The Italian policies of Frederick Barbarossa Essay Example

The Italian policies of Frederick Barbarossa Paper The Italian policies of Frederick Barbarossa, German king and Holy Roman Emperor had a huge impact on medieval Germany during the 12th century. The question of ecclesiastical versus secular power broke out during the emperors reign at a time when Germany was considered to be the strongest monarchy, having authority in Italy and the rest of the Roman Empire. The time was right at Frederick Barbarossas accession in 1152 to restore imperial authority in Italy which had been in demise since the Investiture contest. However this goal threw the Holy Roman emperor into a conflict with the papacy, an obstacle that would prove too hard to overcome in order to achieve all that which the emperor thought was denied to him. However the Papacy also paid a price for holding Frederick in opposition. The Italian policies were far too extent and were finished incomplete. The emperors Italian policies at which he aimed to retrieve from the papacy what he thought he was entitled to, were controversial but innovative. Frederick aimed, with the help of Chancellor Rainald of Dassel to reconstruct the Holy Roman Empire to return it to the glory days of Rome and exercise the authority that the Ottonian emperors had done. 1This battle for land was in essence a way to increase his revenues so he could keep what power he had in Germany over his most influential vassals, something his imperial court pursued vigorously. The authority over the Papal States in such a feudal system meant in theory he was ruler of Rome, but ever since the Commune directed against the papacy had been established in 1143 in Rome the debate had been vociferous and complicated. We will write a custom essay sample on The Italian policies of Frederick Barbarossa specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Italian policies of Frederick Barbarossa specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Italian policies of Frederick Barbarossa specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer This would not only create a united and strong empire, it would also question the role of regalia in the papacy. This great design2 was declared openly to the church in 1158 with the Roncaglia decrees. The papacy was angry at this break from the Peace of Constance of 1153, (at which they had been allies) and his determination to exercise authority, especially in central and Northern Italy, proclaimed in the Roncaglia decrees. 3 The Roncaglia decrees proclaimed he would resume all regalia, entire power of Bannus; full exercise of jurisdiction over all matters affecting property, life and liberty. This antagonism, the papacy felt went against the authority of God since the church should have authority over everything, and it resulted in a break of the papal alliance and a schism amongst the church. The papacy highly opposed the independence of many Lombard cities and would not allow any increase in imperial power in Italy. 4 The emperor began his Italian policy swiftly, completing four campaigns into Italy in 1164 and supporting many imperial popes during the 1160s. Even earlier he had established imperial rule in Milan, during the time of Hadrian IV, with little opposition from the papacy5 but Milan found allies in the communes of Brescia and Piacenza. Milan was taken in 1162 and later destroyed which narrowed the anti-imperial coalitions prospect for success, while he forced Alexander III into exile and enthroned Paschal III, a German in St. Peters in 1167. 6 The opposition of the Papacy to the Italian policy began with the succession of Alexander III, the emperors most formidable opponent. The papacy had already found allies in the Lombard city of Milan after the Roncaglia Decrees. Imperial rule over Milan was quickly answered two years after Frederick had taken Milan 8when Manual I, the Byzantine emperor organised an opposition in Venice, the League of Verona with its allies Verona, Padua and Vicenza, including the Norman King. This proved to perhaps achieve the greatest success in opposing the Italian policies of Frederick Barbarossa in Nor thern and Central Italy. The papacy went further in opposition under the politics of Alexander III by excommunicating the emperor after he established Paschal III as pope. The papacy then continued in its opposition in 1167 when the Imperial army was defeated outside Rome, by extending the League of Verona by allying itself into the Lombard League in 1167, while at the same time the pope contributed large sums of money. This proved to wreck many of Fredericks ambitions and gain support for the papacy. Alexander III gained the support of France and the Anglo-Norman Kingdom, while in Denmark and Poland the remaining allies of the imperial pope were exiled. 10 A year later Alexander was able to establish the city of Alessandria with the help of the League. The city of Alessandria was to the emperor a symbol of papal achievement, and although efforts for settlement with the pope continued, the presence of the Lombard League was something the emperor could not allow during peace. The Italian policy again prevaile d with the fifth campaign in 1174 against Alessandria. The emperor again faced defeat and was able to make peace in Montebello with the League, but the Italian policy once again got in the way when Frederick could not accept the inclusion of Alexander III in the peace. Fredericks stubbornness in following his Italian policies (even in opposition to the papacy) however was weakened and a small success was granted to Alexander. The battle of Legnano in 1176 resulted in a near complete destruction of the imperial supremacy in Italy and convinced the emperor to reconcile with the pope. 1 Negotiations at Anagni achieved a far reaching settlement 12 between emperor and pope. The emperor was forced to renounce the Matildine lands and ally with Alexander. He granted some independence to the cities he controlled in Italy and accepted the role of overlord. At this stage the Italian policies of Frederick had failed and the papacy was triumphant. The new relations with the pope had not destroyed the Italian policy, but had instead ended this period of conflict in the Peace of Venice in 1177. Compromise was the aim of both Pope and emperor at the Peace of Venice. Frederick gave up his idea of domination of Italy in return he remained in control of the German church, evidence that the papacy was not as successful in exercising the idea of a papal monarchy and that much strain had been put on its authority over this period. 13 Peace with the Lombard league and Norman King however was not entirely a defeat of the Italian policy, it had taken away much of the authority of Fredericks in Northern Italy but it had left him the authority of the German church, although this was not in Italy it meant the papacy was back where it started. Fredericks policy became focused on the Matildine lands and central Italy. The Peace was broken when Frederick continued his Italian policy in the 1180s; it was the price of silence over many issues (at the treaty of Venice) which were to give rise to the troubles. 14 Frederick revenged the battle of Legnano in 1180 which was later followed by the peace of Constance in 1183. 15 The Peace of Constance meant Frederick was forced to allow the members of the League to have extensive constitutional independence within the city walls and the city territory. But Fredericks rights which could make large financial profits within the city remained. However with the death of Alexander in 1181 there followed a line of passive popes who complied with the emperor during his last Italian campaign (118-6) thus strengthening his influence in Lombardy. By 1189 compromise was again on the table and the papacy was granted a number of places in the Patrimony of St. Peter, reestablishing the area around Rome as a Papal domain. The papacy was left surrounded at the death of Frederick Barbarossa in 1190 when his son Henry VI became engaged to the heiress of the Norman Kingdom of Southern Italy. Frederick still held administrative power in some parts of central Italy but his Italian policy had failed. The Italian policy had failed because it did not answer the question of ecclesiastical versus imperial authority. Frederick Barbarosssas plans of supreme domination over the entire Holy Roman empire were not achieved, but though he yielded much of what he wished to gain it is not to say either that the papacy was entirely successful. ) It had radically altered the place of the papacy in the church16 and left the Holy Roman emperors successors with many claims unanswered. The hard line of Alexander III had not been continued and the emperor was left for sometime unopposed. The Lombard communes can be recognised as the real reason the papacy emerged successful 17 but still the papacy had the future to deal with, a future that found them surrounded by the Holy Roman Emperors authority. Both the emperor and the Papacy paid the price of conflict, but the Papacy was successful enough to immobilise the Italian Policy of Frederick Barbarossa.

The Practice of Loving Kindness or Metta Defined

The Practice of Loving Kindness or Metta Defined Loving kindness is defined in English dictionaries as a feeling of benevolent affection. But in Buddhism, loving kindness (in Pali, Metta; in Sanskrit, Maitri) is thought of as a mental state or attitude, cultivated and maintained by practice. This cultivation of loving kindness is an essential part of Buddhism. The Theravadin scholar Acharya Buddharakkhita said of Metta, The Pali word metta is a multi-significant term meaning loving-kindness, friendliness, goodwill, benevolence, fellowship, amity, concord, inoffensiveness and non-violence. The Pali commentators define metta as the strong wish for the welfare and happiness of others (parahita-parasukha-kamana). ... True metta is devoid of self-interest. It evokes within a warm-hearted feeling of fellowship, sympathy and love, which grows boundless with practice and overcomes all social, religious, racial, political and economic barriers. Metta is indeed a universal, unselfish and all-embracing love. Metta often is paired with Karuna, compassion. They are not exactly the same, although the difference is subtle. The classic explanation is that Metta is a wish for all beings to be happy, and Karuna is a wish for all beings to be free from suffering. Wish is probably not the right word, though, because wishing seems passive. It might be more accurate to say directing ones attention or concern to the happiness or suffering of others. Developing loving kindness is essential to doing away with the self-clinging that binds us to suffering (dukkha). Metta is the antidote to selfishness, anger, and fear. Dont Be Nice One of the biggest misunderstandings people have about Buddhists is that Buddhists are always supposed to be nice. But, usually, niceness is only a social convention. Being nice often is about self-preservation and maintaining a sense of belonging in a group. We are nice because we want people to like us, or at least not get angry with us. Theres nothing wrong with being nice, most of the time, but its not the same thing as loving kindness. Remember, Metta is concerned with the genuine happiness of others. Sometimes when people are behaving badly, the last thing they need for their own happiness is someone politely enabling their destructive behavior. Sometimes people need to be told things they dont want to hear; sometimes they need to be shown that what they are doing is not okay. Cultivating Metta His Holiness the Dalai Lama is supposed to have said, This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple. The philosophy is kindness. Thats great, but remember that were talking about a guy who gets up at 3:30 a.m. to make time for meditation and prayers before breakfast. Simple isnt necessarily easy. Sometimes people new to Buddhism will hear about loving kindness, and think, No sweat. I can do that. And they wrap themselves in the persona of a lovingly kind person and go about being very, very nice. This lasts until the first encounter with a rude driver or surly store clerk. As long as your practice is about you being a nice person, you are just play-acting. This may seem paradoxical, but unselfishness begins by gaining insight into yourself and understanding the source of your ill will, irritations, and insensitivity. This takes us to the basics of Buddhist practice, beginning with the Four Noble Truths and the practice of the Eightfold Path. Metta Meditation The Buddhas best-known teaching on Metta is in the Metta Sutta, a sermon in the Sutta Pitaka. Scholars say the sutta (or sutra) presents three ways to practice Metta. The first is applying Metta to day-to-day conduct. The second is Metta meditation. The third is a commitment to embody Metta with full body and mind. The third practice grows from the first two. The several schools of Buddhism have developed several approaches to Metta meditation, often involving visualization or recitation. A common practice is to begin by offering Metta to oneself. Then (over a period of time) Metta is offered to someone in trouble. Then to a loved one, and so on, progressing to someone you dont know well, to someone you dislike, and eventually to all beings. Why begin with yourself? Buddhist teacher Sharon Salzberg said, To reteach a thing its loveliness is the nature of Metta. Through loving kindness, everyone and everything can flower again from within. Because so many of us struggle with doubts and self-loathing, we must not leave ourselves out. Flower from within, for yourself and for everyone.

College Essay Myth Never Write a College Essay About Sports

College Essay Myth Never Write a College Essay About Sports You’ve probably heard the myth that you should never, ever write a college essay about one topic or another. Sports is one of the big no-nos. Who wants to hear about another come-from-behind winning game, right? But the fact is, as I related in my last blog, there are no good or bad essay topics, only good or bad essays. Luckily for you, I have obtained permission from my nephew to share his very good essay about – you guessed it – sports. Please read and enjoy – and notice why this college essay about sports stands above the rest. I’ll give you a hint: He has a sense of humor about himself. He relates his internal story a lot more than the external facts of the game. He comes full circle from the first paragraph to the last, with growth in between. And he writes about something he loves. (And in case you were wondering, he got into Northwestern University, UT Austin, and every other school to which he applied.) College Essay About Sports As a 4’9† high school sophomore, the first couple of weeks on the bench of the JV team brought me to the conclusion that my competitive baseball-playing days were over. In my initial despair, I longed for just one more chance. Ever since little league, baseball had been a part of me. Letting go of it mid-high school simply wouldn’t do. Then I remembered the time when I had filled in as an umpire at the little league where I grew up. The thought of watching baseball games for money, with my only job being to concentrate on each play and make a decision, was appealing. Umpiring wasn’t playing, but it was something, so I gave it another try. It was a few weeks into my new endeavor. The score was 15-0, top of the fourth, and it was already 9:20 p.m. Although there was no feasible way for the home team to win due to the five-runs-per-inning rule, all games were required to go four complete innings. Ugh. I want to go home. Hmmm, What if the pitcher were to throw a pitch that were even somewhat close to being a strike? It wouldn’t affect the outcome of the game, so could I maybe make an exception? No, that would be wrong. I can’t do that. In fact, since I am even thinking about this, my brain is probably going to expand the strike zone subconsciously, and therefore I should make a conscious effort to tighten it. Oh God, what am I even DOING? Umpiring was a bit more complicated than I expected. And, frustrating as it could be at times, I loved it. As an umpire, I constantly find myself lost in internal debates over my biases that I never experienced as a player. There are times when I realize, with some anxiety, that my decision agreed with what I had personally hoped would happen, or with a previous argument a coach had made, or with the latest grumblings of the fans. Although I generally consider myself fair, I have sudden crises, wondering whether I have committed the ultimate sin in umpiring: letting other people’s â€Å"calls† replace my own. I can usually convince myself that these instances are coincidental, but it’s still challenging to take in so much information from all sides about how the game is being perceived, and still be true to what I saw happen. As a player, one of my favorite parts of baseball had always been the mental game. I filled the â€Å"down time† that many others found boring with discussions and arguments with my teammates about strategy or rules. I have carried that aspect over into umpiring, mostly through discussions with coaches. Sometimes the most frustrating part of umpiring is when coaches accept my call without argument even though they don’t agree, saying â€Å"That’s ok, you’re the umpire.† Many umps would welcome this submission, but I find it even more offensive than being screamed at. Sometimes I talk to coaches between innings to further explain why I called what I did. These gestures are often appreciated, if not for my opinion, then for my attitude. The conversations are also far more mentally stimulating than the constant dispute the shortstop and I used to have over who should cover second base on a steal. I don’t wear a glove or swing a bat anymore, but I still consider myself a baseball player. I view the almost 100 games I’ve umpired as merely a position change. Although I have only made â€Å"great plays† by shouting my interpretation of what happened, and the pressure of the game is to perform mentally rather than physically, I now have the one more chance I desired. Even as I tower (albeit only by a few inches) over the players in size, and wear a different uniform, I feel more a part of each game than I ever have. So if you want to write a college essay about sports, go for it! And if you need help with how to say it, The Essay Expert is here to coach you. Check out our College Admissions Services page for more about what we offer and what others have to say about our services.

Project Environment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Project Environment - Essay Example Project management is usually designed to fit into the scope of the project in question. Some projects are bigger than others and actually may comprise of a series of projects. In this case such projects are commonly referred to as programmes. For instance a project including some construction of an airport, roads leading to the airport, community facilities such as schools as well as a series of other related projects comprises of a really big project and there is a programme. Wembley stadium project is one of the biggest projects in the UK in the recent history (Nicholas, 2004). The Wembley National Stadium Project stretched over a period of 6 years and cost in excess of over ten billion pounds. Lessons learnt from management of the Wembley project as well as other projects serve as great case studies for organisational management especially in regard to how to address the challenges which happen in the process of organisational in change management, conflict resolution, stakeholder management as well as aligning an organisational strategy to the organisational mission. One of the major reasons why projects are conceived is the fact that there are needs in the community, in the organisation or in the society, which needs to be addressed. Project management identifies a pressing need or pressing needs, which it sets out to address by offering the necessary correctional measures. Once the needs have been identified by using the right needs assessment tools, the next step is to prioritise the needs identified in order of priority. Once the deserving cases have been isolated, the project is conceived probably by the change initiators who may include the government, community leaders, the management of the organisation or individuals who have an interest in the project. One of the greatest considerations before initiating a change in form of a project is to analyse the resources required in the project completion. The greatest threat which faces any project prior to initiation or even during the implementation process is the fact that no matter the status of affairs in an organisation or in a given setting there are some people who benefit from the given status. It is such people who pose the greatest threat to the change initiators for project conception in that they offer stiff resistance to the change initiation. Such opponents to change are usually people who benefit from the current state of affairs and see the change as a threat to the status quo, which they benefit from. Therefore there is a need for project managers to identify such people who fail to welcome the change and mange them properly. In some cases those who offer the greatest resistance in case of projects are key stakeholders in the project and therefore their continued resistance to the project may lead to the failure of the project. For example a project like the Wembley National Stadium came under opposition from the local community. Until the standoff between the project management and the local community was resolved it was impossible to move on with the project. In some projects the government may be reluctant to offer the necessary support especially in terms of is suing the right kind of licences. This

U03a1 Project Topic Choice and Rationale Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

U03a1 Project Topic Choice and Rationale - Essay Example that traditional Fee-for-Service payment rewards piecemeal work and â€Å"volume† of services rather than prevention of illness and coordination of care. The more procedures a physician performs, and the higher the value of the procedure, the more the physician is paid† (Patient Centered Primary Care Collaborative, 2007). The option chosen for this paper is Option B. The next section will provide an overview of the organisation and the strategic planning issue. The organization chosen for this study is Tufts Medical Center. The organization deal with providing healthcare for children and is a well recognized organization with a ranking within the top five percent of the institutions nationwide (Tufts Medical Center). The organization has been able to provide the customers with excellent care over the years. The strategic issue that is present in the organization is the lack of a good record keeping process for the employee injuries on the job. The organization’s strategy in a number of ways lacks a strong plan for the employees and care of the employees. This is clear from the recent news which reads, â€Å"The Nurses Association distributed a press release several weeks ago saying the hospital showed a lack of concern for the health and safety of its workers. The union also picketed the hospital earlier this year to protest changes in nurses staffing patterns† ( Altman & Altman ). Several theories that have been explained in the past which deal with both human resources as well as the strategic management in the health care industry specifically highlight the need for a safe working environment for the employees and it is by law needed for the organizations to keep complete records of the various employee injuries and on the job issues that might arise. In the case of Tufts Medical Center this has clearly been missed out and the organization has not been able to keep up the records in time and effectively. As explained by Beta – Research School for

Monumental Architecture in Bronze Age Egypt and Crete :: Ancient Egypt Egyptian History

Monumental Architecture in Bronze Age Egypt and Crete The significance of monumental architecture lies not only in the function it is built to serve but also in the cultural values it represents. Monumental architecture is aesthetic as well as functional, and in its aesthetic aspects it is a form of cultural expression. In Bronze Age Mediterranean civilizations, the development of monumental architecture was influenced primarily by the political structure of the state. Perhaps the most disparate forms of monumental architecture in this region were developed in Pharaonic Egypt and Minoan Crete, reflecting the differences in their political systems. The socio-political structure of these two cultures can be sharply contrasted through an examination of a predominant type of monumental architecture found in each region. Monumental architecture in Pharaonic Egypt is represented primarily by the funerary complexes of the pharaohs. The principal function of these elaborate complexes was to ensure that the pharaohs, who were exalted as living gods, would attain the afterlife they desired. This required that two basic conditions be fulfilled: the body had to be preserved from disturbance or destruction; and the material needs of the body and the ka had to be met (Edwards 20). Pharaonic burial complexes were also centers of worship for the god-king interred there and were designed to exalt his memory and deeds. Egyptian burial complexes evolved from the simple rectangular mastaba to the great pyramids of the Fourth Dynasty. The true pyramid evolved from the mastaba through an intermediary form, the step pyramid, the earliest example of which is Zoser’s Step Pyramid at Saqqara, which dates to the Third Dynasty (c. 2680 BC). The Step Pyramid was revolutionary for several reasons. It is the earliest known free-standing monument built entirely of stone in Egypt (Fakhry 20); it is also the earliest example of evolutionary architectural development beyond the mastaba. In form the step pyramid is a series of superimposed mastabas and represents the stairway that the spirit of the pharaoh was to climb to reach the sky-realm and join the crew of the solar barque traveling across the heavens (Aldred 47). The Step Pyramid was designed by Imhotep, the Chancellor of King Zoser, and was originally planned as a stone mastaba 7.0 meters high based on a square ground-plan (Aldred 45-46). However, this design underwent six alterations, and in its final form the Step Pyramid rose in six unequal steps to a height of 62.

Employment Relations Japan Essay

Japanese culture is highly diverse as compared to the other western nations, due to their stringent localized policies and protectionist laws which are meant to protect their local businesses and populace. The culture of the Japanese is deemed as an over-achieving culture with each individual striving to become the best at their chosen work and tasks. Companies across the globe acknowledge that the industries, within which the Japanese enter, become dominated by Japanese companies within the top 3 market positions (Alexander, 2003). The same philosophy is translated into the workforce and even before the Second World War, the Japanese were adopting practices meant to create product quality and best business practices. However, the first disparities amongst the working class and the ruling samurai elite began during the war periods and the people who worked in factories and industries realized the injustice of their working conditions during the war times (Morishima, 1982). The sources in this paper will be books and academic journal extracts which have been stated after considerable time and effort has been involved into the validation of the statements as facts and after they have been approved by other accomplished individuals in the topic. The paper has been divided into 6 basic chapters. The first chapter discusses the development of the employment relations of Japanese businesses and workforce. The history is discussed within this portion of the paper. The second chapter identifies the various labour market parties existing in the Japanese business spheres. The parties are divided along the lines of labor unions, employers’ associations and various state roles in maintaining employment relations. The third chapter of the paper discusses the main employment relations processes in the Japanese organizational structure and talk about topics such as collective bargaining and employee participation and degree of involvement. The next chapter looks at the current trends and future issues pertaining to the employee relations model in Japan and is purely analytical. Finally the summary is included which will provide the concise description of the key findings and the advantages and limitations of the data sources. The bibliography will identify the various sources used in the formulation of this paper. The early organization of workers and employers As discussed earlier, the Japanese society can be divided along the lines of the merchants, traders and businessmen and the samurai class. The two groups were responsible for conducting certain activities and this system was dominant since the pre-world war era. In the post world war era, the borders of Japan opened up considerably and the western styles of management began entering the nation. The USA played an integral role in helping in formulating the new business models for Japan as the western world became very interested in the business potential in the Asian part of the world (Tabb, 1995). A key element to recognize regarding the organizational structures in Japan is that in japanese organizations, even to date, the vertical hierarchy is very important in the business functions and no matter how the company appears to be decentralized, the actuality lies in the fact that employees further down the hierarchy are usually expected to obtain greater responsibility rather than be able to make decisions in a more decentralized role (Tabb, 1995). This notion of vertical hierarchy has prevailed throughout the Japanese organizational culture and played a detrimental role in the evolution of current organizational structures and employee relations models. Recognition of Trade Unions Up till the World War, the Japanese did not look favorably towards the trade unions and the Japanese culture encouraged the owners the right to do as they pleased while maintaining responsibility over their workers. The Japanese culture is centered around the master-worker relationship with the master being responsible for watching out for the benefits of his workers while the workers would be required to fulfill their masters demands unflinchingly. The Fukuzawa and Shibusawa philosophies were particularly centered on the debate regarding this relationship and played an important role in forming organizational structures. Therefore in the pre-world war era the concept of unions was not popular in Japan. However, following the US entry into Japan some changes began to appear in the organizational models. Trade and industrial unions began being fostered under the US supervision and the legal barriers against union formation were abolished. The communists and socialists activists were released from the prisons and this accelerated the number of unions being formed for the protection of the workers against the ruling class and by 1949, a mere 2 years since the movement began, around 34000 unions had been created with around 7 million members in totality (Pempel, 1998). The purpose of the Japanese unions however were not industrial but seemed to be attracted towards political linkages as most unions sided with the Japanese Communist Party and the Japanese Socialist Party and these unions began using their influence towards blackmailing the government through strikes and sit-ins on a fairly regular level (Pempel, 1998). The unions are still politically inclined and unlike the US style, are fairly active in political agendas. Role of the State in the formative period The Sanbetsu Kaigi was a major union which easily rallied workers against the government and the government found that the leftist were using the unions to pressurize the government into meeting their demands by manipulating with the country’s production levels. The government realized that it would need to take matters into its own hands as by the end of 1948, the total production was still only 65% of the level which was produced in 1930-4 (Neary, 2002). The response to this issue came in the form of creating second unions and lock-outs on the part of organizations to decrease the reliance on the trouble-making militant groups. The second unions were more compliant and would be as large as the minimum required number of people to run the factory. The government responded by conducting a â€Å"red purge† which was aimed at removing communist factions from within unions and during the 1950s the government and SCAP (Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers) implemented policies to remove communist members from public posts and universities (Neary, 2002). We can therefore see that the state played a directly involved role in creating the structure of the unions and unlike free market economies where the market pressures dictate formulation of such entities, the government was forming the structures itself. Diversification of Interests and Organizations The trade union movement in Japan was legally liberalized over the next 10 years following the World War. The radical trade union movements which were steeped in leftist ideology were gradually overcome as the employers and organizations tried to maintain communication linkages with the workers and by using the intensive communication and offering humanitarian services. Trade unions in Japan are organized on the enterprise base unlike other countries where the trade unions are usually industrial or craft based (Tsujino, 1992). The enterprise based unions differ from other global unions because the members of this unions wish for the enterprise to succeed as it would result in greater salaries and better workplace atmosphere. Unlike trade unions meant for entire industries, these enterprise based unions have a clearer vision and goal. The Japanese trade unions hence become more employee oriented and lead to greater humanitarian concerns from the organizations. Trade Unions The trade union structure within Japan lies in the manner that the most basic unit is the enterprise trade union. This trade union falls within an industrial federation which is itself affiliated with a general peak union organization (Benson & Zhu, 2008). As of 2005 the number of unions stood at 61,178 which was a decline of 15. 3 percent from 1990. The total number of union members at the time amounted to 10,014,000 which was also a decline in the total number of members since 1990 at a declining rate of 18. 7 percent. The major national peak union federation in Japan is the Japanese Trade Union Confederation (locally known as Rengo) which constitutes 54 industrial union federations (as of 2006). Rengo itself was created in 1987 by a merger between 5 private sector peak union bodies. The unity is sketchy in the union movement and it lacks a unifying factor. Two other major peak union bodies which have surfaced are: the National Confederation of Trade Unions (Zenroren), a militaristic and highly political-agenda union peak body and The National Trade Union Council (Zenrokyo). The total percentage of union members within these 3 bodies amounts to 75. 6% as of 2003 (Benson & Zhu, 2008). Employers’ Associations Associations which are legally recognized by the state are often referred to as Employers’ associations. Unlike other countries, Japan has one major employers’ association which basically covers all the country’s private enterprises under its umbrella. The Japan Federation of Employers’ Associations (Nikkeiren) is the body which represents and coordinates the body dealings with labour and social issues in the state. All the employers’ associations are coordinated within this body and aims to increase cooperation between the associations. Nikkeiren is composed of 47 prefectural and 54 industrial associations and in totality covers around 30,000 corporations. Even though the body does not negotiate on the part of its members, it does take interest in the negotiation process (International Labour Organization, 1994). The role of the state in employment relations Unlike many western countries, the state actively participates in the employment relations and dictates the actions of the organizations and companies in formulating employee relationships and the level of benefits and services to be provided to the employees of an organization. The state keeps a role similar to a guardian as well as a supervising body for the employee relations to be maintained by an organization and the various employers’ associations and trade unions. Due to the turbulent past, the government does not leave the bodies with a free reign and supervises their actions and observes their policies vigilantly. It comes as no surprise then that the state plays a more involved role in Japanese employment relations as compared to that of the role played by Western countries such as USA and UK. Collective Bargaining Collective bargaining has been researched frequently for the context of Japanese businesses. Empirical studies have been conducted in this regard to see the correlation of the collective bargaining technique as a tool for unions with which to deal with labor demands. The evidence proves that there are important implications in the Japanese context regarding the collective bargaining as a tool for negotiations between labor elements and the organizations (Fuess, 2001). Collective bargaining in Japan is practiced at the enterprise level and union level rather than at the national level. Since the state simply plays a decisive role and allows the lower levels to conduct their own processes, enterprise level bargaining and shop floor mechanisms enables the unions and parties to conduct their processes in the most feasible manner (Silva, 1996). Joint consultation systems are practiced in Japan in this regard to facilitate the collective bargaining aspect and to decrease conflicts which may arise within the collective bargaining procedure. This system has proved effective given the country’s culture and organizational structures (Silva, 1996). Employee Participation and Involvement The employees participate on an enterprise level and hence the unions and associations basically constitute a organization specific movement. The enterprises create their own policies and then commonalities are identified which can then be implemented on a wider scale across the national board to maintain some consistency and ensure no injustice is done in certain localities. Since most associations are divided along numerous factors, such as geographical bounds and enterprise level, the nature of participants is mostly small scale. Unlike large union meetings, smaller gatherings of major players are conducted and they decide the direction for the meetings and the outcomes. Rather than a general meeting for all members to be present, Japanese system invites influential people from the associations to represent their parties and groups and to offer suggestions. Involvement is thus lower in Japan when compared to that of trade unions in western cultures and countries such as Germany, Canada, USA and UK. Industrial disputes, strikes and mediating institutions Since the past disputes which resulted in the government to become actively involved in the settlement of trade unions concerns, the Japanese have developed policies and labour laws for the purpose of decreasing the number of strikes and conflict scenarios which may arise between employees and organizations. Unlike the past where production level fell drastically in the 80s and 90s, the Japanese enterprise level unions have been critical in resolving employee concerns as soon as they stem up. Rather than using reactive measures such as lock-outs and firing employees, organizations have adopted preventive measures and ensure systems which would alert warning signals when employees became agitated. The situation can then be quickly resolved and the production levels and employee performance does not suffer so drastically. Economic Integration and Recent Changes The Japanese system of managing their workforce seems stable and has over time evolved to resolve the issues which occasionally arose. The current system is suitable for the local culture and since the Japanese culture is highly collectivist, this system is efficient for handling the specific concerns which arise time and again. The current globalization has led to a deeper interaction with western cultures which are quite different from the local Japanese culture but they have minimal effect as the Japanese culture does not become too effected by this interaction and the local system still suits the organizational structures the best. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS By looking into the Japanese Employment Relation model we have been able to see the gradual transition and development of the employees interactions with organizations and the various entities which play an important role in determining the employee relation policies and practices. The paper has been able to draw a picture of the national situation and has analyzed the employee relations comparing it to western standards creating a better understanding of the local deviation from the western style of handling employee relations. What we have come to understand is that the trade unions are basically a political tool used by the citizenry in manipulating government decisions and this has led to a government vigil over these entities processes. The government closely supervises the enterprises and corporations and has developed a forward integrated union system which works on the enterprise level, hence reducing the damage which may be caused by a revolt or strike by certain workers. The government has divided the entities into miniscule units for closer supervision and has actively participated in monitoring these entities. The sources shed light and support the arguments and facts stated thereby creating a solid argument regarding the employee relation model and consolidating the statements said therein.