Three Main Concepts Of Leisure - Essay Example

Three Main Concepts Of Leisure Leisure is defined differently with culture affecting its definition. Leisure can be defined as free time or available time at ones disposal. However, it is a challenging the subject and the definitions vary from country to country based on the past and the influence of the culture and media. The past experiences, leisure have been defined as the free time or something that one wants to do freely. Others define it as relaxing and spare time or time for doing nothing. The approach is different from the considered diverse because the definition of the term is not static but dynamic. Therefore, the first concept of the leisure is defined as time. In this definition, leisure is defined as the time that allow and individual to have greater freedom. For instance, if the work schedules offers time off, the time that one has to do his own stuff can be considered leisure. However, the definition of free time is challenging based on the concept of free. Freedom is a factor that is defined by the culture and the nature of the society. For working class, it may be considered as the off time given by the company or the organization. However, the case becomes complex if looking at the retired persons because the definition changes completely because the available time increases thus making the situation complex when looking at leisure as a time based subject. Leisure can also be defined as the activity which is considered as leisurely. The Greek definition of leisure is a serious activity without pressure. It means that the activity is not done as a compulsory subject but is defined done by one’s personal appeal. While addressing the challenge of leisure as an activity, it is evident that all the activities done cannot be classified as leisure with some considering playing softball as leisure. While activity as leisure offers an absurd ideology, others consider leisure as the stat of existence or mind which can be addressed differently and handled based on the mood contemplation. The different of ideologies are different but do not address the challenge of definition differences. The challenge of the word is the diverse nature of the activities and states associated leisure. The different ideologies have major short falls with each have loopholes and are not comprehensive. The definition of leisure is diverse and does not clearly cover the issues and activities associated with leisure. Leisure as an activity is not easy to define because some activities may be considered strenuous but some may consider them as leisure. For instance, an individual may consider mountain climbing as a leisure activity while some may consider it as a strenuous activity and consider watching TV as leisure activity. Leisure as a state of mind is one of the challenging definition which cannot be evaluated using standard evaluation methods. However, the leisure is a difficult subject when evaluating its relevance and definition. The definition of leisure is challenging and does not encompass the diverse views of the society. The Chinese definition of the leisure has been based on the words associated with leisure and influence of Taoism. Taoism is a philosophy that has influence the Chinese way of life and culture. It affects the Chinese aspect of life including the concept of leisure. The close connection to the natural world is revealed in the definition of leisure in china. In fact, the concept of wellness, healthcare, the practice of martial arts and traditional arts such as paintings, are considered part of the leisure. In addition, there are similarities between the definition of leisure in North America and China. The practice of martial art was considered as a leisure activity which was undertaken to improve fitness and prepare for eventualities such as attacks and retaliation or revenge. The Chinese perspective on leisure is not different to the western approach except for the influence brought about by Taoism and the teaching of Confucius. According to the definition offered by the disciples of Confucius, leisure is diverse with some component depending of the governance in order to be achieved. It is evident from the definition that the study of leisure cannot lead to single conclusion. According to Yeh, leisure is considered as the recognized arena to which an individual addresses the two fundamental human concerns. These concerns are living a good life and pursuing happiness. From the definition, it is evident that leisure is concern with no boundaries of definition or action. It depends on the preference which is influenced by culture and tradition. For the Chinese, Taoism influence the definition of leisure and can be revealed in the actions or activities considered as leisure. However, the influence of Taoism is not the only factor in the Chinese perspective of leisure. Other issues have influenced and shaped the perception of the Chinese on leisure. In fact, there are several similarities associated with leisure definition when evaluating Chinese perspective and the western perspective. Consequently, the challenges in definition still exist regardless on the area of focus and the society. The Chinese perspective is restricted to the influence of the different philosophies and teaching. His teachings focused on activities or state of mind to which the leisure can be associated and linked to with ease. Leisure in Chinese perspective involves the utilization of the mind and time in order to develop greater resilience. The ideology is the major factor to the growth of marital arts as a leisure activity. Perfection is a key concept in the study of martial arts and affects the dedication of individuals. Different individuals view leisure differently with some viewing a leisurely lifestyle as leisure while others viewing activities as leisure. The thinking is not completely different to the western perspective of leisure but dependent on individual choice which may not be effective enough. Leisure as time, activity or state of mind is revealed in the response given to Confucius by his students making the whole process complex. In conclusion, the Chinese perspective of leisure is not different from American perspective because of the diverse approaches. The human race is distinguished by several languages. Some people speak one language while others can speak up to five languages. Despite speaking one language, the person may be able to speak several dialects in the same language. For managers, it is vital to be able to speak and understand the different cultures which may come handy when addressing the cross cultural conflict. Internationalization and cultural practices influence the operation of business essentially making them vital in the process of business expansion and acquisition. Different countries have a different approach to issues in business and marketing. Culture in business affects the operation, focus and the hierarchy of leadership. The role of culture in business has been massive because they determine the mode of operation and facilitates the development of the operational culture. Culture defines the development of relationships between suppliers and customers as well the development of a marketing plan and objectives. In event management, culture affects how disputes are resolved and one negative case I witnessed involved the misunderstanding of communication with a Chinese event manager. The challenge was on simple words usage such as the mocking words. When one of my friends told the manager to bring his ‘ass’ here he went and brought a donkey. Some were laughing, but I felt that the difference in culture contributed to the problem. To him the ass was an animal and not a mockery as was intended. The understanding of the communication is affected by culture. The incident led to massive disappointment for the event manager and proved that language and culture are integral. The positive event that I witnessed in the event is the understanding of the preference of American diet and words referring to specific food. The event manager was reliable and understood the foods demanded by the population. I liked the passion of the manager and the determination to know the basic needs of the market. He was able to communicate with the people effectively in matters of food and desserts. Cross cultural communication is effective if the person understands the different cultures and maximizes the use culture in business. Cross cultural communication is influenced by understanding of certain words and phrases which is the vital in communication. Reference Godbey, G. (2003). Leisure, Recreation, Play and Flow. In G. godbey, Leisure in Your Life:An exploration (pp. 1-131). New York : Taylor & Francis. Liu, H., Yeh, C.-K., Chick, G. E., & Zinn, H. C. (2008). An Exploration of Meanings of Leisure:. Leisure Sciences, 481-488. O'Shannessy, V., & Minett, D. (2008). The Road to Hospitality: Skills for the New Professional. Brissbane : Pearson Education Australia. Read More