Culture

Corporate culture in any business or industry refers to the organization’s beliefs, values and behavior patterns on the basis of which customers and clients interpret their experiences with the particular organization and react accordingly. Thus cultural statements come into operation when the executives of that organization practice such values, which indicate about how employees go about their jobs. Companies with strong cultural values achieve better results since employees are able to sustain and focus on what to do and how to go about their work in keeping with the values of the organization. According to Charles Handy (1985), who researched on the work of Roger Harrison, there are four types of organizational culture. They are power culture, role culture, task culture and person culture. When the power within the organization is concentrated amongst a few, and there are very few rules and a nonexistent bureaucracy, the power culture is said to exist in the organization. In the role culture, the structure is very well defined and all concerned have specific authorities, often leading to a hierarchal bureaucracy. In a task culture teams work efficiently in solving organizational problems and the organization is characterized on the lines of a matrix structure. When there are several individuals who believe themselves to be in authority to carry out the affairs of the organization, and who in fact succeed in forming groups to pursue and decide in regard to the goals of the organization, a person culture is said to exist, but such a situation often makes it difficult for the organization to survive for long.

In view of the different corporate cultures that exist in different business set ups it is difficult to ascertain as to the type of culture that is best suited for the jewelry industry in view of the varied circumstances faced by the industry in different countries and regions. However since the structure of an organization is an important determinant of the kind of corporate culture that is to be adopted, it is first imperative to decide whether the corporate structure is of a centralized or decentralized nature (Handy 1985). Both centralized and decentralized corporate structures have their advantages. More powers are delegated to operational departments in a decentralized format thus enabling companies to speedily adapt to changing market conditions, while with centralized corporate structures, all decisions are centralized at the corporate headquarters, which have resulted in greatly cutting costs due to advantages accruing from economies of scale.

Facts of the Case

The world jewelry market is growing quite fast and is increasingly driven and influenced by global fashion trends but since most jewelry customers remain connected to tradition, the right balance has to be struck between old and new trends.  Fashion jewelry often integrates aspects of tangible and intangible viewpoints and is dependent on factors such as purpose for which it is required, what kind of material is used, what techniques are use for its manufacture, what are the aesthetics, values and perceptions of the user, and such other unique characteristics of this trade that greatly influences the success of the jewelry company. Hence the jewelry designer cannot proceed ahead unless he considers all these factors since the jewelry customer is highly discreet and sensitive to his need for the product, which is unlike that of other consumables that may have to be picked of the rack or simply bought due to its brand image and value. Seeking change and the new, is an integral part of the jewelry customer’s expectations, and the jeweler cannot ignore the subtle modifications required to satisfy the need of customers in these changing times.

Issues/Problems

The success of the jeweler lies in how well he can balance his strategies, which further depend on the culture that he has established within his company amongst the executives and employees, that determines how they go about their jobs in keeping with the expectations of the customers in the present times of stiff competition and an ever changing market where new products and designs are constantly being introduced. The corporate culture in this industry has to be such that the customer is fully understood, avenues have to be created so that latest designs and technology are adopted, all in the ultimate interest of the customer to fulfill his aspirations in enhancing the good looks and in manifesting the personality, attitude and lifestyle of the wearer. The organization must use appropriate business ethics in developing a responsible framework of practices that are in keeping with the core values of the company and by using the best combination of all the four corporate cultures because a single type of culture can not work effectively in view of diversity of cultures and a varied customer base with different preferences and aspirations (Carmazzi 2007). If organizations can imbibe a code of conduct that a reasonable framework of best practices will be adhered to by all employees, that may include self assessments and a system of third party monitoring, good business practices will eventually set in thus paving the way for the organization’s further success.

Alternatives

All over the world in business and industry the ethics of people management covers issues that arise from employer/employee relationship which primarily revolve around the rights and duties between the employee and employer. Issues such as discrimination in the work place based on age, gender, caste, and race have to be addressed by the employer so that there is no grievance and discouraging factors in this regard. The management must deal with employee and trade unions in a way that there is harmony and a sense of well being in the work place. In the jewelry industry major factors and issues to be sorted out by management are the occupational hazards and other health issues that are integral to working in this industry. Honesty, truthfulness and fairness in marketing go a long way in boosting the image of the jeweler, hence employees have to be trained and prepared to satisfy demanding customers who want true value for their money. Employees ought to have more than just information about the jewelry design and weight of the precious metals and stones since a salesman’s displayed values and behavior have a strong bearing on the desired results. Ethical limits have to be drawn on the extent to which they can prevail upon the customer in regard to canvassing for the product.

Decision and Recommendation

In keeping with the ultimate goal of the organization’s profitability, awareness has to be spread of understanding ethical issues and matters relating to social and environmental circumstances of all stakeholders including trade organizations, government, representatives of society, and other industry participants (Richard J 2007). Standards and processes that are relevant must be improved upon while addressing ethical issues and business objectives of the trade and a framework of responsible practices and role of ethical and culture relationships should be emphasized and promoted amongst all business partners. Moral philosophy relating to teleology, deontology, virtue ethics and relativist perspective has to be made a constant practice amongst executives and staff so as to create an ethical atmosphere that delves into realistic approaches of consumer needs and satisfaction.

Implementation

Since the ultimate success of the organization in the jewelry industry rests with the attitude of workers in performing their duties they need to be sensitive in adopting values, beliefs, goals and norms that are conducive to an atmosphere of creating a corporate culture that is aware of the needs of the customer in this highly fashionable and competitive market where trends and consumer aspirations are constantly changing. All employees need to share a common set of values that are in keeping with the goals and values of the organization, which go a long way in establishing corporate culture. Since the jewelry industry in most parts of the world is not as much organized as other hi tech industries, and most companies function on the traditional model where decision taking is mostly centralized with the owner, there is need to restructure in keeping with employee aspirations in terms of their well being and rewards programs, which will surely enhance productivity and success of the organization (Cummings 2005). Traditional jewelry establishments must demonstrate leadership that guides and directs the workforce as also enforces organizational rules and policies in a way that workers are always motivated.

Ultimately the management in the jewelry industry is responsible for the conduct of its employees and for all business decisions as also the results that the company gets in terms of sales and profitability. It is also answerable to society for the decisions it takes, and hence they must ensure that correct decisions are taken in the best interest of its employees, which ultimately reflect in the performance of the organization.

Evaluation

The management must monitor culture and behavior of employees on a regular basis to keep a tab on the direction that the company is going in so as to make necessary changes as and when required. There has to be mutual trust, fairness and a sense of empathy on the part of the management to ensure that workers are in a motivated state so that all their efforts are directed in the best interests of the organization. All implemented processes must lead to desired outcomes which is possible only with regular evaluation of the levels of openness, participation and communication techniques used in the business relationships. It has to be ensured that all information provided to clients is accurate, and respect and courtesy form a part of the sales process. Since senior managers have great influence in ethical decision making for the organization, they must ensure that while employees interact with each other there is an atmosphere conducive to maintaining cordial relationships in the work culture. Management should understand the employees’ hierarchy of needs and accordingly influence their motivation and ethical behavior.

References

1. Black Richard J, Organizational Culture, 2003, Henley management College, united Kingdom
2. Carmazzi  A F  The Psychology of Creating the Right Corporate Culture, 2007, Veritas Publishing
3. Handy, C.B.  Understanding Organizations, 1985  Harmondsworth, Penguin Books
4. Thomas G Cummings, Organization Development and Change, 2005, Thomson South-Western, USA

Humour comes from a tool that was constructed with a two boards so when one comedian hit another with it, the boards slapped. One of the most popular comics in this category was Charlie Chaplin. The most characteristic feature of physical humour is that comedians rarely use words to provoke laughter. Mimes use the motion of their bodies to narrate a humorous story. The origins of mime date back to the ancient Greece, but then the performances were not necessarily silent, because sometimes the performers sang or delivered recitations.

In medieval times the art of mimes developed and in the nineteenth century the mime became recognizable by his speechless posture and the white mask. Clowning is, in a way, a connection between slapstick comedy and mime, as it uses both methods to produce laughter in the addressee. Contemporarily, the clown is a figure identified by various costumes, distinctive makeup, a red nose, and colourful wigs, but clowning has its roots in ancient times, where clowns were mainly bald, with bizarre hats and plaid uniforms.

The earliest clowns performed buffoonery, practical jokes, juggling, or parody and these things have not changed much throughout the ages. Harlequin and Pierrot are two of the most popular types of clowns, who owe their existence to commedia dell’arte. Notably, their characteristics originates in sixteenth and seventeenth century European culture. 1.4. Commedia dell’arte Commedia dell’arte as one of the oldest forms of professional theatre flourished in the 16th century through to the 18th century, in Italy.

The performances were mainly improvised, and the actors were professionals. They used costumes and masks that illustrated their character. Their comical models were identified by their appearance or behaviour. Initially, they were supposed to represent inhabitants of a specific part of Italy and even included the dialect of a distinct area. Additionally, the relations between characters onstage were similar to these between actors in their lives and because of this fact, the plays were more credible.

James Cook Essay Alice Holder James Cook Essay Alice Holder In 1788, the Europeans invaded Australia after the First Fleet of British ships landed in Botany Bay on the 18th of January, but then docked in Port Jackson, which we know as Sydney, New South Wales. At the time, there were Over 750000 Aboriginal people in Australia. Lieutenant James Cook had declared Australia to be terra nullius (no one’s land) in 1770 after which the colonists agreed together that they could make the land their own. Cook believed that the Aboriginals lived well.

They had everything they needed in that time, and were in his view to be healthier and happier than most Europeans. Cook’s opinion can be considered valid because in 1788 the indigenous people had very complex social structures, and communication was a strong part of their lives. There were various different tribes or group gatherings around this period of time, and the Aboriginals loved to get together to talk and see each other, whether they were talking about their day, their problems, or anything. They had many different groups of people to talk to, or refer back to, and most of these relationships were fairly strong.

A few of these groups were kinships, religious groups, nations, and moiety and physical structures. Family is a very strong aspect in the aboriginal culture. Most of the time they had extended families and the eldest few in the family took on major roles in looking after the family and helping out. Communication and gatherings were taken for granted in the families, except the mother-in-law rule, which is when you cannot speak directly to your mother in law. This rule applies to both men and women, and if communication was necessary, then they would talk via third person, but never make one on one communication with the person.

This is an example of Cook believing that the aboriginals were rich in friendship, family and communication, because they had so many different tribes to refer back to, and are great at communication and getting involved with other people and groups. In this time of life, there wasn’t the local shop to go and buy your food and basic needs. There wasn’t a dance school nearby to learn the latest moves. There wasn’t spearing classes to learn how to fight for your food, everyone had to learn everything by themselves, or learn off each other.

The Aboriginal culture was very fortunate in having the skill to get what they want, wether that was fighting for food, making weapons, etc. They kept warm by sleeping or just sitting in between two small fires, and they also had dingos, which is a camping dog which they slept next to keep warm. They developed spearing skills because that was the only way they could get food to live off. They were never sick and just seemed to make the most of what they had, and never had bad thoughts about what they had, because they knew they had the best, and all they needed to survive; and they were wealthier than the average European.

In summary, Cook’s view that aboriginals were not savages is most certainly correct. They had everything they needed to live a long and happy life compared to the Europeans. Many people did not believe this, and had a clear stereotype of the Aboriginal culture in their head, but this was wrong. Traditional Life, Housing, (date unknown), Aboriginal Culture, [web page], <http://www. aboriginalculture. com. au/housing. shtml>, [accessed 8th May 2012]

Seven Wonders of the World Centuries ago one man dreamed, designed and constructed a breathtaking monument and then, it went on to become a wonder. Wonders of the world are so many. No list can comprehend everything. But why they are actually the wonders and what are the factors which make them to call a wonders? Every wonder has its own history and importance, and they have some interesting facts related with them. However, the original seven wonders of the world are the most worthy of our praise and appreciation as they were constructed in an era that was devoid of any building machinery and done mostly by hand.

The true wonder we can say is artistic, mysterious, magnificent, stunning or in other words it is really a master piece, and due to these qualities it attracts everyone towards itself. The most remarkable or amazing creations by mankind are included in the list of Seven Wonders of the World. The number 7 is said to symbolize perfection and hence is used to list the wonders. There are number of different lists of the Seven Wonders of the World: the seven wonders of the ancient world, seven natural wonders of the world, the new Seven Wonders of the World and the modern wonders.

A campaign to name the new Seven Wonders of the World, launched in 1999, has just reached to its climax. Originally, there were nearly 200 nominations which were shortlisted and finally, in the largest ever poll of its kind, 100 million people voted across the world for the final seven. Voting was done through the internet, as well as by phone and text. The popularity poll was led by Canadian-Swiss Bernard Weber and organized by the new seven wonders foundation based in Zurich, Switzerland, with winners announced on July 7, 2007 in Lisbon.

The New seven wonders foundation is regulated by the Swiss Federal Foundation Authority. 1. Seven Wonders of the Ancient World: In the recent past, people across the world were asked to vote for their favorite seven wonders of the world. The ancient Greeks loved art and architecture. They were the first people to compile the seven wonders of the ancient world list. These wonders were built-in the marvels of the 4th century BC. The Greeks had conquered much of the world and traveled far and wide.

As they were patrons of beauty, they took fancy to the landmarks and unique architecture of various lands. 1. 1 Great Pyramid of Giza: The Great Pyramid of Giza is the only surviving member of the seven wonders of the ancient world list, which was built in 2584 BC. It is located at Giza Necropolis, Egypt. This pyramid is about 800 feet long, 450 feet high and is build from 2 million blocks of stone. It is said to have been built as the tomb of the 4th dynasty Egyptian Pharaoh Khufu. (Baxamusa) 1. 2 Hanging Gardens of Babylon: Hanging Gardens of Babylon is built around 600BC.

It was built by King Nebuchandnezzar. He built the garden for his wife Amytis of Media to enjoy a private, terrace garden without any disturbance. It was built in Al-Hillah, Babil Province, Iraq. These gardens were said to be about 400 feet wide, 400 feet long and were over 80 feet in height. The garden is supposed to have been destroyed by a massive earthquake. 1. 3 Temple of Artemesium: The temple of Artemesium, at Ephesus, was one of great temple built by Croesus, king of Lydia, about 550 BC and was rebuilt after being burned by a madman named Herostratus in 356 BC.

The Artemesium was famous not only for its great size over 350 by 180 feet but also for the magnificent works of art that adorned it. The temple was destroyed by invading Goths in 262 AD and was never rebuilt. 1. 4 Statue of Zeus at Olympia: Statue of Zeus at Olympia was built in 435 BC. The Greeks completed this building. The statue of Zeus was built in the temple to honor the Greek Olympic Game. The statue was a gigantic structure that occupied the whole width of the aisle of the temple. It was about 40 feet tall and was destroyed in a fire during the 5th and 6th century AD. Baxamusa) 1. 5 Mausoleum of Halicarnassus: Mausoleum of Halicarnassus was built in 351 BC. King Mausolus ruled a small kingdom in Asia Minor. His queen Artemisia was a beautiful woman who loved the king a lot. After the death of King Mausolus, she got the most beautiful mausoleum built in the memory of her loving husband. It was known as the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus and people from far and wide came to visit it. By the year 1494 AD, it was destroyed by a flood. It was rebuilt but was damaged by an earthquake. 1. 6 Collosus of Rhodes: Collosus of Rhodes was built in 290 BC.

Collosus of Rhodes was the colossal statue of the sun god Helios that stood in the ancient Greek city of Rhodes and was one of the Seven Wonders of the World. After about 56 years it was built, the statue was destroyed by an earthquake. It fell into the harbor and just the thumb of the statue was visible over the water surface. The king of Egypt offered to rebuild the statue, but the people of Rhodes refused. This is because they believed Helios himself threw the statue in water in a fit of rage. 1. 7 Lighthouse of Alexandria: Lighthouse of Alexandria was built in 280 BC.

The Island of Pharos was a harbor in Alexandria, Egypt. This lighthouse was built in this harbor and helped ships enter the harbor safely. This lighthouse is said to have survived for 1500 long years and finally destroyed by an earthquake in the 1300’s. During its era, it was the tallest man-made structure at about 380 to 440 feet high. So, these were some interesting facts about the 7 wonders of the ancient world. Just imagine, what an impact they may have created in the minds of the people of that age. Except the Pyramid of Giza, all the other wonders have long gone.

We can just imagine more about these magnificent structures based on the writings by people of ancient Greece. These seven ancient wonders have something special thing in it, which creates curiosity between us to watch and study these wonders. Although, only one ancient wonder is left today, but still they have attraction and by this force of attraction these wonders attract everyone towards itself. We can just imagine more about these magnificent structures based on the writings by people of ancient Greece. 2. New Seven Wonders of the World:

The list of New Seven Wonders consists of man-made monuments from all over the world. These Seven Wonders of the World are spread across continents and were selected by people throughout the world using a voting method. The organizers thought that this will promote global harmony, along with increasing people’s knowledge about these historical monuments some of which are not in their own continent. In 2001 an initiative was started by the Swiss corporation New Seven Wonders Foundation to choose the New Seven Wonders of the World from a selection of 200 existing monuments.

Twenty-one finalists were announced January 1, 2006. Egyptians were not happy that the only surviving original wonder, the Great Pyramid of Giza, would have to compete with the likes of the Statue of Liberty, the Sydney Opera House, and other landmarks. In response, Giza was named an honorary Candidate. The results were announced on July 7, 2007, in Lisbon, Portugal. Figure [ 1 ]: New seven Wonders of the World, Source: New7Wonders of the World,en. wikipedia. org/wiki/New7Wonders_of_the_World. 2. 1 Chichen Itza: The name ‘Chichen Itza’ means ‘At the mouth of the well of Itza’.

Here, Itza refers to a political clan of people, who were at their political and economical best in the northern peninsula (Saxena. Chaitra Suraj). Chichen Itza was the political focal point for a long time in the Mayan history. This winner of the seven wonders list is located in Yucatan, Mexico. The historical site consists of many stone buildings which are connected by a network of paved roads called Sacbeob. Most of these buildings have been restored and some are still under the process. These buildings have been grouped into sets of architectonic series (based on their architecture).

And these sets are believed to be once separated by walls. The three famous sets out of them are, Great North Platform, the Osaario Group and the Central Group. These sets individually consist of various buildings, which are wonders in themselves. Chichen Itza consists of numerous temples, pyramids, and some interesting monuments like Steam Bath and the Great Ball Court. Each of the building had its own importance and was used for some specific purpose. One particular area of Chechen Itza is open to archeologists only, in a way it is still under observation and research. 2. 2 Christ the Redeemer:

Christ the Redeemer is the statue of Jesus Christ, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is situated at a height of 700 meters on the Carcovado Mountain, in the Tijuca forest National Park. It weighs 635 tons and stands at a height of 39. 6 meters. It is built of reinforced concrete and soapstone and is the symbol of Christianity, as well as Rio de Janeiro. The construction of a historical monument on Corcovado was suggested first in 1850, then again in 1921. A lot many designs were considered for the religious monument, which included, the representation of the Christian cross and the tatue of Jesus with a globe in his hand. The Christ the Redeemer was finalized and the construction began in 1922 and continued till 1931. The cost of construction is estimated to be $250,000. The statue was opened to public on 12th of October, 1931 and in 2007 it became a part of the Seven Wonders of the World. In February 2008, the statue was struck by lightning, during a storm but was saved because of the outer layer made of soapstone, which acted as an insulator. This particular storm is known to have caused a lot of damage in the city of Rio, but the statue stood unhurt. . 3 Colosseum: Colosseum, also known as the Roman Coliseum is situated in the city of Rome, Italy. Coming from such a strong background, it was a really strong contender for a position in Seven Wonders of the World list. It is an elliptical amphitheater and was originally known as Flavian Amphitheater. It is said to be one of the largest buildings of the Roman Empire. Construction of this amphitheater took around 10 years, starting from 70 AD and once ready the Colosseum was used for various public events and fights between gladiators.

Gladiatorial fights were the major source of entertainment during those times and the public events consisted of mock sea battles, animal hunts, executions, reenactments of famous battles, etc. The amphitheater was capable of seating a total of 50,000 spectators. It is estimated that some 500,000 people and over a million animals died in the events held at Colosseum. In the early medieval era, the building was stopped being used as a place of entertainment and then on, it is believed to have been used for various other purposes. The ancient building now stands partially ruined by earthquakes. . 4 Great Wall of China: The Great Wall of China was built between the 5th and 16th centuries BC. This wall was designed to protect the northern border from attacks. The Great Wall is over 4,000 miles long. The Great Wall of China also has the distinction of being one of the Wonders of the middle Ages as well. The Great Wall of China is a stone wall built from Shanhaiguan in the east to Lop Nur in the west of China and it stretches over a distance of 8,851. 8 kms. On land, the walls were made using earth or wood, but with the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, the walls were made using bricks.

Other materials like lime, tiles and stones were also widely used. With the use of bricks the construction is believed to have fastened and the brick walls were much stronger. The wall is now in ruins at most of the places and only a few parts remain in good condition. Parts of it have sustained years of erosion, human attacks, modern-day construction and even graffiti at a lot of places, in order to find a place in the 7 wonders of the world. (Saxena) 2. 5 Machu Picchu: Machu Picchu is a pre Columbian Inca site in Cuzco, Peru.

It is located at a height of 8000 feet above the sea level on the crest of the mountain Machu Picchu. The name Machu Picchu means ‘Old Peak’ and is often referred to as ‘The Lost City of the Incas’. Its construction started in AD 1430 and the city was abandoned a hundred years later. It remained hidden from the outside world for hundreds of years, until it was discovered by Hiram Bingham, an American historian in the year 1911. Because of its location, Machu Picchu remained hidden from most of the world, including the Spanish conquerors.

But now that it is in the seven wonders list, it is a famous tourist attraction and is visited by people from all across the world. Machu Picchu is believed to have been built at the peak of the Inca Empire and is the proof of their royalty and religious beliefs. Incas were basically sun worshipers. Inti in Peruvian means the Sun and hence, it can be easily understood that one of its primary buildings is “The Temple of the Sun”. The other main buildings are the Intihuatana and the Room of the Three Windows. Most of the buildings in Machu Picchu are in some or the other way related and dedicated to their God, ‘The Sun’.

Machu Picchu is on the list of endangered ‘World Heritage Sites’. And that is why tourism in Machu Picchu is of great concern. Scientists believe that more the People, more will be the damage. 2. 6 Petra: Petra is a historical and archaeological city in the Jordanian governorate of Ma’an that is famous for its rock cut architecture and water conduit system. Established sometime around the 6th century BC as the capital city of the Nabataeans, it is a symbol of Jordan as well as its most visited tourist attraction.

It lies on the slope of Mount Hor in a basin among the mountains which form the eastern flank of Arabah (Wadi Araba), the large valley running from the Dead Sea to the Gulf of Aqaba. Petra has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985. The downfall of Petra began under the Roman Empire. The basic reason being was the change of trade routes. Most of the Petra was destroyed by earthquakes, which damaged buildings and fractured the lifeline of Petra; the water management system. 2. 7 Taj Mahal: Taj Mahal famously known as the ‘Symbol of Love’ is a mausoleum, built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan for his wife Mumtaz Mahal.

It is located in Agra, India. Taj Mahal’s construction began around 1632 and it took around 21 years to be completed. It was constructed according to the Mughal architecture, which is a combination of Persian, Indian and Islamic architectural styles. The mausoleum was built solely in marble, while other buildings in the complex were made of red stone. For the decoration purposes, 28 types of precious and semi precious stones were used and the raw material is believed to be ordered from as far as Afghanistan in the North and Sri Lanka in the South.

It is said that nearly 20,000 workers were employed from all across the country for the construction work. These include skilled artisans, carvers, sculptors and stone cutters of excellent rapport. All in all, 37 people formed the creative unit of the project. Some of them were from foreign countries too. The approximate cost of construction is estimated to some 32 million rupees (Indian currency). It is considered as one of the master pieces of Mughal Empire and attracts tourism from all over the world. Statistics suggest that approximately 2 to 4 million people visit Taj Mahal annually.

So, according to the above discussion we can say that every wonder has its own importance in the present world according to their historical background and their construction. People from all over the world visit these wonders to satiate their curiosity. Now a day’s architectures are in the constant struggle to make the new wonders which are better than the ancient and present wonders, but still the present wonders have great importance at the present time and architectures have to work very hard to defeat these wonders.

Work Cited: 1. “Temple of Artemis. ” Encyclopedia Britannica. Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica Inc. , 2012. Web. 27 Mar. 2012. <britannica. com/EBchecked/topic/36816/Temple-of-Artemis> 2. “Colossus of Rhodes. ” Encyclopedia Britannica. Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica Inc. , 2012. Web. 28 Mar. 2012. <britannica. com/EBchecked/topic/501620/Colossus-of-Rhodes. > 3. Mish, Frederick C. , Editor in Chief. “Petra. ” Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary. 9th ed.

Springfield, Massachusetts: Merriam-Webster Inc. , 1985 4. Graham Hancock and Robert Bauval, The Message of the Sphinx, Pyramidology, 4 volume, 1957-1972, Web. 5. Nakate. Shashank. Seven Wonders of the World. Web 3/16/2010. Buzzle. com 6. Baxamusa. Batul Nafisa. 7 Wonders of the Ancient World List. Web. 2/25/2011. Buzzle. com 7. Marian K, Original Seven Wonders of the World. Web. 10/3/2011. Buzzle. com 8. Saxena. Chaitra Suraj, New 7 Wonders: What are the Seven Wonders of the World?. Web. 9/30/2011. Buzzle. com

The Dragon kills Beowulf, in fight to death. This means a heroic sacrifice for us. His death represents heroism; when he fights with the Dragon he shows the importance that his voluntary sacrifice has to death’s arms. It was an individual sacrifice but also a good for community, the Seats would be safe if he killed the Dragon. Beowulf gives his life for himself knowing that his being, soul, name and fame would not remain attached with his body on Dragon’s hands. Beowulf also set free the people from the argon and Evil.

He wanted to be remembered as a heroic and vital man, who preferred to give his life for his own name, instead of dying as a coward. The hero is given a grand funeral. He is sent into the sea, with all his weapons and treasures, and with the company of the Dragon’s head and treasures too. This symbolizes his greatness and victory over his enemy. However, the boat is also set into fire. Thus, though he is set into the sea (water and purification) to reach Heaven he is first set in fire (punishment). At regards Beowulf burial a great pyre sinks together in ashes and the body of the great king is all consumed in flame.

“Time and tide wait for no man”, this we all know. Hence, having done my schooling in India for 12 years from a very prestigious school I did not want to waste time and I started studying for the aptitude tests which finally helped me land in United States of America. My name is Dhruv Tyagi and I am from India – a country known for diversities. I was born in New Delhi, the capital of India and was brought up in the city of NOIDA. This is where I learnt my mother tongue, Hindi.

I was taught Hindi by my mother and this is the time where I developed a passion of learning new languages. By the grace of God I can speak four different languages and I crave to learn more while I am in United States. I was sent to The Cambridge School at a very early age. There my teachers made me capable of who I am today. It was just a weekend trip to a hill station, which developed a liking for mountaineering, trekking and doing adventurous things. I love travelling and knowing different cultures of the world. It was in School that I realized my love for machines and how they work.

I remember, I was round 7 at that time, my parents gave me a toy train that used to run on a steam engine and the day I got I had unscrewed each and every part of the engine, just to see how it worked, and my love for Cars and machines wasn’t hidden from anyone. My parents wanted my sister to study BS, but looks like god wanted me to be the first Engineer in Tyagi family, so here I am studying in United States in New York Institute of Technology. I am studying Mechanical Engineering in the University at buffalo and want to work for McLaren Mercedes.

A lot of people ask me, Why Mechanical Engineering? I always said, Money, but the truth is, that it’s fun to be between cars and machines’ all the time, to see a car build , to design a car etc. , plus whenever I see a car as fast as McLaren and Ferrari, I get an Adrenaline rush which keeps me going and I get a crave to build a car faster than that one, giving me a new challenge every time. Besides that I like to play soccer and field hockey. Field hockey is one game that flows in my family’s veins.

My father and grandfather played hockey at professional level, so I was naturally inclined towards the game. But I was kind of sad to know only girls play hockey in United States. I also like to write poems in my native language and English, In English I have read poets like William Wordsworth, Rabindra Nath Tagore and was really impressed with this genre of this kind of writing. Finally, I would like to do something in life that would uphold my family’s honor and make them proud. Right now my priority is finishing my studies and looking for a good job so that I can go build that fastest car.

CRITICAL REVIEW: MY PLACE, SALLY MORGAN Sally Morgan’s My Place, published in 1987, is an autobiography about finding her Aboriginal roots and her identity with the focus on the lives of three generations of Australian Aborigines. Sally’s family never talked about their past and she was brought up thinking she was Indian. But she always felt different than her friends, their way of living was not the same, so her curiosity led her to realizing that she is Aborigine. And then her quest for knowledge of her past begins.

My Place is actually a novel about woman’s search to find herself and her place in Australian society. The main themes are discrimination, racism and Aboriginal culture. They are presented through two different versions of autobiographical writing. One is Sally’s first person narration, which is more Western autobiographical and it focuses more on her individual quest to find her identity. The other focuses on the Aboriginal life and more on the community and family life of Aborigines.

The novel has 32 chapters, which are divided into four parts: Sally’s narration about her early life, education, family relationship, her perception of herself and her self-discovery; Arthur Corunna’s story, he is a brother of Sally’s grandmother; her mother’s Glady’s story and her grandmother Daisy’s story. Their stories focus on their life when they lived in Aboriginal society. The whole book is a combination of narration, dialogues, descriptions, stories within stories, anecdotes, and personal reminiscences from various characters and also humour.

All that provides balance and harmony to the book. The book is easy to read, the language is quite simple, descriptions of the nature are really specific and with the use of metaphors, symbolism and personification, the reader gets a vivid picture of the place that is described. However the first part, where Sally describes her childhood is a little bit boring, because there are mostly descriptions and details about things not relevant to the theme of the book.

But when she starts to investigate her family roots with her constant attempt to get some answers from her mother and grandmother, the book becomes more interesting. The parts where her family talks about their life are very emotional, the reader gets an insight into their hard life as being black in the “white world”. Before Sally’s book, not much was known about the Aboriginal life. She writes about the contact of two different cultures, Aboriginal and Western, so we get in touch with their history, their habits, way of thinking, historical background, injustice and struggles they had to fight.

Other people always treated them as something less and because all the bad things that happened to them, they decided not to speak about it, they were forced to be silent. There are still a lot of secrets, that are not revealed in the book, because they are too afraid to speak about them, but we get to know some important information about their past from the people who wrote history on their own skin. So this is a really important book for Australian and Aboriginal culture, because it opens some important questions about racism and discrimination. ANA FURLAN