Considerations for 21st Century Management and...

Considerations for 21st Century Management Organizational Cultures The four management themes are intriguing and challenging to current and future managers. People, especially those in leadership positions should always be looking for way to improve. One such method as suggested by the readings includes looking to other countries for new strategies, particularly those countries that are stable and relatively progressive. Such examples would include Switzerland, Sweden, and Japan. No matter what though, professionals should keep in mind that there is no one country that has all the answers in any field, whether the topic is management or otherwise. For example, though Japan has many aspects to their management tactics, relative to the United States of America, Japan is decades behind the progression of feminism, particularly with regard to corporate advancement. There have been measures taken to more fully integrate women in the corporate world and the workplace in general, but the action comes from a place of desperation for workers and not from a place of equality, justice, or respect. The Fukushima nuclear disaster--that whole scandal is not an example that others should emulate. Our victories are just as valuable as our errors. There are good and bad styles of management in every country. It is unwise to ignore the tactics, methods, or strategies from others, whether competitors or allies. If a strategy works and abides by an organizations ethical code, it should beShow MoreRelatedGalaxy Toys Case Study1613 Words   |  7 PagesAssignment 1 Role of the Manager and the Impact of Organizational Theories on Managers (Week 3) Patsy Colbert BMGT 364 6390 Management and Organization Theory (2178) September 10, 2017 Professor Charles Smith Introduction Galaxy Toys in Toledo Ohio, had a major shift in management problem, which cause managers to reevaluate their management approach. A general change in employee workplace values initiated management to modify the culture of increased competition. The advances in technologyRead MoreThe Classical School Of Thought1358 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction Management styles have evolved over the years. Being able to adapt the management style to the needs of the organization is crucial for the continued success of the business. 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A review of the leadership theories and various styles of leadership was seen as being the styles that a leader in the 21st century would want to use to meet the needs of their employees and motivate them toward success and self-actualizationRead More21st Century Teaching and Learning Culture Provides Trust, Collaboration, Respect817 Words   |  4 PagesThe developed approach of the 21st century teaching and learning environment provides a good model for other public schools with low performance and non-adequate yearly progress (AYP) to apply. This model is considered to deal with different issues by developing specific concepts su ch as trust, collaboration, respect, and other positive relationships between school members. It gives the urban high school a solid foundation to overcome its problems and be prepared to adopt a change. 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It is not only ambition for growth which paves way for international business expansion, but also a requirement posed by wave of globalization in the modern 21st century. People are interested in buying imported items and organizations long for conducting business in various countries in which they can enjoy cheap labor and economies of scale. Going global is a long strenuous journey in which an organization hasRead MoreManagement Challenges in the 21st Century3650 Words   |  15 PagesManagement Challenges in the 21st Century Introduction The traditional management education and training relies heavily on left-brain thinking, deductive reasoning and analytical thinking.   The managers of the future require a different set of skills based on the functioning of the right-brain like holistic or systems thinking, intuitive problem-solving and value-driven decision-making. While state parastatals could benefit from a number of these corporate lessons, readers should be clear aboutRead MoreHRM and the Changing Nature of Organizations2235 Words   |  9 Pagestechnical advancements, telecommunications revolution, growth of knowledge based workforce and intense competition; mandate the transformation of Human Resource Management (HRM) in organizations. It is necessary for the management to invest considerable time and amount, to learn the changing scenario of the HR department in the 21st century. In order to survive the competition and be in the race, HR department should consciously update itself with the transformation in HR and be aware of the HR issues

“a Journey of a Thousand Miles Begins with a Single Step”

English Expository SAC- Inner Journeys â€Å"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step† The purpose of this expository piece is to explore various effects of a journey that is initiated from a single step. The argument will be presented using previous texts studied in class in relation to the prompt â€Å"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. The intended audience is to people of all ages, but specifically to students studying the concepts of inner journeys. All human beings experience some sort of transition in their life, whether it be ones search of self identity or the need for change. An inner journey can have both positive and negative effects on an individual. Some believe that an inner journey which†¦show more content†¦However is all this really worth putting yourself in such danger? This is where the analysis procedure of positive risk-taking must be taken into consideration. Think of the possible consequences of the situation and ask yourself if there are any benefits from participating. Many people fail to assess these consequences and as a result they lead themselves away from undertaking a profound journey of awakening and self discovery. In the film Dead Poets Society, Neil Perry attempts to rebels against his father’s over protective and strict morals. In order to free himself, Neil takes his own life. His decision is an example of a journey that is insufficiently revised; this in turn results in a negative outcome from poor risk taking and an incomplete journey. In everyday life people make decisions on a daily basis, some of which intellectual and others to a much lower standard. An intellectual transition is thought through and based on numerous events that bring about a positive outcome otherwise known as positive risk-taking. However, in this case Neil’s irrational behaviour does not allow him to think his decisions thoroughly. It is important that all human beings consolidate their choices before taking action as it is evident that such behaviour will most definitely result in harmful consequences; some of which fatal. Every Inner journey is a result of a single step.Show MoreRelatedFinding The Right Words Of The Ancient Chinese Philosopher, Lao Tzu, A Journey Of A Thousand Miles922 Words   |  4 Pagescommitment and desire to succeed. Furthermore, I have come to realize that in the words of the ancient Chinese philosopher, Lao Tzu, â€Å"A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.† At the outset, I feel that every writing project is like a thousand-mile journey, and I know I’ll get there in the end - if only I have the courage take that first, single step - if only I can find the right words. My earliest recollection of writing is at around six or seven years old, meticulously copyingRead MoreThe Rime Of The Ancient Mariner By Samuel Taylor Coleridge925 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.† The poem The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Samuel Taylor Coleridge is a famous Romantic work about a mariner and his crew on an overseas journey. While on this journey, they encounter some rough weather. However, a sea bird, the albatross, leads the men out of the ice and fog. For some reason unknown to the readers, the Mariner shoots the albatross, and the whole ship and crew are cursed by God. It isn’t until after the Mariner learns hisRead MoreAdvantages to Studying Abroad768 Words   |  3 Pagesdialects. When they able to adapt with this new situation, they gain a higher level of maturity. This does not mean that, we cannot be independent in our own country, but the situation to live in foreign country is completely d ifferent because we are thousand miles far from our country and our family. The sense of responsible and independent will be stronger when we are far away from our family. Besides that, study abroad help student to broaden their mind. When they live in other country they will see theRead MoreMy Long Term and Short Term Goals1412 Words   |  6 Pages December 12, 2011 Someone famous once wrote, â€Å"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.† That’s deep! But, in a way, it’s obvious and should go without saying. However, so many people try to just jump the whole thousand miles at once and seem to forget that careful steps and rest stops must be made along the way to successfully (the main word is successfully ) complete that journey. 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Amir needs to seek redemption for all those times hes betrayed Hassan. â€Å"He was already turning the street corner, his rubber boots kicking up snow. He stopped, turned. He cupped his hands around his mouth. For you a thousand times over! he said. Then he smiled his Hassan smile and disappeared around the corner. The next time I saw him smile unabashedly like that was twenty-six years later, in a faded Polaroid photograph.† Amir’s love for Hassan is so strong that evenRead MoreMy Future in the Field of Computer Science909 Words   |  4 Pagesvacations, I completed a course in basic web-designing and MS-Office. I found that the more I learnt, the more my zeal and passion for Computers increased. I decided that my future has to be in the field of Computer Science. â€Å"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step â€Å"– Lao Tzu. To achieve my dreams I came to the USA to for my Bachelor’s degree. Being an international student, I faced a lot of hurdles with the education system in America but eventually became the first person in my family

British Culture Chaoxiaoqian Free Essays

My questions are Why does Helena stay with Jimmy and leave Jimmy, why does Alison come back to Jimmy. These are very tricky questions like twisted twines. Here I just air my views, expecting to be complemented by yours. We will write a custom essay sample on British Culture Chaoxiaoqian or any similar topic only for you Order Now The reasons for Helena staying with Jimmy might be probed from the following: Superficially looking, Jimmy is a person basically worth while. Jimmy is a young man with education, ideas and penetrating insights. Alison breaking through her family’s strong obstacles to marry Jimmy from side reflects Jimmy’s charms and attractions. Jimmy seems a natural desire and magnet for women if his working-class background?poverty and walled situations are ignored for the moment. As Helena said she took Jimmy to herself because â€Å"she finds that she desires him and wants to have him for a time†. It is an outburst of impulse catalyzed by special occasions. At that time, without digs, Helena had an appointment on the next day and had to lodge in Jimmy’s attic; Jimmy is then immersed in bereavement without comfort while Allison and Cliff left him successively. Witnessing Jimmy’s bitterness and helplessness, out of her female compassionate nature, Helena offered Jimmy her hand and herself as well. For solace and release, Jimmy dramatically accepted his natural enemy. Thus the two naturally and reasonably moved together. Exploring the in-depth reason, Helena’s staying with Jimmy might be considered as a challenge she made for herself driven by her instincts of curiosity and conquest. Helena wanted to make out why the seemingly compatible couple always brawl and torture each other, why Jimmy is always angry?dissatisfied and cynical,always trying hard to be offensive, provocative, irritating. Determined by her inborn authoritative personality and her middle-class inclination to sustain the status quo,she takes Jimmy as a challenge and an attempt, an enemy territory to conquer, to justify her middle-class convictions and consciousness. She expects Jimmy to be changed, back into normal, behaving like anyone else and taking reality like a real man. Naive?romantic and over-confident as Helena is, she fails to change Jimmy. Conversely and ironically, she was within an inch of being changed. Helena was inevitably to lose the war because Jimmy’s anger was socially deep-rooted. He had the complex of inferiority and superiority. He showed contempt for uneducated Cliff, irony for educated Alison. He was well educated, but his situation was no better than the two he looked down upon. It was an affliction and sarcasm to him. He lived at the sea of isolation?desperation and inarticulate agony. Without being heard or understood. He found no target to attack, therefore everything became his target. Jimmy was a man born out of his time. To change Jimmy Helena should change the times first. It is difficult and impossible for Helena to change the time, and so with Jimmy. To bridge the systematic and fathomless class and value gap was never a easy task and doomed to be futile and fruitless. Jimmy and Helena’s combination was the effect of passionate impulse. It was a kind of insanity or wrong-doings as Helena herself later commented. Once waken up from the dream, the end of their relation was approaching. Helena was a woman of conventionality by nature, she couldn’t forget the book of rules anytime. She still believed in â€Å"right and wrong†! Gnawed by the worm of conscience and sense of guilt, she can’t †be happy without the book of rules†, she can’t †be happy when what you’re doing is wrong, or is hurting someone else†. Moreover she lost the war waged against changing Jimmy, the war to restore everything into normal. Unless Jimmy and Helena don’t confront with each other face to face, or they will certainly fall into the state of war, the war of ideas, class, values, social reality. There was no middle road to compromise. Helena’s exeuntting also meant she lost the war against conventionality, against status quo. Her story is more than a morality one, it further proved every desire or attempt to change the suffocating and inanimate society over-confident and all for naught. Everyone would inevitably subordinate himself to conventionality. My understanding of Alison’s return is explained as such: Alison might feel regret about her past behaviors. Though she is the seeming victim of Jimmy’s irrational assault, she knows that Jimmy has reason to do so on her. After her abortion, something dormant was aroused from the bottom of her heart and she came back to Jimmy, though shilly-shally. As a young woman, she is a †monument of non-attachment†. †She hasn’t had a thought for years!† She is a woman in her 20s without enthusiasm, animation and sincerity. Nothing Jimmy could do would provoke her. Her marriage with Jimmy was a kind of physical and responsive affinity rather than mental and spiritual one. She was nicknamed as ‘Lady Pusillanimous’ by Jimmy. Moreover, as a middle-class woman by nature, she kept her arrogant and uppish manner in communicating with the working-class people which was especially exposed when she wrote letter to her mother, discussed Jimmy with her father and Helena, refused to see the dying Mrs. Hugh with Jimmy. She had the sense of inborn class superiority which is a fatal and permanent weapon to sensitive Jimmy. She did betray Jimmy in a sense. In a word, she has never given herself to her husband with the honesty which she knew he demanded and needed. Actually, she knew she should shoulder some responsibility for Jimmy’s anger and offered Jimmy more understanding and communication. The problem of their marriage was not sheer Jimmy’s fault. Alison left Jimmy in pursuit of peace and relaxation. Tortured by Jimmy’s distorted allegiance and loyalty demands for her, Alison wanted to escape from the role of hostage and the war Jimmy declared on †those sections of society†. But Alison never succeeded in escape. Things didn’t go in the way as she expected. Alison’s coming back could be interpreted as a subjugation to conventionality?reality and failure of Ostrichism. Alison is easily to get used to everything and she is also on the verge of burst. Tortured by Jimmy’s distorted allegiance and loyalty demands for her, Alison wanted to escape from the role of hostage and the war Jimmy declared on †those sections of society†. She leaves Jimmy, in pursuit of peace and relaxation. But Alison never succeeded in escape. Things didn’t go in the way as she expected. Her abortion brings her shock and disillusionment, awakening something dormant in her heart. She then clearly sees a depressing?aimless?hopeless and futureless reality, without light and outlet. By then she understood Jimmy’s anger and discontent to some extent. Without a bright future, Alison had to revert to the past, though vague, remote and suspended it is. She wanted to find herself a position in the conventional and accustomed role of wife. The unpleasant past seems a more lovely memento In comparison with the suffocating and smoldering reality. Finally Alison and Jimmy decide to pick up the bear-squirrel game. It is a seeming communiquà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ by Alison and Jimmy, protesting the reality and fighting against the â€Å"cruel steel traps, lying about everywhere, just waiting for rather mad, slightly satanic, and very timid little animals.† This could be regarded as a faint flicker of hope offered by the protagonists who had a in-depth perception and understanding of life. How to cite British Culture Chaoxiaoqian, Papers

Project Management Purchase and Renovation

Question: Discuss about the Project Management for Purchase and Renovation. Answer: Introduction The identification and implementation of the different activities in the project are essential for integrating the project components in a holistic manner. Effective management while ensuring the budget and schedule of the undertaken project is essential for achieving the success of the project. This particular project deals with the renovation of a deteriorating three bedroom house. This particular project aims at evaluating the pricing and cost estimation processes followed in the undertaken project. Identification of cost elements The entire project cost is dependent on the various deliverables conducted throughout the project. The deliverable for the purchase and renovation of a deteriorating three bedroom house is further sub-divided into specific work packages and tasks. Kerzner, (2013) defined the cost elements as the particular resources required to complete the task. The identified cost elements for this particular project are: Materials Labor Total Replace 4 main carrying beams in basement and 12 floor Joyce's 1000 1000 2000 Install new footings as required by building codes 1000 1000 2000 Frame propose master bedroom above kitchen and dining area 4000 4000 8000 Roof framing as needed, flashing and window sill metal cover or repair rotted exterior 2500 2500 5000 Electrical for new master bedroom and kitchen expansion and upgrading smoke, outlets, switches, and light fixtures 3000 4000 7000 Install new master bathroom 2500 2500 5000 Install new HVAC system 4000 4000 8000 Insulate walls drywall and plaster and paint 4000 4000 8000 Expand kitchen and siding to match 1000 1500 2500 Install new construction windows, renovation of kitchen, install appliances (range, oven, fridge line, dishwasher) 9000 3000 12000 Install 1 slider and 2 exterior doors 1500 1200 2700 Drywall and plaster living and dining room walls only and paint 1250 1600 2850 Build new two-car garage per plans 6500 5000 11500 Build new wrap around deck to rear of house and repair front steps per plans 2500 2500 5000 Significance of project estimation and project pricing While undertaking the project for the purchase and renovation of a deteriorating house, the most significant aim of the project manager is to deliver the project within allocated time and resources (Rosemann, Brocke, 2015). Accurate estimation of the project cost assists the project manager in developing a robust project plan along with the work breakdown structure and schedule that needed to be followed in the project. Since the project was developed with the cooperation of different contractors; it was essentials for the project manager to develop the pricing. The pricing of the project is essential for determining the effective and robust business decision by the project sponsor. The development of the project pricing assists the project stakeholders to have a clear idea of the charge required for different product and services outsourced by the project manager. In this particular project, the project pricing has allowed the chief financial in providing an accurate budgeting of the project. Furthermore, the through the help of the pricing and cost estimation, the project manager can hire the contractors and employees according to the need of the project and provided financial resources (Khodakarami, Abdi, 2014). Pricing process, labor distribution, pricing out work, and the low bidder dilemma Pricing Process: Devaux, (2015) defined pricing as one of the dynamic and complex process related to the project management. The application of the project pricing in the renovation project has assisted the project manager in balancing the different stakeholders associated with the project. In the renovation of the three bedroom house project, the pricing process helps the project manager in determining the work-breakdown structure required for the project. Due to the unique nature of the renovation project, the pricing of the project included the contract cost of the different stakeholders, overhead profit, material cost, and legal document bidding. Labor Distribution: For the distributing the labor cost in the project, the project manager distributed the man-hour according to the lowest pricing element in the work breakdown structure in the project (Aliverdi, Naeni, Salehipour, 2013). In addition to that, the man-hours are distributed for the renovation in the time-phased events in the renovation project. The labor rate is estimated based on predicted salary of the 12 months work in the project. Apart from that, in various short duration tasks like expanding carrier beams and installing sliders in kitchen and bathroom, the labor cost is estimated depending on the effort provided to complete the task. Pricing Out Work: For the pricing out process in the renovation project, the project manager has scheduled the activities and WBS according to the lowest pricing units and performance required in the different activities of renovation (Yet et al., 2015). In the later part, the cost estimation of the project was rolled up for meeting the actual requirement of the renovation project. In addition to that, the potential impact of the different facilities like the renovation of the bedrooms, kitchens and house are analyzed on the basis of the equipment, money, and people available in the project. In addition to that, all the allocations of the resources are managed and monitored properly while conducting each task in the renovation project. While handling the final cost of the project, the chief financial manager approves the cost allocated to the each activity and resources in the project. Low Bidder Dilemma: According to Mir, and Pinnington, (2014), the low every project manager has to overcome the low bidder's dilemma while selecting the contractor for the project. For this particular renovation project, the project manager had to contract for site preparation, fencing and parking in the deteriorating three bedroom house. For overcome the low-bidding dilemma, the project manager should avoid price as the selecting criteria for the project (Wilson, 2015). In addition to that, while outsourcing the contractors, the project manager should access the competence of the contractors while accepting the bidders. Furthermore during conducting the renovation project, the project manager needs to evaluate the effectiveness of the contractors. Direct and Indirect Impact of the Cost elements over the project Estimation of the cost elements in the renovation project is considered as one of the critical tasks that determine the success and completion of the project (Hwang, Ng, 2013). The accurate estimation of the cost elements in the renovation project has the potential to successfully implement the integrated task in the project. In addition to that, the cost elements provide an overview of the total budget required for completely renovating the three bedroom house. The incorrect estimation of the cost elements along with the budget has the potential to hinder the progress of the project. If any cost element has been estimated with high cost than required, the project will become over budget. On the other hand, the low estimation of the cost of the element will lead the project to under budget and renovate will not be properly done. Khataie, and Bulgak, (2013) showed that if any significant element has been missed from the cost element estimation, the project will fail to meet the scope of the renovation project. Conclusion In this particular project, it has been found that the estimation of the accurate cost elements in the renovation of the three bedroom house is the significant driving force for successfully developing and conducting the project. The schedule ad WBS structure of the project is dependent on the correct estimation of the cost element. Correctly addressing the pricing out work and low bidder dilemma in the renovation project assist the project manager in conducting the project within allocated time and resources. References Aliverdi, R., Naeni, L. M., Salehipour, A. (2013). Monitoring project duration and cost in a construction project by applying statistical quality control charts. International Journal of Project Management, 31(3), 411-423. Devaux, S. A. (2015). Total project control: a practitioner's guide to managing projects as investments. Total project control: a practitioner's guide to managing projects as investments. Hwang, B. G., Ng, W. J. (2013). Project management knowledge and skills for green construction: Overcoming challenges. International Journal of Project Management, 31(2), 272-284. Kerzner, H. R. (2013). Project management: a systems approach to planning, scheduling, and controlling. John Wiley Sons. Khataie, A. H., Bulgak, A. A. (2013). A cost of quality decision support model for lean manufacturing: activity-based costing application. International Journal of Quality Reliability Management, 30(7), 751-764. Khodakarami, V., Abdi, A. (2014). Project cost risk analysis: A Bayesian networks approach for modeling dependencies between cost items. International Journal of Project Management, 32(7), 1233-1245. Mir, F. A., Pinnington, A. H. (2014). Exploring the value of project management: linking project management performance and project success. International Journal of Project Management, 32(2), 202-217. Rosemann, M., vom Brocke, J. (2015). The six core elements of business process management. In Handbook on Business Process Management 1 (pp. 105-122). Springer Berlin Heidelberg. Wilson, R. (2015). Mastering Project Time Management, Cost Control, and Quality Management: Proven Methods for Controlling the Three Elements that Define Project Deliverables. FT Press. Yet, B., Constantinou, A. C., Fenton, N., Neil, M., Luedeling, E., Shepherd, K. (2015). Project Cost, Benefit and Risk Analysis using Bayesian Networks. Under review.

Culture Change for Barclays Bank

Introduction Culture is a way of saying or doing things. The transformation of goals, strategy, structure, management, resources, product, services, and procedures is called change. Organizational change is the transformation of various business segments to fit a business strategy (Armstrong-Stassen 1998). Organizational change can be partial, or complete.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Culture Change for Barclays Bank specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Organizational culture is a patterned way of feeling, thinking and reacting to business transactions. Two factors affect the level of transformation in an organization. The factors include culture and politics. Thus, organizational culture can be manipulated and managed (Olson Tetrick 1988). Organizational culture influences the growth and stability of the firm. We will apply relevant theories to analyze the culture change in Barclays Bank. Organizational culture Organizational culture comprises the following; Norms. Beliefs: Values. The change in organizational culture is influenced by three factors namely, Management. Organizational change. Expansion. Factors affecting organizational change Organizational culture can be resisted by the employees. Thus, the management must determine a suitable method of change (Nord Jermier 1994). The factors, which affect organizational culture include; The feelings, attitude and perception of the employees. The inclusion of the employees in the decision to change. Management. Feelings attitude and perception of the employees Employee’s perception of the change process can affect the organizational culture (Nadler 1987). Cohesion between management and the employees influences organizational culture. Employees are scared of losing their jobs and will resist any change in organizational culture.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your fi rst paper with 15% OFF Learn More The inclusion of employees in the decision to change The communication gap between the management and the employees threatens the need for change. The transformation in organizational culture must be communicated to the employees (Nelson, Cooper Jackson 1995). An employee who receives the information from a colleague may resist the change. Change management The management must implement a perfect plan. The framework for the process must be flexible and plain (Goodman Truss 2004). When the plan is open and plain, employees will not doubt the reason for the change. Culture theory and model The change in organizational culture can be categorized in three stages Traditional culture: The pattern of the organization is influenced by administrative regime. Traditional culture is characterized by beliefs and values. Competitive culture: Organizational culture is motivated by different business trends (Goltz Hietapelto 2002, p, 20). Competitive culture may not work for two organizations. The reason for the change must complement the organizational strategy. Transformational culture: Transformational culture is influenced by organizational structure. Kotter’s theory of change Kotter proposed 8 steps for organizational change Urgency. Coalition. Vision. Communication. Empower. Create short-term plan. Develop. Adapt. Schein’s culture model Schein proposed three levels of culture model namely, Artefacts. Values. Assumptions. The outer layer is called Artefacts. Artefacts can be identified by the organization. Artefacts include punctuality or lateness, daily reports, communication and cleanliness of the organization (Oreg 2006). The inner layer is called values. Values cannot be directly observed. Values include the purpose, mission, vision and objectives of the organization. Characteristics of organizational culture Identity. Group emphasis. People focus. Integration. Control. Risk control. Reward pattern. Conflict resolution. Orientation. System focus. Topologies of culture Handy (1993): Handy proposed power, task, role and person.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Culture Change for Barclays Bank specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Pheysey (1993): Pheysey proposed power, role support and achievement. Scholz (1987): Scholz proposed evolution-induced, internal-induced and external-induced dimensions. Hall (1995): Hall proposed assertiveness and responsiveness. Deal Kennedy (1982): Deal Kennedy proposed work-hard, tough guy, bet and process. Culture change for Barclays Bank We can analyze the culture change initiated by Barclays Bank using different theories and models. The bank management must utilize models of culture change to manage the employees. The inclusion of the employees in the change decision will determine the success of the plan. The management must confront the employees as the agents of transfromation (Piderit 2000). The feeling, perception and attitude of the employee should be observed prior to the change. The change must be announced before the time for implementation. The management must organize a meeting with the employees before the change. The management must adapt to business trends. Kotter’s steps to change proposed the need for urgency, speed and direction. Employees are driven by the change mechanism (Martin, Jones Callan 2005). The management must provide short-term wins to motivate the employees. Employees must be convinced about the change. The change must align with the objectives of the organization. The management must form a coalition with the employees. The change must be measured with a short-term goal. Employees can access the benefit of the change through the short-term goals. Finally, employee’s attitude, employee’s inclusion and management will affect the culture change in Barclays Bank.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Implications of the research The management determines the success of the strategy. Employees are the agents of change. Culture cannot be consciously manipulated. Culture change must be transformational or manipulative. References Armstrong-Stassen, M 1998, ‘The effect of gender and organizational level on how survivors appraise and cope with organizational downsizing’, Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, vol. 34, no. 2, pp. 125-142. Goltz, M Hietapelto, A 2002, ‘Using the operant and strategic contingencies models of power to understand resistance to change’, Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, vol. 22. no. 3, pp. 3-22. Goodman, J Truss, C 2004, ‘The medium and the message: communicating effectively during a major change initiative’, Journal of Change Management, vol. 4. no. 3, pp. 217-228. Martin, A, Jones, E, Callan, J 2005, ‘The role of psychological climate in facilitating employee adjustment during organizational change’, European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, vol. 14. no. 3, 263-289. Nadler, A 1987, ‘The effective management of organizational change’, in Handbook of Organizational Behavior, Englewood Cliffs, NJ. Nelson, A, Cooper, L, Jackson, R 1995, ‘Uncertainty amidst change: the impact of privatization on employee job satisfaction and well-being’, Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, vol. 68, p. 57-71. Nord, R, Jermier, M. 1994, Overcoming resistance to resistance: insights from a study of the shadows, Public Administration Quarterly, Blackwell, Canada vol. 17. no. 3, pp 396. Olson, A Tetrick, E 1988, Organizational restructuring: the impact on role perceptions, work relationships, and satisfaction, Group Organization Studies, Routledge, London, vol. 13. no. 3, pp. 374-388. Oreg, S 2006, ‘Personality, context, and resistance to organizational change’, European Journal of Work and Organizational Psycholog y, vol. 15. no. 1, pp. 73-101. Piderit, K 2000, ‘Rethinking resistance and recognizing ambivalence: a multidimensional view of attitudes toward an organizational change’, Academy of Management Review, vol. 25. no. 4, pp 783-794. This essay on Culture Change for Barclays Bank was written and submitted by user D'KenNeraman1 to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

5 Disadvantages of Bad Time Management

5 Disadvantages of Bad Time Management Poor planning and bad time management are often part of the learning experience for many new students in college. For others, however, poor planning becomes a habit. The consequences of putting that paper off, not turning in your work on time, and missing key deadlines, however, can be much more of a problem than you might initially think. Things May Get Expensive If you miss housing deadlines, incur late registration fees, or apply too late to get priority when your school is allocating financial aid, things can quickly become even more expensive than normal. Having good time management skills can help you avoid costly mistakes later. Things Can Become Harder Logistically If you think studying for your Spanish final is a pain in the brain, wait until you see what happens if you dont pass it/sleep through it/generally dont plan for it. You May Miss out on Opportunities Because You're Too Late That amazing study abroad program, Spring Break trip, and summer internship all have deadlines for a reason. If you apply too late or dont have everything you need ready in time, youll miss out on what could have been the experience of a lifetime. You May Miss out on Opportunities Because People Notice Your Pattern of Lateness and Disorganization People who you think dont notice your frequent lack of planning and lateness may, in fact, notice more than you realize. When your favorite professor is trying to think of students for an awesome summer research gig, you might get passed over because she knows you wont have your stuff together when needed. Keeping your schedule balanced and your time managed may open doors you dont even realize are there. You Will Always Feel Behind Not sure if you have poor planning skills? Ask yourself to remember the last time you felt ahead of the game. If it wasnt recently, chances are youre constantly feeling behind- because you are. Bad time management skills mean you are always playing catch-up and experiencing stress. And with all thats going on in your college life, why add more stress to the mix?

Robots Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Robots - Essay Example lfunction resulting to great losses, they have also been used in the warfare leading to deaths of innocent civilians as well as leading to artificial relationships, which could result to negative psychological effects. The paper looks at one of the key merits of the robot as well as three key problems resulting from the same. One of the key advantages of the robots is the fact that it has improved human life in various ways and has made it better than when the robots were not used. The robots, for instance, has facilitated education to disabled students with chronic heart disorders as well as lung diseases and who are unable to attend school but because of the robots are able to connect to other students at the school with the help of the robots. This has been evident as according to Robbie Brown, a chronic disease student Lexie have been using a robot named as VGo due to his chronic heart disease and has controlled it while at home using a computer while the robot is at school with its fellow students. Other students who have healthy problems and are unable to attend classes have employed the same. Those students could be unable to interact with their classmates as well as fall terribly academically, but the VGos has enhanced both interactions as well as improvement in their academics. Other examples of robots such as washing machines, dry cleaners, and lawn mowers among others have greatly reduced human physical work as well as reduced the time on which a particular item takes to be done thus resulting to an improvement in human life (Brown, 2013).

Methods Employed in Business Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Methods Employed in Business Research - Essay Example Quantitative research emphasizes quantification in the data collection and analysis. It entails a deductive approach on the correlation between research and theory, wherein emphasis is put on testing theories (cited in Bryman & Bell, 2007, p.28). Quantitative research combined norms and practices of positivism and scientific model. It supports the view that social reality represents the objective reality. In contrast, qualitative research emphasizes the importance of words instead of quantification in data collection and analysis (cited in Bryman & Bell, 2007, p.28). It entails an inductive approach on the correlation between research and theory, wherein the emphasis is put on generation of theories. Qualitative approach rejected the norms and practices of positivism and natural scientific model. It focuses on the interpretation of individuals with their social world. It supports the premise that social reality is constantly shifting (cited in Bryman & Bell, 2007, p.28). Quantitative methods reflect the â€Å"positivist† approach in conducting researches. Positivism is based on the premise that the world is explainable, controllable, and measurable. Experts argue that the world exists and functions externally; thus, its properties should be studied and measured through objective means. Positivism asserts that knowledge which can be observed and quantified is considered as valid (cited in Brown & Remenyi, 2004, p.243). Positivism stresses the need to objectively and accurately perform observations. Researchers who adhere to this perspective concentrate on eliminating biases and values. They identify factors that lead to a particular event (Marlow, 2010, p.9). Qualitative methods are associated with interpretivism as its general philosophy. Positivism is driven to explain the phenomena to predict and manipulate them while interpretivism concentrates on the interpretation and understanding. Interpretivism supports the premise that reality is not single, obj ective, and divisible, but it is multiple, contextual, and socially constructed. It concentrates on individuals and their manner of making sense and interpreting the reality (Holloway, 1997, p.93). Holloway (1997, p.93) noted that researchers should not consider individuals as existing in a vacuum but as inseparable to the context of their lives. Researchers who adhere to this perspective believe that understanding the individual experiences is as indispensable as the positivist belief in the importance of explanation, prediction, and control (Holloway, 1997, p.93). This ontological premise suggests the use of multiple methodologies. It emphasizes on the richness instead of the amount of data collected (Phillimore & Goodson, 2004, p.157). Qualitative research focuses upon the relations with employees, managerial work, organizational control systems, and identity and gender at work. However, researches which utilized qualitative methods were infrequently presented in practitioner and academic outlets of the business field (Cassell, Buehring, Symon, & Johnson, 2006, p.17). Researchers stress the need for researches that employ diverse sources of data. These researchers further reiterated that conventional research studies led to studies that support repetitive topics and narrow paradigms. They

Over the next 30 years, what are the risks to National Security posed Essay - 5

Over the next 30 years, what are the risks to National Security posed by increased competition for energy and food resources; and what initiatives might Qatar pursue to reduce these risks - Essay Example having numerous deposits of oil and natural gas, Qatar and other countries in the GCC face a lot of challenges that are likely to threaten theory national security in the future(Bailey, 2013). In the next thirty years for instance, the competition for energy resources in Qatar is likely to be challenging to the extent of threatening national security (UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia, 2011). Current issues that Qatar faces are likely to sabotage progress of the energy sector thereby affecting national security. Among the issues Qatar faces include the inadequacy of energy production to meet the requirements of the population while consuming a lot of water resources are being use in the production process. A huge chunk of the countries food security is vested in international trade thus exposing the country to price risks. The political crisis in a few countries in the GCC and the Arab spring is also likely to affect competition for natural resources in Qatar thereby threatening national security for the next thirty years (Sharma, 2011). Qatar can however avoid this challenges that are likely to threaten the future of the state by diversifying its production process and the whole economy to incorporate different forms of commodities (Bailey,

Characteristics Affecting Consumer Behaviour

Characteristics Affecting Consumer Behaviour Consumers buying behaviour has been comprehensively researched by marketers in order to understand how, what and why customers buy products and on what are the basis of their decisions. The fundamental basic approach into analysing consumer buyer behaviour is considered the Stimulus Response model developed by Pavlov shown in Figure . In this model consumers are subject to marketing stimuli as well as other stimuli such as economic, technological, political and cultural events. These are then evaluated by the customers black box which is based on personal buyer characteristics and decision processes, and hence different buyer responses are observed (Kotler Armstrong, 2001). Figure : Model of Buyer Behaviour Kotler Armstrong (2001) define the traditional buying decision process in five consequent steps which consist of: Problem identification Information search Evaluation of Alternatives Purchasing decision Post purchase behaviour The above model implies that the buying process initiates quite before the actual purchase and continues after. The process starts with the need recognition where the consumer recognizes a problem or a need, which could be caused by internal or external stimuli. The consumer will hence start to search and gather information in order to satisfy their needs. Information can be obtained from a variety of sources such as personal sources, commercial sources, public sources, and experiential sources. Once the consumer is armed with the required information, the consumer uses this information to evaluate alternatives in selected the brand. Following the evaluation of the options available, the consumer is required to make the purchase decision and select which brand to purchase. The loop doesnt close with the purchase of the product, but rather post purchase behaviour recognises whether the product meets the consumers expectations. Customer satisfaction is key because it will result in rep eat customers and positive word of mouth. Characteristics affecting consumer behaviour Consumer behaviour is highly influenced by external and internal factors. The external factors are divided into five sectors: Demographics, socio-economics, technology and public policy; culture; subculture; reference groups; and marketing. The internal factors include a variety of psychological factors, such as beliefs and attitudes, motivation, perception, learning and self-image (Malcolm, 2001). Studies have shown that these factors and others that fall beyond the marketers control have a significant impact on consumers behaviour and purchasing decisions (Dibb, et al., 2001; Solomon Stuart, 2003). Shah (2010) refers to traditional consumer behaviour in purchasing goods and services as the process of selecting, purchasing and consuming of goods and services that satisfies consumer wants. Consumers select the product they would like to consume by identifying the good or product that provides them with the greatest value in return. Hence the consumer will focus on the available spending power to obtain the commodity. Following the analysis of cost and price of the commodity, a final decision is taken to select the best option that satisfies the consumer needs. This process does not occur in vacuum, and is highly influenced by various factors such as social, cultural, personal and psychological factors. Although marketers have little or no influence on the mentioned factors, they still have some very important tools which may affect the buying decision process. The marketing mix, also known as the 4Ps product, price, place and promotion, is the set of controllable marketing tools that the firm uses to influence consumers behaviour in order to obtain a desired response from the target market (McCarthy, 1960). Online Buying Behaviour Since the expansion of the World Wide Web in the mid-1990s, the Internet has grown to become one of the most powerful distribution channels with a rapid increase in ecommerce transactions. This raised the need for marketers to discover the customers online behaviour and understand their decision making process when making purchases online. There are substantial differences between offline and online consumer behaviour. In his study, Vijayasarathy (2001) tried to clarify consumer online shopping behaviour by integrating web specific factors into the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA). Furthermore Song and Zahedi (2001) examined the effects of website design on the adoption of internet shopping by developing on the model of the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB). Oppenheim and Ward (2006) argue that consumers are motivated to buy online because of the convenience provided. The internet provides unlimited opportunities for potential customers to purchase products at any given time and place. The internet also provides limitless information about products and services which is easily accessible to online visitors. Furthermore when comparing online shopping to traditional shopping, there are no waiting lines for shoppers on the internet and no pressure coming from sales people (Smith Rupp, 2003). However studies show that the internet has become a useful tool for comparative shopping, where users browse the web to search and compare products, whilst making it easy to abandon the purchasing process (Degeratu, et al., 2000). Furthermore Anfusos research (2004) shows that the online search for information about products drive offline sales. Consumers prefer to search for product information online since it is much more convenient, and hence purcha se the product from a brick and mortar store. Different authors have identified various divergent personas describing what the online buyers look like. Marker (2011) suggests that online buyers tend to exhibit the following psychological characteristics: egocentric, impatient, impulsive, educated, informed, thrifty, private, cautious, indecisive and pleasure-driven. In their study Donthu and Garcia (1999) propose that online shoppers tend to be convenience seekers and tare easily influenced by marketing campaigns. Furthermore they also put forward that internet users are less price and brand conscious, whilst also suggesting that these have a higher purchasing power. Other studies show that online customers are more likely to be of a young age with a high disposable income. It is also propose that they have a solid level of education especially in computer literacy, as well as being big retail spenders (Allred, et al., 2006). As mentioned earlier there are various factors which impact the traditional consumer behaviour. Liang and Lai (2000) suggest that online consumer behaviour has similarities with the traditional consumer behaviour, where consumers recognize a need for a product or service, use the internet to search for information, evaluate alternatives to choose the best solution and finally purchase the product followed by post purchase evaluation. However other studies indicate that there exist various factors that differ from the traditional consumer markets to the online environment. Refernce groups effecting consumer behaviour online have taken the form of virtual communities, consisting of blogs, forums and other forms of discussion groups (Huarng Christopher, 2003). Social influences, such as experiences, recommendations and tastes of online bloggers have an effect on online consumer buying behaviour and have a significant impact on the final decision the consumer makes. In their study Hasslinger, et al., (2007) highlight the fact that cultural differences also highly influece online consumer behaviour, especially the difference in social class the consumer belongs to. Consumers who form part of a higher social class have a higher probability of owning a computer with internet access, and thus they are more likely to purchase online than consumers from lower social classes. Personal influences effecting online behaviour also relates to the income the consumers earn, since there exists a positive correlation between households with higher income and computer possession, internet access and advanced level of education (Monsuwe, et al., 2004). Age was also recognised as being another determinant for effecting online shopping behaviour (Smith Rupp, 2003). Younger people are more pertinent in using the internet as a shopping medium compared to the older generation, since the latter tend to have less technical know-how and are far less inclined to commit and trust online vendors. Furthermore Smith and Rupp (2003) classify motivation, perception, personality, attitude and emotions as the set of psychological characteristics influencing online consumer behaviour. With the launch of Web 2.0 in 2004, the interaction between online consumers and vendors has become a reality, which became possible due to evolution of high-speed broadband connections. Web 2.0 consists of a collection of interactive tools and social communication techniques which are aimed to increase user participation and engagement online through its virtual word of mouth (Chaffey, 2011). In their study, Wirtz, et al., (2010), identify social networking and interaction factors as the two most important factors affecting online consumer behaviour from the Web 2.0 era. Moreover social networking provides online consumers with enhanced trust factors and helps retain online customers, which is fundamental for online retailers (Jarvenpaa, et al., 2000). In their research, Cheung, et al., (2003), analysed 351 publications and classified the theories used to understand online consumer behaviour. They conclude that the principal models in assessing this area are the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) together with the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB). Other theories which have been tested include The Expectation Confirmation Theory (ECT) and Innovation Diffusion Theory (IDT). Table provides the list of the most frequently tested theories in the area online consumer behaviour together with their references. Cheung, et al., (2003) take a holistic view of the online consumer purchase process, where they investigate the connection between the intention, adoption and continuance of purchase from online consumers. Their Model of Intention, Adoption and Continuance (MIAC) recognised that businesses primarily focused their efforts in attracting online customers. However due to stiff competition, organisations changed their attention from initial purchase to retaining customers and building customer loyalty. Table : References of Online Consumer Behaviour Research Online marketers persuasion tools Consumers are subject to influences from marketers which might impact their purchasing behaviour. Marketers provide stimuli to the consumers black box in order to try and influence the consumers decision prior to making their purchase decision (Kotler Armstrong, 2001). The set of controllable (i.e., traditional marketing) and uncontrollable (i.e., environmental factors and personal characteristics of the consumer) factors between online and traditional markets do not vary fundamentally, where both markets have factors which are within the influence of marketers and some factors which fall beyond their reach. As discussed above, most uncontrollable factors are quite similar for both the traditional and online markets (Dibb, et al., 2001; Solomon Stuart, 2003). However a thorough analysis of the online consumer purchasing decision indicates that the controllable factors influencing the traditional markets are distinct from those influencing the online market. Although most of the traditional marketing activities, such as mass advertising and sales promotions, can be applied to the online market in order to try and influence the online consumer behaviour, they are likely to be futile due to the changing nature of the online consumer (Urban Hauser, 2003). Moreover, Constantinides and Geurts (2005) suggest that traditional marketing tools are ineffective when targeting potential global online customers dispersed across different geographical regions. Since most of the interactions between online customers and online vendors occur on the web, a logical assumption is that the main marketing influences produced from the online vendors are experienced by customers online. Online marketers can influence the online consumer behaviour primarily by delivering the proper online experience, more known as the Web Experience. The virtual marketing elements constructing the online consumers Web Experience are under the e-marketers control and can shape or influence the consumers behaviour during an online interaction (Constantinides, 2004; Constantinides Geurts, 2005). Forces influencing customers purchase intention (Model) The Web experience is a combination of online functionality, information, cues, stimuli and products/services (Constantinides, 2004). The company website is primary medium of delivering the Web experience, which is the gateway between the organisation and the online customers. Constantinides (2004) explores the idea of introducing the Web experience as one of the controllable marketing factors influencing the online consumers behaviour. Figure illustrates the controllable and uncontrollable elements influencing the online consumer behaviour. Figure : Forces influencing the online consumers behaviour Source: Based on Constantinides framework (2004) Web Experience Web Experience Elements Content Category Aesthetics Marketing Mix Psychological Category Trust and Commitment Functionality Category Usability Interactivity

Literary Utopian Societies Essay examples -- essays research papers f

Literary Utopian Societies â€Å"The vision of one century is often the reality of the next†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Nelson 108). Throughout time, great minds have constructed their own visions of utopia. Through the study of utopias, one finds that these â€Å"perfect† societies have many flaws. For example, most utopias tend to have an authoritarian nature (Manuel 3). Also, another obvious imperfection found in the majority of utopias is that of a faulty social class system (Thomas 94). But one must realized that the flaws found in utopian societies serve a specific purpose. These faults are used to indicate problems in contemporary society (Eurich 5, Targowski 1). Over the years, utopian societies have been beneficial in setting improved standards for society. By pointing out the faults of society, improvement is the most likely next step. Citizens should take advantage of utopian literature in order to better future societal conditions (Nelson 104). Because it is impossible to create a perfect society in whi ch everyone’s needs can be met, society must analyze utopias in order to improve their existing environment. Plato’s Republic was the first â€Å"true† work considered to be utopian literature. In fact, the Republic influenced almost all later text written on the subject of utopia (Manuel 7). Although the Republic was one of the most influential works in utopian literature, the society that it represented also had many obvious flaws. First, Plato’s utopia had a distinct class system (Morely iii, Bloom xiii). The privileged class that ruled the society also enforced censorship in order to keep control over the Republic (Manuel 5). To perform all of the lowly tasks of the society, a system of slavery was enforced (Manuel 9). In addition, different forms of propaganda were used to keep the citizens in check (Manuel 5, Bloom xiv). The political and economic systems, in which the wealthy class controlled all the funds, were extremely restrictive (Mumford 4, Bloom xiii). With the society being in opposition to change, it would have obviously failed. A static society, in which propaganda is used to promote the State, disrupts the creative thinking process. And, without the creative thinking process, intellectual growth as a whole also slows (Mumford 4, Benz 3). Yet another famous Utopian society that appears to thrive on the surface is that of Sir Thomas More’s Utopia. More’s society was ... ...us. Brave New World. New York: Harper & Brothers, 1932. Kateb, George, ed. Utopia. New York: Atherton Press, 1971. Manuel, Frank E., ed. Utopias and Utopian Thought. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1966. Morley, Henry, ed. Ideal Commonwealths. New York: Kennikat Press, 1968. Mumford, Lewis. The Story of Utopias. New York: The Viking Press, 1962. Nelson, William, ed. Twentieth Century Interpretations of Utopia. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1968. Taragowski, Henry W. Utopia. 6 Jan. 1999 . Thomas, John L., ed. Looking Backward 2000-1887. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 1967. Utopia and Utopian Philosophy. Ed. Jon Will. 1999. Utopia Pathway Association. 6 Jan. 1999 . Validation of Electronic Sources Phillip Benz received a Master’s Degree in English Literature and currently teaches in France. Philip Coupland is a professor at Warwick University. Jon Will is the Vice President of the Utopia Pathway Association. Henry Taragowski is a professor at Xavier University. Peter Fitting is the Chairman of the Society for Utopian Studies.

The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer

Geoffrey Chaucer's â€Å"The Canterbury Tales† is more than just an entertaining collection of stories and characters; it is a representation of the society Chaucer lived in. In the late 14th century England the traditional feudal system was changing as the church was losing its importance and more people were becoming part of the emerging middle class. Chaucer's â€Å"Canterbury Tales† is a microcosm of this society because it demonstrates the social divisions known as the Estates, it illustrates the growth of the middle class and the decline of the feudal system, and it shows the corruption and power of the Church, and it embodies most aspects of the Middle Age.Feudal society was traditionally divided into three â€Å"estates†, which were roughly equivalent to social classes. The â€Å"First Estate† was the Church, the â€Å"Second Estate† was the Nobility, and the â€Å"Third Estate† was the Peasantry. The rigid division of society into th e three traditional â€Å"estates† was beginning to break down in the late 14th century England, and by the time of Chaucer, there was a rise of the middle class. In The Canterbury Tales, Chaucer is highly conscious of the social divisions known as the â€Å"Estates.† While the genre of The Canterbury Tales as a whole is a frame narrative, the General Prologue to The Canterbury Tales is an example of â€Å"Estates Satire,† a genre which criticizes the abuses that occur within the three traditional Estates.Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales embodies most aspects of the Middle Ages, whether it is in the form of immoral religious clergyman, poor, virtuous farmers, or the honorable knight. All these characters provide excellent examples of the many omnipresent themes of the Middle Ages. The prevailing values and themes of the Middle Ages included violence and revenge, religion and corruption, and social status and hierarchy.The times in which Chaucer's The Cant erbury Tales is set are tumultuous and are filled with suffering, conflict, and general animosity; as such, the ideas of revenge and thus violence are fairly prevalent. In a great many of Chaucer's tales, this theme is framed perfectly. An example near the end of  the Reeve's tale after the miller discovers the scholars' treachery. â€Å"He [the miller] grabbed Allan by the Adam's apple, and he, in return, roughly grabbed the miller and hit him on the nose with his fist† (Chaucer 83). In this instance, not only a quick resort to violence is exhibited, but violence is used as revenge as the miller attacks Allan after realizing that he has slept with his wife. Evidenced by this, violent tendencies were often the most common, and the most appropriate response.In all of England, violence was seen as something of a way of life Curtis Gruenler, in a literary analysis, states, â€Å"[V]iolence on a large scale held English attention as spectacular victories against the French ear ly in the Hundred Years War were followed by a series of costly, disastrous campaigns† (Gruenler). War was a profession of many people in England including a character of Chaucer's, the Knight had fought in at least 15 battles and had essentially built out his entire livelihood based upon the battles he was called upon by his lord to take part in. In essence, violence was a universally recognized form of justice and retribution something that was explicitly pointed out in Chaucer's stories.Yet another theme is the presence of religion, or more specifically, the presence of corruption within religion. Many members of the pilgrimage have ties to religious office, and all but the Parson have in some way violated their vows or otherwise acted somewhat out of their bounds as a high ranking member of the Church. Chaucer illustrates this elegantly in the form of the Pardoner's prologue where he states â€Å"make an offering to my relics in this church [. . .] make an offering in the name of God, I shall absolve them by the authority of which was granted to me by papal bull† (Chaucer 288).After telling the pilgrims of this trick, clearly aimed at pocketing a good deal of money, he explains, â€Å"By this trick I have gained a hundred marks year after year since I became a pardoner† (Chaucer 288). The Pardoner is not, however, the only immoral religious character involved in the pilgrimage. The Friar, for example, has broken his vows as a clerical member of the Church, most prominently his vow of chastity.The Friar has engaged in relationships that have violated this vow, and when a child comes as a result of this interaction, he has gone so far as to marry the woman to her  lover so as to cover his own tracks. All of these aspects of church corruption in The Canterbury Tales eventually come down to a desire for pleasure and money, something that plagued the legitimacy of the Catholic Church and eventually led to the religious reformation.Among th e characters a sort of social hierarchy became quickly apparent in the midst of these many travelers. A general character emerged that separated the pilgrims based upon their economic and social standings. There was a rather large contrast between the richest of the travelers and the poorest. For example, the Franklin was an owner of a large estate and lavish personal goods. Although he is deeply in debt, his social status is still far higher than that of say, the Plowman. The Plowman is one of the poorer members of the pilgrimage, but despite this he is one of the more cheerful and charitable members of the pilgrimage. This can be seen as Chaucer's means of expressing his feelings toward the social hierarchy of the times.Chaucer also weighs in on feudalism, the socioeconomic system of the time. â€Å"[Chaucer represents the] feudal arrangement of society [. . .] around the figure of the knight as a conception of nobility, and around the labourer a conception of commonality† (Morgan 8). Chaucer seems to see feudalism as a system that divides people into the wealthy nobles and the poor laborers. Chaucer also seems to recognize the presence of a middle class that seems to rise out of feudalism. For example, the figure of a merchant who gains his wealth by his own accord, specifically money trading, and is almost entirely independent of the feudal system.The Merchant is described in the general prologue as â€Å"[a] responsible man [who] kept his wits about him [. . .] Nevertheless he was really a worthy man† (Chaucer 6). In short, Chaucer saw the social structure of his time and saw certain things he had disapproval of, but indeed, he saw some other parts of it as beneficial to the betterment of society.To close, Chaucer's masterpiece The Canterbury Tales exhibits many prevalent themes and in such a way paints a picture of the times. He does this by talk of violence, religious corruption, and social structuring, all of which were very pertinent bit s of society in the time as they all formed a system that  is looked back on and interpreted through works of fact and fiction such as The Canterbury Tales.

Quit as Predicate Adjective

Quit as Predicate Adjective Quit as Predicate Adjective Quit as Predicate Adjective By Maeve Maddox Does anyone else cringe at the use of quit in the commercial that says: 44% of †¦ users were quit during weeks 9 to 12 of treatment. The context screams for quit as a verb, not as a predicate adjective: 44% of users †¦ had quit after nine weeks. The OEDs entry for quit in predicative sense offers these illustrations: When the book was restored the borrower [was] declared quit. (1866) This charter confers the right of having one man quit from tallage in every royal borough. 1928 Ralph is not quit of his wartime melancholy. (1945) He is tired of Sophina. He wishes to be quit of her, but she cannot afford to leave him. (1997) The example from 1866 sounds a bit like legal jargon. The one from 1928 uses from where we might say of. Those from 1945 and 1997, which include the particle of, sound perfectly idiomatic. When starting to write this post, Id expected to argue that nobody uses quit with a being verb without the of, but Ive found many examples of the infinitive phrase to be quit, mostly in informal writing in comments and forums, and mostly in connection with beating the cigarette habit: I am grateful to be quit. It is 5 months and 3 weeks. But one thing I have not lost sight of:   How truly truly grateful I am to be desperate to be quit. Smoking was a [habit] that had to be quit. David Gelkin has it right – the idea quitting is always bad – is an idea that ought to be quit. But after hearing Ms. Rice’s description of Christianity, I’m thinking it deserves to be quit. Idiom is tricky. The statements with to be quit dont offend my ear the way that drug commercial does. Is it just me? Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Arrive To vs. Arrive AtUsed To vs. Use ToEpidemic vs. Pandemic vs. Endemic

Voting Behavior essays

Voting Behavior essays In the 2000 presidential election the public looked at each of the candidates personal traits and their issues in order for them to decide, who they thought would be the best person to be the President of the United States of America. Most voters said that they were most concerned with the candidates issues, however when it came right down to it the voters were most concerned with the candidates personal traits. Thus they based their votes on which candidate they liked better based on their personal traits. One personal trait that they based their vote on was the candidate's competence. For most people, they stuck with the candidate that was representing the party that they belonged to. However, the Independent party voted for George W. Bush believing that he was the candidate that had the most competence. Thus, the overall public believed that Bush had the competence than Gore. The media played an important role in the way that the public saw the candidates. The media in the 2000 presidential election campaign had a big influence on the way in which the candidates were portrayed, especially when it came to their issues and personal traits. One particular trait that the public focused on was that of the candidate's competence. A reason that the public paid more attention to what was being said about each candidate was that there was more televised coverage than there has been before. The public believed that a certain candidate was receiving the most biased coverage against him, and that candidate happened to be Bush, with Gore in second place, Nader in third, and Buchanan in fourth. During a survey done before the election there was a question, which asked the public which of these candidates do you think would have the best chance of winning the election in November? The candidate that had the most votes was in fact Bush. Another reason for the media having had such a big influence on the election was that the press...

MIH512-Demography and Health (Module 5-SLP) Essay

MIH512-Demography and Health (Module 5-SLP) - Essay Example The total fertility rate (births per women) has come from 3.1% to 2.7% and is expected to further go down to 2.4%. The crude birth rate (per 1,000 population) has also come down from 25 (in 2001) to 21 (in 2010) and is expected go down to 18 by 2020. Comparatively, the mortality rates have drastically come down. The infant mortality rate (per 1,000 births) has come down from 66 to 49 and expected to go down to 35 by 2020. The net migration rate remains at a constant of -0%. The population of China has grown from 1,270,744 in 2001 to 1,330,141 in 2010, which is further expected to increase to 1,384, 545 by 2020. The growth rate had been constant for the past 10 years (at 0.5%) though it is expected to reduce to 0.2% by 2020. The total fertility rate has also been maintained at 1.5%, which is expected to increase to 1.6% by 2020. The crude birth rate has also been maintained for last 10 years at 12, which is expected to come down to 11 by 2020. The infant mortality rate has come down from 27 in 2001 to 17 in 2010 and is expected to be 13 by 2020. The net migration remains at constant of -0%. The mid year population of United Kingdom has grown from 59,723 in 2001 to 61,285 in 2010, which is expected to further grow to 63,068 in 2020. The growth rate has been constant and is expected to be constant at 0.3%. The fertility rate has been maintained at 1.7% constantly over the last few years and is expected to be maintained. The crude birth rate is also at a constant of 11. The infant mortality rate has been maintained at 5 for last 10 years and is expected to be down to 4 by 2020. The migration rate is maintained at 2% constantly and is expected to be maintained. The mid year population here has steadily increased from 12,622 in 2001 to 14, 753 in 2010 and is expected to increase to 17, 601 in 2020. The growth rate has been maintained at 1.8% for the last 10 years but is expected to be low by 2020 to 1.6%. The fertility rate has been reduced by 0.6% in past few

High Turnover concerns Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

High Turnover concerns - Essay Example ve due to the fact that the customers are not willing to pay more money to for the guards and the company has to make a profit from each of them if it was to stay in business. High staff turnover is also another issue that may need to be addressed. Like most other guard companies, Omega Security Services is faced with high rates of staff turnover and this makes it more difficult for the firm to be able to provide good services. There are certain factors that have led to the high rate of staff turnover in Omega Security Services. To begin with is the problem of the fact that the jobs are low-paying and there are better paying jobs in the government is an issue. Most of the officers are likely to be looking for better pay elsewhere in the government or even in other private security firms. With regard to Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital, more issues then come up such as the issue of the highs risk environment in that the guards have to work in a hospital where the issue of likely infection is a challenge. Insufficient training is also another issue that has increased high rates of staff turnover. There is also the problem of miscommunication between the staff (guards) and the management and this means that the Gerard’s dint feel that their issues are being taken care of. In a nutshell, overall job dissatisfaction is major cause of the high rates of staff turnover. As Lyma (1974) points out, the first short term cost that is imposed on the firm due to high rate of staff turnover is the selection and recruitment cost. Recruiting even for such low level jobs is always a hard task and it costs the firm not only money but also time (Jeanne & Pau, 1987). Every time there is an officer who needs to be replaced, this means that the firm will incur cost and this is not acceptable. There is also the issue of training cost increasing every time there is a new officer who needs to be trained. Although these officers who are recruited are already trained to be security