Silk Road

The Silk Road was a trade network the connected the East to the West on the Eurasian continent. This trade included both overland and maritime routes. The central Asian kingdoms and peoples became the nexus point for much of this trade which lasted from the 3rd century B. C. E. to the 15th century C. E. Many products and other cultural expressions moved along the Silk Road and diffused among various kingdoms along it. In breaking down and separating the patterns of interaction that occurred along the Silk Road from 200 B. C. E. to 1450 C. E. one can conclude that changes and continuities in these interactions included products traded (changes in specific products and impact, continuity in luxury goods), cultural expressions and diffusion (changes in artistic expressions and societal impacts, continuity in diffusion), and religion (changes in the religions that traveled and impact, continuity in spread of religion along the trade route ). One of the patterns of interaction along the S ilk Road was in the products that were traded. The Silk Road trade system was created by interactions between Han China in the 2nd century B. C. E. nd their western neighbors when an expedition for alliances to deal with a pesky neighbor turned into something else. The first product traded for on the Silk Road were Ferghana horses that the Chinese leader of the expedition Zhang Qian brought back with him which stimulated a trade between the Han and Central Asia for these fine war horses . In return, Central Asian kingdoms began to see various Chinese goods such as silk but also jades, medicinal herb, bronze and other luxury goods. This trade continued throughout the first four centuries of the timeframe with more groups getting involved in the lucrative trade. Indian spices and cotton, European gold and silver, and Central Asian horses and camels all started being acquired by each other . With the fall of both the Han and Roman empires by the 476 CE, the trade declined due to less demand and merchant’s fear of trading on less protected routes . The rise of the Tang Empire in the 7th century C. E. , along with a stabilized Byzantine empire in the West, led to a renewed vigor as well as the Abbasid caliphate in the Middle East led to stabilized trade routes again . From the East, paper and porcelain begin to appear. The stirrup appears out of the Middle East and influences both Europe and China. In Europe it creates the medieval feudal knights because they can now stay seated and weld a long lance without fear of being unseated. A similar emphasis is put on heavy cavalry in China for the same reasons as Europe . Europe continues to export gold and silver from the West because it was what was valued heavily by eastern merchants as a medium of exchange (pretty much accepted everywhere ). By the 10th century C. E. China was in decline again under the Song dynasty and lost control over much of the central and northwestern parts of the trade route. They began to emphasize more the of the southern maritime routes and thus because of this invent the maritime compass that will make its way across to the West and later lead to an age of discovery with Portugal at the end of this timeframe circa 1450 C. E. beginning to search out another maritime route d irectly to Asia by exploring the African coast using Chinese inspired compasses and Islamic maps of the Indian Ocean . With arrival of the Mongol conquests in the 1200s C. E. , once again the Silk Road has a sponsor to protect the merchants and trade thrives between East Asia, the Islamic Middle East and Europe . Silk, porcelain, and paper continue to come from the East along with gunpowder. Gunpowder now shows up on the Silk Road because of the Mongols taking it from China and using it in a more direct fashion in its conquests . Cannon now appear at the end of the timeframe being used by the Ottoman’s in their conquest of Constantinople in 1453 and by the Portuguese on their caravel ships . Central and South Asian products still include spices and animals but now cotton also begins to appear within the trade out of India . Because the Mongols controlled so much territory from China to Russia and the Middle East (they conquered Baghdad and overthrew the Abbasid caliphate), the Silk Road prospered like no other time and products flowed freely from East to West . A continuity throughout the timeframe was the fact that luxury goods usually drove the trade. Because products had to travel such great distances and thus there were so many middle men, only the very wealthy could partake of the trade . That is why gold and silver were preferred exchange mediums for the trade of silk and other fine eastern products . Another pattern of interaction was cultural expression and diffusion . In the early part of the timeframe (200 B. C. E. -1450 CE), there was very little cultural influence occurring . This is because intermediaries carried on the trade between the Han and Roman empires and the two imperial powers really had no contact directly with each other . During the Tang dynasty in the middle of the timeframe, this actually changes. Persian dance and the game of polo are introduced in China as well as musical and clothing styles which become popular . Chinese paper influenced the Islamic and European medieval periods with written works now becoming more the norm in saving and transmitting cultural knowledge such as written bibles, histories, math and other intellectual discoveries . At the end of the timeframe during the 13th through 15th centuries the Mongols were instrumental in the dissemination of knowledge throughout the Middle East territory they controlled. Islamic scholars in all fields have their works spread from Europe to China . In Europe, a Renaissance emerges due to reconnection to Silk Road trade because of the Crusades which began in the 10th century and continued into the 13th century. Crusaders reconnected with Eastern luxury goods such as spices and cloth but were also culturally influenced when they saw large vibrant, urban cities . It changed their outlook on life in general. Some ancient works such as the Greeks were re-introduced due to reconnection with the Byzantine Empire and the Abbasid caliphate . Also eastern works were transmitted along the Silk Road thus inspiring Muslim and European scholars. The works of Ibn Battuta and Marco Polo become hits in Europe and the Muslim world because they opened the eyes of the people to the broader world that existed. Marco Polo actually traveled under protection of the Mongol Khan while Battuta traveled in the Muslim realm due to his being more comfortable in Arabic speaking kingdoms that practiced his form of religion . The station of merchants also changed by the end of the period in China because of the Mongols. During the Han period and other dynasties, Confucian principles kept merchants at the bottom the social hierarchy. Because the Mongols valued the profits they could generate, merchants under the Yuan period held much higher stations in life . A continuity in this period was the constant cultural diffusion that took place as intermediaries engaged one another and kingdoms became acquainted with each other. Lifestyles changed and peoples were introduced to new knowledge throughout the period. Religion, art, and knowledge were continually diffused throughout the history of the Silk Road . The last pattern of interactions that was evident on the Silk Road was that of religion . Trade was a great disseminator of culture along the routes of trade and religion was one of those cultural traits that spread throughout the period. Three major religions spread along the Silk Road- Christianity, Buddhism and Islam . Buddhism appeared early on the Silk Road in roughly the first century B. C. E. It was forced out of India due to its rejection by the Hindu majority but found homes in places like Tibet, China, Japan, and Southeast Asia . Many steppe peoples adopted it because it fit into their animistic religions of a universal spirit. Lower class people and women adopted it due to its equalitarian nature and its promise of an afterlife . It spread throughout the timeframe appearing in China and Japan during the Tang dynasty and being reinforced in places like Tibet and Mongolia when the Mongols adopted it . Christianity also spread along the trade routes in Western Asia but was blocked from spreading any farther eastward than the Byzantine Empire due to the rise of Islam in the middle of the period during the 7th and 8th centuries . Because of the adoption of Islam by the Il-Khan khanate, Islam would make its way into southern China by the end of the period in the 14th and 15th centuries . Christianity and Buddhism were spread by missionaries while Islam was primarily spread by merchants and by the sword. Buddhism as stated earlier continually spread throughout the period and found refuge primarily in Central, East, and Southeast Asia . It did not spread westward due to Islam and Christianity having hold on western Asia and Europe . In conclusion, there were several patterns of interaction on the Silk Road due to the many different cultures that interacted on it. It influenced cultural expressions, spread of religion, and as well as products and ideas that changed many cultures such as the stirrup and gunpowder to name a couple. These interactions were not all positive however in that one of the byproducts of this trade led to the spread of bubonic plague from China to Europe. The Black Death as it was called in Europe is one of the reasons that Silk Road trade diminished as well as the isolationist policies of the Ming emperors who abhorred all things â€Å"foreign† and the collapse of the Mongol empire due to internal fragmentation. Trade systems such as the trans-Saharan trade and the Indian Ocean maritime system had many of the same cultural impacts as the Silk Road and in total created early global networks of trade .

Changing Role and Key Skills to Be Acquired-Myasssignmenthelp.Com

What Is the My Changing Role and Key Skills to Be Acquired? I am working for an apparel manufacturing company, EthnicCharisma, dealing in personalized fashion garments, essentially for women. We have only two outlets in the Dubai and we cater mostly to the local buyers including tourists. At present several tourists buy traditional scarves and garments as souvenirs for their families back at home. However our focus is not on exports. At present we are making moderate sale especially during the winters. Our company focuses on brick and mortar based point of sales rather than e-commerce. Also the tastes are changing and hence competition from online transactions is increasing becoming our threats. UAE is one of the key textile markets globally and was worth USD13 billion in 2011. The apparel and footwear segments went through slow growth compared to 2015. This is due to falling prices of oil and gold since 2014. The retailers are coming up with innovative offers in order to compensate the situation and maintain some kind of positive growth (Euro Monitor International, 2017). The pressure is higher due to slowing economies, budget constraints and salary cuts. So the key factor is innovative ways of marketing and adapting to changing westernized tastes and preferences. Also the more the firm can diversify the better. In my company where I mainly look after the marketing and customer relations, the focus is essentially on traditional women’s wear. They are presently contemplating diversification into kids’ and men’s wear. However I personally think that instead of considering garments, the venture could stream into gems and jewelries or accessories like bags and designer watches. The products should also match the changing tastes and be knitted into more fashionable light and close fit garments instead of loose and heavy work ethnic embroideries. The first change driver would be the marketing department. Also a research team might be required in order to carry out some market survey to know the tastes and preferences from potential customers’ feedbacks. I also believe the company’s presence in social media and e-commerce is essential. All these aspects can help in improving the ways of marketing. All these would require proper training, fresh hiring of young and technical people. Skills should be upgraded. Company can hire a professional fashion designer if required. So leader’s change related action, change-related training and aligned human resources practices are the key change drivers (Whelan-Berry and Somerville, 2010). This will obviously take its toll on the cost burden but the investment should pay off in long term. Some of the old staff might feel vulnerable and at risk. The company needs to figure out some ways of using the old people as well instead of wasting too much time training them. Other companies might take advantage of this disturbance if the change is not managed well and attempt to takeaway our market share. This is the main threat. Maintaining consumers’ confidence in the face of rising international brands like H&M, Zara, Next and Matalan is a major challenge but the new strategies should also bring more opportunities to cater to the global market now (Euro Monitor International, 2017). This will be a phase of proactive change which could be difficult as well as an opportune change process for us (Nadina, 2011). My role would perhaps shift from more talking to more typing and less talking. There is a chance that I will need to develop content for marketing through social media. The website needs to be developed attractively. I may need to get involved in some market research before launch of new product line for men and kids. Also its will be important to play as the linkage between customers and the designers and tailors. By the end of the module I expect to be able to apply the theories to practice. In fact I am already associating the theoretical terms more commonly relevant to the business I am familiar with. I also believe I will be more tolerant and confident in dealing with consumers. It is at times important to think like the owners in order to perform better. One needs to expect the worst and work for the best. Keeping a backup plan is very important to face drastic changes. I should be able to do this more efficiently as the module ends. Euro Monitor International, (2017), Apparel and Footwear in the United Arab Emirates, Country Report. Retrieved from: https://www.euromonitor.com/apparel-and-footwear-in-the-united-arab-emirates/report Nadina, R.R.(2011). METHODS OF IDENTIFICATION OF THE NEED FOR ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE AS BEING OPPORTUNE, West University of Timioara, Retrieved from: https://ideas.repec.org/a/ora/journl/v1y2011i2p707-712.html Whelan-Berry, K.S. and K.A. Somerville, (2010), Linking Change Drivers and the Organizational Change Process: A Review and Synthesis, Journal of Change Management, 10( 2), 175– 193 .com is an Australia-based assignment help services that aims to fulfill students' requests 'can someone do my assignment online '. We have hired best-qualified and experienced assignment helper to assist students in crafting premier quality academic papers. Students are guaranteed to receive high-quality assignment writing assistance at an affordable price. This is why, we are considered as the best assignment solver . You are required to write a researched argument essay that convinces persuades the reader of your position / stance. This is an academic, researched and referenced do... Executive Summary The purpose of this report is to elaborate the factors which are considered by individuals before selecting an occupation. Choosing an occupati... 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Julia Alvarez, How the Garcia Girls Lost their Accent Response Essay

Julia Alvarez, How the Garcia Girls Lost their Accent Response - Essay Example The girls are born to a very influential Spanish family which lives in the Dominican Republic. Due to the strong opposition of the girls’ father to the political dictatorship of Rafael Leonidas Trujillo, which prevailed in their homeland, the family manages to immigrate to America. The story revolves around their feelings as immigrants, the problems faced by them, the dilemmas they go through as immigrants where they had to let go of the memories of their past and try to adjust in a new life and culture which did not particularly match theirs. In many of the book reviews that I have read, it has been written that the novel is inspired from Julia Alvarez’s personal life, which can be a possible reason for her very realistic outlook on the problems faced by immigrants. I myself felt that there were many aspects of the book that I could relate to as an individual. As with the previous book â€Å"Their Eyes Were Watching God,† love plays a very important role in this book as well. The central character is Yolanda narrates a considerable part of the story. In one chapter of the book she narrates her experiences as a college student. Her major was English which was challenging for her because in her class of English majors many were native speakers of the language and many of the phrases which they spoke were difficult for her to understand.

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Qualitative Annotated Bibliography - Research Paper Example According to the authors, these three were listed as the most common adverse events that occur in the intensive care unit. They suggest that to prevent the occurrence of these complications, it is important that the nurses implement evidence-based practice while handling critically ill patients. The study adopted a qualitative focus group study involving thirty-four nurses who practiced in the intensive care unit. The participants were groups into eight focus groups after which the obtained data was analyzed using thematic analyses. The study is significant to the topic because it explores the reasons why ventilator-associated pneumonia and other complications are still a menace in the hospital, despite the presence of evidence-based guidelines. However, the study has the shortcoming of generalizability of the results since it was performed in only one hospital. The authors conclude that hospitals should enhance the knowledge of nurses, and improve their attitudes towards adopting guidelines in the prevention of ICU complications. In addition, critical care nurses should be empowered to make changes in nursing practice so that medical interventions reflect the latest evidence in literature. The study is relevant to my role option because it highlights some of the challenges faced by ICU nurses in prevention of complications, including ventilator-associated pneumonia. It also proposes ways in which the situation can be improved, adding to the knowledge I already possess in the area. Qu, X., Xie, H., Zhang, Q., Zhou, X., & Shi, Z. (2014). A survey on oral care practices for ventilator†assisted patients in intensive care units in 3A hospitals of mainland China. International journal of nursing practice. The chief aim of the study was to explore the status of oral healthcare practices, attitudes, education and knowledge of the nurses caring for ventilator-assisted patients in the intensive care units of hospitals in mainland China. To achieve this objective,

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Perceived managerial discretion and market competition (Principal-agent problem) - Research Paper Example According to the agency theory, the principal-agent problem arises from conditions of incomplete or asymmetric information when one party tries to motivate another party to act on its behalf. These conditions can be observed in any employer/employee relationship. This is because the employer, the shareholders, wants the employees, the managers, to invest in those projects which offer higher returns. However the projects which offer higher returns also have higher uncertainty. Therefore the managers may not want to take the risk. As a result there is a conflict of interest which affects organizational objectives. This is the principal-agent problem which is addressed in the agency theory. In order to maximize organizational performance, the owners of the organization have to introduce incentives which will motivate the managers/employees to act in the best interests of the shareholders. Therefore the motivations of the principal and its agent are aligned strategically. In the current business environment, change is the only constant. Therefore the organizational structure has to be flexible so that the organization can remain competitive in spite of the changes that are taking place in the external environment. A flexible organizational structure enables the principal and the agent to mobilize resources fast so that fast responses to market changes become possible. However if there is a conflict of interest between the two parties, then this objective cannot be attainable. The presence of the principal-agent problem also means that the shareholders are unable to monitor the decision-making process so that the managers are tempted to apply organizational resources to personal gains. This is a limiting factor for organizational performance. Therefore it is critical to address the principal-agent problem. Particularly in the present day business environment which is characterized by high competition, application of the agency theory becomes one of th e key success factors. By incorporating the agency theory, organizational stakeholders create an internal structure which is strategically aligned. Given the fast pace of change in the external environment, both the shareholders and the officers would want to create a sustainable competitive advantage. In order to meet this objective, the management of the company has to optimize the decision making process so that it addresses the interests of both parties. According to Michael Porter’s framework for strategy formulation, an organization can implement three strategies to build a competitive position: focus, differentiation and cost minimization (Hill & Jones, 2007, p. 18). However the effectiveness of strategy implementation is limited by the principal-agent problem. This underscores understanding of the agency theory. By applying the agency theory, the management can align the interests of both parties to synergistic effects. As a result, the organization can

The Rogerian Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Rogerian - Research Paper Example After completing the essay, I have acquired a balanced perspective regarding the two positions. The only difficulty I found in the writing of the assignment is reconciling the two views and giving a balanced position without being biased. This was only possible after considering the weaknesses and strengths of the each side. This was difficult because initially, I had my bias. In this assignment, I have enjoyed acting like a judge in trying to take a position that ensures justice to the disputing sides. I also enjoyed the additional knowledge I got from the advocates of both sides. I have also enjoyed learning about the topic because I have an interest in children rights. As I already said, I have an interest in children rights. We have never discussed his topic in another course. However, the topic concerns me as a scholar and as an advocate of children’s rights. No, you are, however, welcome to request any suggestions for improvements. THE ESSAY Terminating Parental Rights T erminating parental rights is a legal action that involves taking away parental right that a person has towards a child or children. In some cases, only one parent may have his or her rights terminated if there is sufficient ground for such an end. Sometimes, the real parents of the child are denied this right, and the child is put under the care of a foster parents. A person whose parental rights have been terminated has no responsibility over a child. Moreover, they do not owe disciplinary actions to that child, or any other form of child support. The termination of parental rights renders the parents or the parent affected to be strangers to the child, and they are not allowed to contact such a child (Dane County Juvenile Court 3). A parent is the best person who can look out for their children naturally and without complains. In fact, courts are extremely reluctant to terminate parental right until they have enough bases to do that because of this natural right. However, it is i nevitable to terminate the rights of a parent to his or her child if it has been proved that he or she is overly abusive to the child. In some cases, a child is better off under the care of different people such as relatives or foster parents (Barone, Weitz and Witt 396). Regardless of the justifications in favour of such an action, this experience can be psychologically damaging to both parties. This is because children and parents have a biological bond that cannot be replaced by placing children under the care of different people. Terminating of parental rights is an activity that has recently escalated in the United States. The act is justified because it has been considered to help vulnerable children hope for quality lives. Terminating parental rights is an activity that takes place voluntarily or involuntarily. Voluntary termination takes place when both parents agree to give up their parental right. This is, for instance, for the sake of adoption. If parents cannot meet the needs of a child and they want the child to be adopted, it is required that they terminate their parental rights in order to give the foster parents full rights and responsibilities over the child (Genty 5). Involuntary termination, however, happens when a parent has subjected the child to some unacceptable conditions such as sexual abuse and child labor (Schmidt 19). It is, however, challenging to separate a child from their parents. Terminating par

Sport Team Brand Identity Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

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