Culture and Organisation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Culture and Organisation - Essay Example The company is involved in a range of services, including consumer banking, credit cards, investment banking, mortgage loans, corporate banking, wealth management and private banking. The bank refers both Hong Kong and United Kingdom as its ancestral markets. The company has more than 7500 offices across 85 counties. The branches and subsidiaries are spread across Asia, Africa, North America, Europe and South America (HSBC, 2014d). The company operates across four business categories: commercial banking; global banking and markets; wealth management and retail banking; and overseas private banking. HSBC’s internal environment is based on values such as, integrity, diversity, cultural inclusion as well as global expansion for growth and development (HSBC, 2014a). Employee empowerment is a major strategy followed by HSBC for overall development of the organisation. The bank believes that empowered employees will help in meeting expectations of customers, society, investors and regulators. The bank has also given major stress on its culture and rich tradition. The culture of HSBC is unique mixture of traditional values as well as contemporary management practices, making it a distinctive organisation (Trompenaars, 1993). Significant differences lies among different cultures in terms of behaviour, communication and body language (Adler, 1997). One of the major distinctions between high and low context cultures was proposed by Edward T. Hall, a well-known anthropologist from America. High context culture is defined as the one where communication is highly implicit and coded in physical context or other communication channels, apart from verbal. A low context culture can be defined as a type of communication where major part of the information is present in explicit code and little is transmitted through other mediums such as, gestures or body language (Chaney, 2005). The current focus of the report is to understand the organisational practice followed

A Raisin in the Sun Analysis Essay Example for Free

A Raisin in the Sun Analysis Essay Throughout the play, A Raisin in the Sun, the Younger family struggles to come together as a family. One of the main impediments in their unity is their differing views on the world. Each character has their own dream and is unwilling to sacrifice that dream for anything. They are afraid of having their dream deferred. Their dreams, especially Walter Lee’s, break the family apart, and it is only when they unite their dreams together that they unite the family. Most of the members of the Younger family have some kind of individual dream. Beneatha wants to be a doctor; Ruth wants to move into a home that is her own; Mama simply wants to keep the family together; and Walter wants to be able to provide comfortably for his family. All these differing dreams and goals cause rifts in the family from time to time, but none more so than Walter Lee Younger’s dream. Walter is a pivotal character in the play. His actions shape the plot unquestionably, and it is because of his strong will and perseverance towards his dream that the plot progresses as it does. He believes that his way is the best for the family and he will do anything to achieve it. After feeling closer to his dream than ever before he tells Travis, â€Å"Just tell me what it is you want to be- and you’ll be it†¦. Whatever you want to be – Yessir! You just name it, son†¦ and I hand you the world! † (Hansberry, 109). This reinforces the idea that Walter thought that his dream would save his son. In her book, Worlds of Pain, Lillian B. Rubin writes, â€Å"For the child – especially a boy – born into a professional middle class home, the sky’s the limit; his dreams are relatively unfettered by constraints†¦ For most working class boys, the experience is just the reverse† (Rubin, 38). The life of a child in a professional middle class home is exactly what Walter wants for his son, and he would do anything to get it. He thought that once he achieved financial security, he could save his son from a working class life. The main issue for Walter, however, would be that his quest for financial security, and ultimately his dream, would come between him, his family, and his marriage. Ruth senses this and tells Mama, â€Å"Mama, something is happening between Walter and me. I don’t know what it is but he needs something – something I can’t give him anymore. He needs this chance, Lena† (Hansberry, 42). The chance that she refers to was his first step into an investment towards financial security. He put his dreams and ambitions in front of everything because of his strong will. This led to somewhat of an apathy towards any other affairs to the house. Nowhere is this more apparent than when Walter finds out Ruth plans on getting an abortion. After Mama tries to force him to talk things over with his wife, the stage direction states, â€Å"(WALTER picks up his keys and his coat and walks out†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Hansberry, 75). This all-consuming dream of Walter’s gets in between Walter and his family and causes tension throughout the plot. Walter lives the poem A Dream Deferred by Langston Hughes throughout the play. Once Mama has bought a new house with the money he wanted to use for his investment, Walter says to her, â€Å"you butchered up a dream of mine – you – who always talking ‘bout your children’s dreams†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Hansberry, 95). Here he feels like his dream has been deferred and his dream begins to â€Å"stink like rotten meat† (Hughes, 6). Even though most of the people around him could not see his dream like he did, his attitude reeked of unfulfilled expectations. His deferred dream â€Å"fester(s) like a sore†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Hughes, 4) and the pain starts to stretch his sanity. He says himself, â€Å"I want so many things that they are driving me kind of crazy†¦ Mama – look at me† (Hansberry, 73). It is this madness and this dream that causes the conflict within the household. The true test of unity for the family came with the second arrival of Mr. Lindner. It is then that Walter has to make a decision that will either bring his family together and place him as head of the household or break them all apart. Ultimately, he puts his family first and even Mama remarks, â€Å"He finally come into his manhood today, didn’t he? Kind of like a rainbow after the rain†¦Ã¢â‚¬  That day he put his family before his dreams. He realized that moving into their own home and standing up for themselves would be the best thing for his family. With this single act, he reinforced himself as the head of the household. Once everyone, especially Walter, come together towards Mama’s dream, they come together as a unit. They no longer act individually but act for the good of the household. They see that their future is dangerous and they must stand together if they are to oppose it. There is no longer talk of abortions or money; they speak more often of the family. This dream of owning their own home is exactly what the family needed and once it was achieved, the Youngers became stronger and closer. Though Walter had to sacrifice the most, mainly his dreams and ambitions, once he did, he led the family through to their unity. His selflessness allowed the family to live in harmony. Professors Bahr Bahr of Brigham University wrote in their article, Families and Self-Sacrifice: Alternative Models and Meanings for Family Theory, â€Å"We draw from the disciplines of economics, history, philosophy, literature, sociology, and from life as lived by everyday people in making the case that self-sacrifice is a powerful and a essential part of social life generally, and family life in particular† (Bahr, 1231). Self-sacrifice is essential for the family to work together as a unit. An individualistic approach to family life leads only to discord and disunity. Walter Lee Younger made this revelation, perhaps even subconsciously, when he decided to refuse the money that Mr. Lindner offered that was necessary to realize his aspirations. Only once this was achieved could the Youngers be a cohesive family unit. English historian Thomas Fuller once said, â€Å"The darkest hour is just before the dawn. † This famous quote is thoroughly applicable to A Raisin in the Sun. Though the Youngers had severe familial problems, they pulled through it stronger than ever before, thanks to the unifying dream that lit the way through the night.

Is Low Self Esteem Linked To Racism?

Is Low Self Esteem Linked To Racism? In the US, racism is a very familiar issue. Racism manifests itself in various ways including police brutality against minorities, racial profiling and affirmative action. Issue like the history of slavery and the rising resentment against immigrants are also quite well known. The truth is, racism is not a thing of the past. Perhaps it has reduced in the past century, but it is still quite alive today. Eradicating racism is one of those processes that cannot happen in an instant, but they happen over a long period of time. Slowly, but surely, we are moving in a positive direction. Low self-esteem has become a frequently repeated explanation for social and personal problems ranging from young peoples involvement in violent crimes to personal failures and racist behaviors. According to psychologists who have researched the topic, racism is about real power, it is not just something that people randomly think about. Social issues like racism are quite complex and multilayered. It partly has to do with issues of economics, political power, and domination. It is also based on how people perceive, interpret, and value differences. Basically, people act in ways that align with their perceptions. People define circumstances in ways that are real to them and also according to the values that they were raised with. It is true that racial groups have things that make them distinct; however people sometimes dwell on negative distinctions as opposed to the positive ones. We humans tend to emphasize stereotypes that relate to our most closely held values. For instance, a group that values intellect may be quick to see another group as inferior in intelligence. Similarly, if loyalty is valued by a group, then it may label others as disloyal. It seems that racism helps racists feel good about themselves and their racial group by focusing on comparisons with other groups. These issues are what give these groups an identity. There are many ways in which people try to feel better about themselves; as individuals and as a group. Seemingly, everyone likes to believe that their racial group is unique but people tend to overestimate the level of positive attributes present in the group. On the other hand, when it comes to negative qualities, people tend to underestimate those. Racism can develop because of limited information. As humans, we find ourselves putting people in categories like good versus bad and friend versus foe. Without these generalized concepts and categories, getting through the day would be highly demanding. Categorization helps us take shortcuts and helps us become more efficient in making decisions. Also, racism towards other groups often leads to feelings of anxiety when we encounter the members of other racial groups. When we are anxious, we tend to avoid what makes us anxious. We simply avoid contact with individuals by hiring someone else for a job, striking up friendships with someon e else we feel more comfortable with, and sitting down at the lunch table with those who seem to be more like us. Racism may help us feel better about ourselves, we avoid challenging our thinking. In other words, we become defensive and protective of our opinions and only reluctantly question our thought patterns. And these ways of thinking helps protect not only our self-esteem, but also privileges and benefits that we have as members of a racial group. For example, racist discrimination which in the past has limited slots available to minority groups at universities has benefitted the majority population by making more slots available to its members. So, maintaining our racist views of others allows us to feel better about our own group and to avoid challenging unfair social practices that benefit us. Furthermore, we as humans seem to put effort into maintaining our views of the world. For example, we may pay attention to information that supports our views. The more strongly we hold a stereotype, the more we tend to remember confirming information about that racial group. For instance, the more we believe that Asian people cannot drive, the more likely we will remember incidents which seem to support these views. We also discount or rationalize information that is contradictory to our belief system. People who do not act according to our stereotype of them stand out to us as different. For example the Black person who is intelligent articulate and the Asian man who is a good driver become exceptions to the rule, but the rule remains. It is almost like when we see someone from a different racial group, we look for those stereotypes that align with our thinking. Racism, Violence Immigrants in the workplace The U.S. legislative system is currently battling over the Immigration bill for workers. Resistance is fierce in the House of Congress to any plan to legalize the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants or to create a program of millions of guest workers who would in turn be put on a path to citizenship. No one accuses House leaders of acting out of racism, but some say they are responding to constituents who are. The House leadership needs to show some progress on the immigration issue to soothe angry anti-immigrant forces in the country. But the President and Senate want guest workers and a path to citizenship as part of any deal. The Democratic allegations of racism may sound like just another political strategy, but there certainly is a case to be made that racial fears are fueling some of the debate on the immigration policy. The political demand to seal the U.S.-Mexico border, and the Presidents new proposal to send 6,000 members of the Army to help, is supposed to be based on national security. But why then is no one proposing sending additional troops to secure the U.S.-Canada border? Most people want to know if the U.S. is trying to stop primarily undocumented Mexican workers rather than terrorists from crossing the border. Figuring out just how many immigrants, Hispanics or otherwise, to let into the country each year is exactly what lawmakers ought to be trying to do as they undertake immigration reform. Setting immigration targets that are in the countrys interest is, after all, the point of having an immigration policy to begin with. Policymakers should be asking questions like: what kinds of skills does America need to import? And how many of them do they need? What advantage is there is in allowing family members to join new citizens, as is currently the policy? Just as important, the debate could address the issue of race head-on: should ethnicity be a factor in granting citizenship? But until politicians define the goals of American immigration policy; who and how many do we want and for what reason, it will be impossible to eliminate the influence of ant i-immigrant forces who, whether racist or not, draw dubious conclusions and make misleading statements. In Canada, immigration reform needs to take place especially to protect long-term care facility workers who are immigrants. Long-term care facility workers include nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, administrators etc. Canadian long-term care facilities are violent and dangerous workplaces. This need not be the case, a study found that 43% of personal support workers endure physical violence at work on a daily basis, while another quarter face such violence every week. Most are women, and many are immigrants or from minority racial groups. Violence is a constant and ongoing part of their job. In contrast, they found that levels of violence are much lower in Nordic countries, indicating that the high level of violence in Canadian facilities is exceptional and not a necessary feature of work in long-term care. The study is part of a larger project comparing Canadian long-term care facilities with Nordic European countries. Violence in long-term care is not just a workers issue. It is an immigration issue. The vast majority of care-giving staff are women, many of whom are immigrants and women of color. Personal support workers are the ones who suffer the most. The fact is that much of the violence occurs during direct care activities. Because personal support workers provide the bulk of direct care, they are most frequently exposed to violence. This does not imply that violence does not have an impact on other workers. In fact, the researchers found that 16.8% of registered nurses and 24.6% of licensed practical nurses, and registered nursing assistants experience violence on a daily basis. These numbers are shocking, but they do not come close to the prevalence of daily violence for personal support workers (43%). Workers at 71 unionized long-term care facilities in Manitoba, Ontario and Nova Scotia were surveyed about their experiences of physical violence, unwanted sexual attention and racial comments. They also took part in focus group discussions. The workers were nearly seven times more likely to experience daily violence than workers in Nordic European countries like Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden. Researchers also identified racism and structural violence. This stems from severe working conditions for caregivers who are committed to caring but robbed of the resources to do so. The researchers concluded that long-term caregivers work under conditions that not only foster violence but also render it invisible. Most violent incidents go unreported. Workers are afraid to report violent incidents, fearing that they will be blamed. Or they simply do not have the time to do so because of the paperwork involved. The verbal violence experienced by care workers often includes threats, screaming, cursing, racial insults, and demeaning remarks. The physical violence experienced by care workers typically includes being slapped or hit with an object. It frequently involves being pinched, bitten, having ones hair pulled, being poked or spit on. Having ones wrists painfully twisted is also common. Unwanted sexual attention was also frequently experienced by those surveyed. Approximately one third said they experienced unwanted sexual attention on a daily or weekly basis. Over 11% of the staff said they encountered racist comments on a daily or weekly basis. According to the research, this is likely an underestimation of workplace racism. A large number of workers from minority groups work in large urban centers with high likelihood of racism. Also, the questionnaires were available only in English and workers were required to fill them out alone, so workers with language barriers are underrepresented. In focus group discussions, many workers reported that they personally experienced or overheard racism at work. Long-term care workers link violence and racism with working conditions. Having too much to do, working with too little time and too few resources places workers in dangerous situations. Working short-staffed is a major contributor. Canadian personal support workers reported that they routinely work short-staffed. Almost half say they do so every day. And over one third felt that they are too often left alone to care for residents. When these working conditions were compared to those of the citizens of Nordic countries, they just could not match up. Immigrants and minorities are simply not treated the same as non-immigrants and non-minorities. What can one person do? I recently read the story of a lady who currently resides in Canada but was born in the Philippines. A few years ago, the woman had a very difficult decision to make. She gave birth to her son in Canada and had the impossible choice between an impoverished life for him in the Philippines, or leaving him with strangers in Canada. Now Salvador, a Filipino migrant domestic worker in Montreal, is campaigning against what she calls the systemic racism and sexism of the Canadian governments Live-in Caregiver program. Salvador entered Canada in 1995 as one of thousands of Filipino workers in the Live-in Caregiver Program (LCP). The LCP is an initiative of Citizenship and Immigration Canada, allowing foreign workers (almost always women) to enter Canada as domestic workers living in their employers home. Salvador earns $271 for a 49-hour week and after taxes takes home $221. After completing 24 months of work within 3 years of arriving, caregivers are allowed to apply for landed immigrant status. For Salvador, the choice to come to Canada was a matter of life and death for her family. She felt that she had no choice but to move to Canada. Even with the LCP, applicants pay fees to their own government, to the Canadian and Quebec governments, to the employment agency, and for their travel. For Salvador this amounted to over $4700 Canadian. This was such a large sum of money for Salvador and she struggled to gather the money. Colonialism and global capitalism have created a situation in the Philippines where its economy is dependent on transnational corporations, where low-wage contract work, poverty and unemployment are rampant, and where 2000 workers leave the country daily in search of a livelihood. It seems like the Canadian governments need for cheap labor and the Labor Export Policy of the Philippines makes the LCP a functional system. The government of the Philippines systematically pushes Filipinos out of the country, so that they can earn money abroad. Meanwhile, there are millions of dollars being sent back to the Philippines by these migrants. Salvador has been elected vice-chairperson of Pinay, a Filipino womens advocacy and support organization. Pinay gives caregivers information, advice, and guidance through the problems they may encounter with employers, agencies, and the government. Many of its members are current and former caregivers who call strongly for the LCP to be overhauled or abolished. The Canadian Filipino community in general also wants the program scrapped and campaigns across Canada on the issue. Critics of the LCP say that significant problems arise for migrant workers under the program. As caregivers live in the home, they often work unpaid overtime, including extra tasks such as cleaning, cooking and tutoring. Theoretically, live-in caregivers are granted basic rights such as access to employment insurance, pregnancy leave, overtime pay, vacations and paid holidays. The law states that people with complaints about their employers should file them with the appropriate Commissioner in Quebec. And if the caregiver is fired, they are still allowed to find another employer in the meantime. But there is a gap between the theory and the reality that caregivers face. One problem Salvador finds with this procedure is that if a caregiver is fired, whether or not she files a complaint, the 4-6 month waiting period for a new work permit is too long. In Salvadors case, when her employers learned she was pregnant, they fired her. She was not allowed to work between permits, eventually could not fulfill the 24-month requirement. She says some employers considered her to be unwanted. In contrast, a pregnant colleague heeded her employers suggestion to have an abortion, kept her job, and eventually became an immigrant. Salvador was unable to fulfill the immigration requirements because she was pregnant, gave birth and was fired. If she was a man, of course she would have no problem fulfilling the 24 months. Salvador did not comply with her first order to leave the country, as she has filed an appeal to remain in Canada on humanitarian grounds. She met with an immigration official, however, and was told to leave the country or be deported by force. According to Salvadors affidavit, the immigration officer found that the applicants volunteer work with three local community organizations did not show integration into Canadian society, because the organizations exist to help persons of Filipino origin. When a local member of the National Action Committee of the Status of Women found out about the situation, she was outraged. She could not believe that helping the Filipino Canadian community was not considered tangible. This is pure discrimination and racism. Furthermore, although an employer made known his willingness to hire her, the immigration officer expressed doubts that Salvador could find a job in Canada. But throughout her irregular employment, she had never let herself become a burden to the Canadian government. Neither was she ever a burden to the government of her country. Some of the caregivers were skilled workers such as nurses or accountants in the Philippines, but in Canada are confined to domestic care giving, jobs that Canadians do not want to do. Salvador was always willing to be a care giver, as long as she is able to obtain residency status. All she wants is a better life for her family. For example, when Canada brought in foreign nurses to fill demand, they were given status. In fact, the work of care givers allows both Canadian parents to work and contribute to Canadian society. Care givers also contribute taxes and fees to the Canadian government, which is if great benefit to them. Salvador points out that the Canadian government saves money importing the cheaper labor of women from developing countries, instead of instituting a national childcare program. Basically, the government is filling a public need with a private solution. Her affidavit states that the immigration officer suggested that her son should be left behind in Canada. It is believed that he would not suffer trauma due to separation from only one parent, as he has never seen his father. How outrageous this is. Salvadors lawyer argues that Salvador and her son should remain in Canada for humanitarian reasons. Her son is a Canadian citizen, and as a result he has all the rights accorded to a Canadian citizen, including the Constitutional right to live in Canada. If the mother is deported, his rights would be violated, either the right to live in Canada if deported along with his mother, or the right to security of the person if he stays in Canada because he would be separated from his mother, the only parent he has ever know. Salvador was refused an extension on her work permit. She should theoretically be granted all the rights and access to services of any other Canadian citizen, including access to health care. Salvador was not able, however, to renew her sons Medicare card when her employment authorization ran out. The Campaign to Stop the Exploitation of Melca Salvador has included many community members and students in research, letter-writing campaigns, media outreach, raising legal funds, organizing demonstrations, and distributing information. Petitions and letters of support have been received from migrant worker communities around the world. Their press release states that LCP critics insist deporting women live-in caregivers such as Salvador and others in several recent cases, is unjust on humanitarian grounds. These women are not disposable commodities that Canada can use and dump at will. Demands for the Canadian government include allowing Salvador to remain in Canada with her son Richard, recognizing the rights and contributions of foreign caregivers and nannies to Canada, granting Melca and all LCP workers residency now, and abolishing the LCP as it now exists. In many cases these women are overworked and underpaid but because they have to complete 24 months of work within 3 years just to apply for residency status, they put up with it. Campaign members are organizing a Canada-wide day of protest in support of Salvador, which is Thursday, October 19th. They hope to reverse her deportation order so that she can stay with her son. Unfortunately, the federal government does not seem ready to hear their critiques of the LCP. It does not seem like there are any changes planned for the LCP, not even a re-evaluation of the programs impact. Recently, several Canadian Filipino activists insisted on meeting Canadas Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, to discuss their co ncerns. Conclusion By changing our behavior, for example, putting ourselves in close situations with members of other racial groups, we increase our familiarity with these individuals. As we become more familiar with them, we naturally see that we are more alike than different. Not all contact will lead to positive attitude changes. It seems the contact is best if structured; encounters among equals who are cooperating to achieve a common goal. These kinds of behavioral activities are some of the most effective ways to change prejudice against people of other races.

The Wolf :: essays research papers

The Wolf Destiny, perhaps from the very beginning, claimed the wolf as a symbol. Has any other animal stirred human passions the way the wolf has? Its haunting howl, its incredible stamina, its brilliant eyes, and its superiority as a predator all have been reviled as nefarious, and even demonic, traits. Ironically, these same characteristics have also been revered as belonging to a majestic, and sometimes spiritual, creature - a symbol of the magnificent, untamed wilderness. In truth, the wolf is neither evil nor exceptionally good - neither demon nor god. Wolves are simply predators. Their role as a predator must not be reduced, however, to that of savage killer. Wolves, like humans, need to eat to survive. In this process, wolves also provide a service: they help preserve nature's delicate balance by keeping herds of deer, elk, moose, and other large mammals in check, as well as keeping these populations strong and genetically viable by preying on the weak and sick. Both the idealized wolf and the demonic wolf are creations of the human mind. It is not easy to transcend the image of the Big Bad Wolf that has filled our myths and legends, but if we know only this wolf we do not truly know the wolf at all. And what we do not know, we fear. Our fear is perhaps the greatest threat to the survival of the wolf, for it causes us to react rather than act, to repel rather than respect. But this fear and hatred did not always separate man and beast Man the hunter once looked on the wolf the hunter with admiration. Man and wolf both used their keen intelligence to overcome the disadvantages they faced in their day-to-day existence. Survival for both was enhanced by hunting and living in groups or packs. And, at one time, the chance of survival for each was also increased by following, learning from, and adapting the skills of the other to its own advantage. As long as man's daily living was earned primarily as a hunter, he knew a respect for wolves, and coexistence was relatively peaceful. Eventually, man and wolf took up together in a process of domestication that brought a different meaning to their coexistence. Even while those early ancestors of man's best friend enjoyed this new relationship, the wolves that did not come in from the cold were beginning to be cast in a different and less favorable light, for the dog was not the only animal toward whom man turned his attention in the early days of animal husbandry.

Dykeman Article Essay

Imagine studying divorce and the effects it has upon children. These kids act out as a result of aggression for many reasons, which include guilt, attention from the parents, and the inability to maintain a long-term relationship. They have lifelong issues, and do require some form of counseling, whether it is in the school or with social services in their state. According to the article, these youngsters and parents were subjects in a study to help determine how to help them through this transition in their life, and to help them become high functioning both in the school and home. What was found in the article is quite significant. According to an article in Newsweek, Peg Tyre believed that children, â€Å"feel strongly and intensely that their parents are polar opposites, even if they don’t fight. They feel they must take care of their parents rather than be taken care of. They feel loss and anger. They also feel their spiritual life is damaged because God’s image as a parent is painful for them† (2005). Dykeman agreed by saying that divorce effects a child’s emotional well-being and self-esteem as well can give them anxiety, depression, guilt, and at times aggression (2003). However, Heubusch says in regards to Stewarts study, â€Å"But it’s particularly damaging for children under age 9, and for children who are drawn directly into the hostility. There is a very direct relationship between children’s psychological well-being and that of their parents. When separation and divorce enhance parents’ well-being in very straightforward and direct ways, it’s reasonable to expect that children will benefit from the improvement† (1998). In regards to the research finding presented in the article, they are worth noting as well. Here is what they found. One, pre-referral intervention reduces the quantity of students put into a special education class for aggressiveness. Two, the school counselor plays a vital role in helping these students and families with coping in regards to divorce. Three, conflict theory is important in handling out aggression in children, who are going through divorce because it can help with problem solving skills, few incidents of hostility, and home behavior effects school behavior (Dykeman, 2003). However during the study, the researchers found that the child had more reasoning during that time period, according to â€Å"t(14) = 4. 294, p < . 01† (Dykeman, 2003). Another is that the child learned is that a decrease in verbal aggression as seen with â€Å"t(14) = 3. 623, p < . 01† (Dykeman, 2003). The researcher did experience limitations and assumptions with the study as it relates to statistics. Some limitations include that the researchers were not able to follow up as frequently after six months, such as a monthly basis. However, a decrease was found amongst the six month treatment to follow up in regards to verbal aggression by 3. 87, whereas prior it was 4. 87 times (Dykeman, 2003). Another significant finding is that prior to treatment, the child used physical aggression 1. 73 times, but afterwards, during the follow up, it was 1. 33 times. Another, is that teachers and researchers are subjective in their viewpoint, which can show up in a study as well. All students were required to partipate in their first semester of the school year. Many of them completed intervention within two months, but by the end of the school time had much improvement, which was seen by a 5. 40, and indicates improvement by â€Å"p < . 05† (Dykeman, 2003). The researchers, then assumed, that an â€Å"increased use of reasoning and reduced use of verbal aggression corresponded to improved behaviors in the classroom† (Dykeman, 2003). Another investigator also agrees with this issue by saying, â€Å"Most felt that they should have been consulted about visitation and dual residence decisions during the divorce† (Siatis, 1997). This study showed that making assumptions about what has happened in a child’s life are at times beneficial because it helps them study in more depth ways to help them through their ordeal. The individuals can become subjective, but in their study, it showed a lot of objectivity, and what Dykeman did actually worked both for the children and school setting by teaching them the necessary skills possible to cope with their divorce situation in the home. Last, no evidence is shown of the parents involvement with their children because they too would have impacted the study on how they have coped, whether it was positive or negative. All the reader finds out is about mainly the researchers and the teachers. This too can hinder the results of a study by not including everyone that had a part in the family, who was going through the divorce. Children learn best when taught ways to cope with divorce. The Dyekman study proves that it can occur, especially with pre-treatment and follow up. These individuals were taught ways to reason, which was probably changing their negative thinking to positive at the time too. The students’ teachers were also involved by giving observations in the classroom in regards to improvement or not, which also made a difference in how he or she completed their school work, and acted in the home, which is an excellent positive result. This gave the study a third party involved in monitoring the behavior of the kids, which made an optimistic outcome for everyone involved. References Dykeman, B. F. (March 2003). The Effects of Family Conflict Resolution on Children’s Classroom Behavior. Journal of Instructional Psychology . Heubusch, K. (1998, January). Divorced From Reality. Retrieved February 2009, 23, from Gale: Siatis, P. C. (1997, Augusst). Divorce Has Lasting Effects on Children, Study Says. Retrieved February 2009, 23, from Gale Group: . Tyre, P. (2005, October 24). Fast Chat: The Secret Pain of Divorce. Retrieved February 23, 2009, from Gale: http://find. galegroup. com/ips/start. do? prodId=IPS

Ibn Khaldun Achievements and Profile

Ibn Khaldun Achievements and Profile Ibn Khaldun is an important figure in Medieval History. Key Facts Other Names: Ibn Khaldun was also known as Abu Zayd Abd al-Rahman ibn Khaldun. Notable Achievements: Ibn Khaldun was noted for developing one of the earliest nonreligious philosophies of history. He is generally considered the greatest Arab historian as well as the father of sociology and the science of history. Occupations: PhilosopherWriter HistorianDiplomatTeacher Places of Residence and Influence: AfricaIberia Important Dates Born: May 27, 1332Died: March 17, 1406 (some references have 1395) Quotation Attributed to Ibn Khaldun He who finds a new path is a pathfinder, even if the trail has to be found again by others; and he who walks far ahead of his contemporaries is a leader, even though centuries pass before he is recognized as such. About Ibn Khaldun Abu Zayd Abd al-Rahman ibn Khaldun  came from an illustrious family and enjoyed an excellent education in his youth. Both his parents died when the Black Death struck Tunis in 1349. At the age of 20, he was given a post at the court of Tunis and later became secretary to the sultan of Morocco in Fez. In the late 1350s, he was imprisoned for two years for suspicion of participating in a rebellion. After being released and promoted by a new ruler, he again fell out of favor, and he decided to go to Granada. Ibn Khaldun had served the Muslim ruler of Granada in Fez, and Granadas prime minister, Ibn al-Khatib, was a renowned writer and a good friend to Ibn Khaldun. A year later he was sent to Seville to conclude a peace treaty with King Pedro I of Castile, who treated him with great generosity. However, intrigue raised its ugly head and rumors were spread of his disloyalty, adversely affecting his friendship with Ibn al-Khatib. He returned to Africa, where he changed employers with unfortunate frequency and served in a variety of administrative posts. In 1375, Ibn Khaldun sought refuge from the tumultuous political sphere with the tribe of Awlad Arif. They lodged him and his family in a castle in Algeria, where he spent four years writing the  Muqaddimah.   Illness drew him back to Tunis, where he continued his writing until difficulties with the current ruler prompted him to leave once more. He moved to Egypt and eventually took a teaching post at the Quamhiyyah college in Cairo, where he later became chief judge of the Maliki rite, one of the four recognized rites of Sunnite Islam. He took his duties as judge very seriously perhaps too seriously for most of the tolerant Egyptians, and his term did not last long. During his time in Egypt, Ibn Khaldun was able to make a pilgrimage to Mecca and visit Damascus and Palestine. Except for one incident in which he was forced to participate in a palace revolt, his life there was relatively peaceful- until Timur invaded Syria. The new sultan of Egypt, Faraj, went out to meet Timur and his victorious forces, and Ibn Khaldun was among the notables he took with him. When the Mamluk army returned to Egypt, they left Ibn Khaldun in besieged Damascus. The city fell into great peril, and the city leaders began negotiations with Timur, who asked to meet Ibn Khaldun. The illustrious scholar was lowered over the city wall by ropes in order to join the conqueror. Ibn Khaldun spent nearly two months in the company of Timur, who treated him with respect. The scholar used his years of accumulated knowledge and wisdom to charm the ferocious conqueror, and when Timur asked for a description of North Africa, Ibn Khaldun gave him a complete written report. He witnessed the sack of Damascus and the burning of the great mosque, but he was able to secure safe passage from the decimated city for himself and other Egyptian civilians. On his way home from Damascus, laden with gifts from Timur, Ibn Khaldun was robbed and stripped by a band of Bedouin. With the greatest of difficulty, he made his way to the coast, where a ship belonging to the Sultan of Rum, carrying an ambassador to the sultan of Egypt, took him to Gaza. Thus he established contact with the rising Ottoman Empire. The rest of Ibn Khalduns journey and, indeed, the rest of his life was relatively uneventful. He died in 1406 and was buried in the cemetery outside one of Cairos main gates. Ibn Khalduns Writings Ibn Khalduns most significant work is the Muqaddimah. In this introduction to history, he discussed historical methods and provided the necessary criteria for distinguishing historical truth from error. The Muqaddimah is considered one of the most phenomenal works on the philosophy of history ever written. Ibn Khaldun also wrote a definitive history of Muslim North Africa, as well as an account of his eventful life in an autobiography entitled Al-tarif bi Ibn Khaldun. More Ibn Khaldun Resources Biographies Ibn Khaldun His Life and Work by M. A. EnanIbn Khaldun: Historian, Sociologist Philosopher by Nathaniel Schmidt Philosophical and Sociological Works Ibn Khaldun: An Essay in Reinterpretation (Arabic Thought and Culture) by Aziz Al-AzmehIbn Khaldun and Islamic Ideology (International Studies in Sociology and Social Anthropology) edited by B. LawrenceSociety, State, and Urbanism: Ibn Khalduns Sociological Thought by Fuad BaaliSocial Institutions: Ibn Khalduns Social Thought by Fuad BaaliIbn Khalduns Philosophy of History - A Study in the Philosophic Foundation of the Science of Culture by Muhsin Mahdi Works by Ibn Khaldun Muqaddimah by Ibn Khaldun; translated by Franz Rosenthal; edited by N. J. DowoodAn Arab Philosophy of History: Selections from the Prolegomena of Ibn Khaldun of Tunis (1332-1406) by Ibn Khaldun; translated by Charles Philip Issawi