1. What advantages or disadvantages will bring globalization to any Essay

1. What advantages or disadvantages will bring globalization to any small business To any large business To you as a citizen - Essay Example Globalisation in the 21st century is believed to have the ability to transform the political, economic and social environment of all member countries in the coming years. Thus, the paper tries to bring out the activities, both advantageous and disadvantageous, that result in general globalisation i.e. globalisation to both small and large businesses as well as citizens. This is the act of bringing together different people with different political, social and economic backgrounds and forming of one global community (Ghoshal and Bartlett, 2000). Behind the success of the process lies the economics of international trade, free market frameworks and investment. As earlier mentioned, globalisation encompasses integrating people from different settings, thus it bridges the gap between developing and developed nations as well as creates new cultural exchanges, business models, considerations and experiences within the participating nations (Ghoshal and Bartlett, 2000). The globalisation process began during World War II when Britain and USA leaders helped to establish the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank (WB) so as to encourage a capitalist world that is liberal and eliminate the Socialism and Marxism world (Nayyar 2000). Nayyar further affirms that the borrower of the loan from these organisations automatically qualified to follow the preset conditions i.e. reduce import barriers, eliminate financial backing for local-based industries, devalue their currency, put emphasis on export production as opposed to production for local consumption and reduce wages and expenditure on social wellbeing. These conditions resulted in a number of open economies developing a mechanism for integrating with other economies which led to the formation of the World Trade Organisation. Small businesses, small and medium enterprises or simply SME’s as referred to in the European Union (EU) and by other

The rise and growing role of multinational enterprises from the Asia Essay

The rise and growing role of multinational enterprises from the Asia Pacific in the global economy - Essay Example has been a new industrialisation market and has emerged during the years and has ranked third and is expected to produce a large number of multinationals. The emerging multinationals no longer are interested in being perceived as Korean, Chinese, Japanese or Mexican companies because they tend o be global in each and every respect. They aspire to act global, operate globally, think globally, grow globally and also manage globally. Most of the emerging multinationals are owned by shareholders globally such as about 52% of Samsung is owned by international shareholders, 71% of CEMEX, 57% of Hon Hai and nearly 545 of Infosys and 50% for the multinationals as a group (Agtmael, 2007, p.26). This paper takes into consideration three emerging countries which include Japan, China and Korea. Japan The MNCs in China, Japan and Korea utilises its resources irrespective of its location against it competitors and for its customers. It is not only moving the production facilities to benefit but al so breaking down the internal barriers, in order to benefit from the economies of scope. Japanese consumer electronics companies like Sony and Panasonic announced that in order to grow globally, cultural diversity is a must in the top management. Sony was the first MNC in Japan to appoint a non Japanese director and aims to provide the top job to the managers (Horn & Faulkner, 2010, p. 162). The Japanese firms benefited from the home market as they were protected from the home market as they expanded internationally. The Japanese firms followed organic growth in the process of internationalisation as compared to other emerging multinationals which has adopted different option from strategic alliance to exporting. The Japanese companies had a strategy which was very much different from that... The rise and growing role of multinational enterprises from the Asia Pacific in the global economy The business world is changing and it is witnessing the beginning of the end of the old economic order which for over the years have dominated the economy such as US, UK and Japan. The most important change is the rise of the emerging market multinationals whereas the influence and share of multinationals from the developed countries is on the verge of declining trend. The growth in FDI is due to many various factors and one of the portions of money comes from the developed countries but the emerging countries such as Brazil, Russia, India and China have also increased a huge number of FDIs (Capgemini, n.d, p.3). According to a research conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers, companies which are based on South are considered to put an impact on the global economy in the post recession. Firms from China, Korea India accounts for nearly half of the emerging and new multinationals among which China has produced the most number of new companies (PwC, 2010, p. 3). The following graph shows the emerging multinationals in the global economy. The company chosen for discussion is Toyota. The case deals with the globalization strategies of the Japan based Toyota Motors Corporation also known as Toyota which is one of the leading automobile companies globally. This case aims to examine the evolution from being Japan’s number one automobile maker to one of the topmost competitor in the global automobile market by 2003.

Education in britain Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Education in britain - Essay Example ey have a high standard of teaching, and efficient facilities that improve on the quality of teachings conducted by these institutions (Clughen, 2012). On this basis, almost every student who passes through private schooling will qualify for a place in some of the British prestigious institutions. In Britain, it is mandatory for girls and boys to attend full time learning until they reach the ages of 16 years. However, majority of students stay at school after the ages of 16 years for purposes of preparing themselves to attend university education, or for purposes of advancing their careers. In private schools, students usually finish their education when they reach the ages of 18 years, and almost all these students usually qualify to attend a university education at a prestigious university institution (Clughen, 2012). In 1988, Britain introduced a national curriculum whereby all schools that are funded by the state must follow (Smith, 2012). This national curriculum targets students who are of ages 5 to 18 years old. However, it is not mandatory for private school institutions to follow this curriculum. But, these private institutions have to prove that they offer an all round education system, and therefore, they are inspected on a regular basis. At state schools, every year of study has a number, for instance, primary education begins with year 1. Secondary education on the other hand begins with year 7, and majority of students begin their secondary education when they are of ages 11 years. However, in some private schools, children begin their secondary education when they are of age 13 years that is in year 9 of their studies. At the end of the fourth key stage that is in year 11 children usually take a series of examinations referred to as the GCSE. This examination usually comprises of between 8 to 10 subjects, and these subjects include Mathematics, English, Science, Religious studies, etc. At the fifth key stage, students usually take an advanced

My Educational Philosophy A Reflective Comparison Essay

My Educational Philosophy A Reflective Comparison - Essay Example An interaction with this teacher furnished me with valid insights into the fact that my own educational philosophy at this stage was in a nascent stage, a loose assortment of theoretical facts and unpracticed skills. After interviewing this teacher, I realized that teaching, as any other profession always happens to be an evolutionary and lifelong process and that a teacher freshly embarking on this mission needs to have ample patience and open-mindedness to accrue experience and to ward of any ensuing frustration or fatigue. One other thing about this teacher, which especially impressed me, was her adeptness and expertise as to the usage of computers and audio-visual devices to impart education. For this teacher, computer literacy happened to be a part of a modern and contemporary education system. Later on, after introspection and analysis, I agreed that computer literacy certainly enhanced the scope of education manifold and decided to make the available audio-visual and digital m edia an integral part of my approach towards education. I realized that though a relatively inexperienced teacher may lack in flow, young teachers definitely command an edge in computer literacy and digital expertise, which they can exploit to impart education. Interviewee II (5 Years Experience) Interviewing this teacher was soothing in the sense that he seemed to be quiet settled in his chosen vocation. Communicating with him made me realize that the personality and body language of the teacher does play a crucial and central role in the classroom interactions. The ease and facility with which this teacher solicited the confidence and response of his students was indicative of a deep sense of respect for the nascent and ingenious ideas and views of the pupils. After interviewing him, my personal belief that education always stands to be a two way process further strengthened. This reinforced my faith in the axiological aspect of teaching. I realized that though a teacher introduces one's students to novel and relevant views, information and ideas, still, such similar sounding concepts do have a divergent impact on all the students, once filtered through their personal beliefs and values. Hence, education is not only the conveyor of values, but also happens to be a modifier of values as well. Interviewee III (10 Years Experience) Interacting with this teacher was both heartening and disappointing at the same time. She turned out to be a diehard rationalist given to hardcore logic. Though, logic stands to be an inalienable part of my personal education philosophy, after interviewing this personality I realized that an excess of logic may blind one towards ephemeral aspects of

Development from Conception to 16 Years Essay Example for Free

Development from Conception to 16 Years Essay E1- The age group I have chosen to describe is birth to 3 year olds on their physical development and communication and language development. In this age range the physical development changes from birth where they generally don’t do anything which develops as between 3 – 6 months the child can hold a rattle for a moment, reaching for a toy, putting toys in their mouth, lifting their head up, moving their arms to indicate wanting to be picked up and rolling over. This development changes much more as when the child is 9 – 18 months as they can grasp objects, can sit unsupported, can crawl , can point at objects, start to use a spoon and self-feed, start to walk, start to scribble and build a tower of three blocks. Then at 2 years the child can draw circles and dots, can use spoons to feed their self’s effectively, can run, climb on furniture and use sit and ride toys. At 3 years the child can do all the stuff from the ages before but also turn the pages of a book, wash and dry their own hands, run forwards and backwards, kick a stationary ball and throw a ball as this develop is done with the help of the child’s family as the encourage the child’s physical development. The communication and language development happens because at this age there co-operation from early motherese by asking them to show you objects and then learn to follow simple instructions but their communication and language develops as first all the can do is cry and make cooing noises which then turns to babbling at 6 – 10 months where they â€Å"goo† and â€Å"ma† as the child blends vowels and consonants together to make tuneful sounds. Then at around 12 months this develops to the child saying â€Å"momma† and â€Å"dada† as they start to show facial expressions and gestures but can now combine sounds. From 1 – 2 years they learn more words so they can make mini sentences when they speak and manage to name things when you point to something, and from 2 – 3 years they can communicate well and manage to ask questions and say full sentences as at this age there is a large increase in a child’s vocabulary combined with an increase in the use sentences. E2- The age group I have chosen to describe is 3 – 7 year olds on their physical development and communication and language development. In this age range the physical development changes from being 3 years and being able to just learning to walk and run, walk on their tiptoes, wash and dry their hands, put a coat on and off and use a spoon to feed them self’s without the  food spilling. To when they are 4 – 5 years where the child should start being able to button and unbutton their own clothing, cut simple shapes, put puzzles together specifically for their age range, write their name, form letters, draw recognisable pictures, cut out shapes with scissors, draw around a template, walk on a line, hop on one foot, skip with a rope, run quickly avoiding objects and use a variety of large equipment on their own (e.g. slide, swings†¦). Then at the age 6 – 7 years the child should be able to join handwriting, cut shapes out accurately, make detailed dra wings, tie and untie shoelaces, hop, skip and jump confidently, chase and dodge others, balance on a beam and use a bicycle. This is because in this age the child is helped through their physical development by their parents, family, teachers and peers as they encourage the child. Communication and language development happens very effectively in this age range as at 3 – 4 years they are able to ask questions and be fascinated with answers given to them by saying â€Å"if† to find out what happens, say their name age address and be more accurate in speaking how they pronounce words. At 4-7 years the child tries to understand the meaning of words, talk more confidently and begins to be more and more fluent, manages to add vocabulary all of the time in their speech, begin to share ideas, begin to realise different situations and define what objects are, this is because in this age range a child masters the basic skills of language and masters the reproduction of most sounds. E3- One theoretical perspective linking to E1 and E2 is Chomsky’s theory of language development. His theory is a nativist theory as he suggests that humans have a built in ability to learn a language. Chomsky states that children have a â€Å"Language Acquisition Device† (LAD) which encodes the major principles of a language into a child’s brain. Chomsky’s theory also states that children are able to use language so accurately from an early age because they only have to learn the new vocabulary and apply the structures from the LAD to form sentences. Chomsky believes that they cannot be learning the language purely through imitation as the speech around them is often broken and ungrammatical. Even with extremely complex languages children will become fluent in their native language by the age of 5 or 6. A second theoretical perspective linking to E1 and E2 is Skinner’s theory of language development. Skinner’s theory is a nurture or behaviouristic theory. According to Skinner’s theory a child initially  acquires through an operant process this means that the child learns voluntarily without any external force so learning of its own free will and without any sort of pressure. According to Skinner the whole process is based upon 4 elements as it is stated on slideshare.net which are â€Å"stimulus, response, reinforcement and repetition†. For example a child will make a sound if they want something. If the child gets the response it wants they will associate that sound with the act or response and will continue to use it to achieve that response. Skinner believes that learning language is no different from learning anything else and anything which is lodged in the mind of the child becomes part and parcel of the child’s life. E5- for my observations I have done a tick chart, time sample and written narrative on a child aged 3 years and 11 months E6- In order to maintain confidentiality throughout the observations each child is referred to as child A, B or X rather than their names being used so that other people do not recognise who we are observing should they know the child. Each setting is referred to in a general form such as primary school, pre-school and nursery. The information gathered is only accessible to the observer and in some cases the teacher or a high member of staff if something is noticed that is either of a concern or needs addressing. Also maintaining confidentiality is very important in a setting as it shows respect to people so then they can trust you so if they have any concerns then can come and tell you. But if a child is at risk confidentially may be broken if a practitioner thinks child protection should know. D1- The observations that I carried out show that child A struggles to recognise numbers and letters in general. This may be because they are a kinaesthetic learner and is more confident in absorbing information through practical methods rather than through visual methods. This suggests that child A needs more help with their numbers and writing so to help we could plan activities to help do these which are more appropriate to the child’s learning style and suggest at home they practise counting and writing to develop on this to get them up to the same or a similar level as the rest in their year. Also the observations show that child A is not yet confident about showing and talking to the rest of the class at show and tell, this may be because the child is very shy which could be because the child is not used to being at the school yet and doesn’t feel confident enough as they might still not know everyone and become shy because they  have never noticed or spoke to s ome of their peers. D2- the observations in E4 can help with planning to meet the child’s needs as from observing you can see the child’s interests and find the best way to help them reach the next level of development or ways to maintain a desirable behaviour. Doing observations also helps early years practioners learn more about the age group they are working with so then they will be able to plan activities to each individuals learning styles and individual needs. For example the child I observed in E4 is not very confident talking to the whole class at show and tell so from knowing that I would plan for them to do group work with friends at first then try and mix groups so she still has 2 friends with her so they can make new friends with the people in the class they haven’t spoken to, to try and gain confidence to talk to all other peer’s in the class. Also the child turned out to be a kinaesthetic learner so while planning I would make sure there are activities to just get on with and do so the child can do activities that are to their interest and learning style as well as trying things that are not their favourite learning style but my help them in some way. C- Confidentiality and objective observation are both subjects that are seen as important; this is because confidentiality is very important in teaching and for practioners to keep confidentiality which means they can only speak of things they have seen in the workplace to other members of the staff or supervisors if it is a concern, but no one else outside of the placement should be informed. By using confidentiality we are assuring the safety of the child and their family. Also we are able to make and keep a reputation for ourselves and the setting so we gain the trust of parents, guardians and the local community by protecting information and the children plus working to a child’s best interest. Each child and their family are diverse as they all have their own differences so if we include every child in an observation it shows to be unbiased. The issues which are essential to confidentiality are personal attitudes and values, sharing information, safe storage of information, working with parents, legal requirements and polices.

Jim’s Training Needs Analysis Essay Example for Free

Jim’s Training Needs Analysis Essay Introduction In this case study the training needs analysis is lacking in job duties and responsibilities that create an unsafe environment. The training program is not consistent or is it cost effective in the trial and error method in backhoe procedures. Jim needs the organization to create a training objective in KSAs. Management needs to review the workplace methods in safe practices, regulations and work conditions that meet the goals and objectives of the organization. Potential Cost to Lack of Training This method in trial and error for a day to check an employee’s skills can mean they are doing well, but improvement is needed in their progress to determine their KSAs. Jim is adaptable to changing situations, but truly does not know the backhoe equipment, safety precautions, or the operating techniques of digging a hole. This type of training does not align in cost effective measures, the supervisor should observe and mentor Jim in his position as a backhoe operator and teamwork is essential to get the job done. There is no transfer of training to the task. It appears the organization is small and lacks resources to train their employees in new skills. There was no development phase of formulating an instructional strategy (Blanchard Thacker, 2013). The organization lacked high quality services, and continued to grow and Jim’s job satisfaction to a large degree is dependent on input from other co-workers. The crew chief and Bill Granger, gave credible advice, standards of performance and guidelines by providing proper instructions in operating the backhoe. However, Jim’s work quality was deficient in breaking waterlines or digging up underground telephone lines. According to Blanchard Thacker  (2013, p. 151) table 5-4 would have been cheaper in a training program, then constantly paying for the damage Jim imposed upon the company. It was as if there were no rules to work by, and Jim did not have a clear sense of appropriate behavior. In addition, his crew members were not happy in Jim’s operating techniques and they strived to get the job done safely and effectively. This type of non-training is detrimental to the organization, and can create a hostile work environment with individuals needing proper skills. Jim is performing inefficiently and lacks the application to perform the job satisfactorily. Recommended Methods and Training for the Organization The employee selection process starts with the job description. The employee employed is interviewed and other applicable testing for the position. This will include the pre and post-test method in screening the applicant according to the organizations policies and state, federal regulations. In addition, consider a ninety day probationary period. This would help the organization to determine if Jim’s performance, attitude, attendance measures to the organization’s standards. The business stakeholders want to know that the employees and training matches the experience, benchmarks and performance metrics (Saunderson, 2012). According to Saunderson (2012) the training needs to be transparent, solve problems, how to operate equipment and relay information and not provide redundant skills. According to Blanchard Thacker (2013, p. 155) table 5-6 verbs is transferring the training: Knowledge to analyze, cite explain and reproduce tasks. Skills to assemble, operate install and demonstrate. Attitudes align with the organization in commitment. Jim was deficient in these skills as the operator of the backhoe and the crew chief and team members realized he was not prepared for this position. Therefore, the TNAs would be cost effective for the organization. This means a combination of classroom and on-the-job training. The workplace training is to incorporate the latest organizational policies, procedures and state, federal guidelines. In addition, the training would be tailored to certifications, training materials, safe work conditions and ready reference  materials for the pretest/post-test final exam. Workforce training and planning trends today need to meet these objectives (Planning for people, 2012, Dec 29): Address skill gaps. Recruitment process, orientation, employee coaching, mentoring and development are specific and have compensation initiatives. Define goals in terms of human resource metrics, timelines and measure what is accomplished. Ensure senior management support. Involve management in overseeing the development of the workforce plan and it is linked to the corporate strategy. Ensure employees are updated/trained in new policies/procedure and are executed effectively. This would create an organization’s continuity plan towards the strategic direction. In addition, the organization implementation, maintenance and performance metrics. The Trainer and Training Environment The trainer and training environment will be within the workplace. This will eliminate any concerns that this training will not work at this plant, the boss generally makes those decisions and will better transfer the training to their specific job Blanchard Thacker (2013, p. 285). In a small business this is cost effective and the development phase input, process and output define the organizations objective goals. In the training and development process of equipment it will be done off-site to determine skills, safety practices and the actual physical operation of outdoor machinery. Throughout this implementation phase, the physical environment must be constantly monitored. This ensures learning has occurred. The learning process will be generalizability in jobs-relatedness and practice skills to the actual job Blanchard Thacker (2013, p. 294). The primary concerns in a training program is the learning impact, cost, time schedule without reducing productivity in the workplace environment. Therefore, the training program will be disseminated in advance throughout all levels of the organization. This will allow management, senior executive’s involved sufficient time to arrange employee’s schedules. This will be done so that work assignment can be adequately covered during the individual’s absence. The training will be evaluated and measured according to the skills learned  and transferred to the job. According to Blanchard Thacker (2013, p. 318) providing feedback to the trainer, can be used to modify the program and process to facilitate the training success. Conclusion The case scenario with Jim, truly demonstrated that trial and error method is not cost effective as a training and development program would be in an organization. In addition, when individuals are deficient in job skills it can create a hostile environment, lower morale and not encourage teamwork. In the above examples the best trainer would be within the workplace to diminish any barriers to the training methods. In addition off-site training for outdoor machinery would be effective in safe work conditions and actual operation of equipment. Jim needs the organization to create a training objective in KSAs. Management needs to review the workplace methods in safe practices, regulations and work conditions that meet the goals and objectives of the organization. References Blanchard, P.N. Thacker, J. W. (2013). Effective Training: Systems, Strategies, and Practices (5th ed). Upper Saddle River, N.J: Prentice Hall. Planning for people. (2012, Dec 29). Winnipeg Free Press Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1265594428?accountid=32521 Saunderson, R. (2012). Transparency in training. Training, 49(1), 134-135. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1020618237?accountid=32521

Islamic fundamentalism: Causes, History and Effects

Islamic fundamentalism: Causes, History and Effects BACKGROUND Filipino Christians tend to relate Islam primarily with the issue of polygamy and jihad. Their objections to polygamy and jihad are very striking because Islam is perceived to be equivalent to these two issues in the Philippines. It is viewed as a religion of violence and sexual promiscuity (a view reinforced in the post-9/11 portrayal of well-known Muslims as global terrorists in international media); and lately, has been associated with terrorism on a global scale. What accounts for the Filipinos understanding of Islam? Why do the images of Filipino Muslims or Moros[1] in particular and Islam in general seem to be reduced to its adherents presumed tendency for violence and vulnerability to women? Are these images the result of mass media reports or have Filipino Muslims historically contributed to such overall impressions? Are these images created by the historical conflict between Muslims and Christians in this country? It seems that all Muslims are treated as a homogeneous group in the eyes of Filipinos, but are there differences among the ethnic groups in terms of the Islamic schools of thought that they represent? How do they understand and interpret Islam? Answers to these questions could lead us to begin understanding the dynamics of Islam in the Philippines, which unavoidably cannot be separated from the struggle of Filipino Muslims or Moros. Religion is oftentimes used as a motivation for its followers to legitimize actions towards the realization of individual or collective interests. In the case of Filipino Muslims, it is reflected in the various Moro struggles or movements such as the emergence of MILF, MNLF, and most especially the Abu Sayyaf [2] The history of Muslims or Moros in the Philippines reveals how religion became a unifying ideology for self-determination against colonial rule and injustice. If Filipinos tell the story of their nation as a narrative of resistance, subjugation and oppression, and revolt and emancipation, Moros tell theirs as one of continuing resistance and struggle against both colonial rulers and the colonized Christian majority. In their eyes they have always been free and self-governing (David 2002:73). The dichotomy between Moros and Filipinos has shown not only the Moros restless and relentless resistance but has also signified that they did not participate in building the Filipino nation. As a consequence, they have found it even more difficult than members of other ethno-religious groups in the country to see themselves as part of this imagined community (See Anderson, 2003 orig., 1983 for an elaboration of the concept of imagined communities). It is unfortunate, according to Filipino sociologist Randolf David, that Filipino leaders took for granted the membership within the Filipino nation of the sovereign Muslim sultanates of Sulu and Maguindanao, trusting that the force of a common racial origin would be sufficient to establish a national bond. It is even more sad that Filipinos who took over from the colonizers continued to practice the rituals of power of the colonial masters, treating Muslims differently, aggravating social inequality and alienating them further from the Philippine government. David noted that every post-war administration has launched its own wars of pacification in Mindanao, just as the Americans did (UP Newsletter, Feb. 21, 2003). This situation has pushed Moros or Filipino Muslims to identify themselves as the victims of an unjust and unfair Philippine government. As a consequence, greater self-determination or freedom from the Philippine government has become the pivotal issue in their struggle. The sociopolitical background of Moros has inevitably influenced the construction of Islam as their religion. Although Filipino Muslims differ in their level of aspiration for an Islamic state, Islam in the Philippines has nevertheless been connected in the public mind to their political aspiration and struggle for self-determination. This is not without basis. Perceived as the solution to the problems of Filipino Muslims, some of their leaders have recently advocated the implementation of Islamic law either under the auspices of the Philippine government or independently of it. Charting alternative futures for Muslim Filipino masses, Islam has begun to constitute an alternative ideology. The kind of Islam that says religion is inseparable from politics or the public sphere is usually referred to as fundamentalism by the western world. Found in countries like Egypt, where it originated as a result of social injustice and lack of equal opportunity for Egyptians[3], Islamic fundamentalism has also gained adherents in the Philippines in the context of persistent socio-political and economic issues that have been the basis of the struggle of Filipino Muslims through time. In light of a changing socio-political environment aggravated by September 11, 2001 and the resulting War on Terrorism-that Muslims all over the world decry because it virtually equates Islam with terrorism, there is a need to find out whether the fundamentalist perspective of some leaders of Muslim movements like the MILF, MNLF, and Abu Sayyaf is shared by other Muslims. It is also important to explore how Filipino Muslims in the Philippines view the issue of establishing an Islamic state, as well as elements of Islamic law, the position of women, democracy and other related issues, in response to the stimulus of the global environment and social and political actions of a predominantly Christian government in the Philippines. It is the researchers desire to see the connection between the religious and political ideas of Filipino Muslims in situ and compare these in the future, to the ideas of Indonesian Muslims, that led to the interest of this student, an Indonesian Muslim, in finding tentative answers to the above questions. After all, there is no single person or institution in Islam has had the authority or the right to decide the one true interpretation of the holy Quran and Hadits as the source of Islamic teaching since the death of the prophet Mohammad (d. 632 A.D). This situation is quite similar to what post-structuralists call the death of the author. Islam is one religion but its interpretations are as varied as its adherents or those who read its texts. Such condition has produced different strains of Islam such as moderate Islam, revivalist Islam, fundamentalist Islam, etc. As for any other sociological phenomena, one would see that the perspectives of Muslims regarding Islam in general and I slamic fundamentalism in particular, would vary with the geographic and socio-economic realities they are facing. This thesis does not attempt to look at the views of Muslim Filipinos all over the nation because time and logistical constraints prevent a nation-wide study. It tries, instead to focus on those who have migrated to Metro Manila and who live in an Islamic enclave within the old central city. The economic problems in Mindanao have pushed Moros to migrate to Metro Manila for a better life. From a sociological viewpoint, the move away from the Muslim heartland in Mindanao is expected to result in the change of behavior among the rural migrants. Contact with strangers is seen as a potential source of cultural shock, as strange environments disturb homogeneous ideals. The migrants learn not only to tolerate the attitude and customs of other people, but also to accept insecurity and instability as a normal state of the world. These characteristics could potentially work together to increase the incidence of what Wirth (1938) called the pathological condition including personal disorganization, mental breakdown, suicide, delinquency, crime, corruption, and disorder. The same contact could also eventually result in secularization or liberalization, as contact with people from different religious persuasion demands greater religious tolerance. Another factor that could mediate the way Muslim Filipinos in Metro Manila would think and act vis-à  -vis Islam is the loosening of kinship ties. Communal solidarity is replaced by a more rational type of solidarity, the kind that Durkheim (1893/1964) called organic solidarity. The close-knit community in rural surroundings is changed in an urban setting, tending to individualize experiences. It is important to note, however, that these processes, which in theory could result in a state of anomie as institutions in places of origin tend to diminish in influence and new urbanized institutions are adopted, may be counteracted by processes that enhance primordial identities. The case of the Philippines and of urban Muslims in Quiapo is a good example of how tensions between individuation and secularization on the one hand, and solidarity around religion and increasing religious fundamentalisms, on the other, are played out. OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY This study seeks to understand Islamic fundamentalism in its human and social context, and to explore the impact of modernization and urban life (social context) on fundamentalist thought and practice among urban Muslims in Quiapo by abstracting possible observatims from the views of selected key informants. In particular this study wants to explore and describe the forms of Islamic fundamentalism of selected key informants in the Quiapo area and the factors that have shaped them in the context of the historical and social evolution of the Muslim community of Quiapo. This research also wants to explore the effects of the different factors, including urbanization, that shape the forms of Islamic fundamentalism and the way the fundamentalists live and construct their worldview ideologically. Explore further their views on the formation of an Islamic state, secularization, the implementation of Islamic law, democracy, and the position of women, among others. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY This study intends to contribute to the literature on Islam in the Philippines, complementing the studies on the window display enclave in Quiapo, Manila where Muslim migrants from Southern Philippines now live-a new habitat that differs significantly from the cultural and social environment of Muslim Mindanao. This study thus might not only enrich the sociology of religion in the country but also our initial understanding of urban-based Filipino Muslims, whose population is increasing significantly. More specifically, it will help us explore the modernizing effect of Metro Manila, if any, on the lifestyles, aspirations, and thoughts of selected Filipino migrant Muslims in the national capital region. Such an exploration would lay the groundwork for a systematic study of a more representative sample of urban-based Filipino Muslims in the future. Exploring the plight and worldview of Muslim urbanites, as gleaned from the experiences of the key informants, could also help enhance the capability of the government and Filipino Christians and those of other faiths to deal with the Muslim minorities in Metro Manila and in the larger Mindanao context in the spirit of greater pluralism. After all, pluralism is the aim of diversified societies in a rapidly globalizing world. Since the problems of Moros are essentially political, economic and social, trying to impose military solutions is doomed to fail anyway. No army, according to Randy David, can end this problem unless it is prepared to commit genocide (p.75). A sociological study therefore is a prerequisite to solving the Moro problems in Metro Manila particularly and in the country as a whole. This study also aims to find out whether the claim that there is no homogeneous ideology among Islamic adherents is valid. Like any other religion, Islam as practiced and professed is an interpreted faith. Similar to all other interpretations, is mediated by the socio-cultural context of the individuals who interpret it. Appreciation of the fact that there is no single Islam, hopefully, will foster multiple interpretations of Islam and bridge cultures to make for a pluralist and more tolerant society. SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY This study is exploratory and descriptive in nature. It aims to delineate how the Moro informants, with varying degrees of non-fundamentalist and fundamentalist Islamic views, as urban migrants constituting an ethnic minority in Quiapo, adapt and respond to the new social environment where they live. This study attempts to describe the impact of the modernizing process and complex urban life on the their religiosity (beliefs and practices vis-à  -vis Islamic fundamentalism) and aspirations. As such it hopes, as previously noted, to lay the groundwork for a more definitive and representative study of Islamic fundamentalism in the Quiapo area. Conducted in the Quiapo area among a purposively selected sample living in the barangays surrounding the Golden Mosque and Barangay 648/ Islamic Center, the study focuses on the everyday life of selected Muslims in a small geographic space. Failure to obtain permissions from the Muslim authorities to interview randomly selected respondents prevents the researcher from generalizing the findings. The conclusions in the study are therefore confined to the views of the key informants or the sample respondents and would not apply to Muslims in the Quiapo community, much less in Metro Manila. It is also difficult methodologically to capture the religious perspectives or worldviews of respondents because these have changed over time. Furthermore, for fundamentalisms that span both religious and political views, the contradictions between such views and between beliefs and practice do not make it easy to arrive at meaningful conclusions about them. The problem of attributing the observed beliefs and the perceived changes in religiosity to factors found in the urban environment is also worth noting. The study relies heavily on the reconstructions of the respondents of their biographies and the changes in their views from the vantage point of the present. Thus, the observed effects of adapting to life in Metro Manila on the respondents religious beliefs and practices as well as views on political and social issues may not correspond neatly to actual changes in these practices and views. At best the studys findings regarding Islamic religiosity and fundamentalism among selected Muslims in Quiapo and the possible effects of the urban environment on their manifestations explores and presents initial thoughts regarding possible sociological relationships that need further validation by future researchers. Finally, a major limitation of the study is the researcher`s lack of proficiency in the language of the Muslim community in Quiapo. His interpretations, therefore, are limited by the way he understood the answers to his questions or by the understanding of the translator. Moreover, as an outsider who does not speak the language in the site, he could have failed to fully capture the nuances of the spoken and body language of the respondents, and therefore, could not probe deeply into their worldview. Nevertheless, the proficiency of 80% of the respondents in some Arabic or English provided the researcher with direct access to their answers. Following the references cited in the literature review below, the characteristics of fundamentalism that were explored in this study are not be reduced to the violent dimension of Islamic fundamentalist religiosity which generally prevails in the mind of the Christian Filipino public. The study focuses on the views of Muslim respondents on five issues: 1) the tahkimiyah (sovereignty) or the secular state vs. Islamic state; 2) democracy and the implementation of syariah/ Islamic law; 3) literal interpretation of the Quran, 4) the rights of women, and 5) jihad. Focusing on these issues would allow the researcher to roughly construct preliminary segments of the worldview of selected Filipino Muslims in the Quiapo area and determine the level of influence of fundamentalist thought on them. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE The researcher draws from theories and ideas found in the literature in the Sociology of Religion in determining the data to be gathered and in analyzing his findings. This section brings together the literature on fundamentalism, city phenomenon and religiosity. Islamic Fundamentalism Historical and Doctrinal Survey One of the most controversial religious terms is fundamentalism. Within Christianity, Judaism, Islam and other faiths, the term is used to refer to the most conservative wing of a religion. Author Karen Armstrong (2000:12) in The Battle for God defines fundamentalism as embattled forms of spirituality, which have emerged as a response to a perceived crisis, namely the fear that modernity will erode or even eradicate their faith and morality. Bruce Lawrence in Defenders of God: The Fundamentalist Revolt Against the Modern Age (1989) views fundamentalism as the affirmation of religious authority as holistic and absolute, admitting neither criticism nor reduction; it is expressed through the collective demand that specific creedal and ethical principles derived from scripture be publicly recognized and legally enforced. Jeffrey K. Hadden and Anson Shupe (1989: 109-122), offered the following definition of fundamentalism: it is a proclamation of reclaimed authority over a sacred traditio n, which is to be instated as an antidote for a society that has strayed from its cultural moorings. They note that fundamentalists refute the split between the sacred and the secular that characterizes modernist thinking. It also involves a plan to bring religion back to center stage in public policy decisions. For Hadden and Shupe (1989:72) fundamentalism is an attempt to draw upon a religious tradition to cope with and reshape an already changing world. They both argue that around the world there is a common process of secularizing social change. This process contains the very seeds of a reaction that brings religion back into the heart of concerns about public policy. The secular is also the cause of resacralization(which) often takes fundamentalistic forms. From the definitions above, fundamentalism is seen as a radical reaction to the new social world (modernity) to the purity and originality of religious fundamentals and morality of a certain religion or faith. Modernity is viewed as a corrosive force making religious traditions less and less significant in individual and social affairs. The fundamentalists are anti-modern insofar as they are opposed to the perceived evils of modernity and their negative impact. To consider them anti-modern, however, is problematic due to the ways in which even self-styled fundamentalists are implicated in the culture of modernity. American fundamentalists, for example, come from a tradition of religious pluralism and the separation of church and state; the differentiating rationality of modern times is by no means alien to them. The attempt within different religions to go back to fundamentals and resist or turn back liberal or secular tendencies in theology, culture and society, regardless of historical religion-cultural origin was inspired either by a religious vision or sacred text. It is ironic that the globalization of modernity, with its power to change the world through technological developments and widespread communication in cyberspace, is associated with the rise of fundamentalist visions and texts. This phenomenon rejects the assumption of secularist thinkers that religion is a primitive superstition that will be outgrown by civilized, rational man. Some secularist thinkers (Marx, Freud, Nietzsche) confidently predicted its imminent demise. At best they said religion is a marginal and private activity, which could no longer influence world events. The world now realizes, however, that this is a false prophecy. It is true that modernity could undermine the essence of religiosity and to some extent strengthen its separation from social affairs. But modernity could have also created the fundamentalist attitude that reacts to modernity itself. The contradictory outcomes of modernity-the separation of the sacred from the secular on the one hand and their fus ion in fundamentalism, on the other hand, makes for the dialectics of social change, which hopefully will result in a better social order. The term fundamentalism has its origin in The Fundamentals: A Testimony to the Truth, a series of pamphlets published between 1910 and 1915 [6] that served as a point of reference for groups of conservative American Protestants early in the twentieth century (Lecher, 1998:197, Rakhmat, 1998:260, An-Naim: Encarta Reference Library, 2003). By and large this was a response to the loss of religious influence and emerged in the context of the traditional revivalism experienced in America during the early twentieth century. This loss of influence, coupled with the liberalizing trends of German biblical criticism and the encroachment of Darwinist theories about the origin of the universe prompted a response by the conservative churchmen. At the time, the authenticity of the Bible, the origin of the universe, the birth of Jesus Christ, the crucifixion as the way of salvation and the second coming of the Christ were reinterpreted by liberal theologians in a new way to accommodate new scientif ic and technological discoveries. In 1920, a journalist and Baptist layman, Curtis Lee Laws, appropriated the term fundamentalist as a designation for those who were ready to do battle royal for fundamentals (www.religiousmovement.lib.virginia.edu/nmrs/fund.html). Originating historically within the Christian tradition, the term fundamentalism in Islam has been criticized and its use is regarded as misleading. John L Esposito (1996:43) of Georgetown University pointed out that the term fundamentalism is laden with Christian presuppositions and western stereotypes, and it implies a monolithic threat. More useful according to Esposito are the terms Islamic revivalism, Islamic activism, and political Islam, which are less value-laden and have roots within a tradition of political reform and social activism. Garaudy (1991:1) might sharpen the suggestion of Esposito by saying that the term fundamentalism is not merely limited to religion, but is also related to politics, society and culture. For him fundamentalism is the worldview erected on the basis of conviction (belief) whether it is religious, political or cultural, practiced and indoctrinated by the founder of that belief (1991:1). Akbar S. Ahmed further criticizes the appropriateness of usin g and applying the term fundamentalism to Islam. As we know it, in its original application, it means someone who believes in the fundamentals of religion, that is Bible and the scriptures. In that sense every Muslim is a fundamentalist believing in the Quran and the prophet. However the manner that it is used in the media to mean a fanatic or extremist, it does not illuminate either Muslim thought or Muslim society. In the Christian context it is a useful concept. In the Muslim context it simply confuses because by definition every Muslim believes in the fundamentals of Islam. But even Muslims differ in their ideas about how, and to what extent, to apply Islamic ideas to the modern world (Living Islam: 18-19). In light of the objections and considering the need to sharpen the meaning of fundamentalism as applied to Islam, observers use the term rigorism or in French integrisme to describe fundamentalism phenomenon. Referring originally to Catholic traditionalist group, integrism aims to integrate all aspects of life into religion and vise versa (Nasr, 1987:304; Watt, 1988:2; Gellner 1992: 2). Fundamentalism as integrism would then refer to reintegrating a social order under the canopy of one all-encompassing sacred tradition. Salvatore called those who looked at Islam as both a religion and a state, the equivalent of French integrists, the solutionists/ conflationist. For this group, Islam is the solution (Islam huwa al-Hall) for individual and social order (1998:84). The underlying idea for Islam as for any given faith is to be upheld firmly in its full and literal form or free of compromise, reinterpretation or diminution (Gellner 1992:2). The positive view of fundamentalism as a term used even within the Islamic tradition is expressed by Abdullahi Ahmed An-Naim (2003). The origin of the term according to Naim should not preclude its application to movements in the Islamic, Jewish, Hindu or another religious tradition if they share the same salient features and important traits. The defining characteristic of American Protestant fundamentalist movement for the author was firm, principled, and militant opposition to the inroads that modernism, liberalism, and higher Biblical criticism were making into the Protestant churches, and the supposedly Bible-based culture of the United State at large. Islamic fundamentalists according to Naim hold sufficiently similar beliefs in relation to Islam and the Quran. Moreover Islamic movements in North Africa and the Middle East use the corresponding Arabic term Ushuli/ Ushuliyya to describe themselves and their beliefs, and not simply as a matter of recent translation of the American term.[7] The call to affirm and implement the fundamentals of the faith, as distinguished from its incidentals, is an established and recurrent theme in Islamic theological and political discourse, as can be seen from the title of the book by al-Ashari (d. 935) al-Ibanah an Ushul al-Diniyyah (The Elucidation of the Fundamentals of the Religion). Other scholars who emphasize this theme in their work include al-Ghazali (d.1111), Ibn Taymiyyah (d.1328) and Ibn Abdul Wahhab (d. 1787). Adding legitimacy to the use of the term fundamentalism in Islam, Lawrence Davidson argued that there are two reasons for using it in analyzing Muslim movements: (1) The expression Islamic fundamentalism has come into wide usage in the West as well as in the Muslim world, where it is rendered in Arabic as al-Ushuliyyah al-Islamiyyah. Here the word ushuli can be translated as fundamentalist. In fact, it is so generally accepted that it is now the main descriptive expression recognized by all interested parties to describe the Islamic revivalist movements. (2) The term fundamentalism is sufficiently accurate to describe Muslims who see themselves as adhering to the ultimate fundamentals or foundations of their religion, and also to a literalist interpretation of the Muslim holy book, the Quran (Davidson, 1989: 16-17). Following the arguments for the use of fundamentalism to refer to Islamic revivalism, this thesis applies the term fundamentalist to Filipino Muslims who struggle for the unity of church and the public sphere including the state in the ideology of the independent Islamic state and society for Muslim Mindanao. Scholarly Analysis Lawrence (1989) views fundamentalism in the context of a struggle with modernism and modernity. To clarify the active defense of God from the inside, Lawrence examines how actors bring the resources of their tradition to bear on problems they encounter. Aspiring to bring the kingdom of God to the earth as a whole, the defenders of God have become important actors in this global scene. From Lawrences analysis we clearly see that fundamentalism is not a necessary consequence of something inherent in a religion. As a code of ethics and guide to the people on how to live in accordance with Gods will, religions hold is either undermined by a modernity that directs people to live according to human reason and freedom or enhanced by it. Fundamentalism represents modernitys giving rise to a deepening of religious faith. As modernity eroded the influence of the sacred, Lawrence argues that the Defenders of God actively called for a return to fundamentals. Jeff Hayness (1999) also asserts that religious fundamentalists, feeling that their way of life is under threat in the modern world, aims to reform society in accordance with religious tenets, to change laws, morality, social norms and sometimes the political configurations of their country. From another angle, Risebrodt (1993) noted that the increasing inability of traditional cultural milieus to reproduce themselves under modern (concretely: urban) conditions is the source for the birth of fundamentalism, a kind that he conceptualizes as a radically traditionalist movement. Risebrodt considers fundamentalism as the failure of traditionalists to adapt to modernizing projects. One can conclude from the literature that fundamentalism emerged as cultural and sociological reaction or an antithesis to social change from pre-modernwith traditionalist characteristicsto a modern era. When modernity erodes the traditional values, which are the characteristics of a pre-modern era, and traditionalists are unable to reproduce themselves under the modern era, fundamentalism is viewed as a viable and possibly the only alternative to choose. Other observers saw fundamentalism as one of the symptoms of or religio-political expressions in a post-modern era (Ahmed: 1992; Ahmed Donnan 1994). In 1988, Richard Falk (1988:379) observed that ours is a period of unexpected, varied, and multiple resurgence of religion of political force. He asserts that politicized religion (fundamentalism) is a form of post-modern protest against the mechanization, atomization, and alienation of the modern world. Religion, he argued, provides the materials with which to move beyond purely instrumental rationality and address core issues of the current human situation (Falk 1988: p.382). Tracing the rise of Islam revivalism and fundamentalism to modernity or post-modernity, the view of Islamic fundamentalism as a form of religio-political expression in the postmodern era can be seen as a-historical and a-sociological. In fact the Wahabiyyah movement led by Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahhab (1703-92) in the Arabian peninsula, which is so often been seen as prototype of Islamic fundamentalism, arose before the European penetration into that area. Moreover the raison dà ªtre of the Wahabiyyah movement is an internal purification-that is, the purification of Islamic practices at that time. The movement was thus born not as a reaction to western penetration, much less to modernization projects. It existed long before the modern and post-modern stages or at least in the early stages of modernity. To relate the birth of Islamic fundamentalism merely to Western influence is therefore a simplification of the complex religio-social realities of Islam. In fact, the ideological awareness of postmodernism as a rejection of modernism is found among only a few Muslims. The sociological situation of most contemporary Muslims worldwide, unlike their Western counterparts, puts them in pre-modern or modern periods rather than in a postmodern phase. Only Muslim intellectuals would comprehend the failure of modernitys projects and the return to religious fundamentalism as part of a postmodern outlook. And even if they do, the rejection of al-M aududi (1903-1979) or other Islamic fundamentalist movement and the modernization of Islam is only beginning, making a postmodern interpretation of fundamentalism an epistemological question rather than corresponding to a postmodernism stage of civilization. Fundamentalism in Islam is more appropriately seen as an extreme form of Islamic revivalism or Islamic awakening in Qutbs term. If the orientation of Islamic revival takes a form of religious intensification inwardly (inward oriented) at the individual level, the intensification in fundamentalism is aimed outwardly as well (outward oriented). Islamic revivalism or inward-intensification has involved the escalation of individual attachment to Islam while fundamentalism entails high commitment not only to transform individual life, but also communal and social life. Hence Islamic fundamentalism is often esoteric, emphasizing more on lawfulness or unlawfulness based on the Islamic law (halal-haram complex). In this regard, th