Continued on the next page  GUIDELINES FOR WRITING

GUIDELINES FOR WRITING ASSIGNMENT 02
Deadline: Thursday, December 20, by 11:59pm
The main objective of this assignment is provide students with
an opportunity to develop the skill of critical
thinking, which, according to the Montclair University General
Education Program website,1 includes: “the ability
to correctly evaluate their own arguments as well as the
conclusions of others. This skill involves the application
of healthy skepticism, determination of factual errors, and the
detection of problems and/or inconsistencies in
logic and reasoning.” In a 1250-word essay, students will
analyze the core ideas of an influential ancient Greek
text (in translation), evaluate its significance, forms of
reasoning employed in the text, validity of the logic, ideas
and concepts presented in the text. Students will form their own
opinions and conclusions about the ancient
Greek text based on such evaluation.
Instructions: Consider an excerpt from the History of the
Peloponnesian War of Thucydides (choose one of the options
below). Analyze the main concepts and ideas presented in the
text according to the specific guidelines in Options 1 and 2
below. Evaluate the validity of the arguments presented in the

text. Support your arguments with concrete examples from the
text.
OPTION 1: Pericles’ funeral oration: What is democracy?
Reread Pericles’ funeral oration in Thucydides 2.35-46, and
answer the following question: What specific
cultural values, lifestyle choices, and forms of social and
political organization and functioning does Pericles
consider an integral part of a democracy? In your answer to the
question above, be sure to also address the
following questions (not necessarily in the same order) and
support your answer with the evidence from the text:
(1) If modern criteria of evaluation were applied to Pericles’
view of democracy, would ancient Athens still
be considered a democratic state?
(2) Are there gaps and/or flaws in Pericles’ characterization of
democracy?
(3) Do the main principles of democracy outlined by Pericles
correspond to the modern (or your own)
understanding of equality and justice?
(4) In what specific ways, according to Pericles, is Athenian
democracy able to favor both individual rights
and the interests of the community?

1 https://goo.gl/MgYeJ6
OPTION 2: The Realpolitik2 of the Melian dialogue: Justice vs.
Expediency.
Reread the Melian Dialogue in Thucydides 5.84-116. Imagine
that you are an Athenian who attended a
popular assembly in 416 BCE. The Athenian envoys have just
reported on the course and results of the
negotiations with the Melians. Imagine yourself going to the
podium to defend one of the two opposing claims:
either
The Athenians’ demand that Melos should become a part of the
Athenian Empire is fully
justified, it is the right course for the Athenians to force Melos
into submission;
or
The Athenian arguments explaining their right to establish
dominance over the Melians are
flawed; it is not proper for the Athenians to force Melos into
submission.
Be sure to refer to the specific arguments made by both parties,
as presented in Thucydides. What are
these arguments exactly? Are they valid or flawed in some way?
Do the Athenian demands bear witness to
disintegration of morals and democratic values of Athens or are
they justified (at least to some degree),
considering the circumstances? Remember, there is no right or
wrong choice here.

Formal requirements:
(1) You must choose one of the options provided above. If you
would like to work on another topic
connected to these two fragments in Thucydides, you must
consult with me in advance.
(2) Read this carefully. Do not quote extensively to use up
space. This will lower your grade. Rely on
paraphrases or brief quotes, only where appropriate. When
quoting, provide references not to the page
numbers, but to the specific places in the text, e.g., Thuc. 2.40
(this means: Thucydides, book 2,
section 40. Sections are numbered in the text that I have
provided. We have only one work of
Thucydides, so specifying “History of the Peloponnesian War”
is not necessary every time.) If you are
working on the Melian dialogue (it’s taken from book five of
Thucydides’ work), your references will
look like this: Thuc. 5.84.
(3) Minimum: 1250 words; maximum: 1300 words.
(4) Deadline: Thursday, December 20, by 11:59pm. No further
extensions will be granted.
(5) Early deadline: Monday, December 3. You will receive
comments and will be able to resubmit your
work, if needed.
(6) Submit a .docx or .pdf file on Canvas.
(7) Read this carefully. You must demonstrate a close
familiarity with one of the assigned fragments in
Thucydides. No other research is expected. I encourage you to
express your own ideas rather than rely

on somebody else’s interpretations. For this particular
assignment, using any type of outside sources
will negatively affect your essay and your grade.
Grading criteria are in accordance with the requirements of
Montclair University’s GenEd program and are
outlined at the bottom of this document: https://goo.gl/uFyqyy .
Note on plagiarism. I shall watch very closely for any attempts
at plagiarism. All borrowings must be
acknowledged. If you borrow ideas from printed or Internet
resources, please acknowledge such borrowing, even
if you are not quoting them directly. Please be aware that
writing down the words narrated in a documentary or
any other digital media without proper acknowledgment is still
considered plagiarism. Please note that if you
borrow someone else’s work without proper acknowledgment, it
is still considered plagiarism even if you now and
then change the original words for their synonyms (=the words
with the same meaning) or change sentence
structure.
2 According to Merriam-Webster dictionary, a system of
politics based on a country’s situation and its needs rather than
on ideas about what is morally right and wrong.
https://goo.gl/uFyqyy
Credit Award
3 UD
Subtopic 1:

Subtopic 2:
Subtopic 3:
Subtopic 4:
Subtopic 5:
Subtopic 6:
Course Title General Education
International Business Issues Humani ties
Course Description
Transcultural issues or social patterns as they relate to the
conduct of business and management, and to the
creation of wealth. The following subtopics are to be addressed:
cultural values
traditions
environmental factors
work ethic
economic structure
authority
Possible Course Duplication
This course may duplicate courses of similar content.

Possible Documentation
Professional letter, 2 or more personal letters, proof of
significant travel to other countries for business, or
certificate of completion for course of similar content
Inside ReligionInternational Business Issues
Experiential Learning Essay Template
Experiential Learning Essay Template
Review this check list in prior to submitting your experiential
learning essay. If you have completed all of the items listed
below, you are ready to submit your essay. Keep in mind, your
evaluator may still request additional material, however, the list
below will guide in your essay submission preparations. Not
adhering to these guidelines will cause a delay in processing.
** Review each of the items below and check if you have
completed each of them:
1. I have selected an approved essay topic from the essay course
descriptions page.
http://www.phoenix.edu/admissions/prior_learning_assessment/
experiential-essays/essay-topics.html
2. Some essays have specific experience requirements. I have
checked the essay description and I meet all of the experience
requirements listed.
3. I have written and included a 1,500 to 2,100 word
autobiography; autobiography is only required with first
Experiential Learning Essay, subsequent essays do not require
additional autobiographies.

4. I have written an experiential essay: 3,000 to 4,500 words for
3 credit essay
5. My essay is written in first person (1st) without references.
6. I have written to all four (4) areas of Kolb’s model of
learning.
7. I have addressed all of the required subtopics in each of the
four areas of Kolb’s model of learning.
8. I have included supporting documentation that validates my
personal/professional experience with the essay course
description/topic.
9. My essay is based on personal, life learning experiences, not
based on research, history, or another individual’s learni ng
experiences.
Kolb’s Model
Below is a description of Kolb’s Model. All experiential essays
must be written following Kolb’s Model. Below
you will find the four sections of Kolb’s Model, a brief
description of the section, and a sample of how that
section should be addressed. The samples are pulled from the
sample essay found on the PLA website, and it is recommended
that you review the sample essay for a more complete example
of how to write an experiential essay in Kolb’s Model. The
words on this page do not count toward the essay length
requirement.
1. Description of Concrete Experience
Description: Concrete experience represents your personal
participation with the people, places, activities, and events of an
experience. You should describe your involvement relative to
the experience, demonstrating the opportunity for learning.
Sample: My career in public relations started off as a staff
assistant in the Public Information Office of a community
college system. After two years of on-the-job training, I was
promoted to the position of community relations officer.
2. Reflections
Description: Reflections represent your thinking and processing

relative to the experience. You should demonstrate your
learning by describing the knowledge, skills, and attitudes
developed through the reflective process.
Sample: I have observed that some organizations are very good
at garnering free publicity. They appear at local events and
frequently appear as experts in television and newspaper
interviews.
3. Generalizations/Principles/Theories
Description: Generalizations, principles, and theories are
constructs that organize and guide academic learning. A typical
college course is built around several such generalizations,
principles, and/or theories.
In this stage, you identify and describe the generalizations,
principles, and/or theories to demonstrate your learning
outcomes. These learning outcomes result from analyzing and
reflecting on your experience. The generalizations, principles,
and/or theories should be comparable to those addressed in
typical college courses and should match the course description
selected.
Sample: Whether working with large or small one-owner
organizations, it makes no difference in establishing rules,
guidelines, or policies regarding image and public relations.
Developing a detailed plan of action makes it much easier to
schedule and implement appropriate applicable strategies.
4. Testing and Application
Description: Testing and/or application represent situations in
which the new learning can be used. You should describe how
you did, or could in the future, test and/or apply what you
learned.
Sample: A fun promotional idea that emerged as a by-product
profit center for the bookstore was t-shirts.
We printed t-shirts with the bookstore logo on the back with
advertisements for the bookstore on the front.
Name:
Date:

Individual Record Number:
Approved Essay Title:
Enter your name, the date, your IRN, and the approved essay
title of the essay topic you have chosen from the
PLA website. When you are ready to begin writing the essay,
type out the essay subtopics as they appear in the essay course
description, and follow the four steps of Kolb’s model.
Describe the experiences that taught you about the subtopic,
reflect on that experience, explain the principles learned, and
then explain how those principles were tested and applied. You
are then ready to move on to the next subtopic. Follow this
process until you meet the length requirement, and have
addressed all required subtopics. *Word count begins at the first
subtopic.
Subtopic (1):
Description of Concrete Experience:
Reflections:
Generalizations, Principles and Theories:
Testing and Application:
Subtopic (2):
Reflections:
Subtopic (3):
Reflections:

Subtopic (4):
Reflections:
Subtopic (5):
Reflections:
Subtopic (6):
Reflections:
Page | 4
Running head: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS ISSUES
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS ISSUES 13
International business issues
Name:
Institution:

Course:
Date:
Autobiography
My name is Tavara Morris. I was born on the 30th of April 1983
in Chicago IL. Donald and Paula Morris are my parents. My
mother succumbed to cancer in October 2015 while my father is
still alive. My mother and father were married for 35 years
before her death. My parents were alcoholic since I was born a
habit that seems to put my family under a lot of distress. Being
a person of good behavior, I decided never to follow my
father’s habit and have always stayed away from drugs and
substance abuse. However, it is worth appreciating that since
the death of my mother, the habit of my dad greatly changed
and his level of self and family responsibility enhanced thus
reducing the psychological impact of my mother’s death to the
family. I have two siblings, a sister and a brother. I am the
younger with my sister being eleven years older and the brother
being thirteen years older than me. We may normally have little
family issues as it is always with most families in this country
but we always push our lives through the positive directions we
desire. At the moment, I consider myself to be from a family
where everyone is an adult and makes his or her own decisions
in a manner that suits him. However, being the youngest, I can
always consult them on some issues.
Despite the alcoholic nature of my parents, they seemed to work
together in raising this family. I know as a family we faced
some challenges because if their behavior but to them,
everything was just fine. My family was somehow unique in
itself. I was my mother who always worked as my father stayed

home and helped with the daily household activities. It seemed
odd to most of my friends and I also never understood this
concept well, but it worked well for them and for the family
too. I always feel that I had a typical childhood where despite
the challenges we faced as a family, I was taken care of by the
father. Or at least I would say my mother undertook the
financial responsibility as my father performed the parental
responsibilities. At times during my childhood, I imagined what
life would be without one f the parents, dead or may be
separated. I came to feel the effect when my mother died. In
fact, I realized that even with the alcoholism in the family, it
seemed functional to me during my entire childhood.
I would say that I did not grow up with my elder brother and
sister and it was not that interesting to me. However, my mother
had to take care of four of her grandchildren since my two
siblings were just irresponsible. They were always out of home
leaving us with the nephews. For his master, the nephews were
more of a sibling to me than my real brother and sister. In fact,
it is always the case with most people that the persons with
whom you live together and grow up with usually tend to be
closer siblings despite the possibility of no blood linking them.
I grew fond of my nephews and have always been close to them
an aspect that seems not to make my siblings happy. In fact, I
fi9nd is easier calling my nephews when I have issues I need to
share with someone that I find it calling either my brother or
sister.
I topped the entire class that we graduated with. I attempted
going to college directly but lacked focus and did not succeed in
the same. I, however, managed to find my way out and
proceeded to college, completed and got my first degree. In my
family, I am the first person ever to graduate and become a
degree holder. I always feel proud of myself for working hard to
achieve the dreams I always had of one day owning a college
certificate. I always felt that despite the falls I may experience
in the course of life, at one point I was going to succeed in my
education. Today I feel I have tried hard to achieve that dream.

I do not plan to end my education at some level; I have plans of
forever continuing my education provided that my brain
capacity and financial capability can still allow me to continue
studying. I am a licensed practice nurse currently working with
one of the primary health insurance providers in the State of
Illinois. Before becoming an LPN, I received my associate’s
degree in business from the University of Phoenix. I look
forward to advancing in my healthcare career; I prefer to do
Public Health or Healthcare administration/informatics. I
always dreamed of being the administrator or director of a
hospital.
I have been in marriages and already have three daughters. I
would say they are all a blessing to me. Other may feel
disadvantaged to only have girls but for me, I thank God for
them. Giving birth was an amazing experience I have ever had
in my entire life. My first daughter, Lyric Angel was just but an
angel as the name suggests. Born on the Thanksgiving Day, she
appeared the most beautiful turkey I have ever seen. At birth,
she weighed seven pounds and seven ounces. She was 20 inches
long. . I remember having to immediately be rushed to ICU
because I had a fever at the time she was born so they needed to
ensure she was healthy. After my first child, life took another
dimension. I was actually a mother and before long there I was
in February 20th 2008. It was during this time that realized that
my responsibility had just graduated from that of my husband
and daughter but to another child. This was the day I gave birth
to my second daughter. Zynia Aaliyah, my second daughter
weighed six pounds and eleven ounces. She was eighteen inches
long. As small as she was, I did not use a lot of force to deliver
her. She became my second reason to push for life. I then gave
birth to my third and final baby on the 22nd of April 2012.She
weighed six pounds and six ounces. She was actually the tiniest
one of them. I named her Rilei Amani. Despite her being the
tiniest, she has the biggest personality. All three of my
daughters give me life they are my reasons for living, they are
my reasons I strive to succeed. I want my daughters to see what

hard work looks like, what achieving your goals and life dreams
can do for your life.
I have been married thrice. Twice to the same man who I
divorced recently. I believe in marriage as an institution where
partners help each other to grow. I may be a woman with all the
female characteristics but I have my principles. I believe that a
man who is not helping grow in life has no proper purpose to
stay in my life. Naturally, I am not the kind of a women who
stick in a damaged relationship or marriage and keeps giving
excuses of my children and so on. My children are my
responsibility. In fact, this principle not only apply to my
partners but to all my friends. To be able to remain in my
friends list, one has to have a purpose in my life, be my best
supporter and my biggest fan. Of course I also hold these
responsibilities in my friend’s life. It is always a two way
traffic for me. I help you, you help me. If I am not of any use in
someone’s life then I easily pull out of such friendship or
relationship. If the partner is of no purpose to, I quit the
relationship and that is what have always happened in my two
marriages. I always believe in second chances but not third
chances. That is the reason I gave one of my ex-husbands a
second chance. In my life, I consider those who stay with me
during hardship and development periods my best friends. I tend
to share fruits of my labor with such individuals. However, I
can never allow someone reap from the fruits of my labor if he
or she never contributed to any of the successes that I am
enjoying at the moment. Maybe the principles could not allow
me stay in the marriages or not. However, my marriage situation
is not something that can change my principles. It is always
nice to have a life filled with nice dreams, a life of purpose and
a life where there are reasons to wake up. I believe that my life
as it is has a purpose, my children are my reason for living.
Sometimes I feel that I can count on myself as a powerful
women. I owe my success to myself as I struggled as an
individual to achieve them. I want my daughters to have a good
example of a mother. I love my family and will always strive to

offer them the best.
Cultural values
Description of concrete experience
After my university education, I finally landed a job with a
healthcare insurance provider organization in Illinois State.
After working with this organization for three months, I was
promoted to the position of client’s relation’s officer. This
position required my healthcare knowledge in convincing the
potential clients both in homes and at various hospitals on the
need to take medical insurance cover. I interacted with members
of the American society from deferent countries whose cultural
values varied concerning medical insurance cover.
Reflection
I remember interacting with people from different countries and
varied cultures. I always understood that despite the country of
origin, The United States is a country that allows dual
citizenship, the members of the society would always have
varied perspectives based on their country of Orin and cultures.
I remember having interacted with people from various
countries in Africa, others from Asia, Europe and even North
America. They all had different opinions concerning medical
insurance cover. I remember meeting some clients who felt that
with the social class they belonged to and the wealth they had,
they felt no need to take medical insurance cover.
Generalization, principles, and theories
Understanding how cultural values impact other international
communities is key to convincing most of the potential clients
to take health insurance coverage. In most of the African
countries, the whole idea of medical insurance cover has not
taken root. The situation is different in most of the European
countries where they understand the need to take medical
insurance cover. Every culture had that aspect of ed9ical
insurance policy that they took for granted. Understanding the

cultural values of these communities regarding medical health
insurance cover help enhance cross-cultural; communication and
hence the ability to convince them to take insurance cover.
Testing and application
There are those periods that I attempted to apply same
approaches in convincing people from different backgrounds. In
some situations, I realized the approach was not working in the
course of the discussion, and I had to switch to an approach that
best suits their belief. Convincing clients from European
countries took a more direct approach compared to those w ith
African origins.
Tradition
Working as a client relations officer brought some aspect of
economics into my nursing careers. The role that I served in this
organization required some aspect of psychological and
economic research into the tradition of the American society.
The need to increase the population taking insurance cover with
this organization led to my research into various traditions and
how they impact the number of people taking insurance cover.
Reflection
The research I engaged in was not purely based on literature
search but also physical interaction with people from different
communities across the State and nationally. I remember
speaking with people of different ages and from different social
classes about their feeling of taking up medical insurance cover.
There was a trend among the people from the lower social class.
Despite their country of origin, most of them felt that the
insurance policies are not meant for people like them. They felt
it was generally unaffordable. I felt that this must have been
passed down from the generation before them. The belief that
insurance cover was meant for the rich was merely a belief yet
it was with them too.
Generalization, Principles, and theories
A large population of the American society lacks medical
insurance cover due to the tradition that flows through their

social classes that the cover is unaffordable. Due to the
tradition, members of the lower social class have not gained
knowledge of the policies that have made health insurance
coverage more affordable for the entire American community.
An organization’s tradition also affects the number of people
taking insurance cover with them. Economically, potential
clients evaluate the options available to them in the market and
choose policies that best fit them. The organization tradition
that is rigid makes it inappropriate for most of the potential
clients. This has resulted in a competitive disadvantage in the
insurance market.
Testing and Application
While talking some of the clients, their views indicated that
other firms provided a better policy than those offered by this
organization. Promising them that the organization's tradition
will change and become more flexible gave them some little
hope and hence made them stay a little while with this
organization. I learned it was time for the origination to change
some of the insurance policies to fit the changing needs of the
society.
Environmental factors
While serving in the role, I started to think of some of the
factors that could be affecting the taking up of medical
insurance cover among the United States population. Interacting
with clients from various regions and countries and conducting
a comparative analysis, I quickly realized that environment of
the client together with that created by the origination had to
impact.
Reflection
I decided to use the two major categories of environmental
factors which are internal and external environmental factors.
While interacting with potential clients, the kind of questions
they asked related to the procedures involved before the

organization can pay for the medical cover. Clients do not like
long processes. The procedures involved and the manner in
which the organization’s employees interact with their clients
all constituted the internal environment. The hospital policy and
the healthcare ministry policy concerning health insurance and
compensations constituted external environment. The other
factor that existed in the external environment was competition
from the other medical insurance firms.
After evaluation of my findings, I realized that clients are either
drawn to or away from the organization based on the operating
environment. The internal environment which is basically
controlled by the organization is the major contributor to the
state of affairs concerning medical insurance cover takes up.
The favorable internal environment helps the organization
maintain positive public relation with the clients and potential
clients. This enhances client retention.
After gaining an understanding of how environmental factors
impact this organization, I have been able to push for specific
changes. These changes aimed at improving the internal
environment making it favorable for both the clients and the
staff members. With the changes in the organization, I have
made sure that the organization has gained a competitive
advantage in the competitive business environment.
Work ethics
My educational training covered wok ethics mainly in a
healthcare setting. However, the organization I have been
working for does not only operate in a healthcare setting but
also in the business world. I a have gained more knowledge and
experience concerning ethics in the healthcare setting and
business environment as a result of my role in this organization.
Reflection
I remember that during my interaction with the clients, I
gathered some information that some of them would appear

personal and private. However, I always had the responsibility
of sharing with the management the feelings of the clients. I
always ensured that any client information shred was with his
consent. I always found it necessary and obligatory to take care
of the client’s interest without disobeying any f the government
or organization’s set policy.
Generalization, principles, and theory
Work ethics involves doing what is right for both the client and
the organization. The policies set by all the stakeholders should
not be violated in favor of any of the stakeholders or the
employee himself. Healthcare issues require high levels of
morals and client care. In fact, work ethics is highly applicable
in matters related to healthcare and healthcare systems.
The period I have worked with the organization I have learned
that work and organization ethics are essential to the survival of
an organization. I realized that failure to adhere to work ethics
could easily result at the end of an individual career. If
employees fail to adhere to the set work ethics and code of
conduct, it image in the general public may be ruined.
Economic structure
Practical nurse experience alone may not be able to grant me
much knowledge on matters related to organizational growth.
However, working with this organization has enhanced my
understanding of the role of an organization in the country’s
economic growth. I have also understood that the economic
growth of an individual organization highly depends on its
economic structure and framework.
Reflection
Performance reviews and strategic planning meetings that I
attended in this organization in most cases revolved around
ways and means of structuring the organization departments for
better economic growth. During these meetings, I released that
the major focus of strategic planning is come up with
mechanisms aimed at increasing the organization returns

economic structure. My working periods as the client’s relations
officer involved working on improving the organization’s image
to the clients as a measure of enhancing the organization’s
economic structure.
Generalization principles and theories
The development of an organization both and the local, national
and international level heavily depends on the effectiveness of
the economic structures put in place. Strategic planning is a
crucial concept of an organization economic structure.
Testing and Application
I have learned from my work experience that the allocation of
production structures in the organization helps determine the
performance of the organization. Effective allocation of talents
and management of various structures increases the likelihood
of organization’s economic development.
Authority
My undemanding of taking an organization global as an aspect
of gaining market authority has roots from this organization.
With the management planning to take the organization to an
international level, I have an understanding of the role of publ ic
relation in the project.
Reflection
I can recall some of the meetings that I have been invited to
attend. I have always been reminded that I am the face of the
organization and that I have to use my nursing experience to
build the organization image to the clients. You can imagine
how hard it may be to apply nursing skills in convincing the
clients and the public that organization is the best. I have
mostly applied my hospitality features in performing this role.
Going global helps an organization gain market authority. The
ability to expand the target market eliminates the limitations
placed on the organization by the country’s culture and
tradition. Going global will probably aid in the enhancement of

the organization’s economic infrastructure.
I have realized that being a global organization helps an
organization gain a further competitive advantage in the local
market. Some clients would take a policy with the organization
since it services are also available in other countries. I realized
the situation is common with most business persons.

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