Wednesday, January 29, 2020

The lessons in Vietnam war were forgotten in Iraq and Afghanistan Essay Example for Free

The lessons in Vietnam war were forgotten in Iraq and Afghanistan Essay A lot of lessons were learned throughout the Vietnam War but those lessons were not carried out in the Iraq and Afghanistan war. Australia’s involvement in the Vietnam War, caused by fears of communism and the fact that since the USA was our allied country we had to join forces, was one of the most disastrous episodes in our past. The lessons learned from the Vietnam War were forgotten when Australia decided to join the United States of America, who were planning the invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan. The American soldiers and the Australian soldiers went through and are still going through some of the same circumstances that happened in the Vietnam War. Some of those circumstances are that the American/Australian soldiers don’t know the terrain as well as the enemies do and the enemies are blending amongst innocent civilians and they plan ‘attack and run/booby traps’ which harm/kill the innocent civilians and the soldiers like the Vietcong did in the Vietnam war. The number of American/Australian deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan are 1/10. Some people would say that the USA/Australian forces in Iraq and Afghanistan are completely pointless, ‘Like Vietnam, this war cannot be won’. Some people however disagree. People argue that the reason why our efforts in Vietnam failed where due to the lack of support towards the America/Australian Military defence forces. In World War 2, the United States were not fighting against Japanese and German soldiers in and attempt to make those countries better places. The goal was to defeat there military forces, destroy their capacity and keep fighting, just as what the North Vietnamese were trying to do to the South Vietnamese. World war ll was a much simpler war than Vietnam. There enemies were easier to identify and the United States felt obligated to use firepower at its disposal and kill innocent people. Suddam Hussein (the fifth president of Iraq), had ‘weapons of mass destruction’. Hussein ordered the Iraqi troops to attack the country of Kuwait. The United States defended Kuwait in the Persian War against Iraq. On March 19th, 2003, the United States attacked Iraq. The United States used national security as an excuse for fighting. Afghanistan had terrorist training camps run by the Taliban government. Also, Hussein supposedly had ‘Mass Weapons of Destruction’. Due to Australia being allied with the United States, it was Australia’s right to help America out. This is where they all went wrong; it was going to turn into another Vietnam War again. Two countries stepping onto foreign land, fighting against foreign people, who were hard to identify and who were also hard to find. Over time, especially in Iraq and Afghanistan, the united states/Australian soldiers are trying to win wars while appearing to help people and are fighting against enemies who are hard to identify against the civilians, just as they did in Vietnam. With such unrealistic goals, it may be impossible to ever declare victory in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Tuesday, January 21, 2020

The Significance of Philosophical Scepticism Essay -- Philosophy Philo

The Significance of Philosophical Scepticism In answer to the question 'What can we know?' anyone who gives a pessimistic answer is labelled a sceptic. Scepticism is associated with incredulity. A sceptic is someone who questions things (particularly received opinions) and also practices suspension of judgement. This questioning outlook has been labelled by some as practical scepticism. However, philosophical scepticism involves more than this. Its essential element is a general view about human knowledge. In the broadest terms, philosophical scepticism holds, or at least finds irrefutable, the view that knowledge is impossible. There are two features of philosophical scepticism which differentiate it from everyday 'sceptical' outlooks. The first has to do with its strength. The more challenging sceptical arguments do not depend on imposing high standards for knowledge or justification. Rather, the scepticism they imply is radical. It is not just the case that we can have all kinds of good reasons for what we believe, though those reasons do not quite measure up to the standards required by genuine knowledge. The radical sceptic questions whether we ever have the slightest reason for believing one thing rather than another, so we can never even get to the point of justified belief, never mind whether our justifications are sufficient for knowledge, in some more restricted sense. The second crucial feature of philosophical scepticism concerns its scope. The philosophical sceptic's negative verdict on human knowledge is highly general. This generality explains why philosophical scepticism formulates its challenge in terms of the possibility of knowledge. it is not merely the case that we in fact know a good deal less t... ...sophy. Penguin Reference.(1996). pp. 502-503. Morton, Adam. Philosophy in Practice %#151; An Introduction to the Main Questions. Blackwell.(1996). Chapter 1. pp. 3-35. Moser, Paul. The Blackwell Guide to Epistemology. (Eds. Greco, J. and Sosa, E.). Blackwell.(1999). Chapter 2. pp. 70-91. Scruton, Roger.Modern Philosophy — An Introduction and Survey. Mandarin.(1994). Chapter 2. pp. 16-22. Shermer, Michael. A Skeptical Manifesto. The Skeptic, vol. 11, Spring 1992. pp. 15-21.http://www.skeptic.com Warburton, Nigel. Philosophy — The Basics. Routledge.(1992). Chapter 4. pp. 93-111. Williams, Michael. The Blackwell Guide to Epistemology. (Eds. Greco, J. and Sosa, E.). Blackwell.(1999). Chapter 1. pp. 35-69. Wittgenstein, Ludwig. Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus. (Translated by Pears, D.F. and McGuinness, B.F.). Routledge. (1961). Section 6.51, p73.

Monday, January 13, 2020

“Integrity: The Courage to Meet the Demands of Reality” by Henry Cloud Essay

The book titled â€Å"Integrity: The Courage to Meet the Demands of Reality† by Dr. Henry Cloud, shed a whole new light on the subject of integrity for me. My original understanding of integrity was to do the right thing even when no one is watching, but this book challenged my definition and the applications to my own personal life and work experience. By understanding integrity as the courage to meet the demands of reality, I will be able to focus on improving my best traits and become a great leader. Cloud explains in his book how six essential qualities determine your success in business: establishing trust, being oriented toward truth, getting results, embracing the negative, being oriented toward increase, and being oriented toward transcendence. I will give my personal educated reaction to each one of these qualities. One of the most important ideas Cloud starts mentioning in his book, is that of the â€Å"wake†, defined as the result we leave behind (pg. 17). I agree with Cloud that there are two sides to the wake, the task and the relationship side. I was especially moved by reading that the two sides of the wake must be equally important and contributed to. Unfortunately, there have been many times in my life when I have either focused on the task more, or the relationship side of the wake I was leaving behind. Looking back, I now realize why I have not been reached by people from previous jobs, where being the top performer was my priority. But I also understand now, that it was because of the great wake I left behind, that many of my previous colleagues still show appreciation, respect, and adoration for me, even though I was a better performer than them. It is a great feeling to be able to motivate people and bring out the best in them for many years to  come. After reading this book, I now understand how to use the â€Å"wake† tool to make me a better person and a better leader in my personal life but also my career. On page 24, Cloud gives his definition of character as â€Å"the ability to meet the demands of reality† which shook my perception that character couldn’t change. Cloud was very successful in making me see how the demands of reality determine the requirements of the design, and that character is changeable. From now on, I will not only try to improve my own character, but I will also push people around me to be the best character they can be. It has not been easy to meet the demand of my reality, such as being a single mother, being a great fulltime graduate student, being a good fulltime employee showing high performance results while building long lasting relationships with colleagues and customers, being a good daughter, sister, partner, a healthy and beautiful woman etc. I now truly understand why several top performers in my company have been let go over the years because of the fact that their character did not meet the demands of the reality within the company, t he employees and the customer base we are trying to provide excellent products and services to. I especially loved it when Cloud mentioned that â€Å"people grow and people change when the right experiences are brought to the person, and they have the right response in using those experiences† (pg. 27). One of the most important aspects of establishing trust, according to Cloud is â€Å"true listening and understanding, which occurs only when the other person understands that you understand† (pg. 60). This idea opened my eyes wide and made me understand how I must become better at showing to the people around me that not only I listen to when they have to say, but I truly understand them and their situation. Since reading this part of the book I have tried really hard every day at work to show empathy and connect with my coworkers and not just my customers, winning their hearts by showing that I genuinely care for their success as much as mine. The other two ways of establishing trust according to Cloud are through extending favors and through vulnerability. I could not agree more with the author in that a good leader cannot just set the demand, he or she must do anything to help the people meet that demand. I have seen this concept with my General Manager being a part of the team, working as hard as we do toward the same goal, for our store to be as successful as we are. Throughout my life I have been able to establish trust in my personal  relationships, such as with my son, by extending favors and helping people not only understand the demands but also accomplishing them. Being vulnerable is another very important part to building trust, as mentioned by Cloud on page 92. Great leaders must be â€Å"strong enough to depend on, but vulnerable enough to identify with†. This is a whole new concept for me, because I have always thought that not showing your weaknesses made you a good role model. I will definitely let my guard down now and accept my imperfections and admit to being a work in progress myself. The second important quality to be a successful leader according to Cloud is to be oriented toward the truth by being in touch with reality. On page 104 Cloud mentions how â€Å"the consequences of deceit are usually greater than the ones of the truth†. I could not agree more with this concept, especially because I was cheated on from my husband and was really hard for me to find out that what I thought was true, it had not been true all along. Being oriented toward the truth builds trustworthy relationships forever in every aspect of life. A new concept for me that I will incorporate in my life from now on, is the concept that Cloud mentions on page 117 that â€Å"you will excel only by maximizing your strengths, never by fixing your weaknesses†. Even though it does sound hard to do, I am determined to put it to practice in my own life with all my relationships. The third quality important to success mentioned by the author is that of getting results. Cloud says that one of the most important aspects of character that leads to success is â€Å"the ability to keep going when we hit an obstacle, believe that there is a way to get it done, and keep going until we find it†. I have had to learn this lesson personally in a hard way, since I have hit rock bottom many times, and have had to get up and fight and move on, and end up stronger than before. The fourth quality to a successful leader mentioned in Cloud’s book is the ability to embrace the negative. I could not agree more with Cloud in when he says that â€Å"the ones who succeed in life are the ones who realize that life is largely about solving problems†. I have had to deal with this concept myself many times in my life, and every time I have decided to take the problems head on instead of ignoring them, I have grown as a character myself while building stronger relat ionships. I have also had to work with several managers who avoided  dealing with problems, which contradicts the idea Cloud points out on page 179 that â€Å"the leaders who are respected are the ones who can be depended on to deal with things directly and competently†. This concept reiterates my belief to why employees did not respect those managers I mentioned above. Reading from Cloud that â€Å"if they have to have others like them, or not be upset with them, then solving problems becomes virtually impossible† on page 184, convinces me even more that solving problems as they come, no matter how big or small they are, will make me a better leader and role model for everyone around me. I am so proud to say that I work with great leaders who do exactly what Cloud mentions in his book â€Å"it’s not useful to beat other people up when they make mistakes†¦to the contrary that’s the time to coach, encourage them, and help then regain their confidence† (pg. 190). I am learning from the best, hands on, every day at work, and I strongly believe that because I am using the same concept in my relationships, I will soon become a great leader as well. The last two character dimensions important to success according to Cloud are: oriented toward increase and oriented toward transcendence. The idea presented in this book that managers are good maintainers, while leaders are good growers, makes me realize why I have taken so much pride and joy in helping coworkers and friends grow in the last few years, because I am working on growing myself and becoming a great leader (pg. 207). This also touches the concept of being transcendent in order to be successful, especially when Cloud mentions that â€Å"it truly is more blessed to give than to receive† (pg. 253). A fairly new concept for me though, that I truly enjoyed learning about is that ‘the greatest people are the ones who have not sought greatness, but served greatly the causes, values, and missions that were much bigger than them†¦and by joining and serving those, we see greatness emerge† (pg. 243). From my personal life I have observed how not being transc endent can hold someone from being a good leader, such as those people who believe they are the center of the Universe. This book was a great eye opener for me personally and made me question many of my traits and experiences. I now can connect the six character dimensions together within myself and using my best traits to become even better. The  most important conclusion I arrived at after reading â€Å"Integrity: The Courage to Meet the Demands of Reality† by Dr. Henry Cloud, is that to become a successful leader in life I must understand why I might have some â€Å"gaps† to work on, accept myself and realize that there is nothing â€Å"wrong† with having â€Å"gaps†, and know what to do next to resolve them (pg. 265). I will for sure share this knowledge with as many people around me as I can, so that I can help them grow together with me.

Sunday, January 5, 2020

Case Analysis John Mackey, Whole Foods Market Essay examples

Eric Smith Christine Hill Organizational behavior January 24, 2013 Case Analysis: John Mackey, Whole Foods Market 1. What role, if any, does McGregor’s Theory Y play at Whole Foods? Explain. According to Kreitner and Kinicki (2013) McGregor contrasted two views on human nature by insisting that Theory Y assumes that people are more positive at work, and believed managers could accomplish more by viewing employees as such (p.9). The other outdated theory, is Theory X, which is a more negative and pessimistic assumption about workers. Given the statements from John Mackey, it is his vision to create a positive working environment and Theory Y plays somewhat of a role at Whole Foods. Although Whole Foods wants to†¦show more content†¦There could be different situations that call for a different approach or management technique. Through conscious leadership, as Mackey suggests, managers at Whole Foods become aware of their knowledge and skills, and are able to be flexible in approaching various problems at the organization. Given the 21st century table in our text we can clearly see the differences of today’s managers in comparison with yesterday’s management styles. The 21st century manager is a more positive approach to dealing effectively with employees. In the past when the capitalist society and its capitalist factories and organizations were flourishing, the employees were pushed to their limits. Unions were subsequently formed to deter any potential wrongdoings and unfair labor practices. Today there are some unions, but are they necessary? Whole Foods Markets attempts to discourage employees from forming unions. Susan Mohammad notes that Mackey once compared unions to herpes, saying once you have them, you can never get rid of them,(Canadian Business 2009 p. 63). Mackey believes this because at Whole Foods they have implemented programs and pay scales that are already ideal for its employees. Whole Foods also has very strategic plans to promote its organic food lines. The 21st century manager is still about the profits. And some might say that even though Mackey and Whole Foods are good at managing people they areShow MoreRelatedBelief and Support of Human Capital: Case Study Analysis of Whole Foods1242 Words   |  5 PagesLella McLemore Duane Saari BME-214614-04 Organizational Behavior 18 February 2013 Belief and Support of Human Capital: Case Study Analysis of Whole Foods What role, if any, does McGregor’s Theory Y play at Whole Foods? Explain? The primary focus of this case study analysis shall be to examine the methods of Whole Food’s distinctive approach and development to the implementation of creative management strategies and how they can continue to successfully help them to maintain growth in theirRead MoreCase Analysis : Whole Foods1011 Words   |  5 PagesCase Analysis 2 Whole Foods Analysis Whole Foods is one of the largest organic food stores in the industry. During the years of 2007 – 2008, the company has been undergoing criticism and reluctance from the customers and the employees. There was tension between the financial growth, social value, and brand image of the company, the critiques argued. Their argument is that the CEO, John Mackey has forgotten the core values on which the firm’s foundation was laid, and that the organization is focussingRead MoreCase Study Whole Foods1155 Words   |  5 PagesCase Study assignment 1. What are the chief elements of the strategy that Whole Foods Market is pursuing? Fresh natural and organic foods and products with no preservatives or artificial ingredients. Promote healthier eating/lifestyle and increasing consumer knowledge/education of food safety, environment and how pesticides affect the land as well as the human body. 2. Is the strategy well matched to recent developments and conditions in the natural and organic foods segment of the food retailingRead MoreBusiness Case Study : Business Case Analysis7304 Words   |  30 PagesPurpose/Objective A major requirement of Principles of Management class is to research a Fortune 100 company and present the findings as a business case analysis. Business case analysis includes history of the company, management performance, SWOT analysis, corporate and company level strategies, code of ethics and appearance of organization in the news. From this research I expect to learn how an organization that started out as small corner store became a Fortune 100 company with hundreds ofRead MoreCase Analysis of Whole Foods Decides to Open in Detroit1092 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿Case Analysis of Whole Foods Decides to Open in Detroit Company Background Whole Foods Market, Inc. is an American foods supermarket chain specializing in finest natural and organic foods with locations in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. It was founded by John Mackey and his girlfriend Rene Lawson on September 20,1980, and today Whole Foods Market is headquartered in Austin, Texas. The current CEO is the founder John Mackey. Whole foods Market is the largest U.S. retailer of naturalRead MoreWhole Foods Market in 2008: Vision, Core Values, and Strategy2599 Words   |  11 PagesRunning head: CASE STUDY ANALYSIS FOR WHOLE FOODS MARKET Case Study Analysis for Whole Foods Market Abstract This paper is an analysis of Whole Foods Market’s vision, core values, and business strategy. It lays out the type of strategy that Whole Foods Market utilizes, what parts of this strategy work and what parts could use improvement. This case study analysis concludes that Whole Foods Market has a very good business strategy, has a strong, clear vision, and lives by its core valuesRead MoreWhole Foods Market in 2008: Vision, Core Values, and Strategy2921 Words   |  12 PagesCase question 1: What are the chief elements of the strategy that Whole Foods Market is pursuing? Whole Food’s chief elements of the strategy are to establish the company as a market leader of natural and organic super markets by differentiating its offering with highest quality naturally preserved food to the world market and become an international brand in every community. However the company is also determined to establish unique value chain activity by recruiting specialized and knowledgeableRead MoreWhole Foods Inc Case Study1200 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction Industry Overview The Whole Foods Inc was founded in 1980 by john Mackey, from a local supermarket store on safe grocery. Since then, it has grown into the world’s largest retail store all kinds of organic and natural foods. As of 2004, the annual sales were recorded as $8 billion. It has approximately 264 stores in the USA, 6 in Canada and 5 in the United Kingdom (Thomson, 2010). The headquarters are located on an 80,000 square feet flagship store in Austin, Texas. Over the yearsRead MoreWhole Foods Market: Changing The Shopping Experience. German1496 Words   |  6 PagesWhole Foods Market: Changing the Shopping Experience German A. Padilla Saint Leo University Abstract Whole Foods Market is probably the world leader in retailing natural and organic foods, with over 433 stores in North America and the United Kingdom (Whole Foodsmarket.com). With a commitment to provide the highest quality of natural and organic foods at competitive prices; they steadily continue to expand globally. This paper will provide some insight on the advantages and disadvantages of perhapsRead MoreAs The Name Suggests, Whole Food Market Deals With Organic1917 Words   |  8 PagesAs the name suggests, Whole Food Market deals with organic foods that have no preservatives added. The main aim of the store was to provide people with organic food free from toxins. At the same time, they also aimed at rewarding farmers who whose aim was to protect the environment as well as human health. While establishing the business, the founders’ motivation was to tackle the issues that faced agriculture. They wanted to reduce the usage of pesticide and inorganic manure. They also ho ped to