Thursday, October 31, 2019

Analyse the change process during the takeover of Cadbury by Kraft and Essay

Analyse the change process during the takeover of Cadbury by Kraft and critically evaluate the management of that change process - Essay Example When Kraft took over Cadbury, this was a major change that was disruptive to the Cadbury organisation, which had implications for the all the stakeholders involved. Included in the stakeholders was the UK government, which rebuked the organisation for shuttering a plant that it promised to keep open. The workers felt job insecurity. However, the change was not all bad, as both companies gained market share throughout the world. This essay will examine the changes that were made, including the mistakes that Kraft made, and how the change affected all the stakeholders involved. Cadbury Nature of Change The triggers for change The triggers and forces promoting the change was that Kraft, in September of 2009, offered a takeover for Cadbury, valuing it at the time at ?10.2 billion (Wearden, 2010). This offer was initially rejected. Kraft eventually went hostile without a change in terms, despite the fact that Cadbury upped its sales and profit margins, along with a warning that the firm, Cadbury, would lose its unique culture if Kraft took it over. In the end, despite Cadbury's resistance to the takeover, Cadbury's board recommended that the firm be sold to Kraft for ?12 billion (Wearden, 2010). The triggers for change, in this case, was that Kraft wanted to expand its brand, and Cadbury was struggling in the marketplace. In applying the models of change, one of the pertinent models is that of Lewin’s Force Field Model. In this model, an organisation is beset by driving forces on one side and resisting forces on the other. Change upsets the equilibrium of the company, and the driving forces for change are opportunities and threats (Lewin, 1951). The driving force in this case was Kraft’s will to obtain the company, by any means, because it wanted to expand its market share. The resisting forces came when Cadbury repeatedly rejected Kraft’s offers, and, finally, Kraft had to take the company in a hostile takeover (Wearden, 2010). The opportunity that was represented by change was that both companies could gain market share. The threats was that Kraft’s takeover would threaten jobs, and would make workers, and the UK government, feel insecure about the future of the Cadbury company. Another model that is applicable is Lewin’s Ice Cube model. This assumes that there must be a transition state, that is the unfreezing of people’s beliefs – beliefs are frozen, and they must unfreeze for there to be change. The present state is the frozen belief system, while the desired state is what occurs after the beliefs are unfrozen, change takes place, and there is a new desired state that takes the place of the old belief system (Lewin, 1951). This is applicable in the Kraft case, as people in the Cadbury firm had a certain corporate culture and belief system, which is explained below, and they had to learn to adopt a new culture which was imposed by Kraft.

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Financial Prospectus Content Paper Essay Example for Free

Financial Prospectus Content Paper Essay Prepare the first seven components of your venture’s Financial Prospectus. The Financial Prospectus must include the information you provided in the individual assignments from Week One and Two, revised as necessary based on material covered in subsequent workshops and organized with new material added as necessary. Post your assignment as a Microsoft ® Word attachment in APA format. Every freshman should understand and realize that the freshman 15 does in fact exist. It is important that everyone take the necessary steps to ensure that they are getting proper nutrition during their first year in college. While it might be tempting to pile on some fries for dinner every night, youll pay for it in the long run. This work comprises FIN 375 Week 4 Financial Prospectus Content Paper Business General Business Individual Financial Prospectus Content Paper Resources: Final Prospectus Expectations Prepare the first seven components of your venture’s Financial Prospectus. The Financial Prospectus must include the information you provided in the individual assignments from Week One and Two, revised as necessary based on material covered in subsequent workshops and organized with new material  added as necessary. Post your assignment as a Microsoft ® Word attachment in APA format. Every freshman should understand and realize that the freshman 15 does in fact exist. It is important that everyone take the necessary steps to ensure that they are getting proper nutrition during their first year in college. While it might be tempting to pile on some fries for dinner every night, youll pay for it in th A+ tutorial you will find here https://bitly.com/1wySU49 Every freshman should understand and realize that the freshman 15 does in fact exist. It is important that everyone take the necessary steps to ensure that they are getting proper nutrition during their first year in college. While it might be tempting to pile on some fries for dinner every night, youll pay for it in the long run. Business General Business Individual Financial Prospectus Content Paper Resources: Final Prospectus Expectations Prepare the first seven components of your venture’s Financial Prospectus. The Financial Prospectus must include the information you provided in the individual assignments from Week One and Two, revised as necessary based on material covered in subsequent workshops and organized with new material added as necessary. Post your assignment as a Microsoft ® Word attachment in APA format.

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Hip Hops Effect On Youth In Lagos

Hip Hops Effect On Youth In Lagos Music is the art of organizing tones in a coherent sequenceso as to produce a unified and continuous composition. Vocal or instrumental sounds possessing rhythm, melody, and harmony.The American Heritage dictionary. Music is a kind of counting performed by the mind without knowing that it is counting, The Monadology (1714) A method of employing the mind without the labour of thinking at all.Samuel Johnson, quoted by Boswell, Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides(1785). Music is work.John Cage, Empty Words (1980)A piece of music is simply a chunk of time you are paying attention to withyour ears.Barney Childs, quote in Ewen, American Composers (1982) According to Tafui ,Hip Hop is a cultural movement expressed through the traditional elements of deejaying , emceeing, various forms of dance (breaking, popping, locking) and writing (graffiti art). As a culture, hip hop represents other aspects of culture as well such as language, style of dress, politics. Marcus.P Hip hop is life.marcus parker. Hip hop music is a culture which break dancing ,graffiti writing , DJing, rapping singing and fashion is used as a means to express freedom from oppressive social conditions. Hip hop music was formed from human transcendence as a result of the creative instinct by African Americans as a result of social oppression on the African American, Latin American and afro Caribbean 1970s communities in New York city. A famous DJ at the time DJAfrika Bambaataa defined that defined the five pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking, graffiti writing, and knowledge. Other elements include beat boxing, hip hop fashion, and slang. Since first Since first emerging in the Bronx, the lifestyle of hip hop culture has spread around the world. Robert M, Sr. When hip hop music began to emerge, it was based around disc jockeys who created rhythmic beats by looping breaks (small portions of songs emphasizing a percussive pattern) on two turntables, which is now more commonly referred to as sampling. This was later accompanied by rapping and beat boxing. Garofalo.R. An original style of dancing and particular styles of dress arose among followers of this new music. These elements experienced considerable refinement and development over the course of the history of the cultureRobert M, Sr. One of these refinements was the birth of Gangsta rap.According to Marcus.P Gangsta rap is a type of hip hop which focuses mainly on the negative aspects of inner city life. The lyrics often glorify criminal activity and degrade women. This genre of hip-hop has been a source of tremendous controversy and is often cited as the cause of the increase in violence. This is particularly true amongst black youth. According to federal statistics cited by the Charlottesville Daily Progress, homicide is the leading cause of death for black men between the ages of 15 and 34.Many gangsta hip-hop artists justify their music by claiming they are only retelling the experiences of their lives on the streets. However, close analysis of the song lyrics often reveals a plethora of curse words and no substance. According to commentators such as those found on Urban Dictionary.com, many artists have been forced to create artificial gangsta images for the sake of a lucrative career. Many young people idolize these artists and imitate their behavior. Joanna White-Oldham. This ongoing fever for hip hop music amongst the youth began to spread over the globe to other countries like China, Canada, and the United kindom and other parts of Africa. Hip hop music arrived in Cuba via radio and TV broadcasts from Miami. During the 1980s hip hop culture in Cuba was mainly centred around breakdancing Fairley J .Initially hip hop was criticized not just by the government, but by many in the community as well. With raperos emulating US rappers aggressive posturing and lyrical content, hip hop was seen as just another cultural invasion from the US, bringing with it the violence and problems of the ghettos. Fairley J. Cuban rappers attacked social and political issues concerning Cuba such as racism, class struggles and police harassment etc. But as pressure for commercial success increases, many of the grass roots artists do not understand the recent change of rapping about partying, cars, and women . Pacini.H, Deborah and Garofalo.R . Hip-hop in the United States started out as a voice of protest, an alternative voice for urban, inner-city youth to voice their grievances, to talk about their living conditions, their hopes and aspiratio ns, said Abiodun, a member of the Black Liberation Party before fleeing to Cuba 14 years ago as a U.S. fugitive facing racketeering charges. Nancy D. But now what we see in terms of rap in the United States, for the most part, its really not talking about anything. Also according to Baker, Geoffrey 2005,many criticize the objectification of females in the dancing and in videos. Some see it as dominant if the women dance in front of the men in a doggy style position, but critics see it as a way of letting the male take initial control over the female. Also many argue that the females in those music videos are objectifying themselves to seem lower than men. Wunderlich, Annelise 2006 . According to B.Geoffrey Music videos are becoming more explicit. To gain a following of their music, Cuban hip hop artists are continuously using provocatively dressed females. This sexual image in their videos is taking away from the audiences ability to actually listen to the lyrics and understand them. The lyrics being addressed recently by Cuban hip hop artists stand as a rebellion against the many downfalls, such as poverty and racism, that their nation is currently fighting Baker, Geoffrey.Sexually-charged dancing (like grinding and doggy style) often associated with hip-hop, are not the only things criticized. In recent years, Hip-hop has merged with Cuban culture to the point it can be heard in parades, school dances, and clubs. This has given rise to the problem of children, 16 or younger, hearing and singing the lyrics found in Cuban hip-hopwhich often make reference to sexual activities. ^ Baker, Geoffrey. 2006. According to Chris Kehinde Nwandu , Hip hop in Nigeria dates back to the late eighties and early nineties. Groups and solo artists during that period include the likes of Junior Pretty, Daniel ,Danny Wilson , Plantashun Boyz , Remedies with members Eedris Abdulkareem , Eddy Remedy Tony Tetuila. It is estimated that 80-percent of urban youth can be reached through Hip-Hop, which encompasses rap, graffiti, dancing and fashionThe late 90s and the 2000s saw a remarkable increase of artists and groups like Eldee da Don of Freestyle , Ikechuku, JJC and the 419 squad , Dbanj and P-Square became a part of mainstream Nigerian music after the collapse of pop trends like Yo-pop . The availability of computers and cheap music editing software in the late 1990s and the 2000s enabled Nigerian musicians to achieve higher quality recordings, which quickly won over the Nigerian audience. As Nigerias Nollywood movies have done to Western movies, Nigerian hip hop has begun to displace Western popular music. Nwandu k. As the Great Music Debate (launched by The GuardianLIFE in the aftermath of the wide and wild debate generated by the article, A Nations Identity Crisis of renowned columnist and public commentator, Dr Reuben Abati in his column, CrossRoads in The Guardian on Sunday, June 21), en ters its third week, some Nigerian artistes have expressed their opinion on the lyrical contents of Nigerian hip-hop songs. Though with different responses, yet, a good number of them contend that despite the fame and wealth that some of the artistes have been amassing through their works, many of the songs ruling the airwaves or the public entertainment circuit, are deficient in quality lyrics; and have have little or no lesson for the listeners. Chris Kehinde Nwandu. The GuardianLIFE sent email and sms messages to a collection of the artistes including Djinee, Ruggedman, Dare Art Alade, TY Bello, NoMoreLoss, J.Martins, IlBliss, Ashioye Ugbo, PSquare, Timi Dakolo, Keffee among others. Out of the list of about 20, however, only a few responded and their views were recorded as follows:Popularly known for his song, No Vernacular, Lagos Jump, Omo Wale among others, the dreadlocks-wearing half-German quizzes, how can you have fuel shortage, bad roads, Niger Delta crisis, children being accused of sorcery in the South-South, Haliburton scandals and you are busy talking Moet, girls and blingz? BY CHUKS NWANNE. According the new talk of the town, Bracket , The lyrics of Nigerian musicians are in reality is more real than fiction because they reflect the day to day experience of the artistes.I, Lara George, an ex member of the famous KUSH states, Our lyrics as Nigerian musicians need to be improved upon and not destroyed. Instead of looking for monetary sa tisfaction that could be destructive and then building NGOs to fix the damage done; we need to use our music to leave a legacy that will help improve the way we are viewed by the rest of the world. Lara, who is no doubt one of the best female vocalists in the country for now, adds, We need to perpetuate solid values in our own environment and grow the psyche of the man on the street in a positive way. She won the Best Female Vocalist at the Nigerian Music Award in Owerri, Imo State. Her songs such as Ijoba Orun, Rest Of My Life and others made noticeable impact in the music scene. CHUKS NWANNE. In an atempt to defend todays music Etcetera Ejikeme said: At moment, you can broadly classify Nigerian artistes into two; what Ill call the mainstream and the alternative. For most of the mainstream artistes, lyrics are the last thing on their minds; basically they just want to make anything that the youth can dance to. The only challenge is that we all dont dance 24/7. So, its within those quiet moments, when you reflect on the lyrics of a song youve been dancing to for months that you suddenly realise how totally hollow and sometimes senseless it is. Ectcetera also added on the Babaekos Xtreme Music that: For the alternative youth, these are serious musicians, who understand that a lot of craftsmanship must go into making a piece of music. They generally have more profound lyrics that grab the imagination of the listeners. The good news however is that the Nigerian music listeners are very sophisticated they are beginning to ask probing questions, demanding for quality music. This is the point where real musicians will be separated from charlatans. All the way from the US, Emma Agu, one of the founding members of Performing Musicians Employers Association of Nigeria, PMAN, acknowledged the rapid growth of the countrys music industry, but faulted the lyrics of some of the artistes. Chris Kehinde Nwandu. There is a remarkable improvement in the audio and video presentation, but the industry still has a long way to go, when it comes to the lyrical contents of the vibes; majority of these boys are churning out. Did you hear Tu-Faces Its time to have sex? I think that was disgusting! Time and time again, I try to make out what some of these hip-pop guys are saying; I barely could catch a word out of their vibes. Most of their lyrics do not make sense.BY CHUKS NWANNE Days are gone when you go to a nite clubs and dance to American beats from dusk till dawn without complaining. Those days of Shaba Ranks, Patra, Buster Rhymes, Chakademus Pliers, 2Pac, Shagyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ these artist ruled the countrys music industry for long, and we had no option than to love them. No option! Those days, it was like a taboo to play a Nigerian song or video on air. A radio station was even so audacious as to decree that no Nigerian music except Fela will grace its air.CHUKS NWANNE . Nowadays things have changed as the Nigerian music is being heard more than even the foreign ones. The Nigerian acts have grown so big that even the foreign musician coolaborate with them to to make new music. Hip-hop has also become an effective tool to communicate with youth under siege, using the language they understand. Social consciousness hip-hop workers have used the microphone and their message to speak to the youth about crime, drugs and have conducted workshops in town halls addressing the youth about the dangers of dangerous living.Marcus P. But critically studied, much of the music coming from the artistes these days, especially the male folks, is shallow and meaningless in lyrical content, beats and composition. If the singers are not rasping about sex or some other lewd subjects; it will be about how many women they have bedded or dated or jilted; or about 419 and related issues; or what they call beefing (abusing perceived enemies). Once an artiste sings about money, everybody follows. Then another sings about sex, and the rest will file in. The beefing has in fact become an industry, much in the light of the eighies rash of abusive songs by the Fuji musicians, who now in their late 60s and burnished with the wisdom that comes with old age (?) must be regretting those dirty words they were trading with their opponents on the scene then. Kuti.S . The President of Professional Musicians Association of Nigeria, Agu admits however, I hear good music from Nigeria; well produced music, beautiful vocals with good melody, fantastic bass line, distinct snare drum, hi-hat and trebling kicks, good harmony, nicely mixed and mastered, but lyrically empty.Hip-hop has gone beyond being just about music, but has actually become a brand, a lifestyle and an urban culture that almost everybody aspires to be associated with even big corporate. It is on this note that inevitably the rapper is now more than a musician but has become an entrepreneur that utilizes his or her craft to sell global brands of big corporations. Rappers are trendsetters; where they lead others follow. They can revitalize a luxury brand by making it seem youthful and individualistic. It is estimated that 80-percent of urban youth in lagos can be reached through Hip-Hop, which encompasses rap, graffiti, dancing and fashion The Guardian Life magazine. According to Murray Forman, professor of media studies at Northeastern University in Boston. To say there is no influence and no effect by hip hop music is naÃÆ' ¯ve. . REFRENCE Basu.D , Sidney J, Wunderlich, (2006) Cuban Hip-hop: Making Space for New Voices of Dissent. In The Vinyl Aint Final: Hip Hop and the Globalization of Black Popular Culture London; Ann Arbor, MI: Pluto Press, Pacini.H, Deborah and Garofalo.R, 2004.The emergence of Rap Cubano: An historical perspective. .BurlingtonVt. Ashgate press. Wunderlich, Annelise: Cuban Hip-hop: Making Space for New Voices of Dissent, The Vinyl Aint Final: Hip Hop a2006 Pluto Press Basu, D and Lemelle.S 2006 ,the Globalization of Black Popular Culture London: Pluto Pres page 168. Pacini.H, Deborah and Garofalo.R. 2004. The emergence of rap Cubano: An historicalperspective. In Music, Space, and Place, Ashgate, .press WEBSITES http://books.google.com/books?id=KrVuuaB4jAQCHYPERLINK http://books.google.com/books?id=KrVuuaB4jAQCpg=PA276lpg=PA276dq=club+la+mona+hip+hop+cubasource=webots=y44TtRgw_4sig=8qLyLDLPRCkK40e1ujf_-zseA2w#PPA277,M1HYPERLINK http://books.google.com/books?id=KrVuuaB4jAQCpg=PA276lpg=PA276dq=club+la+mona+hip+hop+cubasource=webots=y44TtRgw_4sig=8qLyLDLPRCkK40e1ujf_-zseA2w#PPA277,M1pg=PA276HYPERLINK http://books.google.com/books?id=KrVuuaB4jAQCpg=PA276lpg=PA276dq=club+la+mona+hip+hop+cubasource=webots=y44TtRgw_4sig=8qLyLDLPRCkK40e1ujf_-zseA2w#PPA277,M1HYPERLINK http://books.google.com/books?id=KrVuuaB4jAQCpg=PA276lpg=PA276dq=club+la+mona+hip+hop+cubasource=webots=y44TtRgw_4sig=8qLyLDLPRCkK40e1ujf_-zseA2w#PPA277,M1lpg=PA276HYPERLINK http://books.google.com/books?id=KrVuuaB4jAQCpg=PA276lpg=PA276dq=club+la+mona+hip+hop+cubasource=webots=y44TtRgw_4sig=8qLyLDLPRCkK40e1ujf_-zseA2w#PPA277,M1HYPERLINK http://books.google.com/books?id=KrVuuaB4jAQCpg=PA276lpg=PA276dq=club+la+mona+hip+hop+cubasource=webo ts=y44TtRgw_4sig=8qLyLDLPRCkK40e1ujf_-zseA2w#PPA277,M1dq=club+la+mona+hip+hop+cubaHYPERLINK http://books.google.com/books?id=KrVuuaB4jAQCpg=PA276lpg=PA276dq=club+la+mona+hip+hop+cubasource=webots=y44TtRgw_4sig=8qLyLDLPRCkK40e1ujf_-zseA2w#PPA277,M1HYPERLINK http://books.google.com/books?id=KrVuuaB4jAQCpg=PA276lpg=PA276dq=club+la+mona+hip+hop+cubasource=webots=y44TtRgw_4sig=8qLyLDLPRCkK40e1ujf_-zseA2w#PPA277,M1source=webHYPERLINK http://books.google.com/books?id=KrVuuaB4jAQCpg=PA276lpg=PA276dq=club+la+mona+hip+hop+cubasource=webots=y44TtRgw_4sig=8qLyLDLPRCkK40e1ujf_-zseA2w#PPA277,M1HYPERLINK http://books.google.com/books?id=KrVuuaB4jAQCpg=PA276lpg=PA276dq=club+la+mona+hip+hop+cubasource=webots=y44TtRgw_4sig=8qLyLDLPRCkK40e1ujf_-zseA2w#PPA277,M1ots=y44TtRgw_4HYPERLINK http://books.google.com/books?id=KrVuuaB4jAQCpg=PA276lpg=PA276dq=club+la+mona+hip+hop+cubasource=webots=y44TtRgw_4sig=8qLyLDLPRCkK40e1ujf_-zseA2w#PPA277,M1HYPERLINK http://books.google.com/books?id=KrVuuaB4jAQCpg=PA276lpg =PA276dq=club+la+mona+hip+hop+cubasource=webots=y44TtRgw_4sig=8qLyLDLPRCkK40e1ujf_-zseA2w#PPA277,M1sig=8qLyLDLPRCkK40e1ujf_-zseA2w#PPA277,M1 22nd November 2009 http://archives.cnn.com/2002/SHOWBIZ/Music/11/22/hln.hot.hit.cuban.hip.hop.htm 23rd November 2009 https://moodle.brandeis.edu/file.php/3404/pdfs/baker-hip-hop-revolucion.pdf 22 nd November 2009 http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/10/04/entertainment/main647330.shtml 22 nd November 2009 CNN.com Cuban hip-hop: The rebellion within the revolution Nov. 25, 2002 20th November 2009 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuban_hip_hop 23 rd November 2009 http://www.africanhiphop.com/africanhiphopradio/naija-nigerian-80s-rap-on-vinyl/ 23 rd November 2009 http://theguardianlifemagazine.blogspot.com/2009/08/great-music-debate-3-hip-hop-in-eyes-of.html 23 rd November 2009 http://daniellamaison.blogspot.com/ 23rd November 2009 http://www.naijajams.com/thoughts-on-the-nigerian-hip-hop-scene-part-1 23rd November 2009 http://allafrica.com/stories/200911270165.html 25th November 2009 http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1355/is_26_98/ai_68018839/ 25th November 2009 http://fulbright.mtvu.com/melissaadams/2009/11/13/why-hip-hop/ 24th November 2009 http://www.city-journal.org/html/13_3_how_hip_hop.html 24th November 2009 https://www.youthmesh.org/wiki/index.php/Nigeria 24th November 2009 http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=110966339114 23rd November 2009

Friday, October 25, 2019

The Web of Knowledge Essay -- Philosophy Papers

The Web of Knowledge Great theorist and philosophers such as the stoics, skeptics, Aristotle, St. Thomas Aquinas, Descartes, Spinoza, Locke, Hume, Berkeley, Kant, Bertrand Russell, Darwin, Freud, and all of 20th century science have struggled with the question what is knowledge? and can we have knowledge? "To know" and "knowledge" are potent concepts and before taking Text and Critics, I took it for granted that I had knowledge of what knowledge is. Then came a simple question. After reading The American Scholar, I recall the class being asked "how is nature related to knowledge?" I didn't have an answer. But more importantly, before I could answer the former, I realized I didn't "know" what knowledge is. How could it be that I had never considered one of the most important philosophical questions asked of mankind--what can we know and what is knowledge? There have been many different views about knowledge, but none of the major philosophers, perhaps because knowledge is such a potent concept and its understanding is assumed to be self evident, have explained what knowledge is. For example, I have here some views with knowledge but no definition of knowledge: Chuang-Tzu, the old Chinese sage and poet said: "Once I dreamed I was a butterfly, and now I no longer know whether I am Chuang-Tzu, who dreamed I was a butterfly, or whether I am a butterfly dreaming that I am Chuang-Tzu." Black Elk, the Lakota moralist, told John Neihardt: "That is the real world that is behind this one, and everything we see or hear is something like a shadow from that world." So, too, was it for Plato. Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote in The American Scholar : "We all know, that as the human body can be nourished on any food, though it were boiled grass ... ...rowning in information and starved for knowledge --Unknown "By necessity, by proclivity, and by delight we all quote. In fact it is as difficult to appropriate the thoughts of others as it is to invent." --Ralph Waldo Emerson References Neihardt, John. 1961. Black Elk Speaks . Lincoln and London, Nebraska: University of Nebraska Press. Confucius. 1989. The Analects of Confucius. New York: Vintage Books, A division of Random House, Inc. Gaarder, Jostein. 1996. Sophie's World, A Novel About the History of Philosophy. New York: Berkeley Books. Emerson, Ralph Waldo. The American Scholar. Aristotle. The Nicomachean Ethics. Custom Course Packet. Plato.1984. The Great Dialogues of Plato. New York, New York: Mentor. Quotes not from text T&C text, above, or otherwise mentioned are from: http://www. starlingtech.com/quotes/qsearch.cgi The Web of Knowledge Essay -- Philosophy Papers The Web of Knowledge Great theorist and philosophers such as the stoics, skeptics, Aristotle, St. Thomas Aquinas, Descartes, Spinoza, Locke, Hume, Berkeley, Kant, Bertrand Russell, Darwin, Freud, and all of 20th century science have struggled with the question what is knowledge? and can we have knowledge? "To know" and "knowledge" are potent concepts and before taking Text and Critics, I took it for granted that I had knowledge of what knowledge is. Then came a simple question. After reading The American Scholar, I recall the class being asked "how is nature related to knowledge?" I didn't have an answer. But more importantly, before I could answer the former, I realized I didn't "know" what knowledge is. How could it be that I had never considered one of the most important philosophical questions asked of mankind--what can we know and what is knowledge? There have been many different views about knowledge, but none of the major philosophers, perhaps because knowledge is such a potent concept and its understanding is assumed to be self evident, have explained what knowledge is. For example, I have here some views with knowledge but no definition of knowledge: Chuang-Tzu, the old Chinese sage and poet said: "Once I dreamed I was a butterfly, and now I no longer know whether I am Chuang-Tzu, who dreamed I was a butterfly, or whether I am a butterfly dreaming that I am Chuang-Tzu." Black Elk, the Lakota moralist, told John Neihardt: "That is the real world that is behind this one, and everything we see or hear is something like a shadow from that world." So, too, was it for Plato. Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote in The American Scholar : "We all know, that as the human body can be nourished on any food, though it were boiled grass ... ...rowning in information and starved for knowledge --Unknown "By necessity, by proclivity, and by delight we all quote. In fact it is as difficult to appropriate the thoughts of others as it is to invent." --Ralph Waldo Emerson References Neihardt, John. 1961. Black Elk Speaks . Lincoln and London, Nebraska: University of Nebraska Press. Confucius. 1989. The Analects of Confucius. New York: Vintage Books, A division of Random House, Inc. Gaarder, Jostein. 1996. Sophie's World, A Novel About the History of Philosophy. New York: Berkeley Books. Emerson, Ralph Waldo. The American Scholar. Aristotle. The Nicomachean Ethics. Custom Course Packet. Plato.1984. The Great Dialogues of Plato. New York, New York: Mentor. Quotes not from text T&C text, above, or otherwise mentioned are from: http://www. starlingtech.com/quotes/qsearch.cgi

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Oil Boom in Nigeria: What are the Socio-Economic Implications for Society from 1999-2014?

Chapter 1: Introduction Nigeria is one of the leading oil producing countries in the world. Nigeria’s economy was largely characterised by agricultural production alongside other consumer goods up to the 1980’s, when oil wealth took over the majority of the country’s economy. For more than three decades, Nigeria has exploited her oil resources for export. The emergence of oil as Nigeria’s main source of revenue has generated a number of questions regarding the significance of the oil wealth to the socio-economic development of Nigeria society. It has been commonly assumed that Nigeria’s large oil deposits would spur socio-economic growth and put the country among the world’s elite nations in terms of economic growth and social prosperity (Ian and Terry, 2003). Since independence from Great Britain in 1960, Nigerians have experienced a number of problems ranging from ethno-religious and sectarian conflicts to corruption. According to Gboyega (1996) the post-independe nt Nigeria is one that has bore the brunt of leadership-induced poverty instigated by corruption scandals, religious charlatanism, war, restiveness, political instability, series of dictatorial regimes, and failure to build basic amenities among other issues. Ironically, these challenges have intensified during the period when Nigeria experienced what is commonly referred to as the ‘oil boom’ (Gboyega, 1996, p.39). Julius-Adeoye (2010) believes that Nigeria’s severe socio-economic crisis started immediately after independence, when the country’s leaders plundered the nation’s resources with massive corruption allegations at the expense of citizens’ wellbeing; excuses that military generals used to mount coups from the civilian rulers. Whilst it was expected that the beginning of Nigeria’s democratically elected government in 1999 under the leadership of President Olesegun Obasanjo would see sudden change of fortunes for Nigerians, the country has not realised much progress in terms of social progress despite the much hyped economic growth (Salawu, 2010). Data indicate that Nigeria’s oil revenue hit US$ 300 billion in the last two decades alone (Balouga, 2009). But it is the rise in revenue (over USD$112 billion between 2004 and 2007 alone) during Obasanjo’s reign that has raised questions about the country’s priorities and socio-economic development plans. One question one would ask is; where did Nigeria got it wrong in terms of socio-economic developmentTo answer this question, there is need to understand how defining regimes of General Ibrahim Babangida and later Olesegun Obasanjo have contributed to the socio-economic slump of the resource-rich Nigeria. 1.1 Aim and Objectives This study aims to establish the implication of two leaders of Nigeria, General Ibrahim Babangida (1985-1993) and President Olusegun Obasanjo (1999-2007) on Nigeria’s oil and gas resource management and the socio-economic impact with General Babangida setting the pace in the years of misrule and mismanagement of national resources, he set a precedent that would later haunt the economic and social fabric of Nigeria and its people for later years. Sadly, the trend of inequality did not seem to end with military rule but extended with the civilian rule of the democratically elected government (Odebode, 2004).Research objectivesTo establish the role of General Babangida’s regime on the oil resource management and socio-economic development of Nigeria To identify the implication of President Obasanjo’s reign as a democratically elected leader on the oil resource management and socio-economic development of Nigeria To identify ways in which leadership can be used to ba lance Nigeria’s socio-economic development and improve oil resource management 1.2 Research Questions What is the significance of Babangida and Obasanjo’s regimes in the socio-economic development of Nigeria? What is the significance of oil wealth to the socio-economic development of Nigeria’s socio-economic development? What implications do the oil resources have on the local communities’ social integration and economic wellbeing? To what extent has the reigns of these leaders captured in the literature about Nigeria’s developmental agenda? Chapter 2: Literature Review There is a significant body of literature on Nigeria’s development framework. It has been described as having components of corruption, consumerism, failed socio-economic and political policies, and many other issues (Balouga, 2009; Odebode, 2004; Ian and Terry, 2003).Odebode (2004) observes that Nigeria’s socio-economic climate in the past four decades has neither promoted any kind of social and economic welfare that can insulate families from harsh market realities nor help them â€Å"benefit from market developments† (Odebode, 2004, p.12). This is despite massive revenue from oil production. Corruption has been at the core of Nigeria’s political and social developments independence, saddling between military and civilian regimes, which have regrettably institutionalised corruption in almost all government agencies. When General Ibrahim Babangida toppled General Muhammadu Buhari’s regime of less than two years in a bloodless in-house coup on 27th August 1985, the country saw thirteen years of corruption in Nigeria. It is generally agreed that during General Babangida’sregime corruption not only reached alarming high level rate but also became instutionalised. For instance, leaders who were found guilty by tribunals in the previous regimes of Murtala Mohammed and Mohammadu Buharu would later find their way back into the public life; recovering their seized properties allegedly acquired through corrupt means. Maduagwu (cited i n Gboyega, 1996, p.5) observes that that not only did Babangida regime entrench corruption when he pardoned corrupt government officials convicted in the previous regimes and allowed them to reclaim their seized properties, but also â€Å"officially sanctioned corruption in the country, making it difficult to apply the only potent measures, long prison terms and seizure of illegally acquired wealth† for fighting corruption in Nigeria in the future. The successive regimes after Babangida did little to stop corruption (Balouga, 2009). General Sani Abacha in just less than 4 months had ousted the interim government furthering the corruption menace and stagnating the socio-economic growth. The Abacha regime saw corruption reached its peak with plunder of national resources. The International Centre for Asset Recovery (2009) estimated that the Abacha family alone took up to US$ 4 billion from the public coffers. Salawu (2010) observes that the country’s populace is still ma rred with abject poverty, to the extent that it is not only being categorised amongst the world’s poorest nations but also graces the world’s most unequal countries list. Studies have estimated that about 70 percent of Nigeria’s population lives below poverty line, largely due to inequitable distribution of the national resources such as oil revenue limited access to basic amenities and social services such as healthcare (Salawu, 2010). Chapter 3: Research methodology and design The researcher proposes to use qualitative research method to increase the understanding of the attitudes, motivation and other non-numerical information. The study will seek to investigate these phenomena using structured and semi-structured questionnaires, interviews and observation. According to Panneerselvam (2004), qualitative approach to research is the most appropriate research method when studying issues that require in-depth understanding of issues. Panneerselvam (2004) advises that researchers intending to study societal issues such as corruption and governance should immerse themselves into the culture of the society and experience what is in the system. Qualitative research allows the researcher to practice the needed flexibility, thus the ability to amend the emerging sub-questions as they become more familiar with the people, culture and system construct (Panneerselvam, 2004, p.158). Qualitative research methods help researchers to collect non-numerical responses from r espondents using less-structured research instruments such as interviews, observation and ethnography. Ethnography uses fieldwork to provide a descriptive study of human society and presents the results as an organized whole that is greater than the sum of its parts. It is founded on the principle that a system’s individual properties cannot always be accurately understood independent of each other. Qualitative research is thus based on relatively small sample sizes and may evoke inherent challenges when larger sample sizes are needed. In-depth Case study This research will also adopt a case study as a research methodology. The case studies will focus on General Babangida’s regime and Obasanjo’s reign and draw any comparison and similarities in terms of socio-economic development. Case study as a research method is popular due to its ability to draw inspiration from the empirical curiosity and practicality (Stake, 1998). Although the researcher maybe interested in a wider question of socio-economic development of Nigeria, the case study will allow the researcher to specifically focus on issues of oil resource management, corruption, and leadership ideals. Case study is an important research method because it is able to combine other research strategies, hence the reason why it is often referred to as a meta-method (Stake, 1998). Gillham (2001) argues that a case study should not be viewed as more important than other research methodologies but should be seen as more suited for practice-oriented fields. That is, the abili ty of the researcher to act within a professional practice is dependent on the knowledge of a repertoire of cases. 3.1 Scope of the study This research will focus on oil resource management and its impact on socio-economic development in Nigeria. The focus will draw similarities and contrast between General Babangida’s regime (1985-1993) and Olusegun Obasanjo (1999-2007). References Balouga, J. (2009). The Niger Delta: Defusing the Time Bomb. International Association for Energy Economies 1 (3), 8-11. Gboyega, A. (1996). Corruption and Democratization in Nigeria. Ibadan: Agba Areo Publishers. International Centre for Asset Recovery. (2009, September). Sani Abacha. Retrieved on 25 August, 2014 from http://www.assetrecovery.org/ Gillham, B. (2001). Case Study Research Methods. London, New York: Continuum. Ian, G. and Terry, L. (2003). Bottom of the Barrel: Africa’s Oil Boom and the Poor. Stanford: Catholic Relief Services. Julius-Adeoye, R.J. Nigerian Playwrights and Official Corruption: a study of selected plays. In Oshionebo, B.,Mbachaga, J.D., eds. (2010). Literary Perspectives on Corruption in Africa 1. Markudi: Bookmakers, 2 (1), 5-17. Odebode, S. (2004). Husbands are Crowns: Livelihood Pathways of Low-Income Urban Yoruba Wwomen in Ibadan, Nigeria. The Hague: ISS, 11-12. Panneerselvam, R. (2004). Research Methodology. NY: PHI Learning Pvt. Salawu, B. ( 2010). Ethno-Religious Conflicts in Nigeria: Causal Analysis and Proposals for New Management Strategies. European Journal of Social Sciences 13(3), 345-353. Stake, R. (1998). â€Å"Case Studies† in: Norman Denzin & Yvonna Lincoln. (eds.): Strategies of Qualitative Inquiry. Thousand Oaks, London, New Delhi: Sage.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Son of Satan

Summary Son of Satan is about an 11 year old boy who is the narrator, and his 2 buddies Has and Morgan. They are smoking and talking about another boy named Simpson who told them that he has bucked a girl under the narrator's garage. They agree to beat him up and walk to Simpson place, hit him a couple of times in his stomach and force him to go with them to the narrator's backyard. They agree that Simpson is guilty of lying and has to be hanged by the neck. And he therefore is.The 3 boys runs away but the narrator goes back and lets Simpson down, he take a long walk and hen return to his home where his father Is walling for him, they have a short conversation and then the narrator is getting beat up by his father. Characterization of the narrator and his relationship to his father The narrator Is the leader In a small gang of tree boys In the ages 11-12. The narrator Is a round non developing character because we know a lot about him from the text, but he isn't changing through the story. I believe that the narrator is insecure about himself and therefore Is afraid to show any weaknesses to his friends. L didn't want to go on with It any longer†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ UT I was the leader and I was going to have to fight Has afterwards and I couldn't show any weakness† (P. 42, L. 25-28) This shows me that he actually isn't as tough and stupid as he want to be and that the peer pressure is forcing him to act like this. As soon as his friends is gone he goes back to Simpson and helps him (P. 43, L. 5-9) also he feels bad afterwards â€Å"l felt as if my life was over† (P. 43, L. 22) and â€Å"l felt as If I had done something very bad† (P. 43, L. 25-26) which shows me that he actually regret what he have done.The narrator clearly has a bad relationship to is father, when he describes him, he only tells what he doesn't like about him. â€Å"My father was a big man, SIX feet two and one half. He had a big head, and eyes that hung there under bushy eyebro ws. HIS lips were thick and he had big ears. He was mean without even trying. † (P. 44, L. 2-5) everything on his father is described as big. That tells me that he feels suppressed by his father, the story ends with his father beating him up, which Indicates why the narrator is like he Is. I think that the narrator Is a good person. But bad parenting by his father have made him to a bad errors.Son of Satan By Experimental By Brian Jensen 1 N guilty of lying and has to be hanged by the neck, and he therefore is. The 3 boys runs then return to his home where his father is waiting for him, they have a short Characterization of the narrator and his relationship to his father The narrator is the leader in a small gang of tree boys in the ages 11-12. The narrator is a round non therefore is afraid to show any weaknesses to his friends. â€Å"l didn't want to go on with it any longer†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ But I was the leader and I was going to have to fight Has afterwards ND I couldn't sho w any weakness† (P. 2, L. 25-28) This shows me that he actually and â€Å"l felt as if I had done something very bad† (P. 43, L. 25-26) which shows me that his father, when he describes him, he only tells what he doesn't like about him. â€Å"My father was a big man, six feet two and one half. He had a big head, and eyes that hung there under bushy eyebrows. His lips were thick and he had big ears. He was beating him up, which indicates why the narrator is like he is. I think that the narrator is a good person, but bad parenting by his father have made him to a bad

Peculiarities of Writing in the Humanities

Peculiarities of Writing in the Humanities Peculiarities of Writing in the Humanities Writing in the humanities can be challenging because of the diversity and vastness of the discipline. Humanities covers human culture, which is rather hard to pin down. It covers anthropology, history, languages, laws, politics, literature, performing arts, philosophy, religion, and much more. Despite the extensive nature of this discipline, there are several essentials that you should keep in mind while writing papers about humanities subjects: Having focus. Since the humanities is a wide discipline, drawing attention to specifics is key. Say if your topic is â€Å"life as a working poet† it would be good to make it more narrow. It could be something like, â€Å"Working as a poet in Seattle in the 1980s.† The humanities is about digging deep into human nature and behavior, and decoding it for your readers. If you take only a surface look at a certain phenomenon, you aren’t doing your job. The format. Commonly, humanities papers run in this sequence: thesis, evidence/counter evidence, conclusion. The thesis is made in the introduction, and is usually a statement of one or two sentences that is the foundation of our paper. In the evidence/counter evidence section, you must present the appropriate research you have found on a certain phenomenon and make sure that the evidence backs up the claim in the thesis. In the conclusion, not only do you summarize your main points, but you also synthesize those findings and derive something important for your readers to think about from it. Though most academic papers require proper documentation of ideas and quotations, in the humanities, it is essential to building a proper argument based on your thesis and for your claims to be viable in the eyes of readers. Textual evidence, from books, journals, and so on, are more likely to be featured in humanities papers. Also, making footnotes is quite common in humanities papers, and you should be aware of how to use them and how to correctly format them. Okay, it is still an academic paper, but a paper based in the humanities can appeal to both logic and emotions. Writers try to capture the imagination of readers through their writing, and not just write dry text to impress textbook writers. The phrasing of the writing is key to appealing to readers. In the humanities, academic papers should be enticing and engaging to read, rather than a simple report. The emotions expressed should not explicit, but rather implied, however. Having a balanced discussion. Humanities papers should not lean towards one side too strongly. They are not persuasive essays. They try to report on the truth of a matter in a comprehensive, holistic way that is focused. If your essay becomes too preachy, know that something is wrong. Present both sides of the issue youre examining, from a neutral point of you. Give sufficient evidence for both spectrums of your topic. Writing a paper in the humanities can be a real trip sometimes. However, if you follow and integrate the above points in your writing practice, writing humanities papers can be a lot easier.

Sunday, October 20, 2019

How to handle work when youre depressed

How to handle work when youre depressed Work can be challenging in even the best of circumstances- but when you’re depressed and not feeling your absolute best, getting through each workday can be a real struggle. Many folks grapple with depression in both their personal and professional lives, and it can make getting through each day and handling daily responsibilities difficult. According to a recent study by The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), â€Å"an estimated 16.1 million adults aged 18 or older in the United States had at least one major depressive episode in the past year. This number represented 6.7% of all U.S. adults.† The NIMH defines a major depressive episode as â€Å"a period of two weeks or longer during which there is either depressed mood or loss of interest or pleasure, and at least four other symptoms that reflect a change in functioning, such as problems with sleep, eating, energy, concentration, and self-image.†Depression in the workplace is a significant issue- both f or employees and employers. Mental Health America recently reported that â€Å"Clinical depression has become one of America’s most costly illnesses. Left untreated, depression is as costly as heart disease or AIDS to the U.S. economy, costing over $51 billion in absenteeism from work and lost productivity and $26 billion in direct treatment costs. Depression tends to affect people in their prime working years and may last a lifetime if untreated.†Furthermore, a significantly higher percentage of adults suffer from minor or moderate depressive episodes. Although they typically include less pervasive symptoms, it can nonetheless make it hard to handle work and a spiraling effect can result- you feel depressed, which effects your ability to work, which makes you more depressed, and so on.Are you among the millions of Americans who suffer from depression? If so, then you’re not alone and there is a way forward- use the following strategies to help you learn to hand le work when you’re depressed.Don’t ignore the signs.If you’re struggling at work, try your best to recognize the signs that it might be due to depression.Are you feeling tired and lethargic throughout the day for no reason?Are everyday tasks- things that you used to do before with ease- becoming increasingly more difficult for you to handle and complete, or have become completely overwhelming for you?Is interacting with others at your workplace, or working collaboratively on team-based projects, becoming so uncomfortable or unappealing to you that you avoid contact or social interactions with colleagues at all costs?Do you find that your self-care routine is falling by the wayside?Are you noticing negative changes in your overall mood and attitude throughout the day?Has your productivity at work dipped?Do you find yourself missing work, coming in late, or leaving early more often?The truth is, any one or combination of these signs could be an indication that yo u’re suffering from depression. If you answered yes to any of these questions, the first step is to acknowledge that depression might currently be an issue for you.Assess your needs.As previously mentioned, there are varying degrees of depression that an individual can experience, and every person has their own unique symptoms, coping mechanisms, and needs. If you’ve made the determination that you’re suffering from depression- whether its mild or more profound- a good idea is to try and take an honest self-assessment and mental inventory regarding how it’s affecting your life. The last thing you want to have happen is to have your depression take complete control of your life and adversely affect your job situation- which can make your condition worse.Once you’ve determined how your depression is affecting you at work, try to assess your needs. Do you need to simply recalibrate, get organized, and wrap your head around your work responsibilities i n a new and fresh way? Do you need to make some behavioral and lifestyle changes in an effort to enact positive change? Or do you need additional outside help? Once you’re able to make a determination about what you need in order to effect change in your life and make the struggle a bit easier, you’ll be in a better position to choose the right steps for you.Seek help if needed.Do you think that you may need some guidance from others- perhaps friends or family, trusted colleagues, or professional help? The first thing to realize is that this isn’t a personal failure on your part. Many competent and functional adults suffer from depression, and there’s no shame or stigma in reaching out for help. Depression is a heavy weight to carry around on your own- seeking help from others can help ease the burden and allow you to focus on working towards an effective life solution.Explore workplace options.Many progressive workplaces offer benefits packages that incl ude mental health services- from finding the right professional help to meet your needs to financial coverage for associated costs. You may also be eligible to take paid time off from work to focus on getting help and getting better. Contact your HR representative to learn all of your options, which will help you formulate the best strategy for dealing with your depression.You are under no obligation to disclose a private health concern like depression to your colleagues and coworkers. That said, many people chose to be honest and up front about their depression and are met with sensitivity, guidance, and understanding, which can be an incredibly supportive and encouraging thing to have at a time when you need it most. The choice on how to handle disclosure is completely yours.Don’t just ignore your depression.How many problems in your life get better by simply ignoring them? If you feel that you’re experiencing depression at work and it’s affecting your ability to do your job, your best bet is to not ignore it and to use the steps outlined above to try and make some positive changes. Don’t forget- you’re not alone and your situation is not insurmountable. With a little proactive effort and the courage to effect positive changes in your life, you can go beyond learning how to handle depression at work. Instead, you can truly thrive.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Strategies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Strategies - Essay Example A leader should always be aware that their emotional instability shows in the group through frustration and low morale (Goleman, Boyatziz and McKee, 2013). According to Goleman, Boyatziz & McKee (2013) there are different types of leaders. Discordant leaders are those who are not in touch with their group emotions. The negative impact, a discordant leader, can have on the group, include internal anger and rage, frustration and lack of focus on tasks. Harmony and understanding are part of a strong working unit. According to Goleman, Boyatziz & McKee (2013) the brain is in charge of many functions within the body. One of them includes hormones that generate superior emotions or those that create awful emotions. A leaders frame of mind is related to how the brain operates. An emotionally able leader can be a powerful tool in stirring, awakening passion and enthusiasm in people. Leadership: Leading At the Edge The most important aspect of Shackletons’ leadership according to Stokes (2006) is primal leadership highlighted in Emotional Intelligence (EI). Primal leadership refers to the most crucial act of leadership which means acting as the group’s emotional leader while eliminating emotions that are negative and unhealthy for the group. According to Ainsberg (2010) to create movement and momentum Shackleton found that although you are not able to influence what happens to you, you can choose how you handle the situation. Instead of giving up and allowing self-pity to take over, Shackleton chose to motivate and inspire himself and his men in order to reach their goal. According to Ainsberg (2010) the main goal was to keep the emotions and spirits of the group up. Shackleton encouraged the crew to sing songs and play music that can act as a method of unifying and keeping attitudes positive. Through these actions, the group can connect and become closer to each

Friday, October 18, 2019

For and Against the Irrelevance of Dividend Policy Essay

For and Against the Irrelevance of Dividend Policy - Essay Example When earnings are dispensed as dividends, the company is deprived of funds which are needed for augmentation and development, and this might result in the company looking for supplementary capital from external sources. Firms are not legally required to pay dividends to stockholders. Similarly, the stockholders cannot officially compel the Board of Directors to declare dividends. In addition to that, even courts cannot meddle in this affair (Kapil, 2011). Arguments For Dividend Irrelevance In the year 1961, two senior professors, Franco Modigliani and Merton Miller (M&M) stated that a firm’s value has no correlation with its dividend policy. According to them, the market value of a company is decided only by the actions pertaining to investment and operations that result in cash flows. The structure of capital and policies related to dividends are simply financing actions or in other words, purely the ways in which cash flows from operations are allocated among the investors. Modigliani and Miller were awarded Nobel Prizes for this exclusive effort concerning Accounting and Financing. The M&M proposal gave birth to scholarly analysis in the field of finance and accounting. Since their attempt, numerous researchers in economics, finance and accounting have come up with various models and theories to explain the irrelevance and relevance of dividends to the market value of the company. Besides the M&M Theory proponents known as Middle of the Roaders; there exist Rightist and Radical Left groups with their own viewpoints (Brealey, 2007). Residual Theory states that if a company is not capable of investing further to earn in surplus of its capital expenditure, then it should apportion the earnings among the stockholders. Over the years, the evolution of M&M Theory has propagated the notion that a company’s dividend policy is irrelevant to its market value. The major argument stated by the M&M theorists is that the investment strategy is the most impor tant determinant of a company’s market value, while the division between the dividends and the reinvestments does not have an effect on this value. However, this explicit suggestion has been made under certain assumptions (Baker et al, 2005). These assumptions largely entail capital markets which are perfect with no taxes and a steady interest rate in the market with limitless borrowing. The clients or potential investors who come with money are varied in terms of preferences for low disbursement and high disbursement demand for dividends. The proponents of dividend irrelevance emphasize on this point, elucidating that policy changes with regard to high or low disbursements of dividends, affects the clientele or the investors that the company will influence, not its value. Though research illustrates that major alterations in dividends somehow affect stockholder prices. However, the response of the proponents of dividend irrelevance is that the influence on the prices is asso ciated with the informational substance of dividends in relation to potential earnings instead of the dividend itself. It is the inclination in the preferences of the investors that results in modifications of prices. Another argument in the support of dividend irrelevance is the fact that most investors are little affected whether or not dividends are paid as they know that if dividends are not paid, then the earnings are reinvested which ultimately

Laeken Declaration Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Laeken Declaration Paper - Essay Example The crafting of the constitution reinforces the powers and duties of the European Court of Justice’s embrace of each member state’s unique constitutional provisions. The first step includes the establishment of the Convention of the Future, a constitutional convention. The Federalist Papers no. 49 (Madison) states â€Å"The people are the only legitimate fountain of power, and it is from them that the constitutional charter, under which several branches of government hold their power, is derived† (Eriksen 2004). Lee McGowan mentioned â€Å"The Laekan Declaration on the Future of the European Union was adopted by the European Council at its summit in Laeken, Belgium on 15 December 2001. The Declaration followed a similar Declaration on the Future of the Union adopted a year earlier at the same time as the Treaty of Nice and was significant for the issues it raised for consideration by the Convention on the Future of Europe which was launched in late February 2002 . ... Second, the Laeken Declaration focused on resolving the European Union’s democratic deficit. The aim of the Laeken Declaration is to establish a European Union political entity grounded on firm democracy, crystal clear transparency and efficiency. Third, the Laeken Declaration centered on simplifying the European Union’s political environment. The same Declaration emphasized the integration of the treaties into a European Union constitution. Likewise, the Declaration delves on defining the European Union’s role in enhancing the global environment. Lastly, the Declaration centers on bringing the European Union citizens within one synergy-filled single European Union community1. The Treaty of Lisbon enhanced the concepts of the prior Laeken Declaration. The Laeken Declaration hinted on the importance of constitutional reform policies. The Lisbon treaty included a new reform vehicle that gave a semblance of constitutional intentions, the Convention on the Future of Europe. The word selections were toned to impress a constitutional purpose. Taking into consideration the mandate as well as the character envisioned by the democratic constitutional perspective, the Belgian presidents’ advocacy for the Treaty of Lisbon was the handiwork of the European Council. European integration can both be an opportunity and a threat. There is no convincing evidence that some of the national governments of the Europe Union will stand to loss if they implement a European Union constitution. To resolve the issue, some European governments have adapted their structures and procedures to keep abreast with the increasing scope of European Union integration. The Treaty of Lisbon, inspired by the Laeken Declaration, states that the national

Experience being given a gold award in class for academic excellence Essay

Experience being given a gold award in class for academic excellence - Essay Example It was the day before our last day in school and I was so excited because that was the day when our teacher will announce the three top students in our grade level. I knew I was one of the candidates but I was not sure whether I could make it to the top three. I woke up early that day, not having slept the whole night because of excitement. When I arrived in school, teacher was just about ready to announce the top three students. She started by announcing the bronze medalist. My hands were as cold as ice. I was hoping that my name will be called but I felt sad when the name of the bronze medalist was not mine. She then announced the silver medalist. By that time, I was already as pale as a ghost because of anxiety. Still, I was not the silver medalist. At this point, my last and only hope was that I would be the gold awardee. I prayed fervently as if it was my last prayer. I was already having butterflies in my stomach. Then, the announcement came, â€Å"The gold awardee for this ye ar is †¦Ã¢â‚¬  Yes! I was the gold medalist, the top student in class! I felt I was floating in air. I jumped for joy as if I had ants in my pants. The cheers of my classmates were deafening. My efforts at studying hard every day were not futile. My efforts paid-off. Now, I have an ace up in my sleeve. And as my dad put it, â€Å"Now son, you have another feather in your cap!† The following day was the awarding ceremony. My face was as bright as the sun this time.

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Strategic Direction of Tesco Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Strategic Direction of Tesco - Case Study Example We have a track record of providing value for customers, creating jobs and training, providing opportunities for suppliers and regenerating deprived areas. [The Tesco Group had turnover of 33,974 million ($59,454 million) with pre-tax profits of 2,029 million ($3,551 million) in the year to February 2005. We have 2,467 stores, employing over 370,000 people in the 13 countries in which we operate. In Europe, outside the UK, we operate in Ireland, Hungary, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Turkey where we have 305 stores and over 61,000 employees.] For the first 50 years, Tesco worked hard to establish the brand and build up a strong UK business, by ensuring that everything we did was driven by a never-ending ambition to improve our customers' shopping trips.] http://www.tescocorporate.com/annualreview07/01_tescostory/tescostory5.html "No one tries harder for customers," and "Treat people how we like to be treated," are the core values of Tesco and its approach to Corporate Responsibility. Sir Terry Leahy says that they believe they can achieve most when they work together on practical things that make a difference. Tesco helps customers and fairly treat colleagues with trust and respect. Tesco delivers cheaper and better products, and provide more choice for the people and community. We continue to make long-term price reductions throughout our businesses. As life has become busier and more complex, and living costs more expensive, Tesco has helped make shopping simpler, more convenient and affordable to customers. During 2006/07 we have: (http://www.tescocorporate.com/page.aspxpointerid=22492B1EE56448CDB88FAD501D742BCB) [launched our Fruit and Veg Pledge - that we would offer at least

Service process of McDonalds Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Service process of McDonalds - Essay Example non-stop customers’ flow and subsequent success in the business. It is important to note that McDonald’s Company serves both as a service and product company. McDonald’s deals in fast food sphere of services and their interest and priority to serve customers at the highest level possible has enabled them to dominate the world market with overwhelming customer base for a long time. Their compactors cannot march them in terms of brand loyalty given the input they have always put in servicing the customers. The company also appears in the fortune 500 list as one of the most prominent and effective companies in the world in terms of fast food provision (Fitzsimmons, 2005: 34). It is indicated that McDonald’s has the most efficient way in dealing with the customer and they take the minimal time to attend to the customer. The waiting time in the restaurant is much reduced and no customer can take longer than necessary McDonald’s has greatly invested in th e customer service in the most appropriate way possible and this they believe will give them a competitive advantage. They also have employed the use of technological advancement in satisfying their customers. In this sense, automated machines for beverages are used to enable quick services to the customer. This will avoid customers staying in queues for a long time being conscious that customers have little time to spend in the restaurant. The efficiency of the customer service in the company is one of their major strengths in cutting and edge over their competitors (Clark and Baker, 2004: 77). The management of the services in a way that it attracts and retains customers in one of the most important focuses in business particularly those that are food-based. Main Body Service to the customer is one way of retaining and attracting customers in a business, this is particularly more pronounced in a business situated in a competitive landscape like what is McDonald’s is experie ncing. In response, the business must design unique services to the customer that will make them occupy a niche that no other among its competitors has. McDonald’s has realized the essence satisfactory customer service and has reciprocated by offering a myriad of services to the customer and this can be construed to accounts for their huge customer base in the 118 countries in the world. In McDonald’s, it is recognized that every customer is unique in a way and must be treated exactly the same as the other without assumption, in this relation, the following services from different quarters are offered at McDonald’s. Products Quality Besides provision of high quality products, the company has also insisted on having the customers get their value for money. They have noted the need for high standards in the delicate business of fast food and have ensured that it is always observed such that it becomes very palpable for any customer to do a comparative analysis whe n they shop elsewhere. In pursuit of this, McDonald’

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Experience being given a gold award in class for academic excellence Essay

Experience being given a gold award in class for academic excellence - Essay Example It was the day before our last day in school and I was so excited because that was the day when our teacher will announce the three top students in our grade level. I knew I was one of the candidates but I was not sure whether I could make it to the top three. I woke up early that day, not having slept the whole night because of excitement. When I arrived in school, teacher was just about ready to announce the top three students. She started by announcing the bronze medalist. My hands were as cold as ice. I was hoping that my name will be called but I felt sad when the name of the bronze medalist was not mine. She then announced the silver medalist. By that time, I was already as pale as a ghost because of anxiety. Still, I was not the silver medalist. At this point, my last and only hope was that I would be the gold awardee. I prayed fervently as if it was my last prayer. I was already having butterflies in my stomach. Then, the announcement came, â€Å"The gold awardee for this ye ar is †¦Ã¢â‚¬  Yes! I was the gold medalist, the top student in class! I felt I was floating in air. I jumped for joy as if I had ants in my pants. The cheers of my classmates were deafening. My efforts at studying hard every day were not futile. My efforts paid-off. Now, I have an ace up in my sleeve. And as my dad put it, â€Å"Now son, you have another feather in your cap!† The following day was the awarding ceremony. My face was as bright as the sun this time.

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Service process of McDonalds Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Service process of McDonalds - Essay Example non-stop customers’ flow and subsequent success in the business. It is important to note that McDonald’s Company serves both as a service and product company. McDonald’s deals in fast food sphere of services and their interest and priority to serve customers at the highest level possible has enabled them to dominate the world market with overwhelming customer base for a long time. Their compactors cannot march them in terms of brand loyalty given the input they have always put in servicing the customers. The company also appears in the fortune 500 list as one of the most prominent and effective companies in the world in terms of fast food provision (Fitzsimmons, 2005: 34). It is indicated that McDonald’s has the most efficient way in dealing with the customer and they take the minimal time to attend to the customer. The waiting time in the restaurant is much reduced and no customer can take longer than necessary McDonald’s has greatly invested in th e customer service in the most appropriate way possible and this they believe will give them a competitive advantage. They also have employed the use of technological advancement in satisfying their customers. In this sense, automated machines for beverages are used to enable quick services to the customer. This will avoid customers staying in queues for a long time being conscious that customers have little time to spend in the restaurant. The efficiency of the customer service in the company is one of their major strengths in cutting and edge over their competitors (Clark and Baker, 2004: 77). The management of the services in a way that it attracts and retains customers in one of the most important focuses in business particularly those that are food-based. Main Body Service to the customer is one way of retaining and attracting customers in a business, this is particularly more pronounced in a business situated in a competitive landscape like what is McDonald’s is experie ncing. In response, the business must design unique services to the customer that will make them occupy a niche that no other among its competitors has. McDonald’s has realized the essence satisfactory customer service and has reciprocated by offering a myriad of services to the customer and this can be construed to accounts for their huge customer base in the 118 countries in the world. In McDonald’s, it is recognized that every customer is unique in a way and must be treated exactly the same as the other without assumption, in this relation, the following services from different quarters are offered at McDonald’s. Products Quality Besides provision of high quality products, the company has also insisted on having the customers get their value for money. They have noted the need for high standards in the delicate business of fast food and have ensured that it is always observed such that it becomes very palpable for any customer to do a comparative analysis whe n they shop elsewhere. In pursuit of this, McDonald’

A Review of Bathing Beauties Essay Example for Free

A Review of Bathing Beauties Essay Anna Schnur-Fishman presents a compelling argument for teaching healthy body image and self esteem in her article â€Å"Bathing Beauties†. Set in the communal shower of a summer camp, Schnur-Fishman described how she and her friends developed their positive body image. Through group support and open conversations, the girls who showered in the communal shower and learned that beauty was not what they saw on TV or on a billboard. In fact, they learned that no one really looked like those images. And through this communal showering the girls learned to love their bodies and all their imperfections. These experiences and lessons were such that Schnur-Fishman and her friends have carried then throughout their lives. Anna Schnur-Fishman makes several interesting and valid points in favor of the communal showering in the BIK. First she discussed the idea of community support. According to Schnur-Fishman, everyone had to shower together, so no one was judgmental of another’s bodies. In fact, Schnur-Fishman, discussed one conversation where all the girls said out loud one thing they did not like about themselves. As a friend of the author’s stated, she never noticed the flaws the other girls. The realization showed her that if she was not paying attention to others flaws, others were not paying attention to hers. This exercise instilled in them that girls can feel beautiful no matter what they may think is wrong with their bodies. This is a beautiful idea because, as Schnur-Fishman notes, outside American culture often does not provide young girls this type of support. Instead, our culture, more than any other, pushes an unrealistic image of female beauty. Schnur-Fishman continued to discuss the idea of multigenerational exposure. At peak shower times, the age range in the shower could be from 8-25 years old. This allowed for the older girls to really be role models for the younger girls. In today’s culture, young girls look up to actresses and models, these images do nothing but further warp a girl’s sense of self and body image. Following in line with this idea, the author stated that the BIK was â€Å"a reality check†. Again, no one is perfect. The only way for a young girl to learn this is to see that others have flaws and no one really pays them any attention. Schnur-Fishman also stated that she believed the communal shower was a way to â€Å"push back against American culture†. By feeling good about oneself and not being ashamed, a girl has power over what the mainstream culture is trying to teach her. She mentioned that how good they felt should have been criminal. Schnur-Fishman made a valid point here because it often does seem very unacceptable for a female to feel good about herself. Find a group of females and listen to their conversation. Chances are you will hear them complain about how bad they look or how fat they feel. You can almost guarantee that if one of the females said something positive about themselves, she would get the cold shoulder or some negative response from the others (eyes rolling, fake, shallow agreement, talking behind her back when she goes to the bathroom, etc). The last point the author discussed was the joy she felt in the BIK. She stated that it was liberating, being free and remembering what is was like before she cared about her body. It gave her and the other girls the chance to relax and let loose. They did not have to try to up hold any type of image. I think the Schnur-Fishman made some very good points. It is unfortunate that even in today’s culture, were we say we promote healthy living and encourage self esteem, so many girls suffer. The images we show our young girls and the words we say contradict each other, only confusing ours girls into personally insecurities. We tell them to love them selves no matter what they look like. Then we show them that beauty is comes in tall and skinny package, with clear skin. This unrealistic body image is causing more emotional and health related problems among our young girls than sometimes we care to realize. Giving our young girls opportunities to feel good about them self is only the first step to reclaiming their own personal power.

Monday, October 14, 2019

Difference between Efficient managers and Effective managers

Difference between Efficient managers and Effective managers Efficient and Effectiveness as stated by Peter Drucker Efficiency is doing things right; Effectiveness is doing the right thing. An organization survives based on the efficiency and effectiveness of a manager/management. Efficiency is the use of financial, human, physical and information resources such that output is maximised for any given set of resource inputs, or input is minimised for any given quantity and quality of output. An efficient manager might be doing the right job but not the job right. Doing the right job does not require much time or resource. A job can be done very quickly and efficiently within time. In this case, the managers main aim is to get the job done within the allocated time using the given resources. But doing a job effectively involves time and planning the right strategy. In this case the manager concentrates more on the outcome rather than just the input. Both efficiency and effectiveness are an integral part of a successful management. Management is almost entirely concerned with getting things done and determining how to get things accomplished. In each managers mind there is a debate over whether more concern should go into low-cost production or to disregard production costs and go after complete satisfaction of goals and objectives. These two paths are known as the decisions which separate Effectiveness and Efficiency. Effectiveness means that the job was done correctly and was accomplished but with no regard to whether the job was done inexpensively or on time. Whereas, efficiency means that the job was accomplished cheaply and on time yet may not be a very thorough and impressive accomplishment. To illustrate this idea with a simple example, let s take an organization that wants to create an ad for its service/product. Creating the ad within the budget and in time is efficient. But the main things to be considered are the current market trend and environment. It would take more than just time and money to create an ad that would call out to the customers. Creativeness and efficiency alone is not enough to create the perfect ad. A detailed analysis of what the customer wants and expressing it in a way that would appeal to the ethos of the customer is what is required to create the ad. Though this example is not a direct example to management, it is a simple way to highlight the difference between efficiency and effectiveness. In an organization, a leader is different from a manager. A good leader is not essentially a good manager though a good manager should have ideal leadership qualities. A manager is someone who maintains the balance of effectiveness and efficiency in the organization. It is essential that the difference between efficiency and effectiveness is made distinctively clear, as the two are nearly inseparable in business strategy, but they command two distinct points of view. This importance between the two is crucial when it comes to managing an organization. It is also necessary to understand that the two are mutually exclusive and that it is not possible for an organization to survive with just efficiency alone and not effectiveness. Organizational Behaviour Organizational Behaviour (OB) is the study and application of knowledge about how people, individuals, and groups act in organizations. It does this by taking a system approach. That is, it interprets people-organization relationships in terms of the whole person, whole group, whole organization, and whole social system. Its purpose is to build better relationships by achieving human objectives, organizational objectives, and social objectives. The organizations base rests on managements philosophy, values, vision and goals. This in turn drives the organizational culture which is composed of the formal organization, informal organization, and the social environment. The culture determines the type of leadership, communication, and group dynamics within the organization. The workers perceive this as the quality of work life which directs their degree of motivation. The final outcome is performance, individual satisfaction, and personal growth and development. All these elements combine to build the model or framework that the organization operates from. Difference between Leaders and Managers: Leadership is the process of influencing others to work willingly towards an organisation s goals, and to the best of their capabilities. It is considered the foundation of the management function known as leading. As stated in module 10, Leadership in Contemporary Organizations . John Kotter feels that management is about coping with complexity. Good management brings about order and consistency by drawing up formal plans, designing rigid organization structures, and monitoring results against the plans. Leadership is about coping with change. Leaders establish direction by developing a vision of the future; then they align people by communicating this vision and inspiring them to overcome hurdles. According to Robert House of Wharton, Managers use the authority inherent in their designated formal rank to obtain compliance. Ideally, all managers should have leadership qualities in them although it is not necessary that all leaders should have managing skills. The fact that an individual can influence others does not tell whether he or she can also plan, organise, and control. Effectiveness and Efficiency in an Organization Effectiveness and efficiency are mutually exclusive things. For a manager, they are both fundamental preconditions. Being effective is to be able to properly analyze the evolving environment and choosing the right things and strategy to concentrate on for the enterprise. On the other hand, being efficient requires a carefully planned cultural and operational framework which helps the manager to achieve a particular degree of success, given the level of resources applied to a particular objective. In any business, an efficient manager is one who uses limited resources available viz., time, material and men to get the job done in a more professional manner. This includes securing productive and profitable results in a short span, using funds allotted for a business more legibly yet smartly, and appraising employee performance etc., In other words, an efficient manager would keep the business running even in dire circumstances. An effective manager, on the other hand, is slightly different from the efficient one. The effective manager focuses on productivity rather than increased/balanced profitability. Effective management has various layers in its setup such as motivation, teamwork, communication and objectives. An effective manager is someone who leads, coordinates and filters various activities of the sub-ordinates and decides an appropriate mechanism to work upon. An effective manager usually works without any constraints such as funds, manpower etc. The focus always implies on better management practices and in turn, better output. Effectiveness is a precondition for the success of any manager; however that depends more upon the uncontrollable variables dictated to the manager by the operational environment and his ability to come up with the right choices that would suit his resources built over time. It may be appreciated that a firms resources in terms of manpower and technology as well as capital would have been built up over time and they have a great degree of rigidity. Once you become effective, efficiency can be an easier thing to bring into operation. The two things are in fact complimentary. Efficiency in fact depends upon the lower level managerial abilities and culture while effectiveness is almost always a top management variable. Management Strategies In management, operating in efficient and in effective ways is a key to good performance and to successfully reaching the goals set for the business. While efficiency and effectiveness are similarly desirable characteristics of business behavior, either one is often seen as attainable only at the expense of the other. Looking at the interplay of the two characteristics can give a clear insight into the ideal behavior for a manager when faced with tasks which must be completed quickly, but also completed in such a way that the key goals are attained. Luther Gulick advocates seven elements which make up common management in any organization. He calls it the POSDCORB. Planning a strategy to accomplish the objectives set for an enterprise. Organizing a formal structure of authority, arranged and defined for specific jobs. Staffing / Recruiting and training personnel. Directing/ Decision making and embodying rules, instructions etc., Co-ordinating various parts of work. Reporting through records, research and inspection. Budgeting in form of fiscal planning, accounting and control. These make up the common administrative tasks managers perform in an organization. The effectiveness of each element makes up both an efficient and effective management system. The following make up management behavior. Management of human resources is a social phenomenon. An effective communication channel is always imperative in any kind of an organization. James Pfiffner calls it the heart of management . Chester Barnard remarks it as the foundation of co-operative group activity. For an effective communication, the information passed on must be clear, consistent, adequate, timely, uniform, flexible and acceptable. A manager must make sure that a proper communication channel is present in an organization. This includes avoiding semantic and ideological barriers, two-valued thinking (Halo effect), stereotyping and dogmatism among the employees. Decision-making is a vital part of an efficient management system. Robert Tannenbaum says decision-making involves a conscious choice or selection of one behavior alternative from a group of two or more behavior alternative. A behavior alternative may simply be known as a decision. Decision-making, in more ways or the other, is a singular function of the manager. It is thus very important in an organization. Herbert Simon came up with the fact that every decision has two basic premises a factual premise and a value premise. A fact is a statement of reality while a value is an expression of preference. A manager would go by decisions based on these only. An effective manager goes in for the factual premise because it can be measured empirically, while the value premise, which may determine efficient factors such as profit, loss, employee satisfaction, cost-cutting etc., would be more preferred by efficient managers. Rensis Likert calls motivation as the core of management . Motivation is a psychological process which energizes and activates an individual to achieve formulated objectives. A manager thus plays a vital role as a driving force behind motivation. On this part, both effective and efficient managers must be good motivators, so as to bring about the best in the employees. Classical and modern management thinkers have listed money and a variety of socio-psychological factors as a source of motivation. Motivation also helps to build teams and perform better. Teamwork is another essential part of management. A manager is the undisputed leader of a team. He delegates work to his sub-ordinates, assigns tasks, creates plans and makes decisions. An autocratic manager would do all the above functions by himself. It is not desirable in an effective organizational system. On the other hand, an efficient manager would tend to be a little autocratic in his functions, because of the limited resources available and some other constraints. It is however better for an organization to be more democratic for proper functioning. Being efficient does not necessarily mean effective. A person can be very efficient at what they are doing but still not get to where they want to be because they arent doing the right things. Thats where effective comes in. Effective means having the desired result. Once the desired overall result is defined, the tasks leading to the result can be isolated and these tasks can then be completed efficiently. If a business wants to grow, one way is to attract more customers. To attract more customers, potential customers must be informed of the advantages of doing business with the company. This requires the step of identifying potential customers and identifying why they would want to become customers. Since the business already has customers, the easiest way to identify new potential customers is to identify people like the existing customers; the reasons these new customers would buy from the business are the same reasons the existing customers do. The steps which will be effective in attracting new customers are now clear: 1. Identify groups of existing customers and find out why they are customers; 2. Identify similar groups outside the existing customer base; 3. Contact these potential customers and let them know the advantages of becoming customers, giving them the reasons existing customers gave. These steps will be effective and they can now be performed efficiently. On the other hand, sending out mass mailings to general mailing lists can also be performed very efficiently, but it wont be as effective and probably will not let the business reach its goals. Importance Managing effectively and efficiently is the way to go about in business. Efficient business tactics would help to know how to deal with finance and personnel in a more productive way. Most successful businesses in the world today are rather efficient than effective. Efficient management practices provide increased sustainability and stability in an organization. It involves novelty in management practices and output. An effective management system takes a long time to fully materialize. It has more to do with the long-term vision of an organization than its present objectives. Effective management also involves setting time benchmarks within the organization, so that a given objective gets completed within a set time. Traditional management practices are usually followed, and the manager sets up an instructional framework within which the sub-ordinates are expected to follow. An effective management system, summarily can be defined as, one which Raises productivity Increases work output from sub-ordinates Functions within a set of rules and regulations Works in a more democratic manner Builds teamwork and effective communication channels A good manager therefore is one who works both efficiently and effectively simultaneously. It is imperative that he does work in a more systematic manner and adapts himself depending on the organizational situation and environment. What an organization / business would need is an effective mechanism and an efficient output. The primary difference: Efficiency productivity metric and Effectiveness quality metric. The thorough understanding of the difference between Effective and Efficient is imperative in the understanding of the importance of that difference. The basic job of a manager is to make decisions, allocate resources, direct activities of other employee to attain goals etc. It is essential that a manager has good relationship with his colleagues and his employee. Communication skills are also very crucial to the role of a manager. This difference between effective and efficient managers is what defines the lines between Average, successful, effective and efficient managers. A person who has the talent to maintain the balance between efficiency and effectiveness is a successful manager. An average manager is someone who fails to maintain the perfect balance but still survives. An efficient manager is someone who does his job right and an effective manager is someone who does the right job and produces the result. According to Peter Drucker setting objectives, organizing the group, motivating and communicating, measuring performance, developing people are the five main essential functions of a manager. But the difference lies in whether the person chooses to do the right job or to do the job right. Drucker was a highly pragmatic man. The first question that must be asked of any requisition is whether it requires a focus on efficiency or effectiveness. These two metrics are often mutually exclusive: You can either get it fast or get it right, but you can rarely get both at the same time. Efficiency is a measure of speed and cost. Efficiency says Getting someone in here right away is more important than getting the right person later. Effectiveness is a measure of quality and goodness. Effectiveness says the opposite: Hiring the right person is more important than hiring someone right away. This subtle difference between doing the right thing and doing things right is what determines success. But just knowing the difference alone does not make one successful. The implementation of this distinctive managing strategy is key to being a successful manager. In any case an efficient manager can also be successful in that he completes the job allocated to him with or without attaining the desired results. Conclusion and Case Study A study at NAMB(National Association of Mortgage Brokers), McLean, Virginia, shows that the planning process at NAMB was sketchy, at best, and was essentially staff-driven. However, as a result of attending ASAEs CEO Symposium (a two-day event for the chief executive officer and chief elected officer to explore priorities for the year and determine how best to work together) the National Association of Mortgage Brokers incoming president (the chief elected officer) decided to transform the board into a true governance board to ensure the implementation of NAMBs strategic plan, which was subsequently adopted by the organization in October of that year. During a strategic planning retreat designed to address organizational planning in a more formal way, an external facilitator led a group of volunteer stakeholders in a two-day process that resulted in the preliminary draft of that plan. Participants included key board leadership and several volunteer leaders from NAMBs affiliated state s. At this stage, the work was volunteer-intensive and focused on major long-term strategic and visionary outcomes. The facilitator, who was familiar with the industry, limited the plan to four or five basic goals with broader objectives and strategies. As a result of this commitment to planning and governance, NAMBs national board meetings are now focused on key outcome areas of the strategic plan and have greatly delineated the boards role of being effective (achieving strategic outcomes) from the staffs more operational role of being efficient. However, this does not mean that the dedicated staffs of NAMB work solely on maintenance items (maintaining and sustaining growth). The planning process and the clearer delineation of responsibilities have created a stronger partnership in the organization, especially through the process that now separates growth from maintenance targets. This occurred during the development of committee action plans and individual performance targets. Being effective and efficient are not just words. They are identifiable actions that are integrated into a plan that ultimately elevates the performance of individuals and organizations concludes NAMB s chief executive officer. Another example to illustrate the difference between efficient and effective management: Consider an organization, a car accessories company, wants to introduce a new range of audio and video systems. As the company is already specialized in automobile accessories, it would not take much time to introduce a new improved product. Getting the work done would take considerable time but it is possible. An efficient management knows very well the general demand in the society and would get the work done efficiently. But an effective organization, though aware of the general demand of the society, would analyze the market and would put in the time and effort to get the work done to satisfy the needs and wants in the market. The difference here is, an efficient management would produce a product that is in demand at that particular time, which would bring sufficient profit to the organization but not the desired success, but may not be in much demand later on. On the other hand an effective organization, after analyzing and planning strategically, would produce a product which is not only in demand but in need which means the product would last in the market longer which is a success for the organization. Efficiency is about producing the end result in an economical, time saving and cost efficient way but Effectiveness is about producing something that would last, no matter what the cost. Efficiency alone will lead an organization to bankruptcy. Effectiveness (efficacy) alone may allow the organization to survive. However the organization will not reach its maximum potential if it is inefficient. Effectiveness and efficiency together will almost guarantee success. An effective organization is at least going in the right direction, even if it is not getting there very fast. An efficient organization is taking the fast track to wherever it is going, be that a good or bad direction. The organization that is efficacious and efficient will grow and take business away from companies that do only one or the other. Knowing and handling the difference between efficiency and effectiveness will eventually lead an organization to success.