Do native peoples today invent their traditions Essay

Do native peoples today invent their traditions - Essay Example Almost always there are valid arguments on both sides of the controversy. This, I believe is also the case in the arguments put forth by Keesing and Trask, in their difference of opinions, about whether native peoples today invent their traditions. However, I do think the arguments put forth by Trask more valid. Cultural anthropologist Roger M Keesing maintains, that the traditional culture accepted by the native people of the pacific is an invented version of their past, and that they do not really know what life was really like before the invasion of the white man. On the other hand, Haunani-Kay Trask, a Hawaiian scholar argues that Keesing relies only on western documentation, while the native people have sources like oral traditions and genealogies that western documentation does not take into account. I believe that this is a valid point because I think that there is a difference in perception between people of different cultures, and many native customs and nuances in dialects, may not be correctly understood by someone who is alien to that culture. There are subtle changes in the pronunciations of certain words in some dialects and these could convey a very different meaning. Trask herself is critical of the westerner’s understanding of native culture and the institutions therein, while Keesing too argues that â€Å"interpretation itself is fraught with difficulties, some perhaps ultimately intractable.† (Keesing, R) In the present debate, Keesing’s arguments are based on a collection of essays of Hobsbawm and Ranger, that conclude that cultures and traditions change over time due to a variety of factors. Most anthropologists agree that customs and traditions change over time. However to say that these have been invented to cater to the tourism industry, and the native people do not really know what life was like before western invasion; also is difficult to accept. It is a well documented fact, that in many cultures, knowledge and t raditions were handed down orally from father to son spanning generations. For example in India the Vedic texts are said to have been orally passed on for generations. Although it may be argued that it may not have been handed down in its purest form, allowing for some changes as a result of verbal communication, to say that these traditions have been invented by native people in the recent past cannot be accepted. It must also be accepted that documentation of these traditions were mostly carried out by the western invaders, as the local people relied on verbal communication and not on the written word that was alien to their culture. As Trask argues, it is perhaps the native scholar rather than the western one who would be the better judge of whether the present traditions are those that have come down the ages or invented in the recent past. Having the advantage of being a native, the local anthropologist would be in a better position to understand the nuances of words, and their various meanings, as they were once used in bygone times, and the sum total of what has been handed down through the ages. Keesing accepts the fact that it is important to question

Critical Thinking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 5

Critical Thinking - Essay Example â€Å"A leaders own strength in critical thinking and decision making is the central platform on which their influence transcends through other managers in the business† (Hilliwell, 2000). The management career requires the use of critical thinking because this job entails making operation and strategic business decisions. The purpose of this paper is to analyze critical thinking and its applications in the workplace. The utilization of critical thinking is something every human has performs hundreds of times during their lifetime. Critical thinking can be classified as a core competency. Not everyone has the same aptitude and skill level. According to scholars there is a direct correlation between a person critical thinking ability and their coefficient of intelligence. In the managerial field critical thinking abilities are imperative due to the fact that managers are responsible for the overall performance of the company and its employees. In the workplace in general employees that have critical thinking abilities have a higher probability of achieving success. Personally I consider myself an individual with pretty good critical thinking skills. As a working professional I have applied my critical thinking abilities in the workplace. A few years ago I worked at a start-up company. I was not officially a manager, but I was involved in the decision making process which implies my job duties were similar to a managerial position. The company had a new innovative product. The two functional areas I worked were finance and research and development. In the research and development department the engineer in charge would meet with me once a week to discuss product improvements ideas and production methodologies. When I started meeting with him he told me that he liked the way I process and interpreted information and that the feedback she received from me was very useful. The engineer would talk to me and tell about different issues

World War I Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

World War I - Essay Example The rise of pan-Slavism and consequent rise of German nationalism also played a great role in enhancing the war combined with imperialism and militarism (Sammis, 2002). The American government first remained neutral until 1917 when it entered the war due to pressure from the German military that were sinking ships on Britain waters. The American President Woodrow Wilson was very instrumental in ending the war in 1918, and in designing the Treaty of Versailles as well as forming the League of Nations. The paper will discuss the events that led to the war and the events that followed. European nations before the war employed imperialist policy. According to Spielvogel (2009) by 19th century, Britain had 5 continents while France occupied large areas of Africa. The Britain and France occupied huge tracts of land hence creating rivalry with German which began to scramble for the remaining parts of Africa. The colonizers were undergoing a period of industrialization hence saw the new colo nies as a source of labor and market for finished goods. Imperialism created a lot of rivalry and tension among nations as they competed for power. Most of the colonized people were under the power of colonizers and followed the rules of the colonizing state. However, the Slavic states yearned for freedom from the controlling states. They formed a cultural and political movement in the 19th century known as pan-Slavism which united all the Slavic. The movement got support from Russia whose main aim was to extend its rule over Slavic people (Stone, 2009). The nations also felt threatened by their counterparts hence wanted to unite their people so that in case of war, the states would fight against a common enemy. The attack on German speaking central Europe by France in Napoleonic wars instilled a sense of nationalism (Sammis, 2002). Bismarck had the idea of uniting Germany but Austria which had much power was resistant. Bismarck used diplomacy to create an atmosphere for war between Austria and Prussia and reinforced Prussian army so as to defeat Austria thereby relinquishing its position to Prussia. France was unhappy with the defeat hence waged war on Prussia but had no allies as opposed to Prussia which was supported by all German states. France was defeated and lost two provinces Alsace and Lorraine to Germany hence tension between the two nations (Stone, 2009). German was unified in 1871 under Prussian rule with Wilhelm as the new emperor. Austria began concentrating on the Balkans hence forming the Austro-Hungarian Monarch. The Balkan war in 1912-1913 saw their freedom from Turkish control but a conflict of interest by Russia and Austro-Hungary. The nations in order to outdo each other and in preparation for war engaged in arms race and gave the army and military a lot of power in controlling government policy. Spielvogel (2009, p.534) notes that the European military machines had doubled in size between 1890 and 1914. The German empire led by Bismarck e ngaged in massive shipbuilding in order to produce large naval fleet than Britain. In 1914, Britain had 49 battleships while German had 29 (Duffy, 2009). New highly destructive weapons such as; submarines, tanks, and poison gas were made which worsened the war. The readiness for war culminated into alliances. Various alliances were formed by the powers to help each other in case of war and to protect themselves from potential threats. Heyman (1997) observes that the prime ministers, foreign ministers and military leaders were crucial in the formation and dissolution of alliances. For example,

Procrastination :: essays research papers

Procrastination What does procrastination mean? Is it the stereotypical meaning of laziness? And this word, â€Å"procrastinate† has over time become derogatory and insulting. It has also been applied to the newest generation of the world. I have heard many comments from older folks that, â€Å"those teenagers are so lazy, they wait till the last minute to do anything.† But as Dennis Sell comments in the teenager’s defense, â€Å"It isn’t procrastination if you intend to do it.† I hope that this doesn’t become a question on the future resume. â€Å"Do you procrastinate, please check yes or no.† A wonderful lot of people would be out of the job; very talented people that just have a time trying to become â€Å"perfect.† Procrastination is a way of life and a person has to be good at it to play the â€Å"lazy† game.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What does procrastination really mean? I’ve adopted a quote that now guides my everyday life; â€Å"My work is best when I am under pressure.† Most of my better essays are written in the ten minutes I have before my next class period when it’s due. Sorry Mr. Bush and Mrs. Swafford, and any other teacher that have been subjected to my messy rushed handwriting (not that Mr. Bush minds, I’m still failing his class. And his e-mail address is†¦ just kidding). Procrastination is character building. The rare few who can handle the pressure often have rushed lives, or many deadlines, whichever applies, but the point is that they can handle the pressure that procrastination gives and they come on top. My father designs computer boards and his superiors are often changing what they want the board to do, but my dad can handle those people and their strict deadlines that are ludicrous because of the little time given. But because he procrastin ated in high school, he knows what to do and how to control himself in these situations. He hasn’t thrown himself off a cliff yet after about ten years of the strenuous work, that has to count for something.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Procrastination is like many other things. It has its good and bad points, just like eating. A person must eat to live, but it makes people gain weight and there is a surplus of obese people in our nation, yet is also saves many lives a day like in Ethiopia. Procrastination can make or break a person. One can either handle the pressure or the person breaks completely.

Five Phases of Project Management

Assignment – Five Phases Project Management Strategy November 5, 2012 Five Phases of Project Management Life cycle management is a business management approach that can be used by all types of businesses (and other organizations) to improve their products and thus the sustainability, employing the principles of project life cycle – the five phases of project management, which consists of, initiation, planning, execution, monitoring, and closure. Iniation PhaseThe first phase of a project is the initiation phase. During this phase, a business problem or opportunity is identified and a business case providing various solution options is defined. Once the recommended solution is approved, a project is initiated to deliver the approved solution. Terms of reference are completed outlining the objectives, scope and structure of the new project and a project manager is appointed. The project manager begins recruiting a project team and establishes a project office environment. Within the initiation phase, the business problem or opportunity is identified, a solution is defined, a project is formed and a project team is appointed to build and deliver the solution to the customer (Barkley, 2005). Planning Phase Often the most time-consuming of the phases of project management, the Planning phase is where you lay your project groundwork and is critical for a successful implementation of the subsequent Execution phase (Reynolds, 2009).Additionally, in this phase Project Planning builds on the work done in Project Initiation, refining and augmenting Cost, Scope, Schedule and Quality (CSSQ) and Project Plan deliverables. Usually, additional members join the Project Team, and they assist the Project Manager in further elaborating the details of the Cost, Scope, Schedule and Quality (Macek, 2010). The planning phase produces a project plan, project charter and/or project scope outlining the work to be performed. During this phase, a team should prioritize the pro ject, calculate a budget and schedule, and determine what resources are needed0 (LaBrosse, 2008).This phase is the basis for the successful execution of the subsequent Executing phase. The planning phase is also the phase where, definition of work packages, detailed planning, clarification of responsibilities, risk analysis, and interfaces are defined. Project Planning marks the completion of the Project Plan –i. e. , no work is left uncovered. Execution Phase Execution. This is where the project team does the work to crate the final deliverables of the project. It is the largest part of most projects and it goes far better if adequate time was taken to properly plan the work of the project (Reynolds, 2009).Resources' tasks are distributed and teams are informed of responsibilities. This is a good time to bring up important project related information (Project Plan Execution, 2009). During the Execution phase, the project manager spends a considerable amount of time in commun ication making sure the resources (people, equipment and materials) are available to do their work and know what work needs to be completed. There is a significant amount of work in this phase, as a project manager works to juggle many aspects of the project.During this phase, you'll use all of your management skills to implement and manage cost and quality, risks and change, and several other factors (Reynolds, 2009). Monitoring The next phase of the Project management life cycle is monitoring. Successful Project Management Principles & Controls are summarized as three main methods; continual focus on the Project Plan, constant update of the Project Plan (especially the triple restraints, and most importantly, measure status and project progress against the Project Plan -making adjustments to get back on track, if necessary (Project Plan Execution, 2009) .Closure In Project Closeout, the Project Team assesses the outcome of the project, as well as the performance of the Project Team and the Performing Organization. This is accomplished primarily through soliciting and evaluating feedback from Customers, Project Team members, Consumers and other stakeholders. The primary purpose of this assessment is to document best practices and lessons learned for use on future projects. In addition, key project metrics are also captured to enable the Performing Organization to compare and evaluate erformance measurements across projects. Project completion is signified by accomplishments such as (1) all tasks finished, (2) agreed deliverables completed, (3) testing completed, and (4) training materials prepared. The project benefits should be measured and compared with the final business case. Not all the benefits of the project are immediately apparent. The results must be compared with the cost-benefit analysis along with all the other forecast benefits that the project was planned to provide the organisation.Analyzes how each phase could support the organizationâ₠¬â„¢s business strategy. There is a dramatic rise in the use of project management as organizations shift to provide customer driven results and systems solutions. Some implementations of project management have been successful, while others are incredible failures. A common occurrence in many organizations is too many projects being attempted by too few people with no apparent link to strategy or organizational goals.Unfortunately, this is why the organization I currently work in is struggling to successfully complete the EMR, too few resources and too many projects being implemented simultaneously and most not align with the strategic plan. Experience indicates that the support of upper management is critical to project success, upper management was absent as participants of the project until the decision was made to delay the go-live. In our case, Upper management did not take action to create an environment for more successful projects in their organizations.Project management m ust be regarded as a company-wide project management competency designed to benefit the entire company (Kerzner, 2005). It also includes developing a corporate culture that is based upon effective organizational behavior and creating a well-developed project management methodology, accompanied by the proper supporting tools, which is vital to achieving organizational goals. Once the organization recognizes that project management is a core competency, the organization can convert this competency into a sustainable competitive advantage.The ultimate purpose is for the sustainable competitive advantage to become the pathway for a strategic competency that becomes a primary drive during strategic planning activities (Kerzner, 2005. As the project management strategy matures, the business value derived from each phase increases. Increased value subsequent to increase project portfolio leads to the alignment of project management and organizational strategy across the organization/enterp rise. Keeping each phase of the project on track yields a successful project, which means managing the triple constraints and strict management of metrics (monitoring phase).The project goals then extend throughout the team to the suppliers, contractors, and stakeholders. The five phases of project management assists the organization in creating a strategic value chain that gives companies a competitive edge. References Kerzner, H. (2005). Using the Project Management Maturity Model: Strategic planning for project management (2nd ed. ). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons, Inc. LaBrosse, M. (2008). Key principles of project management. Food Management, 43(5), 27-27. Retrieved from http://search. proquest. com/docview/215900222? ccountid=32521 Macek, W. (2010). Methodologies of project management. Wspolczesna Ekonomia, 4(4), 267. Retrieved from http://search. proquest. com/docview/1115291842? accountid=32521 Project Plan Execution – where you â€Å"walk the walk† as the Pr oject Manager. (2009). Retrieved from URL Managerhttp://www. mastering-project-management. com/project-plan-execution. html Reynolds, D. (2009, May 13). Phases of project management: Initiation. Bright Hub weblog. Retrieved from www. brighthub. com/office/project-management/articles/1672. aspx Reynolds, D. (2009, May 13).Phases of project management: Planning. Bright Hub weblog. Retrieved from www. brighthub. com/office/project-management/articles/1673. aspx Reynolds, D. (2009, July 28). Phases of project management: Execution. Bright Hub weblog. Retrieved from www. brighthub. com/office/project-management/articles/1674. aspx Reynolds, D. (2009, May 13). Phases of project management: Monitoring. Bright Hub weblog. Retrieved from www. brighthub. com/office/project-management/articles/1675. aspx Reynolds, D. (2009, May 13). Phases of project management: Closing. Bright Hub weblog.

Profile of John E. DuPont

John E. du Pont was a sports wannabe who inherited millions and bought status into the sporting world that his own physical capabilities could have never achieved. Olympic champion David Schultz, in need of financial sponsoring, lived at du Ponts wrestling camp, a decision that ultimately cost him his life. DuPonts Fortune John E. du Pont, great-grandson of E.I. du Pont, is the heir to the du Pont fortune that was worth over $200 million. After the death of his mother in August 1988, he turned his 800-acre estate in Delaware County, Pennsylvania into a wrestling camp for professional wrestlers. du Pont was also the main benefactor of amateur wrestling in the United States during that time. Paranoid Visions People who spent time around du Pont described his behavior as bizarre. Throughout the years he changed from being odd to increasingly unstable. du Pont was hallucinating that the trees on his property were moving around. He also razor wired his attic because he thought people were going to break in and kill him. His ex-wife complained that during their short marriage from 1982 to 1985, du Pont accused her of being a spy and pointed guns to her head. David Schultz David Schultz was an Olympic champion wrestler who was living on the du Pont property. On January 6, 1996, John du Pont shot several bullets into Schultz, killing him. Reasons for his actions are still unknown. The Stand Off After du Pont killed Schultz he barricaded himself inside his massive mansion. Police negotiated with the 56-year-old du Pont for two days. On the second day, the temperature was extremely cold so the police disabled the homes heating. du Pont exited his home to investigate what was wrong with his heater and the police were able to overcome him and take him into custody, charging him with murder. DuPonts Trial During du Ponts trial, it was determined that he was mentally ill. He was found guilty of third-degree murder and sentenced to up to 30 years in prison or a mental institution; whichever best fits his mental state until he completes his sentence. He was also required to reimburse Delaware $742,107 for trial costs. Personal Information: Born - 1938Birthplace - FranceGender - MaleReligion - UnknownEthnicity - White Criminal Record: 1988 - Sexual Harassment - Lawsuit filed by Andre Metzger.Feb. 26, 1997 - Assault - Pointing his gun at a security consultant.Feb. 26, 1997 - Murder - Shot and killed Olympic wrestler David Schultz.

Becoming A Better Leader For The Assistant Of The...

While finishing my sophomore year of college, I applied, and was offered a position as a Desk Manger for the Department of Residence Life and Housing. Although this may seem inconsequential, I was the first ever sophomore hired for this position. This job required administrative skills, time management capabilities, and the ability to supervise over 30 people at any given time. Starting out in this position, I found myself to be very strict as a supervisor and had to learn to be more flexible with the many personalities that I was working with. It was during that first year that I made a personal choice to expand my knowledge and leadership so that I could become a better leader. By the second semester, I was voted staff member of the year and was given many accolades from my employees and coworkers. I continued working in this position for the remainder of my college journey. During this time, I was able to supervise over 200 people and take on more responsibility. Also while in thi s position, I was assigned as a Resident Assistant taking on dual roles, while still maintaining my grades. During my college experience, I decided to enlist in the United States Coast Guard Reserves. I left for basic training the summer after my sophomore year and took on a completely different kind of challenge. In this environment, I was surrounded by many leadership styles, some of which I had never seen before. There were leaders that were outspoken, driven, hardworking, and motivated toShow MoreRelatedBurning Down the House: Mortgage Fraud and the Destruction of Residential Neighborhoods11800 Words   |  48 Pagesindictment). 15 See, e.g., U.S. v. Hooker, 2:05-CR-80897 (E.D. Mich. 2005). 1 This document is a research report submitted to the U.S. Department of Justice. This report has not been published by the Department. Opinions or points of view expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice. bank executives, 16 ministers, 17 teachers, 18 policemen, 19 and, frequently, neophyte property investors. 20 In the federalRead Morecma case20815 Words   |  84 PagesAssociates Computing Inc. (TWC). At that time, the company’s primary activity was the installation of building automation equipment that controls air quality, temperature and humidity in commercial, industrial and institutional offices and in private residences. Over time, the company increasingly evolved into a research corporation, fueled primarily by Wismer’s unique ability to develop new building automation equipment and tools and an initial version of a building automation software program. InRead MoreSda Manual Essay101191 Words   |  405 Pages........................................................ Church Elder ................................................................................. Office an Important One .......................................................... A Religious Leader of the Church ............................................ Capable of Ministering the Word ............................................. Term of Office .......................................................................... Ordination of LocalRead MoreWal-Mart Research Paper5020 Words   |  21 Pageswas a central tenet at the company, and every associate must adopt this value in all its manifestations. It was also said that the company is homogenizing the marketplace by letting smaller towns dictate popular culture. Technological: Wal-Mart is a leader in the use of technology to maximize operational efficiency. Very early on, the compa ny realized the value of proactive investments in technology and deployed a private satellite network. Wal-Mart also managed much of its own logistics through a centralRead MoreConstruction Industry15894 Words   |  64 Pagesa period of more than two years, that was undertaken by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department to address the problem. A detailed analysis of security practices and risks of theft was made for 25 builders operating in one of the police service districts north of the city. This produced the recommendation that installation of appliances should be delayed until the new owners had taken up residence, thus effectively removing the targets of theft. Twelve of the larger builders agreed toRead MoreArticle II: Declaration of Principles and State Policies16349 Words   |  66 PagesDeclaration of Principles and State Policies = statement of the basic ideological principles and policies that underlie the Constitution. The provisions shed light on the meaning of the other provisions of the Constitution and they are a guide for all departments of the government in the implementation of the Constitution. †¢Principles = binding rules which must be observed in the conduct of government (1-6) Not all 6 principles are self-executory †¢Policies = guidelines for the orientation of the state(7-28)Read MoreBest Buy Analysis12719 Words   |  51 Pages Sensitivity Analysis 60 14. Conclusion 61 15. References 63 Executive Summary According to the Best Buy’s corporate website, the company’s â€Å"unofficial† mission statement is simple, â€Å"We’re a growth company focused on better solving the unmet needs of our customers.†1 Upon reviewing this statement, our team was motivated to construct a unique plan that expands Best Buy brand and influences new target markets, while also continuing to provide growth and development inRead MoreEffects and Impact of Solid Waste Generation in Abuja Municicipal Area Council9572 Words   |  39 Pagesand the city of Abuja. The residential and indigenous inhabitants of AMAC is worth an estimated projection of about 2.5million people drawn from all over Nigeria and the spheres of the world. Historically, certain areas of AMAC have indeed enjoyed better solid waste management services than others. A major aspect highlighted by Mabogunje(2001) is the decision taken by the government to house incoming civil servants in the â€Å"Accelerated d istrict† meant for construction workers after Abuja became theRead MoreConsumer Lifestyle in Singapore35714 Words   |  143 Pages................. 3 Learning ....................................................................................................................................... 4 School Life ................................................................................................................................ 4 University Life ........................................................................................................................... 6 Adult Learning .................................Read MoreChanging Attitude Towards Child Sex Preference11388 Words   |  46 Pages CHANGING ATTITUDE TOWARDS SEX PREFERENCE AS OLD AGE SECURITY AMONG NIGERIAN OLDER PERSONS BY AJIBOYE, OLANREWAJU EMMANUEL(Ph.D) Department of Sociology, Lagos State University, Ojo, Lagos. Abstract This paper focuses on the intensity of preference for sons over daughters in anticipation of old age security both physically and financially, and its impact on the care and support/ well-being of the elderly in Nigeria in general, and in particular among the Yoruba of Southwest. The paper