation What motivates people to achieve different goals} Low (feminine: passive goal value social relevance quality of life, and the welfare of others Uncertainty Avoidance Cultures are ranked on extent that they accept ambiguous situations and tolerate uncertainty: risk issues. Low (uncertainty acceptance) positive response to change and new opportunities {uncertainty orientation an emotional response to uncertainty and change} High (uncertainty avoidance) Prefer structure and a consistent routine Long Term vs. Short Term orientation Classification of culture or attributes of culture or segmentation of culture or culture model Elements of culture: rituals, religion, aesthetic, social institution, symbols, thought processes, lifestyle, food, values, languages 2.3 Multicultural challenges in international business today Multinational corporations, increasingly recognize that success in global marketplace depends, to a large degree, on the employees ability to deal in the international arena (Prof. Tapio Varis, University of Tampere) Ability to relate to ourselves and to other different people is used increasingly as a measurement when deciding between the applicants who will get a job. Many national corporations also agree that maximum efficiency in the workplace depends on high diversity competence (every person has possibility to use his/her special personal motivation and multidimensional ability) and good ethnic relations among their employees (Prof. Pekka Auvinen, Seinà ¤joki Polytechnic). International Standardization Organization ISO team (2006) is preparing a community based responsibility standard ISO 26  000 which emphasizes labours well-being and development. The name of the document will be International Standard Proving Guidelines for Social Responsibility. It will be published in 2008 and will take into consideration issues dealt with in this course. In business culture we do not take into consideration emotions the changing processes do not happen in practice (Hargreaves, 1998). 3.0 LOreal example for showing the cultural impact in foreign markets As seen in the theoretical and the empirical part, culture is one of the elements which influence the consumer behaviour, what can impact on the firm strategy. The aim of a research done by the LOreal is to understand the influence of culture on the consumer behaviour in international markets and to explain in what ways the consumer behaviour is influencing adaptation strategy investigating LOreal Paris in the Asian Zone (Japan, South Korea and PRC) in order to determine if cultural differences influence LOreal Paris adaptation strategy for its products and promotion. 3.1 Analyzing the LOreal case with Hofstedes study on elements of culture This hierarchy of needs can be linked to the individualism versus collectivism Hofstedes dimension. Indeed China and South Korea are highly collectivist and Japan is moderately collectivist. Thus the motivation of people will depend more on the other members of the group. Masculinity versus femininity Hofstedes dimension can also play a role in the motivation. Japan is a very masculine country, PRC is in the average and South Korea has more feminine values. The motivation of Japanese may have more feminine values like family or well being. The uncertainty avoidance dimension is another important factor of influence in the motivation. It evaluates the ability to incur a risk. Japan and South Korea people have high score; they need for a lot of information in order to feel secure. They look for quality in each detail like the packaging. They listen to the advice of the salespersons in the shops to be sure that the product is adapted to them. At the opposite, Chinese people, who have a lower score, are not afraid by the decision-making. 3.2 Some of the changes in LOreals business activities due to change in culture, differentiating their marketing or promotional activities: 1) As it is mentioned in the empirical finding, Asian and European people have different ways of speaking. Asian people are vaguer, indirect and pay heed not to offence people whereas European people are most direct. Being frank will be well perceived in European but not accepted in Asia. 3) for example, in Asian cultures, lot of subjects belong to the private sphere and are not supposed to be broached in public situations. 4) Asian countries are more neutral than affective. They do not show their feelings and give the impression of controlling themselves. This tendency is confirmed by the fact that Japan and PRC have a high masculinity level, what highlights the fact of hiding emotions. However, Korean people have a lower masculinity index. That shows the difficulty of treating all the countries of the Asian zone in the same way. 5) The last element is the relationship people have with the brand- , firm- and country-image. For example, France has a luxury image in Asia and LOreal Paris a quality one. This superposition of values may create a positive attribute for LOreal Paris when launching products in Asia market. This image is different in the Asian zone. Chineses and Koreans prefer this brand because they consider that France is well known for cosmetics, on the contrary, Japaneses are more suspicious and think that it is not a Japanese brand and that is not a product especially made for them. 6) The physical canons are different. It is well seen in Asia to have a white skin. Thus, LOreal Paris adapts its products to the perception of beauty. In Asia, foundations have a very light colour and contain a special molecule in order for the skin not to tan. This tendency is a bit different in PRC where cultural influences are more American oriented, what implies darker colours utilization. 7) In Asian countries, it must have simple shapes and colours. In order for the customer to perceive the packaging in a more friendly way, LOreal Paris adapts shapes and colours. 8) Because made in France has a luxury image, it was easier to gain credibility in Asian countries when LOreal launched LOreal Paris there. However, since Asian people (especially Japanese and South Korean) think they are different and need adapted products, LOreal Paris played with the sourcing effect. It created factories in China and in Japan to do researches and sell more adapted products. 9) LOreal Paris has different advertisements with Asian top model in addition to western one. The aim, once again, is to create an international LOreal Paris but with Japanese values in Japan, Korean values in South Korea and Chinese values in PRC. The brand uses local models. Women can identify to them since they share the same physical characteristics, they have the same culture and the same nationality. Conclusion The Asian market has its own specificities and its own culture. The way people perceive the product or the promotion, the way they motivate their choice or purchase is unique and LOreal Paris adapts many of its products elements in that way. First, about the product, LOreal Paris changes some physical aspects like the colours of the product (perception)* or the formulation (self concept, group influence)*. It also adapts the packaging attributes putting more details to the quality or the aesthetic aspect (perception)* and highlighting the luxury image of the brand (brand-and country-image)* thanks to a more Zen and simple packaging. Moreover, the service attributes appear in a more obvious way in the Asian zone (uncertainty avoidance, purchase)*. There, the salespersons are especially trained to answer all the questions possible (learning and memory)* about the molecule of the product or the way of using it, and they advice the customers in the most technical way (uncertainty avoidan ce)* thanks to some special programmes helping to know more about the specificities of each skin. The point of sales is also adapted with a more luxurious and personal concept (motivation, perception)* and the symbolic attributes are taken into account in the colours range (perception)* which is lighter. The promotion is adapted to the consumer behaviour differences too. LOreal Paris uses local top-model to enable people to recognize their own country in the advertisements. It creates some special web sites for the countries (self concept, perception)*. Moreover, in china, LOreal Paris adapts its promotion to the fact that Chinese expect more information about how to use the products (attitude towards change)* To conclude and to answer our research question, culture differences may influence LOreal Paris adaptation strategy for the make-up products and their promotion. The following model shows the elements of culture used (unconsciously or not) by LOreal Paris for its adaptation strategy, physical attributes, packaging, service attributes, symbolic attributes and promotion.

The Use of Isolation in Two Fairy Tales Essay -- Literature Writing Li

The Use of Isolation in Two Fairy Tales The social evolution from the Enlightenment to the Romantic Age altered the usage of reason in literature by instituting elements of imagination and mysticism. Likewise, the usages of certain concepts in literature can reflect social attitudes of the author’s environment. One such concept that is common to both Ludwig Tieck’s â€Å"Fair-Haired Eckbert† and Wilhelm Wackenroder’s â€Å"A Wondrous Oriental Fairy Tale of a Naked Saint† is the isolation of characters. Isolation, as the cause, or simply as an indicator, of suffering in these two literary fairy tales is a notion that is successfully used to dictate the spiritual fates of the characters in each story. There are several manifestations of isolation as the cause of suffering in â€Å"Fair-Haired Eckbert†. The first manifestation is literally separation anxiety. Despite the fact that character interactions in this story only lead to trouble, the characters yearn for solidarity with one another. Subsequently, their isolation inevitably leads to misery. After running away from home, Bertha’s lonely voyage is filled with tears and is self-described as â€Å"utterly comfortless,† and she longs â€Å"but to see one [other] human creature† (33). Upon discovering the green valleys that imply potential cohabitants, Bertha claims, â€Å"my loneliness and helplessness no longer frightened me† and she is â€Å"joyfully surprised† (34) to see the old woman. Bertha overcomes the pains of isolation by living with the old woman; however, this relationship soon falls apart and Bertha once again runs away. Bertha voyages â€Å"amid tears and sobs† (39) and stumbles back upon her home town. After finding out her parents had passed away, Bertha â€Å"drew back quickly and left the village ... ... strong religious overtones present in both texts. Isolation is utilized as a cause of suffering for the characters in Tieck’s â€Å"Fair-Haired Eckbert.† It serves as punishment for these characters as a result of bearing the burden of original sin, and thus conveys the pessimistic view of human spirituality as a downward spiral from the Garden of Eden. Conversely, in Wackenroder’s â€Å"A Wondrous Oriental Fairy Tale of a Naked Saint,† the concept of redemption from isolation (the indicator of suffering) represents the optimistic stance of human spirituality as ascension to Heaven. It follows that the dichotomy between isolation as an indicator or the cause of suffering in these two stories reflects the larger dichotomy between optimistic and pessimistic tones taken in Romantic literature, specifically those taken by Tieck and Wackenroder in these two literary fairy tales.

\Napster Case :: Napster Music Download

. Introduction: Amidst the hot debate about whether or not music should be free, there are ethical and moral considerations as well. MP3 music downloading has become the latest fad for computer owners. One computer site where users can download MP3 songs is Napster. The emergence of digital entertainment, whether an MP3, Liquid Audio book, or streaming video, has caused an inevitable shift in the entertainment market from a commodity base to a service base. One reason is that the digital medium eliminates acquisition cost for the consumer. A perfect copy of the original good is automatically created upon request. Using open platforms and formats, new companies in the entertainment sector have literally bypassed traditional production and distribution channels to reach the consumer. Napster is the perfect example of this new paradigm, turning every member’s computer into an audio server and distributing an individualized playlist. However, this trend seriously limits a content owne r’s ability to restrict the supply of his/her intellectual property on a large scale and thus control it. In response, the music industry has resorted to litigation and restrictive usage rules on licensed or retailed digital products. 2. Analysis the Economics of the music recording business The music industry continues to be characterized by commodity pricing. This is largely due to the fact that major label revenues are predominately derived from CD sales. As such, the focus of the industry’s online strategy has been to prevent CD sale cannibalization through control of online product supply and distribution. In the absence of this control, copyright owners would be unable to maintain pricing control. As a result, the industry has taken the lead in defining new rules for online digital distribution that would replicate conditions existing for off-line digital distribution. ï  ¶ Copyright infringements (excluding the effect of Internet) - bootlegging, piracy and counterfeits - are costing the music industry approximately $5 billion per year ï  ¶ sales in the music industry's five biggest markets (USA, Japan, Germany, UK and France) are growing slowly, if not stagnating 3. Analyze the company’s history, development, and growth. James Breyer (venture capitalist): â€Å"Napster is truly revolutionary- and it will be a precursor of some of the most important web applications over the next several years.)† 3.1. History Napster Case :: Napster Music Download . Introduction: Amidst the hot debate about whether or not music should be free, there are ethical and moral considerations as well. MP3 music downloading has become the latest fad for computer owners. One computer site where users can download MP3 songs is Napster. The emergence of digital entertainment, whether an MP3, Liquid Audio book, or streaming video, has caused an inevitable shift in the entertainment market from a commodity base to a service base. One reason is that the digital medium eliminates acquisition cost for the consumer. A perfect copy of the original good is automatically created upon request. Using open platforms and formats, new companies in the entertainment sector have literally bypassed traditional production and distribution channels to reach the consumer. Napster is the perfect example of this new paradigm, turning every member’s computer into an audio server and distributing an individualized playlist. However, this trend seriously limits a content owne r’s ability to restrict the supply of his/her intellectual property on a large scale and thus control it. In response, the music industry has resorted to litigation and restrictive usage rules on licensed or retailed digital products. 2. Analysis the Economics of the music recording business The music industry continues to be characterized by commodity pricing. This is largely due to the fact that major label revenues are predominately derived from CD sales. As such, the focus of the industry’s online strategy has been to prevent CD sale cannibalization through control of online product supply and distribution. In the absence of this control, copyright owners would be unable to maintain pricing control. As a result, the industry has taken the lead in defining new rules for online digital distribution that would replicate conditions existing for off-line digital distribution. ï  ¶ Copyright infringements (excluding the effect of Internet) - bootlegging, piracy and counterfeits - are costing the music industry approximately $5 billion per year ï  ¶ sales in the music industry's five biggest markets (USA, Japan, Germany, UK and France) are growing slowly, if not stagnating 3. Analyze the company’s history, development, and growth. James Breyer (venture capitalist): â€Å"Napster is truly revolutionary- and it will be a precursor of some of the most important web applications over the next several years.)† 3.1. History

Platos Republic Essay -- Philosophy Justice Plato Papers

In reading the Republic, there is no reason to search for arguments which show that Platonic justice ('inner justice' or 'psychic harmony') entails ordinary justice. The relationship between inner justice and ordinary justice is of no importance in Plato's Republic. We note that Plato tries to argue from the very first book that the true source of normativity lies in knowledge attained by philosophical reason. What is crucial, then, is the relationship between inner justice and acts which brings about a just polis. I. The Unimportance of Ordinary Justice The issue of the relationship between inner justice and ordinary justice has been the subject of critical discussion since it was famously raised by David Sachs. (1) In this essay, I shall argue that the relationship between inner (or 'Platonic') justice and ordinary justice (conceived as doing acts which Glaucon, Adeimantus and the rest of the gathering consider to be just) was of no importance in Plato's Republic. (2) What was important, rather, was the relationship between inner justice and acts which bring about a just polis. My claim about the unimportance of ordinary justice in relation to inner justice is pre-empted to some degree by Gregory Vlastos and Julia Annas. Vlastos distinguished two senses of ordinary justice:(3) (a) the degenerate morality of those who see it as a path to gratification, and (b) the common morality of those who respect virtue and have a firm disposition to act justly ('justice' as Cephalus possessed, for example). Vlastos rejected any connection between inner justice and ordinary justice in the sense of (a), but assumed that inner justice entailed ordinary justice in the sense of (b) and argued for the connection. However, at least the... ...eligion, New York, 1971. (2)I have used the Jowett translation. (3) Gregory Vlastos, Platonic Studies, Chapter 5: "Justice and Happiness in the Republic", Princeton, 1981 (2nd edition), esp. pp. 135-136. (4)Julia Annas, An Introduction to Plato's Republic, Oxford, 1981, see esp. Chapter 6. (5) There are three different ways of dividing the soul in the Republic: i) the division into reasonable, feeling and appetitive parts; ii) the simile of the line which groups its cognitive capacities into understanding and reasoning on the one hand, and belief and imagination on the other; iii) the division in Book X between the knowing part and the perceptive part. The divisions of the line correspond to the divisions in Book X. In Book III, the feelings and appetites are contrasted with reason, so they naturally rely on perception and imagination and not on knowledge.

Cricket History

Cricket, also called the Gentleman's game, is a bat-and-ball team sport that is first documented as being played in southern England in the 16th century. The sport's earliest definite mention was in a 1598 court case which referred to a sport called cricket being played by boys at the Royal Grammar School, Guildford around 1550. It is believed that it was originally a children's game but references around 1610, indicate that adults had started playing it and the earliest reference to inter-parish or village cricket occurs soon afterwards.In 1624, a player called Jasper Vinall was killed when he was struck on the head during a match between two parish teams in Sussex. During the 17th century, numerous references indicate the growth of cricket in the south-east of England and it is believed that the first professionals appeared in the years following the Restoration in 1660. A newspaper report survives of ‘a great cricket match' with eleven players a side that was played for high stakes in Sussex in 1697 and this is the earliest known reference to a cricket match of such importance.The game was prominent in London as early as 1707 and large crowds flocked to matches on the Artillery Ground in Finsbury. The single wicket form of the sport attracted huge crowds and wagers to match. Bowling evolved around 1760 when bowlers began to pitch the ball instead of rolling or skimming it towards the batsman. This caused a revolution in bat design because, to deal with the bouncing ball, it was necessary to introduce the modern straight bat in place of the old ‘hockey stick' shape.The Hambledon Club was founded in the 1760s and, for the next 20 years until the formation of Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) and the opening of Lord's Old Ground in 1787, Hambledon was both the game's greatest club and its focal point. MCC quickly became the sport's premier club and the custodian of the rules of the game known as the Laws of Cricket. These are maintained by the Internati onal Cricket Council (ICC) and the MCC, which holds the copyright. New Laws introduced in the latter part of the 18th century included the three stump wicket and leg before wicket (lbw).By the end of the 18th century, cricket had become the national sport of England. The 19th century saw underarm bowling replaced by first round-arm and then overarm bowling. Organisation of the game at county level led to the creation of the county clubs, starting with Sussex CCC in 1839, which ultimately formed the official County Championship in 1890. The expansion of the British Empire had been instrumental in spreading the game overseas and by the middle of the 19th century it had become well established in India, North America, the Caribbean, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.In 1844, the first international cricket match took place between the United States and Canada, although neither has ever been ranked as a Test-playing nation). Today, the game's governing body, the ICC, has 104 membe r countries. With its greatest popularity in the Test playing countries, cricket is the world's second most popular sport after Association football. A cricket match is played on a cricket field at the centre of which is a pitch. The match is contested between two teams of eleven players each.One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible without being dismissed or getting ‘out' while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the other team's batsmen and limit the runs being scored. When the batting team has used all its available overs or has no remaining batsmen, the roles become reversed and it is now the fielding team's turn to bat and try to outscore the opposition. There are several variations in the length of a game of cricket. In professional cricket this ranges from a limit of 20 overs per side (Twenty20) to a game played over 5 days (Test cricket).Depending on the form of the match being played, there are different rules that govern how a game is wo n, lost, drawn or tied. Generally, cricket can be divided between matches in which the teams have two innings apiece and those in which they have a single innings each. The former, known as first- class cricket, has a duration of three to five days while the latter, known as limited overs cricket because each team bowls a limit of typically 50 overs, has a planned duration of one day only. Typically, two-innings matches have at least six hours of playing time each day.Limited overs match often last six hours or more. There are usually formal intervals on each day for lunch and tea with brief informal breaks for drinks. There is also a short interval between innings. Test cricket is the highest standard of first-class cricket. A Test match is an international fixture between teams representing those countries that are Full Members of the ICC. Teams in Test cricket, first- class cricket and club cricket wear traditional white uniforms and use red cricket balls.Test matches between two teams are usually played in a group of matches called a â€Å"series†. Matches last up to five days and a series normally consists of three to five matches. Test matches that are not finished within the allotted time are drawn. Test cricket is deemed to have begun with two matches between Australia and England in the 1876-77 Australian season. Subsequently, eight other national teams have achieved Test status: South Africa (1889), West Indies (1928), New Zealand (1929), India (1932), Pakistan (1952), Sri Lanka (1982), Zimbabwe (1992) and Bangladesh (2000).Zimbabwe subsequently suspended its Test status in 2006 due to its inability to compete against other Test teams and has yet to resume playing Test cricket. Welsh players are eligible to play for England, which is in effect an England and Wales team. The West Indies team comprises players from numerous states in the Caribbean, most notably Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago, the Leeward Islands and the Windward Is lands. In a one day match, each match is scheduled for completion in a single day.It is the most common form of limited overs cricket played on an international level. Each team plays one innings only and faces a limited number of overs, usually a maximum of 50. Standard limited overs cricket was introduced in England in the 1963 season in the form of a knockout cup contested by the first-class county clubs. The concept was gradually introduced to the other major cricket countries and the first limited overs international was played in 1971. In 1975, the first Cricket World Cup took place in England.Limited overs cricket has seen various innovations including the use of multi-coloured kit and floodlit matches using a white ball. Twenty20 is a new variant of limited overs itself with the purpose being to complete the match within about three hours, usually in an evening session. The original idea, when the concept was introduced in England in 2003, was to provide workers with an even ing entertainment. It has been commercially successful and has been adopted internationally. The inaugural Twenty20 World Championship was held in 2007 and won by India.Subsequently, many domestic Twenty20 leagues were born which include the Indian Cricket League, the Indian Premier League and the Twenty20 Champions League. The International Cricket Council (ICC), which has its headquarters in Dubai, is the international governing body of cricket. It was founded as the Imperial Cricket Conference in 1909 by representatives from England, Australia and South Africa, renamed the International Cricket Conference in 1965, and took up its current name in 1989.The ICC has 104 members: 10 Full Members that play official Test matches, 34 Associate Members, and 60 Affiliate Members. The Full Members are the governing bodies for cricket in a country or associated countries. All Full Member nations are automatically qualified to play ODIs and Twenty20 Internationals. They are Australia, Banglad esh, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, West Indies and Zimbabwe. The associate and affiliate teams who currently hold ODI and T20I status are Afghanistan, Canada, Ireland, Kenya, Netherlands, and Scotland.