Asian Philosophies of Critical Thinking Essay -- Critical Thinking Essa

Asian Philosophies of Critical Thinking The research question of this extended essay came across at a very early stage in my life. Having been born and developed from a family with all its members being University instructors and professors, I was often involved in arguments related to the lack of critical thinking in Asian cultures. As I got older, having had the chance to emerge in different cultures, I started to develop my own viewpoints and answers. I started to wonder about the truth between the real differences of Asian and Western philosophies of critical thinking. This extended essay, intended to be a research and investigation, bearing the title  ¡Ã‚ §Asian Philosophies of Critical Thinking: divergent or convergent to Western establishments? ¡Ã‚ ¨ is in fact however merely just a summary of my viewpoints and answers which I have developed throughout the years. In the first section of the essay,  ¡Ã‚ §Logical Tradition in India and China ¡Ã‚ ¨ I will attempt to give evidence of critical thinking in two Asian cultures that I have chosen; namely India and China. In India, I will argue that critical thinking is clearly visible in historical texts such as the Caraka and Nyayasutra. This is presented as the well-known five-membered argument, a system of logical deduction, similar to the Aristotelian syllogism found in the west. In China I would focus mainly on the two schools of logical thought, the Mohists and the Logicians. For the Mohists I would argue that critical thinking is a vital element in the building of what they call  ¡Ã‚ §mental models. ¡Ã‚ ¨ For the Logicians, I would study deeply the writings of Hui Shih and Kungsun Lung, I would show that in fact both of them developed systems of logical and paradoxical thinking that could well serve as the foundations of modern science. If critical thinking is clearly presentable in these Asian cultures then why are there still concerns for introducing it to them? This is the question I intend to answer in the latter section  ¡Ã‚ §Needham's Grand Question and Fuller's Interpretation. ¡Ã‚ ¨ During this section, I would also show that discussions of modern science seem to enable us to see how the tradition of critical thinking arose and how they were promoted or discouraged. I would cover how Asian historical, economic, social and cultural factors have a big influence on their development of critical thinking. Lastly I woul... ...nusya: Journal of Humanities, 1 (forthcoming). Hostetler, Karl. 1991. Community and Neutrality in Critical Thought: A Nonobjectivist View on the Conduct and Teaching of Critical Thinking. Educational Theory, 41.1, 1-12. Matilal, Bimal Krishna. 1990. Logic, Language and Reality: Indian Philosophy and Contemporary Issues. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass. McGuire, John. 1998. Is Critical Thinking Cultural Thinking?. Unpublished ms. McPeck, John E. 1991. What is Learned in Informal Logic?, Teaching Philosophy, 14.1, 25-34. Needham, Joseph. 1969. The Grand Titration: Science and Society in East and West. London: Allen & Unwin. Paul, Richard. 1993. Critical Thinking: What Every Person Needs to Survive in a Rapidly Changing World. Santa Rosa, CA: Foundation for Critical Thinking. Ronan, Colin A. 1978. The Shorter Science and Civilization in China: An Abridgement of Needham's Original Text. Cambridge: Cambridge UP. Sutton, Robert. 1995. Realism and Other Philosophical Mantras. Inquiry: Critical Thinking Across the Disciplines, 14.4, 18 pars., http://www.shss.montclair.edu/inquiry/summ95/sutton.html. Tscherbatsky, F. Th. 1962. Buddhist Logic. New York: Dover.

The Twilight Saga 2: New Moon Chapter 8 ADRENALINE

â€Å"OKAY, WHERE'S YOUR CLUTCH?† I pointed to the lever on my left handlebar. Letting go of the grip was a mistake. The heavy bike wobbled underneath me, threatening to knock me sidewise. I grabbed the handle again, trying to hold it straight. â€Å"Jacob, it won't stay up,† I complained. â€Å"It will when you're moving,† he promised. â€Å"Now where's your brake?† â€Å"Behind my right foot.† â€Å"Wrong.† He grabbed my right hand and curled my fingers around the lever over the throttle. â€Å"But you said† â€Å"This is the brake you want. Don't use the back brake now, that's for later, when you know what you're doing.† â€Å"That doesn't sound right,† I said suspiciously. â€Å"Aren't both brakes kind of important?† â€Å"Forget the back brake, okay? Here† He wrapped his hand around mine and made me squeeze the lever down. â€Å"That is how you brake. Don't forget.† He squeezed my hand another time. â€Å"Fine,† I agreed. â€Å"Throttle?† I twisted the right grip. â€Å"Gearshift?† I nudged it with my left calf. â€Å"Very good. I think you've got all the parts down. Now you just have to get itmoving.† â€Å"Uh-huh,† I muttered, afraid to say more. My stomach was contorting strangely and I thought my voice might crack. I was terrified. I tried to tell myself that the fear was pointless. I'd already lived through the worst thing possible. In comparison with that, why should anything frighten me now? I should be able to look death in the face and laugh. My stomach wasn't buying it. I stared down the long stretch of dirt road, bordered by thick misty green on every side. The road was sandy and damp. Better than mud. â€Å"I want you to hold down the clutch,† Jacob instructed. I wrapped my fingers around the clutch. â€Å"Now this is crucial, Bella,† Jacob stressed. â€Å"Don't let go of that, okay? I want you to pretend that I've handed you a live grenade. The pin is out and you are holding down the spoon.† I squeezed tighter. â€Å"Good. Do you think you can kick-start it?† â€Å"If I move my foot, I will fall over,† I told him through gritted teeth, my fingers tight around my live grenade. â€Å"Okay, I'll do it. Don't let go of the clutch.† He took a step back, and then suddenly slammed his foot down on the pedal. There was a short ripping noise, and the force of his thrust rocked the bike. I started to fall sideways, but Jake caught the bike before it knocked me to the ground. â€Å"Steady there,† he encouraged. â€Å"Do you still have the clutch?† â€Å"Yes,† I gasped. â€Å"Plant your feetI'm going to try again.† But he put his hand on the back of the seat, too, just to be safe. It took four more kicks before the ignition caught. I could feel the bike rumbling beneath me like an angry animal. I gripped the clutch until my fingers ached. â€Å"Try out the throttle,† he suggested. â€Å"Very lightly. And don't let go of the clutch.† Hesitantly, I twisted the right handle. Though the movement was tiny, the bike snarled beneath me. It sounded angry and hungry now. Jacob smiled in deep satisfaction. â€Å"Do you remember how to put it into first gear?† he asked. â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"Well, go ahead and do it.† â€Å"Okay.† He waited for a few seconds. â€Å"Left foot,† he prompted. â€Å"I know,† I said, taking a deep breath. â€Å"Are you sure you want to do this?† Jacob asked. â€Å"You look scared.† â€Å"I'm fine,† I snapped. I kicked the gearshift down one notch. â€Å"Very good,† he praised me. â€Å"Now, very gently, ease up on the clutch.† He took a step away from the bike. â€Å"You want me to let go of the grenade?† I asked in disbelief. No wonder he was moving back. â€Å"That's how you move, Bella. Just do it little by little.† As I began to loosen my grip, I was shocked to be interrupted by a voice that did not belong to the boy standing next to me. â€Å"This is reckless and childish and idiotic, Bella,† the velvet voice fumed. â€Å"Oh!† I gasped, and my hand fell off the clutch. The bike bucked under me, yanking me forward and then collapsing to the ground half on top of me. The growling engine choked to a stop. â€Å"Bella?† Jacob jerked the heavy bike off me with ease. â€Å"Are you hurt?† But I wasn't listening. â€Å"I told you so,† the perfect voice murmured, crystal clear. â€Å"Bella?† Jacob shook my shoulder. â€Å"I'm fine,† I mumbled, dazed. More than fine. The voice in my head was back. It still rang in my earssoft, velvety echoes. My mind ran swiftly through the possibilities. There was no familiarity hereon a road I'd never seen, doing something I'd never done beforeno deja vu So the hallucinations must be triggered by something else I felt the adrenaline coursing through my veins again, and I thought I had the answer. Some combination of adrenaline and danger, or maybe just stupidity. Jacob was pulling me to my feet. â€Å"Did you hit your head?† he asked. â€Å"I don't think so.† I shook it back and forth, checking. â€Å"I didn't hurt the bike, did I?† This thought worried me. I was anxious to try again, right away. Being reckless was paying off better than I'd thought. Forget cheating. Maybe I'd found a way to generate the hallucinationsthat was much more important. â€Å"No. You just stalled the engine,† Jacob said, interrupting my quick speculations. â€Å"You let go of the clutch too fast.† I nodded. â€Å"Let's try again.† â€Å"Are you sure?† Jacob asked. â€Å"Positive.† This time I tried to get the kick-start myself. It was complicated; I had to jump a little to slam down on the pedal with enough force, and every time I did that, the bike tried to knock me over. Jacob's hand hovered over the handlebars, ready to catch me if I needed him. It took several good tries, and even more poor tries, before the engine caught and roared to life under me. Remembering to hold on to the grenade, I revved the throttle experimentally. It snarled at the slightest touch. My smile mirrored Jacob's now. â€Å"Easy on the clutch,† he reminded me. â€Å"Do you want to kill yourself, then? Is that what this is about?† the other voice spoke again, his tone severe. I smiled tightlyit was still workingand ignored the questions. Jacob wasn't going to let anything serious happen to me. â€Å"Go home to Charlie,† the voice ordered. The sheer beauty of it amazed me. I couldn't allow my memory to lose it, no matter the price. â€Å"Ease off slowly,† Jacob encouraged me. â€Å"I will,† I said. It bothered me a bit when I realized I was answering both of them. The voice in my head growled against the roar of the motorcycle. Trying to focus this time, to not let the voice startle me again, I relaxed my hand by tiny degrees. Suddenly, the gear caught and wrenched me forward. And I was flying. There was wind that wasn't there before, blowing my skin against my skull and flinging my hair back behind me with enough force that it felt like someone was tugging on it. I'd left my stomach back at the starting point; the adrenaline coursed through my body, tingling in my veins. The trees raced past me, blurring into a wall of green. But this was only first gear. My foot itched toward the gearshift as I twisted for more gas. â€Å"No, Bella!† the angry, honey-sweet voice ordered in my ear. â€Å"Watch what you're doing!† It distracted me enough from the speed to realize that the road was starting a slow curve to the left, and I was still going straight. Jacob hadn't told me how to turn. â€Å"Brakes, brakes,† I muttered to myself, and I instinctively slammed down with my right foot, like I would in my truck. The bike was suddenly unstable underneath me, shivering first to one side and then the other. It was dragging me toward the green wall, and I was going too fast. I tried to turn the handlebar the other direction, and the sudden shift of my weight pushed the bike toward the ground, still spinning toward the trees. The motorcycle landed on top of me again, roaring loudly, pulling me across the wet sand until it hit something stationary. I couldn't see. My face was mashed into the moss. I tried to lift my head, but there was something in the way. I was dizzy and confused. It sounded like there were three things snarlingthe bike over me, the voice in my head, and something else â€Å"Bella!† Jacob yelled, and I heard the roar of the other bike cut off. The motorcycle no longer pinned me to the ground, and I rolled over to breathe. All the growling went silent. â€Å"Wow,† I murmured. I was thrilled. This had to be it, the recipe for a hallucinationadrenaline plus clanger plus stupidity. Something close to that, anyway. â€Å"Bella!† Jacob was crouching over me anxiously. â€Å"Bella, are you alive?† â€Å"I'm great!† I enthused. I flexed my arms and legs. Everything seemed to be working correctly. â€Å"Let's do itagain.† â€Å"I don't think so.† Jacob still sounded worried. â€Å"I think I'd better drive you to the hospital first.† â€Å"I'mfine.† â€Å"Um, Bella? You've got a huge cut on your forehead, and it's gushing blood,† he informed me. I clapped my hand over my head. Sure enough, it was wet and sticky. I could smell nothing but the damp moss on my face, and that held off the nausea. â€Å"Oh, I'm so sorry, Jacob.† I pushed hard against the gash, as if I could force the blood back inside my head. â€Å"Why are you apologizing for bleeding?† he wondered as he wrapped a long arm around my waist and pulled me to my feet. â€Å"Let's go. I'll drive.† He held out his hand for the keys. â€Å"What about the bikes?† I asked, handing them over. He thought for a second. â€Å"Wait here. And take this.† He pulled off his T-shirt, already spotted with blood, and threw it to me. I wadded it up and held it tightly to my forehead. I was starting to smell the blood; I breathed deeply through my mouth and tried to concentrate on something else. Jacob jumped on the black motorcycle, kicked it to a start in one try, and raced back down the road, spraying sand and pebbles behind him. He looked athletic and professional as he leaned over the handlebars, head low, face forward, his shiny hair whipping against the russet skin of his back. My eyes narrowed enviously. I was sure I hadn't looked like that on my motorcycle. I was surprised at how far I'd gone. I could barely see Jacob in the distance when he finally got to the truck. He threw the bike into the bed and sprinted to the driver's side. I really didn't feel bad at all as he coaxed my truck to a deafening roar in his hurry to get back to me. My head stung a little, and my stomach was uneasy, but the cut wasn't serious. Head wounds just bled more than most. His urgency wasn't necessary. Jacob left the truck running as he raced back to me, wrapping his arm around my waist again. â€Å"Okay, let's get you in the truck.† â€Å"I'm honestly fine,† I assured him as he helped me in. â€Å"Don't get worked up. It's just a little blood.† â€Å"Just a lot of blood,† I heard him mutter as he went back for my bike. â€Å"Now, let's think about this for a second,† I began when he got back in. â€Å"If you take me to the ER like this, Charlie is sure to hear about it.† I glanced down at the sand and dirt caked into my jeans. â€Å"Bella, I think you need stitches. I'm not going to let you bleed to death.† â€Å"I won't,† I promised. â€Å"Let's just take the bikes back first, and then we'll make a stop at my house so I can dispose of the evidence before we go to the hospital.† â€Å"What about Charlie?† â€Å"He said he had to work today.† â€Å"Are you really sure?† â€Å"Trust me. I'm an easy bleeder. It's not nearly as dire as it looks.† Jacob wasn't happyhis full mouth turned down in an uncharacteristic frownbut he didn't want to get me in trouble. I stared out the window, holding his ruined shirt to my head, while he drove me to Forks. The motorcycle was better than I'd dreamed. It had served its original purpose. I'd cheatedbroken my promise. I'd been needlessly reckless. I felt a little less pathetic now that the promises had been broken on both sides. And then to discover the key to the hallucinations! At least, I hoped I had. I was going to test the theory as soon as possible. Maybe they'd get through with me quickly in the ER, and I could try again tonight. Racing down the road like that had been amazing. The feel of the wind in my face, the speed and the freedom it reminded me of a past life, flying through the thick forest without a road, piggyback while he ranI stopped thinking right there, letting the memory break off in the sudden agony. I flinched. â€Å"You still okay?† Jacob checked. â€Å"Yeah.† I tried to sound as convincing as before. â€Å"By the way,† he added. â€Å"I'm going to disconnect your foot brake tonight.† At home, I went to look at myself in the mirror first thing; it was pretty gruesome. Blood was drying in thick streaks across my cheek and neck, matting in my muddy hair. I examined myself clinically, pretending the blood was paint so it wouldn't upset my stomach. I breathed through my mouth, and was fine. I washed up as well as I could. Then I hid my dirty, bloody clothes in the bottom of my laundry basket, putting on new jeans and a button-up shirt (that I didn't have to pull over my head) as carefully as I could. I managed to do this one-handed and keep both garments blood-free. â€Å"Hurry up,† Jacob called. â€Å"Okay, okay,† I shouted back. After making sure I left nothing incriminating behind me, I headed downstairs. â€Å"How do I look?† I asked him. â€Å"Better,† he admitted. â€Å"But do I look like I tripped in your garage and hit my head on a hammer?† â€Å"Sure, I guess so.† â€Å"Let's go then.† Jacob hurried me out the door, and insisted on driving again. We were halfway to the hospital when I realized he was still shirtless. I frowned guiltily. â€Å"We should have grabbed you a jacket.† â€Å"That would have given us away,† he teased. â€Å"Besides, it's not cold.† â€Å"Are you kidding?† I shivered and reached out to turn the heat on. I watched Jacob to see if he was just playing tough so I wouldn't worry, but he looked comfortable enough. He had one arm over the back of my seat, though I was huddled up to keep warm. Jacob really did look older than sixteennot quite forty, but maybe older than me. Quil didn't have too much on him in the muscle department, for all that Jacob claimed to be a skeleton. The muscles were the long wiry kind, but they were definitely there under the smooth skin. His skin was such a pretty color, it made me jealous. Jacob noticed my scrutiny. â€Å"What?† he asked, suddenly self-conscious. â€Å"Nothing. I just hadn't realized before. Did you know, you're sort of beautiful?† Once the words slipped out, I worried that he might take my impulsive observation the wrong way. But Jacob just rolled his eyes. â€Å"You hit your head pretty hard, didn't you?† â€Å"I'm serious.† â€Å"Well, then, thanks. Sort of.† I grinned. â€Å"You're sort of welcome.† I had to have seven stitches to c lose the cut on my forehead. After the sting of the local anesthetic, there was no pain in the procedure. Jacob held my hand while Dr. Snow was sewing, and I tried not to think about why that was ironic. We were at the hospital forever. By the time I was done, I had to drop Jacob off at his home and hurry back to cook dinner for Charlie. Charlie seemed to buy my story about falling in Jacob's garage. After all, it wasn't like I hadn't been able to land myself in the ER before with no more help than my own feet. This night was not as bad as that first night, after I'd heard the perfect voice in Port Angeles. The hole came back, the way it always did when I was away from Jacob, but it didn't throb so badly around the edges. I was already planning ahead, looking forward to more delusions, and that was a distraction. Also, I knew I would feel better tomorrow when I was with Jacob again. That made the empty hole and the familiar pain easier to bear; relief was in sight. The nightmare, too, had lost a little of its potency. I was horrified by the nothingness, as always, but I was also strangely impatient as I waited for the moment that would send me screaming into consciousness. I knew the nightmare had to end. The next Wednesday, before I could get home from the ER, Dr. Gerandy called to warn my father that I might possibly have a concussion and advised him to wake me up every two hours through the night to make sure it wasn't serious. Charlie's eyes narrowed suspiciously at my weak explanation about tripping again. â€Å"Maybe you should just stay out of the garage altogether, Bella,† he suggested that night during dinner. I panicked, worried that Charlie was about to lay down some kind of edict that would prohibit La Push, and consequently my motorcycle. And I wasn't giving it upI'd had the most amazing hallucination today. My velvet-voiced delusion had yelled at me for almost five minutes before I'd hit the brake too abruptly and launched myself into the tree. I'd take whatever pain that would cause me tonight without complaint. â€Å"This didn't happen in the garage,† I protested quickly. â€Å"We were hiking, and I tripped over a rock.† â€Å"Since when do you hike?† Charlie asked skeptically. â€Å"Working at Newton's was bound to rub off sometime,† I pointed out. â€Å"Spend every day selling all the virtues of the outdoors, eventually you get curious.† Charlie glared at me, unconvinced. â€Å"I'll be more careful,† I promised, surreptitiously crossing my fingers under the table. â€Å"I don't mind you hiking right there around La Push, but keep close to town, okay?† â€Å"Why?† â€Å"Well, we've been getting a lot of wildlife complaints lately. The forestry department is going to check into it, but for the time being† â€Å"Oh, the big bear,† I said with sudden comprehension. â€Å"Yeah, some of the hikers coming through Newton's have seen it. Do you think there's really some giant mutated grizzly out there?† His forehead creased. â€Å"There's something. Keep it close to town, okay?† â€Å"Sure, sure,† I said quickly. He didn't look completely appeased. â€Å"Charlie's getting nosy,† I complained to Jacob when I picked him up after school Friday. â€Å"Maybe we should cool it with the bikes.† He saw my objecting expression and added, â€Å"At least for a week or so. You could stay out of the hospital for a week, right?† â€Å"What are we going to do?† I griped. He smiled cheerfully. â€Å"What ever you want.† I thought about that for a minuteabout what I wanted. I hated the idea of losing even my brief seconds of closeness with the memories that didn't hurtthe ones that came on their own, without me thinking of them consciously. If I couldn't have the bikes, I was going to have to find some other avenue to the danger and the adrenaline, and that was going to take serious thought and creativity. Doing nothing in the meantime was not appealing. Suppose I got depressed again, even with Jake? I had to keep occupied. Maybe there was some other way, some other recipe some other place. The house had been a mistake, certainly. But his presence must be stamped somewhere, somewhere other than inside me. There had to be a place where he seemed more real than among all the familiar landmarks that were crowded with other human memories. I could think of one place where that might hold true. One place that would always belong to him and no one else. A magic place, full of light. The beautiful meadow I'd seen only once in my life, lit by sunshine and the sparkle of his skin. This idea had a huge potential for backfiringit might be dangerously painful. My chest ached with emptiness even to think of it. It was hard to hold myself upright, to not give myself away. But surely, there of all places, I could hear his voice. And I'd already told Charlie I was hiking â€Å"What are you thinking about so hard?† Jacob asked. â€Å"Well† I began slowly. â€Å"I found this place in the forest onceI came across it when I was, um, hiking. A little meadow, the most beautiful place. I don't know if I could track it down again on my own. It would definitely take a few tries† â€Å"We could use a compass and a grid pattern,† Jacob said with confident helpfulness. â€Å"Do you know where you started from?† â€Å"Yes, just below the trailhead where the one-ten ends. I was going mostly south, I think.† â€Å"Cool. We'll find it.† As always, Jacob was game for anything I wanted. No matter how strange it was. So, Saturday afternoon, I tied on my new hiking bootspurchased that morning using my twenty-per-cent-off employee discount for the first timegrabbed my new topographical map of the Olympic Peninsula, and drove to La Push. We didn't get started immediately; first, Jacob sprawled across the living room floortaking up the whole roomand, for a full twenty minutes, drew a complicated web across the key section of the map while I perched on a kitchen chair and talked to Billy. Billy didn't seem at all concerned about our proposed hiking trip. I was surprised that Jacob had told him where we were going, given the fuss people were making about the bear sightings. I wanted to ask Billy not to say anything about this to Charlie, but I was afraid that making the request would cause the opposite result. â€Å"Maybe we'll see the super bear,† Jacob joked, eyes on his design. I glanced at Billy swiftly, fearing a Charlie-style reaction. But Billy just laughed at his son. â€Å"Maybe you should take a jar of honey, just in case.† Jake chuckled. â€Å"Hope your new boots are fast, Bella. One little jar isn't going to keep a hungry bear occupied for long.† â€Å"I only have to be faster than you.† â€Å"Good luck with that!† Jacob said, rolling his eyes as he refolded the map. â€Å"Let's go.† â€Å"Have fun,† Billy rumbled, wheeling himself toward the refrigerator. Charlie was not a hard person to live with, but it looked to me like Jacob had it even easier than I did. I drove to the very end of the dirt road, stopping near the sign that marked the beginning of the trailhead. It had been a long time since I'd been here, and my stomach reacted nervously. This might be a very bad thing. But it would be worth it, if I got to hear him. I got out and looked at the dense wall of green. â€Å"I went this way,† I murmured, pointing straight ahead. â€Å"Hmm,† Jake muttered. â€Å"What?† He looked at the direction I'd pointed, then at the clearly marked trail, and back. â€Å"I would have figured you for a trail kind of girl.† â€Å"Not me.† I smiled bleakly. â€Å"I'm a rebel.† He laughed, and then pulled out our map. â€Å"Give me a second.† He held the compass in a skilled way, twisting the map around till it angled the way he wanted. â€Å"Okayfirst line on the grid. Let's do it.† I could tell that I was slowing Jacob up, but he didn't complain. I tried not to dwell on my last trip through this part of the forest, with a very different companion. Normal memories were still cangerous. If I let myself slip up, I'd end up with my arms clutching my chest to hold it together, gasping for air, and how would I explain that to Jacob? It wasn't as hard as I would have thought to keep focused on the present. The forest looked a lot like any other part of the peninsula, and Jacob set a vastly different mood. He whistled cheerfully, an unfamiliar tune, swinging his arms and moving easily through the rough undergrowth. The shadows didn't seem as dark as usual. Not with my personal sun along. Jacob checked the compass every few minutes, keeping us in a straight line with one of the radiating spokes of his grid. He really looked like he knew what he was doing. I was going to compliment him, but I caught myself. No doubt he'd add another few years to his inflated age. My mind wandered as I walked, and I grew curious. I hadn't forgotten the conversation we'd had by the sea cliffsI'd been waiting for him to bring it up again, but it didn't look like that was going to happen. â€Å"Hey Jake?† I asked hesitantly. â€Å"Yeah?† â€Å"How are things with Embry? Is he back to normal yet?† Jacob was silent for a minute, still moving forward with long paces. When he was about ten feet ahead, he stopped to wait for me. â€Å"No. He's not back to normal,† Jacob said when I reached him, his mouth pulling down at the corners. He didn't start walking again. I immediately regretted bringing it up. â€Å"StillwithSam.† â€Å"Yup.† He put his arm around my shoulder, and he looked so troubled that I didn't playfully shake it off, as I might have otherwise. â€Å"Are they still looking at you funny?† I half-whispered. Jacob stared through the trees. â€Å"Sometimes.† â€Å"AndBilly?† â€Å"As helpful as ever,† he said in a sour, angry voice that disturbed me. â€Å"Our couch is always open,† I offered. He laughed, breaking out of the unnatural gloom. â€Å"But think of the position that would put Charlie inwhen Billy calls the police to report my kidnapping.† I laughed too, glad to have Jacob back to normal. We stopped when Jacob said we'd gone six miles, cut west for a short time, and headed back along another line of his grid. Everything looked exactly the same as the way in, and I had a feeling that my silly quest was pretty much doomed. I admitted as much when it started to get darker, the sunless day fading toward a starless night, but Jacob was more confident. â€Å"As long as you're sure we're starting from the right place† He glanced down at me. â€Å"Yes, I'm sure.† â€Å"Then we'll find it,† he promised, grabbing my hand and pulling me through a mass of ferns. On the other side was the truck. He gestured toward it proudly. â€Å"Trust me.† â€Å"You're good,† I admitted. â€Å"Next time we bring flashlights, though.† â€Å"We'll save hiking for Sundays from now on. I didn't know you were that slow.† I yanked my hand back and stomped around to the driver's side while he chuckled at my reaction. â€Å"So you up for another try tomorrow.'† he asked, sliding into the passenger seat. â€Å"Sure. Unless you want to go without me so I don't tie you down to my gimpy pace.† â€Å"I'll survive,† he assured me. â€Å"If we're hiking again, though, you might want to pick up some moleskin. I bet you can feel those new boots right now.† â€Å"A little,† I confessed. It felt like I had more blisters than I had space to fit them. â€Å"I hope we see the bear tomorrow. I'm sort of disappointed about that.† â€Å"Yes, me, too,† I agreed sarcastically. â€Å"Maybe we'll get lucky tomorrow and something will eat us!† â€Å"Bears don't want to eat people. We don't taste that good.† He grinned at me in the dark cab. â€Å"Of course, you might be an exception. I bet you'd taste good.† â€Å"Thanks so much,† I said, looking away. He wasn't the first person to tell me that.

McMinn 4MAT review Essay - 1817 Words

1 Summary: After listing the name of the book and author, summarize the book concisely in 500 â€Å"tight† words (no more than 2 pages). Prove that you comprehend the reading by writing a no-nonsense summary. The summary is not a commentary or listing of topics, but rather a heartfelt, condensed, insightful synopsis of the longer, more elaborate book. Cite the book in text at least once per paragraph, and include page numbers for direct quotations. Mark McMinn’s book, Psychology, Theology, and Spirituality in Christian Counseling, 1996, brings theology, Christian spirituality, and psychology into the counseling responsibility. Faith, true, honest, heartfelt faith is his unceasing, steady, melody. McMinn just doesn’t just focus on†¦show more content†¦Relate your story in first person, describing action and quoting exact words you remember hearing or saying. In the teaching style of Jesus, this is your own parable, case study, and confession. You will remember almost nothing you have read unless you make this critical, personal connection. When reading the book, what video memory began to play in your mind? This is your chance to tell your story and generate new ideas In the beginning I understood my Christin faith as an academic. I did as I was told, I read my bible, and I followed the Ten Commandments as any teenager does; when it suited me. I wasn’t a horrible teenager, I was raised in a small farm community that really didn’t understand someone with a vole at the end of their name, or someone who wanted to walk to the library and read rather than hang out on the steps of the malt shop/gas station. My formative years were the 1960’s. There was so much conflict and rebellion and hatred. By the time I graduated and was supposed to go out and make my way I was thoroughly confused with and rebellious. Problem was I wasn’t sure what I was rebelling against; the â€Å"rebel without a clue.† But, in the end I wound up being a successful trial attorney; I even ran for Congress! I became a Master of the Universe; I was a Goddess that walked on the earth. I believed that God already had enough on his plate, wars, famine, disease, atrocities; why should I plague Him further? After all, the Bible says: â€Å"God

Frosts Use Of Imagery, Symbolism And Metaphors - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 3 Words: 963 Downloads: 2 Date added: 2019/07/03 Category Literature Essay Level High school Tags: The Road Not Taken Essay Did you like this example? Most people have heard at least once in their life that hard choice is the right choice and this seems to be the case for the traveler. The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost is a poem about a traveler in the woods on a beautiful autumn day. During his journey through the woods, he comes across a fork in the road. The traveler is now faced with the decision of which path to take. The traveler knows that there is an important decision to make, thus he tries to compare both paths, but ultimately realizes that theyre physically equal. This leaves the traveler torn, but he knows that ultimately the decision has to be made. Similarly, in life decisions must be made, no matter how hard the fork in the road seems. This poem helps the reader grasp how every decision matters and once the decision is made theres no turning back. Thus, the decisions we make should be thoroughly thought out like the traveler even though the road less taken isnt an easy road, although its the most beneficial road. The Road Not Taken, Roberts use of imagery, symbolism, and extended metaphors show the importance of making decisions and its lasting effect. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Frosts Use Of Imagery, Symbolism And Metaphors" essay for you Create order The imagery in The Road Not Taken contributes to the importance of making decisions and its effect on life because without the vivid forest description used it wouldnt make sense why choosing a path was so hard. Because it was grassy and wanted wear, In leaves no step had trodden black, Though as for that the passing there had worn them really about the same. This helps explain how both paths were physically indistinguishable. With this information the reader can conclude that that decision making isnt always cut and dry. The traveler had to leave things up to his conscious and just hope that the decision he made wouldnt be regretted. Similarly, in life not everything is clear, its tempting to make hasty decisions as opposed to contemplative ones. Both decisions might have seemed identical, but theres always one path that is favorable for prosperity. Just because both paths had been passed really about the same doesnt mean that they were both equally challenging. It never mentioned how many travelers completed both paths as opposed to turning back before they saw what the better path had in store for them. This helps the reader understand why the traveler was so adamant about taking his time to review both paths. The best decisions are made by looking past physical traits, but by digging deeper into the outcome in life. As said before, the symbolism in The Road Not Taken contributes to the importance of making decisions and its effect on life by using a traveler who comes across two paths in the woods. Robert states, Two Roads diverged in a yellow wood, and I, I took the one less traveled by and that has made all the difference.. This shows that even the littlest choices prelude to future decisions. It also shows that some of the hardest decision make the biggest impact on life. In Addition, when Robert states, And looked down one as far as I could, to where it bent in the undergrowth, this shows the reader that there are always things that wont be predictable. The traveler could only see a little-ways down both paths ahead until it was no longer visible. Thus, any plans to choose the better path by its appearance would be practically impossible. This relates to everyday life decisions because its not always possible to predict the future and its never fun feeling not unprepared and anxious for the future. This is why its important to figure out what both paths offer in life before its too late. Additionally, the extended metaphors in The Road Not Taken contribute to the importance of making decisions and its effect on life, through Roberts analogy of a literal road and human decisions. The road serves as both the choices people make and the actual paths people choose in life. Robert states. Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, and sorry I could not travel both.. This shows that sometimes people will be faced with indecision to the point where they can no longer easily tell right from wrong. In addition, Robert states, Yet knowing how way leads on to way, I doubted if I should ever come back, I shall be telling this with a sigh somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a yellow wood and I, I took the one less traveled by and that has made all the difference.. This is another reminder that life isnt easy. There will be times full of doubt and confusion but that its crucial to move on and learn from prior mistakes. The traveler makes it clear that without his decis ion he wouldnt be the person he is, likewise, in life, the choices made shape a persons character traits and way of living. Everybody will be faced with a road in life and will be given the choice of two directions, although its much easier to be successful on a unique path and stand out, rather than blend in and take the common path with everyone else. All in all, the All in all, Roberts use of imagery, symbolism, and extended metaphors help open the readers understand how crucial decision making can be in life. Every decision in life has an effect whether its big or small. Even though the decisions in life wont be easy, its still up to the reader to decide what journey is right for them, whether its traveled by often or not. Lastly, once the decision is made theres no going back, so its important to properly consider both roads.

Essay on Nationalism and Liberalism - 1368 Words

Often called â€Å"the People’s Spring†, the Revolutions of 1848 marked a time of political and social turmoil widespread across the European continent. It is during this time we see monarchies overthrown, the formation of new countries, and â€Å"radical ideologies† such as Nationalism, and Liberalism become the beliefs of the middle-class. The populations of European countries were growing at a rate never seen before. The masses started becoming agitated with the current monarchial system of government ruling across Europe in the nineteenth-century, and wanted change that would bring about individual freedom and equality. It is well known that the Revolutions of 1848 were multi-casual, and that there was not just one factor that can be†¦show more content†¦During the Congress of Vienna the combined powers redrew the map of Europe, undoing many of the changes caused by the Napoleonic wars, and reinstated old rulers to their thrones. Prussia was to re ceive territories on the left bank on the Rhine River as a way to discourage any future French rebellion or aggression. Austria was given Lombardy and Venetia, as well as other small nationalities, in an attempt to keep the states within Italy from starting a rebellion. The kingdom of Poland was created, but was essentially made part of the Russian empire, with Czar Alexander occupying the throne. The French monarchy, the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia and Metternich’s Austrian monarchy â€Å"utilized the bureaucratized state apparatus inherited from Napoleon to repress liberals†. The redrawing of European territories was done without consideration for the peoples living within , thus feeding the already growing agitation of the people, and promoted the call for unification along nationalistic lines. The Restoration of Europe in the first half of the nineteenth century also contributed to the revolutionary movement that occurred in 1848. The leaders that assembled in the Congress of Vienna embraced the conservative idea of monarchial legitimacy, where the right to rule a government was decided by hereditary succession, with close association with the church.Show MoreRelatedFascism : An Authoritarian System That Promotes Radical And Militant Nationalism1228 Words   |  5 PagesCindy Brooks Exam 1 Identification: Fascism: Fascism is an authoritarian system that promotes radical and militant nationalism. It promotes the nation above the individual and glorifies violence. The leader, a dictator, often pushes some sort of obscure ideology onto his people. One of the major examples of fascism in the history of international politics is the Nazi Party in Germany during the world war two period. This has played a major role in the development of today’s international politicsRead MoreCauses Of The Revolutions Of 1848870 Words   |  4 Pagesin 1815 as an example. 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Love Poem Free Essays

â€Å"Love Poem,† written by John Frederick illustrates true love in a realistic way. He expresses to the reader that there is more to love that what is usually written about in poems. To get this theme across, he plays with the reader’s expectations about what he is going to read. We will write a custom essay sample on Love Poem or any similar topic only for you Order Now The title gives the reader the assumption that this poem is about a beautiful sonnet to an unattainable love. The reader envisions the same lofty depiction of a beloved woman he has heard in numerous traditional poems. In the first stanza, the reader realizes this expectation will not be fulfilled. As the poem continues, the reader’s expectations come to an end in a more rich and true form. He eventually finds a much more complex illustration of love than he had expected. The poem begins with the phrase â€Å"my clumsiest dear† (1), which at this point seems to be a obvious backhanded compliment. It reads as a strange combination of admiration and criticism. The phrase suggests that the speaker is talking to a loved one but not a perfect person. The speaker continues his assault on his lover’s dexterity with the use of many symbolic images. The reader gets a picture of the lover as having a lethal touch, which causes all glasses to â€Å"chip and ring† (2). The stanza goes on to describe her as a â€Å"bull in china† (3) and a â€Å"bur in linen† (3). These are images that involve recklessness and destruction, not concepts that are typically associated with high praise for a loved one. Because of the images presented at this point, the reader is finding the poem to be something much different from what he had anticipated based on the title, heaping criticism rather than praise on the speaker’s lover. In the second stanza, the speaker brings the reader back toward his original sense of how the poem would play out. Suddenly the speaker is now praising the positive qualities he sees in his lover. He emphasizes his affection for her interpersonal skills: â€Å"The refugee uncertain at the door / You make at home†¦ † (6-7). The speaker loves this woman for her ability to relate to those who are less fortunate. The way she helps in the lives of drunks and refugees is at the heart of her appeal to him. Also read: In Exile Poem by Arthur Nortje The reader’s initial sense of the poem’s contents now comes back into focus. It is indeed a poem about a loved one who is greatly admired. By the end of the poem, the message to the reader is clear. The speaker accepts his lover for her positives as well as her faults. The reader’s expectations for the poem have been fulfilled, only in an unexpected way. The speaker’s idea of love is much more complex than the traditional concept. The reader is able to better relate to this realistic depiction of love than he would have been if the poem had blandly followed its title. How to cite Love Poem, Essay examples

Competitive Strategy & Innovation †Free Samples for Students

Question: Discuss about the Module Competitive Strategy Innovation. Answer: Introduction GE has one of the most extraordinary success stories in terms of turning around the organization into a profitable one and various economists and scholars continuously strive to study deep into thinking the wide range impacts, strategies taken up by leadership at GE for the upcoming entrepreneurs to learn, interpret and implement (Hill et al, 2014). The case study covers four major analysis on Immelts strategies mainly covering how he redirected GE towards growth despite adverse economic conditions and in midst of recession. The relevance of those decisions taken in 21st century, how did GEs resources and capabilities assist Immelt and how he has led progressive growth. How the changes necessitated an organizational change and finally what other strategies could be taken by Immelt for GE. This is a very interesting insight into why some companies really succeed at what they do. Discussion On the 14th AGM with shareholders, Immelt specified on his vision for GE as a well connected industrial firm. At present, when the world is in middle of crossing dimensions to digital world from a physical world, Immelt stressed on GE to gain finesse on speed, scalability and flexibility. In 2001, upon taking over the post of CEO, Immelt was drawn into a lot of environmental factors which disturbed the business environment in GE. A series of events took place. To begin with, 9/11 took place which overwhelmingly crushed the business environment. Then, there were a series of high profile cons Enron; which led to questioning of ethics, corporate governance and financial reporting at GE. Jack Welchs highly generous retirement package becoming public, financial crisis of 2008-2009, which affected GE Capital-the leading financial institution of America. Bad debts accumulations along asset write-downs threatening survival of GE. The economic growth further slowed at domestic level, catastr ophe struck investors, fidgeting for confidence and added furthermore global competitors on list of GE. If we try and apply Barneys VRIN model here, we may get an insight into what Immelt may have thought to start creating his vision for GE. Barneys VRIN Model says that assets of competency of the organization should be valuable, rare, inimitable and non substitutable. For Immelt, post identifying the opportunities in his environment, he needed to create GE all of what VRIN represented. Considering the huge infrastructure and the leading position it had already created in market under Jack Welsh, he needed the back up of innovation and focus of customer service to provide inimitable products. He needed to penetrate quickly to new markets to dominate them till other players arrived. Immelts observation pointed to a need to adapt on seeing the changes rapidly taking place in the business environment. From cost cutting, deal making to new product innovations, mining for new markets and opening new service business avenues, he changed directions for GE. With use of innovation, well sought out organic growth and renewed customer focus, he attempted to reinvent GE strategically. With help of his assertive team, he identified opportunities in age-struck population of world, future upcoming demands of sustainable and alternative energy sources, infrastructure development and new high potential markets in developing nations. He targeted on value creation for GE customers and planned to do so by leveraging GEs core competencies. At core of his strategy was growth platforms which were either an extension of present business or development of new commercial areas. He wanted to deliver superior, custom-made products and services especially to high-growth markets. Execution of the new growth platform was to be done by tools of divestment and tactical acquisitions in high potential sectors. For all the growth that he envisioned for GE, he understood technology was the key driver. This was made obvious with later launches of Imagination Breakthroughs. For such innovations and quality improvements, GE invested in its RD and increased its capacity with required financial push. As indicated earlier, customer focus was another phase of his growth strategy. GE created a Commercial Council to energize its marketing functions. Also, plentiful customer-oriented programs were launched. These steps led to value creation just as Immelt wanted as it exploited linkages across many companies of GE. Product bundling along with cross selling led to enterprise sales. Sales teams seeked customers who would benefit from wide portfolio of GE businesses and offered customization to them. This rendered a differentiation advantage to GE with offerings of top quality innovative bundles of products and services focussed on value creation. Immelt accelerated the change in business environment by disassociating itself from shareholder value maximization, an obsessive trend since 1990s. He pointed out that his job was to strategise for long-term growth plans which would subsequently lead to high stock prices. 2 a. After taking over reigns of GE from Jack Welch, under whom GE saw prosperity and tremendous growth, the platinum era of market economy was about to go downhill. Amidst poor financial performance he had the humongous task of turning things around for GE. He need to meet the new age business essentials before it perished. All he need was good planning and implementation, obstacle primarily being recession. The economic instability was his challenge as he stood at the face of a clouded future of GE. He needed to build the business not only sustainable but as prosperous as it was before. He had to identify well worth trying opportunities for growth in such times. GEs problem are most relevant to 21st century ageing population, global warming, sustainable and alternate sources of energy, new emerging technologies like biotechnology, nanotechnology etc. Also, he foresaw that GE could be capitalizing on potential of emerging markets in developing nations like China, India etc. He made persistent efforts and finally was able to pull out GE from slow growth businesses such as GE Capital to redirect its resources to where areas of potential growth tapping the emerging global trends during that time. A six-part growth process strategy was brought in place to combat the business environment woes: Innovation generation of new ideas and plans to make the ideas a reality (Curry, 2013. 54(4), pp.746-781) Leadership in the technology leader in technology, processes, content and services Commercial Excellence To drive One GE by having in place top marketing and sales functions for perusal Globalization create new markets as well as business openings in emerging markets Growth Leaders Work on building strong and powerful leadership to drive GE (Tett, 2016. (221), p.98) Customer Value use developmental intelligence to create value for customers and channelise growth Over here, particularly, we can say that Immelt tweaked Mintzbergs 7S framework for application in building a six part growth process strategy. Minstzberg states 7S as Structure, Systems, Style, Staff, Shared values, Skills Strategy. As for structure, Mintzberg changes the business units counts to 5 and got rid of unsuccessful business units, he put customer service as part of systems that were further created as part of systems and shared values, he made technology improvements and innovation as style for growth, he changed the key responsibilities of staff and intertwined them with other units performance as staff and skill strategy, he made growth itself the strategy of growth with use of the four pillars of GE. He realized the need to create and work on growth platforms built on either extension of current business or mine new commercial avenues to make the changes he envisioned a reality. He focussed mostly on organic growth but did not lax on repositioning. He understood that it was vital and tactical acquisitions were going to be essential to achieve this. Subsequent to identification of growth platforms using marketing, technical and management resources, business was taken over expeditiously post acquisitions. In 21st century where people have kept technology at heart, Immelt had already recognized and emphasized its importance within organization. GE greatly invested in its RD. He wished to use RD projects in high potential emerging markets through his idea of Imagination Breakthroughs Immelt sensed in 21st century customers wish was going to be the order of the day. Hence he launched practices for IT redesigning keeping customers as centre point. Also, customization for product offer ing were provided as option to customer along with their technology services. Enterprise sales were fixated to enhance customer experience and add value to his business. By launch of such customer centric products, GE started stirring international markets. He offered local product development to suit the customers own market needs. (Popescu, 2013.5(2), p.15). Immelts strategies were tuned to external business environment development as much as could be turned in favour of GE. The organization was in a cycle of continuous evolution to match the 21st century requirements. In phase when investors had started questioning its business ethics, it brought in further transparency and started sending detailed financial reporting to increase brand accountability and confidence. Using its diverse portfolio as a vehicle, it aggressively marched towards growth in emerging markets in the globe to tap new markets all during recession and its recovery period. Rapid inter-linking business was happening, but, subsequently, it kept on investing in its RD aggressively to launch new products and services into new entered -specifically in untested business areas. (Yip and McKern, 2014. 9(1), pp.2-10). Immelts intuition to integrate customer orientation was also a reason to put customer value creation as part of growth plans to meet the needs of 21st century. He recognized the impact of spending valuable time with customers, building strong working relationships and customization. He needed to replan his marketing function keeping customer in the centre, this would involve hiring right people with the correct mindset to help him with his prowth platform vision. A key initiative was At the Customer, For the Customer, a six-sigma programme deployed in marketing, sales, and customer relations departments. GE also applied the same six sigma methodology to customers own businesses and used metrics to track their satisfaction and attitude levels. Here, we can safely say that Porters model of Value Chain is greatly reflected. Porters generic value chain suggests that by creating value in business we create margins for profit. Through use of primary activities such as logistics (inbound and outbound), operations, marketing sales and services and support activities such as infrastructure, HRM, technology development and procurement, a careful amalgamation could lead to good profit by way of value creation. Immelt did the same thing. He used the strength of the organization and channelled them for growth. He had in the strength side-the technology, huge infrastructure, strong inbound and outbound logistics, good RD, skilled resources etc. In the business environment of 21st century, Immelt knew that he needed to identify pockets to create profit so that he could make GE sustainable and profitable GE strives to excel in profit making using its four pillars of organization. They are Wide portfolio of innovative products and services GE uses its resources and capabilities well to continuously inflating its product and service offerings. Healthcare: world leader in diagnostic imaging: X-ray equipment, CT scanners, and MRI scanners. This has been area of growth. Continuous expansion is happening. Energy: oldest business was power generation. Along with this, it had a steady business of supplying equipment to the oil and gas sector. Immelt had recognised that energy sector was going to change for better with need of alternate and sustainable energy sources. This has been the core of growth platform strategies of Immelt. key acquisitions included Enrons wind energy business, ChevronTexacos coal gasification business, and AstroPower, which supplied solar energy products. In conventional power generation, the Alstom acquisition made GE the undisputed world leader in turbines. In oil and gas, a series of acquisitions established GE as a key player in supplying oilfield equipment and services. Broadcasting and entertainment: GE did go beyond NBC broadcasting and cable business but, by 2009, it became clear that NBC Universal did not fit with Immelts identification of GE as a technology-based industrial company. Technology infrastructure: This was the umbrella under which GEs growth initiatives took wings. In 2003, he announced that they were taking the company to new heights with few competitors. This was to happen with competitive advantage in big, fundamental, high technology infrastructure. GE also acquired Alstom along with its own electricity generation business to grow new platforms such as: security systems; water treatment and aerospace, where GE had already built a vital position in market in making jet engines as part of its strategy to venture into avionics. built upon its strong position in jet engines to diversify into avionics. the utilization of extensive research and development GE realized that the only path to change was by adopting the change by picking up new technologies and innovating them. It has strong RD.the implementation of an aggressive acquisition and expansion strategy (Leavy, 2014,42(2), pp.30-39) in order to grow and expand its presence it took over important vantage points. This rendered GE a tactical competitive edge. In healthcare, key acquisitions - Amersham (a UK-based diagnostics and medical equipment company) and Abbott Diagnostics (the worlds leading provider of in vitro diagnostics). In energy sector, key acquisitions included Enrons (wind energy), ChevronTexacos (coal gasification and AstroPower (solar energy). In entertainment sector, key acquisitions were Telemundo (Spanish-language broadcasting) and Vivendi Universal (film studios and theme parks). Alstom in electric generation and Smiths aerospace in avionics. the maintenance of the quality of their products and services by holding them to a Six Sigma Quality standard- Immelt stressed on quality and through Six Sigma embedded deep into the organization the value spread to customers too (Hinterhuber and Liozu, 2014. 57(3), pp.413-423). GEs success could be attributed to the fact that despite huge size, it smoothly adopts change in its internal environment. Through GEs Imagination breakthroughs started by Immelt, GE proves its ability to create and launch new ideas and innovations through RD and convert them to products. Technology improvement, innovations and strategic plans around it proves Immelts belief that only great products sell. Immelts assessment of his macro environment showcases his understanding of emerging global trends and selection of direction to businesses. Technology adds GE its competitive advantage. Not only that, Immelt also used the organizations human resources from different business units within GE to good use as well. He brought them together and intertwined their key responsibilities around the organizations goals and objectives to combine their strengths into a single focussed drive to achieve the growth goals planned by him. He revitalized the marketing functions at GE. Increased focus on customer experience, service and value creation and organic growth combined with innovation, helped enhance GEs business structures realign to complex diversified business while maintaining efficiency and performance throughout. Cross-integration across businesses, in-growth platform strategy added to enterprise sales changed GEs structure by 2002. The big units under Jack Welsh were grouped and brought down to 5 in numbers all of them focussed on broad scalable markets and had customer offerings of superior nature. The industries targeted were technology, infrastructure, healthcare, GE Capital, NBC Universal, commercial and industrial. GE built Commercial Council thinking about the benefit of its customers. As part of six part growth process, marketing and sales goals were also introduced, a lot of metrics driven analysis based on customer service were given importance. Such changes needed assistance of Immelt in the form of acquisitions to get a headstart. Development of such opportunities required expertise, coordination and involvement of several cross functional experts and cross functional units. These activities made the business environment further complex specifically in terms of gauging performance management as linking individual contribution to organization goals and objectives to individual incentives was not easy to implement in the organization. In terms of sales, Immelts strategy to integrate and make use of integrated cross functional business as part of strategy for growth made coordination complex and converted to enterprise sales instead of cross-selling. New acquisitions to fuel growth in technology and energy sections of business made the organization structure further complex. Thus, as is understood increasing complexities in business environment forced Immelt to adopt growth strategies but this left the internal environment quite complex to handle that solving situations required good planning and strategy execution. Also, GE needed to exit slow growth business and reallocate its resources to new businesses or existing business with high prospects. Divestments were also important part of Immelts growth strategies at organizational level. Immelts strategy is considered well planned out, hearty and visionary. In opinion of many economists, he should continue his pursuit of greater emphasis on growth with implementation of various initiatives and changes taken place in fields of customer service, technology and cross linked sales (Fawcett and Fawcett, 2013). The development of leadership opportunities with GE has poised GE to confront the changes in times of adversity with skills and foresightedness. GE has always been the CEO Factory as it has trend of filling this position from within its organizations. It builds its top management itself and worldwide businesses. When the time comes, GE would be ready with manpower and acute skill sets in its own people to lead the organization to growth. GEs already has excellent appraisal and promotion systems in place along with robust financial and planning systems in place which together form the core of its performance management processes. GE should target more risk taking erudite management and RD led innovations in todays business scenario. Also, it should make further plans to incise and enter new markets. Immelt should also continue divestments of some units (with low growth percentage) to concentrate on those units with higher competencies and potential to tap the future growth platforms of business. For a stronger position in market, it needs to get rid of slow businesses, redirect its resources to prospective business units without fail. The exercise by Immelt increased the complexity in business environment to gauge individual performance. GE could introduce competitive pay that would link all types of workers, help collaborate the corporate ladder vertically as well as horizontally. The combination strategy of Immelt to intertwine innovation and efficiency will provide GE the added space better than others to exploit the demands of changing business scenarios globally. (Campbell, 2016. Volume 31, Issue 2, April 1998, Pages 308314). GE must continue its focus on imagination at work and remain a high on technology organization. To drive innovation and customer orientation (Davenport, 2013), GE required a level of teamwork across divisional boundaries. Hence, it was not possible to match up the performance management system and internal culture of competitiveness. Hence, the relationship between GEs corporate headquarters and the businesses were altered. This is an important step to continue foster performance with right rewards. Immelts emphasised on value creation through exploitation of linkages between different businesses. This is one of the progressive strategies adopted by GE to assist in gaining competitive advantage but results are still to be checked out. (Hinterhuber and Liozu, 2014. 57(3), pp.413-423). GE under Immelts leadership became all about value creation (Cameron et al, 2014) using the different business units networks. GE adopted this impressive strategy to help gain competitive advantage but only time will tell the final results. Other things that Immelt could opt for would be preparing for strategies to protect GEs environment in case another crisis of financial nature struck the world economy. Add to this, new plans to venture and make new markets still as there are lot of untapped markets still around! Also may be look for new businesses altogether. Conclusion The report has covered various aspects of strategies opted for by the leadership at GE. It has proved that emerging markets among other factors has tremendous growth opportunities and this was well interpreted by GE and he dared to go to unchartered territories and paved way for others to follow (Yip and McKern, 2014. 9(1), pp.2-10). Innovation was not the word of the day during the times when Immelt decided to set up a strong RD front to counter barriers but as a visionary he deserves respect. In the face of recession and recovering from it, he directed to dissolve the established section of GE, GE Capital and chose to reallocate its resources. Immelt focused his efforts to build on customer experience. He had a forward thinking and improved upon marketing and sales functions in the organization. Also Immelt properly assessed his environment and made strategic choices for a progressive GE.( Doyle and Von, 2015. 55(1), pp.6-18) References: Cameron, K.S., Quinn, R.E., DeGraff, J. and Thakor, A.V., 2014.Competing values leadership. Edward Elgar Publishing. Davenport, T.H., 2013.Process innovation: reengineering work through information technology. Harvard Business Press. 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