Kazakhstan’s Most Problematic Factor for Doing Business Essay -- educat

In the period of globalization today Kazakhstan is known as a competitive and pressing towards to be economically developed country, due to its determination and activeness in the world area of global problems. The world economic forum report on global competitiveness for 2012-2013 shows that Kazakhstan is appreciated as ready for competitiveness and it has taken 51 position from 126 ones, which is actually reputable result for such country like Kazakhstan. The country is ahead from Russian Federation and India 16 and 8 positions respectively, which is also unquestionably perfect development, providing that GDP of these countries is 9 times greater than Kazakhstan’s GDP. The report for competitiveness represents that Kazakhstan’s most problematic factor for doing business is inadequately educated workforce, which was the first consequence for Kazakhstan to invest money in education. As state program of education development for 2011-2020 illustrates, one of the main priorities in â€Å"Kazakhstan-2030† strategy is going to be an education. Education is acknowledged for Kazakhstan as precondition of economic success and as the important role in entering to the club of the most competitive 30 countries in the world, which is mentioned in â€Å"Kazakhstan-2050† strategy. In major educational policy documents, the expressions such as ‘to create a competitive national education system’, or ‘to foster innovation and create a productive basis for a modern, competitive economy’ is referred as education purpose. The Europe-2020 strategy key point is human capital and its significance in an economic development. T he World Bank’s Education Strategy 2020 entitled ‘Learning for all: Investing in people’s knowledge and skills to promote development’ is f... ..., International Agreements, Population, Social Statistics, Political System." Soviet Union (former) Education, Health, and Welfare - Flags, Maps, Economy, History, Climate, Natural Resources, Current Issues, International Agreements, Population, Social Statistics, Political System. The Library of Congress Country Studies; CIA World Factbook, n.d. Web. 03 Dec. 2013. Volkov, Michael. "Corruption, Crime & Compliance." Corruption Crime Compliance. Adrian Dayton&Company, n.d. Web. 03 Dec. 2013. "The Report and EFA | Education | United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization." The Report and EFA | Education | United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. UNESCO, n.d. Web. 03 Dec. 2013. Markowitz, Eric. "Bill Gates: Education System Needs More Entrepreneurs BY Eric Markowitz." Inc.com. MANSUETO VENTURES, 7 Mar. 2013. Web. 03 Dec. 2013.

A Critical Examination Of My Lover In White :: essays research papers

After reading "My Lover in White," for the first time, I thought of a poem written by Shakespeare that seemed to be in some ways similar in content. The mention of the fair maidens outside the gate and the poet's observation that his love is not with the rest reminds me of Shakespeare's Sonnet CXXX. The poem is about the poets love of a woman that is not the most beautiful in comparison to most fantasy women; she is not perfect, but in his eyes she is all that he could possibly want. It seems that the content of this poem also reflects a devoted love to a maiden that may not be the fairest of them all, however she gives him all the delight he needs: "She alone gives me delight". The note at the end of the poem comments that 'the man praises his lover..., contrasted with beautiful maidens...'. This seems to support the insinuation that perhaps his maiden is not of the same entirety as the other dating maidens. The poet does not need anything other than the love he receives from this one maiden. It is possible that the lines that state she is not there outside the gate could be referring to something more literal. It could perhaps be literal in the sense that something has happened to her, which is why she is not out there. The note at the bottom of the poem clarifies that the gate in the poem refers to the eastern gate of the capital of Zheng. The significance of the eastern gate seems to be important to the meaning of the lines, however that importance is unclear to the uninformed reader. The two stanzas of the poem are repetitive yet with subtle differences. It seems common throughout many traditional Chinese poems that the first two lines of each stanza are very much alike and repetitive, while the following lines show more of a distinction. The first line reads "outside the eastern gate," while the first line of the second reads "outside the outer gate". The next line compares maidens to clouds, while the second line of the second stanza compares them to blooms. The poet uses nature in both stanzas to compare the fairness of the maidens. The fourth lines of each, say in different ways that his love is not where all the other maidens are.

In Search of Virtue in Honors Essays -- Aristotle Friendship Philosoph

In Search of Virtue in Honors Of the three forms of friendship discussed by Aristotle—the useful, the pleasant, and the good—the ideal seminar most resembles the perfectly good friendship between â€Å"good men who are alike in excellence or virtue† (Aristotle 1156b). A seminar, the Swarthmore website reads, unites faculty with â€Å"small groups of dedicated and accomplished students† committed to â€Å"independent learning† and â€Å"dialogue with peers, teachers, and examiners.† In light of Aristotelian and neo-Aristotelian thought on friendship, virtue and practical wisdom, this discussion will first examine how an ideal seminar promotes student virtues and then proceed to evaluate an e-mail I wrote in response to an imperfect seminar. Aristotle contends that friendship is instrumental for acquiring and maintaining moral excellence: †¦the friendship of good men is good, and it increases with their meetings. Also, it seems, they become better as they are active together and correct one another: from the mould of the other each takes the imprint of the trait he likes, whence the saying: ‘Noble things from noble people.’ (1172a) Similarly, a seminar composed of individuals with student virtues—including diligence, intelligence, curiosity, patience, and humility—can best maintain and encourage virtue. Rosemary Volbrecht’s â€Å"Mutual Apprenticeship in moral development,† Nancy Sherman’s â€Å"Making a Necessity of Virtue,† Laurence Thomas’ Living Morally and Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics outline the means by which friendship encourages moral virtue. An extrapolation from moral virtues to student virtues frames their discussion in the context of an honors seminar at Swarthmore. Volbrecht highlights the importance of role models in experie... ..., but I erred in the delivery. A wiser, more amenable route may have included individualized messages. The real problem, however, was imperfect information and my lack of familiarity with the nuances of my classmates’ personalities. Aristotle writes, â€Å"[e]ach man can judge competently the things he knows† (Aristotle 1095a). His counsel offers little comfort when combined with rigorous epistemological standards. If flawless practical wisdom requires perfect information, then any decision by imperfect moral agents requires a search not for truth, but for the lesser evil. In my case, I hope the damage done was not too great. Works Cited Aristotle. Ethics. Sherman, Nancy. Making a Necessity of Virtue. Thomas, Laurence. Living Morally. Volbrecht, Mary Rose. â€Å"Friendship: Mutual Apprenticeship in Moral Development.† Journal of Value Inquiry, vol. 24 (1990).

Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton

Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Sister Elizabeth Ann Seton was born Elizabeth Ann Bayley on August 28th, 1774 in New York City to wealthy parents. Elizabeth suffered many losses early in life starting with the loss of her mother when she was just three years old, and a younger sister two years later. She was raised Episcopalian by her mother and stepmother. Her father was a humanitarin who taught his daughter to love and be of service to others. Elizabeth had a great interest in reading and particularly liked reading the bible and scriptures in which she found great comfort.In 1794 at the age of 19, Elizabeth married William Seton and together they had five children. Four years into their marriage William's father died leaving Elizabeth and William in charge of caring for his many brothers and sisters. A few years after that, Elizabeth's father died. Not long after that, William's business began to fail along with his health. William and Elizabeth thought that a sea voyage to Italy would h elp him to feel better. William died while in Italy and Elizabeth became interested in the Catholic faith during that time to which she later converted.She felt a special devotion to the Blessed Virgin having lost her own mother at such an early age. To support her children Elizabeth opened a school for girls in Baltimore. After joining the Catholic Church in 1805 Elizabeth devoted her life to God's will for her. In 1809 she took her religious vows and became known as Mother Elizabeth Seton. She formed a community of sisters called the Sisters of Charity which included one of her daughters. Mother Seton died on January 1st, 1821 from tuberculosis the same thing that killed her husband.She was just 46 years old when she died. Elizabeth is known as the patron saint for the loss of parents. Her feast day is celebrated on January 1st. Mother Seton became the first american saint to be beatified in 1963 and then later canonized in 1975. Mother Seton told her follow sisters, â€Å"The fi rst end I propose in our daily work is to do the will of God; secondly, to do it in the manner he wills it; and thirdly, to do it because it is his will. †

Competition in the Golf Industry

An Analysis of â€Å"Competition in the Golf Industry† It is unknown when the game of golf originated, but it is believed that people began playing in Europe during the middle ages. In the United States, golf was a sport primarily played by the wealthy individuals until tournaments began being televised. Since then, golf has grown to be a very lucrative industry with over 27 million golfers nationwide by the end of the 1990’s. â€Å"Competition in the Golf Equipment Industry,† a case study written by John E. Gamble of the University of South Alabama, is an overview of the problems currently facing major companies in the golf equipment industry: technological limitations (due to golf’s governing organizations), a decline in the number of golfers, and the economic recession, and the threat of counterfeit products. These limitations are causing leading competitors in the golf industry, namely Calloway Golf, to rethink their strategies in 2010. PLAC Analysis for Calloway Golf Ely Reeves Calloway Jr. , Calloway’s original owner, CEO and President, bought a manufacturing company of hickory shaft wedges and putters in 1983. Calloway, originally restricted to reproducing antique golf clubs, has extended its product breadth across the golf equipment industry. Calloway Golf now encompasses drivers (with the introduction of Big Bertha), putters (with the acquisition of Odyssey), irons (designed to compete against Titleist), golf balls (with the acquisition of Top-Flite), footwear and clothes branding, and GPS units (with the acquisition of UPlay). See Timeline in Appendix 1. Calloway has differentiated itself from its competitors by its innovation, beginning with the success of their driver, Big Bertha, which initiated the technology race among firms. Calloway and its’ competitors introduce more innovative products every 12-18 months to remain competitive. Furthermore, Calloway has acquired several firms since its origination in 1983 in order to expand its product breadth. Although in 2009, Calloway Golf Company was the â€Å"second largest seller of drivers and fairway woods,† revenues have declined by 17% in 2009 compared to the first six months of 2008. Challenges facing this firm will be assessed in the SWOT analysis. SWOT Analysis for the golf industry, Calloway Golf & Recommendations See Appendix 2 for Matrix Strengths: Calloway’s technological innovation in making a driver that pushed the limits of USGA standards shows motivation to become the best. Marketing to recreational golfers in an attempt to help them enjoy the game more by offering an opportunity to drive 6-10 yards further was a benchmark and pushed Calloway’s product to the best golf product of the century by a two-to-one margin. Calloway’s recognizable name also gives them a competitive edge. Weaknesses: Although these technological advances may have boosted sales, there is still little evidence that these advances help golfers lower their scores. Another weakness of the industry is sustainability. With the development of new products every 12-18 months, it is crucial that companies market their products and have strong sales shortly after introduction. Also, a weakness with Calloway’s golf balls was their brand image with the acquisition of Top-Flite golf balls, which quickly coined the game â€Å"Rock-Flight. † Opportunities: Although sales have declined 5. 7% during 2008, continued marketing efforts and remaining a household name could prove beneficial to all firms after the recession has subsided. Due to the recession, discretionary spending has declined and savings has risen, but this could quickly change after a turn in the economy. Furthermore, Calloway has recently cut their endorsements of PGA professionals to only encompass 10 men’s PGA professionals and 5 women. If they expanded these numbers, it would give them more brand exposure and possibly higher revenues since many recreational golfers base their decisions on the type of equipment successful, professional golfers are using. Threats: There are a number of threats affecting the golf industry as a whole: effects of technological limitations by USGA, a decline in the number of golfers due to the economy and lack of leisure time, and the rise of counterfeiting. The state of the current economy paired with the decline in the number of golfers, has caused companies to focus more on price and volume. Counterfeiting is largely attributable to the decisions by executives to outsource for cheaper labor to manufacturers in China; who can produce a golf club for less than $3 per club. Recommendations Companies currently operating within the golf industry, specifically Calloway Golf, must change their current marketing approaches and strategies to withstand the recession and threats facing the industry. Although Calloway has a strong R&D department that tends to remain competitive with products and technology, there have been little results in reference to scores. It is imperative that if companies are going to market a product that will help golfers drive further and straighter that the results depict this so that not to damage the brand name of a product. Secondly, due to the decline in equipment sales and the number of golfers, prices are dropping and companies are outsourcing to maintain the volume needed to remain competitive. Companies must be cautious and aware so that counterfeiting may be reduced. This reduction would also allow companies to reduce their pricing and have more sales without the competition of these cheaply priced knock-offs. In the instance of Calloway, an increase in marketing and endorsements would boost their sales due to brand recognition. Calloway has recently fallen to second place in the amount of sales of drivers. In aiding in cutting down on counterfeiting, lowering prices, and increasing marketing and endorsements, Calloway may have the opportunity to reposition themselves as number one in the marketplace. Appendix 1 Calloway Timeline 1983- Ely Reeves Calloway, Jr. purchased a 50% interest in a Temecula, California manufacturer and marketer of hickory shafted wedges and putters for $400,000. 1985-Ely Reeves Calloway, Jr. , hired aerospace and metallurgical engineers to design the most technologically advanced golf clubs. 1991- Introduction of Big Bertha 1996- Acquisition of Odyssey (leading brand of putters)

The Da Vinci Code EPILOGUE

Robert Langdon awoke with a start. He had been dreaming. The bathrobe beside his bed bore the monogram HOTEL RITZ PARIS.He saw a dim light filtering through the blinds. Is it dusk ordawn? he wondered. Langdon's body felt warm and deeply contented. He had slept the better part of the last two days. Sitting up slowly in bed, he now realized what had awoken him†¦ the strangest thought. For day she had been trying to sort through a barrage of information, but now Langdon found himself fixed on something he'd not considered before. Could it be? He remained motionless a long moment. Getting out of bed, he walked to the marble shower. Stepping inside, he let the powerful jets message his shoulders. Still, the thought enthralled him. Impossible. Twenty minutes later, Langdon stepped out of the Hotel Ritz into Place Vendà ´me. Night was falling. The days of sleep had left him disoriented†¦ and yet his mind felt oddly lucid. He had promised himself he would stop in the hotel lobby for a cafe au lait to clear his thoughts, but instead his legs carried him directly out the front door into the gathering Paris night. Walking east on Rue des Petits Champs, Langdon felt a growing excitement. He turned south onto Rue Richelieu, where the air grew sweet with the scent of blossoming jasmine from the stately gardens of the Palais Royal. He continued south until he saw what he was looking for – the famous royal arcade – a glistening expanse of polished black marble. Moving onto it, Langdon scanned the surface beneath his feet. Within seconds, he found what he knew was there – several bronze medallions embedded in the ground in a perfectly straight line. Each disk was five inches in diameter and embossed with the letters N and S. Nord. Sud. He turned due south, letting his eye trace the extended line formed by the medallions. He began moving again, following the trail, watching the pavement as he walked. As he cut across the corner of the Comedie-Franà §aise, another bronze medallion passed beneath his feet. Yes! The streets of Paris, Langdon had learned years ago, were adorned with 135 of these bronze markers, embedded in sidewalks, courtyards, and streets, on a north-south axis across the city. He had once followed the line from Sacre-Coeur, north across the Seine, and finally to the ancient Paris Observatory. There he discovered the significance of the sacred path it traced. The earth's original prime meridian.The first zero longitude of the world.Paris's ancient Rose Line. Now, as Langdon hurried across Rue de Rivoli, he could feel his destination within reach. Less than a block away. The Holy Grail ‘neath ancient Roslin waits. The revelations were coming now in waves. Sauniere's ancient spelling of Roslin†¦ the blade and chalice†¦ the tomb adorned with masters' art. Is that why Sauniere needed to talk with me? Had I unknowingly guessed the truth? He broke into a jog, feeling the Rose Line beneath his feet, guiding him, pulling him toward his destination. As he entered the long tunnel of Passage Richelieu, the hairs on his neck began to bristle with anticipation. He knew that at the end of this tunnel stood the most mysterious of Parisian monuments – conceived and commissioned in the 1980s by the Sphinx himself, Fran;ois Mitterrand, a man rumored to move in secret circles, a man whose final legacy to Paris was a place Langdon had visited only days before. Another lifetime. With a final surge of energy, Langdon burst from the passageway into the familiar courtyard and came to a stop. Breathless, he raised his eyes, slowly, disbelieving, to the glistening structure in front of him. The Louvre Pyramid. Gleaming in the darkness. He admired it only a moment. He was more interested in what lay to his right. Turning, he felt his feet again tracing the invisible path of the ancient Rose Line, carrying him across the courtyard to the Carrousel du Louvre – the enormous circle of grass surrounded by a perimeter of neatly trimmed hedges – once the site of Paris's primeval nature-worshipping festivals†¦ joyous rites to celebrate fertility and the Goddess. Langdon felt as if he were crossing into another world as he stepped over the bushes to the grassy area within. This hallowed ground was now marked by one of the city's most unusual monuments. There in the center, plunging into the earth like a crystal chasm, gaped the giant inverted pyramid of glass that he had seen a few nights ago when he entered the Louvre's subterranean entresol. La Pyramide Inversee. Tremulous, Langdon walked to the edge and peered down into the Louvre's sprawling underground complex, aglow with amber light. His eye was trained not just on the massive inverted pyramid, but on what lay directly beneath it. There, on the floor of the chamber below, stood the tiniest of structures†¦ a structure Langdon had mentioned in his manuscript. Langdon felt himself awaken fully now to the thrill of unthinkable possibility. Raising his eyes again to the Louvre, he sensed the huge wings of the museum enveloping him†¦ hallways that burgeoned with the world's finest art. Da Vinci†¦ Botticelli†¦ Adorned in masters' loving art, She lies. Alive with wonder, he stared once again downward through the glass at the tiny structure below. I must go down there! Stepping out of the circle, he hurried across the courtyard back toward the towering pyramid entrance of the Louvre. The day's last visitors were trickling out of the museum. Pushing through the revolving door, Langdon descended the curved staircase into the pyramid. He could feel the air grow cooler. When he reached the bottom, he entered the long tunnel that stretched beneath the Louvre's courtyard, back toward La Pyramide Inversee. At the end of the tunnel, he emerged into a large chamber. Directly before him, hanging down from above, gleamed the inverted pyramid – a breathtaking V-shaped contour of glass. The Chalice. Langdon's eyes traced its narrowing form downward to its tip, suspended only six feet above the floor. There, directly beneath it, stood the tiny structure. A miniature pyramid. Only three feet tall. The only structure in this colossal complex that had been built on a small scale. Langdon's manuscript, while discussing the Louvre's elaborate collection of goddess art, had made passing note of this modest pyramid. â€Å"The miniature structure itself protrudes up through the flooras though it were the tip of an iceberg – the apex, of an enormous, pyramidical vault, submerged below like a hidden chamber.† Illuminated in the soft lights of the deserted entresol, the two pyramids pointed at one another, their bodies perfectly aligned, their tips almost touching. The Chalice above. The Blade below. The blade and chalice guarding o'er Her gates. Langdon heard Marie Chauvel's words. One day it will dawn on you. He was standing beneath the ancient Rose Line, surrounded by the work of masters. What better place for Sauniere to keep watch? Now at last, he sensed he understood the true meaning of the Grand Master's verse. Raising his eyes to heaven, he gazed upward through the glass to a glorious, star-filled night. She rests at last beneath the starry skies. Like the murmurs of spirits in the darkness, forgotten words echoed. The quest for the Holy Grail is the quest to kneel before the bones of Mary Magdalene. A journey to pray at the feet of the outcast one. With a sudden upwelling of reverence, Robert Langdon fell to his knees. For a moment, he thought he heard a woman's voice†¦ the wisdom of the ages†¦ whispering up from the chasms of the earth.

Identity in contemporary society Essay

How does class influence identity in contemporary society?The class structure involves some degree of shaping our identities. Income and paid work are important sources of individual and collective identity. Social class is a means of classifying the economic and social divisions of a society, which involve some degree of inequality. For example classifying some people as poor, working class or middle class. We may adopt or contest these representations. People define their economic position through ideas about the incomes and opportunities of others, therefore identities are influenced by income, whether we imagine peoples incomes to be in the middle or if we see it as between the rich and poor. There are two main traditions within the concept of social class and its effect on identity. These traditions are in the works of Karl Marx (1818-1883) and Max Weber (1864-1920). While they differ in the understanding of class and society, they share views on classes structured out of economic relationships. The Marxist theory of class shows that the class a person belongs to is a fundamental part of their identity. For Marx, society generated two main classes, a capital-owning class and a property less class. They called these the ruling class and the working class or the bourgeoisie and the proletariat. Class is rooted in the economic organization of production i.e. those groups who own factories, farms, coal mines or raw materials. These groups look after their own interests, live in similar surroundings and send their children to similar schools. Marx believed that class consciousness is particularly important to our understanding of identity. This is an awareness of a shared class interest and the existence of classes with opposing interests. Class consciousness would emerge through solidarity and collective action. For Marx, the key factor is private ownership of economic resources. Max Webers theory saw class as important when forming an identity. Weber saw class as a group of individuals who have certain interests in common; this  is known as market position, for example having similar opportunities for earning income through work or trade. Weber recognised that status is also important within social groups. Status is the different amounts of prestige, honour or social standing that is attached to different social groups. So where we live, manner of speech, our schooling and leisure habits decide our social class. This would suggest maybe status could have as much influence on identity as class. Webers theories would suggest that although, like Marx, agreed that different classes exist, Status was the key factor in deciding our identities and which group we belong to. Class is becoming more diverse with wider reference points within the structures. Some sociologists have gone as far as to say class is dead; (Pakulski and Waters, 1996), although a survey in 1996 showed that two thirds of those interviewed felt that there is one law for the rich and one for the poor (Adonis and Pollard, 1998, p.11)Sociologists and political scientists have argued that there has been a shift from collective to individual identities and also a shift from occupation to consumption patterns. It was argued that well paid working class were adopting middle class values, therefore eroding class identity. A study at Vauxhalls Luton car plant (Goldthorpe et al., 1969), on car workers attitudes and class identity showed signs of a fragmenting working-class identity and a new one developing. This would suggest that work based identities are becoming less important. The change in employment structures as well as job stability has maybe caused this shift. Peter Saunders put forward that consumption and lifestyle are now more important in shaping identities than occupation-based class. He argued that there was a growing division between those who could satisfy their consumption needs, through housing, cars and private health care and those who relied on public transport and state provided housing and health care. Saunders was criticized for being unable to prove that consumption influences peoples identities. To conclude, social class can provide us with a sense of belonging and how we can relate to the world around us. Who we are and what we do and have, change over time and economic structures such as inequality have an effect on our ideas of who we are and can be. However, although societies exist and function within class structures it does not mean that all members of that society identify with a class. It seems as class is becoming more diverse, it is becoming less important within identity as individuality becomes more valued and encouraged. REFERENCE Adonis, A. and Pollard, S. (1998) A Class Act, Harmondsworth, Penguin. Goldthorpe, J., Lockwood, D., Bechhoffer, F. and Platt, J. (1969) The Affluent Worker: Industrial Attitudes and Behaviour, Cambridge, Cambridge University PressPakulski, J. and Waters, M. (1996) The Death of Class, London, Sage.