Consider the relationships between culture and social identity in Pygmalion and Educating Rita Free Essay Example, 2000 words

This scene also throws light to the characters; Prof. Higgins, an unconventional man, ‘who goes in the opposite direction from the rest of society in most matters’ (Sparknotes: Pygmalion: characters, 2010) and Colonel Pickering, an always ‘considerate and a genuinely gentleman’ (Sparknotes: Pygmalion: characters, 2010). The play, â€Å"Educating Rita† also presents two cultural extremes, the uneducated hairdresser Rita and the professor Frank. But when it comes to â€Å"Pygmalion† it is between Higgins and Eliza. Both the plays bring out the significance of education and depict tutorial lessons aimed to sophisticate the unlettered—Eliza and Rita. Analysing the character of Eliza as a flower girl, it is observable that it was the family background; the alcoholic father and the poor social set up made her selling flowers and be the possessor of a bad conduct. A proper treatment; the phonetic lessons from Higgins and the good manners from Colonel Pickering, transform the street girl to a Duchess. If she would copy the character of Higgins, it is certain that there will not be any refinement in her state. Now it is crystal clear that culture has a decisive role in moulding one’s individuality. We will write a custom essay sample on Consider the relationships between culture and social identity in Pygmalion and Educating Rita or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/pageorder now Regarding the influence of culture â€Å"Educating Rita, † one can notice that it was the lessons Rita imbibed from Frank opened her way to the vast realm of knowledge. Here also, as seen in â€Å"Pygmalion, † culture influences individuality, which is the essential quality required to attain social identity. While reading through the play it is interesting to note that Frank is dissatisfied with his life and is despised with his culture. His failure as a poet leads him to have a low opinion of himself and in an attempt to escape from the world and frustration; he seeks refuge in alcohol by putting on a cynical, ironic facade. It is the honest, continuous and sincere effort from the part of Rita brings him back to life and it provides him as sense of purpose or fulfilment in teaching. This also brings to our mind the fact that context largely determines the activation of personal or social identity. â€Å"Social identity comprises the parts of a person’s identity that come from belonging to particular groups, including age, ethnicity, race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, nationality, and socio economic status† (Center for Creative Leadership & Hannum, 2007 p. 6). To make it clear, one can say that it is the different traits in one’s character, influenced with the above mentioned dynamics, provide him/her social identity.

Three Challenges that Educational Leaders Face Today Essay

Educational Leaders Challenges The educational environment is one that is built and founded on principles that were created in the 20th century. Its roots stem from this earlier century as well as from even more historic time periods. Most recently, demand for 21st century skills has created vast excitement and interest (Reeves, 2013). However, the curriculum and the assessment process that is currently being practiced in the learning environment is one that continues to be utilized with through the foundational basis of earlier centuries. While the desire and the urgency for 21st century skills is highly publicized, curriculum continues to be rooted in that of 20th century practices and current assessment practices struggle to†¦show more content†¦Fourth, the ability to use critical thinking within the educational environment can help to mediate challenges and identify key motives to events that test the learning atmosphere. Last, the ability to problem solve provides the proper identification of underlying issues and mediate its effects on the educational infrastructure. These skills are vital to the personal advancements of modern achievement. However, while it would be difficult for any educational leader to underestimate the power of communication or teamwork, there is an immense gap between communicating its importance and the reality of its actual implementation (Reeves, 2013). Communication is a vital tool that can be used both in written and oral context. This type of interaction can be used to convey ideas and emotions but studies have shown that the use of evidence-based practices to assess communication skills is low (Reeves, 2013). In addition to this, the importance of teamwork is extremely vital to the achievement of goals and objectives and the ability to collaborate together. While it is important to display, there is no state test that evaluates students in a team or collective atmosphere (Reeves, 2013). This lack of inclus ion to state tests is alarming as it is the use of these tools by teachers, administrators, and the educational system that determine overall effectiveness and performance. Last,Show MoreRelatedLeadership : The Field Of Distance Education1734 Words   |  7 Pagesteaching and learning in the field of higher education today. Kotter (2012) pointed out that leadership is the ability to create or make suitable changes when necessary and sets the stage for the future. This is the kind of leadership that is needed for distance education to take the lead in education and stay abreast with the ever-changing new and innovative technology; the vehicle that has made e-learning so popular and competitive today. 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Feasibility Study on Investment in Brazilian Paper and Pulp Industry Free Essays

IMG-6 Global Business Environment Feasibility study for investment in the Brazilian Paper and Pulp Industry Report By: Ashish Jindal (063011) Avneesh Luthra (063012) Aayush Singhal (063013) Deepak Arora (063014) Feasibility study for investment in the Paper and Pulp industry in Brazil An overview of Brazil Brazil is the largest country in South America. It is the world’s fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population, with over 192 million people. It is the only Portugese-speaking country in South America. We will write a custom essay sample on Feasibility Study on Investment in Brazilian Paper and Pulp Industry or any similar topic only for you Order Now Brazil is the largest national economy in Latin America. It is the world’s sixth largest economy at market exchange rates and seventh largest in terms of purchasing power parity, as per the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. Brazil has a mixed economy with abundant natural resources. The Brazilian economy has been predicted to become one of the five largest in the world in the decades to come. It has large and developed agricultural, mining, manufacturing and service sectors, as well as a large labour pool. Brazil’s current GDP is estimated to be $2. 294 trillion and Per Capita GDP $11,769 The Paper and Pulp Industry in Brazil Brazil is the largest producer of paper and pulp in South America. On the world stage, it is the 4th largest producer of pulp with a production of 13,315,000 tonnes and 9th largest producer of paper with 9,428,000 tonnes (2009). Brazil’s Pulp Paper Production Source: Bracelpa Brazil is predominantly a tropical country. As a result, the soil and climate in most regions of Brazil are favourable to forest growth. The main geographical areas in the paper and pulp industry are the states of Sao Paulo, Parana and Santa Catarina. Furthermore, eucalyptus trees in Brazil have short growing cycles (approximately 7 years), compared to 10-12 years in Chile and 25 years in the United States. Thus, production of wood in Brazil requires less time and a smaller growing area when compared to Europe and North America, resulting in higher yields. Industry Overview- 222 companies spread in 539 municipalities, located in 18 states. – 2. 2 million hectares of planted area for industrial use. – 2. 9 million hectares of preserved forests- Total certified forest area: 2. 0 million hectares- Exports 2010: US$ 6. billion- Trade Balance 2010: US$ 4. 9 billion- Taxes: R$ 2. 2 billion- Investments: US$ 12 billion in the last 10 years- Jobs: 115 thousand direct jobs (industry 68 thousand, forests 47 thousand) and 575 thousand indirect jobs. | Source: Bracelpa, March 2011 Macro Environmental Analysis Political Legal environment The Foreign Direct Investment regime in Brazil has been fairly liberal and foreign capital i s viewed with sympathy by the large majority of political currents and parties, who see it as a source of employment and modernization of the economy. The 1990s saw a host of path-breaking liberalisation reforms in the Brazilian economy. Certain investment policies were formulated in the 90s to attract more FDI in to the country. The Central Bank of Brazil simplified the registration procedure for FDI inflows. This led to a decline in the administrative costs associated with the entry of FDI inflows into Brazil. A series of constitutional amendments were enacted within 1995 and 1996, which helped remove constitutional distinction among national companies and foreign companies. In 2002 Investe Brazil was set up to promote investments in Brazil. Despite a formally well functioning business environment, corruption and bribery are still serious obstacles to doing business in Brazil, especially in business dealings with the government. Multiple corruption scandals have emerged over the years, involving politicians and bureaucrats taking kickbacks from companies in exchange for awarding public contracts. The levels of bureaucracy and lack of transparency in rules make Brazil a difficult country to do business in. Economic Environment The paper and pulp industry is one of the mainstays of the Brazilian economy. The Brazilian paper and pulp sector is comprised of nearly 200 companies. Most companies in this sector are privately owned. Foreign-owned companies account for about 6% of the output. Therefore, there is great scope for foreign investors to enter into Pulp Paper Industry in Brazil. Latin American Pulp and Paper Producers Composition in 2010 In recent years, there has been a marked increase in paper consumption in Brazil, which is an important indicator of the economic development of a country. Between 1997 and 2008, the average annual rate of paper consumption increased by approximately 3% per year, reaching 9 million tons in 2008, according to estimated figures from Bracelpa. Improvements in the purchasing power of Brazil’s citizens have led to growth in the newsprint market (up to 18% in 2009). In the same year, 21% of paper and board and 33% of pulp production was exported. Brazil’s paper industry has potential for growth in both the domestic and export markets. Domestic consumption has huge growth potential, because per capita consumption in Brazil is still low when compared with other developed nations. Consumption of paper and board in Brazil is close to 44 kg per capita. Furthermore, differences are enormous between the north and south-east parts of the country. In Western Europe, consumption of paper and board is 173 kg and in North-America 333 kg per capita. Social Environment Brazil has skilled labour in abundance. Minimum wages in Brazil are way lower in comparison to other nations. Brazilian legislation is, however, relatively inflexible and outdated in relation to labour costs, making things complicated. A continued shift towards a wealthier population has been apparent in Brazil since 2004. There has been significant growth in the populations’ real disposable income. Strong consumption (Household consumption above 60%, Government consumption close to 20%) has been supporting Brazil’s growth profile over the past two decades. Formal job creation increased from 1. 2 million jobs in 2009 to 2 million jobs in 2010. The cost of living in Brazil is approximately 30% lower than in the UK and Europe, and for those with a foreign income there is a guarantee of value for money. Technological ; Natural Factors Brazil’s high technology and natural advantages in forestry make it one of the world’s lowest-cost producers of pulp, and in the last 20 years Brazil has become an important pulp exporter. Brazilian exports of high quality papers to Europe are growing in volume, and expected to increase in the near future. This growing market is truly attractive and one can grab the share in this market by setting up a new industrial venture in Brazil. However, this industry sector is very competitive for reasons like state-of-the-art mills, sound management and well-established plantation forestry technologies. Furthermore, availability of raw material is not a problem in Brazil as there is huge availability of good quality raw materials required for extracting and manufacturing pulp and paper. By analyzing the rotation and yield comparison of different pulp species in different countries, it is found that Brazil has the best rotation (years) and yield (m3/ha/year). This shorter maturing period also enables Brazilian producers to expedite the process of genetically improving the Eucalyptus species utilized Species| Country| Rotation (years)| Yield (m3/ha/year)| Eucalyptus| Brazil| 7| 44| Eucalyptus| South Africa| 8-10| 20| Eucalyptus| Chile| 10-12| 25| Pinus spp| Brazil| 15| 38| Pinus spp| Chile| 25| 22| Pinus spp| New Zealand| 25| 22| An association named ABTCP – Brazilian Paper and Pulp Technical Association – is currently one of the most important associations worldwide in its segment. It was established with the purpose of technically qualifying the paper manufacturers in Brazil, in order to raise basis for a sustainable industry. In addition, technological development in the paper ; pulp industry has been supported by the research efforts of major producers and by financing from BNDES, the Brazilian Development Bank. Opportunities The paper and pulp sector in Brazil is fast becoming the third largest in the world. The financial crisis of 2009 affected the Brazilian pulp and paper industry greatly. Brazil ultimately postponed its investment programmes. However, with the economy showing signs of recovery and emerging market’s increase in demand, those programmes have resumed Over the next seven years, an estimated US$20 billion is going to be invested in the nation’s forest base and in the construction of new mills. 10 new plants are due to be built in Brazil by 2020. At this moment pulp production is at 13. million annual tonnes, by the end of 2017 this is expected to reach 20 million annual tonnes. Also, during the same period, planted forest areas are predicted to grow by 25% and paper production will rise from 9. 3 million tonnes to 12. 5 million tonnes. This has all come about through the new global scenario in the pulp and paper sector. While the international financial crisis r educed global consumption, prices and raw material demand in traditional markets it also opened up opportunities to expand sales in growing markets, in particular China and India. Challenges The pulpwood market in Brazil has gone through major transformations. From a point where it had the lowest conifer fibre costs in the world, it now is close to the global average. Any rise in fibre costs is a concern for forestry companies as the key factor determining a company’s global cost competitive position remains its raw material base. Brazil also faces a strong challenge as businesses in Brazil have to deal with a number of problems, which includes bulky tax regulations, inefficient government bureaucracy, and corruption. Brazil has become less competitive in the last few years as a reason of this. Conclusion The Brazilian paper and pulp industry offers enormous potential to potential investors. The industry, with its advantage in terms of rotation, is expected to grow substantially in the coming few years with various investment programmes being in the phase of implementation. There is the challenge of a complex bureaucratic environment but the long term benefits outweigh the costs. FDI is thus recommended. Bibliography http://pulp-paperworld. om/ex1/item/768-abtcp. html http://www. forestry-invest. com/2010/brazil-becomes-world%E2%80%99s-3rd-largest-pulp-and-paper-producer/513 http://www. bracelpa. org. br/bra2/sites/default/files/estatisticas/booklet_eng. p df http://www. roundtownnews. com/rtn-features/rtn-money/item/36741-ten-reasons-to-invest-in-brazil. html ftp://ftp. fao. org/docrep/fao/009/j9425e/j9425e04. pdf http://riotimesonline. com/brazil-news/rio-business/brazil-among-most-expensive-for -business/# http://www. pulpandpapercanada. com/news/the-case-for-brazil/1000225895/ How to cite Feasibility Study on Investment in Brazilian Paper and Pulp Industry, Essay examples

How Does Conrad Link His Physical Exploration to a Psychological Journey of Discovery free essay sample

The â€Å"Heart of Darkness† is a tale of passage and discovery, not only into the heart of Africa, but into the heart of our human mind. Written by Joseph Conrad, this novel follows Marlow’s expedition into the unknown depths of the Congo in search of Kurtz and his adored wisdom. Conrad links Marlow’s physical journey to a psychological quest of discovery into evil and darkness inside each one of us. Through the impassable landscape, the language barrier between the colonists and the natives, and embodiment of Kurtz this idea is portrayed. We are given a glimpse of what mankind is capable of, how destructive and hostile we can be. But the question this novel probes at is to what length can we restrain ourselves from revealing our inner darkness? The significant background of this text is that eight years prior to writing this book, Joseph Conrad had served as the captain of a Congo steamer. We will write a custom essay sample on How Does Conrad Link His Physical Exploration to a Psychological Journey of Discovery? or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page His life-changing experiences on his voyage into the Congo shaped the pages of this book. He has lived and experienced all that Marlow has, and therefore puts more validity into his meaningful words. The pages of this book echo the thoughts and truths of Conrad and express not only a fictional journey, but a factual discovery. The third person narrative technique, within Marlow’s first person narration of the story, separates the audience from the truth and demonstrates the ef fect the Heart of Darkness has not only on Marlow, but soon the audience as well. One technique which demonstrates the clear contrast between the colonists and the natives is language. Through the two distinct means of communication a barrier is placed between the two sides. The colonists place a condemnatory prejudice on the African people, labelling them as â€Å"barbaric savages†. But the reality is that we, the audience as well as the colonists do not fully understand their culture and way of life and therefore cannot make sense of their speech and behaviour. The way they look, dress, speak, behave are so unfamiliar to what western society is accustomed to, therefore we try to label and classify them based on our social systems, therefore they remain to us as â€Å"brutes†. This is an unjust prejudice, which centres our inner evil which is developed further in the novel. Our communication is our identity, and through it we are able to discover more about people than merely judging from outward appearances. Marlow and his â€Å"white† crew could not speak the language of the Africans, therefore this barrier posed as a catalyst of the bigotry they later place on them. The dense and unforgiving landscape in the story is an illustration of the many difficulties in our world today. Our individual paradigms are linked to the setting of the Congo; a mysterious void of darkness ready to be unearthed. Marlow’s physical journey up the Congo is paralleled to our psychological journey into our self. The setting itself is a linking symbol of our own lives, whereby as the river changes and turns, we discover more about our human nature. Marlow encounters numerous snags along his journey down the river, which corresponds to the numerous obscured â€Å"snags† we have in our own relationships. All we know about people are what they reveal to us externally. Their inner thoughts, emotions and capabilities however are concealed to us. Likewise in the story the snags down the river are hidden from the outside, but once revealed cause a multitude of trouble. Marlow describes the journey up the river as â€Å"traveling back to the earliest beginnings of the world, when vegetation rioted on the earth and the big trees were kings†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The river is a representation of times before colonisation, where nature rules and beauty reigns, free from man-made influences. It is a symbol of beauty and treachery. The river seems to want to expel the Europeans from Africa altogether through its omnipotent current, perilous snags and human protectors. Marlow struggles with the river, travelling upstream only as fast as the mighty current will let him. It is as if the river is trying to pull the steamship back to where it belongs, away from the Congo and back to the civilisation of Europe. The psychological discovery which this journey of Marlow represents; is man’s burning desire to overpower and conquer all that it sees. But here in the depths of the unknown, the trees are the kings. They outnumber the humans significantly, â€Å"trees, trees millions of trees†¦Ã¢â‚¬  and demonstrate that we cannot have control over all things, that there is a higher power which governs even us. Marlow’s journey into the unknown is predominantly in search of the idealism of meeting Kurtz. Before we finally encounter Kurtz in the story, an admirable reputation of him and all he represents is formed. Marlow is so fixated on the wisdom and greatness of the man that he becomes more of a God than a person. He is a representation of darkness and is the focal point of the play to some degree. He is a personification of his surroundings, part of the African earth, an ominous shape in the foliage of trees. Kurtz and Marlow are the only two characters named in the entire tory, which places emphasis on them and distinctly dehumanises the other characters in the story. Conrad amplifies Kurtz’s significance through waiting to the third chapter to finally reveal him to Marlow and the audience. We feel as we have earnestly waited for an eternity to finally meet him. His entrance on a stretcher carried by the African natives is an image of significant connotation. He is described initially by Marlow as â€Å"an insoluble probability†. He has overcome death, an immortal legacy which will never die. However, what the image further tells us is that the effects of the overpowering jungle has taken hold of him, filling him with a psychological and bodily darkness. He is enveloped with an inner evil which breeds insanity. He has lost his previous European identity and has become one of them, a â€Å"dark shape among the multitude of trees†. His crippled state further demonstrates the physical effect his quest for ivory has cost him. It is an illustration to us of how immense greed can bring about a darkness that cannot be cured. Conrad has used Kurtz’s life and physical journey as an analogy of our own voyage of discovery. If we do not restrain ourselves from the repressing our inner greed, it can envelope us, just as it did to Kurtz. The complete juxtaposition of the characters on the steamboat itself is another point which develops the meaningful idea of the story. Marlow’s Steamboat has aboard both native cannibals and European crewman. The distinct contrast between how the two distinct groups deal with the imploding darkness which envelopes them is notably different. The natives are cannibals, which imply that they acquire the taste of human flesh. However they demonstrate immense restraint to not eat any of the crewmen on-board. Even after their rotting hippo meat is thrown overboard they restrain themselves from turning on the Europeans. The cannibals may be simple people who the colonists do not understand, but they demonstrate restraint and abiding respect which the colonists do not. Interesting as it may be, the alleged â€Å"savages† show more civility than the so called â€Å"civilised colonists†. The Europeans have colonised with intense cruelty and hatred, without restraint or reason. It is a clear demonstration of how they perceive the world with a narrow mind, not seeing past their own cruel actions. Marlow, however begins to identify with the Africans and portrays to us through Conrad, that they show more humanity than the colonists. â€Å"†¦they are not inhuman†¦. they are not enemies†. This voyage by Marlow helps him see the reality of the preconceived folly of the Europeans. The Congo and the Africans themselves have opened his eyes to the truth, and similarly ours as well. The â€Å"Heart of Darkness† is more than just a physical journey, it is a psychological passage to inner discovery. Conrad has revealed to us the inner darkness of man, through parallelism to Marlow’s expedition into the Congo. Through the mysterious setting acting as a symbol of our lives today, along with the contrasts of the natives and the Europeans and the epitome of Kurtz, this psychological journey was revealed. Our inner darkness is hidden from us, but through the realisation of this novel we are one step closer to realising the full supremacy of it.