Historical sites in UAE Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Historical sites in UAE - Research Paper Example The long history of human habitation of the area has brought about a situation where a number of historical sites show evidence of the different eras that have taken place. These have mainly been as a result of the human ability to adapt to their environment and to express themselves through the construction of significant monuments that have ended up becoming significant historical sites. In this paper, there will be a discussion of three important historical sites of the UAE that include Qasr al-Hosn, the Al Badiyah Mosque, and finally, the Al Hili Archeological Park. The Qasr al-Hosn is located in the city of Abu Dhabi and it is considered the oldest stone building in the city. Located in the Sheikh Zayed the First Street, it was constructed in 1761 as a conical tower designed to ensure that the only fresh water well in the area was protected. Seeing the advantage of this site, the ruler of Abu Dhabi, Shakhbut bin Dhiyab Al Nahyan, in 1793 decided to expand this tower into a small fort who also established it into his permanent residence (Maitra 262). As the official seat of the Abu Dhabi sheikhs for centuries, Qasr al-Hosn gained significant value within the emirate because it came to be associated with government. This historical landmark has seen various renovations over its long history, which went according to the taste of the various rulers who occupied it. Following the discovery of oil in the UAE, this site was given a major extension and it took on its current shape as a result of the oil revenues which allowed the Abu Dhabi emirate to have the funds necessary to expand the residence of the emir. As the official seat of the Abu Dhabi government until 1966, this fort has also become the home of the Abu Dhabi Cultural Foundation whose purpose is to preserve the rich cultural history of the emirate. The Qasr al-Hosn has become a major tourist attraction for those who visit the UAE because it

Foreign Direct Investment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Foreign Direct Investment - Assignment Example In other words, FDI inflows might supplement the limited financial resources which retard the growth of an economy. Moreover, FDI inflows could assist in technology transfers that could prove to be more efficient in terms of production and thus, be of high assistance to the developing economies especially in case of LDCs (Assadourian, 2005). On the other hand, too much dependence upon FDIs for economic development, from a particular host nation might turn detrimental in case that the latter exploits the former on such grounds. In addition, the recipient country also suffers if FDI inflows invigorate production processes which ultimately injure the environment. Moreover, in case the benefits of FDI inflows trickle down to any particular segment of the economy only, possibilities of social uprisings grow intense among those who are not directly benefitted out of the same (OECD, 2002). FDI outflows could be turn to be beneficial for the source economy through boosting its current accoun t position in terms of profit returns from sales made in the host economy. Moreover, prospects of rise in employment are also multiplied in the source economy when the raw materials produced in the host nation are brought in for manufacture of final goods. Lastly, technology and skill from the host nation are also passed into the home country, thus benefitting the latter. One of the highest costs incurred in FDI outflows is that of capital account deficits owing to a massive outflow in the initial phase. Secondly, the home country suffers from a current account deficit if the purpose of FDI outflow is to import low-cost raw materials (Vaidya, 2006). Determinants of FDI The primary factors which determine the flow of... The primary factors which determine the flow of FDI within an economy are – †¢ At the face of competition, the foreign investors often consider foreign investment to be beneficial for their long run growths against their rivals. Such a measure could help them in securing their foothold in a non-domestic market. †¢ Such measures are often adopted in order to maintain a long term relationship which might prove to be profitable in the future, either in terms of a sustained flow of cost efficient inputs or technology. Moreover, a long term commitment could be advantageous at times of bargain as well. †¢ In addition, involvement in new product in a foreign market is associated with economies of moving in first (Moosa, 2002). Answer to Question 2 The association between openness to trade and economic growth of an economy is a highly debatable topic. There exist theories as well as empirical evidences supporting and opposing the facts, so that the applicability of any one of them cannot be asserted in the true sense of the term. One robust theory which could be raised in support of the hypothesis is that lower the degree of trade restrictions in an economy, higher will be the inflow of export revenues in the nation which in turn boosts the national income of the economy. Moreover, abolition of restrictions over trade such as import tariffs or export quotas could help in extracting the benefits of comparative advantage which is beneficial in lowering the cost of production.

Voltaires Impact from the Enlightenment to Todays Time Essay Example for Free

Voltaires Impact from the Enlightenment to Todays Time Essay Like so many of his peers, including a number of the founding fathers of the United States, Voltaire was a deist who believed that God had created everything but then let it evolve on its own. Although educated by the Jesuits, Voltaire hated the Catholic Church. He is famously quoted to have said Ecrasez linfame ‘Crush the horrible thing!’ referring to the Church. He had written most of his life on religious tolerance but the Jean Calas affair gave him the focus he needed and in 1763 he published A Treatise on Tolerance that focused entirely on the case. Making a powerful case for religious and intellectual freedom gave the fledgling Scientific Revolution in France a much needed boost. The Roman Catholic Church which in France had become the only official state-sanctioned religion thanks to King Louis XIV. Voltaire in a tireless campaign argued that people should be permitted to worship as they pleased or not at all. Just as well, his tireless efforts to promote the empirical methods of Francis Bacon and John Locke of England as the only legitimate way to practice science were a direct challenge to the French rationalist tradition of, for example, Renà © Descartes. Both traditions, religious and rationalist, proved difficult to dislodge, but change was in the air and intellectual freedom especially, became a rallying point. Voltaire spurred the third estates people into revolting along with many others. As a political theorist, he believed that the world is governed by natural laws which are discernible by human reason. Natural laws are good and reasonable and man will be happy if they live by them. He would criticize the government, such as he did both England and France which made people realize the rights of which they did not have and gave them more reason to overthrow. He helped clarify the peasants, city workers, and middle classmens reasons why to revolt against the over taxing, controlling, unjust, unfair and wealthy owned government that still resembled Feudalism in class structure and working conditions. This is in itself why governing institutions feared his word and rejected his theories very often. Voltaire had a great impact on his time and these ideas and theories are very relevant with today’s time. He created many satire plays, poems, and books of which were best sellers. He also inspired a revolutionary perspective to inspire an enlightenment of new thinking amongst the political and societal order. Voltaire’s Enlightenment impact will continue to fade in and out of societal cycles shaping the world we live in, even in its small impacts. Works Cited Ecrasez Linfame PANGEA PROGRESS. PANGEA PROGRESS. Web. 15 Feb. 2013.

Why Does Gender Pay Inequality Persist?

Why Does Gender Pay Inequality Persist? With the increasing trend of the remarkably importance of the gender pay equality during the past few decades, organisations and many commentators have been paying particular attention to the relative trends, legislations, news, economy and global labour market as a whole to address the persistence of the gender pay inequality occurred nowadays. Pay equity is defined as a particular strategy for reducing or eliminating the wage gap between or among groups such as women and men, or various ethnic groups (Thomas 2006). It was mentioned in the CONSAD Research Corporations paper (2009) that there have been significant increase for women to participate in the labour force, to acquire higher education level and to make substantial real earnings. For instance, Lander ONeill (1991) indicated that Australian women participation rate in the labour force has doubled since 1947. Moreover, it was showed in the Education Internationals report (2010) that the average female graduation rate in high er education in OECD countries is 16 percent more than the male graduation rate. Yet the challenge is that women have been earning less than men all through the developed countries around the world even they are well educated and actively participate in the workforce (Hatt1997). Taking an example in Australia, women earn approximately 80 percent of mens wages (Lander ONeill 1991). The persistence of the gender pay gap is puzzling although the gender pay equity ratio has been steadily rising and a wide range of legislations such as Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action were implemented to address the issue (Smith 2009; Lander ONeill 1991). This paper will briefly demonstrate the historical overview with respect to the topic. It will proceed to identify the comprehensive reasons for the existence of gender pay inequality. It will then illustrate the advantages of having pay equality worldwide. Last but not least, the paper will recommend some of the strategies which or ganisations can best address the challenge by utilising appropriate non-discriminatory workplace practices and policies. Historical Overview The ancient time of keeping women staying and working at home while men were responsible for earning a living had passed after the World War II (Amaram 2010). The participation rate of women joining the labour force has greatly boosted due to the establishment of some legislation to remove obstacles of womens employment and to allow women working in certain kinds of work such as metal industry (ODonnell Hall 1988). The booming economy and labour shortage triggered the fact that women were encouraged to replace men, who were resisting in the war, in the labour market (ODonnell Hall 1988). Campaigns were also formed by many womens organisations to fight for the equal pay between men and women (ODonnell Hall 1988). Some supporters advocate the theory of comparable worth that there should be equal pay for jobs entailing similar skill, effort, responsibility and work conditions, and that this parity should occur regardless of respective job market values (Grider Toombs 1993). However, even there were legislation, theories and womens organisations to protect women from getting unequal pay; the gender wage gap has been existed for many years. To explain this gap, there are a couple of complex reasons which directly and indirectly result in the gender differences in pay. Occupational Segregation One of the primary reasons for the gender pay differences is due to occupational segregation. Men and women are not evenly allocated in all occupational categories. Women tend to be distributed in low-paying industries or occupations which directly affect their average earnings (Smith 2009; Hatt 1997; McAuley 1981; Mumford 1989; Lander ONeill 1991; Education International 2010; Curlew Weber 2010). It was pointed out that women were mainly employed in community services, the wholesale and retail trade, clerical work and catering; whereas men were generally employed in mining, electricity, gas and water, manufacturing as well as construction industries where men are more likely to receive well above average pay (ODonnell Hall 1988; Hatt 1997). The consequence of setting women apart in certain occupations with low-status and low-paid partially results in the gender pay gap. Vertical Segregation Rather than constraining women in particular occupations or industries, vertical segregation occurs in both public and private sectors when women are located in lower positions and men are placed in more senior positions such as executive or managerial roles (Mumford 1989). Women are given very few opportunities to engage in promotion to higher positions, and therefore women are constrained their mobility upwards to the organisational hierarchy and they are under-represented at senior positions in all occupations (Hatt 1997). This phenomenon is closely related to the glass ceiling effects for women that refer to those artificial barriers based on attitudinal or organisational bias that prevent qualified individuals from advancing upward in their organisation into management-level positions (U.S. Department of Labour 1991). Hence, vertical segregation is another factor that leads to the gender pay gap. Family Responsibility As a result of the family obligation to give birth as well as take care of the children and elders at home, there has been a greater percentage for women to participate in more flexible part-time and casual employments than men who tend to have full-time employments (Smith 2009; CONSAD Research Corp 2009; Curlew Weber 2010; Amaram 2010). It was indicated in Amaram (2010)s study that pregnancy leading to the absence of women is 36 percent more than men and married men are more likely to work longer hours to make up the loss of the earnings for the family. Undoubtedly, it was claimed by many reporters that part-time employment pays relatively less than full-time employment, thus the unbalanced participation in part-time works causes women to be classified in lower level of income groups without adequate chances for skill advancement and promotion opportunities (Education International 2010 Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia 2009). Womens Tendency of Education and Work Choices and Patterns The educational paths that men and women decide for their majors in higher education or universities are different, indirectly affect the real earnings between men and women in the workforce (Amaram 2010). Amaram (2010) showed in his paper that men generally prefer sciences as their majors whilst women prefer humanities and education. The assumption is that men and women are likely to choose their desired majors at colleges or universities that can reflect what they are going to choose for their careers in the future, which leads to the conclusion by Hartmann (2004) that the pay of the male-nominated occupations tends to be higher than female-nominated occupations. One of the explanations can be attributed that women tend to choose a safer work environment such as being a secretary, teacher or receptionist and they are willing to accept less-paid jobs (Education International 2010 Farrell 2005). In addition, based on the GAOs report (2003) showing that women normally work fewer hour s and take more breaks away from work than men, women are therefore less work experience and human capital at work that brings about the consequence of earning less income. Historical and Social Stereotypes of Under-Valuating Womens Work and Skills Based on the historical overview mentioned in the first section, up until the Second World War, women were supposed to stay at home for cleaning and bringing up the children while men were taking the main role to be the breadwinner for the whole family (Amaram 2010; Elias Purcell 1988). According to Press (2006), companies advertised for job vacancies in the newspapers listed separately for men and women, as well as womens pay was greatly lower than men. In no doubt, the historical factors generated the hypothesis that womens works are semi-skilled and unskilled (Smith 2009). This hypothesis was supported by Lander ONeill (1991) and Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia (2009) that womens skills and works are always under-valuated and unrecognised, which causes the social stereotypes on the perception of females capability to work in certain occupational categories. In other words, women may earn less than men as a result of their skills and works were devaluated by the commu nity and organisations based on the social stereotypes. Direct Gender Discrimination There are many theorists agreed that direct gender discrimination partly account for the gender wage gap (Curlew Weber 2010; Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia 2009; Hatt 1997 McAuley 1981). It happens when women and men are treated unequally facing the same job requirements with the same educational level and work experience (Education International 2010). Although it is unlawful to discriminate women from being recruited in male-nominated occupations in most of the developed countries, gender discrimination indeed moderately initiates the gender pay differences. It was even reported that gender discrimination and bias comprise half of the gender pay gap (Lander ONeill 1991). Consequently, no matter the organisational and societal sex discrimination is intentional or unintentional, it is clear that gender bias is an essential element of the persistence of wage gap between men and women. Other Reasons Apart from the major factors brought up previously, there are other reasons which should account for the wage gap as well in terms of the problem of the merit-type payment systems, union affiliation, and womens value on non-wage benefits such as health insurance. Firstly, it is important to understand the rise of the individual contracts together with the meaning of less collective bargaining like the decline of trade unions at workplaces (Bamber, Lansbury Wailey 2004). Also, merit-type payment including merit increments and merit bonuses is the most popular individual performance pay plans that are widely used in the USA and many other Western countries today (Shields, 2007). One of the disadvantages of the merit-type payment systems is that it lacks of transparency of the pay structure, hence, it is always up to the managements discretion of any individual performance and pay where there are probably the existence of discriminatory components (Grider Toombs 1993). Secondly, it wa s claimed that the formation of a trade union will bring a wage rate of 17.6 percent up for union members (Hatt 1997, Amaram 2010). With the significant rising trend of women participating in part-time and casual employments stated earlier, it is less possible for women to become union members that they comparatively earn less than men who normally work as full-time employees and are union members. Lastly, research was also done by the CONSAD Research Corporation (2009) that there is a greater probability that women may relatively value more on non-wage benefits and other employee benefits such as childcare, health insurance and advisory services when comparing to men. Accordingly, women may value other aspects of benefits other than wage that may cause the gender wage differences. Advantages of the Existence of Gender Pay Equality Despite the limitations acknowledged which block the way to gender pay equality, there are a series of advantages for individuals, families, organisations and economy as a whole provided that gender pay equity exists. Pay equality increases the empowerment of women and reduces the chances of womens experience to harassment, violence and exploitation at work (Cornish 2008). Additionally, it brings positive effects to the well-being and wealth of the families as a result of the increased income, which ultimately improves the situation of poverty, economy and social justice (Lander ONeill 1991; Education International 2010 Curlew Weber 2010). For the organisations, staff morale and productivity will be increased and absenteeism will be decreased if gender pay equity exists in the workplace because employees feel fairness among others (Curlew Weber 2010). Thus, organisations should proactively take actions to address the problem of the persistence of gender pay inequality in order to benefit itself, employees, community and other stakeholders involved. Organisational Strategies for Tackling the Challenge Although governments intervention of implementing fair pay legislations among male and female employees is indispensable, as Smith (2009) claimed that the legislative reform alone is not enough. Strategic non-discriminatory workplace practices and policies should be carefully planned, designed, implemented and monitored at the organisational level in order to build positive images to the public without violating any relative discriminatory issues, as well as maximise the benefits of balancing the gender pay differences. Therefore, human resource management teams play major roles in making every single decision to align with the organisational strategies. First of all, it is recommended to use objective, systematic and consistent process of job evaluation systems to deal with gender-based inequities in pay (Lander ONeill 1991). De Corte (1993) suggested a model-based approach to job evaluation to calculate the probability to gender bias related to pay at work. Secondly, male and fema le recruiters should be involved in the recruitment and selection stages so that female candidates will not be excluded in a discriminatory way. Thirdly, training and development should be regularly provided to all employees with the intention that women are given chances to promotion in a higher hierarchical level in the organisations. Fourthly, mentoring programs with professional consultants or management should be offered to female employees, who have competent knowledge and capabilities, to encourage them participating in senior positions (Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency 2010). Fifthly, flexible workplace arrangements such as home-based assignments as well as childcare services should also be available to allow female employees having work-life balance (ODonnell Hall 1988). Lastly, organisations should conduct a gender pay audit annually, which provides detailed information regarding the gender pay structure and figures of the whole organisation and the per centage of female employees being promoted to the senior positions (Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency 2010). The strategies proposed above are only few subtle pieces of a complex jigsaw puzzle; beyond doubt organisations should proactively look for other approaches to address the problem of gender pay inequality. Conclusion The condition of gender pay inequality has been steadily improved in the last few decades. However, in reality it does persist due to an array of complex reasons in terms of occupational and vertical segregation, parenthood, womens propensity of education and occupation choices and patterns, historical stereotypes and under-valuation of womens skills and work, direct gender discrimination, the setback of the merit-type payment systems, union affiliation, and different values on wage and non-wage employee benefits between men and women. These factors illustrated are merely the key causes and further research should be done to elaborate the thorough formation of the wage gap. It is clear that the pursuit of gender pay equality brings individuals, families, organisations, community and economy positive effects. Consequently, organisations should better equip themselves and contribute to the attainment of eliminating the gender wage gap. Systematic and appropriate non-discriminatory work place practices and policies should be well implemented to encourage fairness among male and female employees in pay and promotion according to their knowledge, skills and competencies. On account of the increased staff morale and happiness at work, organisations can also build a healthy and positive public image that in turn increasing the organisational attractiveness and competitive advantages in the labour market. In conjunction with the practical support by government, community and unions, it is believed further reduction of the gender wage gap is feasible.

Black Elk Speaks :: essays research papers

Black Elk Speaks   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The book Black Elk Speaks was written in the early 1930's by author John G. Neihardt, after interviewing the medicine man named Black Elk. Neihardt was already a published writer, and prior to this particular narrative he was at work publishing a collection of poems titled Cycle of the West. Although he was initially seeking infor-mation about a peculiar Native American religious movement that occurred at the end of the 19th century for the conclusion his poetry collection, Neihardt was instead gifted with the story of Black Elk's life. Black Elk's words would explain much about the nature of wisdom as well as the lives of the Sioux and other tribes of that period.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The priest or holy man calling himself Black Elk was born in the December of 1863, to a family in the Ogalala band of the Sioux. Black Elk's family was well known, and he counted the famed Crazy Horse as a friend and cousin. Black Elk's family was likewise acknowledged as a family of wise men, with both his father and grandfather themselves being holy men bearing the name Black Elk. The youngest Black Elk soon experienced a vision as a young boy, a vision of the wisdom inherent in the earth that would direct him toward his true calling of being a wichasha wakon or holy man like his predecessors. Black Elk's childhood vision stayed with him throughout his life, and it offered him aid and wisdom whenever he sought it. It is from the strength of this vision, and the wisdom in his heart that Black Elk eventually realized his place as a leader and wise man in the Ogalala band of the Sioux.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The wisdom possessed by Black Elk is immediately present in his recollections of various lessons learned by himself and by others. These stories ran the whole gambit of life experiences from the most innocent acts of a boy in love, to the hard les-sons learned from the treachery of the whites. Through these stories a greater insight can be gained into the ways of the Sioux, as well as lessons into the nature of all men. Most important in these lessons on the nature of man was wisdom, and in all of Black Elk's recollections somewhere a deeper wisdom can be found.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The story of High Horse's Courting stands out as a perfect example of one of Black Elk's narratives. Typically, Black Elk's narratives try to bestow a lesson (or les-sons) that the listener can learn from, just as the subject of the story sometimes does.

Ridley Scott’s Failure to Acknowledge the Truth in 1492: Conquest of Paradise :: Movie Film Essays

Ridley Scott’s Failure to Acknowledge the Truth in 1492: Conquest of Paradise [1] Why would a person in 1992 make a historical film about Christopher Columbus’ discovery that completely ignores the then current debates that question whether or not it precipitated genocide? Director Ridley Scott set out to produce the be-all-end-all depiction of Columbus, yet he blatantly neglected to address the most heated issue: Native American genocide. In Scott’s film, the native voice is unheard, their identity is muted, and their culture is disregarded. The quincentennial celebration of Columbus’ voyage triggered a proliferation of literary criticisms addressing the controversy over the traditional Columbus myth. 1492: Conquest of Paradise, however, is silent about these issues. Having full knowledge of this multi-faceted debate, did Scott simply take the easy way out by providing another typical Columbus story? Under the pretense of a historical film, did Scott sacrifice historical truth and intellectual integrity for mass appeal at the box office? In his silence, Scott decides to avoid the genocide debate. Whether or not the discovery of the New World indeed precipitated genocide is still under debate, but it is an important one and should not be ignored. We still have a lot to learn from our heritage and need to address the important issues in order to better learn and evolve. The two strong arguments below represent the two sides of a heated debate that was not represented in the film 1492. They contain harsh truths which aren’t marketable to the American public but are vital to the understanding of the moral implications of cultural conquest. Pulling The Fleece Away From Our Eyes [2] Columbus is a mainstay of American patriotism. He is the patron saint who planted the seeds of our nation. Our culture has been lulled into his heroic myth for hundreds of years and has celebrated this man with much pomp and circumstance. Columbus’ worthiness has been the subject of much controversy and is now being linked to such un-heroic terms as mass murder, holocaust, and genocide. [3] Fueled by hundreds of years of Western propaganda, our nation created the American Dream from the realities of an American Holocaust. By refusing to recognize the desecration of the native population, an atrocity is ignored: a crime doesn’t exist without a victim.

George Washington Carver

George Washington Carver eulogy Today we honor a man known for his nutty pursuit for his passion for plants and changed the agricultural world. George Washington Carver was born a slave. He was abducted as an infant along with his mother and father then left for dead for his small and weak frame. His was blessed with more compassionate slave owners who sought the stolen family out only to find baby Carver all by his lonesome. Moses and Susan were the names of his new family who he would call â€Å"aunt and uncle† and they took him and George’s little brother Jim as one of their own. He was a struggling, sickly child cursed with a constant cough, doomed to be home bound with nothing to enjoy but the beautiful plants that grew around the farm. He dedicated his time to them. George always wanted to know more about them and even expressing his fascination with them though art. Susan saw great potential in Caver and urged him as far as she can but home schooling wasn’t enough so Caver himself sought out a high school education. He moved from town to town in Kansas and Missouri in pursuit of a high school education. It took him years longer than most students to graduate because he had to work to support the finances. Later, a family in Iowa encouraged George to try for college. He was finally accepted at Simpson College, and then transferred to Iowa State University. While Carver intended to study music and art, he was convinced instead to study agriculture since he could expect a better living. Music and art became secondary loves as Carver seriously studied agricultural science. An offer came to Carver from Booker T. Washington to teach at Tuskegee, Alabama in 1896. Carver accepted and would remain there until his death in 1943. Carver immediately became interested in helping the poor black farmers of the surrounding area as a botany and agriculture teacher to the children of ex-slaves. Dr. George Washington Carver wanted to improve the lives of â€Å"the man farthest down,† the poor, farmers at the mercy of the market and chained to land exhausted by cotton. â€Å"It is not the style of clothes one wears, either the kind of automobile one drives, nor the amount of money one has in the bank, that counts. These mean nothing. It is simply service that measures success. † Carver’s fame grew after his eulogy given at Booker T. Washington’s funeral in 1915. He later personally knew three US Presidents, both Roosevelt’s and Calvin Coolidge. His personal philosophy of sharing his learning with the community was hailed as a tremendously humanistic approach. He lived ver y meagerly and never married. Carver also received numerous awards during his lifetime like the Roosevelt Medal for Outstanding Contribution to Southern Agriculture. His face has appeared on two US stamps. He was the first African American subject for a National Monument, which stands in Diamond, Missouri. Though some of his scientific methods have been called into question, Carver is certainly significant as an innovator whose true motive was improving the lives of others. He was not tainted by both political or economic gain, and stands as a model for modern scientists.