Business Plan For A Handicraft Business In UK Marketing Essay

Business Plan For A Handicraft Business In UK Marketing Essay INTRODUCTION The objective of this report is to study and prepare the business plan for a handicraft business in UK. This business plan deals with the feasibility analysis, idea generation, and industry analysis at both the local and global level to understand the market and business factors. The market analysis is also done, primarily through the secondary sources to capture the potential demand of handicrafts in the UK market and the trends which the customer are looking for in this industry. After analyzing the demand, the technical analysis was done for the business. For the success of any business, it is necessary that the idea or the basis of the plan should be strong. But it is also imperative that the plan should take into account a true picture of financials to have a strong foundation on which the business can be built upon. Therefore in the report, a detailed preparation of cash flow analysis, profitability analysis and the expected expenditure in the business has been taken care of. The report has taken into consideration the risk factor also which the business needs to consider before commencing on the work. Handicraft is a business which needs not only financial capital but also human capital and it is necessary that skilled labour is available in plenty. The attrition rate is low in this industry provided they are provided with adequate support and wages. In the report I have tried to touch upon that issue as well. Also the manner in which the products would be sold and promoted in the market would be taken care of. We would not be opening our own stores for now and would be selling on to other retailers. However the idea of opening the stores is not discarded as whole for now and would be seen as an option at a later stage in the life of the business. Heavy spending is planned to promote the products in the initial phase of the business and various media vehicles would be tried upon to promote the products well in the market. The business as of now focusing primarily on the UK market and later on in the later stage, the business can be expanded further. Contents Introduction Handicraft Industry The handicraft industry is one of the most productive sectors in the economy. The reason being that this sector not only uses the raw materials but also give employment opportunities to a number of people. Thus not only financial capital and raw material is employed but also a lot of human capital is also used in this business (Garrison, 2008). According to United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) International Symposium on à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Crafts and the International Market: Trade and customs codificationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ , Manila, Philippines, October 1997. Handicrafts can be defined as products which are produced either completely by hand or with the help of tools. Mechanical tools may be used as long as the direct manual contribution of the artisan remains the most substantial component of the finished product. Handicrafts are made from the raw materials and can be produced in unlimited numbers. Such products can be utilitarian, aesthetic, cultural, artistic and may have a social, religious and symbolic significance (Robertson, 2002). Industry Analysis UK has been a country with a rich and diverse culture. Lot of migrant population also resides in various parts of the country. It is because of this that handicraft industry has played an important role in this country. The industry provides economic advantage much because of the demand from various strata of the population (Mathias, 2001). Handicrafts have always attracted people much because of their cultural importance and it crosses barriers too. The customers in any market look for handicrafts from not only the local market but also from the other countries (Barlow, 1991). Therefore both the cultural and financial values are attached to this industry. This industry by its mass and production scale lies in the middle class as not much finance and manufacturing facilities are needed in this business. The industry is decentralized and is labour intensive. Not many players fight in this market and only small players operate in this area. The sector employs a lot of people and thus acts as a medium of employment for lot of people. The sector has seen an increase in growth much due to the fact that people have been more open to the culture of other countries and are accepting it more often. The era of globalization has helped in the revival of this industry not only in the UK market but also in other markets too (Andrews , 2009). Classification of Handicrafts Industry Handicraft products can be distinguished into the following: Metal ware Wood ware Hand printed textiles Embroidered and crocheted goods Shawls Carpets Embroidered goods Bamboo products Zari goods Earthenware and jute products Miscellaneous handicrafts SWOT Analysis of Handicraft Industry Strengths Market is diversified and has huge potential Presence of large product variety because of various cultures Low capital investment Flexibility in production of goods as per market demand Low barriers to the entry of new players Products sold are high value ones and have diversified usage Weakness Lack of coordination between government bodies and companies Inadequate information on the current market trends Lack of skilled labour Opportunities Development of domestic tourism sector which helps in boosting sales. Usage of internet and other technologies in boosting the market potential Rising demand because of people becoming more open to cultures Threats Lack of branding opportunities in this sector Threats from the developing countries like India and China in terms of resources Business Proposition We would be dealing in the limited set of handicraft industry as many products come under its purview. Our company would serve the needs of the customers in only the wooden handicrafts market. The reason for choosing this is that in UK market these products are used almost in every home. Products like decorative chairs, desks, beds, sofas which are made by hand are seen as high value products in the market as customers look for something different. Particularly for the UK customer, they need products which not only serve their functional purpose but also add something extra. It is with this that we plan to enter in this industry with this specific set of products. Wooden handicrafts refer to a wide range of wooden items carrying utilitarian and artistic value that are made by hand o with the use of simple tools. They are made by unmatched workmanship, have fine designs and have subtle elegance. The products require low capital investment to manufacture. The wooden handicraft sector provides a high ratio of value addition and has emerged as one of the major sources of foreign exchange in the country too. (Sumption, 2010) Market Analysis Majority of the current players in the market deal in almost all the product categories in the wooden handicraft industry. (Macleod, 2006) Retailing is not done by them and they deal in mostly the production part. They have retailing contracts with other partners which help them sell the products Monthly production units are majorly in the range of thousands of units for all the products combined Wooden and glass handicrafts are majorly in demand in the UK market. (John, 2006) Inventories are usually kept low as these products are sold and produced in lower units in the market. Almost all the players in the market hire the labor at a contractual basis rather than on a permanent basis. Many of the players take the route of exhibition to promote their products to the customers. (Mathias, 2001) These products are high margin products as they are mainly value based ones. Hence high margin and medium volume is generally the trend in the industry Competition The following players currently operate in the market and sell wooden handicrafts in the market. World Art and Crafts Ltd. Java Art Elements Ltd. Demand Analysis and Forecasting During our study we also analysed the demand pattern for the various products in the wooden handicraft market and it came to around 50000 units per month on approximation. There is a demand supply gap in the market as according to our supply the current players in the market are able to provide close to 30000 units only. Hence we consider a huge potential to be catch up in the market.(Boseley,2009) The market is growing closely at an annual rate of 15%. Hence it is decided that the capacity would be initially 60% for the first year and then it will grow accordingly. Marketing Channel As mentioned before, our business involves only manufacturing the products. Therefore we would use a network of retailers called partners to sell our products in the market. These would be mainly big retailers like WalMart, Tesco etc. Strategic Marketing Plan Wooden handicraft particularly the furniture part is an unbranded commodity and hence manufacturers generally do not have to spend too much on the promotional part. It is better for them to increase the margin given to the retailers so that they push the company product more in front of the customers. However in order to differentiate our offering and to capture the customer base, it is necessary to have a basic strategic marketing plan. The following would be the strategies used by us: Steady supply with timely delivery to fulfill the demand in the market thereby providing products with high quality Products would be given emphasis on the design front. Designs would be based on several themes Orders would also be taken online from the customers apart from being available in the retail The company plans to both manufactures the products locally in the UK market as well as import some of it from the Indian market. Indians play a vital role in UK both in terms of trade and demographics and thus there is a market to serve the Indian community. The other reasons to source the products from India are: The demand for Indian wooden handicrafts is evergreen. It is both difficult for the labour in UK to produce these handicrafts as the design in Indian art work is quite intricate. Hence it is decided that some portion of our products would be sourced directly from the Indian producers, mainly based in states like Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. Indian being a developing country, both the labour and raw materials are quite cheap as compared to other developed countries. Hence it makes sense to outsource some of the production work. Indian artisans are well known around the world. British make a major portion of the people visiting India every year and hence they come in contact with Indian art and culture too. Thus getting products from market like India helps in understanding the customer taste and keep the product portfolio up to date. Some of the Indian players which have been shortlisted and considered for sourcing of the products are as follows: Khan Arts India Madnik International Goyal India Indus Trade Handmade Crafts Antiquity Handicrafts All the products in the portfolio would be sourced from these six major exporters in India. These players have been selected after thorough search of their business and their financials. They enjoy good reputation in the Indian market and also export to other players in different countries. It is decided to have business with six players as it will help us diversify our risk and help us maintain a steady flow of products from India. These players are from different parts of the country and thus the products served by them would have different designs as India being a vast country has many sub cultures which attract many people worldwide. Technical Analysis Wood carving is a time consuming process as craftsmen take time to make every piece. The process may take a week to months depending upon the level of intricacy in the design. The process use a lot of different tools also like saw, lathes, drills, chain saws etc. Machinery Involved The following machinery would be used by the workers in the business: Chemical treatment plant Seasoning plant Surface planner Grinder Driller Gaze machine Sanding machine Structure and Civil Work Sr.No. Particulars Area (Sq. feet) Amount (British Pounds) 1 Factory shed 1800 6000 2 2 stock room 360 1050 3 Guard room 80 250 4 Power room 80 250 5 Boundary wall 3200 6 Washroom 48 150 5 labour quarters 7 Rooms 120 18000 8 Wash rooms 48 700 9 Office rooms 180 550 10 Fire fittings 600 Total 30750 Labour Requirements Handicraft is a labour intensive product and thus a lot depends on the kind of labour employed. Employees Number Annual Salary (British pounds) Production supervisor 1 25000 Accountant 1 25000 Skilled workers 5 20000 Semi skilled workers 8 16000 Unskilled workers 3 13000 Peon 1 10000 Guard 1 10000 Total 20 119000 Financial Analysis Particulars Land and site development Building Plant and Machinery Other fixed assets Preoperative expenses Preliminary expenses Provision for contigency WC Margin Total Means of Finance Particulars Promoterà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s capital Long/Medium term loan from banks Total Basic Assumptions underlying the financial projections The construction period will last one year The company would work 365 days a year The expected capacity utilization will be 60% in first year, 65% in second year and the increment based on past performance. The term loan would be re-paid in 14 equal half-yearly installments. The interest rate on the outstanding term loan would be 12% The bank finance for working capital will cost interest rate 12% The depreciation rates for company law purpose would be Building 3.34% Plant and Machinery 8% Misc fixed assets 5% The suppliers for raw material would provide credit for 15 days The salvage value is assumed to be 5% of fixed assets. Sales Forecast Sales Forecast (units) Year 2010 2011 Units 9500 12000 Conclusion The business plan has been prepared keeping in mind all the factors and taking financials to the best of the present picture. It is therefore expected that the actual outcome would represent the true picture of this outlined plan. Finally, my personal interest in this field will lead to establish my own business. These will result in successful and sustainable business. References Andrews, J.(2009).Handel allinglese, Playbill,. Accessed from: http://www.playbillarts.com/features/article/4236.html (Last Accessed: 5th March 2010) Barlow, I.( (1991) Metropolitan Government. Accessed from: http:// www.new.wales.co.uk (Last Accessed: 5th March 2010) Boseley, S (2009). The question: Whats behind the baby boom? The Guardian. Accessed from: http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2008/jul/14/familyandrelationships.women (Last Accessed: 5th March 2010) Garrison, Webb B. (2008).Why You Say It. Accessed from: http://www.readbooksonline.net (Last Accessed: 5th March 2010) MacLeod, Donald (2006). Britain second in world research rankings. The Guardian. Accessed from: http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2006/mar/21/highereducation.uk4 (Last Accessed: 5th March 2010) Mathias.P (2001). The First Industrial Nation: the Economic History of Britain. Accessed from: http://www.johnbirchall-economist.com (Last Accessed: 5th March 2010) Mathias.P (2001).The First Industrial Nation: the Economic History of Britain. Published by: Routledge, ed.2, pp. 56-58 Mensah. J (2006). British culture on a high rise. Robertson, Kirsty (2006), How to Knit an Academic Paper. Queens University, 30 March 2006 Sumption, M.(2010). The UKs new Europeans: Progress and challenges five years after accession. Equality and Human Rights Commission. Accessed from: http://www.equalityhumanrights.com (Last Accessed: 5th March 2010)

Prostitution Should be Illegal Essay -- social issues

Prostitution Should be Illegal Prostitution should be cleaned off our streets. It first started in the early 1800’s. Prostitution is defined as providing sexual service, for the return of money. Exchange of money for sexual service. Heterosexual prostitution is the most common. Homosexual, gays and lesbians exists on smaller scales. Prostitution is a hazardous business. People selling themselves are at high risk. The women more then men. Both men and women are at risk in getting disease that has no cure. Prostitution all together should be stopped and put an end to. Prostitution takes place in many different places. Massage parlors, call-girl and call-men (also know as escort services), street prostitution, strip clubs, etc. It was believed that the most population in 1800’s was migrants. These migrants were mostly single men, husbands who left tem who left temporarily left their wives and children at home. Massage parlors were located close to railway stations. Prostitution increased during world war one when hardly and employment during world war one when hardly any employment for women was offered and it decreased during world war two for grater economic opportunities for lower-class women in war related industrials. 50% of the women in Toronto work for themselves. Street prostitution is the most visible form of prostitution that receives the most attention. Prostitutions needed the money not only to support themselves but to support but to support there family’s....

Analyzing Recreation & Leisure Essay

The therapeutic recreation process is a systematic method of planning and providing services for individuals with disabilities. The process is based on a systems theory approach. The system is designed for a guide for a well-defined, goal-oriented purpose to the activity or program being provided. It involves four phases: assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation. Use of the therapeutic recreation process is not dependent on location, but on systematic and consistent use of assessing, planning, implementing and evaluating services for people with disabilities. The process is applied in settings like hospitals, long-term facilities and useful in leisure education and recreation participation settings, like park and recreation agencies and schools. Delivering therapeutic recreation services in community setting has been successful when the therapeutic recreation process is applied. It is not the setting that determines the use of the therapeutic recreation process, but the needs of the clients. Using the therapeutic recreation process allows the therapeutic recreation specialist to individualize within recreation programs designed specifically for people with disabilities and to systematically develop support plans for inclusive recreation programs. The therapists conducts an assessment that identifies the client’s abilities and limitations by asking a series of questions related to social skills and observing their interactions with their peers. Information is gathered not only for the client, but also from family, caregiver, social worker, friends, and vocational counselor to provide thorough information prior to participation so that the client needs may be addressed. The purpose is to determine the needs of the individual in relation to the independent functioning in recreation settings. Materials include questions designed to determine an individual’s needs related to independent recreation participation. Read more:Â  Essay on Leisure and Recreation in Action Program descriptions clarify activity content, participation requirements, possible risks, and intended outcomes that aid in determining these needs. Thorough and accurate information about the individual is necessary, even when participation is self initiated and voluntary. Without accurate information the quality of an assessment is compromised. Programs and activities may be pre-planned; assessments enable the therapeutic recreation specialist to individualize interventions, accommodations, and teaching strategies within group activities. For example, the leisure education program in which the client is registered may have a group goal to improve socialization skills through participation in group activities, but the client will have a goal more specific to their needs, such as the client will use socially appropriate means to identify deficits in specific activity skill (i. e. sports), as well as general skill (i. e. social skills). In addition, assessments for an individual participating in a specialized recreation program may differ from an assessment used with someone who is interested in participating in an inclusive recreation program. Assessments applied to those participating in separate programs often ask for more detail about the person’s level of functioning that an assessment used to analyze participation in inclusive recreation would. A unique aspect of a community recreation assessment is that it can be a lifelong process. Unlike treatment settings, such as hospitals where a therapeutic recreation specialist may only work with and individual for a brief period of time, people with disabilities who participate in community recreation programs often remain involved in programs for many years. From the assessment of the client’s social skills, the therapist discovered that the client had trouble initiating and sustaining conversations. For example, the client would stand by themselves and watch their peers rather than joining in conversations. When the client’s peers would include them in conversations, the client would walk away. The therapeutic recreation specialist found that the client often feels like they do not know what to say to others. The planning phase of the therapeutic recreation process can guide a therapeutic recreation specialist in developing individualized goals and objective for the client and then select recreation activities to meet the goals and objectives. The planning component is helpful for identifying activities to meet goals and objectives that promote independent recreation functioning. Some activities have the potential for improvement of functioning (i. e. warm water aquatics) in treatment and rehabilitation settings. The therapist selects a twelve week leisure education program that includes social skills training components to meet the objectives outlined for the client. Leisure education focuses on the development and acquisition of leisure-related skills, attitudes, and knowledge so a person can express him/herself through leisure. Community recreation therapeutic recreation programs provide and ideal environment to apply leisure education goals by teaching how to access and utilize community recreation resources, as well as how to develop skills related to independent recreation functioning. The therapists forms goals, develops objectives, specifies activities (i. e. social skills) and determines a means of evaluation. According to Austin and Crawford (1996), the implementation phase of the therapeutic recreation process is the action phase and involves carrying-out the individual or group program plan. The therapeutic recreation specialist carries out the social skills and dance program, focusing on group and individual goals, For example, the group will be taught how to appropriately ask someone to dance and the client will be taught ways to initiate conversations with dance partner. The implementation phase involves coordinating and executing recreation activities proposed in the plan, as well as documenting information about the individual (i. e. his or her responses), the program (i. e. time of day, duration), and the activities (i. e. competitive vs.learning). Implementation of the individual plan in the recreation setting requires focusing to social (i. e. attitudinal), programmatic (i. e. adaptations), and environmental (i. e. accessibility) issues. For example, general recreation programs in which people with disabilities can be included may not be structured to accommodate people with a variety of disabilities. The therapists may implement numerous adaptations or accommodations according to the individual’s disability and have knowledge and skills to make these adaptations to facilitate participation. Other factors that could affect the implementation of the individual plan include inconsistent attendance of a participant with a disability, unanticipated facility/environmental issues, lack of support from family/caregivers, inconsistency of general recreation staff, and inappropriate program placement. The therapist conducts evaluations on the client’s skills at the end of the twelve week program by asking the same series of questions asked in the assessment phase and conducting an observation. The purpose of the evaluation phase is to assess the client’s response to the planned program and the plan’s effectiveness and determine whether revisions are necessary. While conduction the evaluation, the therapists can interview the participant, speak with family members or caregivers, review documentation, administer questionnaires, and observe the participant while engaged in the activity. Conducting a mid-term evaluation will aid in the clients process and help in necessary adjustments to a person’s program plan. Thorough and accurate documentation is a critical component of the evaluation process. An important concern with evaluative documentation in the settings is that the information is made available to others and is ultimately utilized. For example, at the conclusion of the leisure education program, the client may choose to enroll in a new program with different general or therapeutic recreation staff. Assessment and evaluation information should be passed on to the staff of the client’s new program to ensure continuity of goals and objectives. Applying the evaluation phase of the therapeutic recreation process in the therapeutic recreation settings can be advantageous in that information tracking can be done over a long period of time, enabling in-depth, longitudinal evaluations. However, a limitation of conducting the evaluation phase of the therapeutic recreation process I the settings is that pieces of information gathered at different points in time may become fragmented and not unified in one location. The therapist’s role is to compile the various evaluative elements into comprehensive evaluation document to be used across specialized and inclusive contests over time. RESOURCES Austin, D. R. , & Crawford, M. E. (1996). Therapeutic recreation: An introduction. (2nd ed. ). Boston: Allyn and Bacon. Howe-Murphy, R. , & Charboneau, B. (1987). Therapeutic recreation intervention: An ecological perspective. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, Inc. Sylvester, C. (Ed. ). (1996). Philosophy of therapeutic recreation: Issues and ideas. Volume II. Ashburn, VA: National Therapeutic Recreation Society Peterson, C. A. , & Gunn, S. L (1984). Therapeutic recreation program design: Principles and procedures. (2nd ed. ). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, Inc RECREATION EVALUATION RCSM 351 12/07/2010 PEGGY PEARSON.

Stella Ting-Tommeys Toward a Theory of Conflict and Culture

Stella Ting-Tommeys Toward a Theory of Conflict and Culture Introduction This research report is based on the article Toward a Theory of Conflict and Culture taken from the book Communication, Culture, and Organizational Processes. In this article, Stella Ting-Toomey talks about culture and conflict and its relation to low- and high-context cultures. Summary Ting-Toomey starts the article by addressing conflict. Conflict is part of human nature. It stems from many things. An example of a possible conflict could stem from differences in culture. She lists several other examples of possible conflict. She breaks the article up into three sections to better understand the idea of conflict versus culture. The first†¦show more content†¦Ting-Toomey starts to incorporate examples of high-context societies and low-context societies to her definitions of culture and conflict. The second section of the article deals with conflicts in low- and high-context cultures. She defines a low-context culture as groups of cultures that value words, or what is actually said (Ting-Toomey 76). A high-context culture is defined as groups of cultures that put the needs and goals of the group first. This is more of a we-identity (Ting-Toomey 76). Examples of low-context cultures are Germany, United States, and Switzerland. Some high-context cultures are the Chinese, the Japanese, and the Vietnamese. There is more emphasis put on the relationship in a high-context cultre, whereas words are more important in a low-context culture. Ting-Toomey explains one of the conflict differences between the two. In a low-context culture, two people in a conflict can argue, yell, and curse at each other while still remaining friends (Ting-Toomey 77). To call someone out in a high-context culture is a severe insult. This causes both parties to lose face (Ting-Toomey 77). Another difference between the two cultures as noted by Ting-Toomey is the levels of uncertainty in a conversation. There are high levels of uncertainty in a low-context society, while there is low uncertainty in a high-context culture (Ting-Toomey 79). The high uncertainty level in the low-context cultures is often

The Alchemist Quotes

The New York Times panned The Alchemist as â€Å"more self help than literature,† and while that has a sliver of truth, this characteristic makes for a very quotable book. â€Å"That hasn’t hurt it with readers,† the writer concedes. In fact, since its publication in 1988, the book has gone on to sell more than 65 million copies. Soul of the World Whoever you are, or whatever it is that you do, when you really want something, its because that desire originated in the soul of the universe. Its your mission on earth. Melchizedek tells Santiago this upon first meeting him, and essentially summarizes the whole philosophy of the book. He emphasizes the importance of dreams, not dismissing them as silly or selfish, but as a means through which one can connect with the soul of the universe and determine ones Personal Legend. For instance, Santiago’s wish to see the pyramids is not a silly nighttime fantasy, but the conduit for his own journey of spiritual discovery.   What he refers to as the â€Å"soul of the universe† is actually the Soul of the World, which is the spiritual essence that permeates everything in the world. With this quote, Melchizedek explains the individualistic nature of one’s own purpose, which heavily contrasts with the spirit of abjection of the main religions. Love It was love. Something older than humanity, more ancient than the desert. Something that exerted the same force whenever two pairs of eyes met, as had theirs here at the well. In this quote, Coelho explains love as the oldest force of humanity. The main love story in the plot concerns Santiago and Fatima, a woman who lives at the oasis, whom he meets while she’s collecting water at the well. When he falls for her, his feelings are reciprocated, and he goes as far as proposing marriage. While she accepts, she is also aware of Santiago’s Personal Legend, and, being a woman from the desert, she knows that he has to depart. However, if their love is meant to be, she is confident that he will return to her. If I am really a part of your dream, youll come back one day,† she tells him. She uses the expression maktub, meaning â€Å"it is written,† which show’s Fatima’s being comfortable with letting events unfold spontaneously. Im a desert woman, and Im proud of that,† she explains as her rationale. â€Å"I want my husband to wander as free as the wind that shapes the dunes.† Omens and Dreams You came so that you could learn about your dreams, said the old woman. And dreams are the language of God.† Santiago visits the old woman, who uses a mixture of black magic and sacred imagery to learn about a recurring dream he’d been having. He’d been dreaming about Egypt, the pyramids, and a buried treasure, and the woman interprets this in a pretty straightforward way, telling him he must, indeed, go to Egypt to find said treasure, and that she will need 1/10 of it as her compensation. The old woman tells him that dreams are not just flights of fancy, but a way with which the universe is communicating with us. Turns out that the dream he had in the church was slightly misleading, as once he made it to the pyramid, one of his ambushers told him that he had a parallel dream about a treasure buried in a church in Spain, and that’s where Santiago ends up finding it.   Alchemy The alchemists spent years in their laboratories, observing the fire that purified the metals. They spent so much time close to the fire that gradually they gave up the vanities of the world. They discovered that the purification of the metals had led to a purification of themselves. This explanation on how alchemy works, provided by the Englishman, serves as the overarching metaphor of the entire book. In fact, it connects the practice of transforming base metals into gold to attaining spiritual perfection by pursuing one’s own Personal Legend. For humans, purification takes place when one completely focuses on the Personal Legends, getting rid of mundane cares such as greed (those who just want to make gold will never become alchemists) and ephemeral contentment (staying in the oasis to marry Fatima without pursuing his Personal Legend would have not benefited Santiago). This, eventually, means that all other desires, love included, are trumped by the pursuit of one’s own Personal Legend.   The Englishman As the Englishman stared out at the desert, his eyes seemed brighter than they had when he was reading his books. When we first meet the Englishman, he is metaphorically buried in his books trying to understand alchemy, as he used to see books as the main way of acquiring knowledge. He spent ten years studying, but it only took him so far, and, when we first meet him, he has reached a dead end in his pursuit. Since he believes in omens, he decides to set out and find the alchemist himself. When he eventually finds him, he is asked whether he ever tried to turn lead into gold. â€Å"I told him that was what I had come here to learn,† the Englishman tells Santiago. â€Å"He told me I should try to do so. Thats all he said: Go and try. The Crystal Merchant I dont want anything else in life. But you are forcing me to look at wealth and at horizons that I have never known. Now that I have seen them, and now that I see how immense my possibilities are, Im going to feel worse than I did before you arrived. Because I know the things I should be able to accomplish, and I dont want to do so. The crystal merchant speaks these words to Santiago after he had spent the past year in Tangier working for him and significantly improving his business. He voices his personal regret about not achieving all that life had in store for him, which leaves him feeling dejected. He became complacent, and his life trajectory is a threat and a danger to Santiago, as he periodically gets tempted to either return to Spain to herd sheep or to marry a desert woman and forget about his Personal Legend.The mentor figures of the book, such as the Alchemist, warn Santiago against settling, as settling causes regrets and losing touch with the Soul of the World.

Islam Essay - 1483 Words

the Islamic Congresss president, Mohamed Elmasry. Mr. Elmasry said there are bad Muslims just as there are bad Christians and Jews. quot;We treat them as such and so should you. But Islam is a religion of peace. Muslims have a religious duty to be tolerant of other faiths and other ideologies. Mr. Elmasry said journalists need to differentiate between the peaceful teachings of Islam and the claims of some Muslim extremists that their actions are justified by their interpretations of Islam. He likened the situation of Canadian Muslims today to that of Canadian Jews 50 years ago. quot;Jewish children were being (wrongly) called Christ-killers just as Muslim children are called terrorists today. In their letter to the editor in the†¦show more content†¦That is called quot;extremism,quot; and quot;Islamic Extremism.quot; But a movement for better living, that is not extremism. These people nowadays are developing two ways of understanding the situation of Islam. From one side th ey think that they have to reform it; it is a duty on them, they have been brainwashed to think that they have to cleanse the world of devils and demons and of countries that suppress them, oppress them, and try to shut them down. Logicians argue that one cannot pass a judgment on something unless one has a clear conception of it, because the unknown and the undefined cannot be judged. Therefore, we first have to determine what quot;religious ,extremismquot; means before we can condemn or applaud it. We can do so by considering its reality and its most distinguishing characteristics. Literally, extremism means being situated at the farthest possible point from the center. Figuratively, it indicates a similar remoteness in religion and thought, as well as behavior. One of the main consequences of extremism is exposure to danger and insecurity.! Islam, therefore, recommends moderation and balance in everything: in belief, ibadah, conduct, and legislation. 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An Army of One free essay sample

Twenge begins her argument by explaining that before the 1960’s, â€Å"self-esteem† did not have a pronounced role in the average life. Most people as Twenge explained learned at a very early age that recognizing others as opposed to only recognizing oneself, was much more important. In addition to this dating back hundreds of years ago, people had very little say in the decisions that were made in one’s own life. Who one married, what one’s job was, what one’s religious affiliation was-these were all decisions made by one’s parents. Slowly but surely however, as time went on people began more and more to become more individualistic and make decisions for themselves. The Baby Boomers as Twenge describes, in the 1970’s were the first real generation to truly focus on â€Å"meaning and self-fulfillment†. Despite that this is true, Twenge makes the argument that the boomers are not in fact the â€Å"real† Generation Me because they were not born into a world with these ideologies, but instead later explored it. We will write a custom essay sample on An Army of One or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In addition to this, the boomers generally did most things in groups and not on their own and therefore, are not considered to be Generation Me. Twenge then compares the two generations and how the two groups differentiate. The reader is able to see how being born into an environment where you are raised with the ideas of having to have high self-esteem leads to entitlement more self-absorbed people (GenMe) versus trying to fulfill oneself on ones own. The importance of having a high self-esteem has become very significant in the 80’s and 90’s and Twenge truly exemplifies through songs, children’s books and TV shows throughout her essay. Twenge then shows how this almost has a negative effect as kids are becoming less competitive and grade inflation has even reached its highest. Twenge continues on by discussing the self-esteem programs and how they relate to lower grades among students. It is important to acknowledge the fact that she is not saying it is a bad thing to have high self esteem, she just simply believes kids need to learn to have it for accomplishing things on their own-similar to the ways of the baby boomers.