Project How Iim Students Improve Their Career

Two IIM-A grads shun Rs 1-cr offer AHMEDABAD: Declining pre-placement offers is nothing new for students of Indian Institute of Management-Ahmedabad, but declining the highest offers ever made in the institute has raised more than a few eyebrows. Two of the six second-year post-graduate programme students of IIM-Ahmedabad who were offered the position of associates by Deutsche Bank, declined it despite their salaries, in rupee terms, was more than Rs 1 crore. Debashish Chakravarty, one of the two students who refused the offer said, â€Å"I declined the offer because I wanted to be on my own. The challenge of entrepreneurship was more exciting for him than taking up a cushy job. â€Å"Three other classmates and I have planned to start our own business. We plan to start production and retailing of women's lingerie,† said Chakravarty, who was serving in the Army before taking voluntary retirement. Vineeta Singh, who too rejected the Deutsche Bank offer will be joining Chakravar ty, along with Bhushan Dabir and Vishal Prabhu Khan-olkar. â€Å"We did a detailed market research on women's lingerie and found huge customer dissatisfaction. We have a business plan ready,† said Chakravarty. The financing of the project is being negotiated with venture capitalists and if everything goes as per plan we hope to be in the market with our product by next year,† Chakravarty said. Source: http://timesofindia. indiatimes. com/articleshow/968988. cms IIM-A alumni run online CAT coaching Though the country’s six Indian Institutes of Management’s Admission Group have decided to make their Common Admission Test (CAT) online from next year, four alumni of IIM Ahmedabad have managed to beat their alma mater in the Net game. Four students of the Post-Graduate Diploma in Business Management, who opted ut of the placement process in 2007, already have a Website that imparts online coaching for CAT. The foursome, Vineeta Singh, Bhusan Davir, Vishal Prabh ukhanolkar and Debashish Chakravarty, were in the news in 2007 for spurning high-paying job offers, to start a venture to manufacture a new range of lingerie. Though this new venture did not take off, they started a Website,www. tenaday. co. in, which provides online coaching for CAT. The venture currently has about 29,000 registered users, Prabhukhanolkar told the Hindustan Times on Tuesday. Presently, the venture is the only online CAT coaching portal in the country.Asked about what made them start an online CAT coaching site, Prabhukhanolkar said that the logistics of the admission examination was becoming a nightmare, due to the growing number of aspirants every year. â€Å"It was soon becoming imperative for the exam to go online some day,† he added. The online examination would be much easier to mange than the current system, Prabhukhanolkar said. An IIM-A source confirmed that the online examination would cut down administrative costs, involving people travelling to pl aces, and sending papers all over the country, with risks of leaks.The conventional examination can be conducted from a limited number centers while the online tests can be taken from anywhere. Source: http://www. hindustantimes. com/IIM-A-alumni-run-online-CAT-coaching/Article1-295258. aspx Past students return to IIM-A to recruit The Indian Institutes of Management are globally renowned as transformers of bright young students into enterprising adults capable of promoting, running and leading their businesses to success at world level. There have been several examples of IIM Alumni who have succeeded in India and abroad.Graduating students from IIMs often find themselves being offered multiple job postings at top-dollar salaries. While most students opt for such high-profile placements there are few who go ahead and promote their own enterprises. Here are four young alumni from the highly rated  Indian Institute of Management-Ahmedabad  (IIM-A) who passed out in 2007 and promo ted their own dotcom company who are  returning to the campus, this time to recruit. When they rejected their placement offerings of Rs. 80 lakh – one crore salary packages people were surprised, but the team was confident of breaking out into the market and making it big.And now the proof of the pudding is in the fact that they are back in the campus recruiting. They want highly talented, enthusiastic and hardworking business savvy IIM-A grads to take their company to new heights. The quartet include  Vishal Prabhukhanolkar,  Bhusan Davir,  Vineeta Singh  and  Debashish Chakravarty  who grouped together to promote ‘ten-a-day’, an online website which offers coaching for the CAT examination, the gateway to the IIMs and several other B-Schools in India. The venture operational online @  www. tenaday. co. in, has attracted over 22,000 fully registered users in just a year since promotion.According to the promoters the ventue needs more heads to make it big and none but IIM alumni will do. In less than a year the  website  has become the largest online CAT training and education preparation platform. The  modus operandi  of the website is simple, registered students are required to answer just 10 questions every day and generates a daily percentile rankings of the student. This is one way to monitor the students progress on a daily basis. This will enable students to know where they are lacking and work on the areas in which they are weak. The explanations and ten questions a day are free.But the detailed analyses of the answers and rankings and advising students on the areas they need to work to succeed in CAT are charged. Fees range from Rs. 210 onwards and is very affordable compared to other institutes across the country whose courses are priced anywhere between Rs. 5,000-14,000 for similar services. The annual CAT entrance test is written by nearly two lakh students every year. This number is poised to grow to six lakh in the next three years and sounds fantastic business opportunity for those who offer quality and effective training to students desirous of getting the coveted IIM seats.Tags:  CAT,  entrance test,  IIM,  website,  coaching,  online education,  Business Source : http://www. hellocompany. org/entry/past-students-return-to-iim-a-to-recruit/ It's raining money at the IIMs! Gaurav Dagaonkar passed out of IIM last year and instead of dancing to his employer's tune he decided to sing his own song. He opted out of placements to become a full time singer. A year later, he's giving the same advice to his juniors. Dagaonkar says, â€Å"It is essential for a person to start off as early as possible, So, that within two years you start networking with the right kind of people – you have people in place and you become confident. But everyone doesn't seem to agree. Ram Ganesh Aiyer passed out of IIM-A in 2004 but instead of starting off on his own, he worked for a cons ultancy firm for two years before starting off on his own and he recommends the same for his juniors. He explains, â€Å"It is good idea for students to have corporate exposure before starting on their own. Some reasons being, it helps to get more experience in the real world as against case studies that we do in these schools. † JOB ACCEPTANCE IN IIM-A Finance –  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  44% Consulting – 30% Marketing –   8% Operations  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ 5% IT  Ã¢â‚¬â€œÃ‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   4% Strategy –  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   3%Others –  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   6%| | A recent trend suggests that the number of IIM graduates daring to start their own ventures is on a rise. While eight students opted out of placements from IIM-A last year, it's still early in the process. Sources say more than two dozen students presented theirbusiness ideas  to venture capitalists last month. With an entrepreurial fair, that wa s organized on campus for the first time, IIM-A is also encouraging students by allowing their former students (who have passed out over two years ago only) to participate in their placements. The trend is catching up in other IIMs as well.So, does  money  make the world go round? Well, IIM graduates this year proved otherwise. In an unprecedented trend, IIM students are turning down offers worth crores of rupees. To talk about the IIM placement quirks, here's what Debashish Chakravarty from IIM-Ahmedabad has to say. Debashish turned down a jaw-dropping one crore offer and plans to start a lingerie business. Also, discussing this issue of why IIM graduates are not tempted by hefty offers are IIM-Bangalore Professor Saurav Mukherjee and Partner at an human resources firm, Redilion, Vikram Bhardwaj. Excerpts from an interview given to CNBC-TV18Q: What was your motivation to opt out of placements and become an entrepreneur? Chakravarty: I have neither been an entrepreneur nor worke d in the corporate world. I was a major in the Indian army before joining this institute and coming here and learning a lot about management. I thought the most challenging future I could ever have was entrepreneurship – ie. building something of my own and getting a job wasn’t such an exciting idea but building a company, hiring people, doing something fruitful, I thought this was much more challenging and interesting, that is why I opted out of placements.Q: Are we seeing a similar trend in Bangalore? Mukherji: Last year, we had one student who decided to take the plunge but this year none of students as far as I know have walked out of placement, to have a start up of their own. So, I haven’t seen it as a trend in IIM-Bangalore and if anyone asks for my advice on choice – whether to start up their own company versus going through the placement process, and especially if the student is a fresher or relatively low in experience – then I would advi ce them to go and join an industry first, build up their network and gain experience and then be an entrepreneur.Q: You have been helping people to get into the corporate world, is it a pipe dream to become an entrepreneur immediately, or would you advice taking up a job? Bhardwaj: The aspirants from MBA institutes are realizing that despite high salaries, they are the first ones to be laid off if the environment changes in high volatile businesses like i-banking, and so they don’t mind setting this aside as a trade-off, against working independently.Q: IIM -Ahmedabad has promised this year that entrepreneurs like you, who for some reason, if your business doesn’t take off as expected in two years time, then you can once again opt for the placement process and join your juniors? Chakravarty: Yes, it is a good offer that the institute has come up with and it does offer reassurance to a candidate, who is still on edge, deciding on entrepreneurship and taking up a job. Ri ght now, in our batch, we have 11 students including freshers who are going into entrepreneurship and that is nearly 5% of the batch, and it is a strong rising trend. NEW RECRUITERS AT IIM-CING Optiver CIC International Bain & Co Value Partner(IIM-C: Highest international salary offered in 2006: $1,52,000)| | Q: How hard is it for people to get the cream of the talent from these campuses? Bhardwaj: It is getting harder by the day and Indian companies cannot even match the deep pockets, which global firms have and increasingly these MBA hirings are driven at a global level. So, they don’t mind paying a slight premium over what a  Wharton MBAwould get to an IIM graduate. It's not only the paypackets grabbed by IIM graduates that's increasing but also their entrepreneurial spirit.The placement process is not yet over but experts say that the number of students who opted out of placements to start off on their own, will definitely be the highest this year than ever before. FLOC KING TO IIM-B – 90 firms participated – Consultancies comprise 32% – Non-bank finance firms comprise 32% –  Marketing firms  comprise 14% – Overseas offers made: 60 – Sun Group offers Deepak Goyal VP position – Arcelor Mittal offers 2 GM posts in Trinidad Source: http://www. moneycontrol. com/news/business/its-raining-money-atiims_271556. htm

Phenomenology and the Eucharistic Mass Essay

In the study of communications, reaching a common consensus on how to apply a shared and common understanding of communications seems to be a near impossible task. After being introduced to the seven traditions of communications by Craig in his essay â€Å"Communication Theory as a Field†, I choose to explore the tradition he categorizes as Phenomenology. My initial understanding on the study of communications were quite limited to the transmission view, dominated by a sender and receiver framework. Interestingly, the transmission model in it’s origin was culturally rooted in religion, and used as a tool for the dissemination of Euro centric religious values and practices globally. With advancement in technology, especially in the 1920’s, the North American perspective on communication shifted the transmission model from religion to science to reflect a multidisciplinary approach in to the study of communications. As a practitioner of what was once the transmission view, the Catholic Church had experienced tremendous religious propagation of its message through forcible transmission all over the world. Based on Craig’s essay, the Catholic Church of today then embodies traits of a ritual view of communication, and is aligned with religious communication, and expression such as fellowship, participation, community, communion, and common faith. The phenomenological model of communication shares characteristics with the ritual view that I will be exploring through the Roman Catholic Eucharistic liturgy. The phenomenological tradition described by Craig, â€Å"†¦ conceptualizes communication as dialogue or the experience of otherness† (p. 217). Communication in this tradition is not rooted in verbal transmission but instead a shared experience on plains that extend beyond tradition verbal or textual communication. For the purpose of this paper phenomenological tradition can be seen as a form of communication expressed metaphysically as well. Gadamer’s’ theory from â€Å"Truth and Method†, focus on tradition and language as a primary form of communication. His ideology is that: we are only able to make sense of ourselves and the world around us because our consciousness has been shaped by history and traditions in ways we are largely unaware of†¦ wareness expands our understanding of the tradition. His description of an I-Thou relationship as the question-answer logic that underlies hermeneutic experience creates communication by identifying, hermeneutics, â€Å"that lead to a dialectical process of interpretation and growth of understanding. As a phenomenological practitioner, this theory has very intrinsic value. Communication in this practice provides a very meaningful and existential experience that I am to able to engage in with my Creator, in the absence of any other person. As a Roman Catholic, I have had many questions about the way we participate in mass. My parents grew up on the island of Trinidad, in a devout Catholic community. The Spanish, that had at one time colonized Trinidad, were very committed to their mission of converting the indigenous people of the island. The spread Catholicism throughout the country was profuse, with community churches everywhere, (even building one across the street from my mother’s house), and adding a monastery and seminary college a mile further up the mountainside where my father lived. Catholicism was not just a religion in our community, it was a part of the culture, and employed many of the villagers as they worked for the seminary. My grandparents were in fact Hindu, and converted to Catholicism because of the strong influence and presence it had within the community. As a Roman Catholic child, I had been told to repeat, chant, and act with humility, adoration and reverence during mass. I did not understand what we were doing or what the intention was. I became harder and harder to find meaning in going to church. In my late teens I stopped attending mass because there was no intrinsic connection for me in my faith practice. I remained a spiritual and deeply rooted faith based person, but I could not come to terms with many of the teachings of my church. I stayed out of church for many years. At some point, I became curious about what it meant. I was not looking for a theological understanding per se, but instead, what did â€Å"it† mean? The chanting, the collective response in unison, the prayers itself. What was I blindly repeating every Sunday? I chose to study the teachings of the Catholic Church in university at Newman Theological College to gain a scholarly perspective. Many things became clear, although I did acquiesce on some ideological points, (my own hermeneutical experience). Inspired by my academic insights, I returned to church as a knowledgeable participant of the mass, understanding that as part of the community, I would belong to the collective voice of the fellowship of Christ. The Catholic mass is deeply enriched with both Phenomenological Theory as well as Semiotic Tradition. In some regard you must look at the semiotics in order to fully understand what is being communicated during certain points in the eucharistic liturgy. For the purpose of this paper I will focus on the phenomenological aspects. The Eucharistic liturgy is a two century old tradition, considered the real presence of Christ at the last supper carried out each Sunday, and is considered an integral part of Catholic worship. As Catholics we believe Jesus began a significant new fellowship meal that we observe to this day. It causes us to collectively and intrinsically share in the experience of his sacrifice through his death and resurrection. The description of the liturgy I’m presenting here reflects a very basic summation of the ritual. At the start of the liturgy we are asked to offer ourselves up, and surrender to God. As we participate in the Eucharistic Prayer we are in the act of giving thanks. The congregation is humbled as Christ is transubstantiated from man into the elements of bread and wine. We collectively mourn as Jesus is offered to the Father in sacrifice for the sins of man. We participate in the Lords Prayer, and a prayer for peace. The Holy Spirit is invited to come down upon us and unite the community of worshipers into one body as we prepare to accept the communion, and offer each other a sign of peace. As a community we should be considered one body, ready to receive Christ as a single body in the form of the host. Prior to accepting the communion we collectively humble ourselves stating our unworthiness and asking for compassion and forgiveness for our transgressions. As members of the congregation travel to the the altar, it represents a pilgrimage in this life from a journey of birth to death, and to the heavenly Father. Once each individual receives the host, we communally belong to the larger body of Christ. An aspect of the phenomenological theory of communication as seen by Buber can be practically applied in this example. The I-Thou relationship is present when looking at the relationship each individual member of the ongregation has with their Creator, or even Catholicism itself. The act of worshiping communally creates an experience and awareness of each other that reflects dialogue in Gadamer’s model of phenomenology. Prayer itself is a great example of the I-Thou relationship the Buber describes. Although it contradicts Gadamers â€Å"parallel concept of conversation emphasiz[ing] the object or subject matter of conversation that brings people together in dialogue† (p. 219). Buber also notes that, â€Å"dialogue can be entirely wordless, yet deeply meaningful† (p. 19), and talks about how sacred silence itself can be on page 227, which is evident throughout the moments of the liturgy in which individuals respond on an emotional level through reverence, humility, sorrow, or repentance. Burber’s theory of a person living life with an open mind, open to experience and in essence living the life of dialogue is what resonates most for me. My critical exploration into understanding the Catholic mass has supported my dialogue in prayer with my creator, as well as my participation as a member of the Catholic church. It would be assumed that since developing a clearer understanding of the mass, that I would be regularly attending. That is not the case. What I grew to understand is that I cannot effectively belong to the congregation if I am not intrinsically communicating through action, intention and prayer when I attend. For that reason, I go to church when I have a deeper calling to do so. My I-Thou relationship within my faith is not compromised as I connect to my creator in conversation and prayer every day, however, my I-Thou relationship with the other church goers would be compromised and lacking authenticity if I attend mass out of obligation.

NURSE PRACTITIONERS CAN EFFECTIVELY INCREASE GYNECOLOGICALSCREENINGS Assignment

NURSE PRACTITIONERS CAN EFFECTIVELY INCREASE GYNECOLOGICALSCREENINGS - Assignment Example Resources should be put in place and the nurses supported to ensure that screening is embraced by as many clients as possible. Common knowledge dictates that prevention is better than cure. Screening of the reproductive system ensures efficiency in child bearing since so many complications that would have occurred are prevented. Screening will help in the early detection of chronic diseases such as cervical and breast cancer as stated by Sudha (2011). Cancer, in its advance stages, cannot be totally treated. Early detection of the disease is essential in receiving successful treatment (Sudha, 2011). In other words, patients should be thoroughly screened if they have to receive proper treatment in case they are diagnosed with any disease. Overview of the  Review of Literature Several researches have been carried out to discuss the types, benefits and challenges of gynecological screenings. It has been discovered that disease prevention which involves primary avoidance is important a nd crucial. According to Boylan (2011) there are several benefits associated with disease screenings. However, the screening processes may hampered by various factors which make counseling difficult. There are various qualitative studies that have been conducted to investigate the demand for gynecological screenings. ... Yet again, others do not opt for the exercise owing to its costs (Sudha, 2011). Some women also forego the exercise considering their busy modern lifestyles so that they have almost no time to make appointments with their gynecologists. Culture has a major influence on the way people think and behave. In many cultures, personal privacy is an important aspect – one that must be guarded at all costs especially if it concerns the exposure of genitals (Liew, 2009). In this respect, culture has influenced many to avoid screenings for gynecologic diseases. Plan for Change Going by the numerous studies conducted in respect of screenings, it is worth noting that a rise in the number of screening will help improve women’s health (Hawkins, Nichols & Robert, 2011). The project aims to encourage nurse practitioners to encourage female clients to hold on the gynecological screening services. My focus is to steer up reliable and affordable screening techniques to be embraced by the n urses so that more women may value and be able to rely on the results obtained from screening. Modern techniques of screening should be employed to increase the credibility of the results and maintain the confidence of the clients as suggested by Falvo (2004). Posters, newsletters and leaflets about gynecological screening should be issued to as many female clients as possible in a bid to educate people about the facts and myths about gynecological screening. The health information should be in languages that can be understood by all targeted groups. The expenses on the services should be reduced so that many individuals in the community can access them. Trained practitioners should be the ones administering screenings and Pap tests to prevent more

Australopithecus sediba Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Australopithecus sediba - Assignment Example At the same time, I applied the piecemeal approach which involves reading key sections of the paper and skimming the figures first. There is a lot of information about Australopithecus sediba among other pre-humans in the scientific article while the press articles emphasized on the key features of the fossils. The two press articles are like a summary of the scientific article written in a more-easy-to understand language. The science article also has details like the actual size of the various parts of the fossil while such information is omitted in the press articles. The methodologies of the study are explained in details in the scientific article while using scientific terminologies that ordinary people find difficult to understand. The press articles have not described the methodology applied while conducting the study because the reporters were targeting ordinary people who might have very little or no understanding of the scientific terminologies used to describe scientific methodologies. The methodologies described in the scientific article confirm that the study is reliable and that the findings made are accurate. The scientific paper is more detailed compared to the two press articles. The scientific article had background information like the relationship between Australopithecus sediba and other pre-humans such as the Australopithecus Africanus while the press articles focused on the Australopithecus sediba alone. Opinions of the researchers that are beyond the findings made are left out in the scientific paper while in-depth scientific details such as the scientific methodologies applied during the research were left out in the press articles. Some of the comments are in the press articles are supporting the argument raised and further elaborating the topic at hand while others are criticizing the argument. For instance, some people argue

The Importance of Telecommunication in Today's Business Environment Research Paper

The Importance of Telecommunication in Today's Business Environment - Research Paper Example In this context, the advancement of different communication tools and internet has facilitated businesses in performing their business activities succinctly in the worldwide markets segments (Ndukwe, 2003). In this respect, the research paper is based on the study of the importance of telecommunication in the present business environment. The proposed research study is conducted with the aim of determining the importance of telecommunication for the development of business sector. Currently, the development of ICT infrastructure on a global context has been witnessed to expand at a breakneck pace. In this context, the rapid progress in the field of ICT has increased the implication of ICT for both business and people to a large extent. The expansion of ICT has also diversified the variety of applications as well as services in the area of communication, entertainment and information. Subsequently, the development of the aforementioned aspects of ICT has motivated in conducting the proposed research with the intention of ascertaining the implications of ICT for the present business environment (ITU, 2013). The contemporary business environment has intensified with competition owing to different factors that include globalization and advancement in technology. In this regard, businesses are required to conduct their operation with better competitiveness in the segments of products and services for better sustainable business performances. The rapid changes in the field of technology have been accountable for the development of telecommunication services to produces contemporary products and services at a reasonable price in accordance with the preferences of global customers. Contextually, the development of the telecommunication industry is important for the enhanced economic performance of an economy and development of business sector in worldwide market segments

Lennin, Karl Marx and Hannah Ardent on Revolution, what was revolution Research Paper

Lennin, Karl Marx and Hannah Ardent on Revolution, what was revolution - Research Paper Example For a Marxist, if the bourgeoisie remain in power this negates any procedural facade of a revolution. For a liberal democrat, the survival of factions from the old nomenclature deflates the democratic revolution. However, on closer inspection there is not a single set of characteristics that will serve to unite all around a common conception. This thesis tends to enquire Marx, Lenin and Arendt’s views on revolution in order to seek a plausible conclusion. Karl Marx described revolutions as the locomotives of history. He argued that feudalism, capitalism and socialism, as new modes of production, were generated within the precincts of the existing one. Revolutions were caused by the development of a contradiction between the social forces and the social relations of production, with the latter acting as restrains upon the former. This expressed itself in the escalation of class conflict, steering in what Marx called the epoch of social revolution. Each revolutionary class devel oped awareness of itself through economic and political struggles against the existing dominant class. The result would be the emergence of new relations of production and their accompanying ideological forms, and the eventual establishment of  supremacy. ... In due course of time Marxist theory faced real tests as its prophecy of eventual dismal condition of working class before revolution was seriously challenged by better/improved life styles of working class in capitalist states. Lenin. Vladimir Ul'yanov came from a provincial middle class family of Russia. Soon after his father's death in 1886 Lenin's elder Brother Alexander was hanged for participating in a plot by a revolutionary  populist  group to assassinate Alexander III. This event made a deep impression on the younger Lenin and, after passing his final school exams with distinction, he too joined a populist group when he began studying at  Kazan University. He was deeply influenced by Marxism during his student life. In 1902, Lenin published his  pamphlet  what is to be done, in which he argued that a successful revolutionary party in Russian conditions had to be a highly centralized and conspiratorial organization of professional revolutionaries to be an effective vanguard of the workers. In his work  Two Tactics of Social Democracy in the Democratic Revolution  he argued that the workers would have to take a leading role in the  bourgeois  revolution, co-operating with revolutionary elements in the peasantry. This latter point was unusual in Marxist thinking, perhaps showing underlying populist influence on Lenin. In  Imperialism, he argued that the capitalist powers were driven into territorial imperialism by capital export and used the super-profits derived from colonial exploitation. Lazarus points out that â€Å"Revolution†¦ belongs as a category to the historicism that is fuelled by defunct socialism and parliamentarianism,† because, â€Å"historicism keeps a place

Drug testing for employers Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Drug testing for employers - Research Paper Example Most of the employers carry out drug tests because drug abuse in working places leads to substantial health and safety threats, which can result to low production and lower employees’ morale to work. These threats have additional costs from health care claims, which involve short-term claims from disabilities. So, most employers carry out drug test in order to deter their employees from drug abuse and avoiding to hire drug addicts in their organizations. In addition, they drug test them to offer harmless working environment to their employees and abide by the state regulations (Straete 135)A firm may need a drug examination in various conditions. Firstly, it may be during the pre-employment test to avoid hiring drug addicts. These tests happen after a condition that, one has to pass drug examination before getting the job, so when the interviewee fails the test he/she loses the job. Secondly, firms conduct drug test due to reasonable suspicion from employees showing some drug use symptoms and after an accident to define if drugs were the main cause.   Thirdly, a firm can do drug test randomly by not announcing or alerting the employees, this works as a deterrent. Lastly, the test can be periodic where by testing arrangements happen earlier before administering it to the employees.Drugs mostly show up in body fluids and sometimes through hair test. Drug testing at work place can be through different methods these include hair, urine, saliva and blood. During hair test, there is drug detection.... So, most employers carry out drug test in order to deter their employees from drug abuse and avoiding to hire drug addicts in their organizations. In addition, they drug test them to offer harmless working environment to their employees and abide by the state regulations (Straete 135) A firm may need a drug examination in various conditions. Firstly, it may be during the pre-employment test to avoid hiring drug addicts. These tests happen after a condition that, one has to pass drug examination before getting the job, so when the interviewee fails the test he/she loses the job. Secondly, firms conduct drug test due to reasonable suspicion from employees showing some drug use symptoms and after an accident to define if drugs were the main cause. Thirdly, a firm can do drug test randomly by not announcing or alerting the employees, this works as a deterrent. Lastly, the test can be periodic where by testing arrangements happen earlier before administering it to the employees. Drugs mos tly show up in body fluids and sometimes through hair test. Drug testing at work place can be through different methods these include hair, urine, saliva and blood. During hair test, there is drug detection in the hair revealing the existence of drugs in the body but this method is not accurate. Secondly, drug test through blood analysis which is the most accurate but expensive method. Thirdly, drug test via saliva and sweat examinations, the test is accurate but not popular among work places. Finally, urine testing is less invasive compared to blood examination as it is the cheapest and detects the most recent single consumption of drugs, making it the most applicable drug testing method (Straete 133). Drug testing at the work

All About Christianity Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

All About Christianity - Research Paper Example Christianity’s sacred literature is called the Bible, which is comprised of the Old Testament and the New Testament. As stated in an online article entitled Overview of Christianity, central to Christian practice is the gathering at church for worship, fellowship, study, and engagement with the world through evangelism and social action (Davis-Stofka). In this paper, we take a close look at Christianity by highlighting on its origin, its history, and its belief system. Indeed, through this holistic research approach, we intend to understand Christianity in a much deeper level by being able understand the various concepts that have shaped its unique views on an Ultimate Creator, on human nature, and on external reality. The origin of Christianity is attributed to the life of Jesus Christ who was born in 4 B.C.E. in a Jewish province called Nazareth. Believed to be the Son of God the Father, Jesus Christ spent his entire human life by doing acts of goodness and by spreading know ledge about God’s plan toward humanity. Aside from Jesus Christ, Christianity is also known to have been deeply influenced by Jewish, Greek, and Roman cultures. Since the first Christians were Jews, their ways of worship included attending the holy temple, reading Jewish scriptures, and adhering to Jewish laws and customs. As Jewish Christians spread to Mediterranean provinces in Rome, they were able to proselytize the Greek-speaking Gentiles. Through this, Greek intellectual culture was infused into the core of Christianity. The belief on the supremacy of logic helped in the development of philosophical explanations of the Christian faith. Likewise, it is the model of Roman political organization that formed the hierarchical system in Christianity—wherein the pope is deemed to be the religious leader, followed by the archbishops, bishops, and priests. Lastly, Christian scriptures, as contained in the bible, play a vital role in the foundation of Christianity. The bibl e, which comes from the Latin ‘biblia’ that means ‘books’, is composed of the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Jewish scriptures make up the Old Testament while the twenty seven manuscripts from the apostles complete the New Testament. As further noted in Overview of Christianity, the bible has been published into 2,000 languages and is regarded as the largest selling book of all time (Davis-Stofka). The history of Christianity can be viewed in two parts. Firstly, the early developments of Christianity from 2nd to 4th century C.E. were marked by intense persecution and identity creation. The persecution of Christians was primarily driven by their refusal to honor the roman emperors as god-like figures, since they considered it as an act of idolatry. As punishment to their disloyalty, majority of the early Christians were tortured and killed during the reign of Emperors Domitian in 81-96 C.E., Marcus Aurelius in 161-180 C.E., and Decius in 249-251 C. E. The persecutions, however, did not stop the spread of Christianity. In fact, more people got converted through the hospitality and philanthropy of the early Christians, as evidenced by their establishment of social networks that cared for the poor, the widows, and the orphans. Indeed, it is Christianity’s emphasis on communal life and social generosity that attracted religious conversions. As the Christian fait

Management Accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Management Accounting - Essay Example Management accounting also comprises the preparation of financial reports for non-management groups such as shareholders, creditors, regulatory agencies, and tax authorities." (Riahi-Belkaoui, 1992) It was against a backdrop of an increase in industrial production in the 19th century and throughout the middle of the 20th century that managers saw the importance of cost accounting following a tremendous increase in investment in factories, natural resources and equipment. (Freitas, 2002). During this era managerial accounting and cost accounting had no clear distinction as managerial accounting was often taken to mean the same thing as cost accounting. (Freitas, 2002). Managerial accounting began shifting focus from cost accounting sometime around the 1960s as a result of the growth of the service industry and the rapid growth of financial institutions, which brought about a change in the accounting environment. (Freitas, 2002). In addition, this era also saw the emergence of the idea of human resource accounting as well as a significant change in the area of managerial accounting research. ... (Freitas, 2002). There were however difficulties with this accounting as it were difficult to decide how to provide a value to the human resources. (Freitas, 2002). Firstly, they needed a method to account for human resources; secondly there was the need for a model and concepts for measuring the costs and value of people as organisational resources. Thirdly, there was the need for experiments to apply the approach in an actual organisation; this was difficult as organisations were not willing to serve as sites for the experiments. (Freitas, 2002). And the fourth and last stage was to test empirically, human resource accounting information in a behavioural context. And the 5th stage like the 3rd one needed additional experiments to apply human resource accounting technologies to a variety of managerial problems. (Freitas, 2002). Most of what is known today as Management accounting such as standard costs, overhead rates, opportunity cost and profit centres were referred to as costs accounting and not management accounting. Also Management Accounting was not included in the School Curriculum of many schools. (Cunha, 2002). Introduction of management accounting as a course highlighted two important differences from cost accounting. Firstly, management accounting took into consideration the fact that the end numbers were used by people for decision-making and therefore took into consideration how such information could influence their behaviour and thus the idea of behavioural accounting. (Cunha, 2002). Secondly cost accounting was too much concerned with full costing (finding the true cost) while management accounting considered a wide range of topics. (Cunha, 2002). Management accounting has gained a lot of recognition as

Case analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Case analysis - Assignment Example Hence a negative effect could be witnessed. "Where there is a will, there is a way". Macy's can definitely recover from this downward trend. It is the effective management practices that play a vital role. A firm's performance solely depends on the strategies followed by the management. Nothing is permanent in the world except the word itself. Failures are the stepping stones for success. They are cyclic process. If a firm is not moving well today then it does not mean that till the end the same trend will continue. Innovations and initiatives will make a difference. So, planned first order and second order changes should be made. Hence the downward spiral for the departmental stores will not continue. 5. STEPS TO INCREASE SALES AND CUSTOMER TRAFFIC Higher the customer satisfaction, greater is the profit. Some of the steps include: Perform market research through the firm's market intelligence team to know about the customer's attitude, tastes and preferences. Find out the prospects and set the store there. Get frequent feedback from the customers. Develop a good rapport with the employees and keep them motivated and satisfied. Deliver good quality products, services and offers to customers. Today the people are quality conscious and not cost conscious. Provide training to the employees. Develop a standard mission and vision for the organization. Plan the strategies perfectly and convey it clearly to the employees. Make changes only if is really needed and seek the aid of the change agent. Make planned changes and not unplanned changes. Make both first and second order changes carefully. Make it only if there is a real need for it. Adopt strong marketing techniques. If the customers are satisfied then word of mouth would be effective. Maintain a good reserves and surplus level. Adopt either focus or differentiation strategy. Develop a strong competitive advantage. References http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/07/business/07macys.htmlscp=1&sq=macy%27s&st=nyt http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2004168802_macys07.html http://www.politicalgateway.com/news/read/129108 http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/Business/2008/02/06/macys_may_consolidate_office_staff/5199/

Tinkerball hotdogs & Ice-cream Essay Example for Free

Tinkerball hotdogs Ice-cream Essay The purpose of this paper is to perform a case study analysis and provide a solution to the review questions pertaining to different aspects of projection evaluation and, thereby, concluding with recommendations. Mr. Terry Bell is planning to sell ice-cream and hotdogs by acquiring Mr. Jonathan van and other equipment from Mr. Luigi. Mr. Jonathan wishes to sell off his van and has asked Mr. Terry’s services to sell it off. There is a resale price for this van. Mr. Luigi had been in the same business of mobile vending van for almost 10 years and had an accident recently. He wishes to sell off his equipment and supplies at a price to Mr. Terry. Mr. Luigi was selling ice-cream under a franchise agreement with a company Mr. Whippy which will be no longer applicable after completion of 10 years and Mr. Terry shall not be entitled to terms under this franchise agreement. Mr. Terry has been provided with financial data by Mr. Luigi for last 10 years and has been able to draw the cash flows from the operating activities of the business. We will now look at the review questions and provide answers for them: If it is assumed that no cones are wasted the average price per icecream is $8.33 Term 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Icecream Sales 55,660 37,660 49,880 54,350 57,560 44,350 56,430 57,990 55,320 58,010 Cones 2,783 1,883 2,494 2,718 2,878 2,218 2,822 2,900 2,766 2,901 Icecream 3,340 2,260 2,993 3,261 3,454 2,661 3,386 3,479 3,319 3,481 Franchise Fees 557 377 499 544 576 444 564 580 553 580 Total Payments 6,680 4,520 5,986 6,523 6,908 5,323 6,772 6,959 6,638 6,962 Price : Sales/Payments 8.33 8.33 8.33 8.33 8.33 8.33 8.33 8.33 8.33 8.33 Figures are stated in U.S. Dollars terms Table 1: Average Selling Price of Icecream As we can see from Table 2, the sales of icecream are more revenue generating and the return on investment / cost is higher compared to the sales of hotdogs, therefore, icecream is more profitable. Term 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Icecream Sales 55,660 37660 49880 54350 57560 44350 56430 57990 55320 58010 Total Payments 6,680 4,520 5,986 6,523 6,908 5,323 6,772 6,959 6,638 6,962 Net Cash Flow 48,980 33,140 43,894 47,827 50,652 39,027 49,658 51,031 48,682 51,048 ROI % 733.23 733.19 733.28 733.21 733.24 733.18 733.28 733.31 733.38 733.24 Hot dogs Sales 21,210 33,320 23,240 22,210 19,990 24,380 20,890 21,990 21,210 24,300 Total Payments 4,772 7,497 5,229 4,997 4,498 5,486 4,700 4,948 4,772 5,468 Net Cash Flow 16,438 25,823 18,011 17,213 15,492 18,894 16,190 17,042 16,438 18,832 ROI % 344.47 344.44 344.44 344.47 344.42 344.40 344.47 344.42 344.47 344.40 Figures are stated in U.S. Dollars terms Table 2: Products Profitability From table 3, it is apparent that the sales of hotdogs are riskier. The rationing is based on the net cash flow from two products. The net cash flow from sales of ice cream are more consistent in terms of increasing trend, however, that from sales of hotdogs has a variant trend and is therefore considered to be riskier. Term 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Icecream Net Cash Flow 48,980 33,140 43,894 47,827 50,652 39,027 49,658 51,031 48,682 51,048 Change% (32.34) 32.45 8.96 5.91 (22.95) 27.24 2.76 (4.60) 4.86 Hot dogs Net Cash Flow 16,438 25,823 18,011 17,213 15,492 18,894 16,190 17,042 16,438 18,832 Change% 57.09 (30.25) (4.43) (10.00) 21.96 (14.31) 5.26 (3.54) 14.56 Figures are stated in U.S. Dollars terms. Negative figures are in bold parenthesis. Table 3: Risk Evaluation Diversification Diversification is a risk management technique. From table 3 above we can conclude that by diversifying into two products it allowed Mr. Luigi to cater different customers. By doing this it is also noted that if one is product does not perform well in a year then the other product which may be doing comparatively well can reduce the negative impact on the cash flows. For projecting the remaining 3 weekends’ estimates (A) we assume that a constant average growth in figures based on 47 working weekends. This is performed by apportioning 47 working weekends result to total 50 working weekends. Another prudent approach can be adopted (B) where the YoY% change is adjusted for remaining 3 weekends. It is also assumed that franchise fees and license fees are paid at the start of the financial year and will remain the same. Year / Item 9 10 (47 weekends)    Actual Figures x 50/47 (A) Growth Rate   Ã‚  x 50/47 (B) Icecream sales 55,320 58,010 61,713 58,182 Hotdog Sales 21,210 24,300 25,851 24,497 Total Sales 76,530 82,310 87,564 82,679 Cones 2,766 2,901 3,086 2,910 Icecream 3,319 3,481 3,703 3,491 Buns 2,651 3,038 3,232 3,063 Hotdogs 2,121 2,430 2,585 2,450 Vehicle-related payments 2,880 2,660 2,830 2,646 Franchise fees 553 580 580 580 License fees 150 150 150 150 Total payments 14,441 15,239 16,166 15,289 Net cash flow 62,089 67,071 71,398    67,390    Figures are stated in U.S. Dollars terms Table 4: Estimates for remaining 3 working weekends For calculating the average annual rates for both products we assume figures from Table 4 Col B as the cash flow for the last year. Average Annual Growth Rate (AAGR) is ‘the average increase in the value of an individual investment or portfolio over the period of a year’ (Investopedia n.d.). Average annual rate is calculated by taking the arithmetic mean for 2 years. We also assume that cash flows are generated at the end of the financial year. In the first year it is assumed to have 100% growth. All other aspects of investment and setting up business expenses are ignored for the first year. Term 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Given 10 New Icecream Net Cash Flow 48,980 33,140 43,894 47,827 50,652 39,027 49,658 51,031 48,682 51,048 51,201 Change% 100 (32.34) 32.45 8.96 5.91 (22.95) 27.24 2.76 (4.60) 4.86 5.17 AAGR % 33.83 0.06 20.71 7.43 (8.52) 2.14 15.00 (0.92) 0.13 0.29 Hot Dogs Net Cash Flow 16,438 25,823 18,011 17,213 15,492 18,894 16,190 17,042 16,438 18,832 24,497 Change% 100 57.09 (30.25) (4.43) (10.00) 21.96 (14.31) 5.26 (3.54) 14.56 15.49 AAGR % 78.55 13.42 (17.34) (7.21) 5.98 3.82 (4.52) 0.86 5.51 5.97 Figures are stated in U.S. Dollars terms. Negative figures are in bold parenthesis. Table 5: Average Annual Growth Rates Assumptions: Terry pays Mr. Jonathan the resale value of the van as prescribed by Mr. Joe. Terry pays for repairing of the van to Mr. Joe. Terry pays for van equipment and supplies to Mr. Luigi. Franchise agreement with Mr. Whippy is cancelled. Goodwill from Mr. Luigi business is ignored. Taxes are ignored. License fee is applicable at the same rate for next 10 years. There will be no new competition. There will be no new food regulations. There is no wastage. The demand for ice cream and hot dogs will be stable or growing at steady pace. Sickness or weekends off are ignored. An allowance of Mr. Terry time of 860 hours per year costing at $40 will be considered as cash outflow. Vehicle related expenses are considered to be $2,601, a constant figure, when indicated to be declining in previous years. However, they are extrapolated in the years when increasing based on respective years’ growth rate in these expenses. In the year 4th, 6th and 8th, they are assumed to increase by 22%, 12% and 9% respectively. The figures from Table 4 Col B are considered as base figures. The number of working weekends remains the same i.e. 50. The AAGR for both products are used for estimating future projections. Year / Item 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Purchase Van (2,000) Equipment (1,200) Supplies (50) Repairing Van (2,500) Icecream sales 77,865 77,908 94,039 101,029 92,419 94,401 108,564 107,566 107,704 108,017 Hotdog Sales 43,739 49,609 41,006 38,048 40,323 41,865 39,971 40,315 42,536 45,075 Total Sales 121,604 127,517 135,045 139,077 132,743 136,267 148,535 147,881 150,240 153,092 Cones 3,894 3,896 4,703 5,052 4,622 4,721 5,429 5,379 5,386 5,402 Icecream 4,672 4,675 5,643 6,062 5,546 5,665 6,515 6,455 6,463 6,482 Buns 5,468 6,202 5,127 4,757 5,041 5,234 4,997 5,040 5,318 5,635 Hotdogs 4,374 4,961 4,101 3,805 4,032 4,187 3,997 4,031 4,254 4,508 Vehicle-related payments 2,601 2,601 2,601 3,165 2,601 2,913 2,601 2,835 2,601 2,601 License fees 150 150 150 150 150 150 150 150 150 150 Allowance 34,400 34,400 34,400 34,400 34,400 34,400 34,400 34,400 34,400 34,400 Total payments 55,560 56,885 56,724 57,391 56,392 57,270 58,089 58,291 58,572 59,178 Net cash flow (5,750) 66,044 70,631 78,320 81,685 76,350 78,997 90,446 89,590 91,668 93,914 Figures are stated in U.S. Dollars terms Table 6: Average Annual Growth Rates Net present value is the total value of cash flows from a project discounted at a suitable interest rate. This is a measurement tool used for predicting whether a project will be successful or not. Time Net Cash flow Discount Factor Present Value Net Present Value 0 (5,750) (5,750) 1 66,044 0.952381 62,898.71 2 70,631 0.822702 58,108.64 3 78,320 0.746215 58,443.92 4 81,685 0.676839 55,287.79 5 76,350 0.613913 46,872.49 6 78,997 0.556837 43,988.60 7 90,446 0.505068 45,681.23 8 89,590 0.458112 41,042.16 9 91,668 0.415521 38,090.12 10 93,914 0.376889 35,395.34 480,059 Figures are stated in U.S. Dollars terms Table 7: Net Present Value Conclusion: The NPV of future cash flow projections is positive which implies that the project may be accepted. They are other factors which Mr. Terry should consider before undertaking this business. Mr. Luigi has been in the business for almost 10 years. There is not much regarding his prior business history but he has done well in icecream and hotdogs selling business as well. Expectation to produce the same result by a teacher is somewhat subjective. Mr. Terry is a retired teacher ad has no prior experience of this business and it is assumed that he is in good health which would surely be an important factor for such business. We have assumed that despite of cancellation of Mr. Whippy franchise, Mr. Terry would be able to create good business for icecream and he would be able to purchase his supplies from a reliable source offering competitive prices. Other assumptions made for the above project evaluation can change hence altering the outcome of the project. Additional item which could be added to the above cash flow projections is tax liability and any financing activity which Mr. Terry may require to finance his initial investments.   We have also ignored the goodwill of business which Mr. Luigi has developed over the years. In accounting terms, a value for goodwill is an asset for business and should therefore be paid for to Mr. Luigi as commented by Mrs. Anita. This will be considered as part of initial investment. However, some may argue that Mr. Terry is not using the same name for his business and assumingly will not using Mr. Luigi goodwill for promoting his own business. It is however, likely f or Mr. Terry to enter this business with small investment and try to serve his customers with the same enthusiasm and strength as Mr. Luigi did for last 10 years. A more accurate projection can be made with further detailed information regarding the market and other issues. Finally, these projections will be adjusted once Mr. Terry actually enters this business. List of References Investopedia- A Forbes Digital Company (n. d.) Average Annual Growth Rate (AAGR). [online] available from www.investopedia.com/terms/a/aagr.asp [30 July 2008]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Tinkerbell hotdogs icecreams – Case Study. Financial Analysis Decision Making

Family contribution to social stability

Family contribution to social stability Family contribution to social stability Social stability entails state of completeness, where life is balanced in terms of good wages, lifestyle, amenities, freedom and prosperity. The family as an institution can contribute highly into this state of life through several ways. Programs such as family-life ambassadors can help insert skills into families, in an attempt to cultivate social stability (Wardle, 2002). Other programs such as family-life champions or organized family talks, resource speakers and school family education may assist in instilling vital skills needed in establishing social stability in families. For instance, school family education, may assist parents to acquire reliable skills in family running. Another way that families have contributed to social stability is by holding religious values with high esteem. As such people are equipped with Godly values which promote social stability by enhancing disciplinary virtues drawn from religious living. For example, an individual positive behavior is enhanced by the religious doctrines or even life virtues. Similarly, family strength and unity is highly upheld. Under British lifestyle, religious based individuals most probably have stable marriages, report low levels of divorce and singlehood (Melin Blom, 2000). This will instigate marriage satisfaction, hence high marital stability and low poverty levels are witnessed. Morality and sound thinking is highly promoted by religious beliefs, reducing deviant behaviors such as suicide, drug abuse, teenage pregnancies and sexual permissiveness, among others. A family as an institution in the society provides a reliable home for growing children. It provides shelter, food, clothing and other social needs. When this is done, the possibility of children growing to be undisciplined is low, since they have a place to belong to and have almost everything that they require. For instance, in the case of street children, they will tend to engage in criminal activities such as smuggling and robbery among others, and this may lead to social instability .Such children need to be offered a place to belong to through proper care by possibly adoption procedures. For example, In Britain family stability has reported continuous decline such that children and adults are always faced with fractured or dysfunctional families thus instigating the possibility if having unstable society. About 15% of all babies born in conservative culture in Britain are brought-up with no resident father (Wardle, 2002). In this case, parenting education and relationship progr ams may assist in social stability .Other approaches may include raising UKs care incentives in a bid to motivate the child caretakers to positively bring-up the children in socially acceptable ways. If such positive upbringing fails, the parentless children are likely into various social evils thus destabilizing social stability. In addition, if the government is to support these children a lot of funds may be expended in rehabilitation centers in stead of instituting social development programs beneficial in stabilizing the wellbeing of the entire society. Economically, the wealth of a country is highly dependant on the family, in terms of the human capital (Melin Blom, 2000). Strength of the economy highly depends on family stability because of the social ethical basis taught through social virtues and values. This way the entire family plays a vital role in stabilizing the society both economically as well as morally or socially. In conclusion, family cohesiveness and moral strength is a high contributor to social stability. Positive parenting, various education programs at family level, role modeling and social awareness created at family level enhances social stability. A family also contributes to the labor mobility behaviors as a result of its effects on employment levels thus averting social instability associated with unemployment issues. References Melin, H Blom, R. (2000). Streaming towards social stability. Vilnius, Lithuania: Lithuanian Institute of Philosophy and Sociology Press. Wardle, L. (2002). Fundamental principles of family. London, UK: John-Wiley Sons Publishers.

Strategies for Organizational Structure

Strategies for Organizational Structure 1.1 Organizational Structure Organizational Structure is the strategic manner by which organizations arrange (or rearrange) themselves (Galbraith, 1973). This is essentially important in determining how organizations plan on utilizing their resources , particularly their human resources. To do so efficiently, certain questions need to have precise answers such as the specific responsibilities of each individual within the organization, to whom exactly they report and most importantly the coordination process that is to be implemented to bring together all these people and processes simultaneously. Bearing in mind that any framework followed needs to be consistent with the organizations main objectives, a formal channel defining the lines of authority from top to bottom (i.e. Hierarchy of Authority) is established which identifies clearly who is responsible for which personnel and/or tasks (Perrow, 1986). Traditionally, the authority of decision-making has been a centralized process (i.e. directed to higher-level management), but with increasing challenges innovation in recent times, many organizations now encourage a decentralized decision making model which gives its members the authority to make decisions without the need to consult their superiors. This has the advantage of producing a real-time response to problems by people who are specialized in that process while at the same time giving employees certain autonomy which creates a sense of job satisfaction and motivation. However this could lead to the undermining of upper management if not tackled properly. There exist 2 primary dimensions to organizational structure: The Vertical Dimension relates to the hierarchy within a company by distinguishing the decision makers and people in charge. Such organizations are considered to have either a tall or a flat structure (See Fig.1 in Appendix A). It includes the Span of Control of these individuals, which refers to the number of people they are responsible for and in effect, those groups who report to a single manager (these differ in quantity based on the nature of the work, skill-sets available, organizational culture, management style and level of Formalization, i.e. documentation of processes, rules and regulations (Noshria, 1991). Due to the high number or levels found in a Tall Structure (can exceed twelve), managers tend to have a Narrow Span of Control; where only 5 or 6 people report to any single supervisor. The converse holds for Flat Structures which have a Wide Span of Control; where up to 10 to 12 people could be reporting to a single manager, depending on the tasks involved. In short, th e taller the structure, the more the Span of Control decreases. The Horizontal Dimension addresses the division and assignment of tasks and functions across various departments within the organization. Such organizations are considered to be either wide or narrow. The structure that an organization adopts for itself is contingent upon a number of considerations like its products and services, the sort of customer base it caters to, the business strategy it employs and the management of different departments processes. The most common organizational types can be classified as follows (Fontaine, 2007): The Functional Structure which is more in line with the Vertical Dimension is perhaps the most common structure in the business world due to its simplicity and ease. By this structure, organizations set up themselves into different departments with similar skill-sets, managed by someone who is an expert in that trade. (See Fig.2 in Appendix A) (Ouchi Dowling, 1974) The Divisional Structure is more concerned with utilizing people with similar abilities across the entire business, wherever the need may be. Thus such a structure lies within the Horizontal Dimension. Such divisions may be based on different product lines, consumer markets and even geographical markets. (See Fig.3 in Appendix A) The Matrix Structure is an incorporation of both Functional and Divisional Structures, although interestingly, it operates like neither. The foundation of this structure is still functional; however different projects would require the pooling of these human resources from the various departments to serve their purpose. The project managers borrow their staff who are then involved in the project from start to finish. This is sometimes a challenge as there is a limited number of staff in each department and each project would have its own specific needs. However it is the most efficient of all organizational structures. (See Fig.4 in Appendix A) (Davis Lawrence, 1977) The Horizontally Linked Structure is a relatively new concept whereby an organization groups its people along the value chain of activities and processes that produce, market, deliver, and service the firms offerings (Spector, 2007). (See Fig.5 in Appendix A) 1.2 Organizational Culture Culture is a complex yet powerful force present in any organization that encompasses its workers values, beliefs, attitudes, behavior and shared assumptions. It is the moral compass that guides individuals in their actions at an unconscious level in all aspects of its internal and external relationships. Organizational Culture can be identified by 4 basic types: (Cameron Quinn, 1999) (See Fig.6 in Appendix A) Collaborative (Clan) Culture: This sort of culture is characterized by its open and friendly environment where people genuinely invest a lot of themselves in the work they do. A family system is at play where managers play parental and/or mentor figures. There is a great deal of focus on group coordination consensus, and the organizations belief is that its greatest assets are its workers. Create (Adhocracy) Culture: Entrepreneur and Innovative skills are highly valued in this culture with focus on individual initiative and freedom. The organization thrives by being market leader by continually introducing new products or services , hence their stress upon risk-taking measures and experimentation as a unifying quality. Long-term strategies focus on growth and acquiring new resources. Control (Hierarchy) Culture: Behavior is governed by a strict set of rules and policies in this setting. Formal structures intend on maintaining dependency and low cost of their product with workers being commended on their performance, efficiency and consistency. Leaders are required to be efficiency-conscious with ultimate goals of security and predictability. Compete (Market) Culture: This culture is perhaps the most cut-throat of all with worker competitiveness and goal oriented. Leaders need to be demanding, active and most importantly productive with the common unifying goal of success. The organization is in a constant battle to increase market share and penetration by providing competitive pricing and holding the position of market leader. Long-term focus is on achieving measurable goals and targets, and building a strong reputation. It is important to understand that no one culture is better than the other. Each culture plays a critical role in an organizations success so long as it is in sync with the organizations goals. Recent studies conducted have shown that even within a single organization, there may exist multiple cultures (sub-cultures) besides the dominating one which once again should not be construed as a negative element. In fact many scholars believe the existence of sub-cultures to be a source of healthy competition and the driving force behind innovation within the industry. The understanding of organizational cultures is equally important for managers and owners not only to be aware of their employees needs but also in designing a workplace that complements such a culture. 1.3 Effects on Business The relationship between Organizational Structure and Culture is one that is not clearly distinguishable. In general, the structure is designed to exist within a particular culture , in effect, aiding the culture to run with the consistency and efficiency that would be the sign of a successful system. Thus, organizational structure is primarily concerned with the setup of the culture. Traditionally, certain cultures have been associated with certain structures and each of these setups have their benefits and disadvantages. Functional Structure + Control Culture: Since centralized decision making is prevalent here, top-management is in control of most aspects of the business. This could be beneficial if the management is highly skilled and there isnt as much competence on the lower levels of the business but could be equally disastrous if such skills are in short supply in management. As a bonus, employees have the opportunity to learn a great deal from their seniors which could help in their career paths to take on decision making positions. Since this setup fosters stability and efficiency, there is better collaboration with similar processes per group while making use of the economies of scale. The biggest disadvantage here is of lack of communication not only between the different levels of the hierarchy but also between the different departments , leading to serious conflicts. This in turn affects each individuals priority on goals which tend to be more department-focused than that of the organizat ion as a whole. Customers are usually also affected by such systems where they are passed on from department to department regarding issues they might have. Divisional Structure + Create Culture: Since the structure is one which brings together different departments and the culture one in which individuals are encouraged to think innovatively, the result is a well-functioning unit with greater opportunities to learn about the different aspects of the business. In addition to better response time to customers issues due to greater accountability, the wider span of control helps in developing managerial and executive skills. The disadvantage here is of a great deal of duplication of tasks because of the different units with all departments in it performing the same function. This also spells out a reduction in specialization as well as a great deal of in-house competition between the different divisions of the business. Matrix Structure + Compete Culture: The efficiency of this model is extremely high due to the continuous utilization of highly skilled personnel from different departments on different projects. Since these sorts of projects depend on a vast amount of technical knowledge, individuals often have the authority to make critical decisions which also exposes others to a great amount of learning potential, even in scopes of fields beyond their own. Also departmental conflict is reduced due to the regular re-shuffling between projects , rather the competition is between different teams. Unfortunately it is because of these same hasty groupings that employees can tend to get frustrated and confused about their new functions and who they now report to. Also a great deal of time is wasted in meetings to decide on the allocation of these valuable human resources. The above examples were just a few of many forms of different structures and cultures combined. It is important to note that for the specific needs of a particular business, some forms of combination of any 2 factors could serve them better than if the same set-up were used elsewhere. Numerous factors need to be taken into consideration before a decision is reached on which option is to be implemented , and it may also require the trial-testing of the different combinations practically before anything conclusive can be said in that regard. 1.4 Individual Behavior The term Organizational Behavior actually relates to the collective dominant behaviors of individuals within an organization. As such positive individual behavior would have the potential to do the following in an organization (See Fig.7 in Appendix A). The factors which distinguish a happy satisfied employee from a disgruntled unmotivated employee are highlighted in the MARS Model of Individual Behavior (McShane Von Glinow, 2008) which identifies 4 elements effecting employee performance; Motivation, Ability, Role Perception and Situational Forces (See Fig.8 in Appendix A) Motivation is the set of internal influences behind an employees voluntary actions. In the workplace Maslows hierarchy of needs describe the fundamentals that serve such actions (Maslow, 1954): Level 1 Physical: the need for air, water, food exercise, rest, freedom from diseases disabilities Level 2 Security: the need for job security, safe working conditions and overall stability Level 3 Social: the need for being loved, a sense of belonging, inclusion and workplace camaraderie Level 4 Esteem: the need for recognition, prestige and promotion Level 5 Self-Actualization: The need for autonomy, development and creativity An employees Ability are the natural aptitudes and learned capabilities that are required to successfully complete a task. This requires proper analysis of a persons core competencies and then matching them with the appropriate job. Role Perceptions refer to the beliefs held about what behavior is required to achieve the end results which include an understanding of what tasks need to be performed, their relative importance and preferred behaviors to accomplish them. Situational Factors encompass the environmental conditionals beyond an individuals short-term control that constrain or facilitate behaviors such as time, people, budget and work facilities. Types of Behavior in Organizations A significantly important aspect influencing organizational behavior is a persons Personality. Personality can be described as a set of feelings and behaviors that have been significantly formed by genetic and environmental factors and that explain a persons behavioral tendencies. Some major forces influencing personality include cultural and hereditary forces, family relationships and social class. These factors along with others, contribute towards the 5 big personality dimensions: Openness to Experience : Sensitive, Flexible Conscientiousness : Careful, Dependable Extroversion : Outgoing, Talkative Agreeableness : Courteous, Caring Neuroticism : Anxious, Hostile The importance of the study of different behavioral patterns is essential in unleashing the potential of any organization by unleashing the potential of all individuals who work therein. The Locus of Control determines the degree towards which individuals believe their behaviors influence what happens to them. Whereas Internals believe in their efforts and abilities Externals believe events are mainly due to external causes. It is the presence of such personalities spread throughout an organization which deems necessary appropriate maneuvers to maintain positive behavior in as many of its employees as possible. In addition to the benefits already discussed brought about by such behavior to organizations, an equally important aspect is that of self-efficacy and motivation. The ability to adapt ones behavior to a given situation is not only an important learning tool but a vital quality to have in your possession in order to cope with the different cultures that now exist within organi zations, while retaining ones unique identity. Furthermore the visualization of reactions to constraints posed to oneself might give them a clearer idea of the reactions of others to the same situation and possible tactics to handle it better. 1.5 Organizational Theory Organizational theories can be broadly classified as follows: Classical Organizational Theory deals with formal organization and its concepts to improve upon management efficiency. i) Taylors Scientific Management Approach (1947): This approach focused on achieving efficiency, standardization, specialization and simplification brought about by the planning of work. It also stressed on mutual respect between management workers to increase productivity by implementing measures to reduce physical emotional stress of workers, providing them with appropriate training to develop their capabilities and by eliminating the traditional boss concept. Taylor suggested 4 principles of scientific management for improved productivity: An employees work should be tackled in a scientific methodology, rather than by a rule-of-thumb. Hiring of members should be based on some analysis who are then trained, taught and developed. Management should apply a policy of cooperation rather than conflict with labors to achieve goals. Training of workers be carried out by experts using scientific methods. ii) Webers Bureaucratic Approach (1947): This approach took into consideration the organization as a segment of broader society, but was criticized for its rigidness, impersonality, unfeasible to bigger objectives and lack of initiative to improve status (Hicks and Gullett, 1975). The basis of the approach was on the following principles: Existence of hierarchy system with clear amounts of responsibility and authority defined for each position. Rules and Regulations should govern the behavior of organizations to maintain predictability and stability. Hiring and selection of employees should be impartial. Designations and not people should be delegated responsibility and authority to maintain democracy. iii) Fayols Administrative Theory (1949): This theory relates to the accomplishment of tasks and touches on management principles functions and concepts of line, staff committees. Productivity of technical and managerial work can be improved by dividing and/or specialization of the work. Authority and due responsibility are essential in achieving organizational objectives. Being answerable to and taking orders from a single supervisor would be most efficient in unity of command. All members of the organization should have a common goal to provide them with direction. Organizations interests should be given priority over individual and/or group interests. Measures to retain employees by several methods (e.g. time incentives, bonuses, profit-sharing, etc.) Management should utilize a blended system of both centralized decentralized decision making. Members on the same level of hierarchy should work together to accomplish work (Scalar chain). The organization should try to establish equity, fairness and justice. Employees should be given time to settle into their work and be assured of the security of their jobs. Members should be encouraged to show initiative. Measures to strengthen unity and allegiance should be practiced which would yield better performance. Concept of line and staff holds equally as important in organizations as anywhere else. Members from different departments at same hierarchal level can form committees around common goals. Functions of management include planning, organizing, training, commanding and coordinating functions (Fayol, 1949) as well as staffing, directing, reporting and budgeting (Gulick Urwick, 1937). Neoclassical Theory shed light upon the importance of individual group behavior and good social relations between all hierarchal levels to improve productivity as a result of high-morale brought about by such measures (Roethlisberger and Dickson, 1943). The neoclassical approach was based on the following principles: All members of an organization should be treated with the respect that a human deserves rather than be classified as a tool and as such requires fulfillment beyond economic and security factors. The approach highlighted informal groups at work within the formal organization and its importance. Workers should be allowed opportunities in decision making processes that would allow for a new and more effective form of management besides increasing productivity. Modern Theories define an organization as a designed and structured process in which individuals interact for objectives (Hicks and Gullet, 1975). The theories can be broadly classified as follows: i) The Systems Approach: This takes on the view that organizations are composed of systems and sub-systems which are mutually dependent on each other and may be composed of some components, functions and processes (Albrecht, 1983). So the organization has 3 basic elements (Bakke, 1959): 1. Components; that include the individual, formal and informal organization, patterns of behavior emerging from role demands of the organization, role comprehension of the individual, and the physical environment in which individuals work. 2. Linking processes; like communication, balance and decision making between the different components to operate in an organized and correlated manner. 3. Organizational Goals; like growth, stability and interaction between all members of the organization. ii) Socio-Technical Approach: This considers an equilibrium between people (the social system), techniques knowledge (the technical system) and consumers (the external environment) to be of great significance in determining the organizations effectiveness (Pasmore, 1988). iii) The Contingency or Situational Approach: The situational approach takes into account that as organizations are highly dependent of their external environments, there can be no universal guideline suited for all situations (Selznick, 1949; Burns and Stalker, 1961; Woodward, 1965; Lawrence and Lorsch, 1967). The contingency approach suggests that social, legal, political, technical and economic factors need to be taken into consideration before determining an organizations relations to different environments (Hellriegel and Slocum, 1973).

Journey Theme in Whitman’s O Captain! My Captain! and Tennyson’s Crossi

Journey Theme in Whitman’s O Captain! My Captain! and Tennyson’s Crossing the Bar A man’s journey at sea has always been romanticized as an individualistic struggle against the backdrop of the cruel elements of nature. Paradoxically, though, within that same journey, the sea possesses an innate sense of timelessness that can become a man’s quest for God. In â€Å"O Captain! My Captain!† Walt Whitman describes the narrator’s sense of aimlessness at sea after his beloved Captain dies. In Lord Alfred Tennyson’s â€Å"Crossing the Bar,† the speaker is beckoned by the sea and its soundlessness even though he senses foredoom there. And so, although both Whitman and Tennyson employ a voyage at sea as the predominant image and metaphor within similar structural frameworks, they do differ in how they represent the journey and depict the tone of the poem. In â€Å"O Captain! My Captain!† uses the ship, the voyage at sea, and the Captain, within the poem to describe the mood of the United States in the immediate aftermath of the Civil War. The â€Å"fearful† voyage at sea, then, is an appropriate metaphor for the arduous Civil War, which has finally ended, but ironically, the Captain of the ship, Abraham Lincoln, has fallen dead (Line 2). Whitman uses extensive imagery to describe the North, awaiting the ship to dock, â€Å"exulting,† and â€Å"their eager faces turning† (Whitman, Lines 3, 12). But at the same time, there are underlying burdens of grief that the war brings. Whitman describes the postwar era with a pervading irony within the poem; although â€Å"the prize we sought is won,† the true reality of the situation reflects a phyrric victory (Line 2). The narrator’s â€Å"mournful tread† on the deck of the ship becomes symbolic for the United States, as the Sout... ...orates the death of the Captain, Tennyson discusses crossing into the realm of the afterlife with a stoic calmness, which ultimately leads a solitary death. However, both poets seem to realize their own mortality and that death is an indestructible force. While Tennyson’s everyday narrator treats â€Å"crossing the bar† as another symbolic stage of the human existence, the beloved Captain is ironically unable to defeat it despite what horrors he may have overcome at sea. Death, then, transcends the social divide; no one, from the common man of Tennyson’s poem to a brave, revered Captain, who has survived the perils at sea, can conquer it. Works Cited Tennyson, Alfred Lord. Alfred Lord Tennyson: Selected Poems. New York: Penguin Books , 1992. Whitman, Walt. Leaves of Grass. 1892 ed. New York: Bantam Books, 1983. PID 0062 1 Marlow Engl. 12 Sect. 37

Flowers For Algernon :: essays research papers

The story Flowers for Algernon depicts the meaning of intelligence in a very deep sense. The narrow definition intelligence is the capacity to learn, to understand, or to deal with new or trying situations. It is a concrete definition in such a way that it also means the ability to apply knowledge to manipulate one’s environment or to think abstractly as measured by objective criteria as tests. Yet the story goes beyond this concrete explanation of what intelligence really is. It shows a whole new perspective of the meaning intelligence. The novel gives a theory of the more intelligent you become the more problems you will obtain. As a result your intellectual growth is going to outstrip your emotional growth. This theory is shown in the novel with Charlie having two growths, intellectual and emotional. These two growths interact by reason of once there is a high intellectual growth that is rapidly out growing, the emotional growth will stay the same or increase at a much lowe r speed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The definition of intelligence that is explained in the book is having certain attributes that help you become a stronger individual. The qualities are having honesty, ethics morals and compassion. One has to achieve this intelligence thoughtlessly; Charlie shows this before he has his operation. By reaching this type of intelligence a person does not have to have a lot knowledge or a high I.Q, but you may reach peace in life by being a spiritually kind person that is previously show in the abstract definition.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The only positive effects of the intellectual growth that one can gain is to be able to experience what the concrete definition was like in one’s own personal experience. Yet the negative effects of the operation, which were great, was the intellectual and emotional growth colliding.

Is There Anyone Out There? Essay -- Astronomy

Earth is small. Many people find it hard to believe, but when one thinks of earth in its context, amongst billions of galaxies, stars, planets, and an infinite universe, earth is a mere grain of sand on the beach that is space. With this in mind, one may, quite understandably, find it hard to believe that earth is the only planet that sustains life. With today’s advanced technology and science, extensive evidence has been found suggesting a great likelihood of life on other planets. The discovery of life on other planets has huge implications for humankind, as it would likely give a more thorough understanding of what human life is, how it came to be, and possibly even insight into why humans exist. Oftentimes, people ignore rhetoric regarding the possibility of life on other planets. This may be for religious reasons or because many people see it as more science fiction that scientific, but there is a substantial difference between Hollywood’s perception of aliens and what is likely to be the first extraterrestrial life discovered (Borenstein). In all reality, carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and a few other basic elements are all it takes to create the miracle of life, and these chemicals could exist in countless places other than earth (Bryson 2). Some life may not even require that, like the microbe found in a lake in California, which was able to survive on arsenic and phosphorus alone (Borenstein). According to Borenstein, the â€Å"life† that scientists are looking for is more accurately described as a life form or microbial slime, much like the microbes that became humans via evolution. Approximately 140 billion galaxies inhabit the universe, with somewhere between one hundred billion and four hundred billion stars in Earth... ...rawstory.com/rs/2010/12/08/ evidence-mounting-daily-proven/> Bryson, Bill. A Short History of Nearly Everything. New York: Broadway Books, 2003. Print. Cohen, Daniel. The Ancient Visitors: Have Creatures from Other Planets Ever Lived On Earth? Garden City, NY: Double & Comp., Inc., 1976. Print. Kaufman, Marc. â€Å"Reaching for the Stars: It’s Alive Out There! Scientists Seek Out the Evidence.† McClathy-Tribute News Service. 17 June 2011: n.p. Web. 15 Mar 2012. Spotts, Pete. â€Å"In Search of Life, More Planet ‘Candidates’ Are Found. Are Any Just Right?† Christian Science Monitor. 12 Sep 2011:n.p. Web. 15 Mar 2012. "Story of the Universe." European Space Agency, 2011. Web. 15 Apr 2012.

Hand book customer service Essay

Policies: policies (structure, use, focus, customer requirements/expectations, product and service knowledge, consultation, confidentiality, customer perceptions and satisfaction, monitor customer service and satisfaction, influences affecting implementation, effective communication) Quality of service: methods of assessment; customer expectations; standardised procedures; codes of practice; staff levels (staffing levels, staff competency, flexibility, reliability and responsiveness) Evaluation: purpose; sources of feedback; accuracy; relevance; reliability; validity; methods of data collection; improvements; staff training and development Hospitality industry: industries within the hospitality industry eg hotels, restaurants, pubs, bars and nightclubs, contract food service providers, hospitality services, membership clubs, events 2. Understand the purpose of promoting a customer-focused culture Communication: types eg verbal, non-verbal body language, written; types of response; use; effect Customer: central role; customer service culture; identifying and analysing customer requirements and expectations; influences of service provision on customer perceptions Benefits of improved service: customer satisfaction, repeat business, improved reputation, increased profit  3. Be able to investigate customer requirements and expectations Requirements: sources of information eg customers, staff, management, customer records, past information Module Handbook C. Ugoji Sept, 2013 Page 2 Unit Handbook Unit 4: The Customer Service Primary research: primary research eg sampling, qualitative, quantitative; interview eg individual, group, survey, observation; contact methods eg mail, telephone, personal Secondary research: internal eg sales records, yield data, financial information, client databases; external eg government publications, trade journals, periodicals, professional associations, national organisations, commercial data Satisfaction levels: planning; strategy; assessment of options using researched information; role of the business and services manager; staffing levels; motivating staff; improvements 4. Be able to provide customer service within business and services contexts to meet required standards  Types of customers: different age groups eg the elderly, children; different cultural backgrounds; special needs eg physically disabled; satisfied; dissatisfied; under influence eg drugs, alcohol, medication Customer needs: customer needs eg products and services, urgent, non-urgent, special requirements, quality of service, value for money, cultural, social; trends eg fashion, ergonomic, equipment, training, products and services, consumer protection legislation Customer service: consultation; advice; personal selling; complaints procedure; reception skills; confidentiality Learning Outcomes: To achieve this unit leaner must: 1. Understand customer service policies within business and services contexts 2. Understand the purpose of promoting a customer-focused culture 3. Be able to investigate customer requirements and expectations 4. Be able to provide customer service within business and services contexts to meet required standards. Teaching strategies used: Following are the different teaching and learning strategies, a description of how they work, where they have been applied, results, and where to find more information from individuals, books, web sites, and other resources. Lecture Notes The most basic way of supporting teaching in this module – a place for students to access lecture notes. The main advantages are reduction in the amount of college Module Handbook C. Ugoji Sept, 2013 Page 3 Unit Handbook Unit 4: The Customer Service photocopying and students can access notes prior to lecture and prepare themselves. Presenting Lectures Displaying these lecture notes with the addition of projectors using power point presentation slides to visualize the information to the students. An increasing variety of ways are utilizing to reach students of all different learning styles, to help the students to understand complicated concepts and remember them better by using master graphic tools both on whiteboard and on computers. Interactive Tutorials A set of questions have been designed for each session in assessing student learning of subject matter using both paper based and computer based assessment techniques. The web and web authoring  Students are directed to use the advanced search engine to navigate the correct and legitimate information for their assignment. Different search engines compile information using different criteria and have access to different databases. Applying technology to develop students higher order skills and creativity to manage student learning activities in a technology-enhanced environment. Group Discussions The students will be give topics and some cases with the use of case study that relates to the topic covered in each session. There will also be a follow up on the discussion using group presentation and class assessment as the case may be. Summary of lecture For every session, there will be overall summary at the end teaching session. Attempting the passing criterion in class The student must attempt one or more learning outcome question covered in each session and the evidence will be documented

Existentialism & Fight Club Essay

?From an existentialism point of view, there is no right or wrong choice, since one gives an action value by the virtue of choosing it. Choices can only be judged on how involved the decision maker is when making it. Judging by this standard, the narrator is justified in killing Tyler, since he fully became involved in choosing to both accept and reject Tyler’s values by that action. â€Å"Existentialism’s first move is to make every man aware of what he is and to make the full responsibility of his existence rest on him. † In my essay, I shall first discuss how shooting Tyler is crucial in allowing the narrator to achieve the first move in embracing existentialism. He acts as the catalyst for the narrator to make the first move in existentialism: being aware of what he is by acknowledging all his primal instincts and assuming responsibility for his existence. Tyler does so through his acts of escalating violence and atrocity to provoke the narrator to confront both who he is and his responsibilities, culminating finally in his own death. I shall also discuss the theme of consumerism as portrayed in the movie, and how the decision of shooting Tyler relates to the narrator’s interpretation of this theme. The narrator had been hesitant to assume full responsibility for his existence at the start of the movie. He dislikes his present circumstances- he is jaded with his current job and lacks a clear purpose, as illustrated by the quote †A single serving package, a single serving†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Once he consumes the single serving, he is done. He makes a fleeting impression in someone else’s life before he fades from their memory. He feels his existence is meaningless because he has no connections with anyone. He is not content with the present state he is in, but makes no active effort to consciously define his own existence. He shows bad faith in this respect, because he deceives himself into believing that he lacks complete freedom of involvement in making this decision. He is a coward by Sartre’s definition: â€Å"Those who hide their complete freedom from themselves out of a spirit of seriousness or by means of deterministic excuses. † He possesses the desire to redefine his existence by rebelling against the values in society, but this conflicts with his conscious mind (the ego), which restraints him from doing anything socially unacceptable. His conscious mind hides these unacceptable desires in the subconscious mind, coming up with excuses that prevent the narrator from fulfilling these desires. Eventually, the repressed energy from these unconscious desires resulted in the fracturing of the ego itself- into two conscious minds, hence resulting in the manifestation of Tyler. Tyler represents everything that the narrator subconsciously wishes to be. He is the personification of the ID itself, representing the narrator’s repressed death instincts (our innate instinct for survival), aggression instincts (instincts for violence), and the libido. Before he meets Tyler, the narrator is defines his existence though furniture he purchases and assembles from IKEA. He attempts to make himself into a being-in-itself, believing his perfect state of existence can be reached by purchasing that last piece of furniture he needs. When the narrator’s house was bombed, annihilating the means by which he defines his existence, the narrator felt as though his existence itself was erased. â€Å"Every stick of furniture in there was my life. † Tyler teaches him not to rely on material goods but to define his existence by his actions. The fight club thus became the new means through which the narrator could define himself through acts of fighting. The narrator learns to revel in violence and physical pain as a means of defining his existence and to transcend the physical limits of the body. He achieves the first step of self-awareness by satisfying his primal instincts for aggression. His first epiphany occurs when he realizes Tyler is himself. In a sense, he realized that he (as Tyler) is free and capable of inventing and creating himself as whom he chooses to be. This is an important step because he now wants to assume responsibility for his existence. His second epiphany occurs when he shoots Tyler, and thus himself. On the first level, the narrator acknowledges his death instincts by confronting his fear of pain and death. He accepts Tyler’s ideas of experiencing death so as to be fully conscious of his physical existence. When he shoots Tyler, he does so with the awareness that he is shooting himself. This is the final step he needs to take in order to be fully aware of what he is. On the second level, by rejecting Tyler’s nihilistic ideas of destroying institutions and value systems, he chooses what values to stand for and thus creates his own purpose for himself. â€Å"In choosing his ethics, Man makes himself. † He also translates the belief in these values into the actual action of shooting Tyler, thus defining his existence through actual action. On the third level, by shooting Tyler, he assumes responsibility for all of Man, not just himself. He assumes responsibility for Man because he invents what Man should be: one who does not act in an uncaring and destructive manner towards others. On the fourth level, shooting Tyler allows the narrator to be defined in a way he wishes to be defined in the eyes of the â€Å"other†. Shooting Tyler is crucial towards removing the existence of Project Mayhem. He does not want Marla to find out about Project Mayhem because he will then lose his connections with her. It is important to the narrator to have a close relationship with Marla. Firstly, she is the only surviving real human being he has a close relationship with in the movie. Secondly, Marla, playing the role of the â€Å"other†, allows him to seek out knowledge about his existence and she is the condition for his existence. By shooting Tyler, he prevents the loss of this â€Å"other† that is crucial for his existence. Important themes discussed in the movie include consumerism. To be specific, it shows how the modern consumerist society affects Man’s determination of his existence. In Sartre’s words, how a change in the â€Å"a priori limits which outline man’s fundamental situation in the universe† affects Man’s determination of his existence with respect to these limits. According to Sartre, all configurations â€Å"either appear as attempts to pass beyond them or recede from them or deny them or adapt to them†. Consumerism imposes limits on Man to work and to consume, because only if Man works can he consume, and he can consume only if he works. He is emasculated because he is unable to fulfill his natural role as a hunter-gatherer as dictated to him by biology. Man is limited or restricted in the sense he is unable to fulfill his primitive instincts. As seen in the movie, Tyler tries to pass beyond these limits by destroying symbols of consumerism, such as credit card companies, so as to â€Å"return to Ground Zero†. Since many people define their existence by numbers in their bank accounts, destroying the bank records will erase their previous existence and allow them to create their existence anew, much like how the narrator’s apartment was bombed so that he could create his new existence through Fight Club. Tyler’s ultimate goal seems to be changing the limits by which people define their existence by. He envisions the destruction of modern civilization, and a regression back to a more primitive hunter gatherer state. â€Å"In the world I see you are stalking elk through the same canyon forests around the ruins of Rock feller Centre†. In the world he envisions, the new limits by which people will define themselves with respect to are undoubtedly physical strength and prowess. On the other hand, the narrator, like so many of us today, adapts to these limits by embracing consumerism as indoctrinated into him by society through advertisements. He avidly purchases IKEA furniture and defines his existence by these material goods. In Tyler’s words, he works jobs he hates so he can buy shit he doesn’t need. He assumes that his furniture uniquely defines him as a person, from the â€Å"glass bowls with imperfections made by the simple and honest people of wherever† to â€Å"his yin-yang coffee table†, while missing the irony that IKEA is a chain-store that mass produces furniture. He is no other different from many other consumers of IKEA who believe that their furniture is unique on virtue of it being selected by them. At the end of the movie, the narrator realizes he needs to strike a balance between the two opposing configurations, one that is in the pre-consciousness state, afraid to confront his freedom, and the other that embraces existentialism and freedom to the point of reckless destruction. Shooting Tyler thus allows him to reunite his opposing configurations and strike a middle balance. Marla is an example of how a person recedes from limits that outline the human condition. She does not know what values to choose to define her existence. As a result, she adopts a nihilistic attitude and attempts to hit rock-bottom by trying to court death. Lastly, another important theme in the movie is that of mental pain. Many characters in the movie experience mental pain because they are unable to reject the â€Å"being in itself† others force upon them. Thus, they cannot achieve a true state of â€Å"being for itself† This is because we â€Å"perceive others as a condition of our own existence†, as how Sartre puts it. According to Sartre, once we realize we exist, we realize the existence of others who are free to define us according to how they view us. We are objectified in the eyes of others because others view us as a â€Å"being in itself†. We lose our freedom through their perception of us. Only we looking back and viewing others as objects can we regain our freedom. Bob is viewed as a man who has lost his masculinity. He accepts this â€Å"being in itself†, believing that he is condemned to this fixed and unchanging physical body. Thus, he suffers mental pain because he does not reject the attempts of â€Å"being in itself† others force upon him by realizing his freedom to create his own existence. The narrator similarly suffers from accepting the â€Å"being in itself† society forces upon him- as a member of society whose purpose is to work, to consume and to obey his superiors. His ideal self-image is that of a strong and ruthless primal human being. However, he dares not embrace his freedom to reject this â€Å"being for itself† and work towards the transcendent goal of his ideal self-image. Thus, his mental pain caused Tyler to manifest, who violently abuses the narrator to symbolize the mental pain the narrator is experiencing. Tyler tries to push the narrator to be fully aware of his unconscious desires, and to assume responsibility for his freedom. Only when he confronts this mental pain (Tyler’s physical abuse) can he reject â€Å"being for itself† and achieve true â€Å"being-for-itself†, the state where he is constantly and freely choosing his future. His decision to shoot Tyler was justified-because he is freely choosing to reject Tyler’s destructive ideas, and to transcend his initial transcendent goal of becoming Tyler. In conclusion, the movie has strong themes of existentialism running through it. The act of shooting Tyler was justified because it signifies the first step of existentialism for the narrator- he becomes fully aware of what he is, and assumes full responsibility of his existence. It also shows how human beings may choose to define themselves with respect to the limits of the world they exist in. Lastly, shooting Tyler allows the narrator to confront his mental pain and reach the true state of â€Å"being for itself†.