Friday, December 27, 2019

Rhetorical Analysis Of Twelve By Sandra Cisneros Essay

Jorge D. Gomez-Kobayashi AP Language and Literature â€Å"Eleven† Rhetorical Analysis Composition Prompt: How does Cisneros characterize Rachel’s feelings about her eleventh birthday using rhetorical devices? Aging is a universal element within all of us humans -- throughout â€Å"growing up,† we learn new things, undergo minimal and life-changing experiences, in which we eventually form our own â€Å"character.† In the short story â€Å"Eleven,† by Sandra Cisneros, we enter the psyche of Rachel, an 11 year old right out of the oven. Throughout the story, Rachel complains and expresses her feelings about being an 11 year old, yet still possessing qualities from younger ages. It becomes apparent that she is immensely self-conscious and has a very pessimistic view about how she reacts to unexpected situations that she is put in. This can be determined from her childish tone, constant repetition, seemingly reserved dialogue, and her stream of consciousness. There is a vast amount of symbolism throughout the short story, all representing Rachel’s feelings about her age, and â€Å"lack of experience or knowledge.†Cisneros writes this story almost to make it s eem like how Rachel trapped herself in limbo, living in a world where she is constantly pulled between childishness and maturity, all depending on the outcomes of the situations she is put in. Rachel describes her experience elaborately and vividly, however, it simultaneously is a jumble of all of her thoughts and feelings. She

Thursday, December 19, 2019

Genesis Chapter 15 God s Covenant Of A Son And Land

Genesis Chapter 15 is God’s covenant of a son and land to Abram’s people as a reward for Abram’s faithfulness. These promises are fulfilled in the later chapters of Genesis and in Exodus. The book of Genesis is the first book of the Old Testament in the Bible, written to the people of Israel. The Old Testament was originally written in Hebrew; â€Å"Genesis† in Hebrew is translated as â€Å"in the beginning.† Within the book of Genesis, the journeys of God’s creations are explained. The chapters leading up to Genesis 15 tell of Abram’s success in the war against the King of Elam, and his refusal of his share of the treasures from the King of Sodom. In Genesis 15, God appeared to Abram and told him he would receive a â€Å"great reward† because of his faithfulness and his demonstration that he was a true believer. Abram expressed to God his frustration of not have an heir, other than a servant, to pass his rewards to. Up unti l this point, Abram had received vague promises of children and land from God, but even after being married to Sarai for several years, they still had no children. Not having children in that time was thought of as a type of curse, while having children was thought of as a blessing. God promised Abram and Sarai they would have children that were of his â€Å"own flesh and blood,† and that he would receive the land of Canaan. God helped Abram to imagine this by telling Abram to â€Å"look at the sky and count the stars,† expressing that was how many descendants AbramShow MoreRelatedAbrahamic Covenant And The Covenant2250 Words   |  9 PagesUniversity March 2, 2015 Abrahamic Covenant Chart A covenant is defined as a promise or agreement between two parties. The Abrahamic Covenant is a precise covenant between God and Abraham which can be seen in numerous events, throughout scripture. Genesis 12-50 reveals the Abrahamic covenant from Abraham to Joseph. The covenant is displayed in event and incidents throughout the history of Abraham and his descendants, which was part of God’s perfect will. God called out a specific people for himselfRead MoreThe Five Old Volume Of The Pentateuch1048 Words   |  5 PagesPentateuch the five old volume, consisting of the first five books of the Old Testament.This word does not occur in Scripture, nor is it certainly known when the rollwas thus divided into five portions Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers,Deuteronomy. The JEDP theory fiferences scholars who believe or doubted that moses was the writer of the Pentateuch. Their view that the Pentateuch represents the conflation of four different sources rather than the work of primarily one author, traditionally MosesRead MoreThe Testament Of The Old Testament God Essay1207 Words   |  5 PagesThroughout the Old Testament God continually manifests himself to humanity. When He is speaking to the prophets, leaders, or the nation of Israel, He presents opportunities for obedience in the form of covenants. Faithfulness is also needed to secure an association with God. Obedience is probably the most difficult aspect of mankind’s relationship with God. These covenants are the essential promises and pacts between God and humanity. I will present evidence from each of the Four Canons (PentateuchRead MoreEverlasting Covenant: Isaiah 24: 1-51479 Words   |  6 PagesEverlasting Covenant – Isaiah 24: 1-5 God does not enter into any relationship without entering into a covenant. A covenant must consist of a relationship between humankind and God; and, it is eternal, which is why it is called an everlasting covenant. The everlasting covenant can only be broken if man fails to maintain an intimate and personal relationship with God or chooses separation from God through sin, as was the case with Israel. Their hearts had strayed and many sins entered their livesRead MoreWhat Did I Learn About The Nature And Activity Of God? Essay2336 Words   |  10 PagesBOT 525 Week # 5 Reading Question 1: What did I learn about the nature and activity of God? God has continually sought out man throughout history, and He continues to draw them out today. The Israelites were called out to be a witness to what God had done for them during the Old Testament time period. The writings of the Israelites Major and Minor Prophets that we use in our Christian Old Testament bears witness to the events in Israelite history, which testify to their walk with the Lord. One ofRead MoreGalatians 3 : 15-29 The Law And The Promise3072 Words   |  13 PagesGalatians 3:15-29 the Law and the Promise General Introduction Galatians author was the apostle Paul and the audience was the churches of Galatia, discovered by Paul in his first route of mission work or spreading the gospel. The Galatian Epistle was addressed to the â€Å"Christian congregation of Galatia† (1:2). Certain positons are held by certain scholars as to who Paul’s letter to the churches of Galatia was written. One theory is that it was written in Northern Galatians. A view held by J.B. LightfootRead MoreCovenants Of The Bible, There Are Many Covenants2047 Words   |  9 Pages In the Bible, there are many covenants. Through a series of covenants, God enters into people’s life and brings people together. The idea of the covenant has been described by Hugenberger as follows: â€Å"A covenant, in its normal sense, is an elected, as opposed to natural, relationship of obligation under oath.† (Jefferey 10) His definition follows that of Mendenhall, who defines covenant more broadly as a â€Å"solemn promise made binding by an oath, which may be either a verbal formula or a symbolicRead MoreThe Bible And The Hebrew Bible2344 Words   |  10 Pagesdescribes the reiteration of laws that the people of Israel are to follow upon entrance to the Promised Land. Upon reviewing Deuteronomy, the people of Israel versus Moses and why Moses was refused entry to the land raises interesting questions. By predominantly focusing on the behavior of the people of Israel, the behavior of Moses, their interactions with the God, and the language used by the author(s) it provides some insight into how and why events unfolded as they did. Moses is considered to beRead MoreGod s Covenants : An Important Characteristic Of The Book Of Joshua1843 Words   |  8 PagesGod’s Covenants An important characteristic of the Book of Joshua was God assuring Joshua that He would be with him (Josh. 1:9 New International Version). As long as Joshua lived, God would be with him, the same way He was with Moses, As I was with Moses, I will be with you (Josh. 1:5 and 3:7). Nobody would be able to stand up against him. Joshua was to be strong and courageous. He was also to be careful to adhere to God’s law. He would be prosperous and fruitful if he carefully to it andRead MoreComparative Study of Jewish Marriage and Hindu Marriage Essay4441 Words   |  18 PagesJews accept only the old Testament emphasizing the idea of covenant between God and His people, and contains a record of their history to show how faithfully they observed this covenant. As a cultural treasure, the Old Testament is one of the most important source we have for knowledge of the past. Jews divide the Old Testament into three main sections called THE LAW, THE PROPHET and THE WRITINGS. THE LAW consists of the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deutronomy and in this section

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Clarissa Dalloway Essay Example For Students

Clarissa Dalloway Essay Virginia Woolf creates interesting contrast within the character of ClarissaDalloway using stream of consciousness narration in her novel Mrs. Dalloway. Clarissas inner thoughts reveal a contrast between her lack of attraction toher husband due to her lesbian feelings and her fear of loosing him as a socialstepping stone. These contrasts and many others can be seen throughout the novelusing the literary device of stream of consciousness narration. Clarissascharacter reveals to us early in the book her lack of attraction to her husband. This revelation can be seen in the passage that states: through somecontraction of this cold spirit, she had failed himshe could see what shelackedit was something central which permeated. The cold spiritthat she talks of is her sexuality, in being attracted to women, and her lack ofunderstanding why she is this way. This is the main reason for her lack ofattraction. She feels that she has let him down because she cannot complete herduties as his wife. Clarissa had lost both a sexual relationship and sexualattraction with her husband since the birth of her teenage daughter Elizabeth:she could not dispel a virginity preserved through childbirth which clungto her like a sheet. Clarissa tells us of her true sexuality as she remembersher girlhood friend Sally Seton. Sally is the only person that Clarissa has everhad any real passionate feelings for. But this question of love, this fallingin love with women. Take Sally Seton; her relation in the old days with SallySeton. Had not that, aft er all, been love? Although Sally held her heart, herhomosexual feelings were not socially acceptable. Clarissa is therefore obligedto enter into a marriage to Richard Dalloway for social purposes. A contrast toClarissas lack of attraction to her husband is seen in her fear of loosinghim. Richard provides for her a stepping stone for her to be the socialite thatshe strives to be. When Richard is invited to a lunch with Lady Bruton, a twingeof fear is evident in Clarissa that she is loosing her husband: Fear no morethe heat o the sun; for the shock of Lady Bruton asking Richard to lunchwithout her made the moment which she had stood shiver. Without him, shewould be nothing in society, so Clarissa is scared of loosing him even thoughshe has no attraction towards him. A contrast in the deeper self ofClarissa Dalloway can be seen in the stream of consciousness narration in Mrs. Dalloway. She reveals her lack of attraction for her husband and her fear ofloosing him through her inner thoughts. This provides for us the ability to seethe weaknesses of Clarissa and many of the other characters.

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

Walcott and Rhys Essay Example For Students

Walcott and Rhys Essay However, one of the key differences between Walcott and Rhys is that Rhys represents oppression as one of the psychological effect on Antoinette rather than a physical oppression. This is particularly visible when Antoinette has die many time. In way, not in hers, showing that he is making use of Antoinette to his preference and thinks. This can be seen as a way of oppressing Antoinette psychologically as Antoinette can not get her thoughts across as Rochester only thinks however he wants to, and yet he manages to get what he wants. We will write a custom essay on Walcott and Rhys specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Walcotts presentation of oppression is more physical. Furthermore, presentation of dominance and oppression differs as the attitude towards the ideas is presented differently. Walcott, although discontent at first, reconciles near the end with an understanding thought of the Albion too was once/ A colony like ours. On the other hand, Rhys portrays the negativity of having dominance and oppression in the Caribbean from the arrival of Rochester until his departure. In A Lesson for this Sunday, Walcott presents the Caribbean society to be more oppressive. There are racial division by the use of specific colour term of Black and the fact he writes Black maid represents the post-colonial Caribbean society, under the oppressive dominance. Women are minimised as objects due to oppression. There are lots of violent vocabularies used such as cries, scream and grief. This is similar to the animalistic use of vocabularies in the poem Conqueror; especially the theme on metal is influential on the presentation of dominance in the Caribbean society. The man are described to be bronze, preside flayer of horses, questioning their dominance; as strong as a metal. This is further extended by the use of metaphor as the iron deliverer, exploring the oppression which takes place in the society. Walcott puns on the word deliverer to mean the European dominance in the Caribbean to deliver safety. However, it could also mean that they were the iron deliverer as in delivering the iron, the sword, into people. A Lesson for this Sunday also uses the children as to be sin characters in the poem. This reflects on the cruelty and oppression which had been carried out to sustain the dominance. The use of rhyme Heredity of cruelty has a strong impact in representing the oppressive nature of the post-colonial society and how even the children are adapting to these ideas. This oppressive nature of the society in order to be able to sustain their dominance is also represented similarly in Wide Sargasso Sea. Rochester, by calling Antoinette Bertha, he oppresses her to be dominated by him; she has lost her identity. He recreates Antoinette to suit himself as he thinks of as Bertha. This can be seen as psychological oppression, as she is forced to think of herself as someone who she is not; she is to comply with however Rochester wants to feel like. Rochesters presentation of dominance is shown to be more psychological oppressiveness towards Antoinette whereas in Walcotts poems, his dominance is represented by physical oppression. In conclusion, Walcott presents dominance and oppression in the post-colonial society as a negative existence, although there seems to be some sense of grief and reconciliation. It is interesting to see how the similar view given by Walcott towards the negativity of dominance/oppression existence is also explored through Rhys. However, Rhys uses the format of the three parts in the novel, which can be seen as a way of showing dominance and oppression. Although Part one starts with Antoinettes narrative, Rochester soon takes over in which the story is told in accordance of his conscious and feelings. Also, the fact that it is in the middle of the two parts of the Caribbean voices, it could suggest the White male dominance over the other narratives. .ue408581545e287ca56f1b3dfba985453 , .ue408581545e287ca56f1b3dfba985453 .postImageUrl , .ue408581545e287ca56f1b3dfba985453 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ue408581545e287ca56f1b3dfba985453 , .ue408581545e287ca56f1b3dfba985453:hover , .ue408581545e287ca56f1b3dfba985453:visited , .ue408581545e287ca56f1b3dfba985453:active { border:0!important; } .ue408581545e287ca56f1b3dfba985453 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ue408581545e287ca56f1b3dfba985453 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ue408581545e287ca56f1b3dfba985453:active , .ue408581545e287ca56f1b3dfba985453:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ue408581545e287ca56f1b3dfba985453 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ue408581545e287ca56f1b3dfba985453 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ue408581545e287ca56f1b3dfba985453 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ue408581545e287ca56f1b3dfba985453 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ue408581545e287ca56f1b3dfba985453:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ue408581545e287ca56f1b3dfba985453 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ue408581545e287ca56f1b3dfba985453 .ue408581545e287ca56f1b3dfba985453-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ue408581545e287ca56f1b3dfba985453:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The Stranger: Main Character Analysis EssayFurthermore, Part 2 is the longest part of the three, showing the White mans dominance over the Caribbean oppressing Antoinette to be more silent then she had probably given the opportunity to speak. On the other hand, Walcotts presentation of dominance and oppression are more subtle as his poems are mostly written in the style of stream of consciousness thus the readers can view different perspectives and approaches towards dominance and oppression. Therefore, Rhys and Walcott present similar settings to the presence of dominance and oppression, but how their attitudes towards them are quite dissimilar.

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Why did Romeo and Juliet die Essay Example

Why did Romeo and Juliet die? Paper Consider the major factors which may have played at in their death and comment on which you think is the most significant. From forth the fatal loins of these to foes A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life; Whose misadventured piteous overthrows We will write a custom essay sample on Why did Romeo and Juliet die? specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Why did Romeo and Juliet die? specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Why did Romeo and Juliet die? specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Doth with their death bury their parents strife. From the opening scenes of the play it is made clear that these two children of the feuding families were destined to fall in love and eventually die together, but was it the actions of their friends that brought about their deaths or could it be that their deaths were just inevitable? Most people choose to believe that they have a sense of responsibility and can control their own lives; they suppose that their problems are caused by their own actions or by those influencing them. In my opinion though, Romeo and Juliet had no control what so ever, fate brought them together their lives were already mapped out for them and there was nothing to impair this. Romeo and Juliet could not have avoided coming in contact with each other, they were brought together by uncontrollable circumstances (fate). There were many events that conspired against Romeo and Juliet, for example the family feud. The brawl in Act 1 Scene 1 is ceased by Prince Escales who said If you ever disturb our streets again, Your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace. However the Prince failed to stay loyal to his word, Romeos banishment and the fate involved with it is a prime factor in the deaths of Romeo and Juliet. In Act1 Scene1 the Princes words were quite the contrary. Was it intentional that a man of such high standard would go back on his word? However, if Mercutio had not taunted Tybalt in town whilst out with Romeo and Benvolio, Romeo would never of got into his fight with Tybalt and therefore would not have been banished. Perhaps, however, the fight initiated by Mercutio that hapless day was inevitable: could it be that Romeo was somehow destined to be exiled? Romeos famous words in Act3 Scene1 signify the point in the play where the tragedy really begins. This days black fate on moe days doth depend This but begins the woe others must end Romeos exile poisons all possibility of happiness for himself and Juliet. His exile causes Juliet great sorrow, greater than if he had been executed. Her parents, Lord and Lady Capulet were oblivious to the fact that Juliet was pining for Romeo and not Tybalt. They did not even consider her feelings when arranging her marriage to Paris, but why were they so determined? Was it because they loved their daughter and wanted to see her happy? No, Capulet only agreed to the marriage because Paris was of a higher status than them, so it would increase theirs in turn. Capulet did not care whether Juliet loved him or not, for she did not have a choice of whom she was to be married to. As a consequence of Capulets determination he drove his daughter to her own death. Was this deliberate or just fate? In my opinion it was fate, which caused the deaths of Romeo and Juliet. In the Oxford Dictionary fate is the inevitable destiny or necessity destined term of life; doom. Basically fate can be described as a preplanned sequence of events influencing ones life. Fate was the sole contributor to the deaths of the young lovers but there are more possibilities that I have to consider before I make my final decision. Chance and coincidence played a small part in the play, during the course of Act1 Scene2, the contrary happened, and happened by chance. As Romeo and Benvolio were nearing a public area a Capulet servant stopped them. After Romeo had read the guest list to the Capulet party Benvolio suggested that to relieve himself from the sadness for Rosaline, Romeo should attend the party and compare Rosalines beauty to the other female guests. An example of coincidence is evident here. If Rosaline had not been attending, Benvolio would not have encouraged Romeo attend which lead to him meeting Juliet. The encounter with the servant in the city set off an unlikely chain of events, but why out of all the people did he pick Romeo and Benvolio? Romeo and Juliets feelings were very strong, or so they thought. But why were they in such a hurry to get married when they knew their love could never be accepted as their families despised each other? Surely they knew deep down that their love was bound to end in tragedy but they were to afraid to talk about the consequences that their love could cause. Personally I believe in love at first sight but Romeo and Juliet rushed into marriage without knowing whether the feelings that they were experiencing were true or lasting. I think that in a way they did love each other, their love appeared to be unconditional because they would rather die than lose each other. Romeo and Juliet did love each other, their love contrasts with the hate of the feud. In Act1 Scene1 Romeo thought that he was in love with Rosaline but that was just a mere infatuation with her beauty not Rosaline herself, but when he spies Juliet for the first time he says: Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight! For I neer saw true beauty till this night. This shows that Romeos emotions are not deep: he is quickly moved to another girl or infatuation, Juliets beauty shows his fickle nature. Although I think that Romeo does love Juliet I do not think that his feelings are a strong as he makes out. Their first meeting is heavy with religious imagery, If I profane with my unworthtiest hand This holy shrine, the gentle sin is this, My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss. The religious language used in this scene makes Romeo and Juliet sound pure and innocent. Romeo sneaks into the Capulet gardens after the party, he is flirting with the possibility of being caught and killed just to see Juliet. He overhears her declaration of love, they accept the social isolation of their love. This proves that they do not love each other that much because surely if they did then they would confess everything to their families but they clearly do not think that their love would survive if they did. Juliet has a heavy premonition when she says: I have no joy of this contract tonight, It is too rash, too unadvised, too sudden. The feud affects everything, Romeo and Juliet know that they were taking an almighty risk but they cannot help the way they feel or can they? The feud is inescapable, but Tybalt appears to be the only member of both families that is keeping the hatred alive. Even Capulet ordered Tybalt tolerate Romeo at their ball because he did not want Tybalt causing havoc. He shall be endured What, goodman boy, I say he shall, go to! He thinks that he is defending the honor of his family; he kills to defend his name. Tybalt does not think before he acts, Romeo is banished because of his sneaky actions. How can Romeo allow Mercutios death to go unavenged? The feud is purely about honor and money; they fight to defend their family name and that is all that matters. Capulet and Montague do not care who they hurt in the process, as long as they are not humiliated. The actions of some characters greatly influence the course of events in the play, the Nurse, Juliets committed servant who treated her almost like her daughter, (this might be because she lost her own daughter) changed the course of events by going behind Lord and Lady Capulets backs. If the Nurse had not preformed Juliets bidding and acted as her messenger, it is possible that Juliet would have given up on the idea of marriage to Romeo and the couples death would have been averted. However, there is a strong possibility that regardless of the Nurses influence, the couple would still have gone ahead with their doomed marriage once they had fallen in love. Friar Lawrence, Romeos confidant and assistant of Juliet in her final plan, changed the course of events by helping the young couple in their plans to marry and assisting Juliet in her scheme to be with Romeo once again. He is shown collecting plants and herbs to ensure that the audience knows about his knowledge and authority of the properties of plants when he gives Juliet the sleeping draught. If the Friar had not agreed to marry Romeo and Juliet, it is again possible that they would have given up on the idea of being together. On the other hand, Romeo and Juliet had been fated to marry and would have partaken in the ceremony one way or another no matter what the Friars decision. The Friar is portrayed as a spiritual guide to Romeo and a surrogate parent whom Romeo can confide his most private thoughts. The Friar only agreed to the marriage of Romeo and Juliet because he believed that their love could help impair the feud. In one respect Ill thy assistant be. For this alliance may so happy prove, To turn your households rancour to pure love. Friar Lawrence and the Nurse both act as instruments of fate. Juliets parents, Lord and Lady Capulet changed the course of the play by being so persistent and self-obsessed, they do love Juliet in their own way but they care more about status and money than they do about their own daughter. If Capulet had not agreed to the marriage of Paris and his daughter, Juliet would never have been forced to take such drastic actions that lead to her and Romeos deaths. So why did Romeo and Juliet die? Was it down to chance, no. Adolescent passion, slightly. The feud, partly. The actions of the Nurse, Friar Lawrence and the Capulets are mainly to blame. In my opinion though, the soul contributor to the tragic deaths of Romeo and Juliets death was fate. Nowadays, most people do not have much time for the theory of fate. They like to think that they can control their own destiny. But what if all our actions are already planned out, and no matter what we do the ultimate consequence will be the same? Some people argue that Shakespeare wanted us to believe this was the case with Romeo and Juliet.

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Histroy Essays

Histroy Essays Histroy Essay Histroy Essay What practical arguments does Paine present in favor of the independence of the American colonies? Name and discuss at least two. Paine presented multiple arguments in his pamphlet, Common Sense. One of his arguments that stood out to me the most is that regarding the monarchy and hereditary succession. Paine describes how nobody chooses to live poorly and cannot choose the status of their descendants and the importance and idea of equality. He describes the difference between Kinds and subjects as being unnecessary and unethical. Everyone is equal at creation. People of the colonies could relate to this on a religious aspect as well, because the Bible supports his statements. Paine supported the beliefs of freedom of property to all men and freedom on religion. Paine also discussed America and the relationship with Great-Britain. Paine stated that America had become dependent on Great-Brittany and that success and happiness should not be reliant on another country. He wrote that Great-Britain had nobody interest in mind but their own. Paine also pointed out the unnecessary quarrels with other countries such as France and Spain, due to the fact that we were involved with Great-Britain and pictured them as the parent country. He introduced the idea of having each colony be independent and have representatives chosen by the people. 2. Many scholars consider this document vital in swinging public opinion toward independence in early 1776. Why do you think it was so effective in this regard? I think that Pains pamphlet regarding Common Sense was the turning point for the Colonies to declare independence from Great-Britain. Although America was considered a British nation, it had influences from all over the European continent. His writings are simplistic and easy to understand, even to the common man. He provided valid arguments and was very logical he provided a new view on life that the Americans had not completely considered yet. Many citizens of America were on the edge of wanted independence or not. I dont believe that Pains writings were the deciding factor, but I do think that it was extremely influential to people in all of the colonies.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Talent Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Talent Management - Essay Example This can only be realized by talented individuals who are use their skills to improve organizational processes. Moreover, even talented individuals can underperform if they are not fully engaged with the organizations. The only way that organizations can encourage their employees to be fully engaged is to actively engage them, develop their raw talents, encourage their progress, and support the workers in the performance of their various responsibilities. Lastly, HR Cloud systems are important because they support the development of positive corporate culture. The IBM talent management approach makes use of all these facilities (Scullion & Collings, 2011). Organizational change functions as the core aspect of all of this corporation’s solutions. This is what contributes to the organization’s meeting its objectives, while preserving its business impact in the industry and the world at large. In regards to talent analytics, IBM’s solutions make use of leading analytics with expertise that offers a holistic interpretation of the company’s present position in the market, where it needs to be, and how to the organization can shape existing talent in order to realize this goal. IBM also facilitates corporate cultural change on the basis of collaboration and employee engagement, for the purpose of enhancing employee retention and productivity by means of technology, behavioral sciences, and organizational consulting. IBM also has a functioning operation that provides vendor selection and strategy support for HR Cloud systems. More than a decade ago, skilled workforces were viewed as being a necessity for any competitive IT organization. At this time, IBM was focused on managing talent in such a way that there was no wastage of corporate resources. In 2004, the corporation came up with a software to deal with ‘Human Capital Management

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Estimated monetary value of modifying an existing Assignment

Estimated monetary value of modifying an existing application.contingency and management reserve budget plan - Assignment Example Contingency reserves incorporate the funds that are to handle the observed risks.On the other hand,management reserves are supposed to handle the risks that have not been identified.The contingency reserve is the amount of funds or any other financial resources that is allocated to a project above the amount that was originally designated This is used to reduce the risk of overruns. This also includes the specific amount of time which is quantified in man hours that is allocated above the first and the original version of time that was catering for all activities including overtime. The contingency reserve is determined at the beginning f a project though it is allocated during progress of a project when it is decided that the original allocations might not be fit.In the case of the question at hand, the contingency reserve is the amount above the original allocation. This is the amount that was calculated in the first part of this paper: $13,375. Management reserve budget plan.Manag ement reserve is basically an amount that is set aside for purposes of control of the management. It is different from the amount set aside for the completion of a project.This amount is held for the sake of any work that may additionally sprout out unexpectedly. Such an amount may be the one that can be held due to changes in the rates in the future completion of work.This amount is not used to cater for variation in costs. Setting out of the management reserve has no preset formula and can be a percentage of the actual total budget. Considering that the project at hand includes modification of an existing project, an amount that is not far off from the total labor cost can be set as the management reserve. I would personally set this amount to the one set it at the amount required to fix the software which is $3, 500. Assumptions for the reserves Owing to the fact that implementing and determining the reserve budgets is almost iterative, the ability of specifying the correct amoun t of the management reserve budget is not very clear. Additionally, implementation of budgeting that is probabilistic requires strong assumptions on costs requires very concise assumptions on the elements in the work breakdown structure. Such elements are like correlation and distribution properties. This part of this discussion will look at the various assumptions that have been considered in the determination of the budget reserves. These assumptions will be based on various models as described by various scholars as below. According to Goldberg and Weber (1-7), â€Å"risk analysis and cost management†

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Discussion board reply Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Discussion board reply - Coursework Example The notion of internal recruiting appears to be promising aspect for many organizations, but this has its own limitations, due to the fact that organizations opt for hiring new indiviuals only when they find it difficult to fulfill their needs based on their already available human resources. For this reason, whenever, an organization decides to hire new individuals, it should be understood that their local resources are unable to fulfill their requirements (Jackson et al, 2012). As far as the success of interview process is concerned, although interviews are regarded as being an opportunity to sell oneself, they can also act as limitation to those who are not quite skilled at verbal skills. Are verbal skills necessary for every job? My understanding is that although interviews should play a role in the job process, they should not be given extreme importance, which is sad a norm in the modern corporate

Friday, November 15, 2019

Business Organisations In A Global Context Commerce Essay

Business Organisations In A Global Context Commerce Essay The process of strategic planning is not simple and easy one, it involves a lot of industry research and clear understanding of your market, your customers, your competitors, your team, your core competencies, the environment in which you are operating, changing parameter, your vision and mission etc. These are not easy question to answer as well as its not a quick process. Effectively management of people can produce substantially enhanced economic performance. A plethora of terms have been used to describe such management practices: high commitment, high performance, high involvement, and so forth. A social unit of people, systematically structured and managed to meet a need or to pursue collective goals on a continuing basis. All organizations have a management structure that determines relationships between functions and  positions, and subdivides and delegates  roles,  responsibilities, and authority to carry out defined tasks. Organizations are open systems in that they affect and are affected by the environment beyond their boundaries. Globalisation is a phenomena that is used to interact among different countries attempting to develop global economy. It is a process of connecting the worlds markets and business with each other. It is basically a process by which different economies, cultures and societies are combined together by latest communication system. Globalisation has been defined by different experts at different places, according to an economist Harris (1993), the increasing internationalisation of the production, distribution and marketing of goods and services is globalisation. Another definition of globalisation is the functional integration of national economies within the circuits of industrial and financial capital.(Rhodes, 1996). The key differences between global business operations:- Businesses operate in a global context: even if they do not trade directly with other countries, they might be affected by a domestic shortage of skilled labour or may be subject to developments on the global financial markets. Globalization and international business as business terms are often used synonymously in casual conversation. As economic pressures continue to abound, many corporations are looking within their organizations to determine how to improve operations and reduce costs. Cost constraints, efficiency gains and productivity measures are commonly sought to achieve this objective. It is no surprise that development of or improvement in an enterprises service delivery model is desired. Many companies have developed some aspect of shared services, and many more have embraced the outsourcing service delivery model as one lever to drive economic improvement. However, we believe there are plenty of opportunities remaining with respect to shared services in general along with some terrific opportunities for an emerging concept called global business services to drive significant improvement and manage all service delivery model alternatives. WHAT DO WE MEAN BY SHARED SERVICES? A successful shared services model typically incorporates these concepts: Focused company resources Process ownership as a key characteristic Critical values of partnering, teamwork and adding value Effective leverage of tools and technology Accountability by specialists with service focus (internal and external) Strong communications and governance principles Centre of excellence and a company asset for developing talent Results that emphasize efficiently meeting customer requirements Focal point for company best practices Responsibilities of organisations Importance of ethics in the business world is superlative and global. New trends and issues arise on a daily basis which may create an important burden to organizations and end consumers. Nowadays, the need for proper ethical behaviour within organizations has become crucial to avoid possible lawsuits. The public scandals of corporate malfeasance and misleading practices, have affected the public perception of many organizations. An organizations responsibilities are not limited to primary stakeholders. Although governmental bodies and regulatory agencies do not usually have ownership stakes in companies in free-market economies, they do play an active role in trying to ensure that organizations accept and meet their responsibilities to primary stakeholder groups. Organizations are accountable to these secondary stakeholders. All companies, especially large corporations, have multiple stakeholders. One way of classifying stakeholder groups is to classify them as primary or secondary stakeholders. Primary stakeholders have some direct interest or stake in the organization. Secondary stakeholders, in contrast, are public or special interest groups that do not have a direct stake in the organization but are still affected by its operations. The impact of external factors on organisations: There is a simple rhyme which goes: Environment to each must be. All there is that isnt me. You can see therefore that the business environment consists of all those things outside the business. The business needs to keep a watchful eye on the environment because it is continually changing. Key elements in the environment are: 1. Competition. Rival companies are continually changing what they have to offer. They may lower prices, bring out new products, engage in exciting new advertising campaigns, and a range of other activities. 2. Political factors. The action of government affects business and other organisations. Governments are continually changing the rules and the laws that affect business. This is illustrated by the way in which government rules affect schools. Simon Jenkins in an article in The Sunday Times, on 24 September 2006 illustrates this well when he wrote: This government tries to keep control of every school. Since coming to office its education department has issued 500 regulations, 350 policy targets, 175 efficiency targets, 700 notes of guidance, 17 plans and 26 separate incentive grant streams. 3. Economic factors. The economy consists of businesses, individuals and government. The international economy consists of the economies of all the countries in the world. The economy consists of many markets the market for goods, the market for services and the market for money are key parts of this. These markets determine the price that business has to pay for its resources such as labour, and raw materials. Businesses are continually affected by changes in the economy. 4. Social factors. Society is made up of all the people in a given area. It is important to be able to find out what the main trends are that are happening in society because these trends affect business. For example, changes in age patterns, such as the increasing numbers of older people in the population, determine which goods are popular. Then there are social trends which are affected by fashion for example this year some goods will be in, whereas next year nobody or very few people will want to buy them. 5. Technological factors result from the development of new techniques, i.e. new types of products and new processes to make products. For example, recent years have seen a massive change in information technology which has transformed the way we run our lives. For example, today more than 90% of young people possess a mobile phone. (www.acquaint.me.uk) The impact of global factors on business organisations Businesses are affected by an external environment as much as they are affected by the competitors. Global factors influencing business are legal, political, social, technological and economic. Understanding of these factors is important while developing a business strategy. a. Social factors These factors are related to changes in social structures. These factors provide insights into behaviour, tastes, and lifestyles patterns of a population. Buying patterns are greatly influenced by the changes in the structure of the population, and in consumer lifestyles. Age, gender, etc all determine the buying patterns and understanding of such changes is critical for developing strategies which are in line with the market situations. In a global environment it is important that business strategies are designed keeping in mind the social and cultural differences that vary from country to country. Consumer religion, language, lifestyle patterns are all important information for successful business management. b. Legal factors These factors that influence business strategies are related to changes in government laws and regulations. For a successful business operation it is important that the businesses consider the legal issues involved in a particular situation and should have the capability to anticipate ways in which changes in laws will affect the way they must behave. Laws keep changing over a period of time. From the point of view of business it is important that they are aware of these changes in the areas of consumer protection legislation, environmental legislation, health safety and employment law, etc. c. Economic factors These factors involve changes in the global economy. A rise in living standards would ultimately imply an increase in demand for products thereby, providing greater opportunities for businesses to make profits. An economy witnesses fluctuations in economic activities. This would imply that in case of a rise in economic activity the demand of the product will increase and hence the price will increase. In case of reduction in demand the prices will go down. Business strategies should be developed keeping in mind these fluctuations. Other economic changes that affect business include changes in the interest rate, wage rates, and the rate of inflation. In case of low interest rates and increase in demand Businesses will be encouraged to expand and take risks. Therefore, business strategies should have room for such fluctuations. d. Political factors This refers to the changes in government and government policies. Political factors greatly influence the operation of business. This has gained significant importance off late. For example: companies operating in the European Union have to adopt directives and regulations created by the EU. The political arena has a huge influence upon the regulation of businesses, and the spending power of consumers and other businesses. Business must consider the stability of the political environment, governments policy on the economy etc e. Technological factors These factors greatly influence business strategies as they provide opportunities for businesses to adopt new innovations, and inventions. This helps the business to reduce costs and develop new products. With the advent of modern communication technologies, technological factors have gained great impetus in the business arena. . Huge volumes of information can be securely shared by means of databases thereby enabling vast cost reductions, and improvements in service. Organisations need to consider the latest relevant technological advancements for their business and to stay competitive. Technology helps business to gain competitive advantage, and is a major driver of globalization. While designing the business strategies firms must consider if use of technology will allow the firm to manufacture products and services at a lower cost. Firms can select new modes of distributions with the help of technology. It has become easier for companies to communicate wi th their customer in any part of the world. (http://www.businessteacher.org.uk) Strategies employed by organisations operating globally Operations strategy is the development of a long-term plan for using the major resources of the firm for a high degree of compatibility between these resources and the firm long term corporate strategy. Operations strategy addresses very broad questions about how these major resources should be configured to achieve the desired corporate objectives. Some of the major long-term issues addressed in operations strategy include: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ How large do we make our facilities? à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ What type of processes do we install to make the products or provide services? à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ What will our supply chain look like? à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ What will be the nature of our workforce? à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ How do we ensure quality? (http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/dl/free/0070922837/158533/sample_ch2.pdf). Managing culture, society and economy challenges Companies move to other countries to expand their business and to increase the profits. When companies do move to other countries they face different challenges like meeting local customers demands, understanding the rules or regulations of local government, language problems etc. If we sum up these problems generally there are three main problems in moving business to overseas countries which are social, cultural and economic factors. Companies do have to understand the culture of the country so that they can run their business properly. They have to understand their social customs and economy of the country. For example McDonalds, KFC or Subway, these companies have operations all over the world. They sale poultry, pork and meat products. Now expanding their business to Asian countries, they first get knowledge about their social, cultural and economy factory. Taking example of Muslim countries, when these three companies moved to Muslims countries they cannot sell Pork or Non-Hala l products in Muslim countries because it is against their cultural values or religious values. So they do sell Halal products to these countries and avoid selling of Pork. This shows that companies have to change themselves according to local culture and social life to do good business in other countries. Also they do offer prices according to local economy or purchasing power of customers. They cannot apply the same prices both in US, UK, India and Pakistan because the economic condition of all these countries is different. Conclusion There is no doubt that with the progress in globalisation living standard of people in many countries has improved but there is also no denial to the fact that most of benefits are being gained by developed countries. They are exploiting the rights of developing countries in the name of globalisation. The income gap between developed countries and developing countries has been increased which is a matter of concern. Through globalisation many companies have also gained benefits especially multinational companies and big companies. They are getting huge profits through globalisation. But they are also exploiting peoples right to some extent, like they are not giving the same pays to developing and developed countries.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Tesco: Assessing the change implications of Tesco’s Rapid International Business process.

Executive summary Change is inevitable in any organization that aspires to grow. As an organization, Tesco has diversified its operations and extended into new markets in various countries such as China, Japan among others. However, its largest market base is still in the United Kingdom. This paper discusses the implications that the company’s rapid internationalization has had on its operations. Penetration into new and undiscovered markets which seem unattractive to many retailers and selling for low prices is the key strategy employed by this organization in its expansion process. They are able to charge these low prices due to the numerous benefits of economies of scale they enjoy due to mass production and sale. This strategy however, does not lack challenges just like any other strategy employed by other organizations. For instance, the competitors in the new markets can also reduce their prices thereby limiting the market to new entrants such as Tesco. This is especially so in large emerging markets such as China and Japan. This paper also addresses the need for change and factors that have contributed to change at Tesco. There are a number of reasons why change is important. For instance, in order to ensure it remains competitive, some aspects of the organization have to change. The factors which drive change in this organization include political factors, social factors, technological factors, economic factors and even its objectives as an organization. The change process in this organization receives support from all the levels of the organization and the goals and vision are clearly communicated to the members. This is evidenced by its exemplary performance. Despite the numerous challenges faced in the change process, it has remained afloat and the benefits of the change are evident through its continued expansion. This paper exhaustively explores the change process at Tesco, analyzes the situation and makes suggestions that the company can use in implementation of the change. Introduction Tesco is a general merchandising retail chain and an international grocery store. Founded in 1919, it has grown over the years and is currently operating in over 12 countries globally with a total of 530,000 employees. In 2012, it had ?3.03 billion in profits and ?59.4 billion in turnover. Most of its revenue (65%) comes from the United Kingdom. However, other places such as Asia, United States and Europe also are responsible for a large portion of its revenue (Tesco, 2012). It operates under different brand names, which include Superstore, Express Extra and Metro. It sells about 40,000 food items in its superstores, clothes and other nonfood items. It also owns petrol stations and offers personal finance services such as life insurance. Its expansion has placed it at a top position globally and currently is ranked as the largest retailer in Britain and as the third largest retailer globally (Lowe et al., 2012). The own-label products of the company are grouped into three segments na mely: the value level, normal level and finest level products. Despite the extensive development of the retailing and nonfood services, Tesco has undertaken huge investments internationally in a bid to ensure its continued growth. To ensure efficiency in operations and costs in its international operations, it has incorporated IT solutions to facilitate business processes (Miozzo et al., 2012). This paper provides an in-depth analysis of Tesco’s rapid internationalization. Situation and Culture Every organization has its own culture which either serves to identify its employees and customers or serves to ensure efficient running and cohesive relationships among the employees (Maitah, 2010). Tesco’s culture is distinctive through its numerous corporate social activities. These demonstrate its ideologies and values such as honesty, responsibility and fairness. This sense of social responsibility drove the organization into stating up supermarkets in areas where other supermarkets would not go into due to their native nature. At Tesco, there are string bonds among the staff and customers. This has been quite instrumental in contributing to wards employee job satisfaction and offering services that are satisfactory to customers. These relationships have ensured efficient operations within the organization due to the social groups formed (Tesco PLC, 2014). There are shared values upheld by the staff thereby ensuring a reduction in conflicts among them. This also encourages loyalty of the staff to the organization thereby ensuring its good performance is sustained. Lastly it helps them get a better understanding of the customers’ needs (Tesco PLC, 2014). Tesco has a flexible work environment, which ensures an increase in employee participation in various roles and decisions and also enhances their adaptability to possible changes within the organization. An inflexible work environment would in most cases lead to resistance from the employees, thereby limiting their productivity and innovation. In the long run, it will affect the performance of the organization (Tseng, 2011). The management practice undertaken by the organization tends to be in line with theory Y assumptions. In this theory, the management believes that the employees view their work as normal and will aim at obtaining additional responsibilities in their places of work (Russ, 2011). Given the right conditions, these managers believe that workers will be self-driven and work efficiently. Therefore, there will be joint decision making in regards to setting of objectives and development of strategies required to achieve these goals. Also these managers will delegate most duties and promote team work (Lowe et al., 2012). Even though the managers at Tesco have incorporated some of these propositions in the daily management of the organizations activities, it may not entirely lead to efficiency. This is because of the extensive number of the subordinates one manger supervises making it difficult to use the approach (Be nfari, 2013). Also, tasks allocated to the subordinates do not need specialized skills hence continued supervision by the managers is required in order for them to issue direction and ensure continuity in a bid to achieve the set goals of the firm (Inman et al., 2014 ). Drivers of change and the organizations stage in the change process There is always need for change in any organization, which is usually propelled by a variety of factors, which is also the case at Tesco. This section outlines the different factors that have contributed to the need for change at Tesco. It also addresses the stage of change in which the company currently is. One of these is the changing political environment. New legislations come up every day and therefore it needs to conform to these standards in order to avoid any legal suits against them. Legal suits may affect its cash flows as a majority of people may claim compensation. Issues also such as political instability may affect the operations of the organization (Lowe et al., 2012). Economic factors are also responsible for the changes. Factors such as economic crisis and fall in demand for goods may affect the cash flows adversely as sales will slump. This therefore poses a need for diversification of its operations hence a presenting a need for change (Benn et al., 2014). As the c ompany expands its operations, it manages this risk because when the risk is high in a certain market, there is another market with stable economic conditions (Polak et al., 2011). Social factors also contribute to this. Customer loyalty is a key social factor needed to ensure growth and sustainability of any business (Mahatma et al., 2013). For instance, news that the beef burgers from Tesco had horsemeat adversely affected the image of the organization and lowered the customer loyalty (The Guardian, 2013). This therefore drives for change as it has to ensure those who were affected are compensated and that corrective action is taken so no such occurrences are experienced in the future. Changes in the marketing strategies therefore are needed in order to restore the customer base (Anderson & Swaminathan, 2011). It can also be argued that technological factors are responsible for these changes (Hitt & Tambe, 2012). Due to Tesco’s extensive operations all over the world, it needs to adopt new technological advancements in order to ensure efficiency in its operations such as production and marketing. Issues such as social media marketing through twitter and Facebook should be considered in order to ensure they meet their target audience (Tuten & Solomon, 2012). Online shopping channels should also be enhanced further (Plunkett, 2009). At present, Tesco has undertaken numerous steps towards the change process. It has diversified its operations in order to prevent losses due to economic factors in one area. For instance it produces products such as petroleum and food products, both of which have inelastic demand (Tesco PLC, 2014). It complies with both the legal and ethical requirements especially in regards to food products and also compensates affected individuals in order to avoid law suits which could harm its operations. Also, the organization has undertaken numerous technological advancements in its operations in order to ensure its operations are well managed and that their customers are served efficiently (de Kervenoael et al., 2011). With reference to the j-curve model, there are stages which an organization goes through in the change process (Grabenwarter & Weidig, 2005). These include: †¢ Plateau: At this level there are minimal disruptions in the organization. †¢ Cliff: This stage is characterized by a lot of anxiety and uncertainties surrounding the new process. †¢ Valley: At this point, production is low and there are a lot of frustrations in the work place. It is the most critical part as it determines whether the change will be taken to completion. †¢ Ascent Stage: At this stage, the benefits from the development are reaped. There are no challenges at this point and the limited challenges faced can be easily resolved. †¢ Mountaintop: This is the final stage. Here, both productivity and performance have been improved. According to the j curve model, Tesco is at the ascent stage. This is because some of the benefits from the internationalization strategy are already being ripped by t he company (Lowe et al., 2012). Whether there is a strategy for this planned change or is it a response to a problem. For Tesco, the changes are both in form of a prior vision and as a response to changes in the issues in the market. Tesco has two key strategies which it employs in a bid to achieve its goals. These are: â€Å"How Tesco sells for less†- Tesco‘s goal is to sell large volumes of a wide range of products and services. In order to achieve this, they make use of the economies of scale benefits derived from producing and selling in bulk. This therefore implies that it can lower its prices hence sell its products globally at competitive prices (Tesco PLC, 2014). â€Å"Steering wheel† –this is related to its primary areas of concern. These are operations, people, financial and customers. Of all the four areas of concern, the customers are the most important. Tesco therefore, has ensured that the relationship between them is cordial and built on a t rust basis thereby securing their loyalty. It has ensured it provides quality products at very low prices and also that there is professionalism in service delivery to the customers (Bather & Tucker, 2011). The increase in competition in Tesco’s major markets is the main problem that has also led it to implement the internationalization strategy. With companies like Wal-Mart and Carrefour also struggling for the market share in the UK and other main markets, Tesco has had to consider expanding to other regions where there is less competition (Ryu & Simpson, 2011). Exploration of the problem to be addressed Whereas Tesco has successfully established itself in the many countries and is generally performing well, there are several problems it faces that ought to be addressed. This will improve the company’s performance and give it an edge over its main competitors in the market. These issues are discussed hereunder. Over dependence on the UK market Despite its extensive expansion to other market areas globally, its profits still largely depend on the UK market. About 73.8% and 65% of its profits in 2003 and 2009 respectively came from its UK market (Palmer, 2012). Even though this is not a problem in the short run, it may affect its operations in the long run if its competitors such as the Morrison’s group expand their operations and market share (Benn et al., 2014). Debt International expansion is expensive hence requires heavy cash flows used for marketing and investment purposes. Therefore, Tesco requires huge cash flows and these are raised through borrowing (Randall & Seth, 2011). The repayment of these debts has further been worsened by the economic downturn and has become expensive overtime. Its aggressive expansion activities reduce the cash available for financing other activities in the organization (Benn et al., 2014). Acquisitions Due to its large size, and wide range of products, Tesco can easily take over other firms, especially in the United Kingdom. However, there is a risk posed by it turning into a serial acquirer since these actions will lower its quality, brand visibility and even earnings. This therefore should be addressed and a different expansion strategy considered (Johnson & Turner, 2010). Aggressive expansion into large markets such as China and Japan may lead to a decline in returns due to reasons such as the existing economic conditions in these markets, reactions by competitors and failure of the company’s strategy (Benn et al., 2014). The key players and what each player may lose or win The key players here include: †¢ Competitors- these are most likely to lose their market share due to an increase in Tesco’s market share. Some of its competitors include ASDA, Carrefour S.A, Safeway Inc. and the Royal Dutch (Palmer, 2012). †¢ Government- the governments in various cou ntries where Tesco operates would most likely gain additional revenue from the taxes paid in by Tesco (Johnson & Turner, 2010). †¢ Customers- the consumers will benefit due to quality products at cheap prices since this is the main aim of Tesco. As the company seeks to gain a larger market share, it will be beneficial to clients (Anderson & Swaminathan, 2011). Articulation of the vision to the members or the organization As an organization, Tesco has a clear mission and vision. With a massive workforce of 597, 784 employees (as of 2013) there are strategies that are put in place to ensure that every one is at par with the organization’s mission and vision (Tesco PLC, 2014). The vision of Tesco is to be valued by the customers they serve, the communities in which they operate, colleagues and the shareholders. The organization seeks to transform lives through innovative products and inspire future generations. In all the 12 countries where Tesco operates, the company is va lued and appreciated. The people are served in the best regard and they are loyal clients. This is a clear indication that the vision of the company has been articulated by the members of the organization (Taylor, 2014). The level of support within the organization at each level For the change process to be efficiently implemented in an organization, it is vital for all parties to be equally involved. This will reduce resistance and facilitate an easy transition from the state prior to the change to the state after (Kotter, 2007). Generally, there is extensive support from the various levels in the organization at Tesco. For instance, the top level management makes decisions in regards to the possible areas of expansion. There have been minimal or no reports of resistance to internationalization at Tesco (Taylor, 2014). This means that as the company implements these strategies, it takes all the necessary measures to ensure that all the parties that are likely to be affected are well informed of the need for the change and the process that will be undertaken in the change process (Benn et al., 2014). Other levels in the organization, including the middle and lower levels, are also supportive of the changes (Taylor, 2014). Other key players to be consulted Apart from the parties within the organization, it is also vital for the company’s management to ensure that it consults other external stakeholders that are likely to be affected by the change (Kotter, 2007). There are different groups that need to be consulted. One of these groups comprises of the company’s creditors. These are the financers who facilitate the change process. Hence, their approval is needed because they need to certify that the expansion is profitable and that their funds will not be put in risky businesses (Bennett & Bush, 2013). Shareholders also have to be consulted. These are the owners of the business hence their interests must be factored in any decision making process. Their consent must be given before the expansion is undertaken. The governments of the home country and the target country into which the company intends to expand (Liguori, 2012). Before entering into any new markets, there are legislations set which must be observed. Compliance with these laws is needed before they can set up their operations in any country. Recommendations for forming or not forming a coalition It would be optimal for Tesco to form further coalitions with other organizations. This is because it will benefit in a number of ways. For instance, there will be an acquisition of additional skills from the company with which it is partnering. This also applies to other tangible and in tangible resources that might have cost the company a lot to acquire (Hogg et al., 2012). The potential market for Tesco will increase at a faster rate. By forming merger with companies that have already established themselves in the market, Tesco will automatically inherit the market share of the other companies. This is as opposed to a situation where the company could have entered the market on its own (Matsushima et al., 2013). Another advantage is that there will be improved information access and sharing, especially information about the markets being targeted (Hogg et al., 2012). Whereas there are benefits that the company can get by entering coalitions with other companies in expanding its op erations, there are also several limitations that it can be exposed to as a result of this. For instance, there can be conflicts in terms of how profits are shared among the companies involved (Matsushima et al., 2013). As a result of varying organizational cultures and structures, entering coalitions can also limit employee productivity as employees as there will be a conflict in the way they operate. This challenge is usually mostly felt in the early stages of the coalition (Benn et al., 2014). Recommendations on useful tools for managing change at the organization Generally, it is difficult for any organization and its employees to adjust to change. It is therefore recommended that an organization uses a model as this will give the leaders a guideline on how to effect this change and make it acceptable (Boje et al., 2012). There are several models that have been suggested by researchers to help in change management. One of these is Kotter’s eight-step model, which is summa rized in detail in the table below (Kotter, 2007). By following the steps that have been suggested by Kotter above, there is a high likelihood of succeeding in the change process. However, critics have faulted the model for being mechanistic and assuming that all organization can chronologically follow these steps. It fails to acknowledge that organizations differ (Liguori, 2012). Additional advice It is important to see to it that there is e continued success in operations of the organization. Presently, Tesco has greatly diversified its operations. Though it can be seen as a good strategy for business in terms of spreading risk, it can choose to focus and specialize in a few of them. The expansion of the nonfood operations offers a greater potential than the others and hence it can choose to concentrate in this area due to the extensive demand for these products. This however, can be adversely affected by the economic environment. Therefore, an extensive assessment of potential risk factors should be made before investments in this unit are undertaken. Of importance is to note that sales here are generated by the consumer confidence levels and ratings. At present, these are quite low. There is also an increase in the demand for organic and natural product in the United Kingdom. Tesco therefore should take advantage of this opportunity to conform to these lifestyle changes and develop products in order to tap into these new markets. This would be more efficient if Tesco could lower the costs of production in order to ensure that the product prices are not so high and hence are available to the consumers. In conclusion, Tesco can penetrate into new markets such as the United States through its current penetration strategy into undiscovered markets as this has been effective in the past and still is. This is because the current retailers are not willing to delve into these markets. This would also require an extensive risk assessment especially in regards to transportation and supply as this would affect the cash flows .hence, it would be effective to use a clustered approach in development of stores instead of placing them indiscriminately. If it can penetrate the fresh foods market in the United states then they will continue to be successful as the demand for food is relatively inelastic and will not be adversely affected in case of economic downturns. References Anderson, R.E. & Swaminathan, S., 2011. Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty in E-Markets: A PLS Path Modeling Approach. The Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice, 19(2), pp.221 – 234. Bather, A. & Tucker, R., 2011. Legitimacy Theory and a Compliance Analysis of Tesco’s 2008 Business Review. International Review of Business Research, 7(2), pp.137-56. Benfari, R.C., 2013. Understanding and Changing Your Management Style: Assessments and Tools for Self-development. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons. Benn, S., Dunphy, D. & Griffiths, A., 2014. Organizational change for corporate sustainability. Londin: Routledge. Bennett, J.L. & Bush, ?.W., 2013. Coaching for Change. New Jersey: Routledge. Boje, D., Burnes, B?. & Hassard, ?J., 2012. The Routledge Companion to Organizational Change. New York: Routledge. de Kervenoael, R., Canning, C., Palmer, M. & Hallsworth, A., 2011. Challenging market conventions: Supermarket diversification and consumer resistance in children’s apparel purchases. Journal of fashion marketing and management, 15(4), pp.464-85. Grabenwarter, U. & Weidig, T?., 2005. Exposed to the J-Curve: Understanding and Managing Private Equity Fund Investments. London: Euromoney Books. Hitt, L.M. & Tambe, P., 2012. The Productivity of Information Technology Investments: New Evidence from IT Labor Data. Information Systems Research, 4(1), pp.234-57. Hogg, M.A., Van Knippenberg, D. & Rast, D.E., 2012. Intergroup leadership in organizations: Leading across group and organizational boundaries. Academy of Management Review, 37(2), pp.232-55. Inman, M., O’Sullivan, ?N. & Murton, A?., 2014. Unlocking Human Resource Management. New Jersey: Routledge. Johnson, D. & Turner, ?C., 2010. International Business: Themes and Issues in the Modern Global Economy. New Jersey: Routledge. Kotter, J.P., 2007. Leading Change: Why Transformation Efforts Fail. Harvard Business Review, pp.1-10. Liguori, M., 2012. The supremacy of the sequence: key elements and dimensions in the process of change. Organization Studies, 33(4), pp.507-39. Lowe, M., George, G. & Alexy, O., 2012. Organizational identity and capability development in internationalization: transference, splicing and enhanced imitation in Tesco’s US market entry. Journal of Economic Geography, 12(5), pp.1021-54. Mahatma, I.G., Bakti, Y. & Sumaedi, S., 2013. An analysis of library customer loyalty: The role of service quality and customer satisfaction, a case study in Indonesia. Library Management, 34(6/7), pp.397-414. Maitah, M., 2010. How Culture Affects your Business. [Online] Available at: http://www.maitah.com/wp-content/How%20culture%20affects%20your%20business.pdf [Accessed 17 May 2014]. Matsushima, N., Sato, Y. & Yamamoto, K., 2013. Horizontal Mergers, Firm Heterogeneity, and R&D Investments. The BE Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, 13(2), pp.959-90. Miozzo, M., Yamin, M. & Ghauri, P.N., 2012. Strategy and structure of service multinationals and their impact on linkages with local firms. The Service Industries Journa, 32(7), pp.1171-91. Palmer, A., 2012. Introduction to Marketing: Theory and Practice. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Plunkett, J.W., 2009. Plunkett’s E-Commerce and Internet Business Almanac 2009. Texas: Plunkett Research. Polak, P., Robertson, D.C. & Lind, M., 2011. The New Role of the Corporate Treasurer: Emerging Trends in Response to the Financial Crisis. International Research Journal of Finance and Economics, (78). Randall, G. & Seth, A?., 2011. The Grocers: The Rise and Rise of Supermarket Chains. New York: Kogan Page. Russ, T.L., 2011. Theory X/Y assumptions as predictors of managers’ propensity for participative decision making. Management Decision, 49(5), pp.823-36. Ryu, J.S. & Simpson, J.J., 2011. Retail internationalization: Lessons from† Big Three† global retailers’ failure cases. Journal of Business & Retail Management Research, 6(1). Taylor, M., 2014. The Success of Tesco’s International Expansion. Munich: GRIN Verlag. Tesco PLC, 2014. About Us. [Online] Available at: http://www.tescoplc.com/ [Accessed 11 5l 2014]. Tesco, 2012. Annual Review and summary Financial Statement 2012. London: Tesco PLC. The Guardian, 2013. How the horsemeat scandal unfolded – timeline. The Guardian, 15 February. Tseng, S.-M., 2011. The effects of hierarchical culture on knowledge management processes. Management Research Review, 34(5), pp.595-608. Tuten, T.L. & Solomon, M.R., 2012. Social Media Marketing. New York: Prentice

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Success of BMW Campaign

The BMW campaign consisted of many major and small events which helped to market the new BMW Z3 roadster to the public. However, the question now is whether the campaign is successful in accomplishing that goal. Success of the BMW campaign can be measured in several ways. For example, it can be measured by its objectives (whether the objectives of the campaign have been met) or by the number of pre-orders made. In this case, due to the lack of knowledge about the number of pre-orders made after each event, we will be measuring by its objectives. We have identified 5 major objectives to the campaign as shown in the case. They are: (1) to motivate and stimulate dealer network, (2) develop an Order Bank, (3) reposition BMW as stylish and fun, (4) positioning Z3 in American culture and most importantly, (5) improve BMW’s brand awareness. To see whether the objectives have been met, we shall examine each individual event carefully. Dealer Advertising and Promotions Dealers’ support for BMW Z3 is important in launching this new car to the public. With 345 dealers and only 150 display cars during the promotional period, it proved to be a challenge for this partnership to occur. However, the dealers upgraded to meet the challenge and an order bank was developed. In addition, the dealer promotional package which showcased the private screening of the Golden Eye film and car before the box office film opening proved to be very effective in raising BMW’s brand awareness. As quoted, â€Å"these events attracted great local publicity, appearing in local newspapers, and often reported on metropolitan television and radio†. Their innovative package has also help to reposition BMW as being stylish and fun, which was also a way to help improve the Z3’s standing in the American market. As such, all the objectives have been met for this event, thus proving the success and effectiveness of this event. Product Placement in Golden Eye This non-traditional method of branded entertainment, or more commonly known as product placement, in a movie was very risky, as mentioned in @@@ (benefits and risks). However, Golden Eye turned out to be a hit in the box office in America, selling $26. 2 million in ticket sales. As consumers tend to switch off their resistance mechanism to advertisements during films (O’Guinn, Allen, Semenik, 2009), consumers are being more exposed and susceptible to these subtle advertisements in Golden Eye. As the main idea of tying Z3 with James Bond was to show the fun and ‘cool’ side to the car, it was successful in achieving the objective, together with the success of the movie. As a result, there were positive reviews made by New York Times, Motor Trend Magazine and even Forbes. A more tangible result was that over 9000 Z3 was pre-booked by December 1995 compared to the projected 5000. Needless to say, product placement was the key in the success of the campaign. Neiman Marcus Christmas Catalog Neiman Marcus Catalog was a unique point-of-contact to the consumers because the products it features are usually deemed as very desirable, similar to being a wish list. As proven, 100 orders were made within two days instead of the estimated 20 units sales goal, which came as a pleasant surprise to BMW and Neiman Marcus. In fact, there were 6000 customers’ orders or waiting list applications fighting for the 100 cars. This showed that this promotion idea was effective in selling Z3 to customers. Also, BMW can reach out to more customers via the catalog distribution too. BMW Internet Site The growing usage of Internet caused the popularity of company websites to increase in 1996. With the ‘Build Your Own Roadster’ module added to the site, visitors could visualise their own car from a variety of perspectives. One main benefit was that it could communicate product features or benefits effectively since consumers can examine the virtual car closely. Also, the personalisation effect can cause the consumers to feel a certain emotional bond to the product. Consumers who had spent a lot of effort during the shopping experience would evaluate the product as more favourable and important (Cardozo, 1965). Thus, this could greatly aid in the sales of Z3, assuming that Z3 can be personalised in terms of exterior, interior and top colours too. However, since the website did not have online purchase options at that time, the website could only prove to be useful in raising brand awareness and possibly instil a ‘fun’ factor. Press Launch in Central Park. This event was a major factor in helping not only to promote Z3 as a stylish, fun car but also greatly improving brand awareness. There were extensive coverage in both broadcast and print by major network news programs which improved Z3’s brand awareness drastically. Radio DJ Program This was important in the word-of-mouth effect which had three times the effect of other programs. This buzz marketing, which is a concept of peer-to-peer program, gave rise to conversations about BMW Z3. As the DJs were chosen with care, they were ideal in helping to spread the word about BMW (Khermouch, Green, 2001). This has also helped generate awareness about Z3 as well as positioning it to be fun and stylish. Summary Certainly, these events, whether small or big, have contributed one way or another to the success of the campaign as they reinforced and built upon one another to create a better effect. However, some of the promotional activities were only effective to a certain extent due to the constraint of technology knowledge and tools in that era. Nevertheless, the campaign achieved its goal to introduce and market Z3 into the American market.

Friday, November 8, 2019

History of the Thermometer and Lord Kelvin

History of the Thermometer and Lord Kelvin Lord Kelvin invented the Kelvin Scale in 1848 used on thermometers. The Kelvin Scale measures the ultimate extremes of hot and cold. Kelvin developed the idea of absolute temperature, what is called the Second Law of Thermodynamics, and developed the dynamical theory of heat. In the 19th century, scientists were researching what was the lowest temperature possible. The Kelvin scale uses the same units as the Celcius scale, but it starts at ABSOLUTE ZERO, the temperature at which everything including air freezes solid. Absolute zero is O K, which is - 273 °C degrees Celsius. Lord Kelvin - Biography Sir William Thomson, Baron Kelvin of Largs, Lord Kelvin of Scotland (1824 - 1907) studied at Cambridge University, was a champion rower, and later became a Professor of Natural Philosophy at the University of Glasgow. Among his other achievements was the 1852 discovery of the Joule-Thomson Effect of gasses and his work on the first transatlantic telegraph cable (for which he was knighted), and his inventing of the mirror galvanometer used in cable signaling, the siphon recorder, the mechanical tide predictor, an improved ships compass. Extracts from: Philosophical Magazine October 1848 Cambridge University Press, 1882 ...The characteristic property of the scale which I now propose is, that all degrees have the same value; that is, that a unit of heat descending from a body A at the temperature T ° of this scale, to a body B at the temperature (T-1) °, would give out the same mechanical effect, whatever be the number T. This may justly be termed an absolute scale since its characteristic is quite independent of the physical properties of any specific substance. To compare this scale with that of the air-thermometer, the values (according to the principle of estimation stated above) of degrees of the air-thermometer must be known. Now an expression, obtained by Carnot from the consideration of his ideal steam-engine, enables us to calculate these values when the latent heat of a given volume and the pressure of saturated vapor at any temperature are experimentally determined. The determination of these elements is the principal object of Regnaults great work, already referred to, but, at present, his researches are not complete. In the first part, which alone has been as yet published, the latent heats of a given weight, and the pressures of saturated vapour at all temperatures between 0 ° and 230 ° (Cent. of the air-thermometer), have been ascertained; but it would be necessary in addition to know the densities of saturated vapour at different temperatures, to enable us to determine the latent heat of a given volume at any temperature. M. Regnault announces his intention of instituting researches for this object; but till the results are made known, we have no way of completing the data necessary for the present problem, except by estimating the density of saturated vapour at any temperature (the corresponding pressure being known by Regnaults researches already published) according to the approximate laws of compressibility and expansion (the laws of Mariotte and Gay-Lussac, or Boyle and Dalton). Within the limits of natural temperature in ordinary climates, the density of saturated vapour is actually found by Regnault (Études Hydromà ©triques in the Annales de Chimie) to verify very closely these laws; and we have reasons to believe from experiments which have been made by Gay-Lussac and others, that as high as the temperature 100 ° there can be no considerable deviation; but our estimate of the density of saturated vapour, founded on these laws, may be very erroneous at such high temperatures at 230 °. Hence a completely satisfactory calculation of the proposed scale cannot be made till after the additional experimental data shall have been obtained; but with the data which we actually possess, we may make an approximate comparison of the new scale with that of the air-thermometer, which at least between 0 ° and 100 ° will be tolerably satisfactory. The labour of performing the necessary calculations for effecting a comparison of the proposed scale with that of the air-thermometer, between the limits of 0 ° and 230 ° of the latter, has been kindly undertaken by Mr. William Steele, lately of Glasgow College, now of St. Peters College, Cambridge. His results in tabulated forms were laid before the Society, with a diagram, in which the comparison between the two scales is represented graphically. In the first table, the amounts of mechanical effect due to the descent of a unit of heat through the successive degrees of the air-thermometer are exhibited. The unit of heat adopted is the quantity necessary to elevate the temperature of a kilogramme of water from 0 ° to 1 ° of the air-thermometer; and the unit of mechanical effect is a metre-kilogramme; that is, a kilogramme raised a metre high. In the second table, the temperatures according to the proposed scale, which correspond to the different degrees of the air-thermometer from 0 ° to 230 °, are exhibited. The arbitrary points which coincide on the two scales are 0 ° and 100 °. If we add together the first hundred numbers given in the first table, we find 135.7 for the amount of work due to a unit of heat descending from a body A at 100 ° to B at 0 °. Now 79 such units of heat would, according to Dr. Black (his result being very slightly corrected by Regnault), melt a kilogramme of ice. Hence if the heat necessary to melt a pound of ice be now taken as unity, and if a metre-pound be taken as the unit of mechanical effect, the amount of work to be obtained by the descent of a unit of heat from 100 ° to 0 ° is 79x135.7, or 10,700 nearly. This is the same as 35,100 foot-pounds, which is a little more than the work of a one-horse-power engine (33,000 foot pounds) in a minute; and consequently, if we had a steam-engine working with perfect economy at one-horse-power, the boiler being at the temperature 100 °, and the condenser kept at 0 ° by a constant supply of ice, rather less than a pound of ice would be melted in a minute.

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Top 10 Love Quotes from Shakespeare

Top 10 Love Quotes from Shakespeare As this  list of top 10 Shakespearean love quotes suggests, William  Shakespeare remains the world’s most romantic dramatist and poet. He is responsible for Romeo and Juliet and Sonnet 18, the greatest love story and poem ever written. Here are the top Shakespeare love quotes, from his plays and his memorable sonnet: Helena, A Midsummer Nights Dream   Act 1, Scene 1: Helena ponders how Demetrius, instead of falling for her, is becoming enamored of  Hermia: Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind,And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind. Romeo, Romeo and Juliet Act 1, Scene 4:  Romeo tells his friend Mercutio that he is sinking under loves heavy burden with Juliet: Is love a tender thing? it is too rough,Too rude, too boisterous, and it pricks like thorn. The Duke, Twelfth Night Act 1, Scene 1: The Duke addresses the court in his palace, comparing love to a beautiful tune being played by the court musicians: If music be the food of love, play on. Sonnet 18 This is the opening couplet of Bards famous poem in which he compares his lover to a beautiful spring day- and finds her superior: Shall I compare thee to a summers day?Thou art more lovely and more temperate. Olivia, Twelfth Night   Act 3, Scene 1: Olivia, a countess, is talking to Viola, who has disguised herself as a man and inadvertently attracted Olivias love: Love sought is good, but given unsought is better. Ferdinand, The Tempest Act 3, Scene 1: Ferdinand, whose party has crashed on an enchanted island,  is speaking with Miranda, who was marooned on the island 12 years before, as they fall in love amid magical trickery: Hear my soul speak:The very instant that I saw you, didMy heart fly to your service; there resides,to make me slave to it. Beatrice, Much Ado About Nothing   Act 4, Scene 1:  Beatrice addresses Benedick as they banter  while friends conspire to make them fall in love- and succeed: I love you with so much of my heart that none is left to protest. Portia, ​The Merchant of Venice   Act 3, Scene 2:  This is Portias convoluted way of saying Im all yours! to Bassanio, one of her suitors: One half of me is yours, the other half yours- Mine own, I would say; but if mine, then yours,And so all yours! Romeo, Romeo and Juliet Act 1, Scene 1: Romeo tells his cousin Benvolio about his love for an unnamed woman (Juliet) and how she has so far resisted his advances: Love is a smoke raised with the fume of sighs. Phebe, As You Like It   Act 3, Scene 5:  Phebe tries to tell Silvius that she doesnt love him, having instead fallen for Rosalind, who is disguised as a man named Ganymede. (Phebe is quoting from a poem by Christopher Marlowe; Shakespeare borrowed the line from Marlowes Hero and Leander.): Who ever loved that loved not at first sight?

Sunday, November 3, 2019

CRITICAL MANAGEMENT PERSPECTIVES Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

CRITICAL MANAGEMENT PERSPECTIVES - Essay Example It is also important to have human skills in order to incorporate the views of other people and manage them well; this will also ensure that the people work towards a common goal within the organization (Alvesson et al., 2009, p. 200). Therefore, critical management is determined to harmonize the workplace, through ensuring that the employees and facilities are managed well and working conditions improved. In order to ascertain this, managers need to rely on management theory and practice in order to deal with the complexities and ambiguity of organizations. These management theories and practices deal with construction of models based on observations, to try and manage business activities (Carr, 2000, pp. 210). In addition, the practices of management also deals real life experiences of the manager within an organization. This paper therefore seeks to critically evaluate the impact of ambiguity, complexity, and uncertainty on how the organization is managed. Additionally, the paper will demonstrate a critical understanding of management practice and theory, ability to identify and evaluate vital assumptions in the ideology of management, and analyze and evaluate organization and management theory and appraise the application of management theory in organizational contemporary contexts. Management is a process of working with and through people. Organizations need effective management in order to maximize their production under the prevailing conditions of scarce resources. Managers need to shift their focus to the contemporary issues of organizations such as the ambiguity, uncertainty, and complexity of organizations. It is also important for upcoming managers to exhibit a critical understanding of management practice and theory. In addition, ability to identify and evaluate the major assumptions of management ideology and evaluating the theories of organization and management in its application to the wide range of contemporary contexts; will enable managers maximize the potential of their organizations in working under the uncertainties and complexities of organizations.. It is in this regard that this paper is written. Management and organization theory and practice concept Several theories of management and organization can be used in ascertaining effective management of organizations. These will help in solving the recurring issues, challenges and problems within the organization. According to Aven & Renn (2010, p. 190 100) among the effective management theories for effective management of organization’s uncertainties, ambiguity and complexity is the scientific management theory that was founded by Taylor; this theory states that management needs to ensure proper planning of organizational activities in order to achieve optimum productivity and efficiency. This productivity and efficiency can be realized when the management relates well with the employees who form major part of the organization. The theory also asserts that employees be trained using scientific methods in order to avoid conflict with the management. The graduate manager may also employ the bureaucratic approach as described by Max Weber in managing the mentioned uncertainty, ambiguity, and complexity of the organization. According to Alvesson et al., (2009) the bureaucratic approach by Max Weber, is vital in centralizing the structure of management. According to the theory, democracy should spearhead the practices within the organ

Friday, November 1, 2019

Financial Reporting Theory and Practice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Financial Reporting Theory and Practice - Essay Example Since the reporting of a company's performance greatly depends on which accounting standard is utilized, the firm's health often depends on the policies in financial reporting. One of the most important issues in financial reporting is the valuation of the company's assets. Since a firm's asset is often measured by the amount of resources it holds in its asset account, companies should not overlook the valuation measures they use. This paper will examine the valuation of tangible, fixed assets as set by FRS and IAS. Valuation of fixed assets is laid out on FRS 15 entitled Tangible Fixed Asset and in IAS 16 with the heading Property Plant and Equipment. However, standard setters differ in their requirements regarding revaluation. FRS 15 states that "none specialized properties should be valued on the basis of the existing use value, with the addition of notional directly attributable acquisition costs where material (53a)." Meanwhile IAS 16 necessitates that asset be measured at the fair value unless (a) the exchange transaction lacks commercial substance or (b) the fair value of neither the asset received nor the asset given up is reliably measurable.

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Political Science - society and state in contemporary russia Essay

Political Science - society and state in contemporary russia - Essay Example However, Moscow was the nerve centre of Russia while it was also the largest city of USSR. However, according to some politicians like Vladimir Zhirinovsky, socio-political and economic conflicts between the Soviet and Russian identities had always existed. Historians like Hosking (2006) have thus described the Russians as both the â€Å"rulers and victims† of the erstwhile Soviet administrative system. During the Stalinist era, events like the great purge, murder of Leon Trotsky, adoption of the National Anthem of Soviet Union, etc. often indicated this identity crisis. Stalin, who was from Georgian ancestry, conducted indiscriminate political executions, deportations and large-scale socio-cultural engineering to use the Russian peoples for the benefit of his regime. (Faria 2012) Evolution of an undemocratic and corrupt electoral system In the Soviet era, Russians did not have any democratic electoral system at all. Even after the fall of communism Russia continues to be haun ted by the memories and conventions of the autocratic rule. This is like inheriting the legacies of Cold War and Stalinism. Events like the apprehension of Anna Chapman in USA on the grounds of espionage for Russia as reported by Huffington Post (Isachenkov 2011) show that Russia’s communist past cannot be neglected. ... inside Russia, powerful socialites like Mikhail Prokhorov have openly challenged Putin and accused him for destroying the democratic institutions (BBC News 2011). Agencies like Reuters have reported the major Russian political reformists think that â€Å"Putin must change† (Freeland and Gutterman 2012). But unlike the leaders like Prokhorov and Yavlinsky, most of the established Russian political elites are trying to align themselves with the government policies. Possibly, this is due to their urge to avoid government persecution. But similarity in political tendencies may also be a reason behind this. Majority of the opposition groups are less interested in denouncing the evolving corrupt electoral system. Instead, they are seeking their share of the poplar votes. The most powerful opposition leaders of Communist Party of Russian Federation (led by Gennady Zyuganov) and Liberal Democratic Party (led by Vladimir Zhirinovsky) are relatively well mannered and lenient towards the iron-handed nature of Putin’s government. (Faria 2012) Role of the Russian media during elections Russia has a history of suppressing the freedom of expression by its authoritarian rulers. Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn has shown intricately that how Stalin used the instruments like deportation and detention to suppress not only the freedom of press but also the voice of popular aspirations in general. Particularly in his monumental works The Gulag Archipelago, Solzhenitsyn (1974) has shown that restrictions on free speech and news media had existed almost all through the Soviet era of Russia. According to several experts, the effects of the Soviet era and scars left by Stalin’s oppressive rule are creating problems even today. Contemporary researchers like Enikolopov, Petrova and Zhuravskaya (2010)