Measure of Success

 

The measure of success of an individual primarily depends on his level of satisfaction or dissatisfaction. Satisfaction on one hand limits success while dissatisfaction on the other hand motivates an individual to move to the next level of accomplishment and success that ensures greater contentment. According to Mill, dissatisfaction is important to attain greater achievement and satisfaction and acts as a motivating force. In this article, the role of satisfaction and dissatisfaction being a significant factor of success is discussed.

Dissatisfaction does cause mental restlessness, however it certainly pays a rich dividend in the end. A discontented attitude makes more endeavors and tries its level best to reach the desired level of success and happiness. Happiness and pleasures to a great extent depend on the level of contentment an individual possesses. It can be said that contentment or discontentment is directly proportional to the level of success and pleasures one derives in life. When a person is contented, he sticks to it without making additional efforts that can take him to the next level of success and satisfaction. In a way, dissatisfaction restricts an individual to move to the next level of success and attain higher degree of contentment. It can be said with certainty that, dissatisfaction does play a decisive role in ensuring higher level of satisfaction but at a price of mental stress and well being.

When human attitudes are closely observed, we can see that our feelings, thoughts, views and experiences shape our intentions. The level of success we can attain is determined by the above mentioned factors to a great extent however it is up to us to what extent we can stay contented with the level of success and contentment we accomplish. Dissatisfied attitude can result from several reasons that impacts adversely on the above stated factors of personality. Being dissatisfied does not always indicate a negative personality or a pessimistic attitude. It can be positive if taken in a right direction, leading to great success, achievement and satisfaction.

 

Thus, in order to realize complete success and satisfaction in life, it is crucial that people  maintain a balanced attitude that compels them to make necessary endeavors and experience complete satisfaction of their accomplishments. People should develop their attitude according to their capabilities and intellectual strengths so that dissatisfaction does not affect their lives negatively. Dissatisfaction is often regarded as a sign of failure or obstacles but in true sense, it is an ability in itself that provides opportunity to excel and climb the next level of success by motivating an individual to make additional required efforts which eventually ensures greater success and contentment.

Natural Vs Manmade Disasters

 

Earthquakes are natural calamities that result in huge loss of life and property. They are caused by disturbances in earth’s crust that trigger sudden movement of plates inside the earth. Most of the earthquakes occur due to collision of giant rock slabs also known as tectonic plates that make the earth’s upper surface. These tectonic plates slide or collide against each other, and the impact between them beneath the earth’s crust is gradual and cannot be felt on the surface. However, this gradual stress gives rise to massive pressure between the plates, and when this energy is released quickly; massive vibrations referred to as seismic waves are sent. This causes earthquakes killing thousands of human beings and destroying billion worth of property. These massive vibrations are often generated deep within the earth’s crust, often hundreds of miles beneath the surface.

The largest earthquake ever recorded occurred on May 22, 1960 in Chile that killed 1655 people and injured nearly 3000 humans. Property damage worth $ 550 million was estimated and nearly 200, 000 people were homeless due to this earthquake that shocked southern Chile with a highest magnitude of 9.5 on Richter scale. Such higher magnitude catastrophes occur once in a century and cause tremendous loss of life and property. Earthquakes are measured by using a device called Richter scale that can accurately show their intensity and forecast possible amount of loss.

Japan Earthquake- 2011

A devastating earthquake of 9.0 magnitudes measured on a Richter scale hit Japan on March, 11, 2011 that triggered a massive tsunami of 23 foot high in northern Japan. The giant waves destroyed everything that came their way and caused massive irreparable loss to human lives and property. Cars, buildings, trains, boats, homes etc. were wiped out killing numerous human and animal lives. This earthquake caused serious concerns to Japanese nuclear plants namely the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station on the east coast of Japan which failed immediately after the occurrence of disaster. It generated a nuclear crisis in Japan as the reactor failed to function and exploded causing partial meltdown in the two reactors. Three other nuclear facilities also faced problems due to the unprecedented earthquake and nearly 200, 000 people were evacuated from the affected areas of Japan. The country raised the assessment level to 7 at Fukushima Daiichi power plant, considered as the worst rating on the international scale

The cooling system failure in Fukushima Daiichi power plant released harmful radioactive materials in the environment causing serious health and safety threat to the surrounding inhabitants. 300 tons of radioactive water continues to leak each day into the Pacific Ocean that adversely affects the marine life and destroys the ecosystem.

Radioactivity

Radioactivity is defined as a phenomenon in which unstable atomic nuclei releases subatomic particles. Only heavy elements of the periodic table such as Uranium, Strontium, Actinium, Polonium etc. are said to be radioactive due to the fact that their atomic mass and number make them capable of undergoing radioactivity. In simple language of physics, radioactivity is nothing but decomposition of unstable nuclei of heavy elements that releases energy. Due to instability of atomic nuclei, the nuclei of unstable atoms breaks down, and this phenomenon is known as decay of atoms. Those elements which undergo decomposition to form stable atoms and release energy are known as radioactive elements. Half life of a radioactive element is defined as the time taken for half of the nuclei of radioactive atoms.

Nuclear power plants are massive generators or store houses that produce large amount of energy that can be utilized for the welfare of mankind. The energy produced by nuclear power stations is a clean form of energy and assures us independence from the shackles of fossil fuel dependence. Uranium is a primary and most important radioactive element used as fuel in nuclear power stations. The heat released during the process of nuclear fission is utilized to generate steam that in turn revolves the turbine in order to generate electricity. This energy is sufficient to serve human needs and can be used in various ways for the welfare of humanity.

Nuclear weapons are an absolute sign of being super power, and every nation today is ensuring its safety by developing weapons of mass destruction and wants to achieve supremacy over its rival nations. However, in this race of building nuclear weapons, there is a serious threat to the existence of human race and other species due to the fact that any single action between enemy countries can trigger a war that can lead to the use of weapons of mass destructions which is enough to wipe out mankind and cause long term serious consequences and irreparable damage to our civilization. Facts reveal that there are at least 23,000 nuclear weapons with different developed nations. A nuclear war can cause a blanket of particles in the atmosphere, blocking the sun’s rays and destroying the vegetation and various life forms. This is in addition to death of people, animals, and plants caused by the explosive power, the radiation & shockwaves.

This topic is important for research as it talks about the natural and manmade threats and also warns us of the unexpected as well as expected mishaps in future that may pose serious dangers to human race. Expected dangers occur due to human mistakes in the form of wars and use of nuclear weapons that can cause irreparable loss to our civilization. This topic teaches us to be careful about the use of nuclear power and nuclear weapons and ensure that world peace and harmony is maintained at any cost if we want to advance our civilization and progress.

The example of Fukushima Daiichi teaches us to take precautionary measures when need arises and be prepared for natural calamities like massive earthquakes and tsunamis to prevent leakages of radioactive materials that can cause serious threats to various animal and plant life forms that survive on land and in water.

Nuclear power stations are giant power generators and appropriate techniques to handle and efficiently run them need to be implemented to ensure safety in the surrounding environment. My overall impression and thoughts about this project is that we must learn to harness energy in an eco-friendly manner and use it to the best of human welfare. Natural calamities such as Japan earthquake are bound to occur as contemporary science & technology is inadequate to forecast place and timings of earthquakes and volcanoes. Therefore, understanding human limits we need insure we at the least can prevent avoidable mishaps such as radioactive leakage of Fukushima nuclear power plant that caused severe destruction of marine life. It is quite possible that manmade disasters resulting from use of nukes or any other technology could permanently wipeout diverse species on the planet than the nature's fury. 

 

Aspects of Identity - 1

 

Identity is a very important aspect of our personality or individuality. Our identity is something that we believe we are. It is built, shaped, developed, and nurtured through knowledge, intelligence, experiences, environment, behavior, and skills. Each one of us has a distinct identity of our own that is easily distinguishable from others. In a sense, every one of us is unique because we talk differently, we think differently; we observe differently, we learn differently, we view and react to the outer world differently; however an important thing to note is that our identity is influenced by various factors such as the environment we live in, the family we live with, culture we are born and brought up, the society we live in, friends and people we mingle with, interests and hobbies that we cultivate over time resulting from association, inheritance or our own preferences and so on.  

There are many people who have attained the peak of success in their respective fields regardless of their family background, their education, or social status. Identity according to me is built and shaped by a variety of factors as stated above however personal choices and preferences have a dominant role to play in our lives that form an integral part of our identity. A book you choose to read from the shelf, friends you choose, your favorite movies, songs, the games you like to play, your hobbies and interests etc are so many things that reveal your inner persona. These elements play an indispensable role in framing your identity and character.

It is a topic of research to know and understand what exactly is mainly responsible for creating an identity? According to some research scholars, our culture lays a crucial role in building our identities. This statement to a large extent is true as we are constantly exposed to our culture and society in our everyday lives and thus become a part of it. We tend to incorporate the values, customs, norms, and life styles in our lives that our culture allows us to follow. However, there still remains a good volume of room for making personal choices and preferences in life that makes us distinct from others. Our identity is not known by our culture or society we live in but by the distinct identity we carry, likes and dislikes we exhibit, attire we use, complexion, company, knowledge and attitude we show to the outer world. 

The first sense of our identity is known or felt when we are in our teens. A best example to understand the concept of identity is a high school cafeteria wherein teens/students gather for lunch or short leisure and one can easily spot a popular guy or a girl among the group. It is easy to identify who is popular, who has many friends, who is reserved and sober and other fine aspects of a student’s persona just on the basis of observations.

It is important to note that some identities require peculiar environment while some grow in any environment. As for example, an Asian student may not easily adjust to the American way of living and may take time in making friendship, get along with people, mingle with associates etc. Here, it can be found that cultural differences certainly impact on one’s identity and may act as a barrier. Therefore, it requires time for a new comer to adjust to the host culture in order to settle and get going the easy way.      

A culture can be described as a set of principles, beliefs and customs laid by religious and social beliefs. A culture exerts a strong influence on people’s life styles, way of thinking and their identities. A culture to a great extent shapes our way of living, habits, life style, diet, attire etc. However, despite of such a strong impact of our culture on an individual’s identity, individuals often tend to make a distinct individuality of themselves through their peculiarity of thought, actions and way of living. According to many authors, environmental influences namely the cultural forces to a great extent impact on one’s behavior, attitude, and way of thinking and habits that eventually shapes one’s identity. In my opinion, this is a generic statement as it is the inherent and inner self that dominates and plays a significant role in making and building a person’s identity. However, this statement is an exception to the popular belief that environmental influences are much stronger than the personal preferences.

Influence on Identity

A good example of culture versus the personal influence on one’s identity is a group of students in a particular grade or class who exhibit a peculiar behavioral pattern, attitude or qualities. For example, studying in a similar environment, students show different attributes of personality that can be easily observed from their obvious behavior in the class. A student with dominating attitude will tend to command others by his language, acts and behavior while on the contrary a student who is studious and sincere in studies show very peculiar behavioral trait that is desirable and suitable to the academic environment. The former may be popular, less liked and less favored by the class teacher while the latter is less known but liked and favored by the class teacher as a studious and obedient student. This is a very good example of a group that is exposed to same environment, culture and society but exhibiting difference in their attributes and personality thus creating a unique identity.

It is very important to keep in mind that our reactions to external influences vary from person to person and one cannot expect a similar reaction from two different individuals. Since we all are very different from one another, our individualities too vary. In order to understand what exactly causes such differences in identities, it is important to know what identities are made up of. We are a product of our culture, habits, preferences, inherited characteristics, social influences and free will. In majority of cases, people who have attained highest success and given their greatest contribution to society are those who have always created their identities by themselves. They are the masters of their preferences, habits and attitude and regard social and cultural forces as less important. On the other hand, people who are always bonded with cultural and social forces tend to adhere to the common beliefs and principles seizing the peculiarity of their identity.

Aspects of Identity

Things such as our names, social security number, our finger prints, driving license etc serve to identify us among others and by distinguishing us from other people. However, these are just social norms to identity one from the rest. Our true identity lies in our persona that includes features such as, culture, color, race, gender, religion, nationality etc. These characteristics help in narrowing our search to trace one unique individual yet there still remain room for dilemma. This is because there are many individuals with the above mentioned features living in a particular place or region. In such a situation, how can one trace a specific person on the basis of these above mentioned features? For example, there may be two or three individuals who have a common name, color, nationality, gender and living in a particular place and culture. How can one trace the one who is actually required for the purpose? In a situation like this one, one would certainly require some more information about the subject that can differentiate one from the others. Even if these individuals have every above mentioned characteristic in common, they still greatly differ from one another in habits, interests, preferences, voice, attitudes, and other finer characteristics that do not match or resemble from the rest. Therefore, in order to trace the wanted, we would have to narrow down our search further focusing on the attributes that are uncommon, distinct part of their individuality and easily separate them from others. Identity identifiers such as their date of birth, social security numbers, finger prints etc is one easy yet effective way to separate one from millions. Thus, this example proves that identity is a very special phenomenon that requires special consideration when dealing with it.

Aspects of Identity - 2

 

Classification of Identity

In contrast to external identity that is bestowed upon us by the society in the form of position, title, etc we also possess an inner identity that reflects our inner capabilities, strengths, skills, talents, etc that plays a dominant role in our lives by constantly interfering with our external identity and impacting it making it recognizable, easily identifiable and building one’s identity in true sense. In reality, we all are made up of our inner identities that help others to distinguish us from others as inner characteristics greatly differ from one individual to another and help in easy classification of people from one another. One important aspect of inner identity is that it can be felt, realized, and experienced by people who are in close contact with the concerned subject and to understand one’s inner attributes and identity, it is important to know a particular individual for a prolonged period of time. For example, two good friends can easily examine each other’s tendencies, interests and preferences, psychological behavior, decision making capability, ability, skills etc just because they know and understand each other’s identity well and thoroughly because they have maintained friendship for a prolonged period of time. External identity is what we project we are while internal or inner identity is what we actually are. External identity is known and recognized by our title, responsibilities, position etc while inner identity needs to be understood being in constant contact. Two good friends, partners, couple, family, etc are example of people who know and understand each other’s inner identities as well as recognize external identities of their loved ones.

Important characteristics of inner identity of an individual are his intellect, emotions, psychological attributes, spiritual inclinations, interests and instincts, physical attributes, priorities and objectives in life and career, needs and wants etc. These features are responsible for building his core identity that eventually forms his external identity. Some other fine examples of one’s inner identity could go beyond one’s genetic characteristics and include various aspects of persona such as skills and talents, communication styles, learning patterns, collection, processing and organization of information, analytical power, sense of humor, analyzing power, etc. These fine characteristics form an integral part of an individual’s identity. This is evident from world’s greatest physicists, mathematicians or sportsmen who have no inherited history of intellectual genius or physical capability.

Researchers opine that despite of similarities of interests and preferences among students in subjects of common interests there is every probability that each of the student may be distinctly different from the rest in various other aspects of being. An example of this would be similarities in the form of favorite games or favorite teacher or a favorite tourist spots, however; they will significantly vary when varied other factors are examined. This simply proves differing identities may share their similarities over a matter of interest however they still differ in many other important aspects of personality. Therefore, identity is something that is a fine assortment of various attributes and characteristics that are cultivated during the course of life; learnt from experiences, knowledge, own thinking and instincts. This is evident from various real life instances of real people who significantly vary in their tastes, interests and preferences. For example, a white American may have no issue marrying an African however; on the contrary a black may have issues marrying a white due to various inherent finer attributes of personality involving interests, preferences, etc.  

Identity in fact is such a broad subject that it even encompasses finer aspects of one’s personality such as tastes in terms of what one likes to eat and drink, touch- what one likes to feel and experience, smell- what pleases and what not, sight- what one prefers in terms of color, designs, structures, shapes and sizes in regards to watching movies, wearing cloths, sightseeing, etc and listening- what one likes to listen to in regards to music, subjects of interest etc. Therefore, identity is a complex phenomenon that requires a thorough consideration and deeper analysis before one can actually arrive to a definite conclusion on the subject. 

Transformation of identity

Our identities are influences by the society we live in and are significantly altered by external influences on a constant basis. An example of this would be an extrovert individual who is given opportunity and scope in the society tends to behave more confidently and in an authoritative way as compared to an introvert individual may be successful in his domain yet has craving for social appreciation. This simply demonstrates how external factors influence our behavior, attitude and identity. Another good example of this fact would be a native of Africa migrating to Russia. In the initial period of time, he is bound to face several challenges in order to be accepted in Russian society. In real sense, his identity is being transformed from an African to a Russian. This transformation would demand him to adopt Russian way of living, speaking, diet, rules and regulation, behavior and following etiquettes the Russian way. He will have to transform his identity into a new identity in order to be accepted by the Russian society. This change in identity is a constant process as new things are learnt every passing day through experiences and regular exposure to the external environment. However, this individual will still retain his true identity with his family members, friends and people back home. This is a good illustration of how new places, people and environment demand new identities in order to be accepted.

According to the researchers one should always be aware about one’s identity, be self conscious and make attempts to build one’s self confidence and self esteem. This is particularly true when there is situations when/where your identity is at stake. The author strongly believes that identity is something that can be shaped, built and maintained through personal choices, likes and dislikes.

Aspects of Identity 3

 

Awareness about Identity

The fine balance of external and internal identities makes you a whole being. Our identities are formed during the course of our lives and therefore it can be called as an evolutionary phenomenon that develops over a prolonged period of time. Combination of one’s intellectual abilities, emotional and spiritual being with the social and cultural forces results in complete identity of an individual. As discussed earlier, both environmental influences and inner characteristics contribute in making an identity. On the basis identity, you discover who you actually are and not on the basis of what you possess or do. The inherent characteristics that constantly motivate you and create zeal within, urge about things and phenomenon, and frames your psychology makes you well aware about your being and provides that inner motivation to strive and accomplish things and goals that you want to attain in life. Once you are fully aware about your inner identity, you tend to show less interest in relationships, companions, connections, friendships etc because you know you are completely aware about yourself and without the outer influences, you are a complete identity. This process is a prolonged phenomenon that requires a lengthy span of time for one to realize that external influences cannot alter one’s core instincts and attributes of life to the extent that one changes completely. Your true identity awareness about yourself helps in letting you know what you are at the deepest core of your existence. This stage of life can be called as the first phase of knowing oneself and living a sentient life.

Without being aware about our core identity, it is not possible to be authentic or original. One cannot be original without even knowing the meaning of originality. One cannot be real without even knowing what real means. Our identity has a strong impact on our profession or business, relationships, lifestyles, preferences, etc and therefore it becomes utmost important to know and understand who we really are. Being aware about our inner self helps us in being authentic and making wise decisions in life. For example, when we fail to realize our inner strengths, skills and capabilities how can be determine our goals in life. One need to know what one likes before one knows what one wants. When you know purple is your favorite color, you would like to buy cloths in purple color because you know what you like. When you know you have the capability of singing or acting, you will obviously want to be an actor or a singer. Therefore, complete knowledge about you is an important step towards forming a definite identity and attaining things in life. These small yet important attributes of life build an identity that lasts for a life time. Once your inherent preferences, likes and dislikes are known, you are recognized on the basis of your identity attributes by your circles such as friends, relatives, family members, subordinates etc because they know the characteristics features of your identity.

Recognition through Identity

The aspects of identity are so important that a class teacher can name a student merely on the basis of the characteristics exhibited by the student. For example, if a teacher is asked to name the student who is dominating in the class, she can immediately name the students who always exhibit authoritative behavior in the class. She can immediately recognize the students on the basis of aspects of identity shown by each student in the class. If she is asked to name the most popular guy or one who has many friends in the class or the one who is too mischievous in the class, she can give out the names of each student merely on the basis of these finer attributes of their personalities being a constant observer of their identities. This simply demonstrates how our behavior, attributes and preferences can shape our identity and leave a lasting impression on people’s minds.   

 

Marketing Strategy for Dating Sites

 

Businesses today are keen to optimally leverage technological advantage by embedding business operations with the online platform to ensure diverse business benefits such as costs savings, instant communication with stakeholders, rapid decision making and implementation, and improved consumer service is provided to the end users. Operating amid a highly competitive business environment in an era of globalization firms today are well aware of the techno-economic advantages e-commerce and therefore have succeeded in adopting e-commerce as an integral component of their business. Leading e-commerce giants such as Amazon, EBay, and Google extensively leverage every possible medium of technology and ways to optimally exploit emerging business opportunities on the virtual platform and have always succeeded in moving a step ahead of competitors thus ensuring a sustainable competitive advantage.

Elite Singles is a globally renowned e-commerce site allowing elite singles an opportunity to mingle with the most appropriate single professionals of their choice using the portal. Being a paid service, the company ensures that its clients enjoy every possible benefit using their platform and have been highly successful thus far in building satisfying, rewarding and affectionate relationships globally. This report aims to investigate the marketing communications strategies employed by Elite Singles and develop appropriate and effective suggestible marketing communications plan for the business to ensure maximized profitability of the business.     

Current Marketing Communications Strategy of Elite Singles

Currently the marketing communication strategy employed by Elite Singles is largely internet based in the form of affiliate marketing and direct mail marketing. The business is also known to employ TV advertising to capture local consumers and acquire market share. The business has been successful in seeking attention of local singles and has been profitable in its marketing endeavors however with increasing market competition especially on the virtual platform there is significant need for marketing innovation that not only ensures apt solutions to consumer changing needs, interests and preferences but also guarantees a reliable, economical, and right option for the deserving. In an effort to target the most appropriate prospective singles in the region and reach maximum number of users the company has well maintained a broad genre of people to choose form and a highly interactive mobile based application that lets users to determine their perfect search in the region based on certain strict criteria of professionalism, education, competencies, interests and income. Elite Singles app is a unique innovative solution for millions of elite singles to find their love and get into a lasting relationship. Mobile based marketing not only allows instant access to the business and services but also offers mutual advantage to both the involved parties consequently ensuring a satisfying experience.    

 

Emotional Intelligence and Leadership Success in MNCs

 

Effective leadership has gained tremendous importance due to the inevitable role of leadership in shaping the society and quality of our lives. Leadership regardless of whether it relates to organizational, political, or religious contexts has been found to generate a substantial impact on the overall functioning of the entity due to the enormous power, control, and dominance exhibited by respective leaders that consequently determine the scope, direction, and success of their business. Anecdotal evidence suggests that in order to ensure success in undertakings and emerge as effective leaders modern leaders must understand emotions and psychologies of their peers and followers being responsive and ensure that rather than adapting a conventional aggression and dominance based approach they adapt a more cooperative, supportive, and empathetic approach strongly backed by emotional intelligence imperative for succeeding in a democratic setup. Modern leadership must aptly understand that practicing leadership in a democratic society requires incorporating varied perspectives, ideas, and emotions of people and responding to them in an appropriate, realistic, and creative manner so as to ensure best of good is achieved without losing the value and quality of leadership.

The concept and significance of emotional intelligence in leadership is on rise due to the need and inevitability of effectiveness in leadership functioning in a democratic setup. As majority of civilized societies globally are ruled by democratic form of leadership it thus implies that emotional intelligence backed leadership is indispensability today to obtain optimum value of leadership for societal welfare. This report aims to provide valuable insights on the significance, role, and necessity of emotionally intelligent leadership in context to organizational change management and innovation. 

Emotional Intelligence Defined

According to contemporary research on leadership, effective leadership in modern context implies application of leadership protocols through an emotional mechanism in a way that satisfies the needs of others, nurtures interpersonal relationship, and fosters work atmosphere. According to researchers effective leadership today ought to incorporate supportive behavior and optimistic outlook using emotional intelligence in order derive optimum workforce performance and reduced conflicts in work environment. The concept of emotional intelligence is gaining rapid significance across business organizations today due to the need for establishing team integrity, productive interpersonal relationships, and fostering workforce efficiency by implementation of desirable leadership behavior and traits.

Significance and Role of Emotionally Intelligent Leadership

Various studies have been carried out by different researchers to examine the role of emotional intelligence at workplace. There exist a strong inverse relationship between emotional intelligence of supervisors and occupational stress by. The author suggested that greater was the emotional intelligence lower was the occupational stress experienced by the workforce. The study further revealed that emotional intelligence was directly proportional to employee commitment towards their employer. This clearly emphasizes on the inevitability and importance of emotional intelligence backed leadership capable of delivering anticipated desirable outcomes. The outcomes of the study also simply implies that application of emotional intelligence by organizational leaders’ insured employee positive behavior towards employer, manifestation of desirable professional traits such as increased retention, organizational commitment, and improved tolerance levels which immensely aids in the process of change management and innovativeness. It is revealed that implementation of emotional intelligence immensely aided in fostering workforce diversity thereby allowing organizational managers to effectively and efficiently harness desired HR advantage by preventing cultural conflicts and attain optimized performances

 

Leadership in High Power Distance Cultures

 

          Post investigating plethora of academic literature based on empirical evidences and anecdotal evidences it is inferred that leadership in high power distance cultures does face significant challenges particularly in case of leaders who do not belong to the land. Globalized organizations operating in radical cultures such as China and Saudi Arabia have to encounter challenges in various aspects of organizational functioning and leadership practice when delivering their service. A key point to note there is thatleadership has evolved efficiently and favorably without many hassles in cultures that are similar to host culture of the leadership. It can be understandthat western leadership evolves faster and in a more effective way when it operates in countries that are secular, liberal, open to innovative ideas, and incorporate cultural diversity than cultures that are radical, fundamentalist, rigid, and unopened to meaningful cross-cultural interactions.Anecdotal evidences suggests that Australian managers find no major challenges in their roles and leadership practices when operating in UK or USA because of the socio-cultural similarities and demographic similarities that allows them to further improvise and refine their leadership skills abroad. On the contrary, USA or Australian managers working in China may have to encounter varied challenges throughout their career with the organization particularly during the processes of communication, people management, leadership practices, team working, training and development, ensuring performance efficiency, maintaining work discipline, ensuring organizational integrity, and fostering meaningful cross-cultural interactions among workforce.

          Evidence suggests that high power distance culture in today’s globalized society limits its development and advancement due to the linear path adopted by the societal or organizational setup to that lays emphasis on adhering to leadership protocols without incorporating people’s views. On the other hand, low power distance cultures enjoy autonomy and liberty at workplace and are able to leverage maximum benefit of their candidature for the welfare of their organization.  

          Based on the information and discussion about high power distance societies it can be inferred that such societies are conservative, lack superior knowledge and skills, exhibit narrower perspective and mind towards learning new things and innovation that eventually limits organizational growth and expansion. On the contrary, culturally diverse, liberal, open cultures and low power distance societies there is greater autonomy granted to every organizational stakeholder that lets them perform better, bring out innovation, implement ideas into practice for organizational betterment and eventually derive optimum benefit form knowledge, learning, skills and cross-cultural interactions.

          Anecdotal evidence suggests that leadership practice within a cross-cultural context in today’s globalized business environment can prove to be effective and succeed in deriving expected human resource advantage only by adapting and adopting local culture, social norms, and language in some cases to ensure any glitches that may occur due to communication gaps, behavioral gap or common misunderstandings are effectively overcome. In this context, this study is of the opinion that a leadership that fosters positive cross-cultural interaction and brings out the best of inter-cultural employee performance and productivity for common business advantage must be adopted by business organizations.

 

Australia- An Epitome Tourist Destination

 

          Australia, a hub of tourism has evolved tremendously over the years due to consistent demand for growth in the sector by industry stakeholders. Realizing the need of growth and enormous potential in the sector, the government of Australia has given particular attention for development of the sector to ensure every business opportunity is optimally leveraged for common and national benefit. The country is perceived as a land of enchantment due to various unique and outstanding features of the environment, habitats, landscapes, wildlife, and region’s flora and fauna. Rich biodiversity of the region makes it one of the most sought after destinations in the world that is attracting millions of visitors every year and consistently generating billion worth of revenue for the country. However, it is important to bear in mind that the country has invested substantial capital for the growth of tourism sector and has thus been successful in realizing the set objectives and goals. It thus implies that appropriate planning on developing a given destination with a focus on meeting objectives and goals of industry stakeholders is bound to ensure maximum benefits for all stakeholders since their needs, interests and preferences are aptly taken care of.   

Gippsland, Australia- A Tourism Perspective

          Gippsland, Australia offers a variety of enchanting tourism experiences due to the rich flora and fauna of the region, attractive landscapes, biodiversity, natural and artificial attractions, state of the art infrastructure for events management and tourist interests, national parks and various other venues and places of tourist interest and attractions. Gippsland being a hub of varied tourists’ attractions is specifically known for its rivers, lakes, coastline, and national parks attracting increasing number of visitors each year. Rich cultural heritage of the regional villages characterized by unique regional food, wine, and culture adds value and quality to tourism thereby satisfying the very needs and interests of regional peculiarity among tourists. Apart from cultural diversity across region Gippsland offers various enchanting tourist spots and attractions that mainly include boating and fishing spots, sport events, Buchan caves, Raymond island Koala Sanctuary, Gabo Island, state of the art shopping centers, event management centers, various creative industries that specialize in making of arts and handicrafts signifying local culture and rich traditional heritage. Thus, Gippsland has lot more to offer than visitor anticipation is definitely a land of enchantment. According to Gippsland DMP 2030, the region attracts over 7.3 million visitors annually that spend over 1 billion dollars every year in destination Gippsland. According to the report the expenditure of visitors in the region supports over 13271 different jobs involving direct and indirect employment. The Gippsland’s revenue represents a hefty 11.6 percent of the regional economy indicative of tremendous boom in the sector provided appropriate developmental activities are undertaken by the government in the region.     

          Gippsland offers state of the art accommodation facilities to visitors that primarily include holiday homes, 3 star rated hotels, apartments and other room type facilities. Data based on visitors influx and revenue generation shows over 46 percent occupancy rates with a revenue generation capacity of around $ 65 AUD per room. Thus, a need for more infrastructural growth and sophistication is clearly depicted by consistently increasing visitor traffic and revenue inflow in the region. It can therefore be said that Gippsland has ample scope for development from the perspectives of tourism and region economy. 

 

Tamilnadu, India- An Enchanting Tourist Hotspot

 

The state of Tamilnadu situated in the southern part of India is known to attract millions of foreign tourist from varied parts of the world. Tourists in millions flood into the state every year to experience the enchantment of the land as Tamilnadu has rich and diverse attractions relating to culture, architecture, religion, spirituality, and nature. Data on national tourism reveal increasing traffic of domestic and foreign tourist every year, a strong indicator of sector boom and consistent rise in employment opportunities in the region. Apart from boosting the economy and contributing to regional development the state of Tamilnadu has always remained a top tourist destination due to consistently improving amenities, infrastructure, and tourist focused services thus attracting millions every year.

          The state of Tamilnadu was ruled by different empires, prominent among them being Chola, Chera, and Pandyan empires that have significantly contributed to region’s culture, architecture and food. The state has a high literacy rate of over 80 percent and is the tenth largest state of India.  It has a total area of 130,058 square kilometers with a population density of 550 per square kilometer. Tamilnadu has a developed and highly efficient transport system that includes air, road, and rail networks and tourists from any part of the world can easily reach the destination without much hassle. Tamilnadu has an extensive road network with 29 national highways with grand junctions at Chennai, Madhurai, Erode, Salem and Coimbatore. Chennai, the capital city of Tamilnadu is the fourth largest airport in India which serves as a key point of entry into south India.

          This report aims to provide an insightful analysis of Tamilnadu from the perspective of tourism and covers varied key aspects of the theme.     

Unique Selling Points

          The state of Tamilnadu is globally renowned for its rich natural habitats, magnificent rocky temples, lakes, hill stations, pilgrimage, historical and heritage places, waterfalls, attractive beaches, and varied other things of tourists’ interests. The state offers numerous attractions for domestic and foreign tourist throughout the due and ensures an enchanting tourist experience. Following are some of the best USPs for Tamilnadu from tourism perspective-

1)  Hill stations- Ooty is one of the most beautiful hill stations that offers an ever refreshing, enriching and enchanting tourism experience to domestic and foreign tourists due to its natural bliss, serenity, and beauty. Often referred as Queen of hill stations and situated at an altitude of 7440 feet, Ooty is one of most preferred honeymoon destination of Indians. Ooty has always been a hot spot of nature lover’s since British colonial days. Kodaikanal is yet another attractive hill station for nature lovers that seek serenity and feel of paradise.   

2) Temples and Architectural Marvels- Trichy an epitome of culture, heritage, pilgrimage, and architecture the city of Trichy is the fourth largest city of Tamilnadu that attracts millions of domestic and international tourists every year. The city has various attractions for every tourism enthusiasts which primarily includes the rock fort, Sri ranganathaswami temple, Thiruvanaikoil Temple, Mariamman Temple, Sri Brahmapureeshwar Temple, Vekkali Amman Temple, Sri Subramanya Temple, Agaya Gangai falls,Kolli hills, Puliyancholai hills, and many more.

3) Beautiful Beaches- Tamilnadu has great beaches to its collection with Kanyakumari situated in the southernmost part of Indian peninsula that attracts high volume of domestic and foreign tourists every year. The beaches are serene, offer an enchanting nature view, refreshing and worth an experience. Other attractions include Marina beach, Mahabulipuram, Poompuhar, Elliot’s beach, Thiruchendur beach, Nagapattinam, VGP Golden beach, Sadras beach resort, and Covelong beach. Each of the tourist spots offer excellent amenities, conveniences and comforts for visitors with international standard services and affordable tariffs.  

 

Existence of the God- A Philosophical Perspective

Many scholars of philosophy have always debated on the existence of God, the Supreme Being that guides us, controls and manages the most complex processes of nature. The concept of God has always been a subject of great interest, argument and discussion among scholars of various disciplines as human mind with its limited intellectual capability and understanding about various processes of nature has never been successful in providing a definite conclusion on whether the existence of God is real. However, an important factor that determines the existence of God is the efficiency and effectiveness observed in the way various natural processes take place without any human interference. Since ancient times, philosophers, scientists and intellectuals have always argued and debated on the subject of whether God indeed exists without being successful in providing a definite answer to the question. In fact, this question is as complex as various processes involved in nature that simply emphasize on the fact that phenomena of nature are not a jumbled process, but rather a systematically designed unique plan.

In his philosophic works, a renowned philosopher Rene Descartes presents his perspectives of God and how the concept of God interferes with human nature and understanding. His controversial works on metaphysical subjects appeared in 1641 in the form of Meditations on First Philosophy. In his work, Descartes reveals how human nature and understanding interferes with the existence of God and alters the way humans perceive things and nature. This paper will provide insights on Descartes’ views on God and how human nature interferes in understanding the existence of God.

Descartes’ Perception of God and Human Nature

Descartes presents his views on human nature and the existence of God in a very understandable and systematic way. He states that human mind can realize the existence of God through detachment from the physical world. His detachment and interest from the worldly things let him focus and realize the supreme power of God that created nature and universe. He opines that without the existence of God, humans would not exist and human intelligence through its limited approach to science and knowledge can never be able to discover the presence of God unless the doubt of whether God exists is eliminated from within. According to Descartes, a unique perspective that is derived from complete detachment of the worldly interest is required to be able to experience and realize the presence of that Supreme Being. He further states that the unique qualities of thinking, judgment, perception and discovering the truth are all instilled in people by God. He opines that God cannot be an illusion when we are practical and existent. God, being a Supreme entity, has created us as perfect beings and the lack of perfection in the form of knowledge that lies within us is mainly due to man’s own inability to understand, learn and acquire knowledge. Descartes gives an example of a craftsman who with his unique skills, persistence, and practice masters the art of craftsmanship that can take a prolonged period of time. He opines that God has installed definite positive attributes within us and it is up to us to discover, develop and enhance those attributes of personality that reward us for our existence. He further argues that humans possess limited understanding and knowledge about the God while God, on the contrary, has infinite capability, knowledge and understanding about each and everything that lasts in this universe.

Evidence of God’s Existence

Descartes strongly emphasizes on the capability of mind to perceive things that are not easily visible to our eyes and discards the belief that what does not appear, does not exist. According to him, our senses help us measure, judge, perceive and interpret things that have different sizes, colors, tastes, feelings and experiences. He opines that God, being a Supreme Being, cannot be judged by senses but only through our mind. Our mind is equipped with superior intelligence that can perceive things beyond our senses and has the potential to understand and interpret phenomena that are invisible and existent in universe. For example, the air that we breathe is indispensable to life that cannot be seen, yet exists; the atoms are invisible, yet atomic bombs are capable of destroying the world; the flow of invisible electrons through metallic conductors that provide electricity and many microscopic to macroscopic examples simply emphasize the fact that when these invisible powers can run or ruin our civilization, so does God, being a supreme power, exist.

          Descartes attempts to explain the existence of God providing some good examples of geometrical figures and explaining the co-relation between a geometric figure and its unique characteristics and how they are inseparable from each other. Applying this principle to the existence of God, Descartes states that God exists because of million truths that exist in nature in the form of their unique properties and forms. So, God exists and the idea of God and his existence is inseparable from each other emphasizing that there is a supreme being who possesses infinite power and everlasting capabilities

 

 

Power of Meditation

  

Meditation can be defined as an art of quieting the mind. Meditation is an effective technique to unlock inherent power of the mind and the spirit to attain a focussed way of life. It mainly refers to renewal of our finer abilities related to spiritual self, physical self, emotional self, and psychological self. Since we all have inherent energies in varying limits, it is necessary to rejuvenate and balance these energies frequently in order to effectively perform normal activities with efficacy. Each of the above four components requires separate activities or exercises for empowerment and therefore it is essential to adopt different activities that can boost these capabilities enabling us to utilize our inherent power to the optimal limit. For example, meditation provides certain positive and lasting effect on emotional level and psychological level allowing us to understand the fundamentals of life, empowering our inner self, enabling us to see things that seemed to be impossible before, refine our capabilities, build peace and confidence, improve memory and cure many ailments such as insomnia, indecisiveness, etc. relating to emotional or psychological phenomenon. Meditation not only works on the emotional and mental level but also has a powerful influence on the spiritual level. There are many good examples of great personalities such as Swami Vivekananda who attained highest levels of enlightenment through regular practice of meditation. Like meditation, physical exercises can provide bodily strength, flexibility, boost immunity and stamina, and also enhance mental capability to some extent helping people to stay fit, resist common ailments like fatigue, depression, bodily pains, and build a sense of accomplishment as any physical activity that we perform builds a sense of achievement and confidence within us. Therefore, it is strongly suggested that meditation and exercises are adopted as habits and an indispensable component of personality since it directly influences out capability to perform mental, emotional, and physical tasks. I being a professional regularly practice meditation and engage myself in some physical activity such as exercises and brisk walking that helps me in staying fit and provides renewal to all the important components of self.