John L. Gokongwei Jr. - a Leadership Article

Like any person, Wang Lung has great ambitions. He strives to become what he thinks is the epitome of success: the wealthy Hwangs. In fact, Wang Lung puts his success above all else, even above the well-being of his family, as he uses his remaining silver to buy land instead of food during a famine. Wang Lung is hopeful and confident about what lies ahead -- even in the face of adversity, he always looks forward to a brighter future and ignores the misgivings of others. He even refuses to accept his uncle’s offer to buy his land during the famine, arguing that it is invaluable, and when his uncle leaves, he reassures himself that he at least has his land in which he could farm and make money off of. Despite all the misfortunes that may happen, most people, like Wang Lung, do not get lost in their despair and hope for a better future, and no matter what one’s social status is, or where one lives, every individual aims to become prosperous in some way, whether it be winning the lottery or simply being content with who they

First of all, why would you want to start a business in the first place? Most people think that the reason for starting your own business is so that you can make a lot of money and retire rich. This is a great idea but it is not the real reason that people take the risks of entrepreneurship.

In the book, From Every End of the Earth by Steven Roberts (2009), there are many themes and topics that can be explored in the chapter 1. One theme that is continuously raised is that never give up even in big troubles. Everything began when Bao decided not to leave without Tuyen. He chose love instead of freedom. They met when they were teens but the accident happened. This is in stark description to the example he gives on p. 10 of the communists took Bao for reporting to a local high school. He was taken through the jungle with the inequity treat. But he did not give up. He thought about his wife and volunteered for harsh duty. He copied his personal story and wrote the same one again and again. Tuyen did not live well too. She lived with

O-lan and Wang Lung demonstrate to the readers consistent acts of faithfulness, proving their virtues. The couple’s diligence moves them higher in social status, which brings honor to their lives and family. Unlike Lung’s Uncle and Cousin, who’s habitual dishonesty prove their vice and laziness. These characteristics result in dishonor, and the pair’s unfulfilling lives. Rewards in life, come from hard work, slowly and consistently working towards a goal, if there is no work there is no reward. Israelmore Ayivor, the inspirational author, said it best,“Leaders get to tall heights by taking short steps. Being faithful, diligent and consistent with little steps is the secret to mounting greater heights.”

What was their passion, what is it that they wanted to produce that was good for them. He was no longer the boss, he was there to serve and listen. He stated that, “the passion that the person has for their own growth is the most important thing. We help them to find the knowledge because nobody in the world can succeed alone.” The person can have so many things they want to do, sometimes doing it alone is going to be a problem and that’s where he came in. He refers to them as his children, parents want to see their child succeed so they’ll help guide them. He was being different from the rest, he didn’t do it for the fame he did it to better their lives economically and

Wang Lung’s life is a roller coaster, it has ups and downs. In the story, Wang Lung goes from poor farmer, to well off, to a very poor beggar, to a very rich man in a very rich house. He does not earn everything in a linear path throughout his life. Sometimes he loses, sometimes he gains. That is the way life is as well; it’s a mystery.

The worlds Yan Lianke describes are -- like everywhere else on earth -- ones where self-interest is the driving force, and connexions, luck, and kowtowing to the right higher-ups (and mouthing the right slogans) are what get you anywhere. He mixes it nicely here with a not-quite-love story, and if the writing and presentation is occasionally a bit rough and tumble he still brings some depth to several of these characters, making for quite an effective human

As a child, Jing Mei is surrounded by obscured stories of Suyuan’s past. She grows up without a clear idea of who her mother is, and does not know which version of the ever-changing tale of her mother’s life she should believe: “I never thought my mother’s Kweilin story was anything but a Chinese fairytale. The endings always changed. Sometimes she said she used that worthless thousand-yuan note to buy a half-cup of rice. She turned that rice into a pot of porridge” (25). Finally, Suyuan admits to a much darker past, one where she ran away from her war-torn home and ended up losing everything. Despite receiving the most complete story she had ever heard, Jing Mei still has unanswered questions. When she

In China, the farming can be… unpredictable, rivers may flood one year and run dry the next, swarms of locusts may show up or rebel soldiers may burn the fields. The farmers had to deal with all of this and more, many of the farmers (i.e. Ching) would say “Heaven wills it” (chapter 27, paragraph 8), but Wang Lung would have none of it, he would curse the gods and stand in the

From my upbringings inside my parents’ takeout restaurant to starting my own business, entrepreneurship was destined to not only be a scholastic interest but also my personal passion and life-long devotion. As I grew up watching my illiterate parents move to the United States and build their own small business, I learned the importance and value of engaged entrepreneurship. In high school, I began applying that knowledge in my own venture: an export company specializing in consumer discretionary. The experience fueled my love for entrepreneurship because it taught me how essential it is

To me success would be to be able to do your very best in everything you do”. - Paul Cummings.

China as a nation has always been weak (World History: The Modern Era). It has been an acquisition to many nations and groups. However in history’s recent past it has fallen to Japan and Communism. Both of which can be viewed through the lens of good and the lense of bad. However for the China born author Ha Jin it is not viewed under the light of prosperity but instead dread and oppression. These are not tales to be taken lightly in any sense but instead to show how humanity is not always human and empathy is not always present in one’s soul. Ha Jin uses dramatic events and actions with certain points of view to develop characters that antagonize Communist and Japanese rule over China.

On their land that’s provides all of their needs. They are hard-working and self reliant people. When a famine hits, Wang Lung is forced to leave his home and wife and earn money in the city to feed his family. When O-lan goes into the city, she accidentally stumbles upon a sack of pearls, during an attack, that could change her and her husband’s lifestyle forever (The Good Earth). They incorporate the money and the richer Wang Lung becomes, the more he compromises the values he has always lived by. He is no longer so hard-working, and he does not work directly on the land and he relies on his servants for everything. Wang eventually realizes living in such luxury does not make him happy and he decided to return to living in simplicity on his land because that is his true home. The Chinese people were very passionate about putting their all into everything that they did. Nothing was don’t without all of their effort. Wang Lung and his wife, O-Lan worked out in the fields day in and day out before they got rich. This provided a sense of humbleness. And the final virtue I want to explain is diligence and perseverance, especially in the role of the woman. O-lan's diligence is typical of Chinese peasant women, however; she exceeds that of peasant women in general. Day by day, O-Lan accompanies Wang out in the

The effect of society on the outcome of an individual’s goals in Lao She’s “Rickshaw Boy”

Starting a business is the latest trend. Just take a look at Instagram. Several profiles have the caption ‘Entrepreneur’. At this very moment, there is someone, somewhere working on an idea, a business plan or launching a startup. Entrepreneurship is on the rise like never before. The flexibility and independence that comes with being one’s own boss is attractive and worth taking the leap in starting a business. However, most people don’t know that being an entrepreneur is a grueling journey that can be very lonely and stressful at times. According to the Small Business Administration (SBA), 50% of businesses fail during the first year. Starting a business can be a scary task, but the