Comparison of the Japanese and American Cultures

Comparison of Japanese and American Culture Abstract There are some interesting issues engaging gender and cultural diversity in non-verbal communication. It begins by looking over gender variations in body language and the different uses of gestures and posture in comparing the Japanese and American cultures. Nonverbal communication is used in all social settings. Many times nonverbal communication is not seen for its real definition. In this period of internationalization the American education method is unequipped to handle successfully with the latest realism of a mutually dependent national country. American education is lagging at the end of the charts of Japans developed nation. America’s education needs to be retransformed to suit the needs of a rising nationalized financial system. Nowadays, humanitarians have inspirations of achieving the maximum level of schooling and they know it is vitally important for them to be successful. The steady declining of the American instructional method; the expectation for a victorious outlook for many appear desolate. The idea behind educational curriculums within schools must not only position onward the capability to master reading and comprehension skills, writing skills and mathematical and statistical problem solving, but also get each student ready from the primary, middle, and high school levels with skills in understanding the highly skilled requirements in the everyday working world. Comparison of Japanese and American Culture All societies differ among different cultures. Their cultures differ through customs, and education. A comparison of Japanese and American culture reveals a wide range of societal differences. Japanese culture is not always simple to comprehend, assessing it from an external point of view. The Japanese are a uniquely homogenous country. Japan has been secluded by natural features and by preference of their own, that moderately hardly any outsiders reside in Japan. A culture distinction that the Japanese discover in America is their greeting traditions. Although the greeting is one of the easiest ways for man-kind to communicate, both countries include diverse ways of addressing one another. Three differences include arrival, self-introduction, and leaving. The focal rationale for the diversity is that Americans exercise spoken gestures and the Japanese use unspoken gestures. Cultural beliefs offer implication to individual awareness of â€Å"who does what to whom wherever. † Nonetheless, the outcome of the various actions intended at oneself has been scientifically analyzed. Cross-cultural differentiations in generating a signification of self-fulfillment or self-actualization are communicated through feeling, labeling and characteristic attribution. The process of self-introduction varies between America and Japan. Americans are quick to have a discussion regarding their private matters. Americans usually converse about their relatives, spouses, or themselves. The Japanese prefer a more low key method. Japanese people are akin to chat about where they belong. For example, what school or university they attend, what there major is, or what type of club they have joined. Leaving a place or being in the American and the Japanese cultures depend on whether people are close in proximity or far away. Americans seem to say â€Å"bye† for either situation. Some Americans give a hug or a kiss when they leave one another. Unlike Americans, who immediately say â€Å"goodbye,† commonly Japanese build a trivial bow and glance back several times while waving their hand. Amongst the varied farewells, every Japanese individual who resides in America is shocked when they receive a embrace from an American, and they believe Americans are sappy. Japanese sense meaninglessness when Americans say â€Å"bye† and immediately leave. The variations in greetings are that the Americans prefer to be verbal and the Japanese prefer to be nonverbal. Americans are quick to exercise the verbal, so Americans say â€Å"Hi† or â€Å"How are you? Even people who are strangers say â€Å"How is it going? † Japanese people who arrive in America are puzzled whether they should react or be quiet. Japanese believe Americans are friendly and rejuvenating. Japanese people are likely to communicate a nonverbal language. Many Japanese just make a bow with a smile indicating respect. Usually, young people have to make a deep bow for their superiors. Not only gesture but also voice and countenance are very significant. Every American who is in Japan feels uncomfortable at first because they are not used to Japanese customs. Normally, we anticipate conversing face to face than when conversing obliquely, for example through letters. Nonverbal communication, such as one’s appearance, quality of voice, facial appearance, and body language all present additional information that enhances ones understanding. Nevertheless, when cultural diversity is engaged, this extra information can root added misunderstanding. Body languages are an essential part of greetings. Japanese usually bow as they articulate their greetings and Americans extend their arms for handshakes in the form of a greeting. Mainly Japanese who are accustomed with the global view are familiar to handshakes, but when it comes to embracing hugs and extending kisses very little Japanese identify the acts and manners implicated. Even with handshake greetings it can be uncomfortable since a lot of them are not capable of withholding bows while they extend shake hands. Bowing is an essential way of greeting and politeness for the Japanese. It allows them to acknowledge one another without invading each other's personal space; Americans do not take that into consideration when they are greeting each other. It also allows them to greet each other at a distance, whenever a verbal greeting is not practical. It foreshadows words in the vivid expressions of emotions. The Japanese feel that if they lose it, it would be like losing part of their courteousness. Making eye contact can be culture dependent. Americans might become uncomfortable when talking to their Japanese associates, who often do not control and maintain good eye contact during conservation. For example, Japanese would become angry if an American that was driving looked away from the traffic to make conversation with their passenger. Even and continuous communication is more than understanding words and etiquette. The tempo of communication seems to fluctuate amongst America and Japan. Regularly, Americans talk relentlessly. But Japanese continue gentler, pausing from time to time to evaluate the circumstances or to let the quietness speak for itself. Whenever English is the preferred language, the American's have a tendency to speak without having to pause and can simply devastate the Japanese, whose English aptitude is probably not elevated sufficiently enough to listen in and at the same time think of what to say next. Often the Japanese businessmen use an interpreter to avoid those types of situations. In contrast, Americans seem to get nervous when Japanese pause in conservation and their break in conversation seem like eternity before they continue speaking. To many Japanese, Americans seem to rely a lot on drawn out verbal dialogue where a simple chart or table is adequate. Conventionally, the Japanese rather brief verbal expressions. In fact, telling one they are skillful with words could be can be seen as a bad compliment, and referred to as being underhanded. Voice pitch plays a significant sociocultural role in the expression of emotion and politeness in conversational speech. (Yuasa 2008) The theory that the entire Japanese communal connection is modeled after the mother and child bond sets a tone for their country. The outcomes of affect and power models imply a multifaceted picture where juvenile American boys are taught to be self-sufficient, but juvenile American girls are pushed to exhibit dependence. Mothers that raise children in America try to validate their character through most favorable actions with kids who operate beyond a normal child's character produce boys that fight back and girls who are passive if they follow the Japanese rules of character development. The mother of an American child conforms her character as a mother by teaching her youngster to be independent. The mother of a Japanese child has the nurturing spirit to carry and hug their child as a way of showing their love. The Japanese model imitates the over controlling and overly understanding approach of native Japanese mothers. The Japanese mother who oversees or observes her child is given an incentive with distinctive characteristics validating reactions like hanging on to and supplying conduct from the youngster not expected for mothers and kids in the United States. Japan and the United States are eagerly focused on education. Both homelands focus on education as a shared accountability of the nation. Even though there are many comparisons, there are also differences among American and Japanese missions and visions of education, and there positions are aimed in different paths of transformation in both homelands. Schooling is also obligatory for both countries. In the United States most children begin primary education with kindergarten and depending on the district prerequisites; they complete their education in their senior year of high school. Since Americans are actively creating universal goals and targets, increasing and utilizing additional standardized tests for all scholars, and shifting in the direction of traditional based school improvement; the Japanese appear to want the reverse unassembled standardized standards, shifting away from the anxiety of nationalized examinations, and centering more attention on the creativeness and possibilities of each scholar. This is an objective that has frequently been disregarded in Japanese culture and the education reflections. Japan's education method allows teachers to inspire students learning throughout their well organized programs of study, securely joined together through all subject matters, that connects students and fabricates well-built classroom affiliations. Complete course group teaching aids Japanese schools to encourage their students by highlighting exertion over aptitude, connecting students, constructing well-built classroom associations, and uniting students under a common objective. Customary functions focused on the gender separation of hard work among a male wage earner and a female head of household have become defying in several current industrialized homelands by transforming women’s communal outlooks. A convergence of trends, including increasing female wages and employment rates, decreasing fertility and family size, rising divorce rates and numbers of female-headed households, and increasing education and participation in women’s movements, have undermined many of the incentives and requirements of a traditional family arrangement (Mason and Lu 1988). References 1. â€Å"What Japan Thinks of Us: a Nation of Crybabies? Newsweek April 2, 1990 2. Doi, T. (1996) â€Å"Foreward† Pp. Xv-xvii in D. W. Shwalb and B. J. Shwalb (editors), Japanese childrearing: Two generations of scholarship, New York: The Guilford Press. 3. Mason, Karen O. and Yu-Hsia Lu. 1988. â€Å"Attitudes Toward Women's Familial Roles: Changes in the United States, 197 7- 1985. † 4. Osgood, C. E. , W. H. May, and M. S. Miron. 1975. Cross-Cultural Universals of Affective Meaning. Urbana: University of Illinois Press. 5. Yuasa, I. 2008. Culture and gender of voice pitch; a sociophonetic comparison of the Japanese and Americans, 2009. Equinox Publishing Limited; Questia. com `

Global Attitudes to Disability

The purpose of this academic piece is to explore global views of disability within a historical and contemporary context. The assignment will consider the impact of economic, religious and cultural influence and consider how models of disability also perceive disability. The rationale for the selection of subject choice is that the author works within the Spinal Cord Injuries (SCI) arena and so disability and views of disability are relevant to person centered care. The majority of clinical research has traditionally focused on the functional limitations of people with impairments.However, a global perspective can provide a powerful insight into views of disability. Mutual respect and understanding can contribute to an inclusive society and the identification of knowledge, beliefs and attitudes to the disabled can be beneficial in providing educational needs and public information. Literature states that globally, a billion people have some form of disability; which equates to 15% of the population (World Health Organization (WHO), 2011, p7).This amount exceeded predicted figures by the World Health Survey which estimated 785 million (WHO, 2004, p8); and the Global Burden of Disease report which anticipated 975 million. Of the quoted billion people, 190 million individuals will have a severe disability such as tetraplegia or blindness (WHO, 2008, p15). It is suggested that this number is set to rise significantly over the next 25 years; both within Eastern and Western societies. This can be attributed to an ageing population whereby older persons are at an increased risk of developing a disability.Additionally there is a global increase in chronic health conditions such as diabetes, mental illness, cardiovascular disease and cancer which can lead to decreased independent functioning (Priestley, 2001, p3). It is suggested that almost every person will experience some form of impairment at some point throughout their lifetime, on either a temporary or permanent b asis (WHO, 2011, p7). Disability is a natural part of the human experience whether it is due to illness, injury or aging.The concept of disability is described as contentious and a complex web of social, cultural, medical, historical and experiential perspectives. Definitions of disability are vast and are said to differ depending on who is defining disability and for what purpose (Smart, 2001, p225). Cultural analysis identifies that the term disability refers most precisely to an inability to perform tasks that are illogically bounded from daily life (Johnson, 2004, p59).The definition of disability provided by the Equality Act (Department of Health (DOH), 2010) states that a person has a disability if they have a physical or mental impairment which has a long term effect on their ability to perform day-to-day activities. Definitions are vital, not only because they are influential in the recognition of people with a disability/impairment but also because they affect self identity and affirm a common language (Johnson, 2004, p60). Groce (1999, p5) states that disability as a united concept is not universal and many languages lack an actual word for disability.Instead these societies group people with similar impairments. Because so much of the experience of disability comes from outside the condition itself, people in the global disability rights movement emphasise that disability is culturally defined (Chiu and Chan, 2007, p159). Coleman (2006, p17) agrees with this statement and proposes that attempts to provide a universal definition are flawed because they suggest that cultural practices, environment and standards are similar. When in fact, these will differ significantly depending on where the person is living.Patterns of disability in specific countries are attributed to environmental and health trends and other factors such as road traffic incidents, substance abuse, diet, natural disasters and conflict. Uneven economic and political development coinc iding with varying views and attitudes to disability means that children, older people and adults with impairment are affected differently in different parts of the world (WHO, 2011, p5). Worldwide studies have identified that disabled people have poorer health outcomes, lower educational achievements and higher rates of poverty.Negative attitudes/views of disability can have a detrimental effect on the disable person and there is growing literature to suggest that diverse views, policies and practices contribute to decreased life chances and life expectancy (Priestley, 2001, p12). The health issues facing the disabled in a rich technological country with social support differ from those in a poorer environment. In a global context poor people are more likely to be affected by disability and impairment, and are more likely to live in poverty. Kisanji (1995, p90) states that this is not solely to do with disabling attitudes or discrimination.The causes are said to be deep rooted in s tructural inequalities and conflicts arising from economic and political upheaval and development. However, MacLachlan and Swartz (2009, p210) argue that although disability correlates with disadvantage not all people with disabilities are equally disadvantaged. The world we inhabit is described as unequal and the Capitalist mode of production is now said to shape social rehabilitation across the entire planet. Recent years have witnessed massive increases in poverty and economic polarisation.As the rich get richer the poor get poorer and this is happening both within and between nations; thus resulting in the people of the majority world and disabled people worldwide, feeling the effects (Castells, 2001, p471). Those disabled people who are part of the majority world are thus the poorest most isolated group in the poorest most isolated places (Charlton, 1998, p43). Many authors argue that the roots of poverty that are found in the majority world are located in the global capitalist system and its inequitable distribution of wealth (Hoogvelt, 1997, p88).Groce (1999, p5) asserts that much of the discussion of disability in current society is embedded in sweeping stereotypes. The Western world is thought to have a specific culture of ideals with desirable attributes such as wealth, appearance and strength. In a cultural context disability also intersects with other practices and beliefs and a combination of factors will determine what are considered desirable attributes. People with a disability therefore deviant from the norm to which we are encouraged to aspire. Murray (2009, p578) states that as human beings we provide meanings to the objects in our world.Therefore, if disability is viewed as a tragedy, people with impairments collectively become victims. Attitudes to disability are often a combination of persecution, acceptance and tolerance, with McDermott and Varenne (1995, p325) stating that the tolerance shown is typically of a paternalistic kind. A glob al thought process is that those who are disabled need to be looked after, and are therefore viewed as objects of pity and charity. Miles (1995, p49) is in agreement and states that this paternalistic nature is evident in the work of voluntary organisations.Paternalistic attitudes can lead to dependency and helplessness in the disabled and lead to low self – esteem (Tromoeda and Bayles, 2002, p3). Modern practice encourages individuals to recognise and respect the disabled individual as a person first and as disabled second. Stereotyping affects how the disabled are viewed and stereotypical views of disability appear to emphasise the use of wheelchairs alongside other ‘classic’ groups such as the deaf or blind. When discussing the notion of stereotyping it is recognised that people with a disability are seen to represent a minority group within our culture.Tsang et al (2003, p383) suggest that within our society people with a disability are seen to be inferior an d viewed as undesirable, dependent, different, tragic, asexual and lower in intelligence. Therefore, they will potentially be subjected to prejudice, segregation and discrimination that other oppressed groups experience. Tromoeda and Bayles, 2002, p4) suggest that within some cultures people within the workplace avoid working with a person who has a disability; thus contributing to the social negative attitude towards the disabled person; which can have a detrimental effect on the disabled person.Beliefs and prejudices can constitute barriers to education, employment and social acceptance (Schmillmeir, 2008, p611). McDermott and Varenne (1995, p323) affirm that every being in every culture is subject to being both labeled not just disabled individuals. It is evident that negative attitudes and stereotypes have been reinforced by society and religion over many centuries. Through examining historical literature on disability it is clear that many ideals of the disabled were developed from past myths, religion and folklore.In early Greece and Rome those with perfect physique were regarded with admiration and acceptance and the deformed and impaired were rejected. It is said that the philosopher, Aristotle, advocated the practice of infanticide for impaired children. There is still evidence of this attitude in society today with non-treatment of newborns with severe disabilities and prenatal testing procedures to detect defectives (Wininger, 2011, p198). In medieval Europe it is reported that disabled people were accepted as part f the family or group and participated in jobs such as working the land (Wininger, 2011, p199). However, Miles (1999, p50) challenges this and argues that even in ancient times the survival of people with disabilities rested with the able bodied. A dependent caste was born amongst the belief that those who were disabled were incapable of contributing anything worthwhile to society. In times of social upheaval and illness such as the plagu e, the disabled were viewed as evil or sinners that had brought disasters upon society.A reaction to this was the flagellants, a European group who believed that penitence would prevent a person becoming ill or disabled. These individuals beat themselves with the aim of becoming more holy (Ingstaad, 1999, p756). The attitude at this time of being disfigured was very powerful as it marked a person as different which is a prejudice that still stands today. The middle ages brought about the notion that congenitally impaired children were ‘changelings’ and believed to be an indication of evil, with the parents of these disabled children were encouraged to drown them at birth (Barnes and Mercer, 2005, p12).These negative views have continued across time and the 19th century saw greater segregation of the disabled, with the workforce rejecting the impaired. The disabled were seen as lazy and sent to the Workhouse resulting in the disabled becoming more dependent on the medica l profession for healthcare and benefits (Miles, 1999, p51). The United Kingdom’s (UK) Mental Deficiency Act of 1913 categorised the disabled as idiots, imbeciles, feeble minded and morally defective (Ingstaad, 1999, p758).Further historical evidence illustrates that from the 1890’s the introduction of separate special schools was brought about and with it the medical model of disability prevailed. The 20th century produced eugenicists who interpreted Darwin’s theories of evolution and natural selection to their own ends. They argued that they could improve the quality of the human race by selective breeding because they thought that people with disabilities would weaken the gene pool.Following this development disabled people were increasingly shut away in institutions for life (Barnes and Mercer, 2005, p14). In many American states women who were born deaf and anyone with a low IQ were sterilized; and these laws remained in place until the 1980’s (Winin ger, 2011, p202) Perceptions of disability vary worldwide, from culture to culture; and within actual cultures and nations. Within countries it is possible to find differences in perception based on socioeconomic influence, religion, urban or rural setting, region and the actual type of disability.Each culture has views of the disabled and their role in society. When considering the term culture from an anthropologist perspective it can be viewed as containers of coherence that identify the various people who live in their own specific ways and so have their own unique views on specific subjects. Each group is distinguishable from others by a common sense of coherence and a particular way of making sense and meaning, with members who possess individualistic and have varying degrees of knowledge (McDermott and Varenne, 1995, p323).Global views take into account strategies for enabling the disabled full or partial participation within a given culture. The United Nations (UN) states th at 80% of disabled individuals live in so called developing countries, the ‘majority’ world (Stone, 1999, p11) However, much of the published research studies on attitudes to disability take place in the minority world; therefore resulting in disability being portrayed in a medical and social model from a minority viewpoint.Consequently it is imperative to examine views and attitudes to disability from a global perspective to gain a clearer picture (Priestley, 2001, p3). Kisanji (1995, p4) proposes that each culture has it own unique characteristics which may be better understood by indigenous people. Misinterpretations may be made by researchers and so caution should be made when reviewing articles on non-western attitudes. It is suggested by Gilson and Dymond (2011) that there is a lack of research into attitudes towards disability within Asian academic literature.Miles (1995, p68) states that there have been few studies on attitudes to disability within an eastern re ligious context and so more studies are needed in this area to understand their beliefs and to achieve a thorough global perspective on disability. Studies of attitudes to disability in non-western areas are few due to the lengthy time ethnographic research takes to complete. However, Kisanji (1995, p5) suggests that cultural studies can be useful in revealing general views of disability and disabled people.Any indigenous beliefs and attitudes, when described and interpreted by western researchers; often illuminates more about western prejudices and belief systems than they do about the society of which they claim to be gaining an understanding (Ingstaad, 1999, p75). Over the past 30 years disability has progressed from the margins to the mainstream of the international human rights agenda. In the growing field of disability studies, a variety of models of disability have been identified and utilised.The models that are used frame how disabled people are treated and perceived in reg ards to education, employment and socially representation (Evans et al, 2005, p67). Models of disability also provide a framework for understanding how people with a disability experience being labeled as disabled. The two main models which influence modern thinking are the medical model and social model. Within the medical model disabled people are viewed as the problem. The disabled individual is required to change and adapt to circumstances as ability allows.This model underpins the WHO definition of disability and contains no suggestion that society needs to take responsibility/action to change. Fein and Asch (1998, p4) state that the medical model of disability characterises disability as a state of abnormality that is attributable to the individual. Alternatively, the social model has been developed by people with a disability, in response to the medical model. The social model of disability has fundamentally changed the way in which disability is regarded and has had a major impact on anti-discriminatory legislation.The social model consists of the opinion that disability is caused by the barriers that exist within society which they allege discriminate against people with impairments and therefore excludes them from involvement and participation. The social model’s definition of disability has now become more main stream (Priestley, 2001, p6); focusing on how the disabled person is perceived, accepted and accorded citizen rights and responsibilities. Conceptual models and frameworks of disability affect the way in which an individual with a disability sees themselves and the world around them.They influence the manner in which people in their world interact with them; additionally they underpin many social policies that directly affect their lives (Groce, 1999, p6). European cultures tend to view those with a disability as dependent. Other cultures may have differing models and not view that person as disabled or impaired at all (Wininger, 2011, p262). The WHO’s two models of health and disability demonstrate how global views about health and disability have changed with a ten year period. A key change that is noted is the terminology, with a shift from terms such as impairment and disability to more neutral idioms.Additionally the term disability is now an umbrella term to represent the dynamic interaction between a person and the environment (Young and Quibell, 2000, p748). There is considerable variation between cultures in the way in which disabilities are defined. Acceptance is at varying levels and there is no consistency in which conditions are actually seen as a disability. In everyday society variations exist; what might be seen as a serious disability may be readily accepted within a particular culture.Kisanji (1990, p5) suggests that cultural attitudes to disability can be found via artwork, carvings and folk law. A vast continent such as Africa can produce a pattern of attitudes expressed via proverbs, w hich are common in all cultures; but specifically in those that use the written word. Proverbs collected in a research study in Tanzania show a positive attitude to disability with respect and support noted for individual differences, an obvious demand for parents to take responsibility for the disabled child and ultimately disability viewed as a fact of life (Kisanji, 1995, p14).The global diversity of social and cultural views of disability directly influences the degree of stigma or respect experienced by community members with impairment (Coleman, 2006, p211). Tsang et al (2003, p383) identify that the stigma of disability is particularly strong within Chinese society. In fact the traditional Chinese term for disability is canferi which means handicap and useless. In many areas of China a disability is still considered to be a punishment for one’s past life sins.Often the Chinese will visit a temple or a Taoist priest to pray or perform rituals to find out the cause and a solution to their disability. Another belief is that an unbalanced diet and the mother demonstrating a temper or grief during pregnancy can contribute to the birth of a baby with a disability. In China it is seen as a shame to have a disability or a disabled relative and there is a lot of stigma attached (Johnson, 2004, p275). Within Asian society it is also considered shameful to have a disability.Michalko (2002, p23) and Stone (1999, p14) are in agreement that in some cultures disability is seen as a failure of that person’s body and it is therefore seen as the job of the medical, rehabilitation and educational services to restore as much independent function to the disabled individual since the impairment is seen as something to be avoided and/or cured. Nalam (2011) states that in Mumbai, India it is difficult getting admission to a mainstream school and generally disabled people are directed to ‘special’ schools which are specifically for individuals with a severe learning disability; rather than the physically challenged.Nalam (2011) goes on to state that access to buildings and public areas is poor and many people demonstrate unnecessary sympathy and pity. Most disabled people are seen as useless and treated as outcasts; a primitive attitude. Alternatively, the Native American perception of disability is one of a positive view. Unlike many other cultures the Native Americans honour and respect disabled people. The belief is that a person who is weak in body is especially strong in mind and spirit (Johnson, 2004, p263).It is reported that South American countries also generally accept those with a disability into their society. Unlike Central America who seem to have emotional difficulty in accepting and embracing the disabled population (Johnson, 2004, p113). Social analysis indicates that individuals who are labeled as disabled are often subjected to a public response/attitude that multiples any difficulties that the seemingly unabl e are already subjected to (McDermott and Varenne, 1995, p3240.A view towards disability that was expressed within the United Kingdom (UK) was that a person with a physical disability must also have a mental disorder or learning disability (Trooeda and Bayles, 2002, p5). Along with the general concept of disability, literature suggests that there is stigma associated with different impairments and perceptions of where responsibility for the disability lies (Murray, 2009, p573). Those disabilities that have arisen as a result of incidents/ related to drink or drug substances are widely viewed as self-induced and receive little empathy rom society.However, when a disability happens to an individual by causes outside their control then more sympathy is expressed. Kirby (2004, p229) agrees that in many cultures a disability that is attributed to fate, bad luck or genetics is also regarded with empathy. There is a wide expression of acceptance globally of disabilities that are acquired d ue to an external cause. However, many cultures are of the shared opinion that any impairment is a clear indication of bad behavior in the past either by the individual or by a member of their family.Johnson (2004, p253) advocates that Nigeria, Japan, India, Greece and Turkey feel that a disability is a divine sign of bad karma. Within these places there is a strong negative stigma attached to the individual and their family. Fein (1988, p21) and Tsang et al (2003, p384) imply that the degree of stigma was enhanced further if an individual had a disability from birth which is seen as a curse from God. Within Greece, India and Japan this would affect the family prestige within society.Stigmatization of different disabilities is found in all societies, worldwide and culturally informed prejudices. Erving Goffman (1963, p85) applied the term negative stigma to any condition or trait which is viewed as culturally unacceptable or inferior with consequent feelings of shame, guilt and disg race. He identified three types of stigma with a common element of a spoilt identity. A further study by Kleinman and Han (2003) discussed the narratives of a patient group who were suffering from what was labeled as various kinds of stigmatising disease or disfigurement and the fear of contagion.The WHO (2011, p19) advocate that Government and voluntary organisations should utilise social marketing campaigns in order to change attitudes and stigma associated to disability. The use of media can be successful in ensuring the dissemination of positive stories about disabled persons to increase awareness and understanding and change negative views and attitudes. By identifying global views on disability it has enabled an understanding of how these perceptions can influence and affect the lives and outcomes of the disabled person.The literature has been conclusive in identifying that negative views can ultimately cause barriers to learning, health, employment and social acceptance.. Str ategies are used varyingly across the globe which aims to address the barriers that the disabled face. Specific agendas have been identified by the WHO (2011, p12) such as making all existing healthcare systems more inclusive and making healthcare programme accessible to people with disabilities in order to reduce health disparities.It is suggested that understanding the beliefs and attitudes about disability is fundamental for those who wish to foster effective change in the majority world. However, this arguably does little more than encourage a judgment focus on indigenous belief system practices. (Miles, 1999, p50). To conclude, the exploration of global views of disability has provided an insight into the vast beliefs of many cultures across the world. Through examining historical literature it has been possible to understand the origins of many belief systems and how such ideals affect perceptions today.

Juvenile Correctional Officers Essay

When a person is charged for a crime that was committed and is sentenced to serve time in a facility, a correctional officer is responsible for the supervision and safety of the detainee. Correctional officers work in adult and juvenile detention centers, though in each facility their responsibilities differ pertaining to whether the detainee is an adult or a juvenile. Because of the ages of the detainees a correctional officer at a juvenile detention facility are greater than if they were dealing with adults. To understand what the differences are in regards to a juvenile, one must know, child development, punishment, and deterrence play a part in the unique situations pertaining to a juvenile detainee. Every child that commit’s a crime has their very own unique situation behind the crime. Some children were taught the crimes they commit by a trusted adult, or television. Some may have an underlying mental or psychological defect that brought them to commit the crime. There are also situations where a child was neglected, abandoned, or abused by an adult they cared about, thus bringing violence among the child. A child’s development can play a very important role in corrections. There may be a violent child that may need to be restrained or put in separate quarters to protect themselves as well as other detainees from harm. A child may also need to be medicated because of an underlying condition or disease. All of these factors can not only affect how a child is taken care of in a facility, but also before that when they are arrested and tried. All of the above factors can either help or hurt a child. If there is no proof of abuse or an mental condition, the courts may be less lenient on their charge and sentence, then a troubled child with underlying factors, in which a judge may take those factors into consideration and gives a lesser charge, House them in a mental facility instead, or provide extra programs or services to help the child once detained. Through punishment a court can show the juvenile what happens if they commit a crime and keep them off the street and from the community by taking away their freedom. Most juveniles are punished by a fine, community service, probation, home electronic monitoring, or incarceration in a juvenile detention center. While there they will be under close supervision of correctional officers and therapists in some facilities. There are occasions for serious crimes that a judge will sentence a juvenile to an adult detention center if they have been tried as an adult. The juveniles that are occasionally tried as adults are ones that commit crimes such as manslaughter, sex crimes, or murder. While a juvenile is in a detention center, they can have visitors as long as it is an immediate family member and this is usually on certain days. In some facilities, recreation, religious, and educational programs are given while they are detained as well. â€Å"Increased punishment of juveniles reduces the amount of crime they commit in a way similar to the impact punishment has for adults, according to a new paper by Steven Levitt, Associate Professor of Economics at the University of Chicagoâ€Å". â€Å"The evidence suggests that juvenile crime is responsive to harsher sanctions,† Levitt writes. â€Å"The estimated decrease in crime associated with incarcerating an additional juvenile is at least as large as the corresponding reduction in crime for adult offenders†, (Levitt, S, 1998). â€Å"In an effort to strengthen the sanctions for serious juvenile crimes, a number of states have enacted laws increasing the types of offenders and offenses eligible for transfer from the juvenile court to the adult criminal court for trial and potential sentencing†, (Redding, R, 2010). These laws are created to try and set precedent to deter juveniles from following certain crime trends and teach them what is in store for them if they do offend. Deterrence has became a popular practice in the criminal justice system. With success of a deterrence, jails and detention centers do not get overcrowded, and more money of the individual states can go to fund therapeutic programs and services to assist troubled individuals. In some instances, a juvenile can be given an opportunity to make heir offense right by attending therapy and psychological meetings, thus helping them cope with whatever issues they may have. This can aid in deterring the individual from committing a crime. Juveniles are our future and it is the responsibility of us adults to help them grow up into fine law abiding individuals and not into a life of crime. To help adults teach juveniles they , must know the juvenile corrections department and educate their children. Knowing how a child develops, how punishment can help, and ways to deter the juvenile are good practices for any parent and adult to learn. For us to safely say we raised our kids right, we must keep the world free of crime and full of love. Resources Redding, Richard, Juvenile Justice Bulletin, US Dept of Justice, Juvenile Transfer Laws, 2010, Right Margin Steven Levitt, Associate Professor of Economics at the University of Chicago, Juvenile Delinquents, University of Chicago News Office, December 21, 1998, Para. 1.

Entrepreneur Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Entrepreneur - Research Paper Example Small opportunities are the beginning of great enterprises but it is often fraught with pitfalls and challenges (Solovic, 2004). This is precisely what Fashion Cafe faced in the 1990s. Fashion Cafe is a themed restaurant and according to a Dunn & Bradstreet publication, the failure rate of all restaurants is high and the failure rate of themed restaurants is even higher (Greer, 2008). About half a million businesses start-up each year and more than this number also fail each year. Reasons could vary across firms and sector but there are certain common mistakes that most entrepreneurs make. 1.2 Fashion Cafe Fashion Cafe, a glitzy theme restaurant, was founded in 1995 by Tommaso Buti and his wife. This was a theme-park restaurant with an animated environment and having a store on the side. This themed restaurant serving burgers and appetizers, was founded by supermodels and fashionistas. They offered and served $20 salad made exclusively for Naomi Campbell (Businesspundit, 2009). Fashi on Cafe was in the restaurant business which itself is tough, and the theme restaurants face even tougher challenges. Supermodels like Claudia Schiffer, Naomi Campbell, Elle Macpherson, and Christy Turlington joined hands with Tommaso Buti and the brain child was Fashion Cafe (Businesspundit, 2009). The vision behind the themed restaurant was to market food and sex as used to be with night clubs and restaurants. This time the owners planned it by way of offering burgers and chips to suit the body-conscious crowd. The theme was to use the girls as enticement and the entrepreneur thought that it would be easy to raise the money to foot their bill. Investors were easily attracted because each felt they owned the models. Because of the stars around the venture gained publicity on CNN and BBC. Buti raised $3 million within a short period and run only three restaurants – in New York, London and New Orleans (Berkman, 2011). Inside the restaurant lights flash, movies play and then th ere was a display of dresses, shoes and coats worn by the owners – the supermodels (Reichl, 1995). These could be bought at the store which was on the side. While the menu card was seven-pages the menus on the card demonstrated frugal meals to suit slim figures and models. At the same time, they planned to sell goods such as dresses and coats through the store in the side. Fashion Cafe was over-franchised and has been accused of mismanagement (Businesspundit, 2009). 1.3 Situation over time Staff paychecks were bouncing and they struggled to hire good people. They reached a state when suppliers refused to deliver on credit (Berkman, 2011). The entrepreneur siphoned out funds to create assets for himself. The restaurant spent too much on refurbishing instead of providing cash for day-today running expenses (Willock, 1998). Super models that had invested and had been attached to the chain started resigning one after the other. The Cafe did not allow the stakeholders access to th e accounts which goes against the norms of any company. The CEO Tommaso Buti has been accused of stealing funds from the company and diverting the corporate assets for personal benefits (Kelly, 1999). They have also been accused of defrauding the investors and the owners have been charged of wire fraud, conspiracy, money laundering and transporting of stolen property. The project had huge amount of investments with good financial backing but no business planning. It closed down three years after it was opened. 2. Reasons for failure 2.1

Communication and Personality Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Communication and Personality Paper - Essay Example Till this day, I have not been able to understand the psyche of the two of them. It happened when I advertised my house for sale. Mr. X approached me with Mr. Y. I welcomed the two and offered them to come into my drawing room. I was wearing a grin on my face and was treating them with utmost respect. I pulled chairs for them, turned on the AC as they had been in the sweltering heat of the sun for quite some time and needed refreshment. Both of my guests were in very pleasant mood. They had dressed up a bit too formally for the level of formality the occasion required. I was in casual dress in my home, wearing a T shirt over the pajamas. It was Sunday and people in general would normally be in bed that early in the morning. I had just been out of the bed. The two of them had approached me too early in the morning, though I did not mind at all. I asked them what would they take – tea or coffee. They asked for coffee. I went inside and asked my wife, Martha to make three cups of coffee. I needed to give them company both in person and in coffee, so I went back towards the drawing room. As I approached them and we were settled. Mr. X began the conversation. Mr. X: So Mr. A, we are interested in purchasing your home that you have recently advertised. Me: Sure. (Mr. Y remained silent all this while and for most part of the communication till the end). Mr. X: Your home is good but its price is too high. We need to bargain. Me: Maybe. What do you want to pay? (Meanwhile the coffee with muffins appeared on the table. I helped them to the coffee and muffins.) Mr. X: I want to buy this house for $50,000. Me: Sorry, that is not even half the demanded price. (Mr. X and Mr. Y exchanged looks. By the time, they had finished their cups of coffee and muffins). Mr. X: But look at your house! It is the cheapest in the whole town. (I was shocked by this sudden change of attitude. My house was certainly not the cheapest one around, and that guy was trying to disdain me and my property unnecessarily.) Me: I am extremely sorry but unfortunately, the price can not be bargained upon. This is the amount I require, and will keep the property with me unless this amount has been paid by a party. I respect your concerns for this house but I have no option to think otherwise. (That was the first time Mr. Y spoke). Mr. Y: If you do not agree to sell your house to us at our desired price, we shall spread the rumor that your house’s foundations are shaken and that it can fall into pieces anytime. (My suspicion was confirmed. They were two blackmailers. Otherwise, there was no point dressing up like that or coming over to my house that early in the morning, or saying things they did regarding my house if they were sincere and really wanting to buy it.). I told the two to leave before immediately and do whatever they think they can. In any communication, visual appearance of the participants casts an important impression upon others. â€Å"Reduced to its ess ence, negotiation is a form of interpersonal communication. Communication processes, both verbal and nonverbal, are critical to achieving negotiation goals and to resolving conflicts† (Barry, Lewicki, Saunders, 2006). Mr. X and Mr. Y were wearing dress pant and coat in the sweltering heat of May and that too very early in the morning. Perhaps, with the sober expression and formal dressing, they wanted to convey that they were to be taken seriously. However, â€Å"It’

Leadership in Non Profit Organizations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Leadership in Non Profit Organizations - Essay Example A preliminary review of the literature has revealed that there is a lack of research on leadership specifically in the context of non-profit organizations. This is noteworthy omission as the non-profit organizations have traditionally made a large impact on the socio-cultural and economic uplift of the people, and governments across the world rely on their partnership and support for welfare activities. As such, it is essential to assess what leadership style may be most suitable in the context of the environment in which non-profit organizations operate. There is however, another difficulty in leadership studies related to non profit organizations. This lies in the fact that leadership effectiveness can not be measured simply in terms of revenues or any other objective economic indicator. As such, it becomes difficult to objectively assess the effectiveness of leadership in non profit organizations. The current research therefore proposes that effective leadership should be able to positively impact on the job satisfaction of the employees, which in turn leads to highly motivated and committed workforce. The proposed research is therefore directed at assessing the leadership styles in the non-profit organizations in the USA and their impact on the satisfaction levels of the employees. The research is expected to provide insights about the leadership styles that are best suited in the context of the non-profit organizations.   2. Literature Review   2.1 Non-profit Organizations: Concept, Growth and Development of Non-Profit Organizations    A non-profit organization can be defined as a group organized for purposes other than generating profit and that does not issue stock shares or distribute its surplus funds  to its members, directors, or officers (Young, 2001). The purpose of Non-Profit organization is to serve the public, and not the owners and the members of the organization. There are a variety of non-profit organizations in different sectors, lik e sports, education, health, social services and artistic groups. Non-profit and non-government organizations are legally comprised entities that work independently from the government. The history of a non-profit sector is embedded in the broader political culture and social improvement of a country or a region, and is also impacted upon by cultural and religious factors. The evolution of US non-profit organizations and non-profit sectors is associated with development of constitution of the US society. In contrast to the US, the non-profit sector development in the Great Britain was closely attached to the changing social needs and political confederacy of the time (Anheier, 2005). Non-profit sector is highly developed in U.S due to its relatively low level of social welfare spending and it seems to be the largest among other countries (Agard, 2011). There are more than 8,00,000 charitable non-profit organizations in the United States, majority of them are Universities, hospitals and churches and these entities make up the major part of the sector in terms of assets and employment (Agard, 2011). According to the John Hopkins’ comparative non-profit sector study, over half of the hospital beds are in the non-profit hospitals, half of all colleges and universities are non-profit institutions, 95% of all orchestras are non-profit organizations, 60% of all social service agencies are non-profit (Salamon, et al, 2003). The non-profit sector has a rich and diverse history in the United States. In USA the non-profit organizations are mainly active in three fields: education, culture and recreation, social service. (Salamon and Anheier, 1996). In the context of European countries as well, the establishment of the voluntary

Activity Based Costing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Activity Based Costing - Essay Example In the other hand shared resources historically was a problematic grey area which caused problems in precisely determining its overall impact to the costs of an operation. A technique that is able to provide financial professionals and managers with better insight about the costs of an operation is called activity based costing (ABC). This purpose of this is to discuss activity based costing by covering the following five topics: history, features, implementation, evaluation and managerial applications. Activity based costing was first utilized in the 1980’s in order to understand the internal breakdown of costs associated with overhead drivers that serve as common resources. Robert Kaplan and Robin Cooper in 1987 for the first time introduced the concept as a chapter of its accounting textbook Accounting and Management: A Field Study Perspective (Weiner, 1995). The industry trend at the time was that overhead costs were rising, thus there was a need of a cost system with enhanced capabilities that enabled it to figure out the reason what this was occurring. In 1990 the first journal article on the subject came out in 1990 and it further revolutionized ABC because it provide a discussion of an application of ABC outside the manufacturing scenario by applying it service based business, financial institutions. The article appeared in the Journal of Bank Cost and Management Accounting and it was written by Richard Sapp, David Crawford, and Steven Robishke (Weiner, 1995). Activity based costing is a completely different accounting system that has its own unique methodology which does not follow the principles associated with traditional cost systems known as absorption costing. ABC just like any other costing system has a similar objective of providing information about corporate costs. One of the differences between ABC and absorption costing is that the systems provide information for different types of users.

Argument Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Argument - Essay Example The incident happened between the months of January to October 2006. As early as January 2006, my cousin told me that she is getting married in October 25 of the same year. For this reason, my best friend and I planned to visit my cousin for her wedding celebration. I was really looking forward to meet my cousin for the first time aside from the fact that it will be the first time I will be able to go to Florida. For this reason, I ended up spending at least 12-hour shift at work to save money for my accommodation, food, and travel expenses. Just like me, my best friend was also eager to join me in this occasion. My best friend and I were supposed to leave town a week before my cousin’s wedding day. I was terribly disappointed when my best friend told me that she suddenly changed her mind about going to Florida because her dog was sick. Because of my disappointment, I ended up accusing her for being unreasonable for not going with me because of a dog. I was really angry at her for breaking our plans. I personally believe that it is rude to break something that you have committed yourself into. I feel that my best friend’s dog is more important than I am. I am her best friend. I simply couldn’t believe that she is prioritizing her dog over me. Isn’t she supposed to prioritize me over a highly domesticated animal? Because of my anger, I did not bother to speak to her for more than a week. Some of our common friends noticed the distance between me and my best friend. For this reason, our common friends decided to patch things up between me and my best friend. A week after the wedding celebration, my best friend and I ended up talking over a cup of coffee. She told me that she really felt bad for breaking our plan to go to Florida. She explained that the real reason why she could not go is because she was very shy to tell me that she was not able to come up with enough

Quality management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 7

Quality management - Assignment Example Hence, it is important that clear decisions are made. But clear decisions cannot just be made literally. Clear decision making is done with the help of various means. In this case, the design of experiments as learnt in this course is one means through which clear decision making can be done. It avails the evidence, the observations, the conclusions and the factual evidence that is needed in decision making. This paper looks at how the design of experiments is involved in decision making in industrial settings, how it is involved in decision making for the purposes related to quality management and why, how, when it is done and its association with cost benefit analysis. From an industry perspective, it is evident that the competition amongst industries is stiff at all levels of competition. This coupled with the fast changing technological techniques for use in industries adds the pressure on industries to make decisions that are certain, based on evidence and facts. As learnt in this unit, the design of experiments is a vital decision making tool for evidences. As per the research conducted when undertaking the assignments, it was evident that one of the aims of industries is to locate the best possible production level. This was by taking all the factors involved in the production process into account and designing an experiment that would help the industry’s management to make the right decision on which factors to make use of. The DOE enables industries to come up with an appropriate model for production by utilizing the data of the factors obtained. This is part of the decision making process of industries. It was learnt that industries design experiments that include one to several factors that they think will have an effect on a response variable to evaluate if the said factors truly have an effect on the response variable. In industries, the decision making process involved the carrying out of experiments in a

Site Field Visit and Essay Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Site Field Visit and Essay - Research Paper Example I had already witnessed the rituals of some other religions, and I was sure that experience inside the church would be much different from other worship places. I collected some preliminary knowledge about church and Christianity from my Christian friends. I also made a bit of internet research on the religion and the common rules to follow while visiting a church. From what Slick Matt describes in Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry website, Christianity is a religion based on the teachings of Jesus Christ. According to Christianity, God is ‘Trinity’ which includes Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ, the Son is the second person in trinity. Christianity believes that one can attain salvation and save oneself from righteous judgment of God only through the faith in Jesus. According to the Orthodox point of view, as described in the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America website by Conciliar Press, an orthodox church is the church founded by Jesus, and it is described in the New Testament. It is the church which could be traced back historically by all other Christian sections and churches. When visiting an orthodox church which is considered as the God’s house one should cross oneself and prepare for prayer. Everyone is supposed to be reserved and modest within the church, and must wear proper attires that suits God’s house. Women usually cover their heads and men do not wear any caps. Everyone stands in an orthodox church and there are separate sections for both men and women. But weak or old age people can make use of seats if they need. I visited the church on a Sunday morning with two of my orthodox Christian friends. As I reached the place, I saw the beautiful huge white church building with a golden dome on the top. Since it was a Sunday, there were several men and women who came for the Sunday observance. Church building is oriented west to east with the

Iron Curtain, Marshall Plan and Berlin Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Iron Curtain, Marshall Plan and Berlin - Essay Example and military barrier to communication; it was established between the democratic countries like Western Europe and communist countries like Soviet Union. There was also an agreement signed for free access to Berlin (Berlin 1948-1949). Winston Churchill delivered his Iron Curtain speech which gave birth to cold war. The Iron Curtain speech was about the victory of America and the power they hold; he wanted peace and co operation with the United Nations. He wanted to establish a good relationship between Americans and Britain by calling them English speaking cousins. There will be a mutual security agreement and they will work together for establishing peace (Iron Curtain 1945-1947). He was in favor of America and totally against Russia which was a very strong starting point of the cold war which lasted for years. He threatened that the Western and Eastern Europe will get separated and this was the Iron Curtain which will be established. He wanted a defense pact and wanted to establish a proper military setup along with creating moral unity. Western foreign policies setup along with a vivid picture of cold war being established are few highlighting points of the Iron Curtain speech. Another important point was the Marshall plan or more popularly known as the European recovery plan. Marshall was not happy with the pace of the recovery of Europe post world war. He introduced programs for development of America and Western Europe. The basic requirement was here to build a better economic plan rather than fighting a battle against Russia. There was a chaos in Europe and the requirement was to eliminate causes of starvation, poverty and anxiety rather than fighting a war against Russia. The plan was directed to improve the economy. Some saw this recovery plan as an attempt to divide Europe and the main cause of the cold war however the Marshall plan was an extended version of the Iron Curtain whose major concern was to establish Europe after world war. Marshall Plan

Analyzing Aristotle Essay Example for Free

Analyzing Aristotle Essay The soul and the body are different forms. While the body is visible and mortal, the soul is invisible and immortal. He suggests that although the body dies and decays, the soul continues to exist. I do believe there is life after death, everyone must eventually die, and it cannot be avoided. However, even though death is a fact of life, it is a topic that many people prefer not to talk about. This avoidance of discussion is usually due to the denial of one’s own death and the denial is usually due to fear. The fear is, for many people, a fear of the unknown. In my opinion i believe that when humans die, the body and the brain dies, but the mind still exists and it creates our afterlife according to our own beliefs and expectations. If a person believes there in nothing after death then there will not be a dream, it will be as if the person is asleep forever without dreaming. 2) Yes, I agree that the universe is purposeful. The purpose of the creation, every though you have is creating your tomorrow. The universe has mysterious ways of revolving what we do day by day. For example Karma: The sum of a persons actions in this and previous states of existence, viewed as deciding their fate in life. Aristotle said: â€Å"Yet there is God, though not perhaps the simple and human god conceived by the forgivable anthropomorphism of the adolescent mind. Aristotle represents God as self-conscious spirit. A rather mysterious spirit; for Aristotle Gods never does anything; he has no desires, no will, no purpose; he is activity so pure that he never acts. He is absolutely perfect; therefore cannot desire anything; therefore He does nothing. His only occupation is to contemplate the essence of things; and since He himself is the essence of all things, the form of all forms, his sole employment is the contemplation of himself.

The importance of after sales services in small companies

The importance of after sales services in small companies Abstract This dissertation deals with the role of after sales service in the operations of small companies in the capital goods sector. After sales service is an important area of modern day business and is important for both buyers and sellers of goods. Whilst buyers require after sales service to ensure the maintenance and operations of their purchased items, sellers provide after sales service for customer satisfaction and enhancement of competitive advantage. Small companies however find it difficult to provide high quality after sales service because of constraints in areas of workforce availability and finance. This dissertation deals with the area of after sales service and its applicability to a small organisation dealing in capital goods. The research, conducted with the use of quantitative and qualitative methods, reveals that the area continues to be a matter of concern that needs to be resolved urgently by managements of small companies to ensure their growth and competitive advantage. This dissertation aims to investigate the issue of after sales service and its importance to sellers and customers of manufactured goods as also the ways in which it can be used by organisations to improve their growth and profitability. After sales service represents the activities conducted by organisations to provide services to the customer in respect of products and services after the conclusion of the sales deal, the payment of money and the handing over of the product or commencement of services (Bundschuh Dezvane, 2003, p 116). Business firms in the past were content to provide goods to customers without any obligation to attend to their needs after the conclusion of contracts and the handing over of goods (Bundschuh Dezvane, 2003, p 116). The responsibility of sellers in such circumstances ended with the delivery of their products and customers were responsible for maintenance and utilisation of products after buying them (Bundschuh Dezvane, 2003, p 116). Such concepts have however altered radically over the course of the last century and manufacturers and service providers realise the need to provide relevant and appropriate services to their customers after the completion of sales (Lele, 1997, p 141). Modern day customers expect various types of services from organisations after they purchase products and services from them. Much of this development has come about on account of the change in the structure of goods and services in modern day economies (Lele, 1997, p 141). With the bulk of trade in the past being on account of agricultural goods, customers were required to purchase agricultural products from farmers or traders and inspect such products for freshness and longevity, and were responsible for storing them properly in order to avoid spoilage. Such practices were also due to the easy verifiability of the quality of agricultural products (Lele, 1997, p 141). With the proportion of agricultural products coming down steadily in the basket of goods and services of nations across the world, customers now spend significantly greater proportions of their incomes on various types of products and services, about which they know little, and thus depend upon suppliers for product and service quality as also for satisfaction of their needs (Lele, 1997, p 141). Their dependence upon their sellers for appropriate services continues much after the time of purchase of goods. The role of after sales service is steadily increasing in the operations of small and large companies (Levitt, 1983, p 87). Driven by the need to satisfy their customers, improve their image, strengthen their brands and enhance their competitive advantage, organisations now treat after sales service, not just as an important operational function but also as a critical marketing tool in their quest for growth and expansion (Levitt, 1983, p 87). 1.2. Definition of Problem Whilst the role of after sales service is steadily growing in both production and service sectors and is required by modern day consumers, its provisioning on the part of organisations is associated with a number of problems and challenges. After sales service, in the case of many products, has to essentially be provided at the premises of the customers. They have to furthermore be provided by specialised and skilled people who are aware of the nature of products and services and have the ability to correct mistakes in supply, as well as malfunctions in products and services (Gaiardelli, et al, 2005, p 236).The provisioning of such after sales services becomes especially onerous for small companies that work in limited markets and have restricted sales, comparatively low accruals and tight cash flows (Miragliotta, 2003, p 158). Such problems are compounded in the capital goods sectors for suppliers of capital machinery, like boilers and turbines, which whilst being complicated in nature are also installed in distant areas (Miragliotta, 2003, p 158). Whilst the modern day market is governed by customers, who insist on high quality after sales service and are ready to take their business elsewhere if their demands are not met, the provisioning of such services becomes extremely difficult for organisations engaged in manufacture and sale of capital goods, especially if they are small in size. 1.3. Purpose of Study The purpose of this dissertation is to investigate the relevance and role of after sales service in small and medium sized suppliers of capital equipment, both from the perspectives of the sellers and of the buyers. The aims and objectives of the assignment are thus as under. To examine the role of after sales service for suppliers of capital goods like boilers and turbines for small organisations. To understand the relevance and importance of after sales service for consumers of such equipment. To understand the ways in which after sales service can improve the growth and performance of small companies engaged in the supply of capital goods like boilers and turbines. 1.4. Benefits of Study The findings and results of this dissertation are particularly important because little research has been conducted in the area until now. A preliminary search of information on the subject in the physical and online domain reveals that the majority of conducted research concerns products like cars and cell phones and services like call centres. The issue of after sales service is however important for the products like the ones taken up in the course of this dissertation, even though they may not have public appeal, like automobiles or cell phones, or do not belong to a controversial and debated sector like call centres. Small organisations have specific disadvantages in providing after sales service, which in turn hurts their competitiveness in comparison to larger organisations. The findings of this study will provide useful information on a lesser known area of industry. Its findings should be of interest to academics and experts in areas of manufacture and marketing, small business owners, purchasing professionals, and students of management, engineering and marketing. 1.5. Structure This dissertation is arranged in sequential sections, which deal with a review of existing literature on the issue, the research methodology, the data, findings and analysis, and conclusions. The bibliography of information sources used in the course of the dissertation is provided at the end of the study, followed by the appendices. 2. Literature Review 2.1. After Sales Service After sales services constitute the various facilities and services provided by manufacturers and sellers of items to their customers after the completion of sale and purchase transactions (Lele, 1997, p 142). Whilst after sales service in the area of consumables like food, soft drinks or items like soap and tooth paste is simple and essentially concern the replacement of items that are found to be defective, such services become complex for consumer goods and capital items like televisions, refrigerators and washing machines, or engines, turbines and boilers, which are used by their buyers for varying periods of time (Lele, 1997, p 142). Manufacturers of these items provide a range of after sales services in the form of guarantees, warranties, free and paid replacement of parts, advice on maintenance and operations of these items, and periodic checkups (Gaiardelli, et al, 2005, p 238). The provisioning of such after sales services helps buyers to make optimal use of their purchased items, keep them in good condition and increase their operational longevity (Gaiardelli, et al, 2005, p 238). Apart from facilitating customers to use products in the best possible manner and the longest possible time, after sales service helps in keeping such products in good condition and in ensuring their resale value (Gaiardelli, et al, 2005, p 238). Many organisations, especially in the sector of automobiles and white goods offer buyback facilities to customers who are able to sell such goods back to company agencies and avail of exchange or other offers (Gaiardelli, et al, 2005, p 238). After sales service is becoming an increasingly important function in most business organisations and all organisations, irrespective of their size, are making efforts to provide high quality and appropriate after sales service to their customers (Gaiardelli, et al, 2005, p 238). All suppliers of capital goods have complex and detailed after sales service facilities that are formulated with great care (Gaiardelli, et al, 2005, p 238). 2.2. Role of After Sales Service for Manufacturing and Selling Organisations Levitt, (1983, p 88), states that manufacturers and retailers of consumer and capital goods cannot think that their interaction with customers ends with the sale of their products. They are required to provide their clients with a range of after sales services by way of warranties, installation packages, maintenance and repair services, availability of spare parts for long periods of time, (even after the discontinuation of product lines), technical advice in various operational areas, and options for exchange and upgrading of products. The provisioning of after sales service facilities has been steadily growing over the last few decades on account of a number of reasons (Bundschuh Dezvane, 2003, p 119). Experts feel that the rapid growth of after sales services has been driven by local and global competition. The contemporary period is distinguished by intense competition in the market place (Bundschuh Dezvane, 2003, p 119). Such competition has grown exponentially on account of causes like economic liberalisation, technological advances, globalisation and the emergence of good quality but low cost production and service centres in Asia, East Europe and Latin America (Bundschuh Dezvane, 2003, p 119). The growing intensification of competition among businesses in all areas of activity has spurred manufacturers and sellers to improve and enhance their engagement with customers in different ways (Bundschuh Dezvane, 2003, p 119). After sales service not only fulfils the need of customers but also allows organisatio ns to stay in touch with their customers long after the occurrence of commercial exchanges (Bundschuh Dezvane, 2003, p 119). Such opportunities enable companies to satisfy various types of customer needs, improve customer loyalty and influence customers to engage in repeat purchases, develop market goodwill and provide word of mouth recommendations (Bundschuh Dezvane, 2003, p 119). Apart from driving customer satisfaction and influencing repeat purchases and market goodwill, after sales services provide organisations with attractive and profitable revenue streams (Gaiardelli, et al, 2005, p 239). After sales service includes the supply of spares and the engagement of yearly maintenance contracts that are put in place after the expiry of free warranty periods. Most industries price their spares well (Gaiardelli, et al, 2005, p 239). The sales of these spares constitute an attractive and profitable revenues stream for organisations and enhance their operational and financial performance (Gaiardelli, et al, 2005, p 239). Maintenance contracts are also priced in such a manner that they cover the cost of maintenance and provide organisations with surpluses. The supply of spares and maintenance services has now become an important component of organisational sales, cash flows and profitability (Gaiardelli, et al, 2005, p 239). Steadily growing customer requirements and the increasing sophistication of products plays an important role in the knowledge and expertise of business firms (Frambach, et al, 1997, p 341). Many companies use feedback from their after sales operations to improve their knowledge of products, product performance, product inadequacies and product faults (Frambach, et al, 1997, p 341). Such information helps them significantly to improve the quality and capacity of their products, reduce product defects and introduce product improvements. It helps companies to improve the overall quality of their product offerings, improve their RD efforts and enhance their competitive advantage (Frambach, et al, 1997, p 341). 2.3. After Sales Service in Small Organisations The immediately preceding section deals with the various advantages that offering of high quality and extensive after sales services can give to organisations (Brun, et al, 2004, p 172). Whilst the provisioning of after sales service can help organisations to (a) improve their market share and sales, (b) increase their profitability, (c) improve their product knowledge, (d) help their research and development activities, and (e) enhance their competitive advantage, the capacity to offer such services entails significant outlays on expenditure and manpower that is often beyond the resources of small organisations (Brun, et al, 2004, p 172). Organisations that provide after sales services are required to develop after sales service teams that are distinct and separate from members of production and maintenance departments (Brun, et al, 2004, p 172). The members of after sales service teams are required to have extensive product knowledge and good people management and customer relation ship skills. Such people have to be chosen with care, treated with sensitivity and remunerated well (Brun, et al, 2004, p 172). The development and maintenance of an after sales service team involves substantial expenses. Small companies that provide capital equipment often have customers spread across regions and in distant geographic locations (Cohen Whang, 1997, p 535). The need to attend to such customers involves extensive travelling for employees engaged in after sales service functions. Such travel not only reduces the effective time available with employees to attend to other customers but also involves substantial travelling costs (Cohen Whang, 1997, p 535). The supply of essential spares is an integral component of after sales service. Whilst the cost of such spares is by and large recovered after expiry of official warranty periods, organisations are required to keep a large range of such spares in their inventories (Gaiardelli, et al, 2005, p 259). Many of such spares are not manufactured in house but are bought out or manufactured by other contractors. The need to keep sufficient stocks of materials, many of which are not used for long periods of time, is an expensive proposition and companies have to bear, not only the strain on cash resources in obtaining these items but also the costs of obsolescence and holding of inventory (Gaiardelli, et al, 2005, p 259). It needs to be recognised that small organisations are restricted by the size of their operations, the availability of cash flows and availability of employees. New organisations furthermore have many clients within warranty periods and have to provide after sales services free of charge. Whilst the needs for such companies to offer high quality after sales service is imperative on account of competitive pressures, the development of facilities to do so imposes substantial financial burdens (Miragliotta, et al, 2003, p 160). Many small companies are known to engage in cost cutting in this area, especially so in times of recession or sluggish sales (Miragliotta, et al, 2003, p 160). Such measures are primarily adopted out of compulsion and lack of necessary resources but result in customer dissatisfaction and adverse consequences, not just in terms of loss of market reputation, customer sales and profitability, but also by way of penalties and legal action for breach of after sales service obligations with customers (Miragliotta, et al, 2003, p 160). 2.4. Research Questions The research question for this dissertation have been formulated in line with the purpose of the study, the aims and objectives of the dissertation and the information obtained during the course of the literature review. The research questions are formulated as under. Research Question 1: What is the importance of after sales service for customers of capital equipment like boilers and turbines provided by small organisations? Research Question 2: what is the role of after sales service in the operations of small firms engaged in supply of such capital goods? Research Question 3: How can small companies engaged in the supply of capital goods use after sales service to improve their performance and growth? 3. Research Methodology 3.1. Available Research Methods It is important to obtain a broad idea on the theory of social research before deciding upon the appropriate research method (Sarma, 2004, p 84). Such understanding will help, not only in the choice of research methods and the conduct of the research assignment, but also in obtaining a holistic perspective of the issue and in approaching the subject with greater maturity Whilst the theory of social research is a vast area, a few important concepts, namely deductive and inductive thinking and positivist and interpretivist epistemology, are taken up here for discussion (Sarma, 2004, p 84). Deductive reasoning is termed as a top down approach and moves from the general to the specific (Thyer, 2001, p 9). Researchers in such circumstances commence by thinking up a theory on the topic of interest and then narrowing such theory into more specific hypothesis that can be tested during the course of research (Thyer, 2001, p 9). Such research entails the collection of observations to address these hypotheses and enables researchers to test hypothesis with particular data in order to confirm or disprove the original theories (Thyer, 2001, p 9). Inductive reasoning on the other hand grows from specific observations to broader theories and is termed as the bottom up approach (Sarma, 2004, p 84). Researchers, whilst engaging in inductive reasoning, commence with particular observations, make efforts to detect patterns, formulate tentative and primary hypothesis that can be explored and thereafter develop general conclusions and theories. Inductive reasoning is more exploratory and open ended, even as deductive reasoning is narrow and concerned with the confirmation of hypotheses (Sarma, 2004, p 84). The epistemology or philosophy of social research can essentially be segregated into positivist and interpretivist streams of thought (Babbie, 2007, p 42). The positivist way of thinking is associated with the scientific approach and assumes that the objective of knowledge should be restricted to the description of phenomena that can be experienced, and that research should be regulated by what can be observed and measured. Positivist researchers follow specific processes and procedures to ensure that observations are accurate, consistent, and verifiable in order to conduct their investigation (Babbie, 2007, p 42). The interpretivist theory however developed largely as a counterpoint and a criticism of positivism. Whilst interpretivist theorists do not reject the positivist dimension of scientific knowledge, they do question its relevance for the study of societies (Babbie, 2007, p 42). Interpretivism assumes that specific phenomena need to be understood in totality, and that positivism, because it collects and analyses data from parts of the phenomena, can miss many important aspects and thus be inadequate in the achievement of comprehensive understanding of issues (Babbie, 2007, p 42). Social research has for many years witnessed debate over the use of quantitative and qualitative methods for obtaining and analysing information (Bryman Bell, 2003, p 54-55). Quantitative methods arise from positivist epistemologies and are concerned with the measurement of numerical data and their appropriate analysis. Quantitative methods continue to be widely used in social research and are felt to be most applicable when the subjects under study are suitable for numerical observation, quantification, and analysis (Bryman Bell, 2003, p 54-55). Whilst quantitative methods continue to be widely used by social researchers, they are found, not just to be inadequate, but also to be inappropriate for the study of research issues that are essentially subjective and incapable of being measured or analysed through numerical quantification and analysis (Davies, 2007, p 139). With much of social phenomena being subjective, multilayered, multidimensional and open to interpretation, quantitative methods of research are felt to be unsuitable for their study and investigation. Qualitative research methods are used to explore attitudes, behaviours and experiences through specific qualitative research methods (Davies, 2007, p 139). Significant discussion and debate has taken place on the topic of research methodology and theories on how enquiries should proceed (Shacklock Smyth, 1998, p 107). Much of such debate has focused on the issue of quantitative v qualitative enquiry (Shacklock Smyth, 1998, p 107). Research experts now appear to agree that both these methodologies have their own specific strengths and weaknesses (Shacklock Smyth, 1998, p 107). Whilst the theory of social research is a vast area, a few important concepts, namely deductive and inductive thinking and positivist and interpretivist epistemology, are taken up here for discussion (Sarma, 2004, p 84). Social research has for many years witnessed constant debate over the use of quantitative and qualitative methods for obtaining and analysing information (Bryman Bell, 2003, p 54-55). Quantitative methods arise from positivist epistemologies and are concerned with the measurement of numerical data and their appropriate analysis. Quantitative methods continue to be widely used in social research and are felt to be most applicable when the subjects under study are suitable for numerical observation, quantification, and analysis (Bryman Bell, 2003, p 54-55). Many opinion polls and marketing surveys are conducted with the use of quantitative methods. They are particularly suitable for political opinion polls and for assessment of mood swings and their impact on voting patterns (Bryman Bell, 2003, p 54-55). Whilst quantitative methods continue to be widely used by social researchers, they are found, not just to be inadequate, but also to be inappropriate for the study of research issues that are essentially subjective and incapable of being measured or analysed through numerical quantification and analysis (Davies, 2007, p 139). With much of social phenomena being subjective, multilayered, multidimensional and open to interpretation, quantitative methods of research are felt to be unsuitable for their study and investigation. Qualitative research methods are used to explore attitudes, behaviours and experiences through specific qualitative research methods (Davies, 2007, p 139). There has been a great amount of discussion and debate on the topic of research methodology and theories of how enquiries should proceed (Shacklock Smyth, 1998, p 107). Much of such debate has focused on the issue of quantitative v qualitative enquiry, namely which could be more scientific and which could actually be the most appropriate (Shacklock Smyth, 1998, p 107). Research experts now appear to agree that both these methodologies have their own specific strengths and weaknesses which should be appreciated and addressed by researchers (Shacklock Smyth, 1998, p 107). The employment of both quantitative and qualitative methods is nowadays known as the mixed method of social research (Todd, et al, 2004, p 34). The use of multiple approaches helps researchers to capitalise on the strengths of these approaches and compensate for their weaknesses. Such studies try to bring together research methods from different paradigms (Todd, et al, 2004, p 34). Mixed methods however have to be applied with care and thought on the suitability of using both methods for the subject under study (Special Issue, 2008, p 141). It is also important for researchers to decide on the aspects of the study that are best served either by quantitative or by qualitative methods and in deciding upon the sequence of use of these two methods. Mixed method research is becoming increasingly popular and is felt to have an answer to the individual weaknesses of quantitative and qualitative approaches (Special Issue, 2008, p 141). 3.2. Sources of Information The data to be obtained for the conduct of a research study primarily depends upon the chosen research method, namely whether it is quantitative, qualitative, or mixed in nature. Obtaining of data must be preceded by a decision on choice of information sources. Information sources are primarily of two types, i.e. primary and secondary information sources (Denscombe, 2002, p 94). Secondary information sources represent the information available on the topic under investigation in the public domain. Such information is by and large prepared by experts and authors who are not involved in the subject under investigation and is available in the form of publications like books, journals, magazines and online publications (Denscombe, 2002, p 94). Secondary information sources are available either in physical or in online form and researchers have to carefully assess their quality, accuracy and relevance before using them for research. Primary information sources on the other hand represent the information obtained directly from the subjects or organisations under study through the conduct of surveys or interviews. Information contained in organisational or personal websites also fall in the ambit of primary information sources (Denscombe, 2002, p 94). Quantitative data is usually required to be obtained when adopted methods of research are positivist in nature. Such data is usually collected through questionnaire surveys or opinion polls by agents of researchers who are uninvolved in the topic under investigation (Bryman Bell, 2003, p 54). Sampling constitutes a very important element of obtaining quantitative data. Samples represent small segments of populations under study whose reactions and responses can be considered to be representative of the broader population (Davies, 2007, p 53). The determination of sample size is an important component of the sampling process. Such choice of samples can be done through various methods, statistical as well as purposive, and are decided by individual researchers (Davies, 2007, p 53). The size of a sample however has a specific bearing on the validity of the sample findings and has to be taken into account at the time of analysis (Davies, 2007, p 53). Qualitative information on the other hand is obtained through techniques like semi structured interviews and focus group discussions that are conducted by expert researchers who are involved in the study (Davies, 2007, p 140). Such interviews and discussions are often lengthy and are thus conducted with limited numbers of respondents. Interviewers usually record such interviews, use a mix of carefully designed open and close ended questions, and watch the physical responses of the respondents to locate hidden nuances and meanings (Davies, 2007, p 140). 3.3. Adoption of Research Method The research issue is complex. It involves a specific segment of industry that suffers from significant constraints but is at the same time expected to satisfy a number of obligations. The requirements of the dissertation call for information to be obtained from two sets of people, namely responsible officials of small companies engaged in supply of capital goods and the customers of such companies. Information from customers can be both quantitative and qualitative in nature. Information from supplying organisations is also likely to be both qualitative and quantitative in nature. Quantitative information will be required to gauge the broad success of such organisations in meeting after sales service obligations, whereas qualitative information will enable the researcher to locater the various issues about after sales service that are of concern to organisations. The researcher has therefore used the mixed method approach, which involves elements of both qualitative and quantitative research, to conduct the investigation for this dissertation. Information is obtained from primary sources, namely officials of a small boiler manufacturing organisation in the UK and its customers. 3.4. Ethics Care has been taken to adhere to the ethical requirements of social research. The principles of informed consent, absence of coercion, and rights of respondents have been strictly followed. All respondents have been explained the purpose of the dissertation and they have consented in writing to their participation in the research. They have also been provided with options to maintain the confidentiality of their personal identities and of their organisations. All respondents have wished to maintain confidentiality of identity. They have also been informed of their right to answer or not to answer particular questions. Care has also being taken to ensure proper acknowledgement of all information sources used in the dissertation. 4. Data and Analysis 4.1. Procurement of data Data has been obtained from three different sources, i.e. (a) from a questionnaire survey of 50 clients of a small boiler organisation, referred to as Best Boilers LLP for the purposes of this dissertation, (b) direct interviews with two customers of Best Boilers, and (c) two officials of the after sales service and marketing departments of the organisation. Appendix 1, 2 and 3 provide details about the information obtained. 4.2. Findings and Analysis Appendices 1, 2 and 3 provide details about the information obtained from the questionnaire survey and the questions asked of the customers and officials of best boilers. It is seen from the results of the questionnaire survey that 60% of the clients surveyed had dealings of less than 2 years with the company and only 10% had dealt with the company for more than 5 years. This is normal because the organisation has been established recently and is just about 7 years old. This information is also corroborated by the response that 80% of the companys customers have bought just one item from the company. The survey reveals that whilst all the respondents require after sales service, more than 50% require to be serviced only once a year and just about 20% require services more than 2 times in a year. The answers on types of after sales service are spread over various needs, but approximately 24% state that they need all types of services including advice, physical support, and supply of spares. The responses on satisfaction with quality

Life Of Raphael Sanzio :: essays research papers

During a time when Michelangelo and Leonardo Da Vinci were the prime artists in Europe, a young man by the name of Raffaello Sanzio was starting to attract major attention with his artworks. The Italian high Renaissance was marked by paintings expressing human grandeur and very humanistic values. No one better portrayed the Italian high Renaissance then Raphael Sanzio, with his painting’s clarity and ease of composition, Raphael was easily one of the greatest painters of this period.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Born in an artistically influenced town in Italy called Urbino, Raffaello Sanzio was first taught by his father, Giovanni Santi, how to compose works of art at a very early age. At the age of fourteen, Raphael’s father realized his son’s potential and sent him to a very talented teacher by the name of Pietro Perugino. Pietro Perugino lived from 1478 to 1520, and had a strong influence on Raphael’s early artworks. Perugino was a Umbrian painter who loved to incorporate beautiful landscapes into his paintings. Raphael’s early works resembled Perugino’s so much that paintings such as the Crucifixion with the Virgin, Saint John, Saint Jerome, and Saint Mary Magdalene were thought to be Raphael’s until the church of San Gimingniano proved that they were in fact Perugino’s. "Raphael was only 14. It is undoubtedly a Perugino calmly emotional, and pious rather than passionate. Unlike the other great painters of this time, such as Michelangelo and Da Vinci, Raphael was born with a great understanding of art and required little instruction if any. Because of Raphael’s great understanding of the arts, he quickly surpassed his teacher and ventured out on his own to the great city of Florence in 1504.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  At the same time Raphael arrived in Florence, the other great painters of time, Michelangelo and Leonardo Da Vinci were the popular painters of the city. Because of the competitive environment of Florence, Raphael adopted many new painting techniques such as shading, anatomy, and frozen action.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Both Michelangelo and Da Vinci’s styles influenced Raphael while he was in Florence. Raphael’s energetic paintings with softness and balance such as the "Small Cauper Madonna", were influenced directly from Michelangelo. While Raphael was in Florence, Duke Guidobaldo employed him to paint a painting for King Henry VII of England. In the painting "Saint George and the Dragon", Raphael portrays Saint George as a brave warrior fighting against a dragon right outside it’s lair. Life Of Raphael Sanzio :: essays research papers During a time when Michelangelo and Leonardo Da Vinci were the prime artists in Europe, a young man by the name of Raffaello Sanzio was starting to attract major attention with his artworks. The Italian high Renaissance was marked by paintings expressing human grandeur and very humanistic values. No one better portrayed the Italian high Renaissance then Raphael Sanzio, with his painting’s clarity and ease of composition, Raphael was easily one of the greatest painters of this period.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Born in an artistically influenced town in Italy called Urbino, Raffaello Sanzio was first taught by his father, Giovanni Santi, how to compose works of art at a very early age. At the age of fourteen, Raphael’s father realized his son’s potential and sent him to a very talented teacher by the name of Pietro Perugino. Pietro Perugino lived from 1478 to 1520, and had a strong influence on Raphael’s early artworks. Perugino was a Umbrian painter who loved to incorporate beautiful landscapes into his paintings. Raphael’s early works resembled Perugino’s so much that paintings such as the Crucifixion with the Virgin, Saint John, Saint Jerome, and Saint Mary Magdalene were thought to be Raphael’s until the church of San Gimingniano proved that they were in fact Perugino’s. "Raphael was only 14. It is undoubtedly a Perugino calmly emotional, and pious rather than passionate. Unlike the other great painters of this time, such as Michelangelo and Da Vinci, Raphael was born with a great understanding of art and required little instruction if any. Because of Raphael’s great understanding of the arts, he quickly surpassed his teacher and ventured out on his own to the great city of Florence in 1504.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  At the same time Raphael arrived in Florence, the other great painters of time, Michelangelo and Leonardo Da Vinci were the popular painters of the city. Because of the competitive environment of Florence, Raphael adopted many new painting techniques such as shading, anatomy, and frozen action.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Both Michelangelo and Da Vinci’s styles influenced Raphael while he was in Florence. Raphael’s energetic paintings with softness and balance such as the "Small Cauper Madonna", were influenced directly from Michelangelo. While Raphael was in Florence, Duke Guidobaldo employed him to paint a painting for King Henry VII of England. In the painting "Saint George and the Dragon", Raphael portrays Saint George as a brave warrior fighting against a dragon right outside it’s lair.