Monday, December 30, 2019

The Significance of Organizational Conflict - 1288 Words

u08a1 The Significance of Organizational Conflict As it is with all people, organizations experience conflict as well. In fact, conflict is impossible to avoid. At some point every one and in every environment, company, agency, and organization will experience some form of conflict. Whenever individuals engage with one another, the potential for conflict is present. Conflict is an unavoidable aspect of organizational life and can cause a substantial impact on individuals within the organizations, and organizations themselves (Ryan, Castro, 2004). Conflict is said to be â€Å"the spice of life† (Lewicki amp; Spencer, 1986-1998). It is prevalent and unavoidable in organizations as workers compete for recognition, praise, and promotion.†¦show more content†¦In fact, many organizations use opportunities for conflict to learn from, and as a means to become more effective in the work they do making it imperative for them to address it appropriately. â€Å"Organizational conflict occurs when members engage in activities that are incompatible with those of colleagues within their work, members of other collectivities or unaffiliated individuals who utilize the services or products of the organization† (Roloff, 1987). Often many organizations encourage conflict, to a degree to help set and obtain goals. There are some who suggest that organizational conflict has both functional and dysfunctional outcomes and benefits (Jehn, 1995). Those who believe in the benefits of conflict would further claim that there is a need for conflict management not conflict resolution. They don’t believe that management implies developing a means to avoid it or reduce and ignore it but to develop strategies to minimize its dysfunction and enhance its constructive functions to create learning and effectiveness within organizations (Rahim, 2002). According to some organization theorists, in order for an organization to be competitive it is i mportant to create opportunities and situations that will enable an organization to learn as fast as they can (ARgysis amp; Schon, 1996; Schein, 1993; Serge, 1990). The presence of tension and conflict seems to be important characteristics in organizations that support and encourageShow MoreRelatedConflict Management And Visionary Leadership971 Words   |  4 Pagesthis course. These articles are about conflict management styles in various organizations using Nigeria as a case study. The authors Kaban Conar (2012) wrote this article â€Å"Conflict Management and Visionary Leadership† to find efficient conflict measures to resolve conflict without harming institution targets and activities. Prause and Mujtab (2015) looked into the current â€Å"Current Management Practice in diverse workplace† with the purpose of finding best conflict management style. Rahim (2002) researchedRead MoreA Research Study On Organizational Conflict969 Words   |  4 Pagesresearch and ass ess the viability of study related to my degree specialization. Problem Statement Organizational conflict arises when an individual or group perceives a threat to his/their interest. Most organizational conflicts in Nigeria emerge due to inability of the system to fulfill the collective agreement with the employees. This leads to employees quitting from the job. Another source of conflict exists between employees; arguments and competition on promotion, position and performance beingRead MoreCulture Metaphor - Morgan G.19861442 Words   |  6 PagesLinh Nguyen – 1149482 AFM Assignment 2 One of the major strengths of the culture metaphor rests in the fact that it directs attention to the symbolic significance of even the most rational parts of organizational life ( Morgan, G. 1986) Discuss the issues raised in the quotation above, and comment on: †¢ †¢ †¢ the effects of organization culture on the design of organization structure; the effects of national culture on organization culture; and the ways in which power exists in different organizationRead MoreThe Importance Of Leadership Training For A Team1419 Words   |  6 Pagesfine, you have to remember that there is always an opportunity for growth. Recognizing the advantages that can be beneficial to the organization can help one to comprehend the true significance of leadership training. You will find that there may be several noticeable advantages that will emphasize the significance of leadership training. Providing a worker with the proper training and knowledge to acquire the skills they need is imperative. Although some individuals are certainly more skilledRead MoreEssay about The Mysterious Notion of Organized Efficiency572 Words   |  3 PagesOrganizational efficiency has long been recognised as a mysterious notion. In the not-for-profit industry, it is obviously documented to be even more challenging. Opposing objectives of numerous stakeholders and intricate possibilities that influence performance. To bring some sanity, in the somewhat and confused area of organizational efficiency, organizational performance and organizational performance. This study proposes a conceptual framework, which analyses variables that evaluates organizationalRead MoreThe Theory Of Organizational Learning And Performance Management Essay1156 Words   |  5 Pagespurpose of t he study, research question, method of research, significance of the study and its global implications, research findings and finally the relevancy of findings as it relates to my experience in my current corporation. Research problem Hall and Rowland (2012) re-evaluate the supposition of organizational learning and performance management as it relates to reward within corporations (Hall Rowland, 2012). The theory of Organizational learning has been an area of study for several decades,Read MoreQuantitative Research : Data Collection1527 Words   |  7 Pagesethical issues to consider with quantitative data collection methods. Problem Statement Organizational conflict arises when an individual or group perceives a threat to her/their interest. Most organizational conflicts in Nigeria emerge due to the inability of the system to fulfill the collective agreement with the employees (Ekong, 2000). This leads to employees quitting from the job. Another source of conflict exists between employees; arguments and competition for promotion, position and performanceRead MoreEssay on Conflict Management Styles 1166 Words   |  5 PagesConflict is known to be inseparable in all human interactions. In any organization, role differentiation acquires the different uses of conflict handling styles. Work direction, reward, supervision, discipline and performance review also involve the use of conflict handling styles. Organizational change and control is also viewed from a conflict perspective. In attempts to explain the nature or dynamics of a particular organizational phenomenon, conflict may be incorporated as a causal factor (Br ownRead MoreOrganizational Commitment: Job Satisfaction, Stress, Motivation1617 Words   |  7 PagesOrganizational Commitment: Job Satisfaction, Stress, Motivation Udaya Kiran Kadali January 23, 2011 Abstract Today’s organization because of global competition and cost cutting had lead to great changes in the organizations leading to greater effect of organizational behaviors. Some organizations are losing employees to other organizations and some employees are losing their efficiency due to the lack of job satisfaction, or due to stress and/or due to lack of motivation, or combinationRead MoreEvaluating A Business Situation Within The Field Of Management1520 Words   |  7 Pagespractices to bad management which must be addressed for effective running of the organization. Unfortunately, one of such challenging issues are conflicts which can be controlled, but inevitable. It is phenomenal in any organization and can reduce the rate of production and employees’ performance. Employers spend a lot of timing trying to resolve conflicts among employees, which takes part of the production time. Therefore, for the organization to experience enhanced productivity there is need to en sure

Sunday, December 22, 2019

The SuitorsViews Of Odysseus In Homers The Odyssey

According to the Greeks, the suitors plot to kill Telemachus is not an acceptable part of the Greek culture. The Odyssey, written by Homer, tells the story of Odysseus, the king of Ithaca, who leaves for war and is constantly fighting with the gods in order to return home. Meanwhile, while he is gone, over 100 suitors fill his house, who all believe he is dead and wish to take his wife, Penelope, for themselves. After 20 years, Odysseus is finally able to return home, to find his country split between those loyal to him and those loyal to the suitors, and he must reorder his home and his kingdom. Throughout the story, a common theme of the importance of Xenia, or hospitality, to the Greeks appears many times, where it is either upheld or†¦show more content†¦The suitors, by laying with the maids, are also bringing chaos and destruction to Penelope’s house, disrespecting the hospitality she offers them and her as their possible future wife. Although the suitors and Ody sseus share the same views of disrespectfulness toward Penelope, their opinions on respect toward property varies greatly. The respect Odysseus has for property compared to the disrespect of the suitors shows one of the differences in their views of Xenia. Penelope shows the disrespect of the suitors when she says, â€Å"‘My house is being devoured, my rich farms destroyed, my palace crammed with enemies’† (Homer, 2006, p. 247). While the suitors are in Penelope’s house, they eat all of her food and do not care for her property, causing Penelope to become upset and state the previous phrase. By stating her house is being devoured, the suitors show their disrespect because they are not caring for her household, a major offence toward Xenia. This also shows that Penelope sees the suitors as enemies because they are not caring for her property and leaving her house in shambles, causing her to see their lack of respect and disobedience of Xenia. In addition, O dysseus respects the property of Eumaeus and expresses his gratitude because Eumaeus â€Å"stopped [his] †¦ homesick roving† (Homer, 2006, p. 386). Eumaeus serves as a host for Odysseus when he first returns to Ithaca and cannot return to his home until he can prepare to defeat the

Saturday, December 14, 2019

Icon of Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe Free Essays

Icon of Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe is also known as Our Lady of Guadalupe or the Virgin of Guadalupe. It is a most famous and most popular Roman Catholic image of a Virgin Mary in Mexico. The legend says that Virgin appeared to Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin, an Indian convert, in 1531 and the witness of that miracle required commemorating it by erection of a church, known as a Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe. We will write a custom essay sample on Icon of Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe or any similar topic only for you Order Now   There were two apparitions of the Virgin Mary and after the second an icon was painted which is, actually, now one of the most famous in Mexico. This event was historically significant as following it a great number of Indians of Mexico converted into Christianity. According to the information provided in encyclopedia Britannica â€Å"in 1754 a papal bull made the Virgin of Guadalupe the patroness and protector of New Spain, and in 1810 she became the symbol of the Mexican independence movement when the patriot-priest Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla raised her picture to his banner.† (Encyclopedia Britannica) The story of Virgin’s apparition is derived from the Nican mopohua which is thought to be the original source of that event.   Nican mopohua, written in the indigenous Nahuatl language gives an account of the encounter between Virgin Maria and Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin in 1531 on Tepeyac. It says that a widowed convert Juan Diego was traveling to â€Å"attend to divine things† the woman in a bright shine appeared in front of him and said that she was a mother of God and asked Diego to tell the Bishop about her request to build a temple on this hill. She promised to come to those people who, would pray in this temple, and help them. The Nican mopohua is not the only work related to the apparition but it is considered to be the most explicit and most trusted. There is another work relating this story, but this time it is the first Spanish-language apparition account written by Miguel Sanchez. It is this document that for the first time refers to Our Lady of Guadalupe as to a symbol of Mexico. He mentions it in the context that â€Å"this New World has been won and conquered by the hand of the Virgin Mary†¦[who had] prepared, disposed, and contrived her exquisite likeness in this her Mexican land, which was conquered for such a glorious purpose, won that there should appear so Mexican an image† (Brading 2001). When in 1810 Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla and his army fought for the independence of Mexico they used the image of Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe as a sign on their clothes and also as an insignia of their campaign. After Hidalgo’s death a mestizo priest led the army during revolution. He also relied on the holy image and as Krauze in his book states he was confirmed that â€Å"New Spain puts less faith in its own efforts than in the power of God and the intercession of its Blessed Mother, who appeared within the precincts of Tepeyac as the miraculous image of Guadalupe that had come to comfort us, defend us, visibly be our protection† (Krauze, 1997). The Mexican calendar even contains the holiday to honor the Virgin, that is December 12, inscribed by the priest-revolutionary. (Matovina, 2001) Thus during the independence struggle people treated Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe as the symbol and patroness of patriots. They offered up numerous prayers at moments of difficulties and used her image on their ensigns. In this way, Brading observes, political exaltation intervened with religious faith â€Å"to produce a vehement fervor in favor of the sacred cause of liberty. The veneration for this image in Mexico far exceeds the greatest reverence that the shrewdest prophet might inspire† (Brading, 2001). In this way the icon of Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe became not only the sacred symbol of Mexico but also it acquired a profound political implication, the embodiment of the struggle for the independence, so desired by the Mexican people. Though there are still a lot of disputes as regards the verity of the legend about Our Lady of Guadalupe’s apparition its authority still remains very strong in Mexico. In addition to the reputation of the image which inspired people to fight for independence the Virgin is also the symbol of Catholicism in Mexico. As it was stated before the temple was build on the place were Saint Mary was met by Juan Diego, and it was the starting point of active conversion of indigenous people, Aztecs, to Christianity. Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe is still a sound support to the Catholics in Mexico and in other parts of Latin America. Starting from 1737 Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe was recognized to be a saint protectress of Mexico City and then almost two centuries later her protection spread all over the South America. Nowadays, hundreds of people pilgrimage to the church of Our Lady of Guadalupe located on the Cerro of Tepeyac. There are even cases when people do not just walk but crawl on their knees to the church to pray to Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe, as it is believed that in this way they can merit the cure for their sickness or gain help in the hardship. The image of Our Lady of Guadalupe said to have been miraculously imprinted upon Juan Diego’s cloak is displayed there. The woman depicted in this image dresses and looks like an Aztec maiden of the early 16th century. She has brown skin; Meso-American features, and is clothed in a turquoise tunic and a rose colored robe. In short, Our Lady of Guadalupe looks like the Aztecs and not like their European oppressors. The iconic resemblance between themselves and the woman depicted in that image was frequently noted by the contemporary Mexican pilgrims. Many Mexicans love their protectress and often call her with diminutive Virgencita. Pilgrims visit the basilica not only because of where it is, but also because of what it has. The Mexicans often feel admired that she is just like them dark-skinned with black hair and brown eyes. The image of Our Lady of Guadalupe is much more than a mere depiction of the woman Juan Diego claimed to have seen in his visions. It is also a complex collection of floral symbols, astronomical imagery, and other signs that are distinctively Aztec (Barber, 1997; Castillo, 1995). These symbols reinforce the indexical and iconic connections between Our Lady of Guadalupe and the non-Christian religious traditions of the Aztecs. The floral designs that adorn Our Lady of Guadalupe’s tunic are symbolic as well as decorative (Barber, 1997). In accordance with the conventions of Aztec glyphs (standardized pictographic designs used by the Aztecs to convey symbolic meanings) the flowers are rendered with a flatness that allows viewers to see them in full. One of the flowers included in the image, the quincunx, appears only once. It is positioned over the Virgin’s womb. According to Barber, this flower represented: the four compass directions of the world, with heaven and the underworld vertically encountering earth in the canter, in the â€Å"navel† of the world, or, to use the metaphor, in the navel of the moon, as they call the Valley of Mexico. (p. 72) The placement of this flower over the woman’s womb signifies that she bears an important child. That the Virgin is pregnant is also indicated by the black sash she wears around her waste, an Aztec symbol of pregnancy (Castillo, 1995). Located just below the sash is another floral symbol, the nagvioli. According to Castillo, this flower â€Å"represented Huitzilopochtli, the great ferocious sun god of the Aztecs† (p. xix). Our Lady of Guadalupe is thus symbolically linked to Coatlicue, an aspect of the goddess Tonantzin, who was the mother of Huitzilopochtl i. This link acknowledges her connection with the goddess she is supposed to have replaced. Also included among the image’s floral imagery are nine large, triangular, heart-shaped flowers–the Mexican magnolia–which were traditionally used to represent the nine levels of the Aztec underworld. In Nahuatl, the language of the Aztecs, the name for these flowers is yolloxochitl. As explained by Barber, â€Å"Yollotl, is `heart’ in Nahuatl, and xochitl, `flower'† (p. 76). According to Barber, â€Å"Yolloxochitl was an Aztec metaphor for the palpitating heart torn from the body of sacrificial victims† (p.76). Human sacrifice played a prominent role in the pre-Christian Aztec religion. Barber goes on to state that yolloxochitl can also be â€Å"read as another glyph, too: tepetl, hill, and precisely, Tepeyac Hill† (p. 76), the hill upon which Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared to Juan Diego and the location of the shrine of Tonantzin that had been appropriated by the Spanish missionaries. This flower, then, ties the Virgin to Tepeyac, the hill’s previous pre-Christian tenant, and to ritual practices valued by the Aztecs. Some of the flowers that adorn the tunic of Our Lady of Guadalupe are connected with the Aztecs’ rich astronomical symbolism. According to Barber the eight-petaled flowers: can be identified with a Nahuatl glyph for Venus, the Morning and Evening Star. Venus as Morning Star was associated with their god and culture-hero, Quetzalcoatl, who after his self-immolation was taken up into heaven as the morning star. (p. 73) The image’s astronomical symbolism is not limited to flowers that adorn the Virgin’s tunic. There are also solar, lunar, and stellar symbols. The most significant of these is the crescent moon upon which the Virgin is situated. To the Aztecs, this symbol represented the Valley of Mexico, their geographical, cultural, and spiritual center. Once it officially affirmed Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Church embraced her with a great show of public enthusiasm. Over the years, the Church has assigned to her such honorific titles as Patroness of Latin America and Empress of All the Americas. Works Cited List Barber, J. â€Å"The sacred image is a divine codex.† In A handbook on Guadalupe (pp. 68-73). New Bedford, MA: Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate, 1997 Brading, D.A. Mexican Phoenix. Our Lady of Guadalupe: Image and Tradition Across Five Centuries. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2001. Castillo, A. â€Å"Introduction†. Goddess of the Americas/La Diosa de las Americas: Writings on the Virgin of Guadalupe Ed. A. Castillo (pp. xv-xxiii). New York: Riverhead Books, 1995. Krauze, Enrique. Mexico, Biography of Power. A History of Modern Mexico 1810-1996. New York: HarperCollins, 1997 Matovina, Timothy â€Å"Hispanic Catholics: ‘El Futuro’ Is Here† Commonweal. 128. 15. September 14, 2001 â€Å"Guadalupe, Basilica of.† Encyclopaedia Britannica. 2006. Encyclopaedia Britannica Online.   22  Mar.   2006  http://search.eb.com/eb/article-9038275 How to cite Icon of Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe, Essay examples

Thursday, December 5, 2019

Cell phones in school free essay sample

I think students should be able to have the ability to have a phone present with them at all times even at school. There could be an emergency and the child might be far away from a phone when they need medical attention right away. Some medical emergencies include choking, seizures or children with broken bones at school. Emergencies can also happen with the teacher. The teacher could be in need of medical attention. A teacher could have a heart attach or a Stroke. Things could append on the bus to school or even on a field trip. Cell phones could come in handy during medicinal emergencies. Such non- emergencies could include kidnappings and school shootings. Students could call the police when these things happen. When people get hurt during a natural disaster, like tornados or hurricanes the phone could help them if they are stuck and cant get out. We will write a custom essay sample on Cell phones in school or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In order for a student to use a phone in the school, there should be guidelines for phone use. An agreement paper should be signed by the parents, the student and the teacher all saying that they agree to the guidelines of phone use in the class. Guidelines should be made. The phones should only be used for situations only and should not be used in class time. Students in school should have the use of cellular devices on school property for the potential use for emergencies. This is why schools should allow cellular devices in the school. Think students should be able to have the ability to have a phone present tit them at all times even at school. There could be an emergency and the child might be far away from a phone when they need medical attention right away. Some medical emergencies include choking, seizures or children with broken bones at school. Emergencies can also happen with the teacher. The teacher could be in need of medical attention. A teacher could have a heart attach or a Stroke. Things could happen on the bus to school or even on a field trip. The school.

Thursday, November 28, 2019

The Horrors Of War Essays - Phillips Exeter Academy,

The Horrors of War Im almost glad this war came along. It is like a test, isnt it, and only the things and people whove been evolving in the right way survive. Lepper Leppellier said this extraordinary quote in chapter nine. My interpretation of Leppers quote was, the war had forced the men to abide by the rule of, survival of the fittest. From the perspective of the war, Lepper implied that you need to be prepared mentally and physically for war; you also need to adapt to changes and mature to survive. People and societies change in times of war. Some people, including Lepper, become manic-depressive and may possibly go insane. Others resort to suicide. However, war may make others feel important and patriotic. Gene, Lepper, and Finny all went through changes and had their own physical and emotional development. Lepper was not ready to enlist in the army. He enlisted in the service for the wrong reasons. Lepper enlisted thinking that he would travel and ski and he was not prepared for the hardships of war itself. I think that Lepper went crazy because he wasnt mentally ready for warfare and, internally he could not comprehend all the dreadful facts of war. Lepper needed to mature and grow as an individual before considering enlisting in the service. He didnt realize the responsibility and commitment of being a solider. Finny denied the war to himself and everyone else around him. Finny could not participate or help in the war effort, which made him feel helpless and useless. Finny didnt like this feeling, so he denied that there was a war going on at all. Finny told Gene his theory about how the war was made up by fat, old, men. Finny realized that the injury to his leg was not going to be temporary but permanent in many ways. This injury prevented him from enlisting in the army. Finny was in denial about the war all the way up to the point in the novel when he saw that Lepper really had gone crazy. Finny believed that there was really a war from that point on because his theory was; it takes a war to make a man crazy. Gene had many aspects of the war to deal with in addition to his emotional stress. Gene had a difficult time dealing with Finnys denial of the war and Leppers insanity from the war. Finny and Lepper both made a great impact on how Gene emotionally felt and viewed the war. Gene always listened and followed Finny. When Finny told Gene his imaginary story of the war not existing, Gene didnt know what to think. The more Finny told Gene that there wasnt a war, the more Gene believed him. Then there was Lepper who had enlisted in the war and escaped because he had gone crazy. The more stories and thoughts that Lepper shared with Gene, the more that Gene became afraid of the war and realized that he wasnt ready to enlist. Like Lepper, Gene also had to grow mentally before he was ready for the service. He decided that he wasnt going to enlist but instead wait to be drafted. Genes character in the novel was an idealist, and he was fighting with himself and his own feelings about the war. All of the characters in this novel had different ideas, personalities, and situations having to do with the war, not that any individual can ever be prepared for war. No character in the novel was mentally stable or ready for war. War was not a pleasant time at Devon school, thinking about what lied, ahead was probably the greatest challenge of the boys at Devon.

Monday, November 25, 2019

Dont Have in Chinese Mandarin

Don't Have in Chinese Mandarin æ ² ¡Ã¦Å"‰ (mà ©i yÇ’u) in Mandarin means  havent, hasnt, doesnt exist, to not have, and to not be. Pronunciation æ ² ¡Ã¦Å"‰ is pronounced ââ€" ºmà ©i yÇ’u.  Ã¦ ² ¡ is in the 2nd tone, whereas æÅ"‰ is spoken in the 3rd tone. This can also be written as: mei2 you3. Chinese Characters Traditional Form: æ ²â€™Ã¦Å"‰Simplified Form: æ ² ¡Ã¦Å"‰The first character æ ²â€™ /  Ã¦ ² ¡ (mà ©i) is a negative prefix for verbs. The second character æÅ"‰ (yÇ’u) is the verb for to have; there is; there are; to exist; to be. Put together,  Ã¦ ² ¡Ã¦Å"‰ means to not have, to not be, or to not exist. Sentence Examples Audio files are marked with ââ€" º ââ€" ºTÄ  mà ©i yÇ’u shuÃ…  huÇŽng.ä »â€"æ ²â€™Ã¦Å"‰è ª ªÃ¨ ¬Å Ã¤ »â€"æ ² ¡Ã¦Å"‰è ¯ ´Ã¨ °Å½He didn’t tell a lie. ââ€" ºMà ­ng tiÄ n wÇ’ mà ©i yÇ’u kÃ… ng.明å ¤ ©Ã¦Ë†â€˜Ã¦ ²â€™Ã¦Å"‰ç © ºÃ¦ËœÅ½Ã¥ ¤ ©Ã¦Ë†â€˜Ã¦ ² ¡Ã¦Å"‰ç © ºI dont have any free time tomorrow. Mà ©i yÇ’u yà ¬yà ¬Ã¦ ² ¡Ã¦Å"‰æ„ Ã¤ ¹â€°Its pointless / There is no meaning. WÇ’ gÄ“n tÄ  mà ©i yÇ’u linxà ¬Ã¦Ë†â€˜Ã¨ ·Å¸Ã¤ »â€"æ ² ¡Ã¦Å"‰è â€Ã§ ³ »I have no relation with him.   Zhà ¨ mà ©i yÇ’u yà ²ngè ¿â„¢Ã¦ ² ¡Ã¦Å"‰ç” ¨This is useless/(more literally) This has no use.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Case analysis Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 4

Analysis - Case Study Example Each of these departments performs a specific task that relates to supporting the main goal of enhancing oil exploration and manufacturing activities. Oil is the main item for the company. Therefore, it is the main item considered as the cost driver for RDS. Monitoring of cost per barrel is a major indicator on the prospects of gaining profit or making loss. The parameter is a direct indicator on whether the company is taking right measures in their cost management. Given that cost per barrel depends on demand supply and other market shocks among other uncertainty this parameter gives a general outlook on the market behaviour and therefore essential for its efforts in managing costs. Besides, assessment of cost per barrel helps RDS examine their operating cost against other players in similar market segment. 2. Computing the cost of activities in the provide IT and Telecommunication services Provision of SAP support is an activity or the initiative of the parent company and, therefore, was not considered for calculations. Other parameters provide important accounting information for the analysis. There are several methods that assist in evaluating whether departments or products within a company are meeting the targets. Traditional costing method and the activity-based costing are the common approaches for products. However, is a department makes some sales or gets some income from their involvement in the business it is possible to determine their performance as well. These measures assess the market changes, uncertainties that may occur and their possible influence. However, comparison with other companies competing in the same market segment may give a better picture that could assist the company in evaluating whether selected activities are optimal. These analyses depicts that the barrel cost of oil is not the cost driver

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

An Evolving Industry Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

An Evolving Industry - Research Paper Example Before, people were forced to line up in movie houses to view the latest film release. Or if one wanted to view a previously released film, one had to go to a Blockbuster Video store, open a membership account and rent out these films. Today, practically anybody with a YouTube account may now upload their movies for the whole world to see. Other websites like Movielocker allows filmmakers to also publish their own videos. In the same way, audiences may now just go to websites like TheOnlyDevice.com, Momomesh, and others to view as much movies as they want. Needless to say, the Internet has hurt big-time movie production suits initially. But then these moneymakers have ingeniously used technology to their full advantage and have in fact exploited the internet in creating buzz for their films. Indeed, the Internet has opened up a multitude of ways for filmmakers to produce and distribute films and for audiences to view these films as

Monday, November 18, 2019

Steve jobs and his leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Steve jobs and his leadership - Essay Example Being an undergraduate and a college drop-out, he has managed to bring out the best in him and has made it to the top. His persistence, dedication and thirst for knowledge, just to name a few, are the ones that brought him to where he is now. Being a leader in innovation, his hunger for new ideas and turning them into reality is one of the so many reasons he has made a great legacy to leave to us. Not that I don’t like to finish my schooling and follow his footsteps, I admire his dedication and persistence that would eventually lead me to some place that would give me an attractive view as I look back. Knowing that my heart and instincts will eventually lead me to a moment when I will be able to connect all the dots and see that I have gone through a wonderful life, as Jobs said in his 2009 speech to the graduates of Stanford. http://www.ted.com/talks/steve_jobs_how_to_live_before_you_die.html Name 3 I may be sure now of what I would like to be in the future, but in case thing s don’t turn out as expected, just like with his exit with Apple 26 years ago, I would like to have his never-ending will to go through all unseen hurdles in life and succeed. One of my values in life is I’d like to become the catalyst of change I wish to see.

Friday, November 15, 2019

Louis Vuitton Commercial Analysis

Louis Vuitton Commercial Analysis The Louis Vuitton commercial describes a wide range of visuals from India, China and France (Duncan 2008) that captures the real essence of travel and the journey through life while trying to simultaneously explore the true meaning of the word journey. The visuals are backed by textual messages aimed at answering What is a Journey? (Paris 2008) against a soulful musical score. The commercial in itself seeks to sell the Louis Vuitton brand across 13 nations rather than a particular collection (Duncan 2008). The fact that only the monogram is shown in the advertisement bears testimony to the same. With regard to the target audience, the commercial targets all young lovers of luxury and travel in particular and lovers of life in general. Most of the travelers in the video are young people although the local crowd is made up of people of all ages. The commercial sought to capture beautiful moments that travel with one beyond physical journey. The goal was to connect Louis Vuittons brand passion in assisting its clients to achieve true pleasure and luxury during journeys in particular and across life in general in accordance with brand values of luxury and travel. The advertisement is 90 seconds in direction to allow it to convey the true and rich essence of travel as a process of both discovery and self-discovery as per the head of communications at Louis Vuitton, Antoine Arnault (Brent 2008). Through a combination of visuals, musical score and subtitles, the video effectively communicates the same and reveals the brands passion for providing luxury to its customers as they journey through life. The Journey commercial by Louis Vuitton relies on the use of numerous visual techniques including slow motion, special effects, selective focus through telephoto lenses, blurring, silhouetting, lens flare and superimposition. The commercial is a visual marvel created by Bruno Aveillan (Duncan 2008). According to the Louis Vuitton press release the advertisement captures those quintessential travel moments where our senses and sense of awe are surpassed by the absolute beauty of a place, of a moment (Duncan 2008). The same is essentially true of most visuals in the commercial. The visuals endeavor to evoke a sense of awe and a sense of serenity in the viewer through depiction of the passion and art of travel (Duncan 2008) using a range of visual tools and techniques. One can see a whole range of close-ups to provide emphasis on the feelings of travelers when witnessing a moment that surpasses expectations and their love for travel. Most of the frames use shallow depth of field or focu s on a small area of frame to guide viewers attention to the specific object or person of interest (Brown 2012, 61). For instance, in an over the shoulder shot of a traveler dressed in white, the focus is entirely on him with the rest of the frame blurred out. In addition to a foreground, mid-ground and background, some frames rely on the use of glass as one of the planes, which, in turn, allows one to see reflections of objects that are not a part of the frame as a fourth layer. Most of the camera angles are at eye level with little psychological manipulation of the viewer on that front. Selective blurring seems to be enhanced in post production and special effects work. The insertion of certain reflections can seem to be the result of special effects. The camera is positioned in many frames to create lens flare which again curtails proper viewing of some visual content while serving as an aesthetic and pleasing visual technique. Lastly, slow motion towards the end of the commercia l is another classic technique used to enhance the beauty of a momemt (Brown 2012, 73). The commercial does not depict many visuals of Louis Vuitton products merely showing the famous logo and the classic LV design. Through the choice of visuals, the brand effectively takes the viewer back to its history establishing itself as a luxury travel brand (Lindstrom 2005, 125). The visuals span three nations namely, India, China and France enabling the advertisement to attain global appeal in consonance with its purpose of serving as an effective global ad campaign. In terms of motif, the commercial uses certain signs and symbols to reinforce its textual content. The first is the use of light, especially sunlight. As a signifier, the light usually connotes wisdom, knowledge and power. The use of sun, the source of all life, foreshadows the answer to the question raised by the commercial. In the beginning, the characters are in darkness, like the viewer deciphering the answer to the query p osed by the advertisement. The characters become progressively more lit as the commercial progresses. A second signifier is the use of mist, haze, fog and even blurring, all of which signify a sense of mystery. This can suggest the sense of intrigue one experiences during travel along with the viewer lack of clarity about where the commercial will take him at its onset. A third important sign is water again a sign of sustenance and life and a sign of purity. The first subconscious reader response to water helps to make the answer, that the journey is life, more meaningful. The second response connects to the purity of the moments of awe during travel and the true passion for travel. The characters are themselves dressed and positioned in ways that clearly segregates them from the environment establishing them as outsiders. Moreover, they are more glamorous than others in their environment reinforcing the luxury value of the brand. In totality, the choice of visuals helps to establis h a sense of beauty attached to travel and a true love for traveling. Visuals capture ones bliss during moments that surpass awe while journeying, and the need to treat life as ones most fascinating journey. The aural technique used in the Louis Vuitton commercial is background score or music. The score for the commercial was composed by the famous music director Gustavo-Santaolalla (Terrazas 2008). Since the commercial was part of a set of advertisements catering to global television marketing for the brand, it can be analyzed on two fronts. First is its connection to the type of musical score the brand has used in the past for its marketing. Second is the subconscious impact it has on the viewer since color and music are two aspects that influence at a deeper subconscious level. Louis Vuitton commercials in the past have commonly relied on specifically composed Louis Vuitton signature music (Lindstrom 2005, 125) and this commercial is no different. As a result, the score does not have any prior emotional connotations attached to it, allowing the makers to influence consumer perceptions from scratch. The music is slow and subtle in congruence with the slowness and serenity of the visual s. The dominant instrument throughout the score is a string instrument with chimes and other wind sounds supplementing it. The commercial begins with a subtle wind instrument immediately evoking a sense of mystery and drawing the viewer into the commercial from its onset. Slow chimes are often associated with feelings of pleasantness (Meyer 2008, 87). The string instrument then strikes an even deeper emotional connect through louder and isolated notes. The same rhythm repeats throughout the advertisement further reinforcing the Conduplicatio journey and an attempt to decipher its true meaning throughout the advertisement. Moreover, the repetition helps to remember the advertisement even after viewing, through production of deep memory traces that play a crucial role in consumer decision-making (Wells 1997, 241). In addition to music, the absence of diegetic sounds also draws viewer attention to the commercial. Sounds such as a books pages turning due to the winds, kids shouting as t hey run, the sound of water splashing are all absent from the commercial though some of the visuals are in close up. This lack of sound also makes one pay attention to what is being shown in the advertisement. In totality, the soothing nature of the musical score coupled with its repetitive rhythm reinforces the nature of visual content and brings the viewer into an introspective mood. The lack of diegetic sounds further make one notice the visuals by not reinforcing their content. A third dominant facet of the commercial is the use of subtitles that appear across the duration of the commercial. The commercial begins by raising the question, What is a Journey? It then begins to add one layer of meaning over another to fully answer the question and terminates with the disclosure that journey is life itself (Paris 2008). The advertisement, however, ends with another question Where will life take you? (Paris 2008). The word journey is used throughout the video as a Conduplicatio or a repeated keyword pulling out important ideas from sentences and reinforcing them in other sentences (Farnsworth 2011, 7). The process of repetition enhances the probability that viewer attention will be centered towards the repeated word at some stage of viewing (Wells 1997, 241). The word life again finds a similar usage as it is repeated in the final two phrases of the commercial. The words journey and life are the prime takeaways of a viewer from the video. These two signifiers are aimed at signifying the Louis Vuittons passion for enabling its consumers to discover places and themselves as they traverse the journey of life. Overall, the advertisement uses emotional transfer to link the brand with emotions one experiences upon viewing the commercial (Kenny 2005, 72). The attempt is to evoke ones passion in living and traveling and directly transfer it to a passion for making Louis Vuitton brand a lifetime partner along ones journeys. This transfer is achieved through a combination of subtitles, visuals and musical score. The subtitles immediately encourage the viewer to ponder upon the meaning of a journey. The visuals strive to capture those moments during travel that extend well beyond their physical existence in the minds of the travelers. They depict the blissful state one finds oneself in when witnessing such moments and that such moments are not confined to vacation destinations alone. The musical score reinforces a sense of tranquility and awe experienced during these moments. The emotional transfer attempt becomes most visible through the final two subtitles Where will life take you? and Louis Vu itton (Paris 2008). The remainder of the commercial evokes feelings of awe and love for life. These can then be transferred to a love for a luxurious and enriched life that Louis Vuitton can help one achieve. The duration of the commercial is just apt for exploring the meaning of a journey. The advertisement effectively communicates the passion of Louis Vuitton for providing its consumers with a luxurious lifestyle along their journey of life.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

The Days of the Bomb :: Essays Papers

The Days of the Bomb The main goal of the Pacific War was to stop the Japanese from getting out of control. The U.S. government needed to send a message that Japan cannot be allowed to carry out their military imperialism. By 1945, the War in the Pacific was turning quickly to the United States’ favor. The United States Army was island hopping, taking each island and moving on to the next, toward the Japanese mainland. However, the Japanese refused surrender. They withstood each attack and refused to run until fully defeated. Although, the United States Army was relentlessly and inevitably moving towards the Japanese mainland, the Army was still losing troops and equipment. Army officials estimated it would take until the fall of the following year to reach the main island of Japan. In that time, several hundred thousand lives would be lost on both sides. The Japanese were showing absolutely no sign of surrender. The United States had to do something drastic to end the war. They had just one optio n: the atomic bomb. An experiment had been conducted in New Mexico involving the harnessing of the power of the atom. This device would be used in the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki as the United States’ chance to end World War II quickly. The decision to drop the bomb on Hiroshima came directly from then President Harry S Truman. Additional American lives were lost each day. However, Truman knew about the successful testing of the atomic bomb. On the advice of his cabinet, he decided that the bomb was to be used as soon as humanly possible. The whole idea of the atomic bomb was to use it solely as a military weapon, just as any gun or grenade. Truman knew that unleashing the power of atomic energy in the form of a weapon would have serious consequences on the entire world. However, looking at the outcome of war, there was no doubt that World War II was already having that affect on the globe. The bomb was just part of the whole war. Truman, in his memoirs, even said, "I regarded the bomb as a military weapon and never had any doubt that it should be used."1 Any effects of the bomb would just be casualties of war. Winston Churchill, Prime Minister of Great Britain, also saw the bomb as the only way to end the war.