Organizational Culture and Incentives at Lincoln Electric

Case Title: Organizational Culture and Incentives at Lincoln Electric Table Of Content Introduction: An overview of the case study S. W. O. T Analysts Case Discussion Questions Recommendation 1. Introduction: An overview ot the case study Lincoln Electric is a leading manufacturer of welding products, welding equipment, and electric motors, with more than IJS$I billion in sales and 6,000 workers worldwide. Although now publicly traded, members of the Lincoln family still own more than 60 percent of the stock.Lincoln Electric's tradition of innovative solutions, echnological leadership and commitment to customers, employees, and shareholders stems from the vision of its founder, John C. Lincoln and his brother, James F. Lincoln. Lincoln Electric has a very successful management system that other businesses benchmark their own systems by it. For years, other companies have tried to fgure out how management coaxes maximum productivity and quality from its workers, even during difficult financial times. The Lincoln system succeeds largely because of an organizational culture based on openness and trust, shared control, and an egalitarian spirit.Although the line between managers and workers is firmly drawn, managers respect the expertise of production workers and value their contributions to many aspects of the business. The company has an open-door policy for all top executives, middle managers, and production workers, and regular face-to-face communication is encouraged. Lincoln's system worked so well in the US that management decided to extend it overseas. Lincoln built or purchased 11 plants in Japan, South America, and Europe with plans to run the plants from the US using Lincoln's expertise with management control systems.Managers saw the opportunity o beat local competition by applying manufacturing control incentive systems to reduce costs and raise production. The results were abysmal and nearly sunk the company. Production and financial goals were not me t. The huge losses in the international plants meant that the company would have to borrow money to pay US workers bonuses, or forego bonuses, for the first time, in Lincoln history. Management wondered whether the Lincoln Management System could be transferred to other countries. 2. S. W. O.T Analysts Strength Organizational Culture ;Everybody in company treated Equally whereby there is no special car parking area or managers and top management executives ,everybody will use the same cafeteria for breakfast or lunch and lastly they practicing open-door policy in the organization ;Any GAINS in Productivity will be shared with Consumers † low Price Employee † Higher Pay Shareholders————– High Dividend Incentive Scheme >Pay according to number pieces produced and enable the workers to gain more wages than the other welding company workers throughout the United states.In addition, these incentives system indirectly heightened the sense of ownership among the plant workers and it's encouraging them to produce more quality product ithin the timeframe. > Lincoln main strength is Lowest cost structure and High level of productivity strategy Weakness Long working Hours >According to the labor law in US or any other countries ,the acceptable working hours for manufacturing company workers is (35 hours per week ) whereas Lincoln electric practicing (43-58 hours per week ).No Base salary >when there is no base salary, most of the workers will feel uncomfortable to work in that kind of organization. For instance, if the worker couldn't work for 43 to 58 hours per week, he or she might low wage than others and how that person would manage he cost of living in United States with that low wage. Opportunity was told by foreign distributor that American equipment will not sell good in Europe ;So instead company decides to set up the Wholly owned subsidiaries and acquisition to make the Equipment locally to capture the internationa l market.E. g. Lincoln acquired 7 manufacturer in Europe and Mexico takes 2 years to implement or change the entire company workers to follow and adopt the Lincoln organization culture and incentives system in Mexico. Threats Political In many Europe and Asian countries the government considered piecework as Exploitative compensation system which force employers to work harder, therefore in Germany the strategy doesn't work well.Society As stated in weakness part, the long working hours became threat when Lincoln implement the strategy in Other countries because it is not acceptable since labor law limit the working hours 35 hours per week Technical Managers have no experience of work outside US and the local managers also felt reluctant to implement the culture of Lincoln in the Unit. Legal Due to many lawsuit against the organizational culture and incentive systems of Lincoln ‘s foreign acquired companies . Case Discussion Questions 1 . What is the source of Lincoln's long-s tanding competitive advantage in the United States market for arc welding equipment?Lincoln's Electric long-standing competitive advantage in the United State market achieved by a high productivity rate per worker and this company success had been on extremely high level of employee productivity. Lincoln's Electric apply incentive scheme based on piecework. The workers receive no based salary but depend on the number of pieces they produce. The piecework rates at the company enable an employee working at a normal pace to arn an income equivalent to the average rage for manufacturing worker in the area where the factory is based.A company faces a quality aspect when it comes to incentive scheme based on piecework. But at Lincoln Electric's the worker must repair or paid back any piecework that have defect. It means the workers must be responsible for their outputs. The work culture in Lincoln Electric's is one of the attributor. The company had a strong respect for the ability of the individual. Moreover, in this company, they practicing open-door policy whereby the communication barriers between Workers' and ‘managers' were eliminated. All workers are treated equally despite of their position.Since 1934, production workers have been awarded a semiannual bonus based on merit ratings. These rating are based on; Objective criteria; example: employee's level and quality of output. Subjective criteria; example: employee's attitude toward cooperation and his or her dependability. This semiannual bonus motivates workers to perform better and work harder, resulting boost in productivity. Despite high employee compensation, the worker so productive than Lincoln has a lower cost than its competitors. 2. Why didLincoln enter foreign markets through acquisitions and Greenfield ventures, rather than through exporting? The Lincoln Electric's did consider expanding into international market by exporting, but was told by foreign distributor that American equipment would not sell well in Europe. So instead the company decides to set up wholly owned subsidiaries and acquisitions to make the equipment locally. Through acquisition, it was a quick way to execute. The company can rapidly build its presence in this targeted foreign market. Lincoln acquired seven arc welding manufacturers in Europe and one in Mexico.

An Occurrence at Owl Creek Essay

The wind made in the tree’s branches the music olian harps. † Ambrose Bierce uses allusions and imagery to create a sense of wonderment and mysteriousness for first-time readers of his historical fiction story An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge. Within this short story, a man named Peyton Farquhar is being hung from Owl Creek Bridge for trespassing into Union territory during the civil war. As he is dropped the rope breaks and he makes his escape after dropping into the river below. After swimming through gunfire and a vortex, traversing through an endless forest, and suffering thirst and weariness, Farquhar finally reaches his home. Just as he is greeted by his wife, Farquhar’s world ends as his neck breaks and his body is hanging from the bridge. The sudden conclusion reveals the past events, starting from the rope breaking, was all a hallucination. While the ending shocks many first-time readers, second-time readers may recognize numerous instances of foreshadowing implemented into the figurative language used to create emotion. In order to embed this foreshadowing, Bierce creates certain events in the hallucination that correspond with events outside of the hallucination. Furthermore, he adds conspicuous allusions to Greek mythology. Lastly, Bierce formulates a very unnatural and vague setting around Peyton Farquhar as he is hallucinating. Veteran readers will notice these three key components of foreshadowing. â€Å"Suddenly he felt himself†¦ spinning like a top† is an example of foreshadowing found in hallucination events. In the hallucination, Farquhar is spinning around in the vortex of water. In the actual events, he is spinning as he is dropping from the plank. Other examples of this style of foreshadowing exist in the story. â€Å"†¦ e could no longer close them [his eyes]† Conscious of the ending, veteran readers will view this quote as a sign that his neck is being constricted in real life due to the rope around his neck. Lastly, â€Å"He could no longer feel the roadway beneath his feet. † shows that Farquhar is in midair, and close to his death. Readers of An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge may at first conside r these texts as an emphasis on the weariness of the doomed man. However, these double as premonition for the sudden conclusion. Allusions to a largely known fundament of Greek mythology, Hades, is tilized to further foreshadow the closure of the story. â€Å"The road was as wide and straight as a city street. No fields bordered it, no dwelling anywhere. † this quote is a metaphorical reference comparing the scene in the Farquhar’s mind to the River Styx in Hades. The small instance of the word â€Å"fields† may refer to the Fields of Asphodel, also found in Hades of Greek myth. â€Å"Not so much as the barking of a dog suggested human habitation. † This quote from the story is an allusion to Cerberus, the three-headed dog of the Underworld. These particular citations all refer to Hades, which is broadly used as a symbol for death. Lastly, Bierce makes use of a strange and vague setting to give readers a feeling of mysteriousness and apprehension. This setting, found towards the concluding paragraphs of the story, also heralding Farquhar’s death. â€Å"He distinctly heard whispers in an unknown tongue†¦ † suggests paranormal entities envisioned around him. In this same setting, the â€Å"black† trees on both sides of the road formed â€Å"a straight wall†, creating a dark and morbid mood with the black trees and the â€Å"formal† configuration of the trees. This bleak setting foreshadows death and instigates a feeling of eeriness. Rereading An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge with familiarity on the story can yield and uncover a myriad of clever and subtle foreshadowing the astounding denouement. Much of the foreshadowing is combined with plot elements, such as setting, suspenseful climax, and figurative language. Ambrose Bierce used the described techniques to contribute to the inconspicuous foreshadowing of the ending, and thus, recreated the meanings of his written words.

Milgram Obedience Review Essay

â€Å"Obedience is as basic an element in the structure of social life as one can point to. Some system of authority is a requirement of all communal living, and it is only the person dwelling in isolation who is not forced to respond, with defiance or submission, to the commands of others. For many people, obedience is a deeply ingrained behavior tendency, indeed a potent impulse overriding training in ethics, sympathy, and moral conduct. The dilemma inherent in submission to authority is ancient, as old as the story of Abraham, and the question of whether one should obey when commands conflict with conscience has been argued by Plato, dramatized in Antigone, and treated to philosophic analysis in almost every historical epoch. Conservative philosophers argue that the very fabric of society is threatened by disobedience, while humanists stress the primacy of the individual conscience. The legal and philosophic aspects of obedience are of enormous import, but they say very little about how most people behave in concrete situations. I set up a simple experiment at Yale University to test how much pain an ordinary citizen would inflict on another person simply because he was ordered to by an experimental scientist. Stark authority was pitted against the subjects’ strongest moral imperatives against hurting others, and, with the subjects’ ears ringing with the screams of the victims, authority won more often than not. The extreme willingness of adults to go to almost any lengths on the command of an authority constitutes the chief finding of the study and the fact most urgently demanding explanation.† This is from ‘perils of obedience’ by Stanley milgram. I enjoyed this article.

CRJS300 U2IP Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

CRJS300 U2IP - Research Paper Example In fact, counting the number of police agencies in the United States is a difficult task because there are many; ranging from local, municipal and metropolitan police departments, county law enforcement, tribal law enforcement, campus law enforcement, state law enforcement, and federal law enforcement. These all have different jurisdictions and functions. At the first glance, one would claim that a single national police force is good because of the possibility of improvement in uniformity and continuity, better deployment of personnel, better coordination of various services, reduced costs, and better training. A closer look at the issue will reveal that creating a single national police force is an inevitable strategy, taking into account the changing nature of crimes. The first issue that necessitates the unification of agencies is the changing nature of crimes. A perfect example is cybercrime, which crosses national and state borders. Similar is the case of both domestic and international terrorism and narcotics trafficking. This situation is admitted by Finklea in the CRS Report for Congress, â€Å"Organized Crime in the United States: Trends and Issues for Congress† dated 22 December 2010. The paper admits the increasingly transnational nature of crime and expresses concern over a possible nexus between organized crime and terrorism. Thus, it is clear that the nature of crimes has changed. As Tully (2002) points out, issues like domestic and international terrorism and narcotics trafficking are not within the scope and resources of the small police departments, and equipping each small department with these resources is a highly expensive and hence impossible strategy. Therefore, a consolidation of the police forces will offer better se rvices at reduced costs in handling crimes like terrorism, drug trafficking, and such other cross-border crimes. In the opinion of

Test Scores and Housing Costs by Motoko Rich Essay - 80

Test Scores and Housing Costs by Motoko Rich - Essay Example As the paper highlights schools that do not perform well on state tests will likely have a cheaper cost of living in the surrounding areas. This is because the demand is not so high for these schools and so house prices remain relatively low in order to encourage people to buy houses. Other factors of course play a role, such as poverty, but poor quality of housing is a major contributor towards academic performance. This paper declares that in looking at the reasons why housing prices and education are linked, there can be two ways to describe it: either low cost housing contributes to poor academic performance or low education results in cheaper housing. The most obvious choice would seem to be the first one, but studies say otherwise. Jonathon Rothwell, a senior research analyst in the Metropolitan Policy Program at Brookings, mentions that it has been proved that when students from poor backgrounds attend schools with students from more affluent backgrounds their educational performance improves as a result. This suggests that academic performance rests solely on the performance of teachers and not due to economic background. However, teachers likely choose to teach at schools in close proximity to where they live, so the better teachers will prefer to teach where the standard of living is higher.  In looking at the reasons why housing prices and education are linked, there can be two ways to describe it: either low cost housing contributes to poor academic performance or low education results in cheaper housing.  

Leadership Concepts Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Leadership Concepts - Case Study Example Organizational climate has a crucial impact on company’s performance and profitability. The main features of positive climate are the absence of pressure; involvement; management support and co-worker cohesion (Sims 2002, p. 45). Following Johnson and Johnstone (2005): â€Å"an organizational climate encourages and rewards workaholic behaviors, then workaholics are likely to develop and flourish. When high pressure and long working hours are the norms, individuals are likely to work longer hours in order to succeed† (p. 181). Moral influence personal attitude of GeneOne employees and their perception of the work and the company. It is possible to say that Don Ruiz, John Kirby and Susan Wells establish a strong corporate culture and healthy climate which help them to motivate and inspire employees. A positive climate increases productivity and efficiency. In many cases, Board Members of GeneOne use situational leadership to motivate employees and sustain strong culture a nd morale. GeneOne introduced one of the most popular and effective problem-solving techniques: win-win approach. The ‘win-win’ problem-solving skills is a conflict resolution technique which helps to reduce the conflict situations and find the best solution that satisfies the needs of everyone involved. This technique is crucial because today conflict is treated seriously as an important aspect in the proper understanding of orga ¬nizational behavior. â€Å"The ‘win-win’ approach is action-oriented and tailored to suit specific organizational needs, namely conflict resolution†.... It is possible to say that Don Ruiz, John Kirby and Susan Wells establish strong corporate culture and healthy climate which help them to motivate and inspire employees. A positive climate increases productivity and efficiency. In many cases, Board Members of GeneOne use situational leadership to motivate employees and sustain strong culture and morale. Team Problem Solving GeneOne introduced one of the most popular and effective problem solving techniques: win-win approach. The 'win-win' problem solving skills is a conflict resolution technique which helps to reduce the conflict situations and find the best solution that satisfies the needs of everyone involved. This technique is crucial because today conflict is treated seriously as an important aspect in the proper understanding of organizational behavior. "The 'win-win' approach is action-oriented and tailored to suit specific organizational needs, namely conflict resolution" (Mcnary 2003, p. 144). By agreeing at the outset the objectives against which a proposed resolution would be assessed, the decision-making is far easier. Clearly if the parties can agree on mutual objectives then the problem is far easier to resolve than if they have conflicting objectless and personal agendas. This approach is based on participative leadership which helps GeneOne teams to avoid conflicts and find win-win solut ions in the shortest period of time. Organizational Coaching In GeneOne, coaching helps to improve performance of employees and a team. Effective coaching assists job performance and training methods. According to Parsloe and Wray (2000) "coaching is a process that enables learning and development to occur and thus performance to improve" (p, 45 cited Sims 2002, p. 56). Effective

International Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

International Law - Essay Example Benin also ratified to this convention, however, there are many states that still are not part of this Contract. CISG gives exporters the ‘choice of law’ avoidance of issues. There are many rules and clauses that are in CISG that exporters can rely on. Conflict of law means that the litigation case leads to conflict in laws between different jurisdiction bodies and the outcome is to use the courts of one area to enforce the law. The United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNICITRAL) developed this law and it was initiated in 1980. It became a multilateral treaty and it continuously accepted by many states. Countries that do ratify to this Convention are known as ‘contracting states’ and it is usually part of the law of the state or within the laws unless otherwise specified and it lies between the transaction of goods among different states under the contract or contracting states. Therefore it also facilitates trade. (Schlechtriem, 1998) A few countries that have ratified to the Convention are Argentina, Albania, Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, Colombia, Denmark, Egypt, France, Greece, Japan, Mexico, Singapore, Turkey and USA etc. However, a few countries do not follow the Convention to the book and have certain restrictions towards it. The Nordic region countries do not allow the application of part II of the clause to be applied all over, unless the contract of the transaction made is pointed out. In place of this, Nordic council applies the local law which leads to some differences from the Convention. CISG according to part II would allow the seller to withdraw the offer but before the buyer has accepted it. However, the Nordic council believes that a period of time should be given to the buyer to make a decision when an offer is made. This is a reservation of clause 94 of part II of the Contract. (Will, 1996) The major states that are absent from this Contract are India, Taiwan, Brazil, Hong Kong, South Africa as well as United Kingdom. They have not ratified to the contract. Japan made a depository and entered the Convention by 2009. However UK is still absent from the Convention because its government doesn’t view entering into this Contract as a priority for the state and the businesses have also not given support for this ratification as well. There is also a large amount of opposition from a number of organizations in UK, as well as scarce resources for the public, and a fear that London would lose out on its edge in the world with regards to litigation and arbitration. (Huber & Mullis, 2007) Why exactly does UK not want to be under this contract? The reason is that the Ministers do not feel that it is the priority of the legislation. The Government has many other issues to deal with and this Convention would just need to stand in line and wait its attention. The parliament meeting covers issues relating to the legislation of employment, energy, civil partnerships and company la w, which are considered to be more important issues as compared to the issue of exporters. The country itself doesn’t seem interested in ratifying the Convention. There have been instances when the Ministers have circulated letters asking for ratification and why UK has not adhered to it. The lack of Convention isn’t having an impact on the economy of UK and so the people haven’t considered this issue important enough to respond to. Business is working smoothly and isn’

Management accounting is a new branch of accounting that promotes the Essay

Management accounting is a new branch of accounting that promotes the overall managerial performance of an organisation - Essay Example As scholars indicate, an organisation’s management accounting discipline can have a great influence on its other functions. Mainly, management accounting discipline defines an organisation’s managerial ethics. Hence, the concept of management accounting discipline greatly relates to the firm’s corporate governance policies. This paper will particularly discuss the evolution of management accounting discipline and its relationship with other functions in organisations. The paper will give specific focus to the ethical aspects in management accounting, performance management, balanced scorecard, activity based costing and sustainability reporting. Evolution of management accounting discipline The history of management accounting can be dated back to 19th century when the process of industrial revolution compelled firms to maintain better managerial control over their business activities. During that time, most of the firms were run by a single owner or manager usin g their personal assets. As there had been no external stockholders or unsecured debt, organisations never used to prepare elaborated financial reports. Therefore, the concept of management accounting was widely known by its cost accounting functions in olden days. The idea of management accounting has undergone tremendous changes over the last century. As per the Malaysian Institute of Accountants’ (2005) study, the development of this concept can be explained using four recognisable time phases2. Phase 1 - Before 1950, the major function of the management accounting was to determine the costs and to control financial operations using financial tools such as budgeting and cost accounting. Phase 2 - By 1965, the scope of management accounting expanded and hence its focus has been shifted to provision of information for managerial activities such as planning and control. For this purpose, business managers used tools such as decision analysis and responsibility accounting. Pha se 3 – By 1985, management accountants extensively used techniques like process analysis and cost management in order to reduce the wastage of resources in business processes and thereby improve profitability. Phase 4 – By 1995, the management accounting branch focused more on value creation through effective use of resources. For this purpose, management accountants sought help of technologies that can identify the contributing factors to shareholder value, customer value, and organisational innovation3. The emergence of the concept strategic management accounting in late 1980s notably changed the overall outlook of the management accounting4. By the end of the 20th century, increased pressures from capital markets, creditors, and governmental regulatory bodies forced organisations to pay specific attention to managerial control. In addition, increasing business needs persuaded business houses to raise additional funds from different capital suppliers5. In order to ma nage fund raising activities and to identify future fund needs, business managers had to obtain audited financial statements. Likewise, firms had to communicate its financial

Evaluate the effectiveness of logistics management as a method of Essay

Evaluate the effectiveness of logistics management as a method of gaining competative advantage within Youngs Seafood , Grimsby and how this relates to the wider supply chain - Essay Example Further, the paper also discusses how this concept relates to the Supply Chain Management. Logistics is defined as â€Å"the time-related positioning of resources†. A good logistics supply chain would include the right resources in the right place, at the right time, right quality/quantity and at the right cost. It took some time for the company - Young’s Sea Food to accept logistics as a management process. Most of their competitors have already established this sector as one of the foundation stones to deliver diverse services and products while aiming high profit margins and customer satisfaction. Today, logistics management is acclaimed as a combining process that provides information networks and necessary infrastructure essential for the development and functioning of global supply chains. The company - Young’s Sea Food has already taken various initiatives such as real time manufacturing and distribution, supply chain engineering, efficient consumer response systems and the lean models. The main aim of the company management is to search for new levels of supply chain efficiency and integration. Supply chain collaboration remained an elusive goal for the management. The company’s management has recognized that the future to competitive edge is to define internal improvements and plan far outside the frontiers of the normally envisioned enterprises. In today’s global and volatile market and with ever increasing competitors for Young’s Sea Food, the consumer demands are rising by the minute. It is now acknowledged as a strategic necessity, to forge partnerships beyond geographical and industry-vertical boundaries. Collaborative planning systems are providing the capabilities for accelerating the co-management of planning processes and effici ent sharing of information. Logistics collaboration and sharing of infrastructure needs to become a reality for the company in order gain an edge over other market

How to Break Bad Habits and Create Positive Ones Essay Example for Free

How to Break Bad Habits and Create Positive Ones Essay Everyone has one: a bad habit (or habits†¦) we wish we could break. Unfortunately, breaking a bad habit — as anyone who has ever bitten their nails, smoked, or mindlessly snacked in front of the TV knows — is not that simple. Breaking habits is hard, but with a little determination, it is achievable. There is a reason habits are hard to break. The majority of our habits are good for us, allowing our brain to complete certain tasks on autopilot which frees space for decision making, creativity, and quick action. But the brain does not discriminate between good and bad habits; once something becomes a routine, whether it’s helpful or harmful, your brain will perform it automatically, which can make it hard to stop. Step 1: Identify the habit All habits serve a purpose. Brushing your teeth first thing in the morning prevents cavities, stopping at a red light prevents car accidents, and eating cupcakes when you’re feeling low can deliver comfort. To make positive improvements, start by identifying your problem habit and its underlying cause. Step 2: Replace it Once you’ve identified your habit and its trigger, find something positive to take its place. If you eat to wind down after a long day of work, replace food with a walk or yoga. If you bite your nails, try chewing gum. If you smoke to relieve stress, try meditation. Step 3: Keep the commitment Once you’ve decided to break your habit and replace it with something positive, write it down. Keeping a journal of your progress can hold you accountable while serving as a great progress marker. If you’re truly  committed to making your new positive habits stick, complete your new habit daily for 30 days. The more consistent you are, the easier it will be to continue. Step 4: Be prepared for hiccups Through this process, it’s important to remember that habits are habits for a reason — they serve a purpose and our mind is trained to complete them with little to no effort. Be kind to yourself and be patient; all of your attempts to change habits will not be successful immediately. Expect bumps along the way but continue to push through. When in doubt, think positively. If you are at wit’s end and the only thought in your head is â€Å"I can’t do this†¦Ã¢â‚¬ , make it a positive. â€Å"I can’t do this, but it will get easier.†

On First Looking Into Chapmans Homer

On First Looking Into Chapmans Homer John Keats On First Looking into Chapmans Homer is a sonnet in which he writes of the impact of reading Chapmans translation of Homer. Reading Chapmans Homer did more than spark Keats intellect. Chapmans Homer caused a massive explosion in Keats mind which allowed him to write as John Middleton Murray says one of the finest sonnets in the English language (Murray). In this paper I will show that Keats writes the poem On First Looking into Chapmans Homer after he had an epiphany as a result of reading Chapmans translation of Homer. George Chapman was an English poet, dramatist, and translator during the Renaissance. He is most remembered as the poet who translated the works of Homer. He was born in Hitchin around 1559. Chapman died in poverty in 1634, but left a wealthy estate of writing for all to inherit. John Keats, born in 1795, was an English Poet. He published three books of poetry. Keats lost both parents at a very young age. Keats was not born into aristocracy, he was not rich, and therefore was not very well educated. Most critics did not consider Keats to be credible poet. Because he was poor he could not marry the woman he loved and only achieved fame after his death in 1821. Andrew Motion of the Richmond Review writes: The story of John Keats is one of the best known lives in literary history. His working class origins, poor critical reception and tragically early death constitute a perfect blueprint for a popular archetype of the Romantic Poet (Motion). The poem On Looking into Chapmans Homer was written after Keats and his friend Charles Cowden Clarke was given a copy of Chapmans Homer. Michael R. Richards states: Keatss sonnet is a criticism in miniature, a capsulated criticism very much in tune with almost all the Romantic critics (Richards). Evidently, Keats used the poem as a vehicle to reveal the hidden treasure of literary wealth regarding Homer and his literary works that was not mimed by Pope. Keats uses the Italian (Sonnet) or Petrarchan form of the sonnet to structure his poem. The octet, which is the first eight lines of the poem, carries an abba abba rhyme scheme. The next six lines of the poem, the sestet, have a rhyme scheme of cdcdcd. As expected, line 9 of the poem introduces a change in the poem, formally known as a Volta, commonly called a turn. In the octet, Keats speaks of travels he experienced vicariously through his reading. Keats vivid imagination allows him to enter into the pages of the books and the words were as sparks causing his intellect to catch fire. In concert with the theme of Petrarchan sonnets, Keats uses the octet to introduce the problem when he writes: Oft of one wide expanse had I been told / That deep-browd Homer ruled as his demesne / Yet did I never breathe its pure serene / Till I heard Chapman speak out loud and bold. (5-8) First, it is fitting to look at the words used in the poem. Keats uses language that depicts expansive travel, major discovery, and an enriching sense of satisfaction. Using words like much, states, kingdoms, many, and islands, he successfully communicates that his travel was plentiful and varied. Next, he intimates discovery by alluding to astrologers finding new planets, and the imagery of Cortez first seeing the Pacific Ocean. Keats encapsulates the fact that he had heard of Homer and the euphoria of the vast impact of the newly acquired insight by declaring: Yet did I never breathe its pure serene / Till I heard Chapman speak out loud and bold / Then felt I like some watcher of the skies / when a new planet swims into his ken/ or like Stout Cortez when with eagle eyes / he stard at the Pacific. (6-11) Keats reading experiences in general, and more his specifically, reading of Chapmans Homer was so prolific, that he could only describe it in the sestet with metaphors and similes that bespeak grandeur of expanse, height and depth. The overarching metaphor is reading presented as travel. Hiliary S. Brautigam, in her essay, Controlled Passion writes: Keats dramatically establishes the narrative with the arresting first line, drawing the reader into the overarching metaphor that encompasses the poem (Bressler). A surface reading of the poem misleads the reader into believing that Keats is a man who has travelled to many places. Keats writes: Much have I travelld in the realms of gold / And many goodly states and kingdoms seen. / Round many western islands have been / Which bards in fealty to Apollo hold. (1-4) A closer inspection of the poem reveals that the word much quantifies travel that was done figuratively and not literally. So in this instance there is a twist of irony and there is also the masterful use of binary opposition whereby much is less in terms of Keats actual travel, but it is volumes in terms of travel through reading. The same mastery holds true for the concept of travel. As defined by Dictionary.Com to travel is: to move or go from one place or point to another(Dictionary.com). Denotatively, the word travel means moving between physical spaces; however, in Keats case, travel is not between physical spaces, but is over miles on mental projection. While Keats hero, Homer, though blind, travelled extensively, the vast majority of Keats travel was in the space of his reading. The further use of simile and metaphor makes an excellent segue for Keats use of imagery. Keats writes: Then felt I like some watcher of the skies / When a new planet swims into his ken / Or like stout Cortez when with eagle eyes / He stard at the Pacific and all his men (9-12). The simile watcher of the skies speaks of people who studied the science of astronomy. In the historical context, watchers of the skies or, astrologers are people who studied the skies. According to Chris Lawton, From around 3000 BC onwards, astronomy in its most primitive form had developed (Lawton). In the religious context, watchers of the skies were called Egyptian Magi, wise men, who were able to look at the skies and gain the knowledge and wisdom to predict events. The religious value of Magi can be found throughout the Holy Bible. For example, Matthew, in Matthew 2:1, 7 writes: Now when Jesus was born à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem Then Herod à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared (Matthew). Thus, Keats pronouncement that he felt like a watcher of the skies strongly implies the degree of wonder and amazement he felt when reading Chapmans translation of Homer. It was, for Keats, as though he became aware of a celestial event. Interestingly, the title of the poem On First Looking into Chapmans Homer the emphasis on Chapmans Homer alludes to the fact that Keats was aware of the interpretation of Homer as translated by the English Poet, Alexander Pope. Michael Richards writes: Keats had been previously acquainted with Homer, only through Popes translations, translations that Keats found artificial (Richards). Further, Richards claims: The Romantics criticisms of Pope and Chapman agreed with Keats in that it condemns the flaccidity, the polluted poetic diction, and the artificiality of Popes translation and praised the strength, purity, and originality of Chapmans (Richards). Until Keats read the translation by George Chapman, there was no awakening in him. Furthermore, the use of the word looking in the title employs irony and imagery masterfully. According to Dictionary.Com: look may be defined as: to investigate; to see (Dictionary.Com). It is fair to conclude that Keats reading and understanding of Chapmans Homer was so thorough that Keats could see by visualization the events, places, and people in Chapmans translation. In addition, the overarching themes of travel and discovery may very well be complimented by a theme of enlightenment or awakening. Through a theme of enlightenment or awakening, it may be argued that when Keats read Chapmans Homer, it was not the first time that Keats had heard of Homer; however, it was the first time that the life, legacy, and literary contributions of Homer united with the literary experiences and convictions of Keats, giving birth to a synergistic awakening which unleashed Keats creativity. Keats declaration of hearing Chapman speak out loud and bold is the climatic moment when he felt and understood the power of Chapmans translation. Keats believes that Chapman illuminated Homer better than any other poet. The Sestet of the poem shows an overpowering word picture. There is a picture of bewildering excitement, star-struck awe, and fulfilling silence, much like a lover anticipating a climax, then experiencing the climax, and after the climax, falling into a breathless, trance-like fulfilled silence. Keats writes: Then felt I like some watcher of the skies / When a new planet swims into his ken; / Or like stout Cortez when with eagle eyes / He stard at the Pacificand all his men Lookd at each other with a wild surmise / Silent, upon a peak in Darien. (9-14) As is expected of Italian Sonnets, there is a clear denouement in the sestet. The depictions of Cortez as stout and eagle-eyed are additional and effective uses of simile and metaphor that enhances the imagery. The word stout commonly evokes physical images of being hefty, round, bulky or fat. But, coupled with the expression eagle-eye, it most likely identifies with this interpretation as defined by Dictionary.Com: having endurance or staying power (Dictionary.com). It is a widely known fact that the vision of eagles is superior to that of humans. While lauding the superior vision of Cortez to identify the Pacific Ocean, Keats also shows the precision with which he scoured Chapmans interpretation. Thus, by combining stout with eagle-eye, the poem highlights the strength, stamina and precision of not only Cortez but also that of Keats. The allusions to strength and stamina bolsters Keats strong use of metaphors, simile, and imagery. The strength of these literary elements is testament to Keats belief that Chapmans Homer is superior to that of Popes. In the poe m, Keats atttributes the discovery of the Pacific Ocean to Cortez and not Balboa. It is not clear whether Keatss attribution was as a result of a careless scholastic approach, or, whether the attribution was as a result of the deliberate use of poetic conceit which is using extended metaphors to create an image. What is crystal clear though, is the fact that with diction, imagery, the use metaphor and simile, and the application of binary oppositions and irony, Keats allows the reader to envision how he felt when the life and works of Homer as offered by Chapman touched his pysche. The impact of Chapmans Homer complimented Keats historical, social and political perspectives. In October 1816 during the Romanic Era Keats penned On First Looking into Chapmans Homer. As was fitting during the Romantic Era, Keats glorified Homer in the poem. Of course, in the neoclassic era, Homers individual heroism would be frowned upon, since neoclassics preferred people who conformed to social norms. Like Homer, Keats elevates the art of using metaphors. Again, Like Homer, Keats also combines the art of using simile and metaphor to bring to life a literary work that might otherwise be mundane. Here is a comparison of how Homer and Keats combined similes and metaphors. Homer writes: The two immortals stepped briskly as wild doves, quivering, keen to defend the fighting men of Argos. (Fagles) Keats writes: Then felt I like some watcher of the skies / When a new planet swims into his ken (9-10). It is evident that Keats discovered the value of Homers use of metaphors and immediately made use of this powerful literary tool. In summation, I submit that Keats ability as a poet and his understanding of the purpose and elements of Poetry, in particular, imagery, simile and metaphors were awakened by Chapman because Chapman captured the essence of using similes, metaphors, and imagery and gave life to writing about Homer. Apparently, after observing Chapmans use of metaphor and gaining a deeper understanding of the power of the use of metaphor and simile, Keats appreciation for them as literary elements grew. Based on his newfound understanding, it is possible to assert that Keats view of Homer, as seen through the scope of Popes translation appeared tumultuous. However, Chapmans translation depicted a much clearer view of a man whose territory is serene. Chapmans translation was the catalyst for Keats climatic epiphany. Keats was able to clearly articulate how he felt before reading Chapmans Homer and how he felt after reading Chapmans Homer. The excitement felt by Keats as he discovered new truths about Ho mer and his work, is one that is shared and should be shared by any person seeking higher learner. John Keats so brilliantly and effectively conveyed the emotions he felt as he uncovered the dynamics of Homer that readers of the poem are drawn into the excitement of travel and discovery metaphorically. The imagery of Keats first as a poet who is reading for knowledge, then as an astronomer gazing into new truths, and finally as a explorer realizing that he had discovered a new world of literary skill was very vivid. The impact of Keatss discovery fueled him to demonstrate the skill and document the experience. As a result future students, poets, writers, translators, interpreters, and lovers of the literary world have a good specimen of the effectiveness of imagery, simile, and metaphor. The words of Keats following below are a fitting conclusion to his discovery of power of the metaphor. Keats writes: Oft of one wide expanse had I been told / That deep-browd Homer ruled as his deme sne / Yet did I never breathe its pure serene / Till I heard Chapman speak out loud and bold. WORK CITED Bressler, Charles E. Literary Criticism. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson, Prentice Hall, 2007. Dictionary.com. 10 July 2010 . Dictionary.com. 15 July 2010 . Dictionary.com. 19 July 2010 . Fagles. Think Quest .Org. 10 July 2010 . Lawton, Chris. tcp.co.uk. 5 July 2010 . Matthew.Blue Letter Bible. 8 July 2010 Motion, Andrew. Richmond Review. 27 August 2010 .

White Male Power vs the Other Essay -- Race, The Power of an Illusion

Abstract Thomas King’s story, â€Å"‘You’ll Never Believe What Happened’ Is Always a Great Way To Start†, " Race, Class and Gender in Asian America" by Yen Le Espiritu and " Zebra: Growing up Black and White in Canada" by Lawrence Hill all illustrate how people of minority deal with their intersectionality of gender, race and ethnicity and their limitations that the dominant ideology of the west puts on them. Introduction Since the beginning of time stories were a major influence in the ways generations would pass down knowledge to the younger generations. The power of stories and storytelling teaches individuals valuable lessons and good morals that help mold them into reasonable citizens. In western society children are exposed to stories since childhood whether it is through parents telling their child a story, children over hearing people talk about a story or physically reading a story themselves. Once individuals are exposed to a story, they can never take back the knowledge and the information they have gained. In addition, what story you read or hear and what the storyteller’s intersectionality and bias are influences how you as an individual look at the world. The power of storytelling allows people of minority "the other" to educate while bringing more awareness in inequality in their intersectionality of gender, race, and ethnicity as it is becoming a norm that the dominant ideolo gy of the west decides to ignore, as it benefits them. Therefore, intersectionality in western society limits individuals of minority, as the dominant ideology of the west shows a white man having the power over all individuals. As the only way western society is capable in allowing their citizens full potentational to grow is to under... ...nicity and race are different they are all really interconnected together and face discrimination against the same source that is the dominant ideology of the west. The knowledge we acquire through the authors’ experiences makes the reader really think about the subject but in the end each individual chooses to do what they want with that knowledge and one can either follow in the steps of the power of the dominant ideology of the west or people can stand up for what they believe in and become activists so that future generations will not become a stereotype that the dominant ideology of the west negatively affects them. Works Cited Espiritu,Yen Le. "Race,Class&Gender in Asian america. In Making Waves: New writing by Asian American Women. Hill,Lawrence," Zebra growing up black and white in canada' King,Thoma," You'll never belive what happebned"

Essay on Fate in Oedipus Rex and The Seagull :: comparison compare contrast essays

Role of Fate in Oedipus Rex and The Seagull       The inevitability of fate is a key theme in Sophocles' 'Oedipus Rex' and in Chekhov's 'The Seagull'. I was fascinated by the ways this inevitability was conveyed by Chekhov and Sophocles respectively and the ways in which the actions of the characters contributed to and heightened their fate. I shall attempt to compare and contrast the way in which Oedipus and, to a lesser extent, Nina make their fates more unbearable by their own actions and choices. In each case the author uses characterisation to enhance and increase the sense of inevitability and hence the sense of tragedy in the respective plays.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Sophocles has created his Oedipus not as innately evil but as a likeable character.   It is this that makes the conclusion of his play even more tragic.[1]   Had Oedipus been presented as an evil character we would have felt much less sympathetic towards him, as it is Oedipus appears to be the very essence of goodness at the commencement of the play and in this way makes his downfall owing to a realisation of the truth even more dramatic.   He is an 'ideal king' - one who feels for his people.   This addition to a well-known story by Sophocles makes the resultant dramatic irony extremely effective.   His evident flaws of character make it plausible that he could have unknowingly killed his father and married his mother.   He is human but at the start of the play his excessive pride, impetuousness and efficiency, all human failings, seem to obscure and divert his search for the truth. Furthermore, he is arrogant and conceited, particularly concerning his personal successes:    "Oedipus: Why, when the monster with her song was here, spak'st thou no word our countrymen to help? And yet the riddle lay above the ken...and called for prophets skill...but then I came...and slew her."      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   These features of Oedipus' personality lead him inevitably to assume that he, the great Oedipus, liberator of his people, could not possibly be the murderer that they seek. Hence, it is Oedipus' inflated ego that causes his fate to be so severe and his downfall so great at the end of the play.   Furthermore, despite Teiresias' words early in the play, Oedipus refuses to believe the truth that he is responsible for Laios' death.   His arrogance leads him to unknowingly curse himself, thus making his fate worse:

Condoms, STDs, & Pregnancy :: essays research papers

During the 1980s, efforts increased to alert the public to the dangers of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), and unintended pregnancy, yet these problems have increased. Adolescents and young adults have been especially hard hit. Pregnancy and birth rates among teenagers are at their highest levels in two decades. Research has demonstrated that consistent condom use is an effective way to prevent the transmission of HIV and other STDs and in the prevention of pregnancy. Analyses of the Urban Institute’s National Survey of Adolescent Males (NSAM) show that although most sexually experienced teenage males have used condoms at least once, many do not use them consistently. Only 35 percent reported using a condom every time they had sex in the past year. But teenage males use condoms more than older men, and between 1979 and 1988 reported condom use among male teenagers doubled. These patterns indicate that teenagers are a promising target population for condom promotion efforts since they appear more ready than older men to change their behaviors. Unfortunately, condom use among young men appears to have plateaued since 1988. Comparisons of 1988 and 1991 NSAM data show no change in rates of use. Attitudes Related to Use Condom use is higher among young men who worry more frequently about AIDS when the effects of other factors are held constant. Between 1988 and 1991, however, sexually experienced teenagers showed declines in the frequency with which they worried about AIDS, how serious they thought AIDS was, and the likelihood they would get AIDS. These reductions were associated with lower levels of condom use. Male teenagers who think they will be embarrassed buying or using condoms, use them less consistently than those with higher embarrassment thresholds. If they think that the use of a condom will reduce the physical pleasure associated with intercourse, they are even less likely to use condoms. Anticipated loss of pleasure is one of the strongest correlates of reduced condom use. Beliefs about male responsibility for contraception are also associated with condom use. Teenage males use condoms more often when they believe that men bear responsibility for initiating discussion of contraception with their female partners, refusing sexual intercourse if contraception is not used, helping to pay for the contraceptive pill, and assuming financial responsibility for any resulting children. Further work has shown that young men’s views of their contraceptive responsibility are very much related to their beliefs about masculinity.

McDonough’s Purpose in Writing the Book

Of all of the events in American history, few would argue that the Civil War is the most debated, written about and discussed event. While it is beyond the scope of this research to pinpoint the all of the reasons why the Civil War still captures the imagination of historic scholars to this very day, but it is possible to take one of the many books written on the topic and provide a thorough review. In this research, Shiloh-In Hell before Night by James L. McDonough will be the work reviewed from several different vantage points. McDonough’s Purpose in Writing the Book.It would be easy to simply say that McDonough’s purpose in writing his book was to depict the people and events of one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War, which took place in the Tennessee Valley on April 6, 1862, when hundreds of thousands of Union and Confederate troops clashed, fought and died (McDonough, 1977). Upon a closer reading of the work, however, a larger purpose becomes apparent. Withi n the pages of the book, McDonough uses the writing style of the great fiction writers of all time to create an historic account that reads like a novel.Moreover, through the use of quotes from many of those who were involved in the battle, these people come back to life in a way and tell their own story, lending credibility and accuracy to the work. The Main Argument of the Work James L. McDonough’s main argument in this work is that the Civil War was not just a series of battles, wins and losses, but rather was a struggle for opposing people to try to direct a way of life for everyone to follow. He does this by using actual quotes from the main individuals involved in the battle of Shiloh which show how they felt and what lengths they would go to in order to put forth those beliefs.Was the Goal of the Book Accomplished? Generally speaking, the goal of the book was accomplished in that McDonough was able to make the point that even in defeat, there is honor to a certain exte nt, and also that the cause of the Confederate States of America was as much a commitment to the preservation of a way of life that had existed for generations and hundreds of years as much as it was a fight to break away from a government that was seen as oppressive and dictatorial.McDonough, in his vivid characterizations and flowing style, makes the point that even when a decisive victory is not gained, even the act of fighting for one’s beliefs is in itself a form of victory. By doing this, McDonough shows that the Civil War was a far more complex event in American history than simply two sides fighting to win battles.This most certainly contributes to the ongoing fascination with the Civil War that was mentioned as this research began, and it is authors like McDonough that both satisfy the reader’s thirst for more information about the Civil War and sparks additional interest at the same time, which is quite a feat for any book about any historic period. Strengths /Weaknesses of the Book In fairness, McDonough’s book has its share of relative strengths and weaknesses which became clear in reading the book and are worthwhile to present and discuss in this review.An overall strength of the book which became apparent from the very first paragraph was the realization that this was not the usual, dry historic text. Rather, McDonough took on a narrative style that made the presentation of the necessary elements of any historic account something that the reader would in fact look forward to reading, and as such, the more that was read, the more that was learned. In this sense, it could also be cited as a strength that this book serves to educate, as well as entertain the reader. Weaknesses also exist in the book.Understandably, McDonough wrote the book from a southern point of view, and while there is no way to ethically change the result of the battle- a Confederate retreat which can fairly be seen in retrospect as a defeat- it is fair to sa y that McDonough’s narrative style and attempt to make the key players in the battle come to life tends to glorify even those who ultimately failed to perform up to standards in the battle, and of course, in the end, were not victorious. This is not to say that McDonough distorted any facts, but he did tend in some ways to over dramatize unsuccessful leaders like Beauregard and others.Is McDonough’s Book a Valuable Contribution to the Study of the American Civil War? In conclusion, the remaining point to be discussed is whether or not McDonough’s book is a valuable contribution to the study of the Civil War. The point has already been made that the book is able to both provide information and spark a desire to learn more, all in an entertaining and vivid style. Also, it was discussed that McDonough was able to convey something far beyond history- the mindset and tradition which led to the Civil War and inspired thousands on both sides of the conflict to make the ultimate sacrifice for their beliefs.Based on all of this, it can fairly be said that this book is a valuable study of the Civil War, for anytime that facts and figures from the past can be brought to life and spark the imagination of the reader, the work is most worthwhile, and this work is no exception. Therefore, in closing, let it be said that Shiloh-In Hell before Night, decades after its publication, is still deserving of high continued review. Works Cited McDonough, James Lee. 1977. Shiloh: In Hell before Night. Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press.

Course syllabus1. Albert Essay

Course information 1 2.1 Teaching times and Locations Lecture: 8.00 – 11.00 a.m. Venue: 1 2 2.2 Units of Credit This course is worth 3 credits. 2.3 Parallel teaching in the course There is no parallel teaching involved in this course. 2.4 Relationship of this course to others BA023IU–Project Management concentrates on how to manage a project beside discussing issues of project management. The course provides hands-on experience in various stage of the process of project management. The course is independent requiring no prerequisite course. However, the students may find techniques and knowledge from the course of BA164BA–Production and Operations Management useful. Students majoring in International Business, Marketing and Business Management may later take BA171IU–Risk Management and BA149IU–New Product Planning in the following semester, which will complement and foster the skills learned from this course and employ the project management knowledge the students have accumulated here. 2.5 Approach to learning and teaching Employing the interactive learning and problem-based teaching approach, this course emphasizes the interaction between lecturers and students. The lecture materials will be uploaded in Blackboard to help the students to preview the materials and to facilitate discussion during the lecture. This will help students to interact with the lecturer on other matters related to the subject before and after the lecture. The sessions for presentations and discussions comprise company case studies as well as answering some theoretical and conceptual questions, which help the students to see how the concepts are applied in reality. 3. COURSE AIMS AND OUTCOMES 3.1 Course Aims The aim of this course is to provide the students with insights into human behavior, knowledge of organizational issues and skills with quantitative methods for successful project management. Specifically, the course is to provide students with: Understanding on the concepts of project planning and organization, project control and project communications. Decision-making techniques in project selection. Analytical skills for successful project management. Insights into human behavior and people skills for project management. Project scheduling techniques including WBS, PERT, Gantt Charts. Use of Project Management Software Ms Project and Crystal Ball Software. 3.2 Student Learning Outcomes Students completing this course are likely to achieve the following attributes: Systems approach. See a bigger picture when managing a project, holistic perspective regarding all parties involved in the project, and all components that would deliver to make a project completed satisfactorily. People management. Appreciate individual strengths and weaknesses, direct people to achieve project targets. Team player and team leader. Constructively contribute to projects as a team player or leader, having versatility in both human and technical sides, negotiate to get to win-win solutions. Disciplinary and multidisciplinary perspective. Bring disciplinary and multi-disciplinary perspectives in straightening out situations and projecting possible outcomes. Planning, scheduling, logistics literate. Perform satisfactorily the basic tasks of project management. 3.3 Teaching Strategies The learning system in this course consists of lectures and scheduled presentations/discussions. Lectures elaborate the appropriate theoretical content in the textbook and readings. Classes provide a more detailed and refined analysis of both concepts and applied materials. Classes are strongly oriented towards interactive discussion of the text and cases and reading assignments. In order to gain the most from the lectures and class activities, the assigned text/reading should be read before the lecture to participate in the discussions. 4. STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES AND CONDUCT 4.1 Workload It is expected that the students will spend at least six hours per week studying this course (three hours in class and three at home). This time at home should be made up of reading, research, working on exercises and problems, and attending classes. In periods where they need to complete assignments or prepare for examinations, the workload may be greater. Over-commitment has been a cause of failure for many students. They should take the required workload into account when planning how to balance study  with part-time jobs and recreation and/or other activities. 4.2 Attendance Regular and punctual attendance at lectures is expected in this course. University regulations indicate that if students attend less than eighty per cent of scheduled classes, they may not be considered for final assessment. Exemptions may only be made on medical grounds. It means that if you miss more than two classes, you may fail the class. For any class where you miss, you are obliged to submit your answers to the questions. 4.3 General Conduct and Behaviour The students are expected to conduct themselves with consideration and respect for the needs of the fellow students and teaching staff. Conduct which unduly disrupts or interferes with a class, such as ringing or talking on mobile phones, is not acceptable and students will be asked to leave the class. More information on student conduct is available at the university webpage. 4.4 Keeping informed The students should take note of all announcements made in lectures or on the course’s Blackboard. From time to time, the university will send important announcements to their university e-mail addresses registered with the school without providing a paper copy. The students will be deemed to have received this information. 5. LEARNING ASSESSMENT 5.1 Formal Requirements In order to pass this course, the students must: achieve a composite mark of at least 50; and make a satisfactory attempt at all assessment tasks (see below). 5.2 Assessment Details 5.2. 1 Attendance (5%): In order to get 5% of attendance score, a student must attend all sessions. If a student is absent for more than two sessions, she or he will lose 5% of total course grade and may be prohibited from the  final exam except for cases with medical reasons. 5.2.2 Homework (15%): Each student must submit a project proposal form, with enclosed budget and Ms Project schedule, before Session 8. Details will be announced. 5.2.3 Teamwork(10%): On Session 1, groups of maximum 5 students are formed and they will work on their group project throughout the course. Each team must present their analysis to a textbook case by answering the case questions (see the course calendar). Team members should read all the cases before class for discussion in class. Each class I will choose any team for case presentation which will be marked. 5.2.3 Mid-term Exam (30%): The midterm exam will be one and half hours in length and will be in the form of multiple choices and open questions/problems. This is open book test. Content of the Course Contents for Assessment Level of Cognitive Domain Understanding and Analytical Applying Multiple-choice Questions (MCQ) Written Questions (Problems) Introduction to Project Management Characteristics of a project, roles of project manager, project organization forms, Conflicts and Negotiation 10 MCQ 1 problem Project Selection/Planning Project Selection, Project Cost Estimation and Budgeting 10 MCQ 3 problems SCORE 40 60 5.2.4 Final Exam (40%): The final exam will be 2 hours in length during Final Exam Period and will be in the form of multiple choices and open questions/problems. This is open book test. Content of the Course Contents for Assessment Level of Cognitive Domain Understanding and Analytical Applying Multiple-choice Questions (MCQ) Written Questions (Problems) Project Planning Scheduling , CPM/PERT, Gantt Chart, Issues in Planning 10 MCQ 2 problems Project Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation Project Crashing, Resources Allocation, Information Systems, Tools for Project Control, Project Evaluation/Audit 15 MCQ 2 problems SCORE 30 70 5.5 Special Consideration: Request for special consideration (for final examination only) must be made to the Office of Academic Affairs within one week after the examination. General policy and information on special consideration can be found at the Office of Academic Affairs. 6. ACADEMIC HONESTY AND PLAGIARISM Plagiarism is the presentation of the thoughts or work of another as one’s own (definition proposed by the University of Newcastle). Students are also reminded that careful time management is an important part of study and one of the identified causes of plagiarism is poor time management. Students should allow sufficient time for research, drafting, and the proper referencing of sources in preparing all assessment items. The university regards plagiarism as a form of academic misconduct, and has very strict rules regarding plagiarism.1 7. STUDENT RESOURCES 7.1 Course Resources Please note that it is very important to gain familiarity with the subject matter in the readings and cases prior to attendance in classes. Textbook: Meredith, J. and Mantel Jr, S. (2012), Project Management: A Managerial Approach, 8th Edition, Wiley. Reference Books: A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge, 3rd Edition (PMBOK Guide), Project Management Institute, November 2004. Additional materials provided in Blackboard The lecturer will attempt to make lecture notes and additional reading available on Blackboard. However this is not an automatic entitlement for students doing this subject. Note that this is not a distance learning course, and you are expected to attend lectures and take notes. This way, you will get the additional benefit of class interaction and demonstration. Recommended Internet sites PMI (Project Management Institute) IPMA (International Project Management Association) APM (Association for Project Management) The Project Management Podcast Visitask Startwright Recommended Journals The Achiever Newsletter Project Management Books ePMTutor International Journal of Project Management PROJECT Magazine Project Manager Today Project Management Publications Project Times Project Management World Today PROJECTMagazine 7.2 Other Resources, Support and Information 1 2 Additional learning assistance is available for students in this course and will be made available in Blackboard. Academic journal articles are available through connections via the VNU – Central Library. Recommended articles will be duly informed to the students. 8. COURSE SCHEDULE Session Topic Learning materials and activities 1 Introduction – Basics of Project Management Context Definition of ‘project’ and other terminologies Rationale of project management approach Project life cycle Project objectives Risk associated with projects Textbook, Chapter 1 Forming Study groups Allocation of Group Tasks How to prepare for case study presentation Discussion: Bloomfield Transport, Inc. Reading: Lessons for an accidental profession 2 The Project Manager Introduction to Project Manager The roles of project managers The responsibilities of project managers Requirements of project managers Project manager’s qualifications Environmental and cultural issues Textbook, Chapter 3 Case: The National Jazz Hall of Fame Reading: What it takes to be a good project manager? 3 Project in the Organizational Structure Project and other superior organizations Project in its purest form Matrix Mixed Selecting the right project organization Project teams and other functions Textbook, Chapter 5 Case: Dizplaze Reading: The virtual project – Managing tomorrow’s team today 4 Conflict and Negotiation Categories of conflicts Conflicts and project life cycle Uncertainty and conflicts Negotiation defined Methods of negotiation Quiz (30 min) Textbook, Chapter 4 Case: Pelican landing –Bender Corporation. Reading: Methods of resolving interpersonal conflict 5 Project Selection and Planning Project selection models Qualitative and quantitative approaches Risk considered Project coordination plan Project action plan Work breakdown structure Integration management Textbook, Chapters 2 &6 Case: Pan Europa Food S.A. Reading: Planning for crises in project management 6 Budgeting Project budget estimation Methods of project estimation Issues in estimation Techniques for improving estimation Case discussion Textbook, Chapter 7 Case: Gujarat Auto Reading: Three perceptions of project costs MID-TERM 7 Project Scheduling PERT and CPM Gantt charts Risk analysis Extensions of tasks and project Practice of scheduling Textbook, Chapter 8 Case: Topline Arena Tutorial: Ms Project Software and Crystall Ball Software 8 Allocation of Resources CPM and crash Problems with resource allocation Loading and leveling Allocation under constraints Multi-project scheduling and allocation Practice of allocation of resources Textbook, Chapter 9 Case: D.U. Singer Hospital Product Corp. 9 Monitoring and Control Cycle of planning-monitoring-control Report process The concept of earned value Purposes and types of control Practice of project control Textbook, Chapters 10&11 Discussion: Earned value at CERN Case: Kroon Chemische Febriek Reading: Survey of project management tools 10 Project Control Designing control systems Control as a management function Balance in control Control of creative projects Control of change and creep Textbook, Chapter 11 Case: Peerless Laser Processors Reading: Controlling projects according to plan 11 Project Audit and Termination Purposes of evaluation Project audit Audit and project life cycle Design and use of audit report Issues of Measurement Termination basics Types of termination Process of termination Report of termination Textbook, Chapters 12&13 Case: Theatre High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD): Five Failures and Counting Team Project Presentations 12 Course Review Basic concepts Basic process The human side in project management Calculations, techniques and maths Q&A Drills Team Project Presentations

BTEC national diploma in business 2013-2014 Essay

|Unit Title: Managing Business Information |Unit Code: 26 | |Lecturer: Gaye Snook | | | |Assignment Title: Managing Business Information | |Assignment: 1 | | | |Principle Objectives Assessed: | |1 Understand the importance of information to organisations | |2 Know how organisations use business information | |3 Be able to maintain an information system | |4 Be able to produce information to support decision making in organisations. | | | |Key Skills Competence: | |N3.1,3.2,3.3 | |C3.1a, 3.1b, 3.2, 3.3 | |ICT3.1, 3.2, 3.3 | |Date Set: September 2013 |Date Due: December 2013 | | | |Scenario – You are responsible for the information management with The Box Company a company manufacturing storage boxes. You are asked to | |firstly write a report about the effective management of information. You are also asked to carry out practical tasks for information | |management and to report and present the findings of you information interrogation. | | | |Task 1 | | | |Write a report following an investigation of The Box Company, covering the following points | | | |Describe the characteristics of the information that The Box Company needs | |(this addresses P1) | | | |Characteristics: types of information (qualitative, quantitative, primary, secondary); quality of information (valid, complete, accurate, | |timely, fit-for-purpose, accessible, cost-effective, intelligible) | | | | Explain the sources of information needed in The Box Company | |(this address P2) | | | |Sources: internal (financial, HR, marketing, purchasing, sales, manufacturing, etc); external (government, trade groupings, commercially | |provided, databases, research, competitor information) | | | |Describe how information is used for three different purposes in The Box Company (this addresses P3) | | | |Purposes: record transactions and activities; monitor, control, co-ordinate and plan activities; analysis (patterns, trends); prediction | |(extrapolation, what if?) | |Describe the legal and ethical issues the organisation must consider in using business information | |(this addresses P4) | | | | Data Protection Act 1998, Computer Misuse Act 1990; ethical issues (privacy, access, organisational IT protocols, codes of practice from the | |Information Commissioner’s Office(ICO) and the British Computer Society (BCS) | | | |Explain why business information is important to the success of an organisation, giving several examples of how it is used to help decision | |making | |(this addresses M1) | | | |Decision making (operational, tactical strategic); administration; promote efficiency; develop competitive advantage; increase market share; | | | | | |Write a report to evaluate how a selected organisation could improve the quality of its business information to support decision-making. | |Prepare a presentation of the information and your recommendations. You will be assessed on the appropriateness of the formats chosen. | |Remember to justify your recommendations in your report. | |(this addresses D1) | | | |Tracking fast and slow moving sales will suggest to a retailer how to adjust its product range. Monitoring staff absence will allow | |absenteeism patterns to be identified and absence reduced. Improving the quality of the information will improve the business. | |A senior manager will be likely to understand information presented in a formal report, a junior assistant may be better able to assimilate | |information in a visual format. A poor choice of format hinders communication of the message. | | | | | | | | | | | |Task 2 | | | | You are required to conduct practical exercises on a data management system. You do not need to create this system; your tutor will provide | |this for you. Undertaking the following tasks, format the given data management system into a professionally presented and useful system by | |completing the following tasks | | | |Format Table | |Add grid lines | |Add formatting to headers | |Format cell type (i.e. text/numbers) | | | | Add validation rules to appropriate cells | | | |Add profit column (use formula) | | | |Update Table | |Add new sales for next three months | |Customer 128 has gone out of business, delete this customer | |Add customer 129 – Boxes R Us, 145 Station Road, Maidenhead, Sl4 9UY, 07788 6589652. Anticipated demand from this customer will be 30 of | |product B each month from July | |Change contact for customer 125 to 07799 8745698 | | | |Following the above, in the presence of your tutor who will observe you, interrogate the system to provide analytical data e.g.: | | | |a. Total sales per product | |b. Total profit per product | |c. Total sales per customer | |d. Total profit per customer | |(this addresses P5) | | | | | |Task 3 | | | |Building upon task 2, produce information that can be used to support the following business decision. Scenario – the company is thinking of| |launching a new product, however, due to the capacity of the production line it can only do this if is stops making one of the existing | |products. Use the above analysis in task 2 and the details on the potential new product use to justify your decision proposal. | | | |A ) Produce information in four suitable formats to support decision making This can include the following: using an electronic organiser | |to arrange a meeting to discuss the information, including an agenda of items/issues to discuss; circulating supporting information, as | |attachment to email; producing a report outlining the key findings of your analytical data and producing tables etc to highlight the main | |findings. | |(this addresses P6) This will be supplemented by observations from the tutor. | | | |B) Compare the features of different types of software in producing information to support business activities, e.g. word processing, | |spreadsheets and databases, commenting on the appropriateness of using each for a given purpose. (This addresses M2) | | | |C) Analyse the information from above and explain the significance to the organisation of the information that has been obtained from the | |system. Propose appropriate actions to respond to the given scenario, which must be supported by the information generated. (This addresses | |M3) | |Tutor Signature: GAYE SNOOK | Date: | |Pre-Verified: |Internally Verified: | | | | |Date: |Date: | Assessment and grading criteria In order to pass this unit, the evidence that the learner presents for assessment needs to demonstrate that they can meet all the learning outcomes for the unit. The assessment criteria for a pass grade describe the level of achievement required to pass this unit. Assessment and grading criteria To achieve a pass grade the evid  |P1 describe the characteristics of the |M1 explain how business information is |D1 recommend how a selected organisation | |information needed in a selected |used for different purposes in a selected|could improve the quality of its business| |organisation |organisation |information to support decision making. | |P2 explain the sources of information | | | |needed in a selected organisation | | | |P3 describe how information is used for | M2 compare the features of different | | |different purposes in a selected |types of software used in producing | | |organisation [RL, CT] |information to support business | | | |activities | | |P4 describe the legal issues an |M3 analyse information produced in | | |organisation must consider in using |different formats to support business | | |business  information |decision making. | | |P5 input and manipulate the data entered | | | |into data management software [CT, TW, | | | |SM] | | | |P6 produce information in suitable | | | |formats to support business decision | | | |making. [IE, CT, SM] | | |

‘Eve Teasing in Bangladesh’ -Causes and Remedies Essay

London, June 16 (ANI): Eve teasing in Bangladesh has taken such a heavy toll on the country’s women that the education ministry there has voted to have an â€Å"Eve Teasing Protection Day†. The announcement was made after the increasing concern over the worrying number of girls and women who have recently committed suicide in the country to escape eve teasing, a euphemism for sexual harassment. According to figures released by the Ain-O-Shalish Kendra (ASK) human rights organisation, 14 girls and women have taken their own lives over the past four months across the country as a direct result of the insults. In addition, a father and a daughter also committed suicide together – in an incident blamed by the authorities on â€Å"eve teasing†. Police say three men who publicly protested against the harassment have been killed over the past 12 weeks. Critics argue that laws, which should prohibit sexual harassment, are so poorly drafted that victims get virtually no help from the law enforcement agencies. Families of the victims are left feeling hopeless and helpless. â€Å"Some victims find suicide is the only avenue that enables them to escape this social pandemic,† the BBC quoted Sultana Kamal, executive director of ASK, as saying. â€Å"The situation is very frightening. The suicides of 14 girls are an alarming sign of the times. If it is not controlled, we women can no longer live in society with any dignity,† she said. Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid while admitting to the menace said female students and female teachers were at present not safe on the streets or schools, a situation leading to an increased drop-out rate of female students in many schools, and underage marriages. (ANI) Bengal girl commits suicide after sexual harassment Kolkata, August 14 (IANS) Subjected to regular sexual harassment by a some local youths and following an altercation with her father on the issue, a 13-year-old-school girl committed suicide by immolating herself in West Bengal’s Burdwan district, police said Tuesday. Four people have been arrested in this connection. â€Å"Ujjawala Prasad, 13, had set herself on fire last night and she succumbed to  injuries Tuesday morning. Her father has lodged a complaint against nine persons who had been harassing the girl for the past few days. Four persons have been arrested,† a police officer said. The incident happened in Hirapur in Burdwan district, 213 km from Kolkata. Police said the girl complained to her father about some boys teasing her regularly, following which he went to confront them. The boys said the girl was having an affair with one of them. The father had a heated argument with the girl Monday night. After the incident, Leader of Opposition and Communist Party of India-Marxist leader Surjya Kanta Mishra said: â€Å"Not a single day passes when an incident of an attack on women is not reported. Today a girl committed suicide in Asansol after she was harassed by men. The attacks on women, especially on minor girls, has shot up.† Rising incidents of sexual harassment and increasing public anger in protest has prompted the Bangladesh government, headed by a woman, Sheikh Hasina, to take action. In the latest incident Friday, villagers set fire to houses of some alleged stalkers in Talupara village in Sirajganj district, about 110 km northwest of Dhaka. The mob also caught a stalker’s father and handed him over to the police. In another incident, at least 10 members of a family were Wednesday beaten for protesting against stalking, and one of them died, The Daily Star reported. Abdur Rauf, son of Delwar, used to pester Kamrul’s wife Joinab, 18, every day. After Joinab brought the matter to Delwar’s attention, Rauf and his men went to Kamrul’s house and beat up his family. Kamrul’s uncle Aser Ali succumbed to injuries on way to hospital. In another incident last week, a school girl’s father, who managed to nab her stalker and hand him over to the police, could not take questions from the media and died of heart attack. The government has promised a law to prevent sexual harassment of women at work. But the problem is difficult to tackle in villages where women and young girls from broken families or with men away on work face harassment from idle, at times better off, youths. The government declared to observe June 13 as the Eve Teasing Protection Day  from this year. The resolve to raise public awareness comes from the presence of several women in public life. â€Å"In a country where the prime minister (Sheikh Hasina), foreign minister (Dipu Moni), home minister (Sajeda Khatun), agriculture minister (Motia Chowdhury) and the leader of the opposition (Begum Khaleda Zia) are female, women and girls cannot walk on the streets, use public transport, or go to school, shops, parks or other public places without often being ogled, taunted, harassed, humiliated, sexually molested, groped and assaulted – and in some cases, attacked with acid, abducted and raped,† The Daily Star lamented in a commentary Saturday. According to the Bangladesh National Women Lawyers Association, almost 90 percent of girls aged 10-18 years are victims of sexual harassment. The perpetrators range from college students and unemployed youth to street vendors, rickshaw pullers, bus drivers, fellow passengers, colleagues and supervisors. â€Å"Sexual terrorism thrives on patriarchal attitudes, prejudices, cultural norms, double standards and discriminatory laws that devalue women and deny them their rights. Eradicating it will require transformative social change,† the newspaper said. A large number of school and college students held a rally in Dhaka to protest against ‘eve teasing’ and the sexual harassment of women. According to the BBC, the rally was the latest in a series of protests following a number of suicides and killings involving women subjected to bullying and harassment. The protestors have urged the Bangladesh government to take proper steps to curb sexual harassment and provide better protection for women. â€Å"Some right-wing parties say that if the girls wear a veil, then they can escape Eve teasing, but we don’t think so. We need tougher legislation and it should be properly implemented to stop this menace,† one of the protestors said. Young girls often face verbal abuse, taunts and stalkers, and critics are forcibly silenced. Those harassing them are often their school colleagues or men in the street, the report said. According to activists, eve teasing and sexual harassment has led to the deaths of more than 24 people, most of them women, since the beginning of this year in the country. In recent days, some who have spoken  out against sexual harassment have been murdered, it added. (ANI)

Research proposal Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Research proposal - Dissertation Example In view of the same, the concept of total quality management is deemed of paramount importance to these outsourced companies. Hence, the main focus of this paper is to look into the manner by which total quality management principles are incorporated into the processes adopted by the outsourced industries. Total quality management is defined as that philosophy for management concerned with the continuous improvement of the quality of products and processes (Ahire 1997). This particular management concept is used all over the world. The functions related thereto are based on the fact that the quality of products and processes is the responsible of everyone who is engaged in the creation or consumption of the products or services that are offered by the organization. In this sense, Total quality management entails the involvement of the management, workforce, suppliers and even customers in order to ensure that the expectations of the customers are met (Ahire 1997). Hakes (1991) on the other hand, also mentioned that total quality management is essential to all successful organizations. ... Literature Review To provide a solid ground to this study, the researcher reviews extant literature with respect to outsourcing and total quality management. This literature review covers pertinent areas related to the same. To ensure an extensive discussion as regards the subject matter at hand, this section is divided into the following sub-sections: (1) Total Quality Management: An Overview and (2) The Outsourced Information Industry: The Need for Total Quality Management. Total Quality Management: An Overview. As earlier stated, the importance of total quality management as an essential part of the management philosophy is grounded on the fact that it ensures the performance of a certain firm in accordance with the expectations of the customers and at the same time, to enable it to cope with the ever changing global market places. Usually, total quality management results into two important consequences for the firms: first, increase in productivity; and second, customer satisfac tion. One of the main characteristics of Total Quality Management is related to the need to identify the root causes of quality problems and at the same time, correcting them from the source. This is basically in line with the efforts to incorporate quality in all aspects of the organizations. Thus, it usually involves all the people in the organizations such as the customers, the employees and the suppliers. According to the article entitled â€Å"Total Quality Management† (n.d.), total quality management often has the following aspects: (1) Customer Focus; (2) Continuous Improvement; (3) Employee Empowerment; (4) Use of Quality Tools; (5) Product Design; (6) Process Management; and lastly, (7) the Management of Supplier Quality. The focus of the

Essay title Even young children can be involved in decision making in

Title Even young children can be involved in decision making in the family and in schools. Use the course materials to illustrate how children can be involved and also why involvement might be difficult - Essay Example Parents who are aware of these issues can begin to interact with their babies from the start. When a child is older, especially when they get to preschool or school age, it is important to begin the process of their decision making by allowing them to make decisions of what they want to wear or about a particular toy they want to use in their play. Another very important aspect of involving children into the decision making process is to help them form secure attachments when they are very young. Secure attachments make a child fell loved and help them to understand that they can talk about anything they need to talk about with a parent. Establishing this type of opportunity when children are young will give them another opportunity to find their place in the family. Decisions making for many things are easy for a parent to involve their child in, but when it comes to something like bedtime the child may not have much of a choice. According to the text book, there are many ways that a parent can work with a child who does not want to go to bed at a certain time. The challenge for parents is that sometimes they are working to get a child to conform to their wishes and the child has no reason to do so. A parent may decide that the child has several options for bedtime that are around the same time. They can then allow the child to pick one of those bedtimes and the child will think they have made their own choice. One of the challenges when a child does not conform or do what a parent says is that the parent may want to use corporal punishment (spanking) for the child. According to the text, this is never a good idea because children can bully other children with hitting, a child is taught to repress strong emotions, smacking can often make defian t or uncooperative behaviour worse and children can become angry and resentful which can change their attitude towards their family members (69). Instead of smacking, many parents use time outs for children and

Microeconomic of my own life Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Microeconomic of my own life - Essay Example Having learnt various principles and theories in microeconomics, the objective of this paper is to relate my life experiences to some of these microeconomic aspects. Microeconomics has made me appreciate choice as a comparison of alternatives. The forgone opportunities for the next benefit alternatives would be referred to as opportunity cost as noted by Boyes and Melvin (23). Opportunity costs refer to the highly valued alternatives which have to be forgone when making a choice. Thus, in my case, the freedom to watch movies, eat the food of my choice and play with my pet would be considered as the opportunity cost as I had to forgo this for the sake of enrolling in a boarding school. The next benefit alternative would thus be joining a boarding school which was meant to make me excel academically. Despite the academic benefit that I was to realize by being in a boarding school, I found other benefits that I would not have found had I remained in my previous learning institution. My father worked in a pen manufacturing firm and hence gave me the best ball-pens to use for my writing. I made many friends in school because of these pens as many students would borrow my pens. At first, I was generous enough to give them out. Within a short period of time, students would demand to know where the pens were sourced from. Actually, the pens were available in the stores but at a high cost and thus stocked less. Remember, Boyes and Melvin (23) observe that costly goods do not elicit the urge to buy from consumers. A majority of pen users would prefer the less costly pen varieties as long as these pens served the intended purpose, quality aside. Since my father supplied these pens to me free of charge and in unlimited quantities, I started selling them to those students who demanded for it at a slightly lower cost than they fetched in the retail stores. The attractive qualities of the pens including swift gliding while writing and availability in diverse colors made the p ens popular. Word went round the school on the attributes of the pen which made the demand increase. Students drawn from various classes would look for me to supply them with these pens. Realizing the increased demand for the pens, I raised the selling price for each pen. This trend follows the microeconomic law of supply which according to Boyes and Melvin (52) dictates an increase in supply with increase in the prices of specific goods or services and a decrease in supply with a fall in price. Assuming the role of a supplier, as the students were willing to spend more to have the pens, I kept increasing the cost. Since I could not wholly satisfy the demand for these pens, I could not determine the effect of price increase on demand which according to the law of demand dictates that with such price increases, there tends to be a decrease in demand. But the trend did not last for long as I had to be careful neither to sell the pens at the cost in the stores nor to sell them at a cos t deemed exorbitant to the students. It reached a point where I could clearly see the impact of price increment on the demand for the pens from the students. As if abiding by the law of demand, the students gradually reduced their demand until I had a number of students whose demand for the pens I could satisfy at the indicated cost. In essence, this was the equilibrium according to

Management 3000 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Management 3000 - Essay Example In addition, the book is not only crucial for a manager and an aspiring manager but also to any individual willing to effectively learn important lessons crucial to their lives. The main theme of the book revolves around interpersonal skills on a broader perspective. However, I would divide the book into three, no actually four narrow categories, based on the achievement of the essential interpersonal skills to a manager. Of these four categories, the first one is the importance of self-awareness before seeking to understand others. Consequently, self-awareness is not something that you wake up one day and claim to have accomplished, something I have learned from the book. Apparently, self-awareness is an important and crucial skill that individuals need to conceptualize and acquire through a four-pronged approach. This covered the first unit and essentially the first four chapters in the book. I answered all the questions in these four chapters and I must say, although I read the chapters before answering the questions, there were instances that I found myself marking the wrong answer based on my personal biases. The second important thing I read pertains the need for individuals seeking to acquire interpersonal skills to learn how to work well with others in diversity. This unit covers the next four chapters of the book, that is, chapters five all the way to chapter eight. The questions are crucial to answering an individual’s perceptions about diversity. Thirdly, I read the other six chapters in the book based on the unit I would classify as understanding the team and its dynamics. This is essential for a manager who works with a team in their day-to-day operations, which effectively requires them to be knowledgeable of the dynamics controlling the team. Finally, the last unit I would call it the leadership unit. This is the actual unit that I would

Risk Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Risk - Coursework Example tegies used by the corporate managers in relational to effective financial planning to meet organization needs regard the financing, capitalization, budgeting and risk management. The perception of various risk influence corporate financial strategies in order to minimize a risk and maximize returns. This document focuses on various types of risks facing businesses and their effects on corporate financial strategy. This is the uncertainty that the organization may obtain lower profits than anticipated in case of unforeseen events occurring. For example, when sales volumes declines, cost of inputs increases, economic climate or government regulations change they may result in loss instead of anticipated profits (Bender & Ward, 2012). In a case of high business risks, the corporates may finance business activities with capital bearing less debt ratio to ensure it can meet financial obligations whenever they are due. Credit risk is the risk that the borrower may fail to repay the borrowed amount and interest charges when they are due. Lenders may incur additional cost to insure their loan portfolios in order to minimize the loss or borrowers are required to use security or guarantees before they acquire the loan (Bender & Ward, 2012). This affects corporate financial strategy especially when the business does not have to tie capital in security assets. They may have to raise funds through other means other than by borrowing funds. This is the risk that arises due to fluctuation of interest payable to the stocks. It can affect corporate financial strategy whereby investors may refuse to commit buy stocks in a particular market due to fluctuations in interests for fear of losing the value of their invested stocks (Bender & Ward, 2012). These are risks investors face due to political instabilities in the countries of operations. It can affect corporate investment decisions whereby the businesses if the managers cannot take enjoy opportunities available in certain