Organizational Culture Essay

Organizational Culture has been described as the shared values, principles, traditions, and ways of doing things that influence the way organizational members act. In most organizations, these shared values and practices have evolved over time and determine, toa a large extent, how things are done in the organization. This definition continues to explain organizational values, described as â€Å"beliefs and ideas about what kinds of goals members of an organization should pursue and ideas about the appropriate kinds or standards of behavior organizational members should use to achieve these goals. From organizational values develop organizational norms, guidelines, or expectations that prescribe appropriate kinds of behavior by employees in particular situations and control the behavior of organizational members towards one another. † The definition of culture implies three things. The culture is ‘perspective’, ‘descriptive’ and finally ‘shared’ within the organization. Research suggests that there are seven dimensions that describe and organization’s culture. Each of the seven dimensions (shown in exhibit 1) ranges from low to high, meaning it is not very typical of the culture (low) or is very typical of the culture (high). The seven dimensions of culture are: Attention to Detail. Outcome Orientation. People Orientation. Team Orientation. Aggressiveness. Stability. Innovation and Risk Taking. The culture of an organization can either be Strong or Weak. It is the culture, that sometimes influence the employees’ behaviors and actions. Strong Culture is said to exist where staff respond to stimulus because of their alignment to organizational values. In such environments, strong cultures help firms operate like well oiled machines, cruising along with outstanding execution and perhaps minor tweaking of existing procedures here and there. Research shows that strong cultures are those in which the key values are deeply held and widely shared and have a greater influence on employees than do weaker cultures. A â€Å"Strong† culture may be especially beneficial to firms operating in the service sector since members of these organizations are responsible for delivering the service and for evaluations important constituents make about firms. Research indicates that organizations may derive the following benefits from developing strong and productive cultures: †¢Better aligning the company towards achieving its vision, mission, and goals †¢High employee motivation and loyalty †¢Increased team cohesiveness among the company’s various departments and divisions. †¢Promoting consistency and encouraging coordination and control within the company †¢Shaping employee behavior at work, enabling the organization to be more efficient. However, in a strong culture, people do things because they believe it is the right thing to do, this often creates a state where people, even if they have different ideas, do not challenge organizational thinking, therefore, resulting in a reduced capacity for innovative thoughts. Most organizations have moderate to strong cultures; that is, there is relatively high agreement on what’s important, what defines â€Å"good† employee behavior, what it takes to get ahead, and so forth. However, it is also important to view what a weaker culture in an organization may yield at: An organization’s culture is often established by its top managers and it starts at the selection process. For instance, during the employee selection process, managers typically judge job candidates not only on the job requirements but also on how well they might fit into the organization. Further to that, the risk-taking appetite and irreverence to its competitors by the top managers paves the growth and action of an organization.

Current Market Research Report on Synthetic & Bio-Based Lubricants Market Essay

This study estimates and forecasts the demand for synthetic (mineral oils and chemical oils) and bio-based lubricants in the global market. Synthetic lubricants market has been segmented on the basis of various products including industrial, consumer automotive and commercial automotive lubricants. This segmentation has also been analyzed on a regional level, providing data for North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. Bio-based lubricants market has been segmented on the basis of applications such as hydraulic oil, chainsaw oil, turbine oil, metal working oil and so on. Biolubricant demand has also been segmented on the basis of end-use industries such as commercial and consumer automotives. The study analyzes the entire lubricant industry from the demand perspective and market data for all segmentations is provided both in terms of volumes and revenues with forecast for the period from 2013 to 2018. Various synthetic lubricant products analyzed in this study include process oils, general industrial oils, hydraulic & transmission fluid, passenger vehicle engine & motor oil, metal working fluids, heavy-duty engine oil, gear oil and grease. Bio-based lubricants have also been analyzed from raw material perspective, with estimates for vegetable oil-based and animal oil based lubes. The bio-based lubricant market by applications can be mainly divided into automotive, hydraulic, process, demolding, chainsaw, compressor, turbine, industrial gear, metal working oils and lubricating greases. The economies covered in this report are North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Rest of the World (ROW). This report also includes Porters five forces model and the market share of major companies in 2011. A market attractiveness profile has also been provided for bio-based lubricants which would assist in product development and specifications. Some of the key players that deal in synthetic and bio-based lubricants include Royal Dutch Shell, Exxon Mobil, British Petroleum, Chevron, Castrol, Fuchs and Total. The top 20 market participants have been profiled in this study, including data such as recent developments, financial performance, and product lines and so on.

Jackass: Comedy and People

Imagine you are up late one night watching television, and you come across the MTV channel and you start to watch a show where a man is slamming himself to a wall, and then you see another clip where a man is dancing around naked in the street, then you must be watching Jackass. Jackass is a show where people perform dangerous, hilarious, disgusting stunts and pranks, but simply the show is made to make people laugh. The show is really simply comedic, but since the show includes many dangerous stunts and activities, the show receives negative criticism for being the blame for certain accidents where teenagers tried to imitate the show. Even though the show has received a lot negative criticism, the show was still able to maintain its popularity because we have a dark sense of humor, we seek some sort of thrill, and it makes us feel superior to people on the show. Most of us have shown to have a dark sense of humor and we enjoy watching television shows like Jackass. The stunts and pranks performed on the show are cruel and most of the time people performing the stunts end up getting hurt, but we still laugh. Even looking at history, we can see that people have always has a dark sense of humor, like in Roman Empire era when people would fight to the death for other people’s entertainment. Then, we moved from trying to kill each other for entertainment to have animals fight for our entertainment, and now we have television and movies to help feed our craving for dark humor. In Stephen King’s essay, â€Å"Why We Crave Horror Movies†, Stephen explains that a horror movie â€Å"†¦deliberately appeals to all that is worst in us. It is morbidly unchained, our most base instincts set free, our nastiest fantasies realized†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Page 2). Just like a horror movie, shows like Jackass appeals to the worst in us and helps us to take control our dark sense of humor. Jackass is probably still one of the most disgusting and daring show on air and we find it thrilling to watch because for that reason. The shows intensity and excess makes us either want to look away or watch even more. On the show, they go as far as artificially inseminating a cow, swallowing a live fish and throwing it up later, flipping over a port-a-potty while someone is inside, diving into a pool full of elephant feces, and even more ridiculous stunts. The stunts on the show aren’t something that people do on a daily basis and people find it thrilling to watch others try something that hasn’t been done. Some of us would probably want to know what it is like to do some of the stunts seen on the show, but we are too afraid to try. The show help us to see what would have happened if we were to try a stunt seen on the show. The pranks done in the show are truly cruel and unnecessary and in some way makes us happy it isn’t us and makes us feel superior to the people on the show. On the show, someone walks around with an electric razor and randomly cuts out patches on people’s hair, also people on the show go off-roading in golf carts. Even though the show has a warning not to try anything seen on the show at home, most of us know better than to go ice skating naked and makes people laugh to know that there is someone out there stupid enough to try it. Just the watching the people on show, it makes us feel that we are better than them; somewhat feeds to our ego to know that there are others who less incompetent than us.

Corporate Social Responsibilities Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Corporate Social Responsibilities - Essay Example Through a commitment to CSR, organisations play a role in solving economic, social and environmental problems. On the other hand, the internal forces that can contribute to CRS include pressure from shareholders and employees (Alessia et al. 2009). While, external forces contributing to CRS in organisations include consumer demand, government policies, technological advancement and social activism. In the contemporary business environment, the reputation or image of firms depends on the disclosure of their activities to the public. In this regard, CSR reports made available to the public allows internal and external stakeholders to examine the contribution of firms towards CSR activities. The growing consumer awareness has also increased pressure on corporations to publish annual CSR reports (Obserseder et al., 2014). These reports mainly focus on how firms are dealing with societal concerns regarding environmental pollution, climate change and resource depletion. Conversely, while t here is debate concerning the importance of corporate self-reporting, the emergence of international guidelines and standards suggests that consumers are increasingly basing their purchase decisions on such information (Alessia et al. 2009). This paper examines corporate social responsibilities report of three companies that include BMW, Adidas and Shell. In the modern business environment, CSR reports are important because they help to enhance the image of firms in the public domain. Through these reports, firms are in a position to highlight on their business activities. Since the consumers are becoming aware regarding sustainable development, it is in the interest of companies to disclose their CSR activities. Such activities may include, for instance, community initiatives, safety at the workplace, stakeholder engagement, corporate governance and

The effects of mergers and acquisitions on small business lending Essay

The effects of mergers and acquisitions on small business lending - Essay Example Besides the expected advantages arising from consolidations taking place in small businesses, mergers and acquisitions play an important role in increasing the size of banking institutions in a country. These benefits include; mobilizing of domestic savings, which are necessary for investments, deepening and increasing intermediation processes, as well as reduction of inefficiencies entrenched in businesses and other economic activities. However, there is one thing that has remained unclear in many economies, that is; the impact that mergers and acquisition have on credit creation to small and medium-sized businesses in a country. Studies indicate that large and complex organisations that are created by mergers and acquisitions in the banking sector are less disposed compared to small institutions that are less complex. The research further reveals that most of these borrowers in small businesses are dependent on banks for credit; however, they hardly get it following the new business developments in the banking sector. The reason for this development follows the fact that the large financial institutions resulting from mergers and acquisition in the banking are usually not interested in extending loans and other credit facilities that requite close knowledge of particular small business (Haq 2005). This comes about because there are several diseconomies that arise from the process of such loans, as well as other financial products to not only small business, but also to medium-sized enterprises. The diseconomies that large financial institutions face in advancing credit to small businesses often arises from several factors, first, lending to these businesses is distinctly different in terms of their activities, which requires the mergers and acquisitions to have different technologies and a special lending culture that takes care of these concerns (Haq

The Impact of the Ottoman Empire on Europe's and Turkey's Essay

The Impact of the Ottoman Empire on Europe's and Turkey's architecture, gouvernment and life - Essay Example The major areas where the Ottoman caused impacts in Europe and Turkey include architecture, government, and general life of the citizens. This research paper focuses on how the Ottoman Empire changed and influenced the architecture, politics and social life in Europe and Turkey. The Ottoman Empire constituted one of the three empires that were most outstanding in the world. The other two empires of the world along with the Ottoman Empire were the Roman Empire and the British Empire1. The Ottoman Empire acquired several benefits from the already established states of Turkey. The states had already underwent a lot of establishment, thus, the Ottoman Empire used some of their resources for internal growth and development. One unique feature about the empire was that it was always attracted to ways of life of the West. Additionally, the Ottoman Empire did not have any prejudgements about anyone and bore with all forms of religious and ethnic groups within its operation regions. The founding, rising and advancement of the Ottoman Empire underwent actualisation using a well-designed plan and program. The plan for actualisation was founded on the principles of both spiritual and worldly realities in the state philosophy. The success and influence of the Ottoman Em pire was possible due to sharing the central and local leadership responsibilities with all ethnic and religious colleagues. The history of Ottoman Empire has its tracings back to a Turkish tribal chieftain known as Othman (Osman). The Seljuk Empire in Anatolia collapsed in the late thirteenth century, which led to it being divided into many states. Sogut was one of the states and its founder was Ertugrul. Osman was his son and it is after his death he took over and built the Ottoman Empire. The empire was grounded on the Islam religion. It was during the fourteenth century that he founded this empire originally known as Osmanli, but later through an evolution in

CCTV Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

CCTV - Essay Example For example, CCTV surveillance cameras have been installed in areas such as car parks in order to reduce rate of crime. CCTV was developed through a relationship between photographic image and crime control, which is deeply rooted since the birth of photography. In fact, the initial photographic technique considered commercially viable was into Paris, and it was patented in 1839. Furthermore, by 1840 this photographic technique has gained the potentiality, through which criminal classes could be identified and documented. Therefore, CCTV has been very effective in the process of targeting vehicle crime in various car park schemes. On the other hand, there are other different fictions that taken by use of CCTV to reduce crime (Welsh and Farrington, 2). Moreover, ideas presented in this research are aimed at supporting use of CCTV in order to improve the level of security in private and public settings. Apparently, ideas presented in this paper support future use of CCTV schemes, throu gh application of high-quality evaluation design based on a long follow-up duration (Welsh and Farrington, 2). ... Furthermore, use of CCTV for crime prevention increases probability of detection, thereby promoting usage of various facilities by public without fear (Rose, 127). On the other hand, CCTV encourages people to take security precautions due to increased potentiality of becoming victims. In addition, CCTV offers a way of encouraging direct intervention of law enforcement officers and the security personnel in the process of preventing crime. There is also a possibility that CCTV can increase signal enhancement in various regions, which can result to increase of community pride, cohesion among members of community, thereby informing the social control (Rose, 127). Actually, CCTV has led to increased expansion of surveillance the resent years, and this is aimed at responding to the increasing anxieties regarding crime and the treat to security and safety. In this case, this has led to deployment of a significant number of surveillance cameras in different public areas such as transport in frastructures (i.e. airports, subways), shopping malls, sport arenas, and residential streets. Besides, this has been serving as a tool of reducing crime and risk management. Traditional visual surveillance system depends on human operators, who monitor activities in order to determine actions that should be undertaken in dealing with a situation where an incident has occurred (Shaogang, Loy, and Xiang, 2). In this case, CCTV can be used in the process of tracking targets that are suspicious using different cameras and informing necessary agencies to areas of concern. On the other hand, there are cases which may be miss-detected using manual systems, and these results from inherent limitations associated with deployment of sole human operators

Argumentative Problem - Solution Paper Research

Argumentative Problem - Solution - Research Paper Example Key words: Deforestation, climate change, greenhouse effects and gases, and global warming Introduction The last 100 years have experienced an increase in global temperature by approximately 1 Fahrenheit per year, this rate is twice that observed in the last thousand years. The average energy linked carbon dioxide release according to the Pew Center on Climate Change, have risen by over 130 percent since 1850; from two hundred million to 27 billion tons per year. This is projected to rise by a further 60 percent by 2030 (Afzal, p. 1). The Arctic and Antarctic ice caps are shrinking, the ice on mountain tops is melting, and the permafrost at the arctic is thawing. Scientific uncertainty exists concerning the severity and speed of global warming and climate modifications. Global warming is occurring for sure, and the health impact of this phenomenon will certainly necessitate informed responses by healthcare professions (Gray, p. 6-10). Overview of Climate Change and Global Warming Gre enhouse effects influence global warming. Greenhouse effects describe the rise in earth’s temperature due to the presence of such gases as methane, and carbon dioxide in the earth’s atmosphere. ... Human activity increases greenhouse gases production increasing their effects on earth. Greenhouse gases increase leads to lowered irradiation of infrared rays back to space. As a result, earth’s average temperatures rise, contributing to climate change (Afzal, p. 1). Hypothesis Climate change is a phenomenon that the world is currently experiencing. This is attested by climate changes worldwide. There has also been an increase of health complications related to climate change such as lung complications, skin and heart complications. This paper gives a brief overview of global warming and its effects on public health. Methods Statistical methods were used to analyze the problem. Earth’s temperature data collected from satellites in outer space, balloons and remote sites were compared to proxy temperature. Data from areas hard hit by climate change and global warming was used to study the health effects of the phenomenon on humans (Reiter, p. 5-14). Results Mounting evid ence suggests that global warming affects human health through events such as changes in water and air quality, extreme weather events as well as infectious disease ecology changes. Europe in 2003 experienced the hottest summer in years with average temperatures exceeding the normal temperature by 3.5 degrees Celsius. Close to 22,000 people died due to this heat wave. Chicago residents in 1995 experienced heat waves reaching 106o F, which resulted to the death of hundreds. In 2005, United States experienced the impact of an extreme weather event; Hurricane Katrina, which resulted to the death of 1,464 people. These events demonstrate the challenge of coming up with an effective and efficient public health response (Afzal, p. 1). During most of the flooding

Globalization and the Society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Globalization and the Society - Essay Example (Pros and Cons of Globalization, 2012) Most of the time globalization is used to refer to a particular specific aspect- economic integration throughout the world. This essay will examine the term of globalization, how it has been achieved, what benefits and drawbacks it brings to peoples’ daily life. Based on these facts and arguments, this essay will finally consider from different points of view whether globalization is good for society or not. Globalization began along with the time of the industrial age. Industries produced goods in a mass quantity without any specific market orientation; therefore they started to sell products across the board. Export became more efficient for business, so they wanted to replace production to a place with more affordable labor and cheaper production cost. Thus, replacing production location allows businesses to produce more at a cheaper price in a market where demand is higher. Free Trade Agreement allows free moving to industries among d ifferent countries; therefore it brings welfare to all countries for several reasons. First of all, globalization provides an opportunity for finance. Before globalization, businesses were limited only to domestic sources of finance from investors. But today, countries become closer therefore limitations on finance sources fall. In a global economy, entrepreneurs have an opportunity to gain investment form any country. For example, a company based in Mexico, can easily get investments from the US, Canada, Europe or Asia. This practice is becoming more common globally. This opportunity is available not only for developed countries, but also for developing countries. For example, African countries can gain funds form countless international sources like Kiva International, an organization that provides funding to poorest, allowing them to turn ideas into businesses (Faiola, 2009). Economic integration with foreign countries makes economic growth more constant and faster than those cou ntries that try to dissociate itself from all. China is a great illustration of international integration. To become a globally active nation, China has broken traditional principles of being individual and ignoring other countries. As a result, it could not be unnoticed that China is the fastest growing nation in the world nowadays. According to statistics, an open economy has a rate of growth of 2.5% higher than in a closed economy due to the process of globalization (Dreher, 2006). An open economy in this case has been achievable due to the globalization process that has taken place around the world allowing for different countries to financially interact with one another for mutual benefit. Business across the borders has proven to be a sustainable practice that allows the countries that practice to access markets that would have previously been inaccessible due to their location (Vujakovic, 2010). The open market has served to increase the financial wealth of a country as it ha s provided more opportunities to conduct business besides the local industries that are available. Globalization has enhanced the relationships that exist between countries thanks to their interaction with one another that has allowed them to get along and in the process reducing the prospect of war between countries (Scholte, 2005). Globalization has enhanced the bonds that exist between countries as they work together to enhance their financial and political strength meaning that there is little opportunity for them to come up with reasons for disagreements as they are in the process of working together for the common good of both of their nations. Improved relationships

The Knowledge Worker and the Learning Organization Assignment

The Knowledge Worker and the Learning Organization - Assignment Example To examine the impact of Drucker’s work on the linkage between the learning organization and productivity, I use the references from a journal article by Burton Gummer as well as the textbook by Drucker to emphasize the key connections between Drucker’s work and productivity. To quote from the article, â€Å"Drucker points to six factors that determine knowledge-worker productivity: Knowledge workers must, on their own, identify the task that they are to accomplish; knowledge workers have to have autonomy; continuing innovation has to be part of knowledge work; knowledge work requires continuous learning and continuous teaching on the part of the knowledge worker; knowledge worker productivity is primarily a matter of quality of output, not quantity; and finally, the knowledge worker must be seen by management as an asset rather than a cost. The crucial question in knowledge-worker productivity is: What is the task? In manual work, the key question is always: How shoul d the work be done? In manual work, the task is always given. In knowledge work, the task does not program the worker.† (Gummer, 2000, p.11) As the above excerpt makes it clear, Drucker used sophisticated reasoning to conclude that learning organizations do indeed contribute to higher productivity as well as the role of knowledge workers is indeed paramount in propagating the way in which the mutually reinforcing loops of organizational processes and the knowledge workers contribution feed on each other.

System engineering Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

System engineering - Coursework Example Construction took fewer years than the normal four years and thus, if the construction were done in the normal time it should better results would be obtained. Following the construction procedures is a key to having the desired outcomes and therefore, the system engineers should have followed the right construction procedures especially when they were constructing the engine. The costs of constructing the ship would have reduced if there was following of the correct procedures. The system engineers are limited by the orders that they receive from the navy officers. The instructions are clear that the ship is required within a short span of time (Taubman, 2008). The executives fear that if the construction slows down it will disadvantage them from winning the contract and therefore the system engineers must hurry up. The system engineers do not have an option but to follow the instructions of hurrying the construction

Blood Donation Srs Essay Example for Free

Blood Donation Srs Essay The system will consist of CIS Alumni Home page with five selections. The first selection is to fill out a survey. The questions on the survey will be created by a designated faculty member. The survey will ask the Alum questions concerning their degree, job experience, how well their education prepared them for their job, and what can the CIS department do to improve itself. This information will be retained on the departmental server and an e-mail will be sent to the designated faculty member. The second selection is to the Entries section. There are two choices on this page. One choice is to add a new entry. A form is presented to the Alum to be filled in. Certain fields in the form will be required, and list boxes will be used where appropriate. A password typed twice will be required of all new entries. The second selection of the Entries page is to update an Alum entry. A form will be presented allowing the Alum to enter their year of graduation and then to select themselves from a list. A password will be required before the information will be presented to the Alum to be updated. The third selection is to search or e-mail an Alum. A form will be presented requiring the requested Alum’s year of graduation. The requesting Alum will search a table to see if the requested Alum is in the database, and if so non-sensitive information will be returned. At this time the Alum can select to e-mail the Alumnus or search for another Alumnus. If the Alum chooses to e-mail the Alumnus a form will be presented for the message to be entered with the sending Alum’s name and e-mail. The message, with all necessary information will be forwarded to the requested Alum. The e-mail address of the requested Alum will not be seen by the sending Alum as a privacy measure. All pages will return the Alum to the CIS Alumni Home Page. 2. 3. 1. Use Case: Access Alumni Home Page [pic] Figure 2 Access Alumni Home Page Brief Description The Departmental Web Server is waiting on an Alum to connect. Initial step-by-step description For this use case to be initiated, the alum must be connected to the Internet and connected to the University Web Server. 1. The Alum connects to the University Web Server. 2. The Alum selects the Alum link on the CIS home page. 3. The University Web Server passes the Alum to the Alumni Home Page. Reference SRS Use Case: Alum Chooses Survey [pic] Figure 3 Alum Selects Survey Brief Description: The Alum chooses to fill out a survey. Initial step-by-step description: For this use case to be initiated the Alum must be connected to the Internet and on the CIS Alumni Home Page. 1. The Alum selects the â€Å"Fill out a survey† link. 2. The Departmental Server returns the survey form. 3. The Alum fills in the form. 4. The Alum clicks submit. 5. The Departmental Server retains information in the database designated faculty member will be notified. 6. The Departmental Server returns the Alum to the Alumni Home Page. Reference SRS   Use Case: Create New Entry [pic] Figure 4 Alum Selects Create a New Entry Brief Description: The Alum chooses to create a new entry on the Entries page. Initial step-by-step description. For this use case to be initiated the Alum must be connected to the Internet and on the CIS Entries page. 1. The Alum selects the â€Å"Add a New Alum† link. 2. The Departmental Server returns the â€Å"Add a New Alum Form. † 3. The Alum fills in the form. 4.

True Romance Sicilian Scene Analysis

True Romance Sicilian Scene Analysis Barthes saw the importance of keeping vital information hidden from the viewer in order to keep them excited and interested in the narrative. After watching a mystery unfold, we are often left kicking ourselves when we realise the important clues that we missed out that would have given the answer away much earlier on in the narrative. Whether it was something that was said or suggested by an actor, or something left lying around in the scene. It is Barthes who tries to define these different hints and clues to assist us in further understanding the depths of a narrative scene. By helping us realise that we can understand whats going on from many indicators and not just what is being said out loud we are lead to heightened observations. He did this by defining five codes; the first two are the Hermeneutic, sometimes described as the enigma code, and the proairetic code. These two are often categorised together as they both focus on what can be found within the text. The three other c odes are the semantic, symbolic and cultural codes; I will describe each of these further throughout the essay. The Hermeneutic/enigma code looks at the ways in which suspense and mystery are added to create uncertainty and foster curiosity(Ribià ¨re,Mireille. 2002, pg. 46.) so that the interpreter is given hints and then proceeds to question subtly placed items or text that will later be answered in the text. These clues are known by terms such as snares as they catch the viewers attention and keep them engaged they dont allow the viewer to know the truth but they keep them guessing. Equivocations, like snares, are clues that keep the viewer involved, however, they give the viewer a slight insight into the truth while still concealing the whole truth. In the scene I am discussing an example of a snare is the blood that we see all over Cliffs hands. It leads us to contemplate why is he covered in blood?. Initially, we cant work out why but on closer inspection we also notice the men standing around him are all dressed in dark clothes and standing over him in an intimidating manner. When we co mbine these ideas we can assume that these men are the cause of the blood and he didnt just hurt himself, this in turn leads us to believe that Cliff is being forcefully interrogated. Not only the lighting and the smoky atmosphere of the set show key insights into the scene but also the location of the set. For this I think it is important to apply Barthes semantic and symbolic codes to the scene. I believe that Barthes symbolic code means to look at the visual side of the scene and try and work out the deeper connotations attached, this is code is also very similar to his Semantic code and Barthes never actually specified the difference [1] between them. However, the word Semantic according to the OED means relating to meaning in language or logic so I will look for the semantic signifiers from the spoken word. I believe that the fact that they are in a small, dark, confined space with no other people around and without any background sounds, in a Symbolic way suggests to the audience that no one else knows that Cliff is confined there and that if the mafia choose to kill him then his body will not be discovered for a considerable amount of time. The smokiness in the room also suggests to the audience that perhaps there is a dark atmosphere. and leads the audience to believe that this scene wont end well. I think a very critical part of this scene is where we see the role reversal between Coccotti and Worley, this happens as Worley accepts the fact that he will die in order to protect his son. There is both a proairetic code and a semantic code shown here. The proairetic code as mentioned the introduction, refers to an action in the text that leads the audience to second guess what will happen next. This is shown by Worley asking for the cigarette he initially refused (1.00). This is significant for the symbolic code also as i believe it holds connotations related to a last request of a condemned man, men were often given cigarettes before facing a firing squad [2] and i believe that this is also an important semantic code as i think that the smoking of the cigarette is the point where Tarantino and Scott want the audience to believe that Worley will not survive, when looking at this with the semantic code i believe that the fact that he asks for one of those Chesterfields now is very telling as it indicates that when he was offered one earlier he believed that he would survive. Another reference to the Symbolic code is that at the very instance that Worley asks for the cigarette The Flower Duet from the opera Lakme starts playing as background music [3]. This I believe is Tarantino making a reference to the vast use of classical music in famous gangster/mob films like The Godfather, Once upon a time in America and many others [4]. It is used for many reasons, one is to set an interesting juxtaposition to the violence that is going on and another is to set a tone in the scene and to represent the high status and views that mobsters hold of themselves, this has much to do with the typical stereotype of gangsters. I consider it also important to now mention how stereotyping is used in this scene and how using these character assumptions also helps us in understanding the narrative. Lippmann explained the use of stereotypes in three ways[1], one was as an ordering process, a way to give a description to a mass of people without having to go into the specific detail or giving a general name to a large group of similar people. The second idea is that stereotypes are used as a short cut to describe someones characteristics and or appearance[1], in a way it means cutting down their personalities and type casting them, Lippmann explains The real environment is altogether too big, too complex, and too fleeting for direct acquaintance. We are not equipped to deal with so much subtlety, so much variety, so many permutations and combinations. And although we have to act in that environment, we have to reconstruct it on a simpler model before we can manage with it. To traverse the world men must have map s of the world. (Lippman Walter: 2007 pg. 16) Lippmanns final way of explaining using stereotypes is as a reference [1], for example, it is easier to build a character in a media text or script that is already based around a certain type-cast that the audience is familiar with, it helps them to relate to the character. I believe Tarantino has used a typical American-Italian mafia stereotype as a reference in this scene as Don Coccotti isnt a major part in the whole film so it is important for the audience to quickly catch on to his purpose in the film Don Coccottis immaculate grooming from the casually unbuttoned cashmere full length over coat with silk scarf, very stereotypical of the attire you see in Mafia related scenes like the Godfather, immediately put him echelons above his surrounding henchmen with hunched shoulders badly cut jackets that obviously conceal weapons, and the blank looks on their faces, that we find towards the end of the scene, accounts for the fact that at least one of the Scilians speaks no English what so ever and is truly fascinated by what Worley has said. The camera angle used gives an added dimension to the vulnerability of the seated Worley, up until the point where Worley slowly and graciously insults Coccotti with a beautifully crafted story about the Moors breeding with Sicilian women. This story, to Barthes would be a part of the text referring to his cultural code as it is a sign that uses a reference from outside of the text to help the audience understand and relate to the narrative. Hopper carries on up to the final insult where Hopper refers to Coccotti as part Eggplant this is an old racist slur that was stereotypically used many by italian americans to offend black people as Peter E. Bondanella the author of Hollywood Italians: Dagos, Palookas, Romeos, Wise Guys, and Sopranos explains Moulan Yan a particular Italian American derogatory term for Blacks deserves some glossing. Alternately spelled a number of ways, the word derived from the standard Italian word for eggplant La melanzana. so this is the final insult for D on Coccotti and is a horrible use of a stereotype, it also sets the Sicilians in the scene in a stereotype of being racist. By that point you know that the proairetic sign of Don Vincenzo giving Worley the kiss of death means that he is about to die. The almost off camera reminder of Hoppers police background is constantly hovering in the form of his division badge and you forget that he really is a policeman due to his ironic soliloquy in the face of obvious death. Don Coccottis nervous laughter at first and short spurts of eye contact with his henchmen are typical and become more manic as Hopper continues the well-crafted insults. The atypical action of him turning his back extracting the henchmans gun and without warning turning and killing Worley brings the scene to a juddering halt. This is firstly revived by the Don saying I havent killed anybody since 1984 and the black comedy of the scilian henchman asking what was said, the clipped response he said Franco what happened? to which the english speaking one replies He said that Scilians are spawned by niggers so Don Vincenzo killed him (5.15). ties the scene off neatly and leaves no loose ends whatsoever. From the previous scenes and the way the film plays out there was never going to be any doubt that hopper would always protect his son and that Don surrounded by his subordinates had to get the information or kill hopper, the play out in my opinion was almost a classic scene of black comedy had it not been for the true feeling and empathy you have towards hoppers character, protecting his son and his own integrity. Its also worth noting that the product placement of the Chesterfields also reinforces the 5th avenue sophisticated appearance of Don. When hopper asked for the chesterfield he mentions the cigarette brand by name in a way that he would savour a product with this image that might well be deemed out of reach or out of place to a street cop he refers to them as one of those Chesterfields and i feel that sentence suggests he is unfamiliar with them. From this essay I have found that Barthes five codes are very interesting for looking at a scene in depth, I discovered things about this scene that I had not realised before and this is thanks to the way his codes pick out the tiniest action in a scene and reveal the bigger connotation it holds. I did however, find it difficult to distinguish the boundaries between one code and another particularly the symbolic and semantic code. I found Lippmanns ideas on stereotype very interesting and I liked thinking about stereotype as I think the use of stereotypes is important to Tarantino, I believe that he likes to adhere to your typical stereotype like the gangsters and the mafia but he also likes to throw in an anomaly to confuse the audience and get them excited by the character, I believe that Cliff Worleys integrity and bravery in the scene shows this. Bibliography: Narration in the Fiction Film David Bordwell Chapter 2 Diegetic Theories of Narration The Pleasure of the text roland barthes S/Z Roland Barthes The media students book Branston and Stafford narrativesI Italian-Americans in Film: From Immigrants to IconsCarlos E. Cortà ©s MELUS, Vol. 14, No. 3/4, Italian-American Literature (Autumn Winter, 1987), pp. 107-126 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ªHollywood Italians: Dagos, Palookas, Romeos, Wise Guys, and Sopranosà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¬ By Peter E. Bondanella Articles The Independent-Angry Italian-Americans demand MTV pull hateful reality show by Guy Adams in Los Angeles Italian-Americans in Film: From Immigrants to IconsCarlos E. Cortà ©s MELUS, Vol. 14, No. 3/4, Italian-American Literature (Autumn Winter, 1987), pp. 107-126 Typecasting: On the Arts and Sciences of Human Inequality Journal of Social History, Winter, 2007 by Janice Kelly Public Opinon by Walter Lippmann 2007 edition http://www.sicilianculture.com/cinema/impressions.htm accessed on January 1st 2010 http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Reputed+Mafia+boss+attend+slain+funeral/2392715/story.html accessed on January 1st 2010 http://www.bestofsicily.com/mafia.htm accessed on January 1st 2010

Analysing The Importance Of The First Impression English Language Essay

Analysing The Importance Of The First Impression English Language Essay Almost always, we judge people by first impression; whether it is right or wrong, it is another question. Somehow, the first impression is the strongest. For many people it is the main in forming opinion about the person. There are two opposing points of view about the first impression. One states that the first impression is true; the other insists that the first impression is misleading and superficial. I think that everyone of us met a man who immediately caused strongly positive or strongly negative feelings. Sometimes we even can not answer why we like or dislike a person. May be the reason is face, figure, manner of speaking, style of clothing? It is difficult to point out one thing, it is rather a set of qualities by which we decide whether we like a person or not. I wont make a mistake if I say that each of us has experience of disappointment in a person who at first seemed to us almost an angel. We believed him, but it turned out that in reality he is not what seemed to us. Perhaps the opposite situation is when we first met a man who has not made a positive impression on us, and then we became good friends. Yes, of course, this also happens. None of us is immune from mistakes. Only the first impression is based on our intuition, but the following are based on mind. The person who used to trust his instincts, intuition unlikely will open his heart to a man whom he did not like from the first sight. And those who used to judge people on specific actions dont pay attention to the first impression. We judge and analyze based on our own ideas and principles. So, everything depends not on the people around, but on us; what we are and what is our environment. The best way is to give the man even if we didnt like him, the second chance. Each following impression will give us a confidence in forming an opinion about a person. Thus, we can avoid mistakes in the perception of people. If to talk about the importance of the first impression, we need to say that there is well known 90/90 rule. Its meaning is that 90% of submission about someone is formed in the first 90 seconds of communication. Creating the first impression is rather complex process, which has a psychological structure, dynamics and feedbacks of all kinds. The psychological nature of the first impressions formation. If you want others to like you, we should talk about what they love, to avoid disputes about the things they are indifferent, rarely asking questions and never give reason to think that youre smarter. The interpersonal evaluation is a psychological essence of the impression formation. It is connected with the formation of the image of another person with whom you will have mutual activity or communication. The main task of evaluation is to identify features, based on which the image of another person will be built. This image helps to predict the behavior and the sequence of actions. A great role in interpersonal estimation is the process of stereotyping. Every person under the influence of many factors, mostly the experience of communication with people, formed the specific standards, stereotypes of other people. The formation of these standards often not realized by a man, but they seriously affect and control the evaluation process. There are three main groups of standards-stereotypes: anthropological, emotional-aesthetic and social. Each of them reflects some features based on which evaluation is made. Anthropological stereotypes associated with the external appearance of a person, his image. Social is connected with his status and kind of activities. Emotional-aesthetic stereotypes are created by own experience, worked out by sense of proportion and beauty. Important role in forming first impressions is played by appearance. Here we see emotional-aesthetic stereotypes in work. They are based on some kind of informational factors, such as: 1. Physical attractiveness. Indeed, it is noticed that what is beautiful, is also good. It means that the effect of beauty can ascribe to the other party, without any factual basis, only positive character traits and moral qualities. While evaluation of attractiveness, a particular attention is gives to a face. The role of posture in the physical attractiveness is also important. We know that good posture associates with confidence, optimism, inner strength and dignity. The bad posture is perceived as a sign of self-doubt, dependence and subordination. 2. Self-presentation. Self-presentation is the ability to concentrate the attention of others to your undoubted strong sides and take away the partners attention from negative features. This mostly depends on the ability to own psycho logistic initiative, of witness, expressiveness and some kind of artistry. 3. Style clothing. The choice of the clothes style usually tells a lot about the owner, about his self-understanding. During evaluating the style of clothes we pay attention to the following features: how much clothing matches the case; how neat clothes are; how much clothes matches our stereotypes. In the perception of clothing style there are a lot of stereotypes. Thus, for the representative of the business world, the conservative style is preferred. This also applies to such details as: watch brands, lighters, ties, etc. For members of the artistic sphere individuality and independence are preferable. 4. Experienced emotional condition. Strong emotions provoked psychological contamination; I mean that situation in which emotions and feelings of one person can influence other people. We shouldnt forget that a good first impression is usually made by people who generate inspiration, optimism and other positive emotions. It is believed that the first impression is often misleading. Very often we think that a person with whom we recently met is bully or poorly educated, but in the future our opinion of him changing for the better. Why does it happen? It happens because some people dont know how to express themselves well at the first meeting, how to make a good impression. Here are some advices how to make a good first impression: 1. Behave natural in all situations. 2. Remember the name of a person you meet with. Make sure you have memorized the name of a presented to you person. If you can not remember his name at the next meeting, this person may get the impression that you were not interested in acquaintance with him. Contact with a person, not knowing his name, will also be difficult, because youll look like a complete idiot. 3. Be punctual. Punctuality is also very important. The delay will create a bad impression about you even before people meet you; this is not a good start of a meeting. Your punctual shows that you are organized and know how to appreciate your own time and someone elses. But do not come too early either. If you go to a business meeting before the appointed time, you will have to wait in the office, and this may bring inconvenience to you, and others. Coming ahead of time is terribly impolite. 4. Do not go into extremes. If youre too tense and stiffness, the first impression of you will not obviously be the best one. Or, on the contrary, if you will be too much looseness or familiar, you can insult his interlocutor with your behavior. 5. Dont be too serious and show that you are too smart and too busy man. 6. Be interested in other people, their businesses and problems. 7. Be decent and tactful. 8. Expresses sincere appreciation. Pay attention to everything that you like in a person, and tell him about it. 9. Smile to your companion and bend a little to him. 10. If you are standing, fully turn to the person with whom you talk. 11. Ask questions; respond to comments, expressing their opinions. 12. Do not interrupt. 13. Speak vigorously. 14. At least in the beginning of the conversation say something positive, and only then proceed to criticism or complaint. 15. Talk about different topics. 16. Express your opinions on current events. 17. Tell about your hobbies and interests. 18. Do not tell about the details of your private life. 19. Do more compliments. If you want to endear a man whose attitude to you is negative, make him a compliment about his abilities, which you do not have. Compliments require special tact. Every compliment should be without double meaning so it couldnt be interpreted as a positive and a negative. Do not make a compliment about those qualities from which a person tries to get rid of. Sincere, devoid of exaggeration compliments are always pleasant. In some cases, unspoken compliment can be close to incivility. 20. Listen to the interlocutor with attention. Watch his non-verbal behavior. 21. Pay attention to your appearance. Give sufficient attention to your clothes, it must be neat, look good, make a good impression and be according to the situation. This means that for a business meeting is better to choose suits, for meetings with parents of your lover is better to choose neat cloths, for interviews at the advertising agency choose creative, bright attire. Regardless of the style of your clothes, one thing remains unchanged it must be clean. 22. Give a little gift. In most cases, a small gift presented at the meeting, will be a nice gesture. It is not recommended at any interview or if you try to get a job, because it can be understood as a bribe. But how about a box of chocolates for your client or a bottle of wine for hostess if the party to which you are invited? 23. Monitor your speech. While communicating with unfamiliar people carefully monitor your speech. Try not to use it in black humor, curses, etc. This is especially true while communication with older people and business partners. Remember that the same joke told during a meeting and outside it, can be interpreted differently. 24. Feel positively. Many people frighten others because they constantly grumble. Even if you were forced to commit terrible journey to get to the meeting, or if you have any problems to health, your new friends shouldnt necessarily know about it in detail. Stay optimistic and people will like you. 25. Try to find something in common between yourself and your interlocutor. Never look for differences. People prefer to communicate with those to whom they feel sympathy, and while communication with which they feel inner harmony. There is such a concept as reflection in psychology. In order relations be smooth, free, open, reliable, people need to try to create an atmosphere of reflection, in which everything that your partner does, hears, seems right to him. It is important to demonstrate to your interlocutor those aspects of your character, which are very close to your companion. Consciously apply to reflection. This can be achieved in three ways: a) Through body language: gestures, posture, gait, facial expression, breath and clothes; b) Through speech: speech tempo, voice, intonation, usage of the same words and expressions; c) Through the senses and feelings. The most vivid example of unconscious reflection can assume the relationship between lovers. They copy each other in everything. They say the same, using the same words, have the same opinion and so forth. 26. Make only positive signs of attention, such as praise, gratitude, grateful glance, and so forth. Positive signs of attention will bring joy to your interlocutor; strengthen his confidence in his strength. A person, who receives too little positive signs of attention, shows discontent towards others. He blames his guards, bosses, government in his bad life, and often becomes depressed. Avoid the negative signs of attention, such as a contemptuous look, shrug, an expression of distrust, ingratitude, ridicule. 27. Gestures and postures of people can make a positive and the opposite impression on the interlocutor. Dont forget to smile and shake hands at the beginning. Many gestures are not fixed consciousness, but fully convey the mood and thoughts of man. The raised shoulders of your companion tell that he is tense, feels the danger coming from you. Raised shoulders and lowered head tell that your partner is closed, constrained. He is either unsure of himself, or afraid of something, or not satisfied with your conversation, or feels humiliated. Omitted shoulders and raised head are a sign that your partner is set to success, he controls the situation. Bowed his head to one side tells that your partner is interested. Here are several basic gestures and postures that explain the inner feelings of people. Gestures of openness help to endear the interlocutor; start a frank conversation and leave the most favorable impression of you. The gestures of openness include gesture open arms when the interlocutor has his hands palms up, and a gesture of undoes jacket. When agreement is reached between the interlocutors, they unwittingly unbutton their jackets. Gestures of suspicion and secrecy tell that the person doesnt feel like to talk. These gestures include rubbing the forehead, temples, and chin, involuntary covering the face with hands. If the person turns his eyes, it is the clearest indication that he is hiding something. Gestures and postures of protection indicate that the person feels a danger that is coming from you. The most common protective gesture is hands crossed on a chest. If your partner has crossed his hands, it is better to finish the conversation. And if he has also clenched his hands into fists, then this indicates that he is in extremely hostile mood. In this case, you have to slow down your speech or better change the subject. Gestures of reflection and evaluation show that the conversation is interesting for both partners. To the thinking gestures we can include itchy nose, pose and pose of thinker, when the other person backs cheek with a hand. Gestures of doubt and uncertainty tell that for interlocutor there is something unclear in the conversation, or that your arguments dont seem to him convincing. Such gestures include rubbing with forefinger of your right hand a place under the ear lobe or the side of the neck, rubbing the nose by forefinger. An offended person often lifts his shoulders and lowers his head. If your companion has just such a pose, then the subject should be changed. By the gestures and postures that express aggression include closely interlaced fingers, especially if the hands are on the knees, clenched fists. Disappointment is expressed by: scratching the neck, undoing the shirt collar and tapping of foot on the floor. A person who wants to end the conversation lowers his eyelids. If your companion wears glasses, he would remove his spectacles and put them aside. When your partner is scratching his ear or sipping earlobe, it means that he is tired of listening and wants to express himself. If your partner is walking around the room, it can be understood as something that he is interested in the conversation, but he needs to think carefully before he decides. If your partner is standing, putting his hands on a table or chair, then he is not sure if you listen to him attentively. A man who is smug and arrogant usually folds his hands together. If your partner is suddenly began to collect lint from clothes, while he turned away from you or he is looking at the floor, this means that he does not agree with you and do not want to express his opinion. The man, who during a conversation is holding his hands on the side edge of a chair or keep his hands on his knees, doesnt want to continue the conversation, you should stop talking if you want to make a good impression. If your partner is smoking, then, by the way he produces a smoke you can determine his attitude to you and your conversation. It the smoke comes up constantly so your partner likes a conversation. But of smoke is directed downward, a partner feels negative, and the faster it produces smoke, the more he dislikes your talk. To determine the condition of someones mood is possible watching his gait. The man who keeps his hands in his pockets or wave them badly, look at his feet is in a depressed mood. Fast gain with waving hands tells about self-confidence. 28. Facial expressions tell a lot about a condition of a person. Tightly pressed lips tell about closure. Omitted corners of the mouth tell about frustration. During the conversation, try to draw visually a triangle on the face of a partner, in which you should look. This will help you get concentrated. 29. In order you to be understood as a bred man, you have to get rid of such qualities as excessive curiosity, temper, touchiness and vanity. Curiosity is present in every person. Healthy curiosity liberalizes and promotes intellectual development. However, if a person takes an interest in other peoples affairs, eavesdropping conversations, looking into in keyholes, so such curiosity is a demonstration of extremely bad manners. It prevents communication between people. Hot temper never helps to attract the interlocutor. The man who does not know how to argue, without passing on the higher tone, destroys relationships. Do not justify temper by natural weakness, hot temper is means a lack of education. Touchiness irritates people around you. Everyone in the presence of a touchy companion feels stressed. Touchy person is always complaining on his miserable life, easily infects others with his bad mood. Vanity is one of the worst evils. Often vain people occupy ruling positions and are endowed with certain authority. They need constant confirmation of their superiority over others. If you find in yourself the signs of this disease, try to get rid of it until t passed into the chronic form. So, to make a good first impression is very important. It will help you in further relationships, business, workà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ It is said that you can spoil the first impression about yourself during the first 4 seconds, but then you will need 4 years in order to change, to fix it. So, better keep all rules that were written above and first impression about you will be always positive.

A Midsummer Night?s Dream :: essays research papers

A Midsummer Night’s Dream   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a comedy that is full of mischief. Instead of having a main plot, it seems to be about random thoughts and emotions (much the same as dreams are). In fact, I have to wonder how much of the whole play is really supposed to be a dream – as Puck even suggests toward the end of the play. There is no real protagonist to latch onto in this play, probably because there are three main groups of characters, but many people will find Puck to be the most interesting character. The whole play is based around Puck's antics, and he seems to be the play's main fool. In addition, it is he who sends everyone on hard (but funny) adventures. Puck is a fool in the true sense of the word during the time of this play - someone that entertains for his master. It was Puck’s job in this play to entertain the fairy king Oberon. I picture Puck as wearing a funny hat and pointed toe shoes. Another fool in this play would be Nick Bottom, but he is a fool in the present-day sense of the word. Bottom is not the type of fool who entertains his master. He is a fool because he allows his own idiocy and ego to stop him from accomplishing his goals, and he is totally unaware of how ridiculous he looks. Nick Bottom always thinks he is the best at everything. Even when Puck gave Bottom the head of a donkey, it didn’t change his inflated opinion of himself. This play begins when the duke of Athens (Theseus) is preparing for his marriage to the queen of the Amazons (Hippolyta). He is planning a four-day celebration for the occasion. As time goes on, there are so many twists and turns in the play that it is sometimes hard to keep things sorted out. In one part of the play, Puck is sent to find a magical flower that is thought to contain a love potion. The juice of this flower can be spread over a sleeping person’s eyelids to make that person fall in love with the first thing he or she sees when waking up. What happens with the love potion is very funny, because Puck manages to have it affect the wrong two people and then nothing turns out as it should.

Grace and The Death Essay -- Literature, James Joyce

The characters of James Joyce’s Dubliners live in a world where they are psychologically stagnant despite the impact of social experiences in their lives. Each character’s development depends on their interactions with others as well as their individual decisions. From childhood to adulthood, the protagonists have encounters with family, friends, or colleagues that result in either negative or positive effects on their growth and awareness of their current state of unhappiness. The addition of relationships, or camaraderie, does not come into full effect until the latter half of the book, where the themes are expressed in darker tones and the writing style become more ambiguous. Joyce lightens the mood of the Dubliners with the portrayal of camaraderie in his final two stories, â€Å"Grace† and â€Å"The Dead† which give a realness and complexity to the problems of Dublin life. In most cases, camaraderie does not adhere well with the characters of the Dubliners because of their innate sense of independence or their distrust of the community. But by distancing themselves from family and friends, they are allowing themselves to suffer alone. Their inability to commit to relationships and to feel genuine compassion for others prevents them from experiencing the full benefit of camaraderie. The contribution of the masculine and family camaraderie renders an ironic, whimsical effect in â€Å"Grace† whereas â€Å"The Dead† ends with a bittersweet consequence for its protagonist. Joyce introduces the motif of the alcoholism throughout the Dubliners, not only as an emphasis on an Irish stereotype but to contribute a cause for an adult Dubliner’s corruption. He satirizes the Irish pub as a sort of assembly hall for this masculine camaraderie, though it ... ...s† that Joyce refers to. The endings of â€Å"Grace† and â€Å"The Dead† resonate intensely with the feelings of the soul by looking past the egotism and prejudice. The indefinite conclusion allows readers to focus on the capability of the protagonist to bring to completion his reformation. Bibliography Book Sources †¢ Joyce, James, Edna O'Brien, and Malachy McCourt. Dubliners. New York: Signet Classics, 2007. Internet Sources †¢ Ames, William. "Interpretation of Grace from Dubliners, by James Joyce." On Grace. The Poet's Forum. Web. 12 Mar. 2012. . †¢ "Penguin.com (usa)." Dubliners. Penguin Group USA. Web. 12 Mar. 2012. . †¢ Williams, Bob. "Dubliners." - by James Joyce. Web. 12 Mar. 2012. .

SWOT Analysis of Tesco

One of the strengths of Tesco is both goods and mall environment have high standard of quality control. The goods provided in Tesco is many, for example Daily necessities. Tesco have market presence in the world each Tesco has sufficient and diversification goods to satisfy the customers. Tesco has an own stockroom to keep the stock. Tesco has a system of positioning to place the goods. Customers can get their goods immediately without ordering. Clean and comfortable environment of Tesco also attracts many customers to buying goods at there. Besides, the customers of Tesco are satisfied that they get value for their money. Tesco guarantees this by Price check survey, Club card scheme and Tesco range products. For the workers inside the Tesco, they are taught ways to serve customers politely and how to fulfill the need of customers successfully. Tesco is good in marketing expertise too. Tesco's format of stores such as extra, home plus, superstores, express and teso. com gives the consumers the convenience and they are highly respected by the consumers. Weaknesses. The weaknesses of Tesco are that it is still largely dependent on UK for its sales. it is doubtful if it will support fair-trade cotton clothing objectives. The business model that Tesco is using is suitable for UK and not for the rest of the world. Even though Tesco sales are growing from low priced items there is fall in sale of non-essential and high priced products. If fair-trade cotton clothing are perceived as non-essential, its sales objectives will not be achieved. Tesco has suffered from bad debt, credit card arrears and household insurance claims. This is financially debilitating. Opportunities Tesco can exercise a high degree of buying power to ensure that it has economies of scale in its fair-trade cotton clothing line. The growth opportunities n Europe and Asia provides excellent opportunities for growth. Most importantly, the growth of online sales shows excellent opportunity for increasing the sales of Tesco. For example, growing online shopping in the UK. In Germany cotton clothing has good opportunity because it has the endorsement of Tesco brand; it has the marketing channels of Tesco, and the backing of an excellent product mix. If fair-trade cotton clothing offers a good product for money it will get a good reception in Germany. Threats There are some competitors exist in market to substitute Tesco. Giant is an example. Giant provides Daily necessities too. In fact, Giant is not famous than Tesco in both goods and service. The goods sold in Tesco is many and even cheaper than Giant, but Giant is the one of competitors for Tesco. Besides, government regulation is one of the threats. For example, when government increase the food or goods cost, it will affect the customer of Tesco decrease.

Does ‘Better’ corporate governance cause better firm performance? Essay

A study had been generated and said that performance are affected either the implemented governance is good or bad: †¦ In summary, our results are as follows. First, we do not find significantly different firm performance between firms with â€Å"good† changes in governance and firms with â€Å"bad† changes in governance, except for isolated instances. This result holds for all the three samples (i. e. the Moderate Performance sample, the Abnormally Bad Performance sample and the Abnormally Good Performance sample). Second, both â€Å"good† and â€Å"bad† changes in governance are followed by positive as well as negative changes in industry-adjusted performance. Indeed, more than 50% of the firms with â€Å"good† governance changes exhibit negative industry-adjusted performance. Third, we find that both â€Å"good† and â€Å"bad† changes in governance lead to significant changes in performance. Therefore, if one restricts the analysis to only â€Å"good† changes in governance or only â€Å"bad† changes in governance, one would incorrectly conclude that changes in governance lead to changes in performance. Fourth, we observe that different firms vary in directions of governance changes when they experience the same direction in performance changes. A same firm also often simultaneously changes its different governance characteristics in conflicting directions (i. e. both â€Å"good† and â€Å"bad† governance changes). Last, our measure for Aggregate Governance Change confirms the first result for individual governance measure that the firms with â€Å"good† changes in governance do not have better performance than the firms with â€Å"bad† changes in governance. Our results present strong evidence against the null hypothesis that â€Å"better† governance causes better firm performance. Note that our results do not imply that governance is irrelevant. Instead, it implies that firms are endogenously optimizing their governance structure in response to observable and unobservable firm characteristics. These results are consistent with the strand of the literature that has shown each governance mechanism to be related to observable and unobservable firm characteristics. The statement proves that all decisions and change causes an effect to a business. This however means that every day, new challenge may face the company. It is normal for demands, and conflicts to happen. The thing that is important is the management and the organization as a whole would stand as one and face all the challenges with a positive outlook to solve it. From the study that we’ve conducted, the writer concluded that the main cause of business failure are the management’s negligence, improper planning. Conducting good and bad governance both causes changes in an organization so it’s better to be alert in all times. Decision making should be done carefully and the organization should choose the people who they will trust. Recommendations Having all the different factors of company failures and the experiences of the UK Industry Company and MISnet Inc. , the writer recommend that the top management should not take the needs of the company for granted but they should also be careful in giving. Decisions should be done care. The financial capacity must always be monitored and all departments must always be alert in all times. The management should encourage the workers to work with passion, be loyal to the company and work hand and hand to achieve all the goals that the company has. It is also important that the people working in the company are capable of doing their assigned job description. Workers are the company’s working hand. It is a must that the workers are at their best to bring the best product that the company wants to have. Investment has been always a part of life in a company. When it comes to people investment, the company must be sure that spending money for a person must be worth paying for. Hence, the company must be very careful of choosing the right people to trust and the right people for a certain job. Documentation is always a must. Never let any situation happen without any documentation. All reports and transactions must be done with papers and with the PIC’s (Person in Charge) signature to make it even more valid and powerful in meetings and agreements. Even important conversations must be recorded and documented to ensure understanding between parties. Meetings are also important and dissemination of information is a must. Memoranda should always be disseminated to all employees. Discipline has been an issue in all companies. The company must enforce a strict and fair rule and policies that the employees must do in order to organize a company. Make them come in the company on time and finish their work fast. Over time on work is not a measurement of quality service, it only show two things: its either the worker can’t handle too many work because of pressure or multi tasking or the worker can’t finish the work on time because he/she wasted it. The company should always have a room for improvement. Benchmarking or company observation is a big help to improve the company’s usual workflow and environment. People used to compare one thing to another. Make it a positive way of upgrading the company. Have a group of trusted people to assist the company to make improvements. Lastly, a company must have a goal or mission. No company must have an inspiration to look forward to. Set a series of mission, vision, the company’s commitment, core values and principles so that the workers will live by the company’s principles and for the company’s goal. There are series of ways and measurements that can be done through quality audits, and meetings. Implement good data management and all department management. Some analyst says that most business fails after its 8 years of operation it still depends on the teamwork of the people in an organization and its willingness to survive. Reference Websites N. K. Chidambaran, Darius Palia , Yudan Zheng , Does ‘Better ‘Corporate Governance Cause Better Firm Performance? , [2006], viewed on 28 January 2008. Greg Bustin, ‘Why Companies Fail? Take Charge! How Leaders Profit From Change’ [2005], viewed on 28 January 2008. Susan M. Heathfield, ‘Performance Management Process Checklist’ < http://humanresources. about. com/od/performancemanagement/a/perfmgmt. htm > viewed on 27 January 2008 ‘Management’, Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia viewed on 28 January 2008. NEERAJ BHARGAVA, ‘Good Governance is Good Business’, The Wall Street Journal, [2006] < http://online. wsj. com/article/SB115671755403846763-search. html? KEYWORDS=Good+Governance&COLLECTION=wsjie/6month > viewed on 29 January 2008 ‘Good Governance’ Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia viewed on 28 January 2008 Herb Greenberg â€Å"Corporate Governance as a ‘Risk Factor’. Finding Relationship between Performance and a company’s board of directors† [2007] < http://www. marketwatch. com/news/story/weighing-risk-factors-bad-corporate/story.aspx? guid=%7B55BF9816-8CC4-4570-8D6D-13EBD531F5CE%7D > viewed on 28 January 2008 ‘Process Audit’ viewed on 27 January 2008 Customer Audit < http://www. understanding. co. uk/customeraudit. htm > viewed on 27 January 2008 ‘Final Assembly Supplier Audit Report’ < http://images. apple. com/supplierresponsibility/pdf/Final_Assembly_Audit. pdf > (2007) viewed on 28 January 2008 West Cumbria Council for Voluntary Service, ‘Effective Meetings’ (2005) < http://www. westcumbriacvs. org. uk/docs/FactSheet4. pdf> viewed on 28 January 2008. Books Terry Collison â€Å"How to Write an Effective Business Plan in Just Three Hours†, 1993 Paul Todd, ‘Swot Equity and Trust (Swot)’(Gaunt; 5Rev Ed edition (October 1996)) Jeffrey Abrahams, ‘The Mission Statement Book: 301 Corporate Mission Statements from America’s Top Companies’ (TEN SPEED PRESS; Rev Sub edition (1999)) ARTICLES Evangeline Santos ‘How Failures Happen’ IT Tribune (Philippines December 2007) Bruce G. Posner ‘Why Companies Fail’ Inc. com Magazine (June 1993) Manuel Toledo ‘Coping With Business Failure: A Kaizen Approach’ Ginto (Philippines 2004) Term Papers. Hubert Ooghe, Sofie De Prijcker ‘Failure process and causes of company bankruptcy’ (Universiteit Gent) Wayne L. Welsh CPA, ‘Best Practices For Good Management’ Office of the Legislative Author General (2001) R Massey, J Widdows, K Bhattacharya, R Shaw, D Hart, D Law, W Hawes, ‘Insurance Company Failure’ < http://www. actuaries. org. uk/files/pdf/giro2002/Massey. pdf > viewed on 28 January 2008 Conference John Hunter, Natalia Isachenkova ‘Aggregate Economy Risk and Company Failure: An Examination of the UK Quoted Firms in the Early 1990s’ Department of Economics and Finance’ (Brunel University).

Analysis Same Love Essay

Same Love Medium: Song Composer: Macklemore features vocals by Mary Lambert. Year: 2012 Publisher: Ryan Lewis Analysis: This song is written and sung by Macklemore and has featured vocals by Mary Lambert. Macklemore’s real name is Ben Haggerty. Macklemore’s Uncle is gay and he had wanted to write a song about gay rights and homophobia within the hip-hop community and the world. Macklemore was fuelled by the issue of marriage equality and the flagrant use of ‘gay’ as a derogative term in the hip-hop industry, and the world. He would also use and say ‘that’s gay’ himself because it is so embedded in our culture. It was not until he was caught out saying it by friends that he realised that he had to stop. He wanted to make an impact on his fellow musicians, rappers and hip-hop artists and express his concerns for the use of words such as ‘faggot’ and ‘that’s gay’ as just another lyric. The song ‘Same Love’ has lyrics that hopefully makes people second guess their language. Macklemore’s positive stance against marriage equality, homosexuality and the queer population has gained an overwhelming acceptance. He is the first male mainstream hip-hop artist who has rapped positively about homosexuality. More and more pro-gay artist are coming out in support of the gay community. Proving that popular culture can turn the tide of peoples use of derogative comments, opinions and challenge our ways of thinking in regards to our gay community. He says ‘he simply enjoys writing songs that get people thinking’. Many of the lyrics in the song ‘Same Love’ have made me stop and think about what they really mean. I have Uncles, Aunties, cousins and friends who are gay so my choice of words are often corrected by my parent and peers. But nothing is more powerful then the words in a song that is of pop culture and because I believe it’s accurate for a generation more accepting, tolerant and knowledgeable of homosexuality. Its human rights for everybody, there is no difference! Live on and be yourself. These lyrics from the song, stayed in my mind when I wrote this assessment because I believe it should be how we should all live, as we are all equal. Macklemore says â€Å"I write songs that challenge myself, they challenge listeners, they might be controversial to some people, songs that push the boundaries of what a rap song sounds like or the subject matter that might be in a rap song. † Being young and influenced by pop culture, I relate to his point of pushing the boundaries as I would always want to be able to grow, learn and challenge myself to become a better person in my community.

Case Discussion: Learning Curve “B” †Assignment Essay

What do you estimate the buyer should pay per unit for the next 700 pieces assuming the supplier demonstrates a 75% learning curve? What if the learning rate is actually 85%? What do you estimate is the per unit cost of the next 700 pieces? 1.A:$178/unit at a 75% Learning Curve 212/unit at an 85% Learning Curve 2. Under what conditions can we use learning curves to estimate prices? In other words, when does the learning curve apply? 2. A:The Learning Curve is applicable when used for new products or processes that have a high potential for improvement, such as producing a technically complex item for the first time, or when an item has high direct-labor content. 3.Why can we use rough estimates when applying learning curves? 3. A:Assuming a reduction in time will follow a predictable pattern, and because it is predictable, we can develop estimates. 4.Why do manual processes experience greater learning curves than automated processes? 4. A:The worker has the ability to learn and improve through repetitive effort and increased efficiency. 5.Are there factors besides learning that can help reduce costs as volume increases? 5. A:Modifications to the production process; such as introducing new production methods, substituting increased automation for labor, or updating process technology.

Future Concerns †Gattaca and Fahrenheit 451 Essay

Popular fictions texts expressing views of the future educate audiences about current issues and the dystopias that develop from them. Texts such as the film ‘Gattaca’, directed by Andrew Niccol and novel ‘Fahrenheit 451’ by Ray Bradbury explore futuristic societies and the implications that become of their innovation. Although entertaining, texts such as these are didactic and must be taken seriously, as they communicate messages to audiences regarding prevalent concerns and possible futures based on society’s choices. Gattaca’ (1995) directed by Andrew Niccol, follows the story of the underdog Vincent, who is challenged by genetic discrimination against ‘in? valids’ like himself. Through an elaborate identity switch and the help of ‘genetically advantaged’ Jerome, Vincent prevails to achieve his dreams and find his place at Gattaca Space Station. Niccol utilises conventions of film to convey messages to the audience by highlighting issues relevant to the context of production. Gattaca’ incorporates many themes which highlight the corruption and inequality in this strange, new world. Niccol explores concepts such as elitism, perfection, inequity and modernism. This film opens with two contrasting epigraphs, which entices viewers’ interest into moral themes in ‘Gattaca’. The first quote reads: â€Å"Consider God’s handiwork; Who can straighten what He hath made crooked? † Ecclesiastes 7. 13. An interpretation of this quote is that life is intended to be left alone to take its course, which is contradictory to many ideas in ‘Gattaca’. The quote following reads: â€Å"I not only think that we will tamper with Mother Nature, I think Mother wants us to. † Willard Gaylin. This presents audiences with differing opinions to contemplate as they consider what scientific advancements their own future holds, watching Vincent in his. The opening scene is an extreme close up shot of Vincent’s fingernails, hair follicles and loose skin, against a blue cubicle. The extreme close up shot suggests importance as the camera focuses in on the subject matter, emphasising the significance of Vincent’s DNA. Sterility and cleanliness is suggested by the use of cold, deep blue hues. The use of blue is constant throughout the film, as is the significance in detail. These concepts tie to other scenes, such as ‘The Eyelash’, where Vincent’s own ‘invalid’ eyelash is discovered during a murder investigation. This concept highlights the precision of technology in the future, and that life with such structure becomes complicated. Audiences can learn lessons from examples such as these scenes s they can relate the situations Vincent is put in with possible futures based on the direction society is heading in present times. Another effective technique demonstrated by Niccol is the first person narration by the central character, Vincent. This is important for the development in the movie, as Vincent is the protagonist we are encouraged to empathise with. Therefore, the use of bias narration and perspective is effective in supporting the ideas presented in the film. Following the opening scene is ‘The Not Too Distant Future’, which cuts to a low angle shot looking up to the bold, symmetrical lines of the building. In this shot, Gattaca is shaded in black and grey tones, also indicating the power and formality of the institution. As the camera tilts down, the strong lines and colouring remain constant as view of the staff are also brought into the frame. Directors have dressed actors in blue business suits, again, enforcing the concept of formality, conformity and sterility. The uniformed staff are very bland and indistinguishable from one another in their uniformed clothing. Silence is broken by the rising volume of diagetic sound effects, such as the beeping sound of accepted ‘valids’ through the turnstile, as well as an anonymous greeting by a placid female voice: â€Å"Welcome to Gattaca†. These techniques develop the idea that society has become lifeless and ‘black and white’, as Gattaca presents characters as clinical and robotic products of genetic modification, teaching audiences about social issues that relate to futures.

The Significance and Symbolism of the Temple of Heaven in Beijing Research Paper

The Significance and Symbolism of the Temple of Heaven in Beijing - Research Paper Example The emperors Ming and Qing used to worship the god of heaven during their reigns and prayed for a good harvest. The temples are 273 hectares area wise and it is marked as the world’s largest architectural compound. The temples were a symbolic source for prayer and homage to heaven but today these buildings are left as parks which are visited by tourists and added to the world’s heritage list. Features of the Temple of Heaven: The Temple of Heaven has a 5 km outer wall which covers its area of 273 hectares. The inner and outer temples are divided by a wall. The buildings in the Inner Temple are based on north-south axis which includes the Circular Mound Altar and the Altar of Prayer for Good Harvests. The buildings of the Outer Temple include pine woods and cypresses. The whole design of the building is symbolic. The Inner Temple is square from the south and semi-circular from the north. This pattern represents an ancient belief saying that the Heaven is round and the Ea rth is square2. The wall of the heaven was higher than that of the earth showing that heaven outshines the earth. The areas of the altars are simple and are not intricate or complex like other royal or sacred buildings. The altars give the setting of the sky to show its vastness and the magnificence of heaven. The circular and square theme is recurring throughout the buildings. The roof tiles are dark blue which represents the heaven, and brings heaven and earth together at one place. The building also represents the odd numbers as symbols which were related to the sun or considered heavenly. Number nine was considered as the strongest number and so the altars and the terrace were built with slabs of stone and rings which were the multiples of nine. The balustrades and steps were also multiples of nine. The top terrace has a stone in the center which is known as Tianxinshi, the Center of Heaven Stone. It reflects the impact of speeches which were delivered from that point. The templ es are designed with distinctive solidity, compactness and elegance. Moreover, the buildings are decorated admirably which leads the temple to hold a unique sort of beauty amongst the sacred buildings of the country as well as the architectural legacy of the world3. Similar architectural places: The current state of the Temple of Heaven is that it serves as a park which exists in the surrounding of the buildings. These parks are very popular for exercising and the place is considered as a masterpiece in the architectural world. The graphics and the landscape of the building simply depict the evolution and significance of one of the greatest civilizations in the world. The building today stands as an influence on architecture for many Far East civilizations. The authenticity dynasties that ruled China for over two thousand years were symbols of the layout and design of this temple. A similar architectural building can be the Great Mosque of Kairouan which is located in Tunisia. The m osque is still active and was built in the 670 AD. The mosque has been the center of the sacred buildings as well as the unique Islamic art. It is a masterpiece and it dominates prestige in spiritual and architectural manner. Just as the Temple of Heaven, this mosque has been one of the unique buildings with an architectural and decorative element correlated. Methodology: The Temple of Heaven was built to create a relationship with the heaven. The emperors had

INDIGENOUS CULTURE IN THE RAINFOREST BIODIVERSITY Essay

INDIGENOUS CULTURE IN THE RAINFOREST BIODIVERSITY - Essay Example These beliefs combined to create a complex system of farming and recycling of the rainforest's products they used in their daily life. This sustainable agriculture has been in use for several thousand years (Hartmann 2005). It is believed that the Kayapo are an ecologically evolved population and are an example of living in balance with the ecosystem. They are generally non-aggressive and have a rich tradition of rituals. They are an ancient culture that has its foundations in seasonal farming and gathering. Beliefs and ideals surrounding the issue of using the rainforest, and the purpose of the rainforest, are passed from generation to generation through socialization. Socialization is the process where people learn the customs and acceptable behaviors of the community in which they live. Customs are the traditionally accepted norms, standards, and ways of doing things. Often these customs are passed through rituals, a formal ceremony that is usually symbolic. The symbolism represents a belief and this is shared by a group such as a family or community. By socialization, a culture passes its customs and norms to the next generation and they develop a set of values based on these beliefs, customs, and norms. Values are the abstract belief in a system of right, wrong, fair, and decent.

Health People of 2020 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Health People of 2020 - Essay Example This group also shared four of its greatest disparities with the Hispanic population; drug-induced deaths, cirrhosis deaths, new tuberculosis cases, and deaths from poisoning (Chu, 2004). Potential causes of these health disparities The health disparities are unbalanced and have direct links to the history and current unequal distribution of political, economic, social and the environmental resources. Historically, the acceptance of different groupings in the United States population has frequently been marked by discrimination, disparate treatment, and hostility, providing a solid cause for concern on the health of minorities. The earliest racial and ethnic disparities developed between the original American Indian inhabitants of the continent and the then European colonists. Although the natives split into several racial and ethnic groups for many reasons, the colonialists and their governments employed a logical difference between them and the natives, lumping together of the Alas ka Native and American Indian populations that still finds its value used in government statistics (Koh, 2010). According to Thomas, the requisite importation of slaves from the American colonies of Africa led to a third racial or ethnic group. The definition of this group has changed with time as it is also in other countries, like Brazil and South Africa. The United States detained for several centuries later to a rule of hypodescent, making any African or African American genealogy identifiable as a black.

NEWS ARTICLE SUMMARY Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

NEWS ARTICLE SUMMARY - Essay Example Standard & Poors is an important financial company in the United States that provides services within the credit and stock industries. The issue between the SEC and Standard & Poors stems from the fact that the latter company may have violated â€Å"federal securities laws related to its ratings of collateralized debt obligations in 2007, as the financial crisis was getting under way†(Rizzo). Standard & Poors is a company that often provides a service to the country by raising and lowering credit ratings of companies and countries. When it raises or lowers the rating, it is essentially providing a report card for how well that company/country is doing in their business and their business practices. The SEC believes that Standard & Poors basically did not do their job in monitoring companies like Sallie Mae and Freddie Mac which were significant contributors to the housing/ mortgage crisis that ultimately led the United States into this severe recession in the first place. According to Patrick Rizzo, â€Å"Some critics have said it(Standard & Poors) and other ratings agencies helped contribute to the crisis by not warning about the dangers of sub-prime mortgages(Rizzo). So, by publicly considering legal or civil action against Standard & Poors, the SEC is making a statement about this company and casting a negative light upon their practices. It is important to think about what the SEC’s motive might be however in doing this. Last month, Standard & Poors lowered the United States credit rating from AAA to AA+(Swann). This was done in August 2011 and was said to be done due to the conflict going on in the United States government over raising the debt ceiling. The lowering of the credit rating was seen as a big deal and an overall comment on how the United States was doing in handling their economic woes. Therefore, it does not seem inconceivable that the SEC, which is a part of the

Overview and Objectives of the Network Technology Term Paper

Overview and Objectives of the Network Technology - Term Paper Example The researcher of this term paper presents a study of networks, that is a key part of the training that professionals using IT infrastructure need. This paper relates to the proposed adoption of a new low cost internet based network to help my organization save on network administration costs. There are many internet applications available to organizations that can help build reliable networks. However, there is need for careful analysis of the benefits and the costs of adopting such systems. The major IT applications at the researcher's organization include logging in of patient details, keeping track of the treatment process and recording of prescriptions. In addition, the organization generates and stores data relating to availability of drugs and vendor information. IT also provides support for the billing and accounts department, and is the means through which the other management functions take place. For instance, the management communicates to all members of staff via email g enerated and distributed through the existing network. All these services run from a variety of platforms, some of which are quite expensive to maintain. The proposed low cost network, that is described in this essay and has a very simple design, that may help to reduce the costs the organization incurs in software development and maintenance. Laudon and Laudon point out that â€Å"many business applications are now delivered online as an internet service, rather than as boxed software or custom systems†.

Building Team Relationship by Communication Essay

Building Team Relationship by Communication - Essay Example The meeting was called to identify them. In the meeting the onus to find and hone up the winning debater was given to two senior students of the school. One of them was James a very aggressive and vocal student who was the leader extracurricular team of the school. The other was John known for his intelligence but agile and reserved personality. They were given the responsibility to select five students in each team to be groomed as the new winning team for the forthcoming debating competition. The committee on Extra-curricular Activities headed by the principal of the school was finally to decide two students to be sent for participating in the competition. He prepared a team of ten such students mainly from senior student group and asked them to participate in debating programs scheduled in the school for training them and asked every participant to prepare for effective presentation. He prepared a schedule for the program and informed students to participate without fail. "Students who have debating skills and killing spree through convincing arguments are invited to join the winning team for further grooming Students must be versatile, flexible knowledgeable and presentable. Early record of debating will be a plus point" James received 20 applications from all classes. Every one was encouraged to join for the grooming sessions. Grooming sessions were divided into nine debating sessions. Each session had different subjects to debate on. All participants were divided into four groups of 5 students each. Two winning participants from each group of James and John who would be sent for final presentation to the sports selection committee would be given letter of appreciation from the principal. The final two winners would get the chance to represent the school in the debating competition. The winner will get a silver trophy and reward of $10000 dollars as scholarship. Both James and John clearly spelled out the objective to their team members. "We have to groom ourselves to be the winner in the next debating competition and stand out with the winners' image the school had earned through ages" " Are you committed to this pious objective" Unanimous reply was "Yes Sir" The first grooming session started on 15th April. James was with team members sharp at 9AM in the hall. Only seven students were present. It was alarming for James. The team of seven had grueling debating on assorted subjects and no one was ready to give in. At the end the team expressed satisfaction that the super seven had the real fighting spirit. In another hall James and his team of twenty assembled to have the basic knowledge of debating. James had managed an old school alumni Anderson who had once won the Inter-school competition to groom the team members. He talked with