Bushido, The Samurai Code

Bushido was the code of conduct for Japans warrior classes from perhaps as early as the eighth century through modern times. The word bushido comes from the Japanese roots bushi  meaning warrior, and do meaning path or way. It translates literally to way of the warrior. Bushido was followed by Japans samurai warriors and their precursors in feudal Japan, as well as much of central  and east Asia. The principles of bushido emphasized honor, courage, skill in the martial arts, and loyalty to a warriors master (daimyo) above all else. It is somewhat similar to the ideas of chivalry that knights followed in feudal Europe. There is just as much folklore that exemplifies bushido—such as the 47  Ronin  of Japanese legend—as there is European folklore about knights. What Is Bushido? A more elaborate list of the virtues encoded in bushido includes frugality, righteousness, courage, benevolence, respect, sincerity, honor, loyalty, and self-control. The specific strictures of bushido varied, however, over time and from place to place within Japan. Bushido was an ethical system, rather than a religious belief system. In fact, many samurais believed that they were excluded from any reward in the afterlife or in their next lives, according to the rules of Buddhism, because they were trained to fight and kill in this life. Nevertheless, their honor and loyalty had to sustain them, in the face of the knowledge that they would likely end up in the Buddhist version of hell after they died. The ideal samurai warrior was supposed to be immune from the fear of death. Only the fear of dishonor and loyalty to his daimyo motivated the true samurai.  If a samurai felt that he had lost his honor (or was about to lose it) according to the rules of bushido, he could regain his standing by committing a rather painful form of ritual suicide, called seppuku. A public ritual suicide or seppuku. ivan-96 / Getty Images While European feudal religious codes of conduct forbade suicide, in feudal Japan it was the ultimate act of bravery. A samurai who committed seppuku would not only regain his honor, he would actually gain prestige for his courage in facing death calmly. This became a cultural touchstone in Japan, so much so that women and children of the samurai class were also expected to face death calmly if they were caught up in a battle or siege. History of Bushido How did this rather extraordinary system arise?  As early as the eighth century, military men were writing books about the use and the perfection of the sword. They also created the ideal of the warrior-poet, who was brave, well-educated, and loyal. In the middle period between the 13th to 16th centuries, Japanese literature celebrated reckless courage, extreme devotion to ones family and to ones lord, and cultivation of the intellect for warriors. Most of the works that dealt with what would later be called bushido concerned the great civil war known as the Genpei War  from 1180 to 1185, which pitted the Minamoto and Taira clans against one another and led to the foundation of the Kamakura Period of shogunate rule. The final phase of the development of bushido was the Tokugawa era, from 1600 to 1868. This was a time of introspection and theoretical development for the samurai warrior class because the country had been basically peaceful for centuries. The samurai practiced martial arts and studied the great war literature of earlier periods, but they had little opportunity to put the theory into practice until the Boshin War  of 1868 to 1869 and the later  Meiji Restoration. As with earlier periods, Tokugawa samurai looked to a previous, bloodier era in Japanese history for inspiration—in this case, more than a century of constant warfare among the daimyo clans. Samurai recruits training for the Satsuma Rebellion. Three Lions / Hulton Archive / Getty Images Modern Bushido After the samurai ruling class was abolished in the wake of the Meiji Restoration, Japan created a modern conscript army. One might think that bushido would fade away along with the samurai who had invented it. In fact, Japanese nationalists and war leaders continued to appeal to this cultural ideal throughout the early 20th century and World War II. Echoes of seppuku were strong in the suicide charges that Japanese troops made on various Pacific Islands, as well as in the kamikaze pilots who drove their aircraft into Allied battleships and bombed Hawaii to start off Americas involvement in the war. Today, bushido continues to resonate in modern Japanese culture.  Its stress on courage, self-denial, and loyalty has proved particularly useful for corporations seeking to get the maximum amount of work out of their salarymen.

Short Story - 1354 Words

Every day since she arrived at the castle, Rosaline was prepped, polished and pushed into a tight dress. She could barely breathe as she sat waiting at the large dining table. There was a dozen other people at the table, all of them clearly knew the proper etiquette. They were visiting relatives, dukes and duchesses, lords and ladies – all fit in with the interior. Rosaline was a nobody and she never felt so small when she sat near the aristocrats. She felt like an imposter. Rosaline’s stomach growled in anticipation. The stench of food floated through to the dining room. The room was full of chatter and no doubt other hungry stomachs. The food must’ve been ready but the servants were not allowed to bring the food through until the kind†¦show more content†¦No one could speak unless spoken to by a royal. People kept shooting her glares, mainly the girls. She was sitting at the prince’s right hand side but that it wasn’t like any other seat was available. Still, Rosaline felt more anxious by the second. She searched the room looking for the suspects. Her eyes landed on Francis, who was quietly chatting to the lady on his right. He was tall and lanky with red hair. He seemed to be in his late thirties. He didn’t strike Rosaline as being a murderer, but then again looks could be deceiving. When it was time for the servants to collect the plates, Rosaline handed her plate to one and it slipped out her hand and crashed on the floor. Rosaline froze. Casper threw his plate to the ground. â€Å"Oops. My bad† he said. The people at the table began laughing. Even the king eventually joined in. â€Å"Well that’s one way to clear the table† he said. King Leonard stood up and swept everything nearest to him off the table. The aristocrats began clapping as if they were watching a performance. The king gestured for them to join in. They began throwing plates across the room, the servants rushed to clean it up. One servant fell forward onto a smashed plate. She turned her hand over and crimson red ran down her hand. No one noticed. Rosaline leapt from her chair and went over to her. â€Å"Are you okay?† Rosaline asked helping her up. â€Å"Miss, you need to get back to your seat† she said. â€Å"No† Rosaline said as theyShow MoreRelatedshort story1018 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿Short Stories:  Ã‚  Characteristics †¢Short  - Can usually be read in one sitting. †¢Concise:  Ã‚  Information offered in the story is relevant to the tale being told.  Ã‚  This is unlike a novel, where the story can diverge from the main plot †¢Usually tries to leave behind a  single impression  or effect.  Ã‚  Usually, though not always built around one character, place, idea, or act. †¢Because they are concise, writers depend on the reader bringing  personal experiences  and  prior knowledge  to the story. Four MajorRead MoreThe Short Stories Ideas For Writing A Short Story Essay1097 Words   |  5 Pageswriting a short story. Many a time, writers run out of these short story ideas upon exhausting their sources of short story ideas. If you are one of these writers, who have run out of short story ideas, and the deadline you have for coming up with a short story is running out, the short story writing prompts below will surely help you. Additionally, if you are being tormented by the blank Microsoft Word document staring at you because you are not able to come up with the best short story idea, youRead MoreShort Story1804 Words   |  8 PagesShort story: Definition and History. A  short story  like any other term does not have only one definition, it has many definitions, but all of them are similar in a general idea. According to The World Book Encyclopedia (1994, Vol. 12, L-354), â€Å"the short story is a short work of fiction that usually centers around a single incident. 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In the short stories â€Å"Miss Brill† and â€Å"Frau Brechenmacher attends a wedding† written by Katherine Mansfield, the themes which are relevant to real life in Miss Brill are isolation and appearance versus reality. Likewise Frau Brechenmacher suffers through isolation throughout the story and also male dominance is one of the major themes that are highlighted in the story. These themes areRead MoreShort Story and People1473 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿Title: Story Of An Hour Author: Kate Chopin I. On The Elements / Literary Concepts The short story Story Of An Hour is all about the series of emotions that the protagonist, Mrs. Mallard showed to the readers. With the kind of plot of this short story, it actually refers to the moments that Mrs. Mallard knew that all this time, her husband was alive. For the symbol, I like the title of this short story because it actually symbolizes the time where Mrs. Mallard died with joy. And with thatRead MoreShort Story Essay1294 Words   |  6 PagesA short story concentrates on creating a single dynamic effect and is limited in character and situation. It is a language of maximum yet economical effect. Every word must do a job, sometimes several jobs. Short stories are filled with numerous language and sound devices. These language and sound devices create a stronger image of the scenario or the characters within the text, which contribute to the overall pre-designed effect.As it is shown in the metaphor lipstick bleeding gently in CinnamonRead MoreRacism in the Short Stor ies1837 Words   |  7 PagesOften we read stories that tell stories of mixing the grouping may not always be what is legal or what people consider moral at the time. The things that you can learn from someone who is not like you is amazing if people took the time to consider this before judging someone the world as we know it would be a completely different place. The notion to overlook someone because they are not the same race, gender, creed, religion seems to be the way of the world for a long time. Racism is so prevalentRead MoreThe Idol Short Story1728 Words   |  7 PagesThe short stories â€Å"The Idol† by Adolfo Bioy Casares and â€Å"Axolotl† by Julio Cortà ¡zar address the notion of obsession, and the resulting harm that can come from it. Like all addictions, obsession makes one feel overwhelmed, as a single thought comes to continuously intruding our mind, causing the individual to not be able to ignore these thoughts. In â€Å"Axolotl†, the narr ator is drawn upon the axolotls at the Jardin des Plantes aquarium and his fascination towards the axolotls becomes an obsession. InRead MoreGothic Short Story1447 Words   |  6 Pages The End. In the short story, â€Å"Emma Barrett,† the reader follows a search party group searching for a missing girl named Emma deep in a forest in Oregon. The story follows through first person narration by a group member named Holden. This story would be considered a gothic short story because of its use of setting, theme, symbolism, and literary devices used to portray the horror of a missing six-year-old girl. Plot is the literal chronological development of the story, the sequence of events

Total Rewards Free Essays

The first advantage of a total rewards approach is self fulfillment so that people are recognized for what they do and encouraged to reach their potential through effective learning and development processes and given feedback on their performance. The second advantage is an organization culture where roles are clear and organizational and personal values are in alignment so that employees engage and enjoy work. Another way to consider the necessary components of rewarding people is to view them as individuals, within their team, in the organization and generally in the workplace. We will write a custom essay sample on Total Rewards or any similar topic only for you Order Now The fourth advantage is recognition, you must make sure that the employees are being appreciated, and not taken for granted. The last one is Organizational culture which is being able to engage and fit with the organization in terms of its values and how things are done. Describe five (5) common ways a total rewards strategy can go astray. The five common ways a total rewards strategy can go astray is simply copying another organization’s reward practices can lead to disaster, It would be harmful for either firm to adopt the reward practices of the other, Not implanting an effective award strategy, No considering the employees communication strategy, and Not following the strategy the way is was implemented. Describe the six (6) steps in designing a total rewards program. Developing a total rewards strategy specific to your institution’s needs requires some initial homework to establish a baseline of what you already offer and to develop a more strategic approach to rewards. The first step is Inventory rewards, it will conduct a full, detailed, and accurate inventory of the rewards currently offered by your institution. This inventory should include both formal programs and informal practices. Some of this information is readily available but some of it will require investigation, particularly in large, decentralized institutions. To be effective, a total rewards strategy should reflect your institution’s strategy and goals for attracting, retaining, and engaging qualified talent. The second step is Measure investment, this is where you calculate the current level of investment in each element to establish a baseline and to track changes. The third step is Increase information because through clear communication, it helps employees understand the full suite of rewards available to them. The fourth step is Implement improvements, this implementation and execution is essential to a fully realized total rewards strategy. Vague practices, inconsistent implementation, and unclear communication will contribute to a less-than-effective strategy. Setting priorities for developing or enhancing rewards and communicating these improvements will demonstrate an institutional commitment to employees. The fifth step is Measure impact, which is a total rewards strategy that constitutes a vibrant plan. Maintaining the plan’s relevance requires regular review of your institution’s initiatives and external influences. Lastly the sixth step is Involve the community. Involve leadership, faculty, and staff in understanding the total rewards strategy and how it supports the institution’s overall strategic direction. Describe the eight (8) steps in the communication process. Communication plans can be prepared for a variety of activities – internal and external. Interestingly, though, many companies overlook the value of creating formal communication plans to outline their overall internal communication objectives – and to provide a framework for activities, with measures to help determine whether the tactics used are really making a difference. The eight steps in the communication process is Situation analysis/background, Quantifiable objectives/goals, Target audience, Key messages, Strategies and tactics to meet objectives/goals, Responsibility/accountability for completing tactics, Budget, and Measurement. The situation analysis or background section of your communication plan should provide a high level overview of the situation or communication need with sufficient detail that someone not directly involved would understand the issue driving the need for communication and the desired outcome. The next step in developing your communication plan is to identify objective/goal statements that indicate the â€Å"end state† you hope to achieve. It’s critical that each of your objectives/goals has a specific, targeted â€Å"end point† or outcome. This both helps you determine the amount of resources that must be allocated to achieve the goal and also provides an indicator of success. The next step is to target your audience because you will need to remember that your challenge will be finding a balance between exerting more effort than is required to communicate to various audiences and not exerting enough effort to impact the appropriate audiences. A good starting point in identifying target audiences is to consider the various stakeholders that the message impacts. Each identified target audience has different communication needs. The content, order and number of key messages are likely to vary by group. The fewer and more specific your key messages can be, the better. Three key messages are a good number to aim for more than that will broaden your focus and minimize the impact of your communication. Objectives/goals identify the end points you hope to achieve. You will have to go beyond these broad objectives to identify specifically how you will achieve those end points. This involves developing strategies and tactics. Strategies are broad statements of activity. Tactics are more specific statements of activity that are actionable. When identifying strategies and tactics, it’s important to be realistic. Assigning accountability for the accomplishment of that plan is critical. Unless specific areas of the organization – and individuals within those areas recognize that they are being held responsible and accountable for completing specific tactics that drive your ability to achieve your strategies and objectives. You have to achieve your communication plan objectives, you may also need to address the budget resources needed. While some communication plans will require no additional budget and can be accomplished with existing staff within standard work hours, other plans will require additional staff or the development of communication materials. To be effective, communication needs to be part of a carefully considered process, focused on achieving clearly identified, measurable results. It is not difficult to communicate effectively, but it does take some thought, a clear focus on objectives, an understanding of the tools available to communicate your messages and a strong partnership between you and your internal customer. How to cite Total Rewards, Papers

Designing a Flexible Web

Designing a Flexible Web-Based Reading Environment Essay Outline1 Abstract2 Introduction3 Integrating Technology in Reading Comprehension Instruction 2.1 Rethinking reading comprehension instruction4 Conclusions Abstract Reading has always been a foundational element of one’s education. The ultimate goal of reading, however, is not limited to word recognition; the reader’s success lies in comprehension. Comprehending a text is undoubtedly a complex process and it is even more difficult for all learners to acquire self-regulating reading skills. A framework of how a web-based reading environment should be designed in order to meet students’ diverse needs and help them develop reading comprehension skills through processes that favor self regulated reading is outlined in this paper. The attempted synthesis is based on the main premises of Self-regulation Theory and the pedagogical approach of Universal Design for Learning, taking advantage of the new possibilities offered by digital texts and Web 2.0 applications. Introduction Reading has always been a foundational element of one’s education. Learning to read is intended to provide students with skills that are necessary for proper word recognition and text decoding. The ultimate goal of reading though, is not limited to the recognition of isolated words, but lies in the reader accessing the meaning of the text. Reading comprehension is achieved when words are recognized and their meanings identified, relevant background knowledge is activated and inferences are generated as information is processed during the course of reading. It has also been pointed out that monitoring processes are essential in order to track both ongoing comprehension and the internal consistency of text, allowing the reader to apply repair strategies if there is a danger of comprehension breaking down . Comprehending a text is undoubtedly a complex process. Currently both primary and secondary education teachers are frequently confronted with the same dual problem: the lack o f reading comprehension skills on the part of many of their students and their own lack of experience on how to remedy this deficiency. It is therefore imperative that obstacles to reading comprehension instruction be overcome, that a shift towards a modern model of reading comprehension takes place and, crucially, that individual differences –a major factor that influences reading comprehension– are taken into consideration. Especially nowadays, as the emphasis on creating life-long learners increases, it is important that teachers not only foster reading comprehension but also help develop engaged selfregulated readers, i.e. readers â€Å"who set themselves realistic goals, select effective reading strategies, monitor their understanding of the text, and evaluate progress towards their goals† . This implies that the appropriate theoretical and technological tools are identified and used so that specific learning procedures are supported in order to help all students develop self-regulation reading skills. This paper addresses the aforementioned issues and aims to synthesize a framework based on which a web-based reading environment could be carefully designed to aid the instructor while at the same time fostering reading comprehension and self-regulated reading for diverse students. Integrating Technology in Reading Comprehension Instruction 2.1 Rethinking reading comprehension instruction There are three main obstacles to effective instruction in reading comprehension. The first is associated with teachers’ inadequate training and preparation for the teaching of comprehension strategies. Secondly, effective strategy instruction requires a multitude of means for teacher-supervised practice given that good results depend on regular and continuous practice with abundant, personalized feedback. Finally, the third barrier is related to the growing diversity in contemporary classrooms . There is no doubt that it is desirable to provide all students with the opportunity for significant improvement of their reading comprehension. This is indeed feasible firstly via the transition from the traditional to a modern model of understanding and the treatment of reading as a holistic process. In particular, the modern model perceives understanding as a result of the reader’s active engagement and interaction with the text, in contrast to the traditional model where the dominant idea is that the reader is a passive recipient of the message. Moreover, the traditional perception of reading comprehension focuses on the linear acquisition of a carefully sequenced list of reading skills, whereas according to the modern model these skills are regarded as a set of interactions. Effect of the Environment on Western Settlers EssayFigure 1. UDL Principles, Guidelines Checkpoints It is proposed that the above UDL principles are embedded in a web-based reading environment (WBRE) and that the UDL guidelines are correlated with a self-regulation scenario in order to help all learners acquire self-regulatory reading comprehension skills through a flexible technology-supported learning environment. Specifically, based on the main features of the self-regulation theory , Paraskeva et Al. have proposed a framework which can be used as a template for developing self-regulation teaching scenarios. The self-regulated learning strategies that can be used in each of the self-regulation phases are shown in Table 1. Table 1. Self Regulation (SR) Phases and Learning Strategies SR Phase A. Forethought Phase Intrinsic interest Goal Setting Modeling Keeping records monitoring Planning Strategic planning Self-motivation B. Performance Phase Rehearsing and memorizing Self-control Keeping records monitoring Self-instruction Self-observation Self-recording Seeking social assistance C. Self-reflection Phase Self-evaluation Self-monitoring Self-judgment Self-reaction Strategic planning Reflective Thinking The framework for self-regulation scenarios was based on these phases and incorporates most of these strategies, as suggested by Paraskeva et Al. This is presented in Figure 2 in correlation with the UDL checkpoints and along with the features and affordances of the proposed web-based reading environment (WBRE) which align both with the self-regulation scenario and the UDL principles. The proposed WBRE features comply with the research evidence provided by CAST and wish to extend the work already conducted in this field, with the integration of the latest web technologies. SR Learning Strategies Figure 1. Self-Regulation Scenario, UDL checkpoints WBRE features Conclusions The WBRE which will be based on the proposed framework should not be designed to replace the teacher, but it should aim instead to enable him/her to do his/her job more effectively. A carefully designed WBRE will take advantage of universal design for learning to customize a reading experience so that it offers the right level of challenge and support for each student while implementing a self-regulation scenario.