The Destruction of the Igbo Indigenous Culture in Things Fall Apart Ess

In Things fall apart, Chinua Achebe showed us the richness of the Igbo traditional culture as well as the destruction of it through the activities of British missionaries. The appearance of Christianity on the Nigerian tribal land led to the disintegration of belief in the Igbo society, and made way for British colonization. Were the British the only cause of the destruction of the Igbo culture? The appearance of a new religion was not the sole reason for the loss of a tradition. The Igbo people also lost their culture because of many unreasonable conceptions in their spirituality. To colonize the land of Nigerian tribal people or any other lands in the world, the British wisely used religion as a tool of invasion. Though the process of spreading Christianity took longer time than war and killing, the attack on belief and spirituality made the native people completely submit to the new government which generated and supported the religion that those people followed. In fact, the British missionaries succeeded in convincing the Igbo people of the new religion despite the Igbo’s conservativeness and extreme superstition. When the missionaries arrived in Mbanta, the mother land of Okonkwo, they did not achieve their goal of convincing people at the first time. They talked about the new and only God and tried to persuade the Igbo that they had been worshipping the false Gods of wood and stone (145), but the Igbo only thought that they were mad, some even went away while the missionaries were speaking. However, the strangeness of those missionaries and the new religion somehow attracted the Igbo: Then the missionaries burst into song. It was one of those gay and rollicking tunes of evangelism which had the ... ...tion that had existed in the Igbo society and caused things to fall apart. The novel Things fall apart depicts the cultural battle between the Igbo and the British: one was trying to keep its tradition, and one wanted to change those traditions by replacing them with a new religion. Finally, the British won because of they could figure out the falsehood in the indigenous people’s degenerate customs and attack it. Nothing in this world is perfect, and it is hard for a culture to be perfect. However, if a culture wants to develop and thrive, it should respect the value of its entire people. That was the reason why the Igbo culture was destroyed, because of its conservativeness, gender differentiation and superstitiously killing of the innocent. Work Cited Chinua Achebe - Chinua Achebe - Things Fall Apart: A Novel - New York - Broadway Books - 1994

Child Advocacy Essay

Explanation Paper on Child Advocacy soc 4800 Dr. Schmidt Child advocacy refers to a range of individuals, professionals and advocacy organizations who promote the optimal development of children. An individual or organization engaging in advocacy typically seeks to protect children’s rights which may be abridged or abused in a number of areas. This type of occupation advocates for all children whether they are a boy or a girl. Children in all areas of the globe experience some sort of abuse and without omeone in place to be that voice for them, their cries are left unheard. My presentation points out the Job description of a child advocate and how someone can take this position to make a difference. I intern at the Haven which is a battered women’s shelter and I see firsthand how children are affected by abuse. Child advocates don’t make much money to do what they do, however, the reward is eternal. Child advocates exist in school, community, and home environments, and ork on an individual, group or governmental levels to protect and nurture children. In most circumstances, mothers, fathers, family and teachers all advocate on behalf of children, although it is well recognized that we all have the ability and responsibility to advocate on behalf of children. Eight Canadian provinces. including Ontario, have an official Child Advocate whose job it is to protect the interests and welfare of all the children in the province. Within he criminal Justice system, child advocates are concerned with the developmental needs of children and young people, and can play an important role in ensuring due process rights for young people in conflict with the law. They can help provide a voice for children and young people, ensure Just and humane conditions of custody, and guard the privacy rights surrounding record provisions. They can also work to ensure that the special legal protections assigned to young people are provided with dignity and fairness.

1000 Words on Proper Uniform

The Importance of obeying orders and being on time for duty. There are many reasons why a soldier, (doesn't matter the rank) should obey orders from anyone above him or her in the chain of command. Sometimes its good to listen to people soldiers below you too because they maybe smarter at the task then you are. One reason is that the military is revolved around higher ranking soldiers leading the lower ranking soldiers, they’re more experienced in the military then I am and been deployed more than i have.If everyone in the military just did their own thing then we wouldn't be a successful army and then our country wouldn't be as strong as it is. Every higher up gives an order for a reason, we may not like the reason but in the end most of the orders and decisions will be smart ones i guarantee. We were taught as children to obey our higher-ups. Starting from our parents, teachers, managers, police officers and etc†¦ So how does this relate to the military?Well, when a per son enlists in the United States Military, active duty or reserve, they take the following oath, â€Å"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Right there you are making a promise to the United States Military. Before you or I even put on the uniform, you promise you’ll obey the orders of the President and the orders of the officers appointed over you. Military discipline and effectiveness is built on the foundation of obedience to orders. Brand new privates are taught to obey, immediately and without question, orders from their superiors, right from day one of boot camp. Almost every soldier can tell you that obedience was drilled into their heads at one point in Basic Training.For example, no talking in the chow line, don’t talk with your hands, head and eyes forward, no smiling, stand a parade rest, and of course the famous â€Å"Yes Drill Sergeant / No Drill Sergeant†. Those are just the simple orders you are made to obey in the military. Greater orders mean bigger consequences. Military members who fail to obey the lawful orders of their superiors risk serious consequences. Military discipline and effectiveness is built on obedience to orders.Recruits are taught to obey, immediately and without question, orders from their superiors, right from day-one of boot camp. Which is why we work so well by following orders from the more experienced leaders who have been doing this for years? We have plenty of obedience in Bravo Company and I feel it is one of the best companies in the unit. It has made me want to pursue a career in the military and I know rules and regulations is what am going to make me move up the ranks and make me an all around better soldier.I know I need to work on discipline sometimes and I am doing corrective training right now to make me become a better soldier. So in my essay I have listed many characteristics which in the history and present day made what the army is today. I feel the army values have a big role in rules and regulations because if you follow the values you will not stray off in being disobedient. It's very important to follow directions, or else the world would be in chaos.When some tells you that you must follow directions so that everything can go in an orderly fashion, it's important do because they know what's going to happen if you don't. It's important to follow directions because if you don't something can go wrong, its important follow directions because if you don't you will get in trouble, and it is also important to follow directions because if you don't you'll be writing this essay too. It is important to follow directions beca use if you don't something can go wrong.If you decide to cross the street and someone tells you not to, their telling you for a reason, maybe so that you won't get hit by a car or get shot at in a drive by shooting. It's important follow directions because if you don't you'll get in trouble, if you decide to cross the street after they told you not to, you'll suffer. The importance of reporting on time to the soldiers appointed place of duty is not a task to be taken lightly.Every soldiers has important tasks set out for them no matter what the individual soldier may think about why they are doing that particular job it must be done for a reason that may not be told to that soldier until the task is complete. Reporting to the task on time and in the correct uniform is not to be taken lightly because if that soldier is late to their assigned task then that would mean that a different soldier would have to take the late soldiers place until they rrive which might not seem like a lot t o some people but what if that soldier who was not late had and in most cases would have their own tasks to complete. Now were talking about not just one soldier but a whole organization not functioning the way that it should be or taking more time than it should have to accomplish those few simple tasks. The same thing applies when a soldier is at his appointed place of duty on time but not in the correct uniform then your talking about taking more time to go home get into the correct uniform and hurry back which would be the same thing as showing up late.

Mercury Athletic Footwear Essay

1. Active Gear is a relatively small athletic and casual footwear company $470.3 million of revenue and $60.4 million of EBIT compared to typical competitors that sold well over a $1.0 billion annually Company executives felt its small size was becoming more of a disadvantage due to consolidation among Chinese contract manufacturers. Specialty athletic footwear that evolved from high performance to athletic fashion wear with a â€Å"classic† appeal. Casual/recreational footwear for walking, hiking, boating, etc.. Affluent urban & suburbanites in the 25-45 age range (i.e. â€Å"Yuppies†). Brands are associated with upwardly mobile lifestyle. Department & specialty stores – no big box retailers. 2. Company strengths: By focusing on a portfolio of classic brands, Active Gear has been able to lengthen its product lifecycle. In turn, this has led to less operating volatility and better supply chain management as well as lower DSI 3. Company weaknesses: By avoiding the chase for the latest fashion trend and avoiding big box retailers, the company has had very low growth 4. Mercury was a subsidiary of a large apparel company As a result of a strategic realignment, the division was considered to be non-core. 2006 revenue and EBITDA were $431.1 million and $51.8 million respectively Under the egis of WCF, Mercury’s performance was mixed. WCF was able to expand sales of footwear, but was never able to establish the hoped for apparel line 5. Products, Customers and Distribution: Men’s and women’s athletic and casual footwear. Most products were priced in the mid-range. More contemporary fashion orientation Typical customers were in the 15-25 age range. Primarily associated with X-games enthusiasts and youth culture Products were sold primarily through a wide range of retail, department, and specialty stores – including discount retailers 6. Company strengths: Established brand and identity within a well-defined niche market that seems to be growing. Strong top-line growth resulting from inroads with major  retailers. Products were less complex; and therefore, cheaper to produce 7. Company weaknesses: Increased sales came as a result of pricing concessions to large retailers. Proliferation of brands led to decreased operating efficiency and a longer DSI. Women’s casual footwear was a disaster Central Question: What Are the Likely Rationales for a Combination of Active Gear and Mercury? How do the acquirer and target fit together? What are the potential sources of value? How would any potential sources of value be realized? Potential sources of value creation: Operating synergies coming from economies of scale with respect to contract manufacturers Perhaps some economies of scope with respect to distribution – extending the distribution network Possible combination of the women’s casual lines Counter arguments to value creation: Poor strategic fit – Mercury’s focus is on a totally different market demographic Likewise, Mercury’s niche maybe significantly more prone to fashion fads Continued growth of extreme sports category may make Mercury’s business vulnerable to the large athletic shoe companies Firm Value & Cash Flows: 1. As a starting point, let’s start with a basic valuation paradigm Note that the sole determinant of value is the generation of cash flow Further the only relevant factors are the amounts, timing and risks of the cash flows FCF is assumed to be the mean of an a random distribution Determination of FCF To begin, the preceding equation led to a value of the entire enterprise, meaning V = D + E Thus, we are interested in what the total business is worth irrespective of who gets the cash or how it’s financed In turn, this means we are interested in the un-levered FCF Un-Levered FCF = EBIT(1-t) + Depr’ – ∆WC – Cap-x Determination of FCF In case Exhibit 6, Liedtke provides a set of projections for each of the operating segments – Thus, Multiplying EBIT by (1-t) yields the first term in the FCF equation Question: Are taxes being overstated? It is true that interest expense creates a tax shield However, the value of the tax shield is acknowledged in the WACC or in a separate calculation when using APV

Pay for Performance why it doesn't work in the Workplace Essay

Pay for Performance why it doesn't work in the Workplace - Essay Example To show the extensive use of the reward system, the author writes on using rewards to recognize teamwork, monetary rewards for employees for undertaking trainings and gaining new skills. The author states that rewards often impede than they enhance performance on many tasks with specific emphasis to those that require creativity with the example of Japan and Germany countries that do not use reward incentives and are successful in employee motivation. The other further explores the fact that there are no empirical studies linking motivation to rewards showing poor implementation of compensation systems. In fact, research by Jenkins in 1986 shows no relation between quality performance and rewards (p 124). In a case where incentives were withdrawn, production decreased then after sometime rose to reach a better level than when there were incentives further showing that incentives do not motivate workers for quality or higher productivity (p 124). The author then delves into the reasons for the failure of incentives including lack of necessity that is the introduction of incentives unnecessarily resulting in lack of any impact on performance. The second reason is secrecy where there is no transparency on each employees earning leading to overestimation and belief of differences in pay resulting in low morale and turmoil at the workplace. Other reasons are lack of match between performances and pay and expense in rewards solved via using noncash rewards. The other reason is too big versus too small incentives where small incentives do not have an impact while large ones are not received by all the workers resulting in failure of incentives to motivate performance. Short-term versus long-term incentives are the other reasons for incentives failure where employees may make decisions countering long-term interests when incentives base on short-term performance. Objectivity versus subjectivity,

The Utilization of Wellness Programs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Utilization of Wellness Programs - Essay Example The other issue relates to how HR leaders find themselves performing dual roles in the HR systems and as members of the top management team (TMT). Utilization of Wellness Programs The term Human Resources has different meanings which depend with the context of usage. In economics, it means the human labor or capital at a firm’s disposal. However, in business it refers to individuals who make up the workforce of an organization. In most organizations, a human resources department headed by the HR manager is created so as to manage the organization’s workforce and to harness its efforts. The department has various responsibilities which ensure that the workforce is geared towards the achievement of the organizational strategies. Some of the HR roles involve utilization of wellness programs. Wellness in this regard encompasses more than just absence of ailments. An employee’s lifestyle should resonate with their mental and body health as well as their spirituality. These aspects hugely determine an employee’s wellbeing thereby crucial towards productivity (McCalla, Kumar and Lybeck, 2009). Therefore, it is essential for HR departments to encompass wellness programs in order to ensure a healthy and productive workforce. HR managers and support staff have the best opportunity of understanding individual employees better through the wellness programs. ... A poor or disorganized lifestyle indicates a disorganized mind while the opposite is true. It is also important to note that wellness programs also include financial wellness. There is considerable comfort enjoyed by individuals when they dwell in financial health. An organization should therefore strife towards attaining wellness for the employees as a motivator. When employees are motivated in a positive manner, research has shown that they significantly increase their productivity (Ingham and Norris, 2007). Some of the popular wellness programs encompass health risk assessment, smoking and drinking and free or subsidized membership to fitness centers among others. Every organization ensures that there are clearly laid out policies or guidelines followed during operations to attain set goals. This means that everything that goes on in a firm must be in line with the set strategies. The various departments in the organization must also make sure that as they undertaking their respon sibilities they comply with the organization’s key policy. As a result, operations in the organization are harmonized through teamwork and chain of command within the HR functions (McCalla, Kumar and Lybeck, 2009). It is not possible to have a workforce that is willing to work together if most of the workers lead unhealthy and poor lifestyles. Some will drag the others in a team as a result of illnesses or even mental stress. Employees should be exposed to education coupled with activities inclined towards healthy living in order to improve the general welfare of the employees. Employee wellness results in reduced cost of insurance due to many lifestyle related conditions and diseases for organizations. Absenteeism is another big issue plaguing

Latin American Cinema (cuban, Strawberry and Chocolate) Essay

Latin American Cinema (cuban, Strawberry and Chocolate) - Essay Example Describing those days, the film under discussion qualifies as a Cuban cinema with certain typical traits. Mr. Gutierrez Alea, the maker of this film, has always been sensitive towards â€Å"Cubanness†. This Cubanness finds expression through a social commitment, which must also culminate at a social resonance. People must be able to identify themselves with the characters of the film, and further reflect on the subject and predicate of the presentation. Memories of Underdevelopment effectively portrayed the identity factor of the Cuban society and thus it accomplishes as a typical Cuban film. Mr. Gutierrez Alea was critical to the revolution but not destructive towards it. Hence, Memories of Underdevelopment can be defined as a portrait of the Cuban society created by a critical insider of the Cuban Revolution itself. The film covers the humanistic aspects of the revolutionary outlook through the heart and mind of a sensitive filmmaker. Hence, it becomes a descriptive monologue of the Cuban Revolution as a whole. The film has a radical expressionist approach towards the Cuban Revolution and the society. It particularly seeks to point out the stringency and confusion in the post revolutionary Cuba during the 1960s. The film is about an intellectual who strives to find out his place in the post-revolutionary social framework of Cuba. Thus, the director enters a world of inter-contradiction, where we find both revolutionary commitment and humanly hesitations in one go. In the process, the critique becomes pretty innovative. The film does not attack one’s humanly weaknesses. Rather, it portrays this factor of weakness sympathetically. The assertive masterpiece is meshed into the picturing of this sensitive feature of the human mind. The weakness or hesitation actually develops from the internal mind, where subconscious reasoning often takes control of a man’s