Wednesday, August 26, 2020

Launching Indian Fast Food in Bulgaria Free Essays

The nation I would decide to dispatch the Indian Fast Food would be Bulgaria. So as to assess the advertising procedure we need to make research and to find the contrasts between the Bulgarian and the UK showcase 1. Cheap food in Bulgaria There is a little measure of data with respect to the inexpensive food showcase free on web. We will compose a custom paper test on Propelling Indian Fast Food in Bulgaria or on the other hand any comparative subject just for you Request Now A study, done by (Synovate, 2009), shows that the Bulgarians love inexpensive food more than that Americans and the Brits. As per the overview over 68% of the individuals in Bulgaria affirm that they like so much the flavor of the cheap food that they can’t surrender it. The review likewise shows that there is a genuine energy for inexpensive food in Bulgaria. Contrasted with the developed market like US and the UK the Bulgarians despite everything locate the snappy assistance cafés very in vogue and imaginative. Besides there is no indication of the utilization to go down. The primary players available are McDonald’s (since 1994), KFC (since 1994), SubWay (since 2008). In Bulgaria there is distinction between the burger and sandwich inexpensive food and the normal Bulgarian cheap food, which offers pre-cooked or quick arranged dishes. Average Bulgarian inexpensive food chains are Happy, Ugo, Divaka. They all are speedy assistance cafés. And the entirety of the inexpensive food chains universal and local are encountering considerable development during the years. 2. Indian eatery in Bulgaria The subsequent stage is to check the market and the presence of Indian food in the nation. In reality after a short exploration in the web I have discovered only four Indian eateries Gurkha, Saffron, Kohinoor and Taj Mahal (Inyourpocket, 2012), every one of them are in Sofia. Checking the online distributed menus affirm that the Indian food is costly and thusly is acknowledged as selective elevated expectation cooking. 3. Segment research The third issue is segment research. Are there any Indian gatherings living in Bulgaria? In the exploration done online there are no hints of generous number Indians living in Bulgaria. 4. Distinguishing the distinctions in the showcasing system Armed with the examination data I would point the main contrast from the first ventures. The two fragments of shoppers distinguished in UK are not pertinent in Bulgaria. There is no Indian culture and the individuals are inexperienced with the Indian food. Another essential exploration ought to be led so as to distinguish and portion the customers. Next-the advertising technique ought to be changed to address those issues. In the UK as far as shopper esteem made we are going to address expressed issues by the talked with expected customers. In Bulgaria we should make an incentive by offering totally new cooking. We have to make yearn for Indian food in the expected customers. We will do it with the spiritualist of the Indian food offering it at a generally excellent cost. So regarding situating methodology we will contend basically with the drive-thru eateries offering prepared food and very little with the sandwich and burger cheap food. Rivaling the Indian eateries will be in the piece of food conveyance and again focusing on the cheap food fragment we won’t have large troubles beating them with better costs. Due to the enormous segment contrasts in the nation I don't accept that the administration ought to be offered broadly. I would prefer to pick somewhere in the range of three and four major urban areas for propelling the eateries. Another fascinating spot to open a drive-thru eatery is on the thruway. The portion focused on will totally vary from the two distinguished in the UK Market. As potential customers I would point the individuals rehearsing Yoga. 5. Distinguishing contrasts in the advertising blend Because the item will be totally new for the nearby customers the menu assortment must be effectively unmistakable. The essential examination will give a superior thought regarding the flavor of the individuals and desires they have. As far as estimating there is colossal contrast between the UK and Bulgaria so the costs ought to be balanced in like manner. Furthermore, again the costs ought to be in a nearby rivalry with the drive-through joints offering prepared suppers. The spots for the eateries will contrast from those in the UK for instance. The explanation is that in Bulgaria the train stations are generally utilized by the individuals beneath or around the neediness line. So the areas ought to be picked cautiously. I would begin with one in the downtown area in Sofia, another in a portion of the city shopping centers and third in the greatest business park where more than 10â 000 are working each day. Again changes in the advancements ought to be made not exclusively to cause the customers to enter the eateries yet in addition to make them attempt the food. An advancement blend ought to be chosen cautiously so to transform each new customer into normal one. With having the majority of the primary contrasts distinguished I despite everything accept that starting Indian drive-through eateries will be fruitful. First on the grounds that the individuals love it, second since they use it on consistent schedule, third in light of the fact that the eating out culture is profoundly acknowledged in the greater urban areas. Another explanation is that the individuals use for a considerable length of time the Indian species, besides we love fiery hot dishes, lastly yet not least Bulgarians are available to attempt new things particularly with regards to food. Inyourpocket, 2012. Inyourpocket. [Online] Available at: http://www. inyourpocket. com/Bulgaria/Sofia/Restaurants-and-Cafes/Indian [Accessed 22 11 2012]. Synovate, 2009. Softpedia. [Online] Available at: http://news. softpedia. com/news/Bulgaria-Is-the-Real-Fast-Food-Nation-Study-Reveals-113448. shtml [Accessed 22 11 2012]. The most effective method to refer to Launching Indian Fast Food in Bulgaria, Essay models

Saturday, August 22, 2020

The Daimler Bens And Chrysler Merger Management Essay

The Daimler Bens And Chrysler Merger Management Essay Daimler-Benz was converged with Chrysler in May 1998. The CEO of Daimler-Benz, Jurgen Schrempp called this merger as merger of equivalents (Schein, 1996). The objective was to be in top three organizations of car industry. Uniting both the organizations with various culture was not considered as an obstacle and there are no odds of social conflicts yet behind the blinds things were totally extraordinary. There were numerous explanations behind the problematic merger however the most significant was conflict of co work societies. But since of merger there were extreme changes in the organization too and the significant change was stock costs were quadrupled and the organization had a change in outlook from chapter 11 to benefit making. Lee Iacocca demonstrated an extraordinary transformational initiative and executed change the executives in organization that was useful in getting money related steadiness and extending the advertising space. He embraced the four empowering influences which were stage groups, another inside, another culture, CAD for the association. The merger changed the co work culture of the organization now the organization is thought to have better situated. It entered the developing competeion in little truck showcase. (Anon., 1997). The main sureness in our cutting edge world is change. The capacity to endure and prosper relies upon our adaptability and the readiness to continually adjust to a changing world by Arthur. Presentation Change the board shifts generally from association to association including different situations yet among all most significant is authoritative change the board. It is a procedure of progress in an association in a deliberate way. Change the board can be responsive. Most normal spots for change the board execution are innovation the executives, key and procedure. Anyway beating protection from change is the guiding principle while executing new systems. Lee Iacocca, previous CEO of the Chrysler Corporation demonstrated transformational administration he carried the organization from liquidation to benefit. About the organization Daimler AG is the most succesful German car fabricating organization established in 1883.initially it was named as Daimler Motoren Geselleschaft. The Daimler bunch is universes greatest producer of premium vehicles. In 1998 Daimler converged with Chrysler Corporation and got another name DiamlerChrysler AG.In 2007 Cerbeus Capital Management gained Chrysler organization as Chrysler was deficient with regards to the liquidity required by the money related markets and again organization was renamed as Diamler AG(Thornton Meyer-Larsen, 2000). Gottlieb Daimler and Carl Benz were the companys originator and car pioneer who presented excellent items and safe portability. Daimler is an organization whose dedication is towards greatness and expanded profitability.the financial specialists of Diamler are significantly European, us and different speculators universally. The organization has turnaround of approx EUR 99.4 billion(IFRS, 2008). It has fabricating units in 17 nations. Chrysler Group LLC is a car producing industry was established in 1925 by Walter Chrysler.It is universes thirteen biggest vehicle manufacturer(OICA, 2008). Chrysler Group was stuck in insecure monetary state and was pronounced bankrupt.after that endeavors were done to assume responsibility for organization by the biggest investor Kirk Kirkorian in a joint effort with Lee Lacocca. The central command of Chrysler bunch is in Detroit, Michigan (Turnock Cobbs, 2003). Significant market region of Chrysler was US. There was a need to grow the market space to procure worldwide income and increment benefit yet that necessary more prominent venture and the organization was in absence of assets this made an ascent of combining the organization with some solid stable organization to expand the market space as traveler vehicles were sold broadly out of US however the organization had no plants abroad. So it choosed Daimler AG as a potential organization to converge with as a result of its wide access to universal market and budgetary solidness. (Geisst, 2004). Transformational administration Lee lacocca is an assigned pioneer whose administration radically turned around Chrysler hierarchical culture. Authority is produced in time of emergency. Administration characteristics of lee Iacocca incorporate the accompanying 9 Cs which helped him to get the social change Chrysler gathering. 1. Interest lee iacocca consistently put his conviction to test and get thought from individuals he was insatiable peruser as he needed to keep himself mindful about the worldwide changes. 2.CREATIVE-lee Iacocca was continually ready to attempt some imaginative thoughts. He put stock in considering of the crate. He had the option to oversee change in the organization. 3. Impart he had the option to confront the truth of insolvency of the organization and come clean with partners about the merger. He could disperse data appropriately. 4. CHARACTER-lee Iacocca was an individual of character he realized the contrast among good and bad. He had all the forces still he had the guts to make the best choice. 5.COURAGE-the best authority nature of lee Iacocca is the fortitude and capacity to do responsibility and do exchange by sitting and talking. 6.CONVITION-he was an exceptionally energetic pioneer. His energy was the accomplishment of organization and expanded capital for which he had fire in the stomach 7.CHARISMA-lee Iacocca had certain characteristics which caused individuals to tail him. He had the option to motivate the representative during emergency and everybody confided in him. 8.COMPETENT-he being a pioneer precisely realized what he was accomplishing for the advancement of organization in addition he generally took suggestionfrom individuals. 9.COMMON SENSE-It is the most evident character of a pioneer as he ought to have the option to realize certain legitimate things so as to bring change. CHANGE MANAGEMENT Change the executives is a consecutive method of traveling associations from its ongoing state to wanted future state. Changes are applied to any framework as indicated by predefined model or system. The primary target of progress the board is to boost benefit and limit hazard required during usage. Different sorts of changes are[appendix 1] Basic change Procedure change Mechanical change Social change Increasingly over yonder are numerous models for change the executives that are helpful for authoritative turn of events and thriving. They are as follows[appendix 2] Adkar model. Equation for change. PCI(people focused usage). John P Kotters eight stages to effective change Merger and acquisitions Mergers and acquisitions is where at least two organizations consolidate theirs assets and increment money to make another organization with whole improved operational limit. Organization can change there name and structure as well(Gaughan, 1999). A securing is a business strategy to purchase and retain one organization by another .a legitimate system ought to be arranged so strife can be kept away from and corporate culture of organization is looked after (Ireland, Harrison Hitt, 2001). At the point when two organizations with various culture, qualities and working approachs incorporate into one single unit to procure skill and increment collaborations and benefit incomes. As indicated by a review 55% to 70% of M A fails(Carleton refered to in Schraeder and Self, 2003).mergers ought to be taken as in advantage of both outer or inward condition of the organization. generally significant during blending is to convey so as to become familiar with the social contrasts of both the organizations. Relations when consolidating ought to be appropriately kept up and clashes ought to be avoided(Herndon Galpin, 2000). To guarantee a smooth progress during merger/procurement process solidness ought to be accomplished by planning procedures. Change the board here spotlights on limiting worker wearing down and to help them for better work. Correspondence is generally critical to guarantee partners understanding and comprehension. There are four periods of correspondence under change management(Mueller, 2003). Reporting the merger All partners should think about merger by the organization just not by the media. It causes them to feel a piece of organization and they think for advancement. (Scherer Ravenscraft, 1987). Endorsement by power All partners ought to gave data about effect of merger and the explanations behind merger there ought to be no contention. Straightforwardness and genuineness are of incredible importance(Mueller, 2003). Settling the negotiation Dont misrepresent the circumstance attempt to diminish the dread of lessening occupations during combining. Get ready representatives intellectually and sincerely by giving authentic data. (Ireland, Harrison Hitt, 2001). Changes finished All partners must think about the accomplished vows to keep up a decent picture. It is assessed to know the achievement proportion so it tends to be executed in future(Scherer Ravenscraft, 1987). Explanations behind merger The merger among Daimler and Chrysler occurred on May, seventh 1998 both the organizations wished to make a multi billion organization to rule vehicle showcase so they got merged(Gaughan, 1999). The principle reason was to build item extend and grow worldwide market. The two organizations had differing strategy of work so merger was viewed as a superior choice. (Fairfield-Sonn, 2001). The explanations behind merger are: Piece of the overall industry of organization tumbled from 16.2% to 12.2%.(IM survey,2007) Organization failed on the grounds that a gathering of bondholders dismissed the companys Two third of ranking director surrendered due to money related insecurity. Chryslers benefit diminished 90%. Chrysler positioned on seventh among seven automakers. Not concocted here disorder kept Chrysler from sharing thoughts. Quality and shortcoming before merger Daimler Chrysler Quality Mechanical designing Quality Premium luxry brand with rich legacy German effectiveness Quality Adaptability Innovativeness Self obligation Idea vehicles Market opportunity Low creation cost Shortcoming Scarcely adaptable Low potential Significant expense Absence of creation capacity Shortcoming Less control No interest in R D Loss of key players Not ready to contend worldwide market. Contrast

Tuesday, August 11, 2020

Apathy, Lethargy, and Anhedonia in Bipolar Disorder

Apathy, Lethargy, and Anhedonia in Bipolar Disorder When my psychiatrist asked me to describe my mood, I told her it was a low, steady state of lethargy. The word lethargy didnt seem right, but I couldnt think of a more appropriate term. As we talked, she used the word apathy. I exclaimed, Thats it! Thats the word I was looking for! Its not lethargy, its apathy. These two termsâ€"along with anhedonia, which means loss of interest in pleasurable activitiesâ€"have some similarities in their meaning as used to describe symptoms of bipolar depressive episodes and clinical depression. Whats interesting is their differences. Heres a look at each word. Anhedonia The root words of anhedonia are the prefix an-, meaning without, and the Greek hedone, meaning pleasure. Thus, it means being in a state where you dont enjoy things you usually like to do. Here are some examples: In his normal mood, Michael loves to go to Los Angeles Dodgers baseball games. He even has season tickets. But during his last depressive episode, game days came and went, and Michael couldnt generate any enthusiasm for attending. Instead, he stayed home and didnt even watch the games on television.Anne loves to go shopping for clothes. When shes stable, she shops carefully, looking over and trying on many items to find the one piece thats perfect for her, whether its shoes, a dress, a top, a pair of slacks â€" whatever she wants that day.When shes hypomanic, she often splurges, buying items willy-nilly because she likes how they look. She may come home from the mall with three dresses, six tops, three pairs of shoes and two pairs of pants, plus scarves and other accessories. When the credit card bills come in, she often has problems paying them because of her reckless spending.But when she goes into bipolar depression, all that changes. Just last weekend, in a normal mood, she went shopping alone, enjoyed herself thoroughly, and came home with a sharp dress to wear to work. This weekend, a friend calls to invite her to go to a mall with two other friends. Theyll make a day of it, says the friend, shopping in the morning, having lunch together, then going to see a movie. But Anne isnt interested. She turns the invitation down and spends the day at home watching television and eating junk food.Candy is a social media freak. She spends hours on Facebook chatting with friends, posting her thoughts and updates, and linking to videos and memes. She reads everything her friends post and writes lots of comments. She plays interactive games.Then she goes into a depressive episode. She stops playing games  and posts about how bad she feels. She doesnt much care about other peoples updates and posts, and almost never comments on them. She stays offline from chat. Shes lost almost all interest in something that gives her great pleasure in normal moods. How Often Do People With Bipolar Disorder Cycle? Apathy The origin of this word is interesting. It comes from a form of the same prefix above, aâ€"meaning without, and the Greek pathos meaning emotion, feeling, suffering. Thus, apathy was originally defined as freedom from suffering. Sometime in the 18th century, the meaning changed to a sense of being without emotion or feeling: indifference, especially to matters that are important or appealing. It is broader in scope than anhedonia. Examples of apathy in depression: Lily has diabetes and needs to follow a careful diet to maintain her health. Normally she is conscientious about this and seldom has to look at the diet plan from her doctor and nutritionist  because she has it pretty well memorized.But when depressive episodes come, she becomes indifferent about her diet. Instead of having a well-balanced breakfast, shell eat a couple of slices of toast with peanut butter and honey. Shell often skip lunch and just have a hot dog or two for dinner. In between, shell snack on candy bars or other sweet treats.John has been canvassing in his town for a candidate in a local election. Hes thrown himself into it with energy and enthusiasm. An attractive and personable young man, he has been doing a good job, and snubs havent bothered himâ€"he knows thats all part of the effort.Not long before the election, his mood begins to spiral downward. He does less and less, sometimes visiting only 3 or 4 houses before quitting for the day. People are less responsive to him because of his obvious lack of commitment. What once seemed so important to him seems flat and uninteresting now. On election day, he doesnt even go to vote. Lethargy Lethargy can be a state of body or mind or both. In both cases, the core component is slowness or sluggishness. Being unusually drowsy or feeling numb mentally may also be defined as lethargy. Examples of depressive lethargy: Jane has three young children, one in first grade, one in Kindergarten, and one just a year old. While the two older children are in school (a full day for the first-grader, a half-day in the morning for the kindergartner), the youngest goes to daycare. Jane spends that time cleaning up after the kids, doing laundry, running errands, planning and cooking meals for later, etc.When shes depressed, most of these tasks remain undone. Some days she just goes back to bed. Other days she stays on the sofa. She may feel anxious about the dishes piling up in the sink or the laundry hamper overflowing, but she just doesnt have the energy to do anything about it. When she does attempt some housework, she feels so tired and sluggish that the simplest job seems like heavy labor.Aaron is normally a competent workerâ€"not brilliant, but steady, responsible and careful. During depressive episodes, however, he often finishes assignments late. Errors creep in because he doesnt proofread his workâ€"its too tedious and takes too much concentration. Co-workers notice him staring at his computer screen blankly with his hands in his lap. It isnt that he doesnt careâ€"its just that his mind seems to be working too slowly to keep up with his work. Disability Benefits for Bipolar Disorder Example of All Three Symptoms Together Diane loves to go walking and hiking in the forested hills near her home. Almost every weekend she plans an outing, sometimes with friends or her hiking club, sometimes by herself. The fresh air, the scent of the trees, and the exercise all buoy up her spirits. Taking a new trail just to see where it goes always pleases her. When she becomes depressed, the walks and hikes cease. Shes just too tired, or cant be bothered. She feels sluggish and dull (lethargy). The thought of walking just isnt appealing anymore (anhedonia). Then one weekend her hiking club galvanizes to help search in the forest for a missing child. In her normal state of mind, Diane would be at the forefront of the search, helping to organize and working tirelessly until the child was found. But today, she just doesnt even care about something most people consider critical (apathy). Someone else will find the kid, after all. She stays home, not even bothering to follow up on the search by phone.

Saturday, May 23, 2020

The Age Of Champions By Rowe Kahn - 910 Words

After our class viewing of the Age of Champions as well as reading the numerous articles including one by Rowe Kahn, it is clear that there is a variety of ways people can view the term â€Å"aging successfully.† A variety of gerontologists have similarities and differences in their definition of the term, and this paper will compare some of the athletes from the film these definitions. The main definition of â€Å"aging successful† is said to be, â€Å"successful gaining includes three main components: low probability of disease and disease-related disability, high cognitive and physical functional capacity, and active engagement with life† (Rowe Kahn, 433). The first component of low probability of disease-related disability does not only refer to the physical disease itself being present in the persons body, but also the severity of the risk of the factors of such disease(s). High cognitive and physical functional capacity depicts what the individual can do and not just what they do. Finally active engagement with life deals with how the individual interacts with others (interpersonal relations) and creating societal value without any return (productive activity) (Rowe Kahn, 433). We are going to look into the lives of Roger Gentilehomme and Earl Blassingame and analyze if they are considered to be â€Å"aging well† based on variety of articles as well as personal opinion. Roger Gentihomme was born in 1909, making him 107 today and he is an all-star tennis player. He tells us how he

Tuesday, May 12, 2020

Questions and Answers on Kants Philosophical Reasoning

1. Kant’s famous first words in the Grounding are, â€Å"There is no possibility of thinking anything at all in the world, or even out of it, which can be regarded as good without qualification, except a good will.† (7) What does Kant mean by saying that the good will is â€Å"good without qualification,† and what is the good will contrasted with? According to Kant, the good will is good unconditionally and it is the only aspect of a human being that is good without conditions. In other words, the good will is good in it self. There are other good things that humans can have, such as intelligence, virtues, capabilities, personality, money, power, etc. These qualities are only good conditionally. It depends on the purposes and intentions of the people who posses those characteristics and capabilities. They could be used for bad purposes and to harm others. For this reason, they have to be used in the right way and they are only good if they are oriented by a good will. So in order to be good they require a good will because without it, they would be use for evil or for self-purposes. In contrast, a good will is good without any conditions. It shows us our moral duty, which we just can analyze by using reason and not by emotions. 2. Kant’s second proposition says, â€Å"An action done from duty has its moral worth, not in the purpose that is to be attained by it, but in the maxim according to which the maxim is determined.† Explain this proposition, using the concept ofShow MoreRelatedEssay about Jostein Gaardners Sophies World1694 Words   |  7 Pagesphilosophy, Sophie’s World by Jostein Gaardner, goes through over two-thousand years of philosophical history with a young girl names Sophie. A story with a twist, Gaardner is able to study the history of philosophy, focusing deeply even towards its outreach to the development of psychology. This novel is one designed to please children and adults alike to learn more and discover deeper meaning into philosophical thought. The story begins by focusing on young school aged Sophie who becomes the recipientRead More A White Lie in the Heart of Darkness Essay examples1277 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"‘The last word he pronounced was â₠¬â€œ your name.’† (Heart, pg123). He lies. In this situation, with the possibility existing of inflicting severe emotional damage on an already grieving soul, should Marlow have lied? Of course, the answer is neither simple nor short, and depends heavily on who is asked. The most relevant perspective naturally comes from Marlow himself. Marlow makes his feelings about lying clear early in his adventure. â€Å"You know I hate, detest, and can’t bear aRead MoreKant And Kant s Philosophy2023 Words   |  9 Pagesto postulate possible answers to the great questions of existence. 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Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Performance Metrics Case State All State Insurance Free Essays

Allstate Insurance Company intertwines business goals with performance metrics. Goal setting is an ongoing part of striving to become successful and happy in life. When an individual achieves a goal, another one is set to accomplish next. We will write a custom essay sample on Performance Metrics Case State: All State Insurance or any similar topic only for you Order Now Goals are personal and professional and the latter determines the longitude and latitude of a chosen career path. Organizations set goals for all levels of the company, from business units to individual contributors. The successful attainment of these goals determines if it is profitable year over year. Using the model for goal setting, evaluate Allstate’s goal setting process to determine whether or not Allstate has an effective goal-setting program. The goal-setting model has 4 aspects used to motivate employees. They include direct focus on high priorities, regulate effort, increase persistence, and create strategies and programs to achieve goals (Hellriegel, D. Slocum, J. 2011). Allstate has a very effective goal setting program in place. One part of their program is to correlate manager’s pay to company’s goals. They use an online employee survey and feedback tool as the measurement. This practice touches on all four parts of the goal setting model. It forces the managers to maintain focus on the company’s diversity goals, while encouraging them to identify areas of opportunities and potential solutions. Allstate also has programs to support professional and career path development to provide individuals with the necessary knowledge and ability to achieve performance goals in each position. Discuss the competitive advantage Allstate has from the development of the Diversity Index. The index sets Allstate apart from its competitor’s at the most important level, the human level. Allstate uses it to ensure diversity inside the organization so they can understand and respect the diversity of their clients. The company’s vision states differences are a competitive edge (Hellriegel, D. Slocum, J. 2011). An organization must be a reflection of the communities it serves. A global market requires organizations to have a diverse staff and understanding of multiple cultures. Allstate’s diversity index provides such an advantage over companies who have yet to embrace cultural differences. Recommend the types of high-performance reward system Allstate should use to motivate its employees to reach its diversity goals. The company should use profit-sharing and culture and reward systems to motivate its employees to reach its diversity goals. Profit-sharing reinforces the team based performance rewards. This type of rewards displays the company’s recognition of each individual contribution to the bottom line. The culture and reward system is based on the employee’s culture. It recognizes the diversity at the employee level. It is based on cultural values to motivate performance (Hellriegel, D. Slocum, J. 2011). This makes the reward specific to the culture and recognizes diversity inside the organization. If you were an Allstate employees, discuss whether or not you would be motivated by the Diversity Index and QLMS. Provide a detailed explanation. The Quarterly Leadership Measurement System (QLMS) and Diversity Index would motivate me. It is taken twice a year and analyzed to identify issues and make appropriate changes in processes and performance. One reason it is motivating is a percentage of the merit pay is determined by the results. Another factor is the behavior specific questions asked to all employees in the index. The focus on the results and frequency of the surveys prove it’s a high company priority. It can be perceived that noncompliance would have a negative impact on employment and advancement opportunities. It encourages consistent behavior that coincides with the diversity goals of the organization. Ultimately, diversity is part of the American culture. The citizens of this country are from all over the world. There is a global consumer base here in this society. Allstate is a leader in business because they are socially responsible. Allstate requires its employees to maintain a work environment which embraces diversity. This business strategy will maintain their competitive advantage in the market. How to cite Performance Metrics Case State: All State Insurance, Papers

Sunday, May 3, 2020

Shareholder Value And Employee Interests †Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Shareholder Value And Employee Interests? Answer: Introduction A company is a distinct legal individual, separate from its owners, known as shareholders or members and have similar rights as a natural person. A company has the ability to sue and be sued, or incur debt. The company is an artificial person having perpetual succession, common seal, limited liability and ability to transfer its capital into small pieces known as shares. The person, who owns the share of a public or private company, is known as a shareholder. The individual holding shares of a corporation are its owners, but the corporation is managed by company officers known as directors. The directors are appointed by the shareholders or other board of directors, and they represent the companys shareholders. The corporate governance is a wide-ranging term, including various policies, directions, guidelines, and procedure followed by companys directors in order to control and manage a company. Effective corporate governance increases the performance of the organisation and balances various interests of stakeholder in the company. The stakeholders of a company include consumers, stockholders, directors, managers, investors, and government. Stakeholders The individual having an interest in a company or the person whose rights get affected by the activities of the company is called stakeholder. There two type of stakeholders: Internet and External. Internal stakeholders are entities who work as internal part of the organisation, including employees, managers, investors, and board of directors. External stakeholders are not part of internal management but still get affected by the performance of the company, including consumers, sellers, shareholders, government, community, and creditors (Golob 2007). The employees are the individuals who hired by the corporation for a specific job. Many companies provide shares to their employees under Employees Stock Ownership Plan or ESOP, in order to increase their role in the organisation. The owners of a corporation appoint the directors as the officers of the company. The officers represent the interest of various stakeholders, supervise the activities of a corporation and make decisions for key matters of the corporation. The managers of a company control the daily operation of an organisation and supervise various aspects of a company, to achieve its goals (Damian 2002). The consumers are the prime focus of a company. A company works to satisfy the needs or supply the products, to its consumers. The consumers are the most valuable asset of the organisation. The supplies provide the raw material for production and provide credit to the corporation. The government imply various taxes on the organisation and protect the public interest, in the corporation. The shareholder owns the shares of a company, they benefit from growth in the value of companys stock (Fletcher 2003). Importance of Shareholders Shareholders invest their capital in the company by buying its share, as such; they are the part-owner of the corporation. Shareholders did not get involved in daily activities of business, instead, they have voting rights to appoint the board of directors. Shareholders have the voting power, which they used to make decisions for the major issues of the company (Farrar 2008). The shareholders are important for the company because they help the company in raising funds for its operations. The shareholders help finance the companys activities and in return, they become the owner of the organisation. The investment contributed by shareholder used in performing activities of the corporation and achieves its objectives (Sharma 2004). The shareholder has both direct and indirect part in the activities of an organisation. The directors or the officers of a company are appointed by the votes of shareholders. The elected directors appoint other key managerial personnel of the company to manage the daily activities of the organisation. The indirect role of the shareholder is related to stock market. The companies require earning profits, in order to attract the investors. There is a constant pressure under companys management to raise their profit. Every public company generally has proper corporate governance guidelines, which require companies to disclose their financial statements in meeting to their owners. The officers and directors have a duty to respond to the shareholders and not to the managers. A public companys board of director provide appropriate and whole disclosure to its owners in their meeting. The owners discuss and analyse the operation and growth of the company and take decision for major issues of the corporation. The control of a company is determined by its shareholders. A higher number of shareholders increase the risk of a hostile takeover in a company, but if the shareholders are satisfied with the management and growth of the company, they can stop such attempts. The shareholders could accept the offer of merger or acquisition with another corporation if they are satisfied with the offer price (Christensen 2010). The shareholders of a company face various risks while investing in a corporation. The value of share changes rapidly on the stock exchange. Various market factors or government policies could adversely affect the stock value of a company in the market. At the time of winding-up, the assets of a company get sold and proceed distributed among different stakeholders, shareholders get paid last (Nguyen 2002). Evidence of Shareholders Primacy Many directors worldwide held the opinion that directors and officers have a legal responsibility towards companys owners and it is their obligation to place their interest above all other stakeholders. But this is just an ideology, not the actual law. In shareholders primacy approach, the companys sole motive is to increase the profits for shareholders. Under this approach, usually, the employees of corporation suffer due to job losses or work pressure (Grossman 2005). According to various market experts, shareholder primacy affects the interest of other stakeholders of the company. The approach Motive of a company is only to gain profit has been changed with the introduction of Corporate Social responsibilities or CSR. Now the motive of the company is not limited to increase profits, but to also increase the quality of life for employees and society. The study conducted upon 4000 company directors in June 2006, for finding the evidence of shareholders primacy. The survey was focused on finding evidence for whether directors prioritise the interest of shareholders in a corporation. The directors were asked to rank the stakeholders according to the priority of their interest. According to the survey, the shareholders interest was the number one priority by the majority of directors, followed by interest of the company and employees. While ranking their priorities, 74 percent of directors rank shareholders interest as their number one priority (Anderson 2007). From the survey, it is clear that directors prioritise the interest of shareholders in the organisation, but the outcome of study does not conclude that pursue of shareholder interest adversely affect the interest of other stakeholders. Shareholders do have priority over other stakeholders, but some directors have ranked employees interest as the priority, making them appear equivalent when compared to other measures. For example, the companys short term profits are not considered as a priority for the shareholders, by the directors. The survey did not conclude that interest of other stakeholders is not being prioritized. Even if the shareholders interest is number one in the ranking, employees interest has ranked higher in these respects. For example, the interest of employees ranked higher in the list with some directors prioritising their interest as number one on the list. Therefore, the survey concluded that the shareholders primacy is a general viewpoint, rather than a specific policy made to maximise the profits for shareholders of a company. The survey concluded that the shareholder primacy is not a legal policy nor it is result of the misguided views of companys directors. The directors understand they are legally allowed to choose any approach, which is beneficial for all stakeholders of the company. The survey suggested that, corporate governance approach for overall achievement of goals has developed in the past decade, and it is the reason for failing of corporate governance, tormenting Australia along with many other countries (Mitchell 2005). Recommendations To protect the interest of various stakeholders and avoiding shareholders primacy, following steps could be taken by the companys directors: The directors should issue an annual statement before the annual general meeting called Report of Significance Stakeholders and Materiality. The report identifies various stakeholders of the corporation and ranks their interest according to companys priorities. The report should address the interest of various stakeholders and contain a page of communication between the company and its stakeholders, regarding their various issues. There are several benefits of adopting this approach, for example, if company prioritise the interest of small-term shareholders, then only those issues are material, who affects the interest of small-term shareholder. If company prioritise the interest of employees, then the dividends will cut before accepting the lay-offs of employees (Eccles 2015). The board of directors should arrange meetings of various stakeholders, to understand their issues and achieving benefits for them. The shareholders can present their issues in the annual general meeting, but it is hard for other stakeholders to present their issues. The meeting of other stakeholders, help in reducing their issues and assist in avoiding shareholder primacy. This approach helps in maintaining a healthy relationship between officers and stakeholders of a corporation. The policies for the diverse audience of an organisation are prepared by analysing the meeting of stakeholders. The board of directors should apply the policies of corporate governance, helping them fulfil the various interests of different stakeholders. These policies require directors to perform certain duties, for the benefit of stakeholders. The corporate social responsibilities of a company require timely and complete disclosure from the board of directors. The disclosure stops directors from prioritising certain stakeholders interests, and avoid the other stakeholders interest (Macey 2003). Conclusion The objective of an organisation is growth and expansion, rather than collecting profits for shareholders. The company has various stakeholders including, but not limited to, shareholders, bondholders, employees, suppliers, managers, and directors. The board of directors should form policies for the benefits of all the stakeholders interest, instead of making policies just for a category of stakeholders. The shareholders are an essential part of the corporation, but shareholder primacy is not the approach for the growth of the organisation. The company should take certain steps to increase the role of corporate governance in the organization. The overall growth of a company is beneficial for all the stakeholders interest. Timely and complete disclosure is a necessary part of a corporate social responsibility and the directors should perform their duties to maintaining transparency in companys operations. References Golob, U. and Bartlett, J.L., 2007. Communicating about corporate social responsibility: A comparative study of CSR reporting in Australia and Slovenia.Public Relations Review,33(1), pp.1-9. Damian, D.E. and Zowghi, D., 2002, September. The impact of stakeholders' geographical distribution on managing requirements in a multi-site organization. InRequirements Engineering, 2002. Proceedings. IEEE Joint International Conference on(pp. 319-328). IEEE. Fletcher, A., Guthrie, J., Steane, P., Roos, G. and Pike, S., 2003. Mapping stakeholder perceptions for a third sector organization.Journal of Intellectual Capital,4(4), pp.505-527. Farrar, J., 2008.Corporate governance: Theories, principles and practice. Oxford University Press. Sharma, V.D., 2004. Board of director characteristics, institutional ownership, and fraud: Evidence from Australia.Auditing: A Journal of Practice Theory,23(2), pp.105-117. Christensen, J., Kent, P. and Stewart, J., 2010. Corporate governance and company performance in Australia.Australian Accounting Review,20(4), pp.372-386. Nguyen, H. and Faff, R., 2002. On the determinants of derivative usage by Australian companies.Australian Journal of Management,27(1), pp.1-24. Grossman, H.A., 2005. Refining the role of the corporation: The impact of corporate social responsibility on shareholder primacy theory.Deakin L. Rev.,10, p.572. Anderson, M.E., Jones, M.A., Marshall, S.D., Mitchell, R. and Ramsay, I., 2007. Evaluating the shareholder primacy theory: Evidence from a survey of Australian directors. Mitchell, R., O'Donnell, A. and Ramsay, I., 2005. Shareholder value and employee interests: intersections between corporate governance, corporate law and labor law.Wis. Int'l LJ,23, p.417. Eccles, R.G., and Youmans, T., 2015. Why Boards Must Look Beyond Shareholders. MIT Sloan Management Review. Retrieved from https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/why-boards-must-look-beyond-shareholders/ Macey, J.R. and O'hara, M., 2003. The corporate governance of banks.

Wednesday, March 25, 2020

Groups, Teams, Individual Differences and Diversity

Introduction Control is the principal subject in numerous organizational theories and remains possibly the main topic that shapes each and every individual’s experience in organizations (Baker, 1993, p. 409). Chester (1968, p. 17) highlights the significance of control. He states that the â€Å"key defining aspect of any organization is the workers subordination to a level that their own aspiration do not surpass collective will of the organization†.Advertising We will write a custom article sample on Groups, Teams, Individual Differences and Diversity specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More He adds that for individuals to realize their dreams they must give up a portion of their autonomy in the organizational. Due to this tension, control is commonly challenging in many organizations. As a result, Organizations have been prompted to set up control systems. The organizational control systems have considerably evolved in res ponse to changes in managerial systems from the authoritarian bureaucratic control to consensual control in the shape of independent groups or self-managing teams. The latter is a decentralized and more participative egalitarian system that provides a better alternative to the hierarchical bureaucratic control. This system of control has also evolved from value-based consensus to a system that entails rationalized standard rules (Baker, 1993, p. 410). Edwards (1981) identified three strategies of control that have developed from the contemporary struggle to control individual activities in organizations. The first strategy is the direct, totalitarian and individual control mainly used by business owners or hired managers. This is common in family-owned businesses. The second strategy is the technological control. This strategy emanates from physical technology. The third and the most common strategy is the overbearing control. This strategy is derived from hierarchical relationships within the organization. It is also based on parallel sets of universal rules that reward those who comply and punishes those who do not comply. The concept of self-managing teams At the moment, the most famous organizational transformation to post-bureaucratic structures is the evolution of the conventional hierarchical-based organization to consensually controlled self-managing teams (Baker, 1993, p. 413). Even though this concept has become more popular over the recent past, it is not new. The supporters of this concept describe it as a fundamental change in the conventional managerial and hierarchical structure of an organization (Orsburn et al., 1990; Wellins, William Wilson, 1991). According to Baker (1993, p. 413), the concept of self-managing teams transforms the traditional and authoritarian structure to participatory structure. This means that employees in a self-managing team experiences life in an enormously different way than employees in the previous system.Advertisi ng Looking for article on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Instead of being given orders by those in the chain of command, employees in the self-managing teams must assemble and analyse information, work on it and take joint responsibility for their deeds. Self-managing teams are usually organized in groups of 10 to 15 individuals. The management’s responsibility is to present value-based goals/vision for employees to work towards. As a result, self-managing team members are guided by these goals to direct their individual tasks and link with other departments within the organization (Baker, 1993, p. 413). Self-managing teams are in charge of well-articulated tasks in different forms of organizations. The members are well trained to carry out any job function and have considerable power to make key decisions required to execute a given task. In addition to carrying out their individual tasks, members can also set their work plan, make orders and link with other groups (Baker, 1993, p. 414). Besides minimizing bureaucracy and saving costs by eliminating low-level managers, self-managing teams also enhance workers motivation, productivity and devotion (Wellins, William Wilson, 1991, p. 22). The disparity between self-managing teams and other approaches According to Baker (1993, p. 413), employees in self-managing teams are not directly controlled by top management or supervisor, but only uses the value-based corporate vision provided by the top management to guide their daily operations. On the other hand, the other approaches are based on a system of rules and measures that restricts employees’ functions and decision-making. In other words, these approaches do not regard individuals involved. The structures in the other approaches are so rigid and require all decisions to be approved by the top hierarchy, thus impede employees’ ability to meet consumer’s de mands promptly. Baker (1993, p. 410) explains how employees are entrapped in an â€Å"iron cage† in bureaucratic control since control is less vivid or personal. This is because employees are more deep-rooted in the social relations. He adds that control in the bureaucratic system is less personal since power rests entirely with the system, leaving employees with what he describes as â€Å"experts without heart† or sensualist without spirit†. In the earlier bureaucratic systems, workers were openly controlled, ordered, directed and fired at will. However, the current bureaucratic control employs indirect rules. At the moment, workers are controlled by shaping their knowledge of what is right or wrong. They have to seek support for decisions they make from the top hierarchy. This is well articulated in the company rules. In other words, control is hidden in the company rules and hierarchy (Baker, 1993, p. 411). The impact of the new concept on employees As already been mentioned, the current democratic system of control provides a more workable alternative to other approaches. This new concept is more effective than the bureaucratic control. Self-managing teams delegates authority to the employees, which in turn enhances the effectiveness of the control systems.Advertising We will write a custom article sample on Groups, Teams, Individual Differences and Diversity specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, Baker (1993, p. 434) argues that this new concept cannot realise its full potential unless the diverse interests and functions of members are integrated in an organized manner. The system must be based on shared values that are enforced by members. Therefore, the self-managing teams are more manifested through interaction with members. Members are given authority to make decisions as long as they are in-line with the organization’s values and goals. This creates a favourable worki ng environment for employees, thus increases their commitment, loyalty and their willingness to put more effort on behalf of the organization. In addition, members stick to the values of the organization and have desire to remain in the organization (Baker, 1993, p. 435). The self-managing teams also eliminate the low-level managers by making employees their own bosses. Contrary to many people’s expectations, self-managing teams do not free members from the â€Å"iron cage† of control as it is more manifested in each and every member of the organization. Instead, it draws the â€Å"iron cage† tighter and restraints members more powerfully. In other words, employees do not have to malinger when the boss is not around since the whole team is keeping an eye on each other. Members of the whole team are responsible for each other. In summary, this is the best control system. However, it has a few challenges, for instance, organizing an effective team. In addition, me mbers usually find it difficult to embrace new responsibility. References Baker, J. R. 1993, ‘Tightening the Iron Cage: Concertive Control in Self-Managing Teams’, Administrative Science Quarterly, vol. 38, pp. 408-437. Chester, B. 1968, The function of the Executive, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA. Edwards, R. C. 1981, The social relations of production at the point of production, Foresman: Glenview, IL. Orsburn, J. D., Moran, L., Musselwhite, E., Zenger, J. H. 1990, Self-Directed Work Teams: The New American Challenge, Irwin: Homewood, IL.Advertising Looking for article on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Wellins, R. S., William, B., Wilson, J. M. 1991, Empowered Teams: Creating Self-Directed Work Groups that Improve Quality, Productivity, and Participation, Jossey-Bass, San Francisco. This article on Groups, Teams, Individual Differences and Diversity was written and submitted by user Matilda Flores to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Friday, March 6, 2020

Sir Winston Churchill essays

Sir Winston Churchill essays Churchill, Sir Winston Leonard Spencer, British politician and prime minister of the united kingdom, widely regarded as the greatest British leader of the 20th century. Churchill is celebrated for his leadership during WW2 . His courage, decisiveness, political experience, and vitality gave him what it took to lead his country through one of the most desperate struggles of British history. Winstons public life extended from the reign of queen Victoria to the cold war. During his long political career , Churchill held every office possible except for foreign minister .Churchill was also known for the many books he published about British politics and history. his command for the English language not only made him a great orator but also earned him a noble prize for literature in 1953. Winston Churchill was born at Blenheim palace, which was his familys ancestral seat in Oxfordshire , on November 30, 1874. He was the oldest son of his father, Lord Henry Randolf Henry Spencer Churchill, who was a British statesman who became a leader of the house of commons. Because of his familys status Churchill attended school at Harrow school, where he studied the classics. In school he was known for his good memory, but also his stubbornness .Since he was a chile Churchill was fascinated with soldiers and warfare, he often played with a set of lead soldiers in his family nursery, and after harrow he graduated from the royal military college with honors. Early in 1895 his father died, Churchill who was only 20 years old was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the 4th queens own hussars, a regiment of the British army . Churchills first military assignment was to go to Cuba for a British newspaper to follow a rebellion. On his 21st birthday he was in the Cuban jungle and came under fire for the first time, escaping without injury. Churchill continued to serve in th ...

Wednesday, February 19, 2020

Juvenile Offenders with Life Sentences Research Paper

Juvenile Offenders with Life Sentences - Research Paper Example Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that to take a life through a forced confinement for the period of that life is as cruel and unusual for someone who cannot form mature intent as it is to forfeit that life. A proposed study of the effects of this sentence on these offenders will allow for a better understanding of the effects of the imposed consequence of their criminal actions. A review of secondary research provides overwhelming evidence that a moratorium on life sentences without parole is reasonable, Constitutional, and globally supported. As well, the effects on both the offender and on the community create support for this end to life without parole for these offenders. The proposed study would allow for offenders who have experienced adult prisons with no hope for release to come forward and share their stories with a researcher so that a better understanding of the real-life consequences can be studied and analyzed. The study of children who have been given life sentences within the United States brings to light a great need for further work to be done to realize the full impact of this practice. There is a glaring gap in the literature concerning juvenile delinquency about the effects of lifelong incarceration on children. The psychological differences between that of an adolescent mind and that of a mature adult have been disregarded where these instances are concerned and heinous consequences have been levied against children due to mandatory minimums and blind justice laws. Because of this neglect, penal institutions are ill-equipped to handle the special needs of an adolescent within the adult prison system, depriving these children of proper care and resources that are necessary for growth. In creating a study that looks at the experiences of children who have been sentenced to life without parole, the support for the abolition of this practice can be established through real-life experiences. On the other hand, the experiences might also show that life in an adult prison for these offenders is no crueler than it is for those who as adults are sentenced to life without parole. The secondary research supports the abolishment of this practice, however, and it is hoped that further study of the situation from an experiential point of view will support the hypothesis. In discovering the real-life stories of these children who grow into adulthood behind bars, researchers can better determine how to recommend change and growth within the juvenile justice system.

Tuesday, February 4, 2020

Ethical appraisal of a science research proposal Essay

Ethical appraisal of a science research proposal - Essay Example Blood samples will be collected from the volunteers for lymphocyte preparation and DNA extraction purposes. By collecting blood samples from volunteers who are receiving methadone replacement therapy, this study aims to determine the role of opioid receptors (i.e. ?, ? and ? ) that contributes to the mechanism of tolerance, drug resistance, and susceptibility to the drug. This study will benefit forensic toxicologists in enabling them offer a more meaningful interpretation of a blood drug concentration found in heroin abuse cases. This study will test the following hypothesis: (1) there is phenotypic inter-individual variation in the ability of UK population to maintain tolerance to heroin; (2) that this variation is a consequence of genetic polymorphism in opioid receptors; and (3) that individuals with specific genotypes have heightened sensitivity to modifying effects of methadone replacement therapy. ... To assess the contribution of methadone replacement in the patterns of opioid receptor expression, the researcher will re-measure the key receptor levels after the 6th week of methadone replacement period. Aside from identifying volunteers with responsive receptor to methadone replacement therapy, this approach will enable the researcher minimize the potential confounding effect of habitual lifestyle on phenotypically â€Å"high† and â€Å"low† expressers. Individuals with high or low levels of receptors and those with responsive phenotype will be classified under subgroups. Eventually, lymphocytes taken from the volunteers will be transformed using Epstein Barr Virus (EBV) to produce immortalized cell lines which will be use as a model system in studying the drug gene interactions that could modulate opiate receptor levels. Identification, Discussion of Ethical Issues, and Control of Ethical Issues Respect for Human Rights Among the common ethical issues that may happe n when conducting a scientific-based research study includes matters that are related to the well-being of another person. As a common rule when conducting the actual research study, the researcher should respect the rights of another person by allowing them to make their own decision whether or not to participate in this study (Iltis, 2006, p. 126; Gregory, 2003, p. 41). In line with this, Israel and Hay (2006, p. 96) explained that harm caused by research activities is often â€Å"more likely to involve psychological distress, discomfort, social disadvantage, invasion of privacy or infringement of rights more than physical injury†. Iltis (2006, p. 139) stated that â€Å"disrespect occurs when researchers violate

Monday, January 27, 2020

The Lifecycle Of Pidgins And Creoles English Language Essay

The Lifecycle Of Pidgins And Creoles English Language Essay In reference to Hall, normal languages do not have life cycles, however, defining normal can be quite a complex and challenging task, especially when correctly categorising what language is normal. Hall attempts to define normal language as follows: One handed down from generation to generation through transference to children who learn it as their first language. (Quoted in Romaine, 1988, p 115) Pidgins tend to differ from this particular definition as in contrast to normal languages a pidgin usually comes into existence for a specific reason, lasts just as long as the situation that called in into being and then quickly goes out of use (Hall, p 115). A pidgin has the potential to gain a longer lifespan by evolving into a native language or becoming creolized and therefore acquiring the status of a normal language. When studying pidgins and creoles in detail, it rapidly becomes apparent that it is much more testing to study pidgins and creoles as two separate processes, rather than as two aspects of the same linguistic process, just at different stages. It has proven to be quite problematic for many researchers to specify accurately when a pidgin becomes a fully developed creole with a significant community of nativized speakers; however academics have developed a fairly precise continuum which states that a pidgin must traditionally experience four phases of development before winning the status of a creole. Throughout each phase, the language becomes much more complex and sophisticated, indicating features of a normal language. The developmental continuum is as follows: Jargon Stable Pidgin Expanded Pidgin Creole The first phase of the developmental continuum is the Jargon stage or prepidgin stage where vocabulary is extremely limited. The Jargon phase is the very beginning of the life cycle, where the purpose of the makeshift language is to merely form communication between two incomprehensible languages and is used in very limited domains, commonly trade and labour. Robertson (1948, Quoted in Romaine, 1988, p 118) however, suggests the idea that there is a pre-jargon stage where makeshift languages are instantly constructed on the spot out of a combination of gestures and speech. The example given to demonstrate this theory is the arrival of a European trade ship in Tahiti in 1767; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦we made all the friendly signs that we could think of, and showed them several trinkets in order to get some of them on-boardà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦they paddled all round the ship and made signs of friendship to us by holding up Branches of Plantain trees, and making a long speech of near fifteen minutesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦but non of us could understand themà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦we made signs to them, to bring of Hogs, Fowls and fruit and showed them some coarse cloth, Knives sheers Beeds Ribons etc., and made them understand that we was willing to barter with them. (Robertson, 1948 as quoted in Romaine, 1988, p 118) The jargon phase itself is not a huge progression from the pre-jargon stage suggested by Robertson as sentences are only minimal; one or two words in length at maximum. Lexicon is exceptionally small and the sound system is very basic (Romaine, p 117). Labov (1970/1977) defines this phase as an ingenious and original mode of expression which combines knowledge of the native vernacular with an imperfect grasp of the other languages in the new environment (Labov, as quoted in Romaine, 1988, p 118-119). There is evidence of considerable variation throughout the jargon phase as it is a newly constructed pidgin with no set linguistic rules, often resulting in confusion and a near incomprehensible language. For example, instances have shown how different syntactical structures can be used to the lexical items employed. The illustration given by Romaine is one of a Japanese woman who travelled to Hawaii, speaking her own form of expression as quite an isolated individual, never acquiring th e Hawaii Pidgin English. The language which she chose to adopt under these circumstances consisted of a primarily Japanese syntax with both Japanese and English lexical items. Furthermore, in the jargon stage, there is what Silverstein (1972) (quoted by Romaine, 1988:120) labelled a double illusion a contact language relatable to both parties native languages. The example illustrated by Silverstein is as follows; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦there is a particular jargon between the French and the Indians, which is neither French nor Indian, and nevertheless when the French use it, they think they are speaking Indian, and the Indians in taking it up think they are speaking good French. (Jeune, 1633) This jargon is described by Silverstein as one with an unsystematic nature and lack[s] independent grammatical norms, (Silverstein, as quoted by Romaine, 1988:120) though other scholars disagreed with this somewhat negative interpretation and insisted that it was a vital trade component. The following period of the pidgin-creole lifecycle is the Stable Pidgin phase, where language is used not only for communication but for self-expression also. There is a stronger sense of linguistic complexity at this stage as both simple and complex sentences are applied. The most suitable example of a pidgin that falls under this category is Russenorsk (Russo-Norwegian); a trade pidgin which was used in Northern Norway by Russian merchants and Norwegian fisherman during the Pomor trade. (Romaine, 1988:124) Russenorsk is unique when compared against other pidgin languages, considering its lifespan. Generally speaking, a pidgin lasts as long as its required and then becomes obsolete. The alternative possibility is for the pidgin to become creolized and acquire a community of native speakers. However, Russenorsk is an exceptional instance and unlike normal pidgins has existed for such a long period of time without creolizing. The time between the first attested occurrence of the lang uage (in a lawsuit in 1785) until its extinction at the time of the First World War and the Russian revolution is 141 years (Romaine, p 125). The most obvious cause for this anomaly is the fact that it was merely used as a seasonal trade language in the summer months; it never became a fully-functioning native language, nor did it fall out of use (until WW1). A stable pidgins lexicon remains fairly small in size; Russenorsks vocabulary consisted of a total of approximately 390 words, however, half of which only occurred once, resulting in a key vocabulary of about 150-200 words. It was a very concise language, showing no signs of any inflections or categories such as gender, number or tense. Also absent is the verb to have. As a result of this and the fact that terminology remarkably originated from a wide variety of languages such as Dutch, German, French, Swedish and Lappish as well as Russian and Norwegian, there was evidence of many doublets or parallel forms. For example; good/well could be spoken as bra, good, dobra, dobro or korosjo further adding confusion (Fox, 1973, as quoted by Romaine, 1988:126-7). Fascinatingly, Slobin (1977, as quoted by Romaine, p 129) uses Russenorsk as a prime example of a language extremely close to universal grammar. Universal grammar is a linguistic concept proposed by Chomsky that suggests the idea that the capability to learn and understand grammar can happen without being taught that it is a cognitive process that happens naturally. According to Bickertons language bioprogram theory (1996), the principle of Universal Grammar is linked to pidgin and creole languages because specific characteristics are common in all different languages, allowing foreign speakers of language to interact and form a new language (pidgin). One of the characteristics, given by example by Bickerton, is the way in which an interrogative sentence can be transformed into a declarative sentence through purely altering intonation. Like the jargon phase, there is still a degree of variation in the stable pidgin stage, especially in pronunciation, according to Broch and Jahr (1984, quoted by Romaine, p 129) who said that pronunciation varied depending on the language and dialect background of individual speakers. The penultimate stage of the pidgin-creole lifecycle is the Expanded Pidgin phase. Here, grammar becomes much more complex and speech tempo is increased. Language and discourse becomes evidently much more cohesive and consistent. It is used not only as a simple means of communication for trade purposes, but in everyday life for self-expression and literature. (Romaine 1988:138) Sankoff (1977, as quoted by Romaine, p 139) was interested in the comparison between normal languages and pidgins when investigating speech tempo. Her data showed that pidgins are vocalized at a slower rate than normal languages, largely due to the fact that pidgins are used merely as a second language to users and not as a first. It is only when a speaker becomes fluent in the language, does the tempo increase. Data that explores features of Tok Pisin (perhaps one of the most well-known expanded pidgins) shows that one of the features that separate a childs speech from adults is phonology. For instance, a child might condense syllables. The example given by Sankoff and Laberge (1973) is the phrase Mi go long haus (pronounced using four syllables by adults). However, they noticed that in comparison, a child is more likely to say Mi go l:aus, using only three syllable by shifting stress patterns. The concluding stage of the life-cycle is when the pidgin becomes creolized and takes on the identity of its dominant parent. However, according to Muhlhausler (1980), creolization does not necessarily have to take place at the final stage of the life-cycle, but can occur at any stage in the developmental continuum from jargon to expanded pidgin (as quoted by Romaine, p 154). He suggests that there are three possible varieties of creolization: Type 1: Jargon Creole Type 2: Jargon Stabilized pidgin Creole Type 3: Jargon Stabilized pidgin Expanded pidgin Creole Most known instances fall under Type 3 and are wide-spread creoles that are still fully-functioning and in use today such as Tok Pisin (spoken largely in Papua New Guinea as an official language and the most broadly used in that country) and West African Pidgin English. Some known instances fall under Type 2, however is much less common. Examples of Type 2 creoles include North Australian creoles and Torres Strait creoles (Romaine, p. 155). Cases of Type 1 creoles are currently non-existent. In contrast, Bickerton proposes an alternate view and suggests that creolization after stabilization of a pidgin is rare and in the majority of circumstances, pidgins have creolized whilst still being highly unstable in the early stages of development. So far, we have discussed the idea that creoles are formed from a pidgin which stabilizes. However, Bickerton goes even further to controversially suggest that there is no such link between pidgin and creole and that the development of a creole has more to do with the innate devices of a first language acquisition than with a gradual evolution from a pidgin. For example; Tok Pisin the lingua franca of Papua New Guinea had developed whilst co-existing alongside another language, therefore integrating many of its characteristics. However, what Bickerton labels the classic creole situation (where creole-speakers have been torn from their native cultures) differs from Tok Pisin as the majority of speakers could still rely on another langu age. (Bickerton, 1981, as quoted by Singh, 2000:52-53) DeCamp (1971) focuses his research on the fate of a creole upon reaching the end of the creole continuum. This particular area is not as thoroughly researched as earlier stages; however, DeCamp makes some attempt at outlining the potential routes a creole may take. These are: May well continue its status as a creole and remain unaffected, much like the Haitian Creole seems to have done. It may become obsolete. It may take on the identity of its dominant parent as a normal language. It may progressively combine with the national language as is happening in Jamaica (decreolization). (DeCamp, 1971, as quoted by Romaine, p 157). The post-creole continuum is as follows: Basilect Mesolect Acrolect The creole is what is meant by basilect, the national corresponding language is what is meant by acrolect and any transitional varieties in-between is what is referred to as the mesolect (Romaine, p 158). To go back to the question of the entire paper, is there a point at which a creole stops being a creole and takes on the identity of its dominant parent? We must look at the work of ODonnell and Todd (1980, as quoted by Romaine, p158), who points out that at the end of the continuum, we are not dealing with two distinct systems, but an unbroken spectrum between the pidgin or creole on the one hand, and the prestigious standard on the other. There is no point of the continuum where we find a sharp break between the varieties. Word Count: 2,120

Saturday, January 18, 2020

Satanism

Satanism may signify an organized belief system or religion such as the Church of Satan. It may be seen just as a vague and dramatized concept of extreme insurgence against Western norms and conventions such as the so-called â€Å"Satanism† exhibited by some rock musicians. It may be a mythological sign of medieval religious thinking that still lingers in contemporary times. It may also be a deviant practice used to daunt and control others through ritual abuse (Francis King, 1989b). If Satanism is linked with ritual abuse, one can also say with assurance that not all ritual abuse is Satanic. Many of these abusive occurrences have been present in societies or under conditions where Satan is not a renowned spiritual or demonic entity. In earlier times, it was not uncommon for Western scholars and travelers to sometimes attribute the influence of Satan to primitive religious practices, which to them appeared to be idolatrous or violent. Even now, one occasionally hears the concept that if something is not Christian, it is the effect of Satan's power or seductiveness. The predecessors of Satanism can be found in ancient religions in which gods were worshipped, not because of their intrinsic goodness, but as of their perceived power. For example, the ancient Greek and Roman gods were such an amoral grouping of deities. Few showed many venerable character traits. These gods were often represented with all the foibles and veniality of mere mortals. Many of the cults dedicated to such gods and goddesses allegedly involved traumatizing rituals (e. g. , the mystery cults). On the other hand, some religions particularly worshipped and supplicated obviously evil deities. In other cases, what appears to be the adoration of an â€Å"evil deity† may simply symbolize the worship of a spiritual entity that no longer enjoys privileged status? There are examples in history in which a culture's demons were in fact past divinities, no longer revered, and sometimes given new and less striking roles. Such revolutions amongst the gods sometimes resulted from conquests, whereupon the new gods of the conquerors take the place formerly held by the gods of the conquered. In other instances, evil can be revered or worshipped outright. In cultures in which Christianity is established one might presume that the worship of evil would involve some devotion to Lucifer or Satan, the primary names given to the Euro-American spiritual depiction of evil. To many traditional Christians, Satan and Lucifer are equal but different names for the same demon. However, numerous theologians make the peculiarity that Lucifer is the name of Satan before his fall. The origins of Satanism are positively as obscure as any other occult belief system. One can never be specifically certain when such practices started. Yet, some of the historical accounts of Satanism in Europe may explain some of the evolution of thinking about Satanism. The history of Satanism can be traced to a variety of possible sources: (1) European witchcraft, sorcery, and shamanism, (2) Gnostic-derived religions (e. . , the Cathari) which viewed the established Church as an tyrannical adversary, (3) the general traditions of Western occultism (which are often seen as encircling a â€Å"dark† or â€Å"left-handed path†) and (4) what Francis King calls â€Å"the bad divinity of a minority of Roman Catholic priests† (Francis King , 1989b, p. 219 ). Though, whe n Satan was invented, he was found everywhere. For instance, Satan was attached to Adam and Eve as a sibling rivalry between Satan and the younger creatures of God. This combination of human and celestial opponents of God lastly culminated in the formative stages of the Antichrist legend, which speaks of the human embodiment of Satan (McGinn 1994: 10, 22-25; Pagels 1995: 43, 49; Russell 1977: 188-89). While the orthodox text shared some ideas of the dualistic conflict, particularly in Ezra's formulations, Satan obtained a key role in the conventional worldview only gradually, as an influence of the popular apocalyptic eschatology and a means in struggles for power (political or religious) between human beings ( McGinn 1994: 26). According to Elaine Pagels, Satan never shows in the Hebrew Bible as the leader of an evil empire, as a leader of antagonistic spirits who make war on God and humankind. As he first appears, Satan is not essentially evil. In the Book of Numbers and in Job he is one of God's obedient servants, a messenger or angel. The Satan describes an adversarial role, not a particular character. The Satan was any one of the angels sent by God for the explicit purpose of blocking or obstructing human activity; the root Satan means â€Å"one who opposes, obstructs, or acts as adversary†; the Greek term diabolos means â€Å"one who throws somewhat across one's path. So if the path is bad, an obstruction is good: Satan may simply have been sent by the Lord to protect a person from worse harm (Pagels 1995: 39-40, based, e. g. , on Numbers 22: 23-25). Job's Satan takes a more adversarial role; Satan’s special role in the blissful court is that of a kind of roving intelligence agent, like those whom numerous Jews of the time would have known and disliked from the king of Persia's complex system of secret police and intelligence officers. These agents roamed the realm looking for signs of infidelity amongst the people. God boasts to Satan concerning one of his most loyal subjects; Satan then challenges the Lord to put Job to the test. Job withstands the tests, and the Lord restores the affluences of Job giving him twice as much as he had before (Pagels 1995: 41, based on Job 2: 3, 42: 10). Around the time Job was written c. 550 B. C. E. , other biblical writers invoked Satan to account for sharing out within Israel. One court historian slips Satan into an account regarding the origin of census taking, which King David introduced into Israel c. 1000 B. C. E. or the point of instituting taxation, which aroused fervent and immediate opposition. Aim on condemning David's action without condemning the king openly, the author of 1 Chronicles suggests that a supernatural adversary within the divine court had managed to penetrate the royal house and led the king himself into sin: â€Å"Satan stood up against Israel and incited David to number the people† ( Pagels 1995: 42-43, based on 1 Chron. 21:1) . Most societies have a variety of demons, spirits, or gods, which are morally ambivalent that is to say, the gods can be kind or unkind to humankind. One might argue that this amoral or dimoral polytheism fits the human experience of the universe well: we see things happening mysteriously, without reason, for good or ill, and call it fate, chance, or an â€Å"act of God. † Few religions have one figure particularly symbolizing evil, although Buddha's tempter Mara comes close. No religion has a single individual personifying evil except those of the Jewish-Christian-Muslim (and â€Å"Zoroastrian†) tradition, which have Satan or the Devil. The problem of evil faces every worldview, but none so expressively as great monotheistic religions. Theologically the problem is just stated. God is all-powerful and all-good. But an all-powerful, all-good God would not permit evil in the cosmos he creates. Therefore evil cannot exist. But we view that evil exists. We are therefore forced to refuse the existence of God (at least as great monotheistic religions define it) or meet the criteria of our definition. If we choose the latter, we can save God's pure goodness by restraining his omnipotence, or else save his power by qualifying his goodness. This is a sharp theological choice; few theologians choose to face it that overtly. To avoid this choice, a variety of strategies have been working over the millennia. One solution, however unacceptable philosophically, is to resort to the notion of a spiritual power aggressive to God, such as Satan. The Old Testament has comparatively few references to Satan as a personality. Most Hebrew thought before the second century B. C. E. established destruction and suffering as originating in God's inscrutable will. But some Old Testament passages lent themselves to an interpretation that unexplained spiritual powers, subordinate to a God, often did disparaging things. In some passages — most radically in the Book of Job — this power is portrayed as having a self-governing, malevolent existence. The idea of the Devil, very fuzzy in the Old Testament, becomes clear and pointed in the era from the second century B. C. E. to the second century C. E. One reason is the power of Iranian dualism. The ancient Iranian religion of Mazdaism (sometimes called Zoroastrianism) had its origins in the teachings of Zarathushtra, a prophet whose dates are unknown. It is a dualist religion, elucidating evil by positing a frequent cosmic warfare between the God of Light and the God of Darkness. Mazdaism had some influence in Babylonia, where Hebrew in Exile was liberated by Iranian Shah Cyrus. A propensity toward dualism seems also to have grown indigenously amongst Jews, as they developed a darker view of the world throughout the times they were invaded, enslaved, and persecuted by a diversity of conquerors — Egyptians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, and finally Romans. The Jews reacted to this anguish partly by blaming it on their own sins (a stance of the great prophets), but partially by blaming exterior forces. The Devil or his deputies were the influential spirits backing evil Gentiles against the Chosen People. Some Jewish sects, such as the Essenes, conceived (like the Mazdaists) of a vast extraterrestrial warfare between the Lord of Light and the Prince of Darkness, a warfare in which each nation and each person was called to stand on one side or the other. For Jewish apocalyptic, the cosmic struggle was coming to its end; there would be one last, vast war between sons of dusk and sons of light, and then the good God would triumph everlastingly. In the context of this profoundly dualistic Jewish thought, Christianity came into being. Ideas similar to those of apocalyptic writers emerge in the Christian Gospels, notably the Gospel of John, with its images of light against darkness, in miracle stories of Jesus' capability to cast out and defeat demons and their leader the Devil, and in the Book of Revelation (The Apocalypse). However, after the obliteration of Jerusalem by Romans in 70 C. E. , and the diaspora of the Jews, Pharisees were left as the surviving leading Jewish group. Their custom downplayed Satan's power so much that he infrequently appears in works of the rabbis, though he does retain a presence in Jewish folklore. Although Judaism downplayed Satan's power, Messianic trends that faded in Judaism after 70 C. E. remained strong in Christianity. For Christianity, Jesus was the Messiah. In Christian thought, God is good. Opposed by the Devil, he sends Jesus his Messiah to obliterate the Devil's power. Unlike many Jewish sects, such as the Zealots, Christians supposed that the Messiah was not a military victory over Satan and gentile nations, but to a certain extent the Suffering Servant, who took upon himself all sins of the people and, in dying for them, broke Satan's power. Almost all early Christian writers granted Satan great power all through the cosmos and also in the life of each human. Christ and Satan vie for each soul, and each person should choose between them. Like Judaism, Christianity is a monotheistic religion. But by using the Devil to explicate the existence of evil, some early Christian groups, such as Gnostic sects of the first two centuries C. E. , pulled powerfully in the way of dualism. For them, Satan was an anti-God of enormous power. This power was to be fought, banished, and struggled against. But as it was so vast, Satan's power could also be influenced, harnessed to one's own will, even, in extreme cases, worshipped. There was no planned Satanism in early Christianity, but some Gnostic sects seem to have verged on it by working orgiastic rites. In the l5th-century, French baron and onetime marshal of France, Gilles de Rais, was found to have affianced in numerous mortal and sadistic acts, some of which were alleged to be associated with strange rituals in which he was assisted by Francesco Prelatti, a Florentine priest and occultist. Gilles de Rais was noted to be a man whose temperament and personality seemed to be extremely erratic at different times. Sometimes noted for his kindness, he was notable for his bravery in his military assistance of Joan of Arc. However, there was a great deal of dependable testimony provided by witnesses as well as material substantiation pointing to his guilt. According to Francis King, Satanism was adequately prevalent in 16th- and l7th-century France that its presence was noted by the police: It is difficult to know how widespread such Satanist activities were among the nonmonastic clergy of the middle Ages, but they seem to have become common in the 16th and17th centuries. Exactly how common, no one knows, but if the rest of Catholic Europe was anything like the ecclesiastical underworld of Paris at that time, then they were very common indeed. For in France Satanism had attained the status of big business, its practitioners forming a kind of occult Mafia, a noisome octopus with tentacles which reached into almost every segment of Parisian society and which was uncovered by Nicolas de la Reynie, the Police Commissioner of Paris. (Francis King, 1989b, pp. 219 – 220) The books of Church of Satan founder Anton LaVey (1969) were actually strongly influenced by this â€Å"occult tradition. † (LaVey also popularized the â€Å"satanic pentagram,† the five-pointed star with one point downward and the head of a goat overlaid. There is a temptation to dismiss antisatanists' claims as illusive; as sociologist Marcello Truzzi says, â€Å"Satanists are better scapegoats than Jews, because they don't exist (in Lyons, 1988:179). Though the vast conspiracy criticized by the antisatanist campaign may be exaggerated, Satanists do exist; there are members of controlled Satanist churches in our society. These Satanist groups are significant to the antisatanist movement: they provide a â€Å"kernel of truth† that antisatanists can expose. Groups such as Anton LaVey's Church of Satan â€Å"prove† that the satanic threat exists. The Church of Satan is not large; estimates range from 2000 to 5000 active members (Melton 1986:77; Lyons 1988:115). Still, the publicity showered on LaVey since he established his San Francisco church in 1966 has made him and his group a part of American popular culture. Almost everyone knows about LaVey's church, even though it is quite small. What the Church lacks in size it has made up for in attention paid to it as well as its activities. Anton LaVey, a bright character with a flair for the dramatic, gained substantial publicity by performing satanic weddings of famous people, satanic baptisms of children, and satanic last rights for a sailor member who died — all intentionally staged as media events. LaVey sought celebrities as members, and for a time claimed such stars as Sammy Davis, Jr. and Jayne Mansfield as dynamic participants, gaining national attention as a result (Lyons 1988). There is substantial debate about what the Church of Satan stands for, and what its members believe. Some analysts treat the Church as a spoof, intentionally designed to upset Christians. Others take it more critically, and look to LaVey's writings, such as his The Satanic Bible (LaVey 1969), to understand his philosophy. The church actively rejects spirituality and mysticism of any sort; it espouses an exclusive, materialist, and essentially atheistic philosophy. â€Å"Satan constitutes a worship of one's own ego†¦. In its major features, the Church of Satan takes a position of Extreme Machiavellianism and cynical-realism on the way to the nature of man†¦. Its major feature†¦ is its emphasis upon the significance of myth and magic and upon their collision in a world of people who can still be influenced through such beliefs and emotions. This Satanist then is the ultimate pragmatist†. (Truzzi 1974:220) Moody ( 1974) discusses the Church of Satan's redefinition of Christianity's seven fatal sins — greed, pride, envy, anger, greed, lust, and sloth — as virtues within satanic religion. Melton (1988:145) describes satanic churches' relationship to Christianity: Satanism is rationally subsequent to Christianity and draws on it in representing an overthrow of the Christian deity approving of his adversary. It stands in polemical relation to Christianity and†¦ Uses Christian elements, which are changed and given new meaning. Although LaVey's Church of Satan is the most observable satanic church, others exist. The Temple of Set, a small off-shoot group planned by Michael Aquino, a former disciple of LaVey, has attracted attention (Melton 1989:805; Lyons 1988:125). The small size of these organized satanic groups is less significant than the cultural meaning attached to them. As a radical rejection of Christian culture, they are representatively significant. Their very presence has put in to the concern about Satanism in America. Satan stories were connected to practical and political issues. As Russell (1977: 222) properly maintains, the figure of Satan in the New Testament is understandable only while it is seen as the counterpart or counter principle of Christ; accordingly, Russell adds, â€Å"the New Testament teaches that the Kingdom of God is at war with the Kingdom of the Devil†. Furthermore, Pagels documents, the vision of enormous struggle were developed by sectarian groups like the Essenes as they struggled against the forces they saw ranged against them. The dualistic cosmology was traited as split society, where sons of light, allied with the angels, and sons of darkness, in league with the control of evil, were in violent conflict. Pagels further retains that followers of Jesus adopted the same prototype in their campaigns. According to Pagels, Mark tells the story of Jesus as the disagreement between God's spirit and the power of Satan. Mark underlines that Jesus encountered this opposition not simply from evil spirit but from evil people as well. Mark's Satan is not an antagonistic power assailing Israel from outside the community but the source and symbol of conflict within the community (Pagels 1995: 12, 17, 34, 38; based on Mark 3: 23-27, 16: 5-7). Satan is described as the embodiment of pure evil. Such a Satanic theology would feature goodness to the Judeo-Christian God, but Satanists worship Satan as perceived to be more powerful or because the cultist might view himself or herself as being past redemption by a benign deity. In this system of thinking, goodness itself is typified as a weak, ineffective, and futile goal. Spence describes a similar dichotomy in views of Satanism and Luciferianism although he defines his terms slightly differently: Concerning the cults of Lucifer, much discrimination is required in dealing with this aspect, the bulk of the literature on the subject being manifestly imaginative and often willfully misleading. The members of the church of Lucifer are of two groups, those who regard the deity they adore as the evil principle, thus approximating to the standpoint of the Satanists, and those who look upon him as the true god in opposition to Adonai or Jehovah, whom they regard as an evil deity who has, with fiendish ingenuity, miscreated the world of man to the detriment of humanity. . (http://www. satanservice. org/propaganda/acad. 80sa. txt ) Though, in contemporary world, satanic symbols and themes are observable and popular features of music, literature, and movies. Increasing numbers of reported survivors are coming forward to assert they are victims of such cults. Are these reports just rumors or fantasies, or are people being harmed by ritual abuse? Unless we seriously consider these reports, we will never know for certain.