Business Communication Trends Essay Example for Free

Business Communication Trends Essay Business communication plays a big role in our daily work activities as individuals we must manage our daily activities depending on the trends and needs of our current workplace. There are ten Business communication trends the one that I will be discussing is on Quality and customer needs. Business Communication Trends Business communication is very important in my daily work environment. It is so important because we use this to communicate efficiently with our Managers to our customers. I work for The City of Indio in water department. My duties vary from customer service to Engineering administrative assistant. Business communication does play a big role in my day-to-day duties, because we have to be able to have great communication skills orally, and also we must use other communication technology efficiently like emails, letters, memos and phone or teleconferencing. In order to be a good representative we must be able to communicate effectively with our customers. The reason I say this is because we are responsible in making sure that we listen to what the customers needs are and that we are able to satisfactory resolve any issue that the customer might have. Many times when customers have a valid complain we must inform our supervisor via E-mail, depending on the level of urgency regarding the customers complains. I generally prefer to communicate this way because it creates a paper trail and it also protects me. Through these emails we must be able to communicate to our supervisor, what the issue is and what are the solutions that we can offer the customer. Then my supervisors will respond with either an approval or rejection. Then we can communicate with the customer and inform them what the end result is of their complaint. I have found that communicating with my supervisors via e-mail helps keep track of records, and if that same issue were to ever come up again we would have an e-mail that would be proof that particular issue was addressed and brought to our supervisors attention. If the issue is not resolved to the customer satisfaction it would be because there wasn’t a follow-up with the customer and we did not communicate in a professional manner. Business Communication Trends Working in a utility division comes with many challenges. When creating utility statement, wording has be to address in a manner where we are targeting an audience that can read and understand exactly what is being said in a normal monthly water utility bill . For example, what amount is due and when is it due. Many of our customers misinterpret or don’t understand the wording on the utility bills. This causes confusion, and can even cause customers to have the utility services interrupted, because they misinterpret their bill and did not know how to read it correctly. We all have spent countless hours rewording our statements and every time there is that one customer that is looking for a loop in the system to get away out of paying a payment or late fees. Our role as representatives is to ensure that are customer satisfaction is meet, and if there is an error where it might misguide our customers, we want to make sure that we correct the problem before it becomes a problem.

How Good Communication Skill Is Significant In Healthcare

How Good Communication Skill Is Significant In Healthcare This study is all about how communication helps and how good communication skill is significant in health and social care environment. Effective communication is crucial for health and social care. What is communication? Communication is nothing but just the exchange of information and meaning by using symbols and signs between individuals. The sender, message, receiver and feedback are the four components used in the process of communication. And to have a continuous flow of communication it is necessary to comprehend to each component. Communication takes place in many forms like verbal, non-verbal, formal and informal, written, etc. Communication helps in comprehending human behaviour. Application of all these techniques of communication is required in health and social care. So for an effective social and health care it is essential to have good interpersonal and communication skill. Use of Communication Skill in Health Social Care Context Communication skills are of great importance in any field. It is very much necessary to communicate with the target audience in the way they comprehend it and also it is of great significance to comprehend the intellectual and physical limitations of the targeted audience. Let us simplify it by taking an example: Let us take a hypothetical situation, consider you are a doctor and practicing on a child and the child is having some heart problem. In this case you will not expect that child to comprehend the lengthy report on his heart functioning test. So definitely you would water it down. Many such examples can be given to understand the importance of communication to health and social care. Communication skill helps in organising a conversation, helps in probing the opposite person, it also helps in keeping the conversation going. Also communication skills are necessary in order to build up a good and health relation with the people using your services, also it helps in comprehending and meeting the needs of the person as well as can bond up with their friends and families. It helps in sending and receiving the information with the people taking up your services. There are many different types of communication named one-to-one communication, group communication, formal communication and informal communication, written communication. In health and social care generally a formal communication is used, which generally starts with the greeting. It is generally used to show respect towards the person and it is also a communication starter. A professional person generally in health and social care uses formal communication in order to speak to opposite person in regards to the services. It is exact, clear and avoids misunderstandings. Another communication, which is generally used in health and social care, is written communication. In health and social care environment, written communication is central to the work of any person when keeping records or in writing any reports. Different styles of writing are needed for different types of communication but the basic of all is the requirement of literacy skills. When recording any information about a patient a very formal style of writing is required. Barriers to Communication in Health Social Care Many things contribute in stopping an effective communication. People working with health and social care should comprehend the barriers in order to overcome them. Effective communication is very much necessary in health and social care setting; if the communication is not effective or understandable than it would be difficult for a service user to involve in the discussion regarding the care or planning the future. Similarly, it would be difficult for a service provider to help the service user if he do not understand what the person is trying to ask. Few of the barriers are language problems, jargons, acronyms, health issues, stress, emotional difficulties, environmental problems, misinterpretation, aggression, etc. Let us briefly understand all the above-mentioned barriers: Language Problem (Foreign Language): Using a language other than local or using sign language creates problem for both the service provider and user in comprehending each other. Even if someone tries and helps out in translating the message, it is again difficult to pass the message clearly. Jargons: Technical words used by the service provider, may not be understandable by service user. For example, if a patient rushes to doctor and to diagnose the problem doctor asks the patient to do a MRI scan and blood test than that would certainly sound scary to that patient. Instead of directly imposing what to do if the doctor explain what the MRI scan is and why it is required than the patient would be more relaxed. Acronyms: Acronyms are the initials of the shortened words. In health and social care lots of acronyms are used and they are confusing too. Sometimes subconsciously the use of acronyms is made which makes the opposite person feels left out. For example, if a health care professional says that you have to take these tablets TDS. What did you comprehend from this sentence? So we feels left out her. Here TDS means three times a day. It is also related to jargon. Health issue: When a person is not feeling well or is not in the best of his health, it becomes difficult for him to communicate effectively as he is not well. This definitely affects the service user and colleagues too. So the people who are being taken care in the hospital due to some illness might not be able to communicate like normal. Also the patients who are being treated in the hospital for their long-term sickness like Parkinsons disease also affect their ability to communicate. So if you are working in health and social care than you should be aware about such scenarios and should be capable enough to handle it. Stress: Stress also causes difficulty in communication. A person if stressed out might not listen properly and so he might misunderstand or misinterpret the conversation. Stress also cause difficulty in speaking or might be tearful as well. Emotional difficulties: At times everyone faces emotional difficulties and get upset. For example, a fight between husband and wife, a split up between boyfriend and a girl friend or a bad new; all these contributes towards emotional difficulties. Here as the person is already preoccupied he might not hear to what is being said and so this might lead to misunderstanding. Environmental Problems: It is the communication affected by environment. For example, if someone is having reading problem (due to weak eyesight) than the person will surely struggle in reading the written information in low light. A person on a wheelchair may face problem in talking to a receptionist if the desk is too high. Aggression: Unpleasant and frightening behaviour is aggression. It can be mental, verbal or physical and can cause emotional harm or pain. For example, a person working in health and social care irritated or annoyed due to some reasons than the person to whom he is providing service might feel threatened or dominated and so might not be able to respond. This results in the offering of the bad services. Ways to deal with inappropriate Interpersonal Communication Selection of wrong words or use of passive vocabulary, body language misinterpretation or cultural insensitivity leads to inappropriate interpersonal communication. In such case what can be done to avoid such problem is: Always rephrase in simpler and different words to whatever has been said in order to avoid unnecessary confusion and misunderstand. One of the way to deal with inappropriate communication in focusing, it also helps in preventing communication barriers. Attentive listening without interrupting is also one of the ways to deal with it. Respectful respond should be given to persons opinion and listeners view should not be imposed. One of the communication strategies for providing comfort is empathy; an empathic approach helps in comprehending. Factors influencing Communication Process in Health Social Care Communication process is influenced in several ways. According to Watson, the action of caring includes communication, support, positive regards or physical interventions by the nurse (1985 cited in Kozier at el, 2004, p.419). A sense of care is felt through communication, although a lot depends on interpersonal attitude as well. A sense of importance and worth is felt when respect is given and opinions and ideas are accepted and not judged. Also a terrible feel during an interaction is also a factor of communication barrier. Judgemental action, probing, agreeing/disagreeing, stereotyping, rejecting are the non-therapeutic responses (Kozier at el, 2004, p.432). Cultural Factors Influencing Communication Process What is Culture? Culture refers to beliefs, shared and learned values and behaviour, which is common to a particular group of people (Orbe Bruess, 2005). Music, food, dress, customs and celebration are also included in culture. Communication and culture are the two inseparable. Culture is a significant part of our perspective through which we see the world. Culture is shaped by communication and is also learned through communication. Communicating with people from same culture is different and communicating with people from different culture is a different experience. Although culture is powerful, they are frequently influencing conflicts and unconscious. Always remember two things about culture; one is that culture are always changing and the other is they communicate to symbolic dimension of life. According to Stella Ting there are three ways where communication process is affected by culture. First is Cognitive Constraint which is the reference frame that provides surrounding that all new information is compared to or inserted into. Second is Behaviour Constraint; it is about culture having their own rules of behaviour regarding verbal and nonverbal communications. For example, how much distance should be maintained when talking to the other person, whether to look in the other person eye or not, etc? The final one is Emotional Constraint; every culture has their own way of showing emotions. For example, there are many cultures that get emotional when debating on an issue; they yell, cry, etc. While many cultures tend to remain calm and keep their emotions hidden. All these cultural difference leads to communication problems. This is more likely to happen when dealing with cross cultures. To overcome these problem only awareness regarding the cultures is needed. Legislation, Code of Practice and Policies in Health Social Care Legislation- Legislation are the laws made by parliaments, these laws shows the right of an individual, group or an organisation. All the health social care settings should comprehend the significance of sticking to legal guidance as this can defend against the poor practice. For example, the data protection acts, freedom of information act, care standards act, race relation act, etc. Policies- In order to promote equal opportunities and strengthen the code of practice of particular professional bodies it is must for an organisation to have policies and procedures. Policies includes confidentiality, harassment and bullying, health and safety, equal opportunities, risk assessment, etc. Code of Practice- Since 2000, it has become vital for all health and social care settings to have a professional code of practice. In order to inform the practitioner about their rights and responsibilities and to guide the code of practice is kept. It is mandatory for all health and social care worker to carry out an induction period where the proper training leading to appropriate qualification is given. Same code of practice is followed by Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and England. Health Social Care Services with specific Communication needs People having cognitive impairment, language and sensory deficit, structural deficits and paralysis need specific communication (Kozier et al. 2004, p.438). In general, the care worker uses the SOLER technique by Egan (1986), it helps in effective communication with the clients, and makes them feel safe and trust the caregiver. SOLER stands for: S- Sit squarely in relation to the patient O- Open position L- Lean slightly towards the patient E- Eye contact R- Relax This technique helps in good interaction and can be used for both; people with or without any special needs. Depending on the type of communication impairment different strategies and techniques can be used. For people with hearing problem or who are deaf, BSL (British Sign Language) was introduced which was eventually accepted by UK government officially in 2003 and now this sign language has become universal. But it is different in each place of origin. Not only people with hearing impairment learn this language but also the people who interact with these people learn this language. For example, friends and families. Also Lip-speaking is a technique used for deaf. In lip-speaking interaction through facial expression, gesture and mouth is done without making any sound. There is one more technique, which is used for people with learning difficulties such as structural deficit and paralysis and cognitive impairment. It is known as Makaton. Makaton uses common vocabulary and is much simple. It uses symbol, action as well as speech, unlike BSL. This is a very helpful technique for people with limited ability to communicate. For Blind people reading and writing method through Braille is used. It is useful for every individual who is completely dependent on sense. Finally, Human Aids, Human aids are the people helping communicate with each other. Translator, interpreter, etc are the examples of human aids. Information Communication Technology (ICT) in Health Social Care ICT provides great support for care professional and other staff in order to provide effective, fast and convenient care. Visible and workable ICT is required in order to deliver high standards. In order to get the quality outcome data and to give the best possible care to people it is needed to exploit ICT. Individuals quality care depends on easy access to care plans and electronic records. It must be capable enough to distribute information across health and social care. ICT helps in delivering more effective and better healthcare services. ICT helps doctors, hospitals and pharmacist for taking better care of our health. ICT helps in saving lives, improving patients care, helps in reducing cost in health care. For example, a patient with heart problem will be carrying a monitor, which will alarm the doctor if any changes in patient condition and will let them do their task. ICT use is central to social work, which is concerned with sharing assessments and exchanging information with other professionals and practitioners. Quickly and securely medical data can be exchanged. ICT has made the operation simpler than before. The basic ICT at health social care includes: Quality care (efficient and effective care service) Empowerment (patients involving in their own care activities) Availability (waiting time, access and better utilization of resources) Care continuity (information sharing and coordinating with care provider) Patient safety (risk is reduced in regards to patient harm) Some of the technologies used at health care are CDMS (Chronic Disease Management System), CPOE (Computerised Practitioner Order Entry), CDS (Clinical Decision Support), ETP (Electronic Transfer of Prescription), Electronic Appointment Booking, PHR (Personal Health Record), Telemedicines, RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) Bar-coding, etc. ICT is used everyday at health care. ICT is used in administrative department to keep a check on in and out of the patients, to keep the records of the patients staff as well.

The Importance Of Developing Entrepreneurial Skills Commerce Essay

The Importance Of Developing Entrepreneurial Skills Commerce Essay The importance of the development of entrepreneurial skills by every graduate cannot be over-emphasized because gone are the days when jobs were available everywhere both in the private and public sector of the economy and employers go about looking for potential employees to employ. Indeed, in the past, it is the employers that go round universities in this country to hunt for potential employees. Then there were fewer universities and low university enrolment. But today, things have changed and very drastically too such that many graduates are now sellers of recharge cards and some work as bus conductors. What an economic tragedy and waste! The question of choice of job or employer is gradually being eroded each year. Many graduates are desperate to get any job to keep body and soul going. Indeed there is a paradigm shift in the labour market now. Even the professional disciplines are now fast getting into that problem of unemployment. Employment prospects for the youths are changing with a lot of increasing competition; the openings are equally limited. Also, employment in the public sector is also decreasing and job prospects are diminishing by the day. Added to this ugly situation are the increasing trend of job outsourcing, casualization of labour in the oil and gas industry and the increasing phenomenon of rightsizing of labour among big firms and corporations in the country. As a side effect, the figure of tertiary graduates who have not been able to secure the first employment since graduation for upward of five years is on the increase and even those with professional qualifications like MBA, ICAN, COREN, Medicine and Pharmacy are not spared from the ugly phenomenon. Others are paid peanuts if they are lucky to secure paid job. Some now fall back on their lower qualifications like WASC and OND to secure menial jobs. The recent economic meltdown also has made matters worse. Some companies are as a result operating below expected capacity. The current troubles in the financial sector, particularly the money and the capital markets and their subsequent effects on the economy, particularly on the real sector as well as the remedial efforts of the CBN are very visibly glaring, instructive and challenging. Nevertheless, entrepreneurship and indeed the need for developing the requisite entrepreneurial skills have been suggested to help redress the aforementioned problems by making people not only to be job creators but wealth creators (Midea, 2004 ; Izedonmi, 2009). According to Small Business Service (2005), the possession of entrepreneurial skills to create new knowledge based social enterprises is vital to addressing social and environmental issues effectively. Our nation cannot afford to toy with it. Our tertiary institutions must respond fast and positively towards entrepreneurship education. However, general business skills and general knowledge are considered insufficient to turn graduates into entrepreneurs (Kisby, 2004). Hence, the need to develop specific entrepreneurship skills cannot be overemphasized .This is because entrepreneurship has been vital to creating employment and therefore a special form of employability (Moreland, 2004). Both the government and the academia hav e been attracted to it. In particular, universities are re-designing their curricula and the ways they operate to create opportunities for the training of their students in practical entrepreneurial skills. Due to the way entrepreneurial programmes have assumed a global proliferation and dimension, it was suggested by Volkmann (2004) that it has become the major academic discipline for business education in the 21st century. I totally agree with him. Economic Growth And Entrepreneurship Recent Survey Report in 2008 by the Kauffman Foundation in connection with the relationship between economic growth and entrepreneurship found that all nations with high level of employment activities had above average rate of economic growth. What this translates into is that entrepreneurial deficient economy will have low growth while entrepreneurially good economy tends to enjoy good growth. Hence, Government has come to recognize the importance of entrepreneurship in economic development that entrepreneurial ventures have in-built capacity to promote employment and economic growth. Literature Review One of the first courses specifically addressing entrepreneurship was established at the Harvard Business School in 1947.In the U.K, the first courses in entrepreneurship were launched in the 1980s together with the UKs first initiative for enterprise in higher education (Elton, 1991, Kirby, 1989 2005, Volkmann, 2004). Along this line, Fry (1992) remarks that entrepreneurship has been one of the fastest growing disciplines in the U.S.A in the 1990s.By the turn of the 21st century, as many as 1600 universities in the North-America were offering courses in entrepreneurship compared to merely two dozens in the 1970s (Inegbenebor, 2005). The growth of entrepreneurship education and the subsequent inclusion into the curricula of universities in the United Kingdom has been attributed to the sheer need to serve the innovation need of businesses and to produce graduates with transferable skills for businesses. ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN NIGERIA According to Ekanem (2005), the history and development of entrepreneurship in Nigeria started in the 1960s as supported also by some of the earlier studies such as Schatz and Edokpayi (1962), Harris (1969), Olakanpo (1968) and Akeredolu-Ale (1972). Therefore, the concept of entrepreneurship development in Nigeria is not new. Since the 1970s, several government agencies and institutions in the country have been engaged in different aspects of fostering entrepreneurship in Nigeria, though with short-lived and varied successes. For instance, the Centre for Management Development (CMD), National Directorate of Employment (NDE), former Nigeria Industrial Development Bank (NIDB), Nigerian Bank for Commerce and Industry (NBCI), Nigeria Youth Service Corps (NYSC), among others had programmes for entrepreneurship development in Nigeria. Other entrepreneurial development agencies include government sponsored Entrepreneurial Development Programme (EDP). NGOs, Nigerian Employers Consultative As sociation (NECA).The vigor with which it was pursued then is a different issue for our assessment. If the proofs are available even the blind and deaf can feel it. Only fools dont proof. What Does Entrepreneurship Really Entail? Basically, what entrepreneurship entails includes: The building of skills in negotiation Building leadership skill New product development Creative and innovative thinking and Exposure to technological innovation, (Kuratko, 2003). It shows students and graduates how to believe and behave entrepreneurially. It encourages them to get involved in networking, create and manage businesses of their own and facilitate progress and success in entrepreneurial career. Entrepreneurship could satisfy status and social needs and leads to self-satisfaction and actualization. It can also meet the financial needs for the entrepreneurs and their families. In fact, entrepreneurship is a satisfying process even though it can be risky and may even lead to loss of wealth at times (Fry, 1992). Society-wise, entrepreneurship has made substantial impacts throughout history because of numerous inventions, massive job creations made through small and medium scale enterprises (SMES) in both developed and developing countries. DEFINITIONS OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP Various definitions have been given for entrepreneurship. For instance Inegbenebor and Igbinomwanhia (2008) say that: Entrepreneurship is the process of performing the roles of an entrepreneur. It has been defined as the process of planning, operating and assuming the risk of a business venture. It may also be defined as the process of creating a clique value of pulling together a unique package of resources to exploit an opportunity. Entrepreneurship encompasses various activities which are carried out to ensure the survival and growth of the business Inegbenebor (2006) defines it as: it is about bearing the skills needed to assume the risk of establishing a business. It is about developing the winning strategies and executing them with all vigour, persistence and passion needed to win any game Ekanem (2005): Entrepreneurship is the process of or capacity for organizing, operating and assuming risk for a business venture. It is dynamic risk-taking, creative and growth oriented behavior which involves the use of various resources to create wealth Ekwe (1992): observes that, Entrepreneurship involves the: ability to perceive profitable business opportunities. 2. willingness to act on what is perceived and 3. necessary organizing skills associated with a projects Fry (1992) says that Entrepreneurship involves action rather than static events. It involves taking action necessary to analyze opportunities to launch and/or grow business, to finance the venture and possibly even to invest the venture. Izedonmi (2009) placed entrepreneurship in a continuum form with economic entrepreneurship at the end of the continuum and social entrepreneurship at the other end. In between these you will find some varying characteristics of combinations. The process is also dynamic. In summary, the central issues in entrepreneurship involve uncertainty and risk-taking, innovation, perception and change. For instance, Drucker (1985) posits that innovation is the specification instrument of entrepreneurship. He argued further that the entrepreneurs must always change to respond to it, and exploit it as an opportunity. CHARACTERISTICS OF A DWINDLING ECONOMY The characteristics include: High unemployment rate High inflation rate Low average real income Low saving ratio or high consumption ratio Low levels of technology Low levels of productivity Low per capita income and downward trend of living High poverty rate of a large proportion of the population Low economic growth rate Poorly developed financial and stock markets High level corruption and instability and insecurity of lives and property Although the above factors and many others can be observed in a dwindling economy, they also provide good basis for entrepreneurial development. In fact, of these factors listed above, some can act as either pull or push entrepreneurial factors. Very often they provide good windows of opportunities for entrepreneurial-minded individuals. ROLES OF ENTRENEURSHIP IN REVIVING A DWINDLING SOCIETY Some of the roles include: Generating employment Increases productivity through innovation Facilitates the transfer/ adoption of technology Ensures increase resource utilization Stimulates growth in the supply market Renovates large scale enterprises and public enterprises Encourages and sustains economic dynamism that enables an economy to adjust successfully in a rapidly changing global economy. Linkage effects of various sections of the economy is facilitated Generate income and wealth occur faster Encourages training and development Ensures rapid development Develops indigenous entrepreneurship Provides a training ground for indigenous managers and semi-skilled workers Reduces rural-urban migration Constitutes a vital engine for economic growth development of a nation- increase GDP Skyrocketing of the emergence of SMES and Promotion of self-reliance and economic sustainability ELEMENTS OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP Entrepreneurship may involve the following elements IDEA GENERATION AND SCREENING This is actually the starting point of many new entrepreneurial ventures. Sources of ideas are many and varied. The sources notwithstanding, the would-be entrepreneur must cultivate the habit of documenting those ideas. It should be packaged in form of feasibility report, no matter what. STARTING A BUSINESS This could involve: a. Buying an existing business b. Starting from the scratch or start-up business c. Through Franchise d. By Inheritance CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION Innovation is the development and introduction of a new product, a new process, or a new service to a market. Creativity is the link between pure imagination and the introduction of an innovative product, process or service. Both are necessary ingredients for entrepreneurship. However, creativity is behind innovation. Creativity alone, does not define entrepreneurship. Creativity without innovation does not produce results. And innovation without effective management does not produce marketable products, processes or services. Although creativity and innovation are necessary ingredients, they are not sufficient of themselves to establish successful entrepreneurship (Fry, 1992, Izedonmi, 2009). There must be effective and efficient administrative structure on the ground and a healthy dose of management as well. 3. SEEKING FINANCING Financing could either be debt or equity financing, traditional or venture, internal or external capital. The would-be venture must consider financing the venture. Availability, cost and timeliness must be balanced. Starting small attracts small capital input. However, not all entrepreneurial ventures require start-up capital or equal amount either Creative financing is a basic tenet of entrepreneurship. A growth-oriented venture uses multiple sources of financing. You must be prepared to make your personal sacrifice in this respect. Too often, the banks will request to see your personal inputs in terms of financial commitment. Finance institutions only lend to ventures that have proven records, and history, and those ventures that are also promising economically. 4. ASSUMING RISK Every entrepreneur must assume one risk or the other. However, entrepreneurship is not necessarily risk-taking but risk-assuming. Corporate management deals in risk minimization, entrepreneurship deals in risk management. Corporate management too often generally tends to be risk-averse. They want to reduce risk to a minimum during production so as to be profitable. Entrepreneurship manages risk since it cannot be reduced significantly in entrepreneurial situations whether new or existing ventures. However, entrepreneurs are calculated risk-takers. Risk management involves the acknowledgement that risk exists and the actions that are taken to shift as much risk as possible to others and then control the remainder. Some risk Management ventures include Renting rather than owning equipment and facilities Using multiple sources of financing. Building an entrepreneurial team with distinctive skills. Undertaking multiple ventures simultaneously with varied degrees of risk. Committing a portion of the total resources to any one project. Assigning a team member the responsibility of monitoring short-term performance with the anticipation of cutting losses of early performance indicates unfavorable results. THE PULL AND PUSH ENTREPRENEURSHIP FACTORS There are various factors (negative or positive) which tend to provide the needed motivation in getting into entrepreneurship or becoming an entrepreneur. While the negative factors are called push factors; the positive factors are pull factors. Both factors provide the fundamental attraction either by necessity or by desire and opportunity into the entrepreneurial world. The push factors are: Unemployment / loss of job. Dissatisfaction with pay and job situation. Discrimination and victimization by boss in work place. Middle-age crises. Divorce / widowhood. Relocation. The positive pull factors are: Desire for independence. Desire for increase in wealth. Increased social status and prestige. Spouse support and motivation. Provision of market opportunity. Franchise. Provision of licenses by parent company. Favorable government policies etc. THE ENTREPRENEURSHIP DECISION The entrepreneurial motivation to launch a venture has been grouped into three variables (Fry, 1992) as: Antecedent variables. Triggering variables. Enabling variables. The antecedent factors They cause the individual to begin to consider the possibilities of entrepreneurship either consciously or unconsciously. This could take into consideration the variables listed below Creativity. Background. Personality. Past experience. Education. Current job. Triggering factors: These are the events or situations that specifically trigger the entrepreneurial act. They are salient life events may be quite personal , professional or for instance, financial changes in an entrepreneurs life that are perceived as very important to entrepreneurial decision may set off the alarm to take step .They involve: Loss of Job Invention or Idea Offer from partner Entrepreneurial motivation or willingness to start a venture (M) = Antecedent Variables (A) X Triggering Variables (T). The enabling factors These factors make the actual launching of the venture possible. They include opportunity and resources which are very critical to the successful launch of the venture. The likelihood of a venture launch is made up of these three factors combined. Our youths look outside instead of looking inward. Those who look inward first tend to travel faster on the outside. Several entrepreneurial opportunities exist in the environment. They need to look well to discover some opportunities. Our youths must be ready to start small, learn the ropes and grow up. Hard work, patience and deep commitment are necessary. ENTREPRENEURSHIP OPPORTUNITIES Entrepreneurship tends to be opportunity-driven rather than resource-driven. This is because that once opportunities are identified and properly evaluated resources are deployed to capture them. Opportunity creates or generates its kind of resources. There are thousands of opportunities available to would-be entrepreneurs who present high potential for wealth, growth, self-employment, independence, social status, and prestige. The would-be entrepreneur must conduct a thorough scanning and survey of the environment strategically. But if you do not have any readily available opportunity, you can creatively and innovatively come up with one. However, some of the sources of these opportunities could include: 1).Self-discovery 2).Improvement in the quality of existing product/ service. 3). Use of an existing product/service in an untapped market 4). Invention 5). Consultancy 6). Trade magazines, Journal and Business Newspapers 7). Societal needs 8). Survey of natural resources 9). Government Agencies 10) Research Institutes, Universities, e.t.c 11) Spin-off 12) Work experience 13) Hobby and Vocation ENTREPRENEURIAL SKILLS REQUIRED TO TRANSFORM CHALLENGES INTO OPPORTUNITIES GENERAL BUSINESS SKILLS Entrepreneurial skills of successful entrepreneurs include: Sales and Marketing skills Financial Know-how skills Self-motivation skill Time management skill Administrative skill Sales and marketing skills To get the right customers and subsequently make target revenues and profits Include communication skills Financial know-how skills To know how to handle money well. After all, not everybody can effectively manage money. Source and manage funds and cash flows Self-motivation skills Internal locus of control Self-starter with a clear desired goal in mind Confidence in yourself and in your ideas Diligent and hardworking Extra drive and commitment to set goals Time management skills Time is money Time is life Entrepreneurship opportunity has time-limit Time management is very important for business success Self-management is very critical for effective time management TYPES OF BUSINESSES AND TIME MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES Have a time table, schedule of activities to be done Employ delegation freely without fear Determine priorities into urgent and important activities as: -Urgent activities demand immediate attention -Urgent but not important activities Not urgent but important activities Not urgent; not important Give priority to (i) and (iii) because by performing them, time is reduced for activities (ii) and (iii) Manage meetings and relationship with others Administrative skills Organizing, coordinating, directing, planning and general management, etc. B). TECHNICAL, ANALYTICAL AND HUMAN RELATION SKILLS Entrepreneurs are expected ordinarily to be sound by training normally technically skilled. They must also develop and possess conceptual, analytical and human relation skills to be successful. Others are business planning, idea creation, negotiation, risk analysis and management skills etc. C). ICT SKILLS They must also have computer and information Technology (CIT) skills because of the era we are and the environment they will have to operate. ENTREPRENEURSHIP OPPORTUNITY AND SKILLS S/N ENTREPRENEURSHIP OPPORTUNITY SKILLS AND ATTITUDES 1. Business/consultancy in area of professional specialization or working as a contractor General Business skills such as marketing, time management e.t.c Confidence enthusiasm, hardworking 2. Sonet Entrepreneurship Idea development, leadership, negotiation, planning, organizing, self belief, confidence General business skill 3. Intrapreneurship Idea development recognizing opportunities for improvements Alliance building, confidence, leadership 4. Non-traditional specialist business General Business Idea development, creativity, confidence Willingness to work hard 5. General Business Ventures Ideas development, creativity, confidence, willingness to work hard General Business skill Source: Andrea: Developing Entrepreneurship skills in the context of higher education. DEVELOPMENT OF ENTREPRENEURIAL SKILLS These could be through: Attending Entrepreneurial training classes, development programme, seminars, workshops, etc. Universities Job rotation Special (intensive) training Article ship or apprenticeship Organizational learning R D Institution Consultants National and international agencies and bodies NGOs Professional bodies ENTREPRENEURIAL SUCCESS FACTORS Successful entrepreneuring depends on four (4) major factors namely: Knowledge Hard work Skills Attitude(character/ integrity) Lifematics Question Created by (Izedonmi, 2010) Now let us work out this lifematics question together. There are basically four (4) attributes or factors that can enhance our success in life viz: Skills, Knowledge, Hard work and character (Attitude). They are all essential to ingredients of entrepreneurial success. How much does each contribute? Which of these is superior and why? For easy understanding, let us replace character with attitude. Solution Our current roman alphabets are made up of A B C D E F G H I J K L M 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 The alphabets together with their numerical values are stated above. Let us take each attribute one after the other and link up the corresponding numerical value. Start with skill, then knowledge follow this with hard work and finally character but remember to substitute attitude for character. Let us replace numeric value to each alphabet and see their results as indicated below: (i) S K I L L S 19 + 11 + 9 + 12 + 12 + 19 = 82% (ii) K N O W L E D G E 11 + 14 + 15 + 23 + 12 + 5 + 4 + 7 + 5 = 96 % (iii) H A R D W O R K 8 + 1 + 18 + 4 + 23 + 15 + 18 + 11 = 98 % (iv) A T T I T U D E 1 + 20 + 20 + 9 + 20 + 21 + 4 + 5 = 100 % Solution Skills secure only 82 %, Knowledge 96 %, hard work 98 % and Attitude 100 % in that order. Only Attitude which I equate to character for this purpose secures 100 % success in the race of high profile entrepreneurship. Conclusion I must admit that professional certification is good but character is a lot better. Character is the true collateral security of our values, learning and entrepreneurial success. It keeps the society and system going. It prevents a nation from decaying and checkmates unnecessary crisis and even civil war. Therefore in all our entrepreneurial pursuit, character development should be given a prominent place. When character breaks down everything breaks down. True certification in life is only evidenced by character and not papers called certificates or entrepreneurial success alone or quantity of wealth.

Ann Hopkins Essay -- essays research papers fc

Legal Analysis Model The relevant facts According to the case, Ann Hopkins had worked successfully for Price Waterhouse since 1978 and was â€Å"nominated for partnership at Price Waterhouse in 1982.† (p. 1) Out of 88 candidates she was the only woman. In the admissions process, forms were sent out to all Price Waterhouse partners of whom there were 662. These partners then submitted their comments about the candidates. . Only â€Å"thirty-two partners, all male, responded about Hopkins.† (p. 5) The forms were then tabulated to achieve a statistical rating in order to determine if the candidate should be admitted to the partnership. Of the 88 candidates â€Å"Price Waterhouse offered partnerships to 47 of them, rejected 21, and placed 20, including Hopkins, on hold.† (p. 1) â€Å"Some candidates had been held because of concerns about their interpersonal skills.† â€Å"the Policy Board takes evaluations or a negative reaction on this basis very seriously,† even if the negative commen ts on short form evaluations were based upon less contact with the candidate than glowing reports on long forms evaluations based on more extensive contact. The policy board had however, recommended and elected two candidates "criticized for their interpersonal skills†. (p. 4) Approximately 1% of the 662 partners were women. Price Waterhouse â€Å"gave two explanations for this. One was the relatively recent entry of large numbers of women into accounting and related fields. The other was the success of clients and rival accounting firms in hiring away female potential partners.† (p. 4). After hearing that it was unlikely that she would ever make partner, Ann Hopkins decided to â€Å"initiate a lawsuit charging Price Waterhouse with sex discrimination†. She had been a valuable and productive member of the organization and it appears that she was denied admission as a partner since she did not fit the feminine stereotype. Critical issues – Legal There is evidence of Intentional Discrimination by Price Waterhouse and its employees based on sexual stereotype. Appropriate legal rules According to Corley, Reed, Shedd, and Morehead, (2001) â€Å"the most important statue eliminating discriminatory employment practices, however, is the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended by the Equal Employment Opportunity Act o 1972 and the Civil Rights Act of 1991.† The appropriation section o... ... order to examine and evaluate the ethical questions? The assumption that needs to be made in analyzing the case are that discriminating against an individual based on a deviation from the accepted stereotype for their gender is morally unacceptable. Ethically, what should be done? Price Waterhouse should educate its partners and employees about accepted work practices and should institute diversity training in order to educate members that stereotyping is unacceptable. Ann Hopkins should be admitted as partner to the firm and welcomed as a valuable addition to senior management. Works Cited Civil Rights Act of 1964. 2 July 1964. U.S. Department of State. 12 Sept. 2004. http://usinfo.state.gov/usa/infousa/laws/majorlaw/civilr19.htm Civil Rights Act of 1991. 8 March 1991. U.S. Department of State. 12 Sept. 2004. http://usinfo.state.gov/usa/infousa/laws/majorlaw/civil91.htm Harvard Business School. Ann Hopkins (A). Boston: Harvard Business School Publishing, 1991. Velasquez, Manuel G. (2002) Owen, C., (5th Ed.). Business Ethics Concepts and Cases. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall

A Critical Evaluation of Assisi by Norman MacCaig Essay -- Assisi Norm

A Critical Evaluation of Assisi Q: Choose a poem in which the poet has put across a definite point of view. By close reference to the poetic techniques used, show how successful the poet has been in making you share his/ her point of view. â€Å"Assisi† by Norman MacCaig is an intriguing and thought-provoking poem, which has put across a definite point of view to me which I believe is that all people should be treated equally and we should try to help those less fortunate than ourselves. In this essay I will show how successful the poet has been in making me share his point of view, with the help of literary techniques such as language, word – choice and imagery. Norman MacCaig has put across a definite point of view for me and has been successful in making me share this view by using thoughtful and intense language. The first aspect of language, which he uses is metaphor in the beginning of the poem when he is describing the dwarf sitting outside the church. He uses metaphor as he says, â€Å"The dwarf with his hands on backwards Sat, slumped like a half – filled sack On tiny twisted legs from which Sawdust might run.† The metaphor here of the dwarf sitting like a ‘half filled sack’ is describing the dwarf and how he has a deformed body. He is being compared to looking like a sack, which is slumped and half empty. This is effective as it seems as though the dwarf cannot help himself and he is sitting there waiting for help. MacCaig tells us that he is a dwarf therefore he will be very short and â€Å"hands on backwards† and â€Å"tiny twisted legs† portrays his deformity as I can envisage his legs dangling from his body. Also as he is sitting like a â€Å"half –filled sack† it seems to me that he cannot do an... ...ered after him as he scattered The grain of the Word.† This shows me MacCaig is comparing the tourists to the birds and the Priest to the sower. He does not approve of the actions as it is compared to the parable of the sower of when he scatters the grain and the birds flutter after it. He does not approve of the tourists fluttering after the word and ignoring the poor dwarf, when in actual fact they should be helping him. In conclusion, â€Å"Assisi† by Norman MacCaig is an intriguing and though-provoking poem, which has put across a definite point of view for me, which I believe is that all people should be treated equally and that we should help those less fortunate than ourselves. In this I essay I have shown how successful the poet was in making me share this view by using his thoughtful and intense language, word-choice and imagery techniques.

Uma Sekaran’s Chapter 2 Review

The chapter 2 of Research Methods of Business by Uma Sekaran speaks of scientific investigation detailing on the eight hallmarks of science and the limitations of scientific research in management along with the hypothetico-deductive method of research. The hallmarks or main distinguishing characteristics of scientific research can be the following 1. Purposiveness: The research should have a purposive focus i. e. some definite purpose will be served after the research 2. Rigor: Rigor means carefulness, scrupulousness and the degree of exactitude in research investigations good theoretical base and a sound methodological design will add rigor to a purposive study. 3. Testability: if a certain hypothesis gets developed through unstructured interview or library search, then the hypothesis can be tested by applying certain statistical tests to the data collected for the purpose.. 4. Replicability: The results of the test of hypotheses should be supported again and again when same type of research is repeated in other similar circumstances. The researchers will gain confidence in the scientific nature of the research. 5. Precision and confidence: Precision refers to closeness of the findings to â€Å"reality† based on a sample. It reflects the degree of accuracy or exactitude of the results on the basis of the sample to what it really exists in the universe. Confidence refers to the probability that the estimations are correct. 6. Objectivity: The conclusions drawn through the interpretation of the results of data analysis should be objective i. e. they should be based on facts of the findings of the actual data. The more objective the interpretation of data , the more scientific the research investigation becomes. 7. Generalizability: This refers to the scope of applicability of the research findings in one organizational setting to other settings. The wider the range of applicability of the solutions generated by research, the ore useful the research is to the users. 8. Parsimony: Simplicity in explaining the phenomenon or the problem that occur and in generating solutions for the problems is always preferred to complex research frameworks. In the management and behavioral areas , it is not possible to conduct investigations that are 100% scientific because of measurement and collection of data in the subjective areas like feelings, emotions, attitudes and perceptions. These problems occur whenever one tries to quantify human behavior. Thus , the eight hallmarks of science cannot be achieved in full . The deduction and induction processes are explained as follows Deduction: it is the process of arriving at a reasoned conclusion by logical generalization of a known fact. Induction is the process where a certain phenomenon is observed and then a conclusion is arrived at. The seven step processes in hypothetico-deductive method are 1. Observation: It is the very first stage in which one senses that certain changes are occurring or some new behaviors , attitudes and feelings are surfacing. When the observed phenomenon are seen to have potentially important consequences , then one will proceed to preliminary information gathering. 2. Preliminary information gathering: Preliminary information gathering involves seeking of information in depth of what is observed. Through interviews and library search , the mass of information can be gathered. . Theory formulation: It is a step which attempts to integrate all information in a logical manner so that the factors responsible for the problem can be conceptualized and tested. The theoretical framework formulated is often guided by experience and intuition. Here the critical variables are examined as to their contribution or influence in explaining why the problem occurs and how it can be solved. 4. Hypothesizi ng: From the theorized network of associations among the variables, certain testable hypotheses or educated conjectures can be generated. The hypothesis thus generated is tested to determine of the statement is supported. 5. Further scientific data collection- After the development of the hypothesis, data with respect to each variable in the hypothesis need to be obtained. 6. Data analysis- The data gathered are statistically analyzed to see if the hypotheses that were generated have been supported. 7. Deduction – It is a process of arriving at conclusions by interpreting the meaning of the results of the data analysis.

Buddhism in America

Buddhism is above all the religion of illumination. It seeks to aid those who study and practice at its feet to break throughout all that can fetter or delude in the monarchy of conditioned reality, and become free in Nirvana, Unconditioned Reality. Buddhism does this by leading one to identify the Four Noble Truths the Buddha himself discovered some twenty-five hundred years ago on the eve of his enlightenment. Beneath the numerous sectarian forms and rich accruals the faith of the Enlightened One has acquired in its journeys through numerous cultures and many centuries, Buddhism eventually depends on these principles.First, life as it is typically lived is unsatisfactory, shot through with anxiety, suffering, and insignificance. Second, this state is the result of attachments or desires, for in a universe of frequent flux and change, seeking to cling to anything from the grossest passion to the subtlest idol of the mind to the idea of being a permanent separate self can never bring anything but sorrow in the end. Third, the condition of suffering and desire can be struck at its point of origin ; there can be an end to desire. Fourth, that can be attained by following the Eightfold Path, which culminates in Right Concentration or Meditation.For meditation is the condition of mind that reverses the mind's ordinary outflow toward entangling objects of sensory or mental attachment. Zen has been the best-known form of Buddhism in America. This is first of all since it has been fortunate in producing a remarkable series of advocates on these shores: Soyen Shaku, Nyogen Senzaki, above all D. T. Suzuki. That in turn owes to Zen's relative tolerance and emphasis on humanistic culture and education in its homelands, and its relation to China and Japan's great custom of arts and letters.But it is also no doubt true that no other account of Buddhism would have communicated itself quite so well to the American mind. Zen's boast of breaking through words and philosophies i n favor of â€Å"direct pointing† and â€Å"immediate experience,† its artistic minimalism and rapport with nature, all appealed to major strands of American consciousness. â€Å"Senzaki, certainly, considered Zen none other than the American practicality of William James or John Dewey in another guise† Rick Fields, 1992, p14.Yet that other guise was not without significance, for while Zen could hark to the American images of ease and self-reliance, it also offered entree into another world of spiritual and cultural wonders, from the inscrutable Zen â€Å"riddles† or koans to the Zen-related martial arts. Zen's draw for Americans has lain first in its spiritual efficiency, second in its combination of otherness and homeliness. Its greatest spokesman in the West, D. T. Suzuki, like his disciple Alan Watts, subjugated the mix with a sure hand, offering the reader now a whiff of the exotic, now a supportive correlation with a motif of the West.Different aspe cts of Zen have appealed to diverse segments or generations of Americans. The age of Soyen Shaku and Senzaki Nyogen was, to judge from their own words, eager to hear of the sensibleness of Buddhism as well as its pointing to that beyond all reason. In the 1950s, the image of the â€Å"Zen lunatic† came to the fore in the work of such â€Å"Beat† writers as Jack Kerouac, who summed it all up in The Dharma Bums. The 1960s and 1970s, the era of the great Zen centers and the counterculture, was involved in Zen as a spiritual discipline and total, often communalistic, way of life.All through, still others, from poets like Gary Snyder to composers like John Cage, have been mostly interested in the relation of the Zen vision to artistic creativity. The tensions of these varying Zens are well spoken, and perhaps resolved, in the essay by Alan Watts here reproduced, Beat Zen, Square Zen, and Zen. Whether in tragic conflict or massively lucrative trade, seldom have two nations o f such diverse cultural heritage been as intensely involved in one another's lives as have Japan and the United States in the twentieth century.The diffusion of Zen to America, though but a tiny fragment of that exchange, helps divulge the spiritual dimensions, too seldom yet appreciated, of this significant meeting. From a historical perspective, American Buddhism is also an era making undertaking. One of the great spiritual traditions of Asia is moving west. For about four hundred years, western missionaries, explorers, scholars, and seekers explored Asia, wondered about Buddhism, and studied it. A few even practiced it.The foundation for the transmission of the dharma to the West was ready by many people over many years, but the appearance of the dharma as a significant element in American religion is a development that by comparison occurred only very lately. During the eighties and nineties, many Americans were debating amongst themselves what Buddhism was in this country and w hat they required it to be. They came up with many diverse ideas about how to form American forms of the dharma, so there is not a single answer to that question, nor is there likely ever to be.There is not one American Buddhism, any longer than there is one American Judaism, Islam, or Christianity. Zen meditation is valuable among Americans, Western associate with Zen has now reached a point where an understanding of the larger historical framework within which Zen articulated itself is also necessary. Such an understanding is significant not only for a more balanced academic view, but also for a more staid appraisal of the meaning of Zen practice for modern American life. The fundamental character of Zen emerged as part of a complex dialectic within Buddhism, and we cannot understand Zen until we realize what it is critiquing.If we take its statements out of their Buddhist context and construe them instead within our own cultural context, they are apt to mean something quite diver se, particularly in the realm of ethics. Zen's iconoclasm had a different meaning within a cultural context where Buddhist moral teachings were extensively affirmed than it does today to contemporary Americans who lack any such background and who are perhaps already suffering from an excess of moral relativism (Rick Fields, 1992, 194). Buddhist meditation developed and practiced in East Asia.It thus seeks to balance our acquaintance with Zen meditation which, as it is the only East Asian practice with which many Westerners are familiar, is often held up as the archetypal form of East Asian Buddhist meditation by placing it alongside other, evenly representative and vital forms of meditation: the invocation of the Buddha's name (nien-fo) in Pure Land; visualization (as exemplified by Hsuan-tsang's visualization of Maitreya); and Chih-i's monumental T'ien-t'ai synthesis of Buddhist ritual, cultic, and meditation practices.Meditation has been a notoriously vague and multivalent ideaâ⠂¬â€a circumstance that stems, no doubt, from its comparative lack of elaboration and systematization in the Western religious traditions, particularly in their post-Enlightenment forms. That the concept lacks any clearly defined and usually accepted referent in our own general cultural experience does not restrict its attractiveness indeed, it in fact enhances it. Meditation is a very useful category in particular as it can be understood in so many ways.In America it is believed that we should employ â€Å"meditation† in the broadest possible sense in the same sense that we find Buddhists using the term â€Å"dhyana† to include both samatha-bhavana and vipasyana-bhavana (Kapleau, Philip, 1980). There are two reasons for doing this both significant, and both inextricably consistent. First, we must recognize that such an inclusive conception of meditation is required if we are not to obscure what is most distinctive and characteristic about the Buddhist viewpoint on re ligious practice.Second, only by coming to terms with what is distinguishing and characteristic in Buddhist culture can we gain a better understanding of ourselves. The understanding we seek must not only inform our perception of the alien culture; it should also change our own experience, the understanding of our own culture. The true value of any cross-cultural exploration, after all, lies not in how successful we are in reducing the alien culture to the terms of our own experience.True understanding, rather, is born only when we should expand our own perspective to hold what initially appears to be alien. Yoga is also very significant type of meditation that is very popular among Americans. In yoga, lengthy meditations lead first to the telepathic powers such as those the Buddha attained and eventually to the realization of the illusoriness of all material appearances. In the Yogacara view, there is a sense in which any experience is just as real as any other, whether actually in ternal and hallucinatory or ostensibly external and objective.All that is eventually real and continuous of the individual is the pure subject, the mind store (alaya-vijnana), although it, too, changes. â€Å"It is this mind store, or alaya-vijnana, that experiences, judges, contemplates, and remembers, thus comprising a locus of identity and continuity through many obvious bodies, or lifetimes†. Ellwood, Robert, 1986. It might well be argued that the alaya-vijnana concept is just a rehabilitation of the old Hindu notion of atman, without the persistence on its ontological permanence and immutability.The early Buddhist perspective says that phenomenon are all that exist and that the apparent self is dogged by the phenomena that it encounters. The Yogacara philosophy, by contrast, says that mind is all that exists, and all obvious phenomena are merely its own projections. Coupled with the belief in medium teachings, the concept that all is only mind has tremendous implications for Vajrayana Buddhism. If all is only mind, the procedure of death and rebirth is no longer an inevitable feature of an external reality to which all must submit.It then becomes unnecessary to actually undergo a long succession of lifetimes, for by changing one's conscious thoughts, the whole succession can be broken or abridged. Even the law of karma is elevated to a completely different level. No longer are physical actions seen as having expected physical effects. Rather, mental acts are the only acts that have any effects at all, either in actually external happenings or in apparently internal feelings and visions.Karmic determination of an individual's future good or ill can thus also be evaded or aborted by mental purification and concentration. Mantras, mudras, and samadhi are requisite to affect this change of consciousness necessary to attain nirvana. Here, too, the Vajrayana departs from conventional Samkhya Yoga, in allowing the consumption of meat and wine, and even in tercourse with women, encouraging at each step the understanding that none of these phenomena are ultimately real.Under the tutelage of a Vajrayana Lama (guru), the student expects to develop psychic powers, to leave his body, and to experience the Absolute in reverie. Thus, he will prepare himself for the moment of death when he will direct his consciousness out of his body and into final union with Truth (dharmakaya), rather than permitting any further cycles of rebirth. Though, many Americans think that Zen is a Buddhist tradition without formal ritual, which is not actually the case.Zen was first introduced into this country in books that led lots of Americans to think of it as a philosophy rather than a spiritual tradition along with concepts of meditations especially yoga. People also be apt not to think of Zen sitting meditation, while a practitioner might face a wall or sit with downcast eyes for hours, as ritual activity. But every day or even twice-daily stints of yoga, du ring which a practitioner notes the movement of his or her mind, help to structure the lives of numerous American Buddhists, one of the primary functions of rite.In America, Zen calls up particular genus of art and verse, ink wash, tea ceremonies, haiku poetry, whose special genius is to portray nature just as it is, without theory or theology, yet so vividly as to leave one deeply moved without being quite sure why. Work Cited Ellwood, Robert, ed. Zen in American Life and Letters. Los Angeles : Undena Press, 1986. Kapleau, Philip. The Three Pillars of Zen. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1965, rev. ed. 1980. Rick Fields, How the Swans Came to the Lake: A Narrative History of Buddhism in America, 3rd rev. ed. ( Boston: Shambhala, 1992), 194.