Wednesday, January 29, 2020

Aims of Education Essay Example for Free

Aims of Education Essay Education has been conceived so variously in human history, especially in term of its aims. Chopra (2005) defines the term ‘Aims’ as: â€Å"Long-term ambitions which may or may not be achieved, but which provide personal motivation and direction† (p.16). Perhaps more than other aspects of human existence, it is education which lends a direction to human efforts through a certain underlying ‘philosophy’: â€Å"a set of ideas about the nature of reality and about the meaning of life† (McNergney Herbert, 1998, p. 130). However, aims of education depend on the philosophy that prevails at the time of determining the aims of education. Different philosophies hold different views about the aims of education: â€Å"Certain philosophies have created narrow patriots. Others have produced cultured individuals. Some others are responsible for bringing up spiritual men and women† (Shahid, 2001, p. 110). In fact, a philosophy or an ideology serves as a back-bone in determining the objectives or end results of an education system. 2.Western Philosophy and Aims of Education If we sift the history of education in the West right from the time of Greeks to the present contemporary era we would come across the following major schools of thought influencing the aims of Education: 2.1. Idealism: Idealism is considered the oldest philosophy of Western culture, dating back to ancient Greece. Socrates (469-399 B.C.), one of the most honored philosophers and the earliest exponents of the idealistic school of thought looked upon the aim of education as not verbal instructions but to enable the individual, by developing in him the power of thought to acquire knowledge by himself, i.e. by self-realization. For this purpose, he presented the Dialectic Method/Socratic Method which is also called Question/Discussion Method. 2.2 Realism: Aristotle (384-322 B.C.), a student of Plato and great Greek philosopher, was the leading figure of this school of thought. He believed in â€Å"dualism − the tendency to view reality as composed of two constituent elements †¦ form and of matter† (Kneller, 1964, p. 37). Following are the main aims of education in Realism: Equipping students with knowledge and skill needed to understand and master their physical environment. Enabling students to adjust themselves with adult approved behaviour. (Shahid, 2001, p. 141) 2.3 Existentialism: Soren Kierkegaad (1813-1855) is considered the originator of Existentialism. Existentialists believe that the physical world has no inherent meaning apart from human experience. Existentialists believe that the main aim of education is to: â€Å"Develop authentic individuals who exercise freedom of choice and take responsibility of their action† (McNergney Herbert, 1998, p. 139). 2.4 Marxism: The leading proponent of this school of thought was Karl Marx, an immensely influential German philosopher, political economist, and socialist revolutionary. He was famous for his analysis of history in terms of class struggles. The aims of education, according to Marxists, are: â€Å"Shape people and institutions; change material conditions of society, producing classless society† (McNergney Herbert, 1998, p. 139). 2.5 Behaviorism: B. F. Skinner, is called the father of Behaviorism. According to this school of thought, the aim of education is to: â€Å"engineer environments that efficiently maximize learning† (McNergney Herbert, 1998, p. 139). 2.6 Cognitivism: Cognition means the process of thinking and knowing. The aim of education, in cognitivists’ view, is to â€Å"develop thinking skills for lifelong self-directed learning† (McNergney Herbert, 1998, p. 139). 2.7 Naturalism: â€Å"Naturalism is based on the assumption that nature is the whole of reality†(Kneller 68). Jean Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778 ) was the exponent figure of this school of thought. Rousseau stressed that what is natural is good. According to Naturalists, following are the aims of education: (1) Self-expression; (2) Autonomous development individuality; (3) Improvement  of racial gains; (4) Preparation for the struggle for existence. (Shahid 125) 2.8 Pragmatism: According to the Pragmatists, â€Å"truth [is] a tentative assertion derived from human experience (Kneller 82). The leading figure of the pragmatic educational philosophy was John Dewey (1859-1952), an American educationist. He believed that the aim of education is to â€Å"Develop and apply practical knowledge and skills for life in a progressive democratic society† (McNergney Herbert 139). 2.9 Perennialism: Perennialists believe that education, like human nature, is a constant. The leading proponents of this philosophy were Hutchins and Adler. Accorging to McNergney Herbert, â€Å"the perennialists argue people are basically the same, regardless of where they live and who they are, thus all people need the same basic education† and that â€Å"education should consist of a fundamental grounding in history, language, mathematics, science, literature, and humanities†(147). 2.10 Essentinlism: Essentialism asserts that ‘Essence’ is prior to ‘Existence’ and that â€Å"education †¦ involves the learning of the basic skills, arts, and sciences that have been useful in the past and are likely to remain useful in the future† (Kneller 256). The exponent figure of this school was William C. Bagley. The aim of education, as the Essentialists hold, is the â€Å"Acquisition of culture; cultural literacy for personal benefit† (McNergney Herbert 139). 2.11 Social Reconstructionism: A key word to learn when trying to understand postmodern education is constructivism. The leading figures of this educational movement was George Counts. The reconstruction theory seeks to rebuild the society afresh. Its supporters believe that the role of education is to create a new social order that will fulfill the basic values of our culture and at the same time harmonize with the underlying social and economic forces of the modern world. According to them, the aim of education is to â€Å"Solve social problems and create a better world† (McNergney Herbert 139). 3. Islam and Aims of Education Like Western philosophies of education, Islam also holds a view on the aims of education. However, it presents an independent, unique and much broader framework of reality, knowledge, existence and values to which the aims of education have got a logical connection. As a revealed religion, there is an objective quality of the goals of education in Islam. 3.1 Philosophy in Islam: Philosophy gets its roots from the ancient Greece. It emphasizes on the search of truth with the help of human reason. It is known as ‘falsafa’ in Arabic. On the other hand, Islam is founded on the Word of Allah or the revealed knowledge. The way Islam came into contact with philosophy is explained by Fakhry (1997) in the following words: The rapid expansion of Muslim Arab civilization in the 100 years after the death of the Prophet Muhammad [SAW] brought the faith into close contact with Greek, Persian, Egyptian, Syrian and Indian cultures and certain elements of those cultures incorporated (sometimes on adapted form) into Islamic thought. However, ‘Islamic Philosophy’ takes its roots from the Holy Qur’an. 3.2Education in Islam: The term ‘education’, as finds its meaning in Western philosophy, does not correspond very closely to any one exclusive term in Arabic. In fact, there are three words which are normally translated as ‘education’_ one emphasizing knowledge; one growth to maturity and one the development of good manners. However, all these concepts aim at producing good Muslims with an understanding of the Islamic rules of behaviour and a strong knowledge of and commitment to the faith. Ashraf defines Islamic education as: an education which trains the sensibilities of pupils in such a manner that in their†¦approach to all kinds of knowledge they are governed by the deeply felt ethical values of Islam. They are trained and mentally so disciplined that they want to acquire knowledge not merely to satisfy an intellectual curiosity or just for material worldly benefit but to grow up as rational, righteous beings and to bring about the spiritual, moral and physical welfare of their families, their people and mankind. Their attitude derives from a deep faith in God and a wholehearted acceptance of a God-given moral  code. (Hussain Ashraf 1) 3.3 Aims of Education: Complete Submission to His Will: Islam means complete submission to the Supreme Being of Allah (SWT) and His Shariah. The sole purpose of mans creation as described in the Holy Quran is to worship Allah (SWT): ÙˆÙŽÙ…ÙŽØ § Ø ®Ã™Å½Ã™â€žÃ™Å½Ã™â€šÃ™â€™Ã˜ ªÃ™  Ø §Ã™â€žÃ™â€™Ã˜ ¬Ã™ Ã™â€ Ã™â€˜Ã™Å½ ÙˆÙŽØ §Ã™â€žÃ™â€™Ã˜ §Ã™ Ã™â€ Ã™â€™Ã˜ ³Ã™Å½ Ø §Ã™ Ã™â€žÃ™â€˜Ã™Å½Ã˜ § Ù„Ù Ã™Å Ã™Å½Ã˜ ¹Ã™â€™Ã˜ ¨Ã™ Ã˜ ¯Ã™ Ã™Ë†Ã™â€™Ã™â€ Ã™ Ã¢â‚¬  And I have not created the Jinn and the men but that they may worship Me. (al-Zariyaat 51: 56) So, according to Islam, the purpose of the creation of humanity should also be the sole purpose, aim and objective of philosophy of Islamic education i.e. the complete, unconditional submission to the Supreme Will of Allah (SWT), the Almighty. As Rizavi puts it: Thus in Islamic creed, the idea of omnipresence of God permeates life in its totality †¦ God is everywhere and hence prayers can be said anywhere †¦ A Muslim is supposed to be in communion with God throughout his life — sitting on the prayer-rug, labouring in the field, defending his coun ­trys borders, in short, while doing anything and everything. (113) 3.4 ‘Taqwa’ (piety) and ‘Adl’ (justice) as the Cornerstones of Islamic Teachings: ‘Taqwa’ occupies a pivotal position in the aims of Islamic teachings. The Holy Qur’an considers it a requisite for getting Divine Guidance (‘Hidaya’): Ø °Ã™ °Ã™â€žÃ™ Ã™Æ'ÙŽ Ø §Ã™â€žÃ™â€™Ãš ªÃ™ Ã˜ ªÃ™ °Ã˜ ¨Ã™  Ù„ÙŽØ § Ø ±Ã™Å½Ã™Å Ã™â€™Ã˜ ¨Ã™Å½ Û›Ûš Ûâ€" Ù Ã™ Ã™Å Ã™â€™Ã™â€¡Ã™  Û›Ûš Ù‡Ù Ã˜ ¯Ã™â€¹Ã™â€° لّÙ Ã™â€žÃ™â€™Ã™â€¦Ã™ Ã˜ ªÃ™â€˜Ã™Å½Ã™â€šÃ™ Ã™Å Ã™â€™Ã™â€ Ã™Å½Ã›â„¢Ã¢â‚¬  † â€Å"This is a perfect Book; there is no doubt in it; it is a guidance for the righteous† (al-Baqara 2: 2) Regarding â€Å"the sacrifices offered by the Muslims at the time of ‘Hajj’ or ‘Id al-Adha, the Quran clearly says that the flesh of animals sacrificed does not reach Allah; what reaches Him is the piety or ‘taqwa’ operated behind these teachings†(Rizavi 115). The Quran also gives us a clue to the achievement of ‘taqwa’ or excellence of character: Ø §Ã˜ ¹Ã™â€™Ã˜ ¯Ã™ Ã™â€žÃ™ Ã™Ë†Ã™â€™Ã˜ § Ù‡Ù Ã™Ë†Ã™Å½ Ø §Ã™Å½Ã™â€šÃ™â€™Ã˜ ±Ã™Å½Ã˜ ¨Ã™  Ù„Ù Ã™â€žÃ˜ ªÃ™â€˜Ã™Å½Ã™â€šÃ™â€™Ã™Ë†Ã™ °Ã™â€°Ã¢â‚¬Å'Ûâ€" â€Å"Be just: that is Next to piety† (al-Maidah 5: 8). In fact, â€Å"With respect to man †¦ justice means basically a condition and situation whereby he is in his right and proper place† (al-Attas 26). Thus, Islam aims at preparing such persons who are pious and just. 3.5Justice implies knowledge: Islam has made it obligatory on all believers to acquire knowledge. In the very first verses of the Quran, the prophet Hazrat Muhammad (SAW) was instructed to read: Ø §Ã™â€šÃ™â€™Ã˜ ±Ã™Å½Ã˜ §Ã™â€™ Ø ¨Ã™ Ã˜ §Ã˜ ³Ã™â€™Ã™â€¦Ã™  Ø ±Ã™Å½Ã˜ ¨Ã™â€˜Ã™ Ã™Æ'ÙŽ Ø §Ã™â€žÃ™â€˜Ã™Å½Ã˜ °Ã™ Ã™â€°Ã™â€™ Ø ®Ã™Å½Ã™â€žÃ™Å½Ã™â€šÃ™Å½ â€Å"Convey thou in the name of thy Lord Who created Ø ®Ã™Å½Ã™â€žÃ™Å½Ã™â€šÃ™Å½ Ø §Ã™â€žÃ™â€™Ã˜ §Ã™ Ã™â€ Ã™â€™Ã˜ ³Ã™Å½Ã˜ §Ã™â€ Ã™Å½ Ù…Ù Ã™â€ Ã™â€™ Ø ¹Ã™Å½Ã™â€žÃ™Å½Ã™â€š Created man from a clot of blood. (al- ‘Alaq 96: 1-5) The best Islamic education must encompass the two traditional categories of knowledge, and the hierarchical relationship between them; revealed knowledge, attained through the religious sciences; and acquired knowledge, attained through the rational, intellectual and philosophical sciences. In Islam, both types of knowledge, the revealed and the acquired, contribute to the strengthening of faith, the former through the careful study of the revealed word of Allah SWT and the latter through the systematic study of the world of man and the universe. The Qur’an appeals constantly to reason and experiment which is a blessing indispensable to arrive at proper judgement. It invites directs the humans to study the reality. 3.6 Taqwa and Faith: The basic features of the Islamic constitution as embodied in the Quran Sunnah are the creed or doctrine (Aqeedah) or faith (trust and belief founded on authority) _ as belief in Allah SWT, faith in the prophet SAW and the basic attitude that all human activity should follow in the complete submission to Allah SWT. Islamic education has to inculcate these beliefs and attitudes in Muslim youth. The more comprehensive equivalent of ‘faith’ in the Arabic language is Iman derived from the root-word Amn which means freedom from fear, security, peace, satisfaction, trust, affirmation, acceptance of correctness and submission or resignation to truth. According  to the Holy Quran a Believer i.e. a Momin must have faith in (1) Allah, (2) The Hereafter, (3) The Unseen Clestial powers called Malaika (roughly translated as Angels), (4) The Book and (5) The holy prophets. (Haq 242) 3.7 ‘Ijtehad’: Side by side with the inculcation and strengthening of these basic values, Islamic education must create in the minds of Muslim youth an adaptability and a mechanism for adjustment to worldly matters. The Arabs were the first people to demonstrate such an adaptability during the prime of Islamic intellectual pre ­eminence. They acquired Greek learning, subjected it to investigation, experimentation and expansion in such diverse fields as algebra, geometry, astronomy, navigation, chemistry medicine and evolved the scientific principles of empiricism. This attitude extended into Europe in the fifteenth the sixteenth centuries as part of the Renaissance. The Islamic education system must now adopt the same scientific empiricism in worldly matters which the Muslims themselves invented but have forgotten during the past five centuries. The value of adaptability, experimentation and tolerance (as opposed to dogma) must be embodied in the new system. This will, in all probability, requi re the institution of ijtehad or interpretation of the Islamic law. An Islamic educational system is an integrating force and it prepares men for ijtehad where it is due. In the words of Iqbal: The teachings of the Quran that life is a process of progressive creation necessitates that each generation, guided but unhampered by the work of its predecessors, should be permitted to solve its own problems. (1989) 3.8 Action as Complementary to Faith: In Islam good actions are a requisite to faith. The Holy Qur’an says: † ÙˆÙŽØ §Ã™â€žÃ™â€™Ã˜ ¹Ã™Å½Ã˜ µÃ™â€™Ã˜ ±Ã™ Ã›â„¢Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"By the fleeting Time, Ø §Ã™ Ã™â€ Ã™â€˜Ã™Å½ Ø §Ã™â€žÃ™â€™Ã˜ §Ã™ Ã™â€ Ã™â€™Ã˜ ³Ã™Å½Ã˜ §Ã™â€ Ã™Å½ Ù„ÙŽÙ Ã™ Ã™â€°Ã™â€™ Ø ®Ã™ Ã˜ ³Ã™â€™Ã˜ ±Ã™ Ã›â„¢Ã¢â‚¬  Surely, man is in a state of loss, Ø §Ã™ Ã™â€žÃ™â€˜Ã™Å½Ã˜ § Ø §Ã™â€žÃ™â€˜Ã™Å½Ã˜ °Ã™ Ã™Å Ã™â€™Ã™â€ Ã™Å½ Ø §Ã™ °Ã™â€¦Ã™Å½Ã™â€ Ã™ Ã™Ë†Ã™â€™Ã˜ § ÙˆÙŽ Ø ¹Ã™Å½Ã™â€¦Ã™ Ã™â€žÃ™ Ã™Ë†Ã™â€™Ã˜ § Ø §Ã™â€žÃ˜ µÃ™â€˜Ã™ °Ã™â€žÃ™ Ã˜ ­Ã™ °Ã˜ ªÃ™  † Except those who believe and do good works† (al-‘Asr 103: 1-3) 3.9 Enjoining Right and Forbidding Wrong: According to Haq, â€Å"It [Islam] is not only a ‘religion’ of the Muslims, in the usual sense of the word; it is their whole life. It encompasses all aspects of human life: social, cultural, economic, educational, spiritual, material, political, in fact, all. A cult of universal brotherhood must, of necessity, be highly organized. (244) What Islam aims to produce are sentient and committed individuals who work for the promotion of all that is good and the renunciation of all that is bad for the ultimate success of all human-beings. The Holy Qur’an says: ÙÆ'Ù Ã™â€ Ã™â€™Ã˜ ªÃ™ Ã™â€¦Ã™â€™ Ø ®Ã™Å½Ã™Å Ã™â€™Ã˜ ±Ã™Å½ Ø §Ã™ Ã™â€¦Ã™â€˜Ã™Å½Ã˜ ©Ã™  Ø §Ã™ Ã˜ ®Ã™â€™Ã˜ ±Ã™ Ã˜ ¬Ã™Å½Ã˜ ªÃ™â€™ Ù„Ù Ã™â€žÃ™â€ Ã™â€˜Ã™Å½Ã˜ §Ã˜ ³Ã™  Ø ªÃ™Å½Ã˜ §Ã™â€™Ã™â€¦Ã™ Ã˜ ±Ã™ Ã™Ë†Ã™â€™Ã™â€ Ã™Å½ Ø ¨Ã™ Ã˜ §Ã™â€žÃ™â€™Ã™â€¦Ã™Å½Ã˜ ¹Ã™â€™Ã˜ ±Ã™ Ã™Ë†Ã™â€™Ã™ Ã™  ÙˆÙŽØ ªÃ™Å½Ã™â€ Ã™â€™Ã™â€¡Ã™Å½Ã™Ë†Ã™â€™Ã™â€ Ã™Å½ Ø ¹Ã™Å½Ã™â€ Ã™  Ø §Ã™â€žÃ™â€™Ã™â€¦Ã™ Ã™â€ Ã™â€™Ã™Æ'ÙŽØ ±Ã™  ÙˆÙŽØ ªÃ™ Ã˜ ¤Ã™â€™Ã™â€¦Ã™ Ã™â€ Ã™ Ã™Ë†Ã™â€™Ã™â€ Ã™Å½ Ø ¨Ã™ Ã˜ §Ã™â€žÃ™â€žÃ™â€˜Ã™ °Ã™â€¡Ã™ Ã¢â‚¬Å' â€Å"You are the best people raised for the good of mankind; you enjoin what is good and forbid evil and believe in Allah† (Al-i-‘Imran 3:110) 3.10 Sincerity of Motive (‘niyyah’): According to Rizavi, â€Å"Islam gives due consideration to human weaknesses, and, therefore, accepts from a person whatever he may achieve, with the sincerity of motive† (117); and that â€Å"Motive (niyyah) is a serious factor in the acquisition of education. In fact, Islam judges all conduct according to its motives† (116). 4. Conclusion:  The aims of education stem from the kind of philosophy directing them. Western philosophy, in general, is this world-oriented, and divorced from revelation, its aims of education have been changing and varying from one approach to another; it ignores the true self of man (both physical and spiritual); its chief sources of knowledge are senses, reason and intuition which are deceivable and temporary; it neglects the final purpose of man; therefore, it fails to provide one single approach and thus leaves man into chaos and confusion. On the other hand, Islam, having a divine base, aiming to bring man closer to God and seek His plea sure as his ultimate aim, is characterized by clarity, realism, sublimity and singleness of direction; thus, offering a solution to all of man’s problems and giving him a right direction in this world. References The Holy Quran. al-Attas. ed. Aims and Objectives of Islamic Education. Jeddah: Hodder and Stoughton, 1979. Azam, Ikram. A Futuristic Paradigm of Education. Islamabad: ABC Enterprises, 2003. Chopra, Rakesh, ed. Academic Dictionary of Education. Delhi: Isha Books, 2005. Fakhry. Islamic philosophy, theology and mysticism. Oxford: Oneworld, 1997. Haq, Mazhar A. Educational Philosophy of the Holy Qur’an. Lahore: Institute of Islamic Culture, 1990. Hussain, S.S. Ashraf, S. A. Crisis in Muslim education. London: Hodder Stoughton, 1979. Iqbal, A.M. The Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam. Lahore: Iqbal Academy, 1989. Kneller, George F. Introduction to the Philosophy of Education. Los Angeles: University Of California, 1964. McNergney Robert F. Joanne M.. Herbert. Foundations of Education. London: Allyn Bacon, 1998. Rizavi, Sayyid S. Islamic Philosophy of Education. Lahore: Institute of Islamic Culture, 1986. Shahid, S.M. ed. Philosophy of Education. Lahore: Majeed Book Depot, 2001.

Monday, January 20, 2020

?Letter to Americans? by E. P. Thompson :: essays research papers

â€Å"Letter to Americans† by E. P. Thompson Dated back in 1986, â€Å"Letter to Americans† is as if it’s written in the last three-four years. In it E. P. Thompson explains why he is anti-American in his beliefs. First off, he starts with that he is in two minds about this state of his. Even his friends doubt he is anti-American, thinking he is joking. We also read how the author traces American ancestry on his mother’s side- he goes back to his great-great-grandfather who lived in Lincoln times. Most of his ancestors are white Protestants from the upper class. Second of all, Thompson presents his idea (which he defends throughout almost the whole text) that â€Å"military† troubles had started a long time ago. He gives examples with the Middle East, Ireland and even England. One of the strongest parts is the questions-passage: the sender asks Americans what made them change, why the national-exaltation†¦ He doesn’t look for the answers. Terrorism is the next problem that is discussed in â€Å"Letter to Americans†. Thompson gives an interesting example with the death of an American serviceman which was highly noticed and at the same time the death of sixty-three other lives (non-American) is left almost unmentioned. E. P. Thompson doubts the moral of war. Or he doubts the moral of anti-terrorist war. In the next lines we read how disappointed he is that he’s half-American. But he also doesn’t like being half-English after the â€Å"heroine† is â€Å"walking tall†- Margaret Thatcher is accepted as a betrayer of national honour. The author doesn’t forget to mention the relationship between USA and NATO. He thinks that Americans welcome NATO as a weapon for America’s affairs, not of the world’s. In his final words, it is suggested that either Europe should invite USA to leave NATO or Europe should expel America from it. It is somehow strange for today’s reader to find out that the situation with America’s foreign affairs hasn’t changed much. As some clever people have said, â€Å"The History book on the shelf is always repeating itself.† Even after nineteen years, Americans think of themselves as citizens of the strongest nation in the world. Even after the September the 11th. Even after Iraq. And Afghanistan. The next worst thing that could happen to the new American history was Bush’s re-election. I doubt so many American people are that dumb†¦ I lived in USA and most of the people I met there don’t like his deeds.

Sunday, January 12, 2020

Case Analysis-Strategic It Transformation at Accenture

Case analysis-Strategic IT Transformation at Accenture Accenture was separated from its parent company and rebranded as a new organization. They face a challenge of building a new IT infrastructure to support their business. Because the new Accenture’s organization structure is different from the Anderson Consulting, the Anderson’s IT is deficient in several ways. Based on the deficient aspects I have some own recommendations and then I will analyse what Accenture did to deal with the situation. First of all, the Anderson’s IT system did not interconnect readily each other.I suggest that in Accenture, they can build up a standard rules, and all the offices should follow such rules and use the standard information system to communicate each other. As we learned before, standardization is very important for an organization. It’s a good way to improve the efficiency of internal communication. Also, a standard information system is easy to manage the relations hip with customers or partners. It can enhance the relationship and improve the customers’ satisfaction. The second and third problem also can be solved by standardization.So choose a right platform to standardize data and exchange process is crucial for Accenture. As a new brand, Accenture should consider their strategic context carefully before they making the decision. And clarify the enterprise’s view of IT infrastructure. In this case they realized that they should run IT not a cost center but as a business within business. When they face three different types of platforms, they choose the single-vendor approach to minimize the cost of IT. Also they choose Microsoft and HP as their software and hardware suppliers. It’s a brilliant decision because these two companies have great reputation in such industry.It’s a valuable and stable relationship for Accenture to cooperate with Microsoft and HP. It can improve the efficiency both in software and hardwa re aspects. In the case, I notice that the Anderson’s information system is too complex and it cost too much on storage data. So it’s inefficient in data exchange and communication. Accenture should try to simplify the process and try to control the cost. Choosing the single-vendor approach can save the cost of IT. Also, they outsource their data storage service. To do so, I have some recommendations for Accenture to improve the information system management.They should put more attention on the relationship management between Accenture and outsourcing companies to make sure the efficient communication between each other. In the information era, the communication is very important. They can provide their partners the part of Accenture IT platform , to they can communicate internally. onsidering Accenture as a B2B company, I suggest that focus on converting conventional interactions to IT-enable data exchange to make sure their clients can get the data timely and accura tely. The globalization and becoming a public company is a new challenge for Accenture.Globalization is a great advantage of outsourcing, Accenture can outsource some service to low labor cost countries. It can reduce the IT cost. As I said before, how to manage the relationship between different suppliers and outsourcing companies is important for Accenture. In the case, it mentioned the (1) standard platform, (2) a single global â€Å"instance† of that platform. It tally well with my analysis before. In sum, Accenture has a successful IT transformation, and for its further growth I have given several suggestions according to the articles this week.

Saturday, January 4, 2020

How the Black Death Changed the World - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 8 Words: 2417 Downloads: 6 Date added: 2019/07/01 Category History Essay Level High school Topics: Black Death Essay Did you like this example? The focus of my essay is on the Bubonic Plague also known as the Black Death that struck Europe in 1348, and its many effects on the daily lives of European people. Understanding how the churches came to lose their influence over the European people due to the epidemic and the medical advances that came from this. It is interesting to see how drastically peoples beliefs changed from something that they so deeply believed in, and to see the many effects that were caused by the Black Death. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "How the Black Death Changed the World" essay for you Create order The Black Death brought many consequences to the peoples daily lives and brought many changes which will be analyzed thoroughly in this essay. I hope to learn the kinds of effects that were brought upon by the Black Death and the modern medical changes that came of this. Analyzing how this devastating global epidemic came to be is important to understand and to be aware that it not only brought death to people, but many changes came because of this. In this essay, I will be exploring some of the changes that came from the Black Death which are identified as either positive or negative, and I will be analyzing thoroughly. The positive changes being that it improved European society specifically in their standards of living, and the advancements that were made in both technology and medicine. The negative changes were depopulation, shortages of labor, and the disrupted customs of their daily life. By exploring these changes, I will be determining whether most of the changes that were b rought upon by the Black Death were short term or long term in the way that technology was made to improve medicine. A long-term effect would be the living conditions, such as trading opportunities, and the education that came after the Bubonic Plague that brought negative consequences in the long run. Some of the short-term effects would be that most of the population died, there was famine, and the fear of death that struck people as the Black Death was happening rather than in the distant future which is what a long term effect would be. It is also interesting to see how the Black Death brought many developments towards the future that may have improved the lives of the European people, as well as changing their lifestyles. The spread of the Black Death brought consequences and huge impacts in areas such as cultural, religious, and economic influences. The sources I will be using are secondary sources such as academically high level books, and history books. In addition, I will b e using primary sources such as a chronicle written in 1314 at the cathedral, and some writers wrote accounts such as documents. Furthermore, I will ultimately be analyzing the separation between state and church as Europeans began to become secular and the medical technologies that improved due to the faith that was lost in the churches, and whether this was ultimately caused by the Black Death. The Start of The Black Death: The Black Death came to Europe in 1348 greatly causing many changes ever since. It struck Europe where 12 ships from the Black Sea docked at the Sicilian port of Messina. After this first encounter, it eventually came to be known as the Bubonic Plague or even the Black Death. In Europe, there occurred around 20 million deaths being (?) of Europes population was deceased. According to historian William H. McNeal, the arrival of the Black Death lasted for several years and shifted from town to town or region to region with the seasons. Long before the Black Death even came to Europe people heard rumors about a disease that was affecting the trade routes of the Near and Far East (McNeal, 198). People knew that there was a deadly epidemic that was spreading around but they never could have imagined how deadly it truly it was. The Black Death is thought to have come from a population of black rats of the kind whose fleas were liable to carry bubonic plague to humans (McNeal, 176). It is s till today being questioned how this disease came to truly impact so many people. In which at the time people were not entirely sure how the Black Death was spreading so rapidly, it was assumed that humans were the ones spreading the disease. Many people became paranoid because one day a person could be healthy and the next day they could be dying from the plague. They ultimately came to think that the disease was spread through others coughs and sneezes, while others had thought that it was being transferred by something in the air. This installed a huge fear of death because in the end nobody was sure how people were truly becoming infected with the plague. The plague was hitting people hard and quickly. According to a 14th century article, People lay ill a little more than two or three days and then died suddenly. He who was well one day was dead the next and being carried to his grave,† writes the Carmelite friar Jean de Venette in his 14th century French chronicle. The sy mptoms that came with the Bubonic Plague were very deadly as it caused different symptoms to different people and even death to many. It was later concluded but still being questioned today wether the Bubonic Plague was a disease caused by the bacterium in Yersinia pestis coming from rats who become infected and lived close to people. Before the Black Death occurred in Europe, the daily lives of the people were under the influence of the Catholic church. The churches held an important role as they were leading people in knowing what was right and what was wrong, making the church an important aspect in the daily lives of the Europeans. This was such a devastating phenomenon that brought upon many modifications to the Europeans daily lives, the towns, and the medical technological advances that also came from this epidemic. The Black Death showed that the medical system in Europe was flawed as the doctors were not able to treat the disease that was killing people. The changes that we re brought upon by the Bubonic Plague may not have happened without it. The Changes brought upon: The Bubonic Plague brought many changes to the Europeans as well as other parts of the world where the outbreak had occurred. The changes that came with the plague were positive or negative and changed the way society came to be afterwards. According to historian, William H. McNeal human populations adjusted to confluence of the various infectious diseases in earlier times that were developed differently in different parts of Eurasia and Africa† (McNeal, 169 ). People had to learn to adjust to the new ways of life after the outbreak that came from the Black Death occurred due to the many changes that needed to be addressed. The plague caused many people to fear for their lives because it had been an unfamiliar infection that attacked a population for the first time who had never been expunged from European memory. (McNeal, 131 ). The Bubonic Plague was usually not completely gone because it would at times return to places where it had already previously affected, but most of the people were already immune to it so it wouldnt affect them as much as it had before. People were somewhat becoming susceptible to the plague. There was a 60% decline in Europe’s population, which in turn affected their agricultural prices because of the low demand that was coming from it. Another problem that was encountered was that there had been a shortage of labors, causing the system of serfdom to end. The wages had improved although the prices for food and goods fell as they decreased. Since there was a small population of workers it gave Europeans more opportunities to be more free and choose a job that they preferred to be in. The Black Death set the stage in helping improve towards more modern medicine and also made changes to the public’s health. There was a greater emphasis on medicine that was based on science rather than their own faith and intuition. The medieval medicine in Europe slowly took a turn towards modern medicine as the doctors noted that t hey were not able to help treat the plague. The plague came to the Europeans as a realization that they were behind in there modern technology/medicine due to the lack of help as they were not able to provide any of it. As the church was becoming less influential in the daily lives of Europeans they began to question their own faith and looked for a reason as to why so many people were dying. The Black Death also drove a development in a much higher education than there had sustained before. Without the Black Death, many of the substantial changes that occurred may not have happened this early on. The Catholic Church The Bubonic Plague had a huge impact on the way the Catholic Church ran. Before the Black Death hit Europe, the church’s power had been absolute, it was basically it’s own government that had been ruling over all the European people. The church was a religion and a mindset that had been in all of the Europeans heart. The church would massacre people who chose to oppose them in any way and drove them away from their society. There were times when the secular state would try to assert their control from the churches power, but the churches were much more powerful and influential. Before the Black Death came to be in Europe, the churches had been the center of influence for many people. Europeans believed that hospitals were more focused on one’s soul than their own body since disease and sickness were something that was regarded as a punishment for sins committed. This shows that everything had been centered around the Church, it was something that was truly signif icant to them that they did not feel the need to believe in medicine but rather rely on their own faith. When the Bubonic Plague first hit Europe, the churches had explained that the plague had been an act from God who was punishing their sins. The church was calling for people to pray while also organizing religious marches, pleading to God to stop the plague. Even before the Black Death had made it’s huge impact on the Europeans they still prayed and believed that God could treat their sickness during the medieval medicine time period due to the lack of science and research that was being done. God had shown himself on their side, and each new outbreak of the infectious disease that had been imported from Europe ( McNeal, 138). So at this point, Europeans believed that God would be their savior, and they did not feel the need to rely on any medical assistance but prayed to God that they will be saved. As the Bubonic Plague became worse, and it was affecting many Europeans t hey began to question their own faith. Nobody was entirely sure how anybody was becoming ill so they came up with their own conclusions. A theory that some people had come up with was that the Jews were responsible for the plague in an attempt to kill Christians and to dominate the world, this led to a conflict between both Jews and Christians. Pope Clement VI had been the fourth pope to reside in Avignon, during the Black Death and managed to survive the worst disease to have happened in Europe. According to History and Culture, he had constantly offered protection to the Jews when many of them were being persecuted under the suspicion of starting the disease that was spreading and killing many people. Pope Clement VI announced a religious order to stop the brutality against the Jews, because he believed that they were not responsible for the plague but it was God who was striking at Christians for their sins. As the Christians started to calm their anger towards the Jews, they en ded up turning their anger towards the Catholic Church that did not seem to be any help when it came to curing the Black Death. Since the Church was not able to save the people from the disease, it lead to many Europeans to question their beliefs. During this time period people did not necessarily believe in doctors or science, leading them to deeply believe that God could save them but since people were not being saved from the disease it lead to many Europeans to question their beliefs. They began to believe that the plague had been a punishment from God. Flagellation, is a process of self-mutilation where a person would injure/beat themselves in order to make amends for all their sins. They would whip themselves with a stick that had three knotted thongs hanging from end, two pieces of needle-sharp metal which ran through the center of the knots from both sides and formed a cross in the end. Using these whips, they beat and whipped their bare skin until their bodies had been bruised and swollen and occasionally blood rained down. I have seen, when they whipped themselves, how sometimes those bits of metal penetrated the skin so deeply that it took more than two attempts to pull them out ( Herford, 17). They would do this un til one of them fell to the ground even then they would still continue and keep on going till the next day. In October 1349, Pope Clement VI announced publicly that the Flagellants were not supporting the regulations and principles of the Church. They were excluding people from being involved in the sacraments and services of the Church. By the following years the Flagellant Movement began to disappear. Not only during the Black Death was there a rise in the Flagellant Movement but there was also a widespread persecution of Jews due to the paranoia that was happening. People began to believe many different things when they were hit with this epidemic, that destroyed most of its civilization. Their views began to change over time because they started to realize that praying was not doing much in stopping the Bubonic Plague which led to the creation of modern medicine. The plague left many damaging consequences and left the churches reputation to suffer as well. As Europeans began to calm down and stop blaming the Jews, they turned their anger towards the Catholic Church who seemed to not be helping out in stopping the Bubonic Plague.