The Centralization And Decentralization Business Essay - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 25 Words: 7365 Downloads: 9 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Business Essay Type Research paper Did you like this example? Centralization is the degree to which decision making takes place at upper levels of the organization. If top managers make key decisions with little input from below, then the organization is more centralized. On the other hand, the more that lower-level employees provide input or actually make decisions, the more decentralization there is. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "The Centralization And Decentralization Business Essay" essay for you Create order Keep in mind that centralization-decentralization is relative, not absolute-that is, an organization is never completely centralized or decentralized . Some of the factors that affect an organizations use of centralization or decentralization. More centralization More Decentralization Environment is stable Environment is complex, uncertain Lower-level managers are not as capable or experienced at making decisions as upper-level managers Lower-level managers are capable and experienced at making decisions. Lower-level managers do not want a say in decisions Lower-level managers want a voice in decisions Decisions are relatively minor Decisions are significant Organization is facing a crisis or the risk of company failure Corporate culture is open to allowing managers a say in what happens Company is large Company is geographically dispersed Effective implementation of company strategies depends on managers retaining say over what happens . Effective implementation of company strategies depends on mangers having involvement and flexibility to make decisions gfhvhgghghg Centraliztion and decentralization In some organizations, top managets make all the decisions. Lower- level managers merely carry out top managements directives. At the other extreme, there are organizations where decision making is pushed down to those managers who are clocest to the action.The former organizations are highly centralized; the latter are decentralized. The term centralization refers to the degree to which decision making in concentrated at a single point in the organization. The concept includes only formal authority, that is, the rights inherent in ones position, Typically, its said that if top management makes the organizations key decisions with little or no input from lower-level personnel, then the organization is centralixed. In contrast, the more that lower- level personnel provide input or are actually given the discretion to make decisions, the more decentralization there is. An organization characterized by centralization is an inherent different structural animal from one that is decentralized. In a decentralized organization, action can be taken more quickly to solve problems, more people provide input inti decisions, and employees are less likely to feel alienated from those who make the decisions that affect their work lives. Consistent with recent management efforts to make organizations more flexible and responsive, there has been a marked trend toward decentralizing decsicion making. In large companies, lower-level managers are closer to the action and typically have more detailed knowledge about problems than do top managers. Big retailers like Sears and JC Penney have given their store managers . Chain of command Twenty years ago chain-of command concept was a basic concerstone in the design of organizations.As youll see, it has far less importance today. But contempo rary managers shouls still consider its implications when they decide hoe best structure their organizations. The chain of command is an unbroken line or authority that extends from the top of the organization to the lowest echelon and clarifies who reports to whom. It answers questions for employees such as To whom do I go if i have a problem? and To whom am I responsible? We cant discuss the chain of command without discussing two complementary concepts;authority and unity of command. Authority refers to the right inherent in a managerial position to give orders and expect the orders to be obeyed. To facilitate coordination , each managerial position is given a place in the chain of command, and each manager is given a degree of authority in order to meet his or her responsibilities.The unity-of-command principle helps preserve the concept of an unbroken line of authority.It states that a person should have one and only one superior to whom he or she is directly responsible. If the unity of command is broken, a subordinate might have to cope with aonflicting demands or priorities from several superiors. Time change and so do the basic tenets of organizational design. the concepts of chain of command , authority, and unity of command have sustantially less relevance today because if advancements in computer technology and the trend toward empowering employees Corporate planning Peter Drucker defined corporate planning as The continuous process of making present risk-tasking decisions systematically and with the greatest knowledge of their futurity; organizing systematically the efforts needed to carry out these decisions, and easuring the results of these decisions against the expectations through organized, systematic feedback. Strategic plans Management plans Management plans Operational plans Operational plans Operational plans Operational plans Corporate plans The purpose of planning on a corporate bais is to de fine and clarify the goals of the organization as a whole. It involves making appraisals of the organizations major strengths and weaknesses, and considering the external opportunities and threats posed by the organizations environment. These will all affect which goals the organization will be able, realistically , to achieve. Corporate planning also involves transforming long-term strategies into sufficiently detailed medium- term and operational plans(which can be changed if necessary) to help to ebsure that the organizations overall objectives are achved. Why corporate planning is necessary A system of corporate planning, involving the coordination of plans for the entire business over a period of several years, is necessary for several reasons. The importance that the real objectives of an organization are identified cannot be emphasized enough, and that, these having been identified, the whole business works towards them using coordinated strategies. A business with d isparate goals will, at best, not perform as successfully as it could and, at worst, will tear itself apart. You can imagine the diffculties generated within conglomerates if organizations like Hanson did not have cohesive objectives The degree of competition for finte resources within as organization incraeses with the size of the organization, and this creates a need for central planning and control, rather than planning by individual departments or managers The ever-quickening pace of change means that organizations have to dapt and react to change corporately to survice, rather than on an individual departmental basis. Job Design An organization which has made a particular study of work design consists the following characteristics were crucial if a job is to satisfy human needs. A degree of autonomy Job Design Job design is the devision of an organizations work among its employees and the application of motivational theories to jobs to increase satisfation and performance. There are two different approaches to job design, one traditional, one modern, that can be taken in deciding how to design jobs. The tradistional way is fitting people to jobs; the modern way is fitting jobs to people. Fittimg people to jobs is based on the assumption that people will gradually adapt o any work situation. Even so jobs must still be tailored so that nearly anyone can do them. This is the approach often taken with assembly-line jobs and jobs involving routine tasks. For managers the main challenge becomes How can we make the worker most compatible with the work? One technique is job simplifica tion, the process of reducing the number of tasks a worker performs. When a job is stripped down to its simplest elements, it enables a worker to focus on doing more of the same task, thus increasing employee efficiency and productivity. This may be especially useful, for insatnce, in designing jobs for mentally disadvantaged workers, such as those run by Goodwill Industries. However, research shows that simplified, repititive jobs lead to job dissatisfaction, poor mental health, and a low sense of accomplishment and personal growth. Fitting jobs to people Fitting jobs to people is based on the assumption that people are underutilized at work and that thay want more variety, challenges, and responsibility. This philosophy, an outgrowth of Herzbergs theory, is one of the reasons for the popularity of work teams in the United States. The main challenge for managers is How can we make the work most compatible with the worker so as to produce both high performance and high job satisfaction? Two techniques for this type of job design include Job enlargement and Job enrichment Job enlarement: Putting More variety into a job The opposite of job simplification, job enlargement consists of increasing the number of tasks in a job to increase variety and motivation. For instance, the job installing television picture tubes could be enlarged to include installation of the circuit boards. Although proponents claim job enlargement can improve employee satisfaction, motivaion, amd quality or production, research suggests job enlarement by itself wont have a significant and lasting positive effect on job perfoeramce. After all, working at two borin tasks instead of one doesnt add up to a challenging a job. Instead, job enleragement is just one tool of many that should be considered in job design. Job esrichment: Putting More responsibility other Motivating Factors into a Job. Job enrichment is the practical application of Fedrick Herzbergs two f actor motivator-hygiene theory of job satisfaction. Specifically, job enrichment consists of building into a job Leadership styles The leadership styles can be calssified according to the philosophy of the leaders. What the leader does determines how well he leads. A style of leadership is a relatively enduring set of behaviors which is a characteristic of the individual, regardless of the situation Some of the styles are follows Autocratic or Dictatorial leadesship Participative or Democratic Leadership Laissez- faire or Free- reign Leadership The leadership style that is to be introduced be the Managing Director in thr organization is Participative or Democratic Leadership In this type of leadership, the subordinates are consulted and their feedback is taken into the decision making process. The leaders job is primarily of a modertor , even though he makes the final decesion and he alone is responsible fr the results. The management recognizes that the subordinates are equipped with talents and abilities and that they are capable of briging new ideas and new methodologies to work setting. Thus the group members are encouraged to demonstrate initiative and cretaivity and take inteligent interest in setting plans and policies and have maximum participation in decision making. This ensures better management- labor relations, igher morale and greaer jobs satisfaction. This type or leadership is specially effective when the workforce is experienced abd dedicated and is able to work independently with least directives, thereby developing a cimate which is conductive to growth and deelopment of the organization as well as the individual poersonality. The feasibility and usefullness of the participative decisions maning style is dependent on the following factors Since participative decision making process is time consuming, there should no urgency to that decision The cost of prticipation of subordinates in the decision making should not be more than the benefits derived from the decision. The input from the subordinates should be free from any fear of repercrussion in the case such inpit is in conflict with the views held by the management. The participation of subordinates should not be of such a degree as to be perceived as a threat to the formal authority of managemnt. Subordinates should be sufficiently responsible so that there is no leakega of confidential information to outside elements Participative style of decision making has several advantages. They are Active participation in the managerial operations by labour assures rising productivity and satusfaction. Workers develop a greater sense of self -esteem due to importance given to their ideas and their conntributions The employees become more comitted to changes that may be brought by policy changes , since they themselves partciipated in bringing about these changes The leadership induces confidence, cooperation and loyality among workers It results in higher employee morale It increases the partcipants understanding of each other which results in greatee tolerance and patience towards others. Question 1 Management definitions The classic definition is still held to the that of Henry Fayol His general statement about management is many ways still remains valid after 96 years, and has only been adapted by more recent writers, as shown below Definitions of Management Definition 1 To manage is to forecast and plan, to organize , to command, to coordinate and to control HENRY FAYOL (1961) Definition 2 Managements is the art of getting things done through and with the people in formally organized groups KOONTZ and Managing is an operational process initially best dissected by analyzing the managerial functions.. The five essential , managerial functions (are) : planning, organizing, staffing, directing and leading, and controlling KOONTZ and ODONNELL (1984) Definition 3 Managing is the process of planning, organizing, leading and controlling the efforts of organizational members and the use of other organizational resources in order to achieve stated organizational goals J.A.F.STONER Defining the definitions Fayols definition of management He saw forecasting and planning as looking to the future and drawing up a plan of action. Organizing was seen in structural teams, and commanding was described as maintaining activity among the personnel. Coordination was seen as essentially a unifying activity. Controlling meant ensuring that things happen in accordance with established policies and practice. It is important to note that Fayol did not see managerial activities as exclusively belonging to the management. Such activities are part and parcel of the total activities of an undertaking. Having said this, it is equally important to point out that Fayols general principles of management take a perspective which essentially looks at organizations from the top downwards. Nevertheless, they do have merit of taking a comprehensive view of the role management in organizations. Fayol prefaced his famous definition of maangement by stating what he cnsidered to be the key activities of any industrial undertaking. He outline d six such key activities , as follows Technical activities. , eg production Commercial activities, eg buying and selling Financial activities, eg securing capital Security activities, eg safeguarding property Accounting activities, eg providing financial information Managerial activities, eg planning and organizing Koontz and ODonnells definition of management The most widely accepted clarification of management functions came from Koontz and ODonnell. According to them , the functions of management can be broken down to: Planning, Organizing, Staffing, Directing and Controlling. Managerial knowledge required for building an efficient and effective organization can be built around these functions. Therefore, the underlying concepts, principles, theory and techniques of management are grouped into these five functions. This framework of presentation of managerial knowledge and skill has been widely adopted. Management as a process integrates all kind of activities in an organization for the effective utilization and co-ordination of human and non-human resources. J.A.F.Stoners definition of management Here the defition refers to Management as a process Mangement as ateam of people who lead the organiation. And aslo the definition points out that for effective management, the components of management tasks are Designing the organization structure Organizing activities and processes Goal formation Development of an operating philosophy and strategy Leading and co-ordinating resources for the attaintment of objectives Creation of an internal environment cinductive to work Ensuring satisfaction of those served (i.e customers) Organizational survival planning Performance view for improvements In order to understand the term management the term split to the parts Manage+ Men + T That is manage, men and time in order to achieve the organizational goals more easily and effectively. Some of the integral elements of the above definitions can be separated and analyzed as follows Problem-solving process One of the most important function s of a manager is to make decisions and solve problems. Some of the major problems that the central management must continually face include unpredictable economic trends, changing government regulations, resources shortages and a severe competition for these resources, employee demands, technical problems, and technological changes etc. There are other problems that are comparatively routine in nature and can be solved by some tried and tested mechanisms. Example A change in production quality can be easily looked into and the process changed, if necessary. On the other hand, an increase in employee grievances or employee absenteeism or turnover may require carefully studied unique solutions. Organizational objectives All organizations have certain missions and certain objectives for their very existence. Objectives are more specific in nature. Example The mission of a college may be to produce graduates of high quality academic orientation and its objective may b e to increase the number of new students entering by 10% in 2 years Basically, the organizational objectives are profit oriented and the management must plan its activities along those lines. Additionally, it is also the managements responsibly to integrate the personal objectives of its employees into organizational objectives. The personal objectives may be higher remuneration, more challenging responsibilities and participation in decision making process. Efficiency Efficiency can be defined as a technique of operations which results in achieving the objectives in an optimum and effective manner so that the resource of time, talents, and capital are utilized fully and without waste. Accordingly, a successful management would devise means that are not only effective in achieving the goals, but also are efficient in utilizing the resources. Scarce resources The resources of people, time, capital, raw materials are all finite and limited. They are all scarce in nature and not expandable. Additionally, there is fierce competition for these resources. Management basically is a trusteeship of these resources and hence must take conscious efforts to make the most of these resources. Changing environment The dynamics of environments is evidenced by the tremendous and fast changes that have taken place an all areas in the last 50 years. The advent of computers and electronics have changed the way in which the information is processed and handled for decision making purposes. The social standards have changed, styles have changed, many laws have changed towards consumer protectionism, technology has changed and the organizations have become much more complex. Accordingly, management must be prepared to predict accurately these changes and formulate ways to meet these new challenges efficiently. Finally All the features included in the management definitions. Management is purposeful and goal oriented(It has definite economic and social objectives). Management is universal (Applied everywhere). Management is situational(Differs from, situation to situation). Management is continuous process. Management is creative. Management is multi disciplinary(It includes knowledge and information from economics, math, statistics, psychology, sociology etc) Management is dynamic(Changes as per time) Management is what manager does(Management is understood by performance) Mission statemnt Mission and Vision statements The planning process begins with two attributes: a mission statement(which answers the question What is our reason for being?) and vision statement (which answers the question What do we want to become?) The Mission Statement What is our Reason for Being ? An organizations mission is its purpoese or reason for being.Determining the mission is the responsibility of top management and the noard of dire ctors.It is up to them to formulate a mission statement, which expresses the purpose of the organization. Only a clear definition of the mission and the purpose of the organization makes possible clear and realistic.objectives, said Peter Drucker. Wheter the organization is profit or non- profit, the mission statement identifies the goods or service the organization provides and will provide, and the reasons for provising them(to make a profit or to achieve humanitarian goals for example) For example amazon.com In less than 4 years -from July 1995 to June 1999- internet That of course, was a victory statement rather than a mission statement. The mission, as expressed on the companys Web site, is to MISSIOM SJAKSJAJS We beleive that a fundamental measure of our success will be the shareholder value we create over the long termm. states one of the companys annual reports. This value will be a direct result of our ability to extend and solidity our current market lead ership position..Market leadership can translate directly to higher revenue, higher prifitability.. What is a missions statement? How to prepare it? The reason for existence of the organization Demarcate foundation for future activities Enduring statement Identifies the scope of the organization By answering following questions a company may be able to develop a mission statement WHY? Why does the organization exist? WHAT? What the organization is trying to achieve? HOW? How it intends to achieve its desired ends Mission Mission and management Mission must be communicated to and internalized by managers and employees.This is accomplished through the explicit statements of top management as well as through the value culture system of the organization. Mission provides criteria for strategy selection by executives.Many potential acquisitions or diversification moves have been ruled Mission identifies the basic tasks of an organization for which is should exist and strive, and plans its processes and activities to accomplish them. Though the terms mission and purpose are often used interchangeable, mission implies that the identified tasks should enable the organization to link its activities to the needs of the society and legitimize its existence by social expression of its business purpose. The mission statement of a consumer- durables manufacturing company could be: To manufacture, disturb and service world-class quality of household consumer durable article at competitive prices for cate ring to the need of society for higher quality of living and comfort. In this mission statement, the last few words add to the flavor of social expression of its business. Characteristics of a mission A mission statement is more than a statement of specific details It usually is broad in scope for at least two major reasons A good mission statement allows for the generation and consideration of a range of feasible alternatives and strategies without unduly stifling management creativity. A mission statement needs to be broad ti effectively reconcile differeces among and appeal to an organizations diverse stakeholders Precise A mission statemnet should not be so narrow as to restrict the organizations activities nor it should be so broad as to loose its meaning.A good statement of the mission of the firm should be as precise as possible and indicate major components of strategy. Current A mission statement may loose its significant after some time due to ch anged business conditions.Environmental factors and organizational factors may require modofications of the mission Enduring Mission statement should provide continual guidance and inspiration and be challenged in the pursuit of its mission , ever achieving its ultimate goal. Written in an Inspiring Tone and distinctive A mission statement should be so framed that is capable of inspiring ane encouraging commitment towards attaining the mission.It should distinguish an organization from all organizatons of its type Customer Orientation A good mission statement describes an organizations purpose , customers, productos or services, markets, philosophy and basic technology A good mission statement reflects the anticipation of customers. Rather than developing a product and then tring to find a market, the operating philosophy of Benefits of a mission statement A well- developed mission statement helps top management in a number of ways: It crystallizes top maagements own view of the long-term sytategic positoon of the firm. In helps to insure that the behaviour of lower-orger personnel is directed toward achievement of the corporate mission. It conveys a message to external stakeholders, such as financial institutuins that may influence their inestment strategies It insures organizational confidence, in that top management knows where it wishes to drive the corporation. It provides a pathway for establishing longer-term strategy. The mission durects the entire planning endeavor of the corporation . In particular, it directs the formulation of the groth plan; and guides the nature and pace of growth. So is becomes the guiding philosophy of the activities of the organization. The mission is the reference point and guiding spirit and guiding spirit for the growth plan of a firm. It brings the corporate purpose or the long-term objective of the firm into focus. In evolving the strategies too, the mission plays a guiding role Mission communicates the corporate vision and purpose to everyone in the firm. Importance of mission statements To ensure unanimity of purpose within the organization. To provide a basis, or stadard, for allocating organizational resources. To establish a general tone or organizational climate. To serve as a focal point for individuals to identify with the organizations purpose and diection, and to deter those who cannot from participating further in the organizations activities To facilitate the translation of objectives into a work structure involving the assignment of tasks to responsible elements within the organization To specify organizational purposes and then to translate these purposes into objectives in such a way that cost, time, and performance parameters cen be assessed and controlled. The Motivational Needs of individuals and groups Motivation Motivation is ones willingness to exert efforts towards the accomplishment of his/her goal. Let us consider a few important defintions on motivation that will help us understand the meaning of motivation more clearly. Further Luthan1 defined motivation as a process that starts with a physiological or psychological deficiency or need that activates behavior or a drive that is aimed at a goal or incentive. According to Stephen P. Robbins2. Motivation is the willingness to exert high levels of efforts toward organizational goals, conditioned by the effort ability to satisfy some individual need. In the opinion of Gray and Strake , motivation is the result of processes, internal or external to the individual, that arouse enthusiasm and persistence to pursue a certain course of action, After going through the above definition , motivation can be defined very simply as the willingness to exert towards the accomplishment of goal or need. Motivation Cycle or Process As stated earlier, motivation is a process or cycle aimed at accomplishing some goals. The basic elements included in the process are motive, goals and behaviors Behavior Goal Motive Tension Reduction The need for motivation can be imbued with multiplicity of justifications as follows Organizations are run by people. Hence. imagers cannot afford to avoid a concern with human behavior at work. This is because the motivated employees are more productive and quality-conscious than apathetic ones. Motivation as a pervasive concept affects and is also affected by a host of factors in the organizational milieu. It enables managers to understand why people behave as they behave. Organizational effectiveness becomes, to some extent, the question of managements ability to motivate its employs. hence, an appreciation of motivation helps the managers how to motivate their employees. Machines become necessary in case of complex technology. However, these remain ineff icient vehicles of effective and efficient operations without man to operate them, Therefore, organizations need to have employees with required capability and willingness to us the advanced complex technology to achieve the organizational goal. With the realization that organizations will run in more complex milieu in future, an increasing attention has been given to develop employees as future resources( a talent bank) . This facilitates the managers to draw upon them as and when organizations grow and develop. In sum and substance, the need for and significance of motivation for an organization can be put as follows: If we compare management with driving, while the organization is the vehicle, then motivation is the power or fuel that makes the vehicle moving Theories of Motivation From the very beginning, when the human organizations were established, various thinkers have tried to find out the answer to what motivates people to work. Different approaches applied by them have resulted in a number of theories concerning motivation. Theories based on human needs (theories by Maslow, Herberg, and McClelland) Maslows Need Hierarchy Theory It is probably safe to say that the most well-known theory of motivation is Maslows need hierarchy theory, Maslows theory is based on the human needs. Drawing chiefly on his clinical experience, he classified all human needs into a hierarchical manner from the lower to the higher order. In essence, he believed that once a given level of need is satisfied, it no longer serves to motivate man. Then, the next higher level of need has to be activated in order to motivate the man. Maslow identified five levels in his need hierarchy as shown in the figure These are now discussed one by one Physiological Needs These needs are basic to human life and hence, include food, clothing, shelter, air, water and necessities of life. These needs relate to the survival and maintenance of human life. Thee exert tremendous influence on the human behavior, These needs are to be met first at least partly before higher level needs emerge. Once physiological ne eds are satisfied, they no longer motivate the man. safety needs After satisfying the physiological need, the next needs felt are called safety and security needs. These needs find expression in such desires as economic security and protection from physical dangers. Meeting these needs requires more money and, hence , the individual is prompted to work more. Like physiological needs, these become inactive once they are satisfied. Social Needs Man is a social being. He is therefore, interested in social interaction, companionship, belongings, etc. It is this socializing and belongingness why individuals prefer to work in groups and especially older people go to work. Esteem Needs These needs refer to self-esteem and self-respect. They include such needs which indicate self-confidence, achievement, competence, knowledge and independence. the fulfill mint of esteem needs leads to self-confidence, strength, and capability of being useful in the organization. However, i nability to fulfill these needs results in feeling like inferiority, weakness and helplessness. Self-Actualization Needs This level represents the culmination of all the lower intermediate and higher needs of human beings. In other word, the final step under the need hierarchy model is the need for self-actualisation.This refers to fulfillment Objectives Objectives, which are also simetime termed as goals , are the results towards which the processes and activities of an organization are aimed. Objectives emanate preliminary from the mission statement of the organiztion. Objectives should be expressed as specifically as possible so that results can be seen and varified. The settig of objectives provides the foundation upon ahich the structures oc activities are built. Therefore, the setting od objectives is necessary not only to aim at the result, but also to give commensurate shape to the oganization and its staffing, leading, and controlling actions. Objectives woul d have different perspectives, one for the emterprise level and the others for the divisions, departments or any other allied business activities of the enterprise.However, the latter objectives should be in tune with, and support,the enterprise objectives.Often, these latter objectives are expressed in more specific time-bound terms, and are referred as Goals. Therefore, goals must be specific in terms of time and results, expressed unambigiously, and it should possible to monitor and measure the goals continually in an organization. Some of the areas in which a corporation might establish its objectives Profitability(net profits) Efficiency(low costs) Growth(increase in total assets) Stakeholder wealth Utilization of resources Reputation(being considered a top firm) Contributions to employees Contributions to society Market leadership Technological leadesrship Survival Personnel needs of top management ( using the firm for personal purposes, such as providing jobs for relatives) Question 2 Functions of Management Management Forecasting Motivating Organizing Communicating Planning Forecasting Forecasting is necessary preliminary to planning. Forecasting estimate the future work or what should be done in future. It may be as regard sales or production or any other aspect of business activity. Forecasting begins with sales forecasting and is followed by product forecast and forecasts for costs, finance, purchase, profit or loss etc Forecasting is the process of predicting future environmental happenings that will influence the operatio of the organization. Although sophisticated forecasting techniques have been developed only rather recently, the concept of forecasting can be traced at least as far as back in the management. The importance of the forecasting lies in its ability to help managers understand the future makeup of the organizational environment, which, in turn, helps them formulate more effective plans. How foracsting works Establish relationships between industry sales and national ,economical and social indicators Determine the impact gover nment restrictions Evaluate sales growth Evaluate the potentila for expansion of marketing effo Planning Planning is future oriented and determines an organizations direction. It is a rational and systematic way of making decisions today that will affect the future of the company. It is a kind of organized foresight as well as corrective hindsight. It involves the predicting of the future as well as attempting to control the events.It invlves the ability to forresee the effects of current actions in the long run in the future. An effective planning programme incorporates the effect of both external as well as internal factors. the external factors are shortages of resources, both capital and materal, general economic trends as far as interest rates and inflation are concerned, dynamic technilogical advancememts, increased government regulation regarding community interests, unstable international political environments etc. The internal factors that affect planning are limited growth opprtunities due to saturation requiring diversification, changing patterns of work force, moe c omplex organizational structres, decentralization etc. Planning all aspects of production, selling etc. are essential in order to minimize intangibles Planning is a process by which a manager anticipates the future and discovers alternative courses of action open to him. Planning is a rational , economical and systematic way of making decisions today which will affect the future E.g. what will be done in future, who will do it and where it will be done. Every managerial act is inexorably intervined with planning Without proper planning the activities of an enterprise may become confused and ineffective Prior panning is essential for utilizing the available facilities to the best of advantage Organizing Organizing requires a formal structiure of authority and the direction and flow of such authority through which work sub-divions are defined, arranged and co-ordinated so that each part relates to each other oart in a united and coherent manner so as to attain the prescribed objectives. Thus the fucntion of organizing involves the determination of activities that need to be done in order to reach the company goals, assigning these activities to the proper personnel, abd delegating the necessary authoruty to carry out these activities in a coordinated and cohesive manner. It folllows , therefore, that the fucntion of organizing is concerned with Idemtifying the tasks that must be performed and grouping them whenever necessary Assigning these tasks to the personnel while defining their authority and responsibility Delegating this authority to these employees Establishing a relationship between authority and responsibility Organizing is the process by which the struc ture and allocation of jobs is permitted. Organizing involves determining activities required to achieve the established company objectives, grouping these activities on a logical basis for handling by subordinates and finally assigning persons to the job designed .In carrying out the above, the manager will delegate necessary authority to his subordinates and that, in turn, will take the necessary responsibility. Organizing means organizing people, material, jobs, time etc. and establishing a framework in which responsibilities are defined and authorities are laid down. Motivating Motivating means inspiring the subordinates to do a work or to achieve company objectives effectively and efficiently. Communicating Communicating is the process by which ideas are transmitted, received and understood by others for the purpose of effecting desired results Communicating may be verbal or written orders, reports, instructions etc. A manager communicates to his subordinates as to what they should do An effective communication leads to confusion, misunderstanding, dissatisfaction and sometimes even strikes There is a common denominator in every group activity, who is there to transmit and share information , that makes communicating in the process of management. Communications are the means employed by the leader to make known his predictions and inspire the necessary efforts, by executives to pass on their plans and instructions for action, and by the supervisors to co-ordinate activities and control operations. A means of contact between departments and individuals, and a channel for the distribution Policies Policies are treated as plans for guiding actionas and decisions in t he organization in a predetermined direction in order to accomplish goals and objectives. Policies help to identify boundary areas within which decisions are to be made, and ensure that the decisions are consistent with the purpose of the business. Policies are essential in an organization t ensure that not every problem is separately analyzed for actions and adhocism allowed to creep in. They are to unify actions with plans all over the organization. Since an organization has different levels, the policies of the organization also pertain to various levels, vizs. business policy for the corporate levels and top managers, company policies for the higher levels of administrators, departmemtal polocies for the guidance of the depertmental managers, and policies pertaining to some special activity like recruiment policy , training policy, wage policy, sales policy, etc. Policies in an organization can thus be major or minor in nature, but they all serve the purpose of bringing unifo rmity in decisions and actions. Though the value and contribution of policies in running a business is well appreciated, aking policies consistent with, and integrated enough to realize, the organizations objectives has been found most difficult. By their very nature, policies are often required to be clearly stated in terms of procedures and rules for implementation. Procedures are a series of elated steps of instruction, expressed in chronological order, of how to follow the stated policy, and rule to prescribe exactly what should be done in a given circumstances. Rules do not allow any discretio; they must be followed as prescribed. There sould not be any confusion between policy, procedure and rules. At times, there may be some similaruty of character between policy and rules, but they are different in their purpose. The purpose of policies is to ensure uniformly of decision throughout the organization for similar problems, and may allow discretion to the managers if that hel ps acheive the objectives and goals. However, rules specify what actions to take, or how to rwspont in a given circumstances without any discetion by the implementer. Roles A contractors site personnel are groued into three main categories technical Clerical Works But precise titles ary from company to company, and the same name may mean something very different in another organization. However, the following major roles can be distiunguished, alhough the actual members of staff will vary from project to project and at different times of a contarct. Contract Manager or or Contracts Supervisor is usually besed at Head ofiice, and visits his group of contractors on a regular weekly basis or as the situation demands. His chief concerns are to ensure that progress and the financial outcome are satisfactory, and that time, cost and quality are to tha satisfaction of the client. he may or may ot be a diector of the firm. Project manager, Site manager or Agent is the companys senior representative on site. He is the leader and chief executive of the contractors site organization, and because of the many day-to-day decisions that have to be taken he is usually given wide discretionary powers. His main duties are to see that the construction is carried out economically and to time , and in accordance with the contract documents. He is usually qualified technically. Works Manager or General Foreman is responsible for the recruitment and deployment of direct labor and plant, with a special responsibility for safety. he maintain site discipline and handles daily negotiations with the unions and their representatives, and co-ordinates sub-contract labor. Office manager or crashier is responsible for all of the clerical tasks- timekeeping, payment of wages, checking and storaeg of materials, and general office functions. Chief Engineer is responsible for setting-out the works, measurement and records, and quality control procedures. He al so prepares and monitors detailed works programmes and co-ordinaes the flow of drawings and other information. It is also his Span of control By span of control we mean the number of people reporting directly to one superior. This number can vary enroumous from one departmen to another, from firm to firm and from industry to industr. How many people can a manager or superior control? Unfortunately, the answer is not simple.The limits are set by a number of different factors, all of which are important. Superior Worker A Worker B Narrow span of control Wider span of control Worker C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Superior The nature of the job This is a significant factor. If the job is relatively simple, The Span of Control As a business enterprise grows in order to undertake more work and consequently employs more labour, the problm of cordinating the various activities and numerous personnel gradually expands beyond the capacity of one indiv idual. It becomes necessary to delegate authority to assisyants, so that first-hand information concerning operations no longer entirely within the province of one man but must be obtained by reference to others, The manager who has delegated responsibility to two subordinates remains accountabkle for their twin performances, and if theri activities are independent , then he must also corre,ate the secondary relationship existing betwenn two of them. The total combination of such primary and secondary inter-relations that must arise between interlocking executives, increases progressively in the order Since there is a practical limit to the number of seperate irems to which the normal huan brain can attend at any one time, there must be a definite limit to the span of responsibility that the average maanger can competenly control. When deciding the range of a particular span of control consideration must therefore be given to the following factors: The actual time required for giving decisiom]ns and guidance to subordinates The relative geographical location of subordinates and the consequent travelling time involved. The comlexicity and varied of responsibilities concerned. The personal characer and emotional stability of the particular management. The specific span of control for a particular set of conditions thus considerable thought; and the resulting decision will largely depend upon a sound appraisal of the personnel aspect; but a total of 5, 6 or 7 is generally regarded as the maximum range under normal circumstances. Strategy Strategy refers to a framework of grand plans formulated to meet the challenges of special circumstances. Strategy is a term that was originally used in military science to mean plans to counter what an adversary might or might not do. A strategy of a corporation is a comprehensive plan stating how the corporation will achieve its mission and objectives This term is, however, expensively used by t he management to decide what kind of business one should be in, how a spacial situation can be countered, how a minimum growth rate in a competitive market can be sustained, etc. The term strategy usually has the implication of actions for countering competition by prior planning, and it is widely used in todays industry. While strategic thinking anc actions that guide the planning process for the accomplishment of a special objective are known as strategic planning, strategic actions that guide the survival or growth of a company in a competitive or adverse external environment is known as strategic management. However, these two terms are often used for one and the same thing. Naturally, strategic management would have to start with formulation of the objectives of an organization, and then development of methods to accomplish them within the time target by analyzing the environment and the various alternatives available to the organization. The typical business firm usually co nsiders three types of strategy Corporate strategy Business strategy Functional strategy Corporate strategy Corporate strategy describes a companys overall direction in terms of its general attitude toward growth and the management of its various businesses and product lines.Corporate strategy comprises directional strategy, portifolio analysis, and parenting strategy. Corporate directional strategy is conceptualized in terms of stability, growth, and retrenchment . Business strategy Business strategy occurs at the business unit or product level, and it emphasizes improvement of the competitive position of a corporations products or services in the specific industry or market segment served by that business unit. Business strategies are composed of competitive and cooperative strategies Functional strategy Functional strategy is the approach taken by a functional area, such as marketing or research and development, to achieve corporate and business unit ob jectives and strategies by maximising resource productivity. It is concerned with developing and nurturing competence to provide a company or business unit with a competitive advantage.

Long Term Effects Of Parental Divorce On Children s Health

Long Term Effects of Parental Divorce on Children’s Health Chi Chang California State University, Fresno Long Term Effects of Parental Divorce on Children’s Health Not all married couples stay together. It is during such times as divorce that families are torn apart and children become the main victims. Children from families who have experienced divorce are more likely to suffer future health complications compared to those who have not. Studies examined their psychosocial well-being, youth substance abuse, and adult longevity. These studies not only looked into the lives of young children and their future years as adults, but also help provide insights into how to best approach and deal with a sensitive time in their lives. A major consequence of parental divorce on children is the negative effects on their psychosocial well-being. In his study, researcher Daniel Potter (2010) studied how divorce affects children’s psychosocial well-being and their academic achievement. Taking data from the â€Å"Early Childhood Longitudinal Study – Kindergarten cohort† (EC LS-K), his study spanned from the spring of 1999 to the spring of 2004 (Potter, 2010, p. 935). Potter looked specifically at academic levels of Kindergarten, Grade 1, Grade 3, and Grade 5 (Potter, 2010). Out of a total sample of 10,061 children, 870 children had parents who were divorced. Potter measured their psychosocial well-being based on reports that were taken from theirShow MoreRelatedEssay about Depression and Anxiety in Persons with Divorced Parents1184 Words   |  5 PagesParents In the recent years, divorce rates have been continually trending upwards (Reiter, Hjorleifsson, Breidablik, Meland, 2013). It is factual that children who have parents that have divorced typically face more obstacles in numerous aspects of life than children who have married parents. Children that experience divorce have up to a 300% increase in probability to be impacted by issues in mental wellbeing than their peers without an incident of divorce in their parental structure (Shifflett Read MoreThe Effects Of Divorce On Child Development1194 Words   |  5 PagesThe Effects of Divorce on Child Development I met the love of my life in my financial accounting class. He was charming, and intelligent, and he carried himself well. Early into our relationship I realized underneath this assuring exterior, was a broken, unstable man. He had issues with trust, and he always took many health risks. He explained to me how hard it was for him to attach himself to people because he figured they would leave anyways. Nothing is forever. he seemed to believe. On topRead MoreChildren Should Be Too Great For Their Parents886 Words   |  4 Pagesunable to deal with the emotional trauma that is brought about by the divorce, and they do not know whom to turn to because of the divorce, which makes them angry, depressed, and at times develop an aggressive nature (Brown, 2010). Research shows that children suffer emotional trauma in the event that there parents’ divorce. According to Steven Earll who is a licensed counselor and therapist, he states that; â€Å"Children (and adult children) have the attitude that their parents should be able to work throughRead MoreThe Effects Of Divorce On Children And Children1548 Words   |  7 Pages The Effects of Divorce on Children Mikele J. King Medaille College Abstract The current divorce rate suggests that one out of every two marriages will end in divorce. This paper is a critical literature review that explores the hypothesis that divorce has detrimental effects on children. Six different risks have been suggested to cause the differences in an increased need for help between divorced family children and two-parent family children: parental loss, economic loss, more lifeRead MoreDivorce Rate And Divorce Rates1224 Words   |  5 PagesDivorce rate also known as divorce demography, which is the study of demographic factors that impact divorced as a social phenomenon, the divorce demography can clearly evaluate and reflect the marriage stability and happiness index of certain countries or area and that is the reason why data statistics of divorce rate is important. According to ONS (Office of National Statistics), the divorce rate has not been that low since 1974, when it was 0.9%. The number of divorces in 2014 was declined toRead MoreEssay abou t Effects of divorce on elementary-school aged children1279 Words   |  6 PagesIn America, divorce rates are at an all time high. A divorce between the parents of elementary students can be devastating in a young child’s life. Divorce causes stress for children not only at home, but also at school. Children of divorced or separated parents often have to commute between houses. Not only do they have to deal with the pain of parents separating, they also may feel as if they caused their parent’s problems. Parental divorce has negative effects on children’s academic achievementRead MoreDivorce And Its Effect On Children901 Words   |  4 PagesDivorce Upon Children Over the past few decades, the divorce rate has exponentially increased throughout America. Many Americans have developed a new definition of family due to the rapidly changing culture of our times. These culture and value changes have drastically brought a change to the traditional ideas of the past resulting in many different changes within the nuclear family of the past. Divorce has become rampant amongst the American population, which is causing many SociologicalRead MoreThe Impact Of Divorce On Young Adults990 Words   |  4 Pages The Impact of Divorce on Young Adults Bridget Cook Lindenwood University Abstract This paper explains the factors of parental divorce that have the greatest impact on young adults, including social support, parental involvement, and the ability of the divorced parents to co-parent. The information in this paper are based on research of three professional journals and one article from a website. Several studies indicate that young adults have better post-divorce outcomes if there is continuedRead MoreDivorce and Well-Being: An Annotated Bibliography1528 Words   |  6 PagesAnnotated Bibliography Amato, Paul R. The Consequences of Divorce for Adults and Children. Journal of Marriage and the Family 62.4 (2000): 1269-87. This article talks about divorce-stress-adjustment perspective. The article review draws on research that goes all the way back to the 1990s and it basically answers the following questions: What factors mediate the effects of divorce on individual adjustment? Are these differences due to divorce or to selection? How do individuals from married and divorcedRead MoreDevelopment Of Workable Plans Help Individuals Maintain Healthy Lifestyle And Increase Life Expectancy1165 Words   |  5 Pagesand increase life expectancy. The data collected from these three studies was analyzed and showed how the environment impacts a person s overall health and wellbeing and how that can affect a person’s longevity. The application of the findings was used to make suggestions to improve environments like inner cities, by incorporating more green spaces, or health initiatives recommending greater awareness about positive lifestyle choices. Summary Today, with the aging population and lack of funds

Love Is a Fallacy Revision Free Essays

Laken Sutton March 20, 2013 English 102 Gompf Revised Paper Women vs. â€Å"Love is a Fallacy† â€Å"Love is a Fallacy† is often viewed as an anti-women story. To many this piece exploits females by insulting women using stereotypes that have been around for a long time. We will write a custom essay sample on Love Is a Fallacy Revision or any similar topic only for you Order Now The female sex, as a whole, has been fighting to overcome these degrading assumptions. This story uses a girl named Polly to display all women. She depicts them as ignorant and gullible individuals. During the Story, Polly is treated like an object or mere possession, rather than a human being with emotions, ideas, and thoughts of her own. The men focus mainly on her physical beauty. They also suggest that she could be trained, in the same way wild animals are usually trained, to think and act for herself. The end of the story leads you to believe that Polly, still representing women, is only interested in shallow material items when choosing relationships. The men in this story are shown in a way that makes them seem superior to women using intelligence, wittiness, and patience along with physical and material attractiveness. In the beginning of â€Å"Love is a Fallacy†, the two men make a deal to trade Polly as if they owned or had rights to her. What is even worse than the act itself is the object she is being traded for, a fur coat. This implies that Polly is only worth a useless, stinky, old fur coat. When evaluating her worth, the man judges her physical beauty and how useful she could be to him. He then decides to take her on as a project for him to improve. Then to show Polly’s ignorance, the writer has her follow the man to be â€Å"trained† or taught to think. As he instructs her and becomes increasingly rude and impatient with Polly, she continues to use ignorant phrases and gestures to comply with the man’s commands and to please him. In the end, even though Polly stands up for herself and uses his teachings against him, she still is only speaking from what he had taught her and not from her own thoughts. This gives the illusion that women can be taught, by men, to think and act a particular way. Polly then chooses to date one of the men who treated her as a mindless objected because he owns a popular coat (the fur coat that he traded for her in the beginning). This leads the audience to believe that Polly, still representing women, is only interested in material things and doesn’t mind how she is valued or treated. Women should find this story very insulting. For so long, women have fought to overcome these stereotypes. The female sex has always been judged based solely on their gender. A woman was taught to attract a man and begin a family. Once you had a husband, as a woman, your only priorities should have been to cook, clean, and care-give. Woman were also seen as ignorant pieces of property. Woman had to fight to work, get good jobs, vote, and so much more to prove their equality to men. Men were always seen in the same way as the two men in this story. The two in this tale are extremely shallow, egotistical, and ride. This is not true for all men, but the older stereotypes set men and women as opposites. Women should be meek, stupid, kind, and proper. Men should be opinionated, intelligent, stern, and in control. These are almost complete opposites. Now it is accepted that woman and men are all different and yet equal. This story is rude to both sexes, but is harsher on the role of women. The women are seen in this story as objects that can be trained, traded, or owned. This could be avoided using a clearly satire atmosphere, or less extreme depictions of the female sex. This story was, however, very informative (for a student such as myself) learning to construct arguments correctly. Regardless of the anti-female message, â€Å"Love is a Fallacy† is perfect to teach fallacies. Shulman’s story gives a very blunt and clear understanding to the definition and purpose of fallacies. It also gives very good examples of how to, or not to, use them in an argument. These tips can help a learning audience identify and avoid fallacies that would weaken their argument. This being true does not excuse the rude insulting projection of women. How to cite Love Is a Fallacy Revision, Essay examples

Tourism Market Of Vanuatu’s Broken Dream †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Tourism Market Of Vanuatus Broken Dream. Answer: Prime ethical and governing issues presented in the Vanuatus Broken Dream video Vanuatu is a significant Pacific region tourism market for Australian cruise ship organizations (Aph.gov.au 2014). Any organization follows the corporate social responsibilities to gain the triple bottom line profit that are social, financial and environmental benefits. Most companies follow the principles to achieve the sustainability of the profit. While performing a business in a region outside its home state, it is not just the temporary profit that the company aims, the responsibilities related to reputation building, taking care of the host nation and communities and ethics become important. However the hospitality and tourism industry is far behind from adapting the corporate social responsibilities more effectively as it is being experienced in the Cruise ship tourism business in Vanuatu (Coles et al. 2013). In order to maximize the profit they are engaging in ethical misconducts which are affecting the tourism and hospitality market as a whole. The tourists and the local com munities of similar business scenario have been demanding more ethical practice in the tourism business (de Grosbois 2012). There are many ethical issues that can be found in the Vanuatus Broken Heart video. The local communities of the Islands like Espirito Santo, Efate, Pentacost and others have been experiencing various ethical problems caused by the cruise ship tourism business in their area. Gap between expectation and reality The local communities were supposed to get great economic profits primarily from the landing and anchorage fees. There are other secondary means that promised to help the growth of the local economy, like from the local food or brew business or flyers, souvenirs or local crafts and accessories. However the reality that has been presented in the documentary speaks a different story. The local people have been given fewer opportunities to earn money. As the local businessman Flavio who runs a small shop with his wife at the beach when the cruise arrives expresses his concerns about the lack of fortune provided by the tourism business (YouTube 2013). The Vanuatu Tourist Community did not publish any financial report from 2008 to 2012 so the financial and ethical misconducts can be proved (YouTube 2013). Self regulation limits The cruise ship company only prioritizes its self-profit and in the process it ignores the community interest. The only time the community concern has been considered when the company profit is related. The management invested 800000 dollars for improving the facility of Vanuatu and it was used in well designed toilets and clean water facilities but the facilities are for only the tourists (Sbs.com.au 2013). The documentary presents how the family of the village leader lives with minimum facilities like any other families in the island. Reaching the poor The tourism company only cares for its stakeholders and the poor inhabitants of the Vanuatu islands as non stakeholders and ignored. The company does not do anything to change the societal structure of the community and helps the poor to stay poor only (Scheyvens et al. 2015). The tourism company is present here for more than 10 years and the development of the water system is meant for the tourists only. The tourists also do not trust the locals with their money as they feel the communitys lack of experience with cash flow makes them dishonest. Ethical practice of PO cruises P O Australia was supposed to improve the destination communitys social and economic well being. P O Companies run the cruises with hundreds of tourists to the islands of Vanuatu (Pocruises.com.au 2017). The P O Cruises of Australia should have invested more on training and guiding the community members developing their own craft and other businesses. However in reality the company did little to nothing to improve the economic condition of the islanders. There disbelief with the local communitys capability of handling money has fueled the condition. Though their assumption is completely wrong as Mr. Barnabas has being successfully involving local people in micro finance operations. The company feels that if the local people become financially independent their tourism business might get affected but after 30 years of independence and 10 years of PO Australia the local people experienced no improvement as the company promised prior to the business (Wittersheim 2011). The local peop le of Vanuatu, under the leadership of Mr. Barnabas are trying to establish an economy that is no longer relies in the foreigners. The ethical, economic or social responsibilities the PO Australia was supposed to fulfill but did not follow through. The responsible people who can bring the changes successfully are as follows: PO Cruise Company: The cruise company can still contribute significant to improve the economic and social condition of Vanuatu by fulfilling their responsibilities. Before starting the tourism business they promised to invest money to bring positive changes in the communities but in reality it did not. The company can hire more people in their business and train new people to successfully get involved in the business. The basic facilities like toilet, water or primary school should be built by them to prove their concern for the community in order to establish a sustainable business. The company should promote agroecological tourism to enhance the livelihoods of smallholders (Addinsall et al. 2017). The Tourists The tourists must change their perspective towards the islanders, specifically regarding money handling issues (Desmond 2016). They are getting used to the contemporary cash flow system gradually. The tourists have to trust them. The tourists should not just act as passive observer of the inhabitants poor living condition and the inequality, their review and feedback for the company can encourage the company change his strategies. The Government The Vanuatu Government can change the situation by implementing certain specific rules and regulations related to the business of outsider Tourism Company in its land (Lee, Hampton and Jeyacheya 2015). The policies must be in favor of the local islanders and should be implemented in such a way that the any government officials or others can take any wrong advantages. Australian and Vanuatus governments could have resolved identified issues The Australian and Vanuatu government could have implemented various strategies in order to resolve the issues. The Australian Government should have monitored the tourism business of the cruise ships in the Vanuatu islands. The monitoring would have helped to identify the problem areas in the initial stages only. The monitoring would have helped to realize the inequality that is taking place regarding the development only for tourists and generate more profit (Tabani 2017). The Australian Government would also have checked the ethical misconducts by appointing some government officials in Vanuatu that has been affecting the countrys reputation in the global tourism market. The Vanuatu Government should have participated during the initial phase of the business more actively. The government would have implemented the policies related to the improvement of its land more effectively. The government should have initiated an investigation while the finance report was not published by the tourism committee for 5 years. The local people have lost their faith in the government as mentioned by the freedom fighter in Broken Dreams. The government should have proved their presence and participation the development process by ensuring that local people are getting jobs in the cruises and local tourism based business is flourishing. The government would have taken initiative programs to educate the local people about the tourism business and they could get money. The government would have checked the physical condition of the development and how unfair and unequal it was for the people and informed the management and the Australian Government. Finally the Vanuatu g overnment should have evaluated its policies at regular interval and made sure that the government officials are not involved in corruption. Recommendations for future 1)The Vanuatu government should immediately evaluate the existing laws related to the tourism business by outsider companies. If the legislation is already in favor of the local inhabitants the government should immediate take actions to implement them effectively. If the legislation needs improvement, it should be immediately done by a committee of skilled professionals that must include a representative of the local people and businessmen. The modification of the legal aspects is not enough; the government must set a committee who will monitor the cruise management activities, tourists activities and the activities of various local business committees. The government will investigate every stage of the system to find out the corruption and will make sure the money is getting spent in the right places. 2)The cruise company must evaluate their code of ethics and update accordingly if needed. The gap between their policies and the reality must be bridged. The PO Australia practice the code of ethics that states that they are responsible for protecting the environment of the destinations surrounding by sound ethical practices. The company immediately develops a community toilet and clean water system for the local people. This way the company will gain their trust and rectify their issues and establish a fair and sustainable business for the future. 3)The local people should make their presence more visible to the company and to the tourists. Their lives should be integrated with the practice of mutual benefit through successful tourism business. The people must reestablish their faith on the government and take active participation in the effective programs initiated by the government. Finally they must grow their knowledge regarding the financial issues and engage more positively in the micro finance operations. This way the country will become financially independent and the issues will be minimized in the future. References Addinsall, C., Weiler, B., Scherrer, P. and Glencross, K., 2017. Agroecological tourism: bridging conservation, food security and tourism goals to enhance smallholders livelihoods on South Pentecost, Vanuatu.Journal of Sustainable Tourism,25(8), pp.1100-1116. Aph.gov.au. (2014).Assessment of the Economic Impact of Cruise Ships to Vanuatu Report. [online] Available at: https://aph.gov.au [Accessed 13 Sep. 2017]. Coles, T., Fenclova, E. and Dinan, C., 2013. Tourism and corporate social responsibility: A critical review and research agenda.Tourism Management Perspectives,6, pp.122-141. de Grosbois, D., 2012. Corporate social responsibility reporting by the global hotel industry: Commitment, initiatives and performance.International Journal of Hospitality Management,31(3), pp.896-905. Desmond, J.C., 2016. Afterword: Ambivalence, Ambiguity and the Wicked Problemof Pacific Tourist Studies.Touring Pacific Cultures, p.439. Lee, D., Hampton, M. and Jeyacheya, J., 2015. The political economy of precarious work in the tourism industry in small island developing states.Review of International Political Economy,22(1), pp.194-223. News. (2013).Vanuatu's Broken Dreams. [online] Available at: https://www.sbs.com.au/news/dateline/story/vanuatus-broken-dreams [Accessed 13 Sep. 2017]. PO Cruises Australia. (2017).X741 | Discover Vanuatu. [online] Available at: https://www.pocruises.com.au/cruises/discover-vanuatu/x741 [Accessed 13 Sep. 2017]. Scheyvens, R., Hughes, E., Pratt, S. and Harrison, D., 2015. Tourism and CSR in the Pacific.Tourism in Pacific Islands: Current Issues and Future Challenges,48, p.134. Tabani, M., 2017. Development, Tourism and Commodification of Cultures in Vanuatu.Tides of Innovation in Oceania: Value, materiality and place, p.225. Wittersheim, ., 2011. Paradise for sale. The sweet illusions of economic growth in Vanuatu.Journal de la Socit des Ocanistes, (2), pp.323-332. YouTube. (2013).Vanuatu's Broken Dreams. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMACsi8j3us [Accessed 13 Sep. 2017].

The Devil and Tom Walker free essay sample

Satire is used by many famous writers to create humor and to criticize people’s unwise, and senseless actions. As George Orwell once said, All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others. (Orwell, 1945). People will always be greedy and think they are smarter than others but this is untrue. The one who thinks he is smarter or better than the other will always end up losing in life. In the short story â€Å"The Devil and Tom Walker† by Washington Irving, satire is incorporated in a perfect way. This story is about Tom Walker, who makes a pact with the devil, and ends up lending money at high interest rates. When Tom Walker thinks he is smarter than his customers and does not give more time to one of his customers to pay him back, Tom’s life ends in an instant. Through the use of satire Irving criticizes the institution of marriage and the folly of human nature. We will write a custom essay sample on The Devil and Tom Walker or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Irving criticizes the institution of marriage in many ways throughout the story. He introduces Tom to the story by pointing out the following: â€Å"He had a wife as miserly as himself; they were so miserly that they even conspired to cheat each other.† In this quote Irving substantiates that marriage will lead one to temptation, and that many people that think are happy with their partner will always look for other partners during marriage. Another example of Irving’s use of satire to criticize marriage is when he writes, â€Å"Whatever the woman could lay hands on she hid away: a hen could not crackle but she was on the alert to secure the new-laid egg.† Irving is stating that marriage will make one selfish with one’s partner. He is trying to show that it is better to own things individually, because when someone commits to marriage, one is also agreeing to have common property with one’s wife/husband. Irving mocks how marriage instead of making one share everything will actually make one even more selfish. This selfishness will lead to problems in one’s married life. Another quote that shows Irving’s criticism to marriage is â€Å"Her voice was often hear in wordy warfare with her husband; and his face sometimes showed signs that their conflicts were not confined to words.† This quote illustrates how marriage can lead to violence, and fights can lead to divorce. This is why the reader can infer that Irving does not believe that marriage is the sacred institution it is proclaimed to be. Moreover, Irving is also a master at creating dark humor: â€Å"Tom consoles himself for the loss of his property with the loss of his wife; for he was a man of fortitude. He felt something like gratitude towards the black woodsman, who he considered had done him a kindness.† This quote is comic because one would think that Tom would be really sad after his wife’s death, but he is sad because his property i s missing, and consoles himself with her death. It is ironic that Tom would be happy for the loss of his wife. Clearly, Washington Irving uses satire throughout the story to criticize the imperfect institution of marriage. Irving not only uses satire to criticize the institution of marriage, but also uses satire to criticize the folly of human nature. The following quote, â€Å"All her avarice was awakened at the mention of hidden gold, and she urged her husband to comply with the black man’s terms and secure what would make them wealthy for life† shows how humans are always greedy and the only thing they care about is money and wealth. Tom’s wife does not even think about the offer and what troubles it could bring her. She only wants the gold, but she does not even know what she is getting into. Another example of Irving’s criticism is when he says, â€Å"He thought with regret on the bargain he had made with his black friend, and set his wits to work to cheat him out of the conditions. He became, therefore, all of a sudden, a violent churchgoer. He prayed loudly and strenuously as if heaven were to be taken by force of lungs.† Irving says this because he is trying to show how people are complete hypocrites when they are trying to hide the evil actions they have incurred in. Evidently, satire is being used to show human duplicity. Although he is going to church, and he might seem as a good Samaritan, inside he is full of evil. A third way Irving criticizes the folly of human kind is in the following quote, â€Å"In this way he made money hand over hand; became a rich and mighty man, and exalted his cocked hat upon change. He built himself, as usual, a vast house, out of ostentation; but left the greater part of it unfinished and unfurnished out of parsimony. He even set up a carriage in the fullness of his vain glory, though he nearly starved the horses which drew it.† Irving portrays a very important message through this quote. Essentially, Irving is highlighting the fact that even though Tom has enough money to feed his horses, he prefers to starve them because he is too avaricious. Irving is transmitting the message that the folly of human nature many times has to do with greed and selfishness. Evidently Irving is trying to criticize human vices through this short story. To conclude, Irving does a splendid job of connecting marriage and the folly of human nature with hypocrisy, greed, and ambition. The author delivers a very important message through his use of satire, and makes the reader realize that marriage is not a noble â€Å"problem-free† institution, and that the folly of human nature can lead to one’s downfall. The dark humor that the author integrates in the short story enriches his strong criticism to these topics.

The Second World War Essays

The Second World War Essays The Second World War Essay The Second World War Essay In the years following the Second World War, there was a significant change in the way society was constructed, from changes in class structure to an era of mass production and mass consumption. Two particular features have been produced from this change, namely the massive growth in the consumption of what has been labelled as popular music, and also the existence of specific subcultures within society. The rise in popular music after the war can be attributed to changes in technology, mass media and mass communication that brought about the mass consumption of music, while subcultures seemingly coincided with the rise of popular music in general. The possible link between the rise in popular music and the existence of subcultures is an obvious one since they both seem to have risen and existed simultaneously, and indeed many argue that music is the medium to which subcultural expression is at its greatest. The first apparent and significant subculture that existed after the Second World War became termed as the teddy boy or the more frequent reference of the Teds. This particular group, who sported extravagant quaffs in their hair, drape jackets, suede shoes and drainpipe trousers, were often criticised by the media and parents and viewed as a symbol of the decline in standards amongst the growing youth culture. The manner in which the teds wore their clothes and acted was seen as an act of defiance or bricolage against the existing values and norms that existed within society at that time. In this way the Teddy boys theft and transformation of the Edwardian style revived in the early 1950s by Saville Row for wealthy young men about town can be construed as an act of bricolage. (1) The rise of this subculture coincided with the rise in popularity of music figures such as Eddie Cochran, Buddy Holly and in particular the gigantic rise of Elvis Presley, who all sported the Teddy boy image. These artists provided the Teddy boy subculture with the mass appeal and legitimacy that inevitably caused the growth in this particular style. While the styles that these musicians wore tended to cause controversy, the content of their music also did. Rock and Roll was seen as a rebellious form of music, and while its lyrics and dancing movements may seem tame by todays standards, the genres aggressive and sexually implicit nature caused outrage amongst many parents and members of society. Yet while the controversy and protests against the image of the Teddy boy and rock and roll mounted, the popularity of this style and genre of music grew vastly. The subculture of the Teddy boy found a voice in its rock and roll heroes to which it could assimilate into their style, which was certainly a style that went against the basic hegemonic values and norms that existed in the fifties. The Teddy boy subculture can also been seen as an example where music has popularised an already existing subculture by bringing it to a larger audience, through the mass consumption of music and the popularity of its musical exponents. Perhaps the most prominent example of a subculture that is cited is that of the so-called hippie movement. The hippie movement began the mid-sixties, and in a rather simplistic sense, consisted predominantly of middle class young students. The hippie culture had a massive impact upon life in the sixties, particularly in America where it protested against the norms of sixties society, particularly the war in Vietnam and the civil rights movement. The movement, similar to other subcultures, had a strong assimilation with music. The music most associated with the movement tended to be progressive rock orientated, and was mostly concerned with albums rather than single releases. The movement was closely associated with the values of free love, peace and tended to be very open in its use of drugs as a recreational pastime. The music it was associated with tended to reinforce these values and ideas, with much of the music consisting of anti-war sentiments or references to drug use. Among the many musicians that were associated with this protest and anti-war ideals of the hippie subculture was Bob Dylan, who was frequently branded the voice of a generation. Although Dylan was not a hippie himself and openly objected to his tag, the anti-war stance within his music was adopted among the hippie movement who felt they related to his songs of protest. Songs such as Masters of War were adopted by the anti-war movement who felt that it outlined perfectly their grievances against the current war in Vietnam. Dylans songs frequently questioned the values and norms that existed in America at the time, with a poignant example being the song With God on Our Side. The song is sung from the stance of an average American from the mid-west, and talks about how all the previous wars that America has waged can be justified because America has God on its side. The song questions the strong conservative Christian ethos that exists in America, an ethos which was also a grievance for the hippie movement. Dylan is a prominent example that although he didnt purport to the ideals within the hippie movement, his music was adopted by the movement as a way of questioning the hegemonic values of America in the sixties. To this extent the hippie subculture could be described as the symbolic fit between the values and lifestyles of a group, its subjective experience and the musical forms it uses to express or reinforce its focal concerns (2). The focal concerns of this particular subculture were fiercely liberal and anti-war, which is why they chose musicians such as Dylan as their voice.

Telecom Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Telecom - Essay Example However, to serve simplified organizational goals that are specifically identified by smaller organizations, the need to design and establish a workable R & D that could address the mission and goals of the organization and within an identified budget would suffice. Smaller organizations can update themselves of telecommunications trends using various medium. As emphasized by Sachenko â€Å"organizations are becoming internetworked enterprises that use the Internet, intranets, and other telecommunications networks to support e-business operations and collaboration within the enterprise, and with their customers, suppliers, and other business partners† (1). In an article written by Rubin, it was disclosed that â€Å"small companies spend proportionally more of their revenues on research and development than large ones† (par 1). Likewise, in another study, Klein revealed that â€Å"small and midsize companies don’t know how to capture qualified research expenses and quantify them. Also, in most small companies, the R&D is heaviest up front, when they are developing products and services† (1). In this regard, small organizations could solve the problem by availing of R & D tax credits. As explained by Klein, " if you’re a startup and you don’t have research expenses for the previous three years, you can use 6 percent of your qualified research expenses to offset your tax liability, if you have any. If you don’t have tax liability, perhaps because you have no income as a startup, you can claim the credit prospectively and carry it forward into a year when you do owe taxes. The great thing is that there’s a 20-year carry-forward provision for this credit† (1). Therefore, through availing of R & D tax credits, the amount of tax liability could be minimized depending on the income of the small organization. Likewise, by being aware and recognizing which R & D

Informal interview(HRD) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Informal interview(HRD) - Essay Example He has to set the daily roster, look for new and novel things for the employees, interact with them and facilitate in solving their day to day issues, look after their needs and wants, discuss options to safeguard their organizational rights and basically take the message of the employees towards the higher management realms. The rationale for choosing this person was that Mr. Jack is a renowned person within his field and all employees have something good to say about him. It shows that Mr. Jack has a very commendable relationship with the employees as well as the people with whom he is connected on a personal as well as a professional level. He likes to maintain his links with the people even though they are not working with the same organization any more. I believe that choosing Mr. Jack for this interview is also based on how well he has been able to bring confidence within his personality and how much people can learn from him and his actions. He is a thorough professional who b elieves in success and brings out the very best through his actions and behaviors on a daily basis. I asked Mr. Jack how he got along with people from different backgrounds and how he would cope with someone who was not easy to come by. I even asked him how he would react to changing policies of the organization which he believed would ransack the basis of association that existed between the organization and its employees. I inquired from Mr. Jack how he would go with the recent upsurge in downsizing by most organizations and what he would do to make sure that there was complete job security within his organization. I discerned the basis of his attachment with the recent trends and developments within the Human Resources field and what he shall do to make sure that everything remained in line with the policies of the land where the company existed. Lastly I requested Mr. Jack to let me know how he would foster positive ties with the people who have left the organization and hold so me form of resentment and disgruntled feelings (Saunders 2004). I learned quite a few things from what Mr. Jack had to tell me. He was forthright and candid about his approach towards doing things his way, which was in accordance with the rules and policies of the organization. He told me there was a great amount of growth within his field and anyone can take up the Human Resources arena to extract the best mileage out of his education. He even told me that a career switch towards the Human Resources field would bring in higher stakes in terms of money, an excellent profession and above all linkages with the people who hailed from different backgrounds and ethnicities. It even allowed an individual to learn new things and get acquainted with discussions which he had never put his eye upon. Mr. Jack was very comprehensive as far as the answering of his questions were concerned and I saw that his eye contact did not break even for a single second – which suggested for his hones ty which he was delivering through his verbal and nonverbal communication regimes. In the end, I would suggest that interviewing Mr. Jack was indeed something which can be regarded as a positive point for me. It helped me understand what a wonderful personality Mr. Jack is. It also assisted me in comprehending how he takes the different avenues of life in his

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Week 5 questions - Essay Example ly defined roles and responsibilities, availability of required resources, and delegation of adequate authorities to facilitate faster and appropriate decision making, would lead to smoother communications amongst themselves, ultimately translating into realization of the organization’s corporate goals. External stakeholders include consumers, suppliers, competitors, creditors as well as the community at large. These groups form an inevitable part of organizational growth and hence satisfying their requirements is of utmost significance for any organization. The organizations, thus, should strive to establish long term strategic relationship / partnerships with the external stakeholders to gain maximum leverage from the same and to realize the ultimate organizational goals of growth and profitability. This could be achieved by providing high quality products / services to the customers, establishing solid long term relationships with the suppliers, offering a cost effective and niche product line, as well as good payment terms for the creditors. This would ensure a satisfied team of individuals which would help in sustaining and developing the overall organizational goals. Long term goals define the vision of the company, which may include the goals of becoming the largest manufacturer in the world, attaining a specified percentage of market shares, or becoming a global leader by creating a niche for its products / services. Long term goals help the organizations in creating a fixed route which they have to follow in order to realize their specified objectives. For instance, for a company, if the long term goal is to be a world leader of a particular product, in terms of customer service, technology as well as quality, the management thus has to devise ways to reach the ultimate objective such as improving cycle times by speeding up the process of product availability, as well as reducing or minimizing the production costs by use of best technological aids

Samuel Becketts Waiting for Godot Analysis

Samuel Becketts Waiting for Godot Analysis Samuel Becketts Waiting for Godot is a play both funny to watch and to read. Yet, the feeling that one walks away with in the end is not one of amusement, but that of slight discomfort. Upon closer inspection, one begins to notice tragic qualities neatly hidden but subconsciously blatant. One also sees the play labelled as a tragicomedy. In an attempt to further explore this issue, I explored the research question: Is Waiting for Godot a tragedy or comedy? To what end do these elements contribute to the play? In order to answer this research question, an in-depth analysis of the various themes present in the play was carried out. Aspects of the play that contributed to each theme were singled out and their respective comedic and tragic elements compared by examining their roles and contribution to the theme. The investigation also extends itself into interpreting the authors beliefs and purposes, namely Luckys speech, to study the tragic or comedic notes. Through my investigation I concluded that there are more tragic than comedic elements in Waiting for Godot, but more accurately, Beckett veils the tragedy of his play behind humour, and uses the comedy to heighten the tragic elements. In Waiting for Godot, a tragicomedy in two acts by Samuel Beckett, two characters unconsciously express the sombre emptiness in life by comical means. At face value it is funny and light-hearted, yet a second glance at the hidden metaphoric and symbolic devices reveals a forbidden garden blooming with tragedy. The two genres complement one another, humour creating tragedy, tragedy creating humour. Indeed, it is this peculiar pairing that qualifies the play both in essence and as a pun: a tragicomedy. At a superficial glance, the play seems full of un-humanlike action and harbours an inane sense of humour. The intended message of the motif is unclear and many of the characters are left hidden in darkness amidst a vast complexion of dialect that is comical at the surface. This hints at the notion that a thin blanket of obvious comedy is utilised to disguise the ultimate tragedy present at heart. This tragedy is carried forth via a splattering of motifs, such as time, meaning and existe nce, and God. By exploring this relationship, a cohesive understanding of the comical and tragic elements becomes possible, allowing us to decipher the roles they play in the play. As such, will elucidate that Waiting for Godot does contain more elements of tragedy, and their significance and meaning are far greater than any of this plays comedic value. II. Analysis In order to investigate both the comedic and tragic elements, an understanding of how they are used in conjunction is necessary. In other words, we must first understand what a tragicomedy entails. By definition, a tragicomedy is a dramatic work incorporating both tragic and comic elements. However, this denotation does little more than restate what we already know. In actuality, the meaning of a tragicomedy has morphed over time. It was initially coin by Plautus, a Roman dramatist in the 2nd century B.C.E. as a play in which gods and men, masters and slaves reverse the roles traditionally assigned to them, gods and heroes acting in comic burlesque and slaves adopting tragic dignity. Then during the Renaissance, tragicomedy became a genre of play that mixed tragic elements into drama that was mainly comic. With the advent of realism later in the 19th century, tragicomedy underwent yet another revision. Whilst still mixing the two elements, comic interludes now highlighted the ironic counterpoints inherent in a play, making the tragedy seem even more devastating. In this way, it can be said tragicomedy is a more meaningful and serious existence than traditional tragedy. Lastly, modern tragicomedy is sometimes used synonymously with Absurdist drama, which suggest that laughter is the only response left to man when he is faced with the tragic emptiness and meaninglessness of existence. The last two classifications are the most relevant explanations and I believe them to be identical to Becketts understanding of tragicomedy when he labelled his play as such during his translation. Certainly, there is comic interlude such as the discussion that occurs between Vladimir and Estragon in Act II during Pozzos cries for help We should ask him for the bone first. Then if he refuses well leave him there (p89), which highlights the tragic state that Pozzo is in through their comically serious bout about whether or not to help him and certainly there too is an exploration of the emptiness and meaninglessness of existence, which is fundamentally the underlying theme of the entire play. A bleak and tragic tone permeates the atmosphere at the beginning of the play. The stage is empty aside from a bare tree and two ragged tramps, Estragon and Vladimir. The very start of the play begins with the narrative, Estragon, sitting on a low mound, is trying to take off his boot. He pulls at it with both hands, panting. He gives up, exhausted, rests, tries again. As before. (p2). Immediately after, Estragon, who gives up yet again, speaks the famous words Nothing to be done, arguably the defining mode of the entire play. The surrounding circumstances of the characters emanate an alien disconnection to the world and leave the audience utterly perplexed and bewildered by the seemingly nonexistent motive of the characters. The tragic elements are seen in the circumstances of the characters, their physical disabilities, their lost sense of time and utmost futility, their doomed existence where à ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"Nothing happens and nothing can be done,à ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  and the empty stage while the comic elements revolve around the games the characters invent, their interactions with each other, and the vaudevillian routines. Vladimir and Estragon are portrayed as homeless tramps devoid of purpose, as strongly supported by their paralysis, Well, shall we go? Yes, lets go. They do not move. In much the same way, other characters, such as Pozzo and Lucky, are characterized too as directionless pairs, symbolized by their deafness and muteness in Act II Pozzo is blind(p87). From simply examining the characters, we can see that they, like all human beings, have the potential to become better characters with better common sense. Our definition of normal and expected human behaviour may just as well be non-applicable to the setting of the play, hence the usage of better is questionable. Our expected definition of tragedy may be a derivation of our own experiences. When someone falls into a situation that, as a result of societal conformation, causes us to develop certain emotions, we feel for their loss or misfortune. However, the context of Waiting for Godot places us in a realm so undesirable, because undernea th the initial intentional comedy lies a dimension of tragedy that we cannot clearly relate to, defining itself as delusional even to the point of becoming disturbing. The inane dialogue and personalities of the plays subjects sets a situation so capricious that the limits of analysis must be broadened to accept such ideas of human behaviour before it is possible to understand Becketts message and embrace the idea that one can be so unresponsive to an apparently interminable wait. By capitalizing on the fixed perspectives of the audience, their actions become an absurd comedy that contributes to the tragic tone of the entire play. The unchanging Nothing to be done (p2) reinforces helplessness and utter desperation in lieu of the protagonists. Their physical disabilities are the tragic circumstances that baffles the audience and while making us laugh, shows us the meaninglessness of their existence , such as Vladimirs bladder problems, hinted at when advancing with short, stiff strides, legs wide apart (p2), and Estragons struggles with his feet, disturbed rest, and abuse by individuals he has no memory of, spending the night in a ditch and claims that they beat me, where they is never identified Such dialogue can be labelled as tragic as their own distinct personalities and personal problems lead to the original, main point that comedy merely shrouds the tragedy. An excellent example of such a scenario can be seen on (p85) when Vladimir and Estragon spontaneously break out into unanimous, unprecedented argument and mark each other with insults such as Ceremonious ape! and Punctilious Pig! After the banter, They embrace. They separate. (p86). While at the surface this scene may be deemed comedic due to the spontaneous outburst, if we bring ourselves to look past this, we see that it is tragic when they reconcile. The tragedy exists in their relationship. They both agree that each would be better off alone, as Estragon says You piss better when Im not there. (p64) and Vladimir replies, I missed youand at the same time I was happy. (p64). Despite this, they continue to stay together, not knowing why. Because of this, it can be said that it is tragic how Vladimir and Estragon have no control over themselves nor the external factors affecting them. What is even more tragic is the futility of their wait. The fact that Godot does not ever arrive and that nothing is achieved with the evident passing of time as symbolized on (p62) by the statement that The tree has four or five leaves define the seemingly meaninglessness of their goal. This idea of eternally unproductive progress proves to display a tragic image in the minds of the audience. Right after this scene is another just as tragic at heart. Estragon begins by questioning, What do we do now? (p86) to which Vladimir responds We could do our exercises (p86). This is followed by a series of exaggerated actions and comically tires Estragon out after a simple hop Thats enough, Im tired. (p86). This once again shows their inability to do what they want, an idea that is visited once more at the end of the play on (p109) when Vladimir questions, Well? Shall we go? to which Estragon responds, Yes, lets go. but both do not move. This inability to accomplish such simple actions can be deemed tragic , and questions the purpose of their existence. We always find something, eh Didi, to give us the impression we exist? (p77). Note that Estragon uses the word impression, implying that they are aware of the meaninglessness and futility of their wait. Something must happen yet nothing must happen when waiting and Beckett skilfully achieves this balance. It is not only the general act of waiting that is tragic, but also the things Estragon and Vladimir do during their wait that is tragic. True to the essence of the play, many of the comical actions are paired with tragedy. The two insult each other and then reconcile. Vermin! Abortion!Now lets make up!(p85) and is quite amusing, except that we once again overlook the tragedy: throwing insults at each other because they have nothing to do. Vladimir loses his sense of time, a recurring motif, after having regained a bit of it Youre sure you saw me, you wont come and tell me tomorrow that you never saw me! (p106) and Was I long asleep? I dont know. (p107). His uncertainty is humorous, but the same uncertainty creates a sense of disarray. What this multitude of examples signify is mankinds inexhaustible search for meaning, to which Beckett believes leads nowhere but tragedy, and that comedy, imbued with tragedy, is tragedy itself. Through this, human life, its meaning and existence, as displayed in Waiting for Go dot, concludes in tragedy. Vladimir and Estragon are not the only characters used to express tragedy. Another pair exists, and they play just as crucial a role as the others. Pozzo and Lucky are portrayed in such a way that it is hard to imagine that Lucky was once Pozzos mentor, and is now treated like a slave. Masters and slave reversed the roles traditionally assigned to them. He is depicted as the most intellectually vacuous character, yet it is suggested that he has a past which hints at the fact that Lucky can think, recite, and sing, strongly reinforced by his lengthy, confusing, and almost nonsensical speech: Given the existenceunfinished (p45-47). However, I find it doubtful that Beckett would dedicate so much text into a speech if its sole purpose was to confuse. Luckys speech reveals that he must have spent many hours exploring the deplorable human situation. By meticulously breaking down Luckys outburst, one will see that, just as Beckett has hidden tragedy inside comedy, there is a deeper meaning concealed within the speech and its purpose is not solely comedic. Reasonably speaking, Luckys speech during the play appears completely disoriented, a chaotic mass of incoherent language, given the short amount of time the audience has to process each clause. But going past this comical veil of nonsense, a spectacular construction put together as meticulously as the play itself materializes. The speech has three distinct parts. The first part of the monologue begins by assuming the existence of a God as a given and then describing him. Removing extra phrases, we get roughly with white beardoutside time without extension wholoves us dearly with some exceptions for reasons unknownare plunged in tormentin firewhose firewill fire firmament that is to say blast hell to heaven so blue still and calm (p45) God is described as a paradoxical fatherly figure always present regardless of time, whom may be affectionate, but at the same time states that if it is, many are excluded. That those beings are sent into hell, symbolizing earth, into fire, whose fire w ill destroy the blue and calm vault of the sky (firmament), which is a contrast between peace and human suffering. Then there too is the mention of divine apathia, divine athambia, and divine aphasia. Divine refers to God. Apathia is apathy and means the absence of passion, emotion, or excitement. Athambia is imperturbability, to be incapable of being upset or agitated and not easily excited, and aphasia is an inability to vocalize. These three Greek words serve three purposes. The first is that they have characterized the impuissance of Christianity as a modern religion. God is apathetic: he does not intervene. God is imperturbable: he has never been reached by living humans. And God is aphasic: he has never spoken, even to prove his very own existence. In this sense, Lucky, who in this case represents the literary embodiment of Beckett, is rejecting the existence of a God, by stating that even if he did exist, he has abandoned us, leaving only despair. The three words also serve as Becketts view on what the direction society as a whole is headed towards. That we are gradually becoming wrapped in apathy: we do not seek out others; wrapped in athambia: others are unable to reach us; and wrapped in aphasia: there is no more voice, with the advent of Internet and social communications/networking. Finally, the three words describe Luckys deterioration. It expresses, in turn, his lack of emotion, followed by an oblivious awareness of his surroundings, and lastly, when we next meet him, his voice. This perhaps, serves as a metaphor for the decline in the human quality, alarming and appalling. It would appear then, that this first part of Luckys speech hides a dreary and tragic tone underneath the torrent of disorientated words. The second part of his speech becomes increasingly difficult to decipher. There are many more interruptions and repetition of phrasing, obscuring the message. This perhaps may be on purpose, as Beckett could be expressing the repetitiveness of life and its lack of meaning. Condensing recurring phrases and removing interruptions, I get and considering what is more that as a result of the labours left unfinishedthe labours of menestablished beyond all doubtthat manwastes and pinesin spite of..the practice of sportsof all sortsconcurrentlytime will tellfades awaythe death of Bishop Berkeley being to the tune of one inch four ounce per headno matter whatthe facts are there (p45-46) The message here says that, to add onto the absence of God as previously stated (hence labours unfinished), it is confirmed, without a doubt, that man is in a state of decline, despite technological advancements (labours of men) and physical exercise (practice of sports). Bishop Berkeleys death marked the begi nning of this fall. With all this happening at once, only time will tell when we will eventually fade away. Lucky attempts in his speech to bring back Berkeleys harmonization of God and science, but ends up doing the opposite. By associating each head with one inch four ounce, it quantifies life and hence devalues humans, slowly reducing us to an execrable state. It becomes apparent that the comedy of Luckys speed is only a cover up, the real message is an appalling and tragic commentary on human progress. The increased entropy in Luckys speech is reflective of his life. He was once very intellectual and had great mental capacity, but just like man, has degraded. This third and final part of his speech can only be described as chaotic and anxious, building up towards a climax. and considering what is much more grave that in the light of the labours lostin the plains in the mountains by the seas by the riversrunning firethe great cold the great darkthe earth abode of stonesI resume the skull fading the flames the tears the stonesthe skull the skull the skull the skullalas alas abandoned unfinished the skull the skullthe stonesso calmunfinished (p46-47) These ideas explain that as a result of this decline (labours lost), grave consequences appear, in the plains, mountains, seas, and rivers. Running fire symbolizes widespread chaos, followed by cold desolate despair, alone. The earth becomes reduced to stones, and skulls, representing the death of men, wastes away. Chaos tears through the earth, and death is rampant. As God has abandoned men, left them unfinished, death continues on earth, and there is calm because unfinished. He is cut off with unfinished as his last word, referring to the incomplete speech and shrinking of mankind. With the conclusion of the final part of Luckys speech, it becomes apparent that while it indeed fulfills its role as amusing humour, the true meaning is cataclysmic, and the fact that we are laughing at it is dramatically ironic. Luckys speech has much to do with time, with good reason. The play contains a series of events where time seems to be moving at a crawl, if at all. It is something much more complicated than it may seem. On the surface, time is a numerical in which growth is measured. On a much deeper level, time can be very difficult to define. Throughout the play, the main concept of what time really is, is examined. In the context of what has happened or what will happen, time can be classified as good or bad. In Waiting for Godot, the stress of waiting makes time drag. If time is what growth is measured by, if nothing changes, did time really pass? Within the play, we await change, waiting for Godot. However in reality, things change as a constant, where we do not realize we are waiting. It is only when change is slow to come when we realize that we are in a state of inaction. It is during this realization that brings a source of pain to the individual. Vladimir and Estragon constantly strive to be spontaneous and dynamic in order to ensure change, but always come to the inevitable realization that they were waiting. Characteristic of the play, we often hear them say Lets go. We cant. Why not? Were waiting for Godot. It is comical how Estragon seems to forget their purpose, and is constantly reminded, but more importantly, this shows their sudden realization of their anticipation of change. Yet Godot himself never appears in the play. His identity is irrelevant, what is important is the act of waiting for someone or something that never arrives. He is the essence of change and a final solution. The repetition of his name impresses upon the audience the same feeling of anticipation. It is tragic as the play concludes that Godot never does show up, demonstrating that the two acts are but a slice of a cycle, or of two mirrors reflecting endlessly. The end of the play can be matched to the beginning. Nothing has changed, little character development is made and what little changes that have occurred have reverted back to original, such as Vladimirs epiphany in which he proclaims: Let us not waste our time in idle discourse! p(91) and coerces the audience into thinking that perhaps, finally, some semblance of development will appear. Alas, the powerful soliloquy reaches an anticlimax, interrupted by the constant change of topic inherent in the play. Time appears to be circular , as opposed to linear. The latter has broken down, because events do not develop into progress and change. The boy returns bearing identical messages, Godot never comes and tomorrow never seems to arrive. Vladimir mentions that time has stopped (p37). Estragon and Vladimir, during their finite existence, are moving relentlessly towards a presumably unobtainable event. It is like an asymptotic curve, always getting closer to a value, but never reaching it. Estragon expresses this tragic fate of uneventful repetitive existence as he exclaims, Nothing happens, nobody comes, nobody goes, its awful! (p43). The realization that there will never be an end to the waiting is evidence for their contemplation of suicide, as Estragon says, What about hanging ourselves? (p12). Once the audience has grasped this, a plethora of ideas emerge. Some are linked to other themes in the play, such as the meaningless in waiting, because it stops time and progress, whilst the repetition of the setting emphasizes the repetition of life. Thus as we have seen, while the play maintains a humorous shell, as it progresses, the audience begins to feel sympathetic. The time that Vladimir and Estragon spent together was comedic, but after peeling apart this shell and revealing to us their consciousness, devoid of time, we will find naught but woeful anguish. VI. Conclusion The comedy present in Waiting for Godot turns into tragedy at the instance the audience understands the helplessness of Vladimir and Estragon. Unhappiness is one of the funniest things we as humans see, but at the same time, it is despairing. The way Pozzo treats Lucky is hilarious, to both the reader and audience. Lucky is constantly jerked around by his rope and this exaggerated action creates humour, but at the same time, we overlook the cruelty that is so obviously implied. It is tragic how we so readily accepted this treatment, and as the play continues, laugh at it even more. This signifies a part of Becketts view of human nature, that it is not until it becomes personal do we start caring about the tragic tones and implications. Comedy has been suppressed by the tragic elements. The play becomes a tragedy imbued with tragedies. The small, easily noticed tragic happenings contribute to a greater, deeper despair. Such as Estragon suggesting death as an escape. It is sad to see one suggest such a thing, yet it is also funny because of the nonchalant light-hearted way he suggests it, as well as the conversation that ensues. The two tramps engage in meaningless, pointless activity to pass the time, waiting for something that never comes. This absurdity is a fundamental source of tragedy. However, what is really tragic is that in the end, they are unable to make a decision, to live or die and as a result of this hesitation, are forever frozen in progress. This essentially shows their paralysis of time and continuity. Didi and Gogo are stuck, day in day out, waiting for Godot to no avail. This act of waiting is the very thing Beckett is trying to portray. It is only during lapses in action, where we are waiting, th at we begin to realize the meaninglessness of what we are doing. An overwhelming sense of despair washes over the audience in this moment of realization, and all sense of humour is gone. All that is left is a mixture of anxiety, confusion, and hopelessness.