Web-Based Courses Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Web-Based Courses - Essay Example It asks of the students to remain at the convenience of their homes and attain education which is being imparted on the campuses. This has become such a huge part of our education systems that the world is quickly coming to terms with the very same. More and more research is however needed to ensure that there are fewer flaws in the connectivity systems which guarantee a proper linkage between the university lecturers and the students sitting within their homes or in the form of groups. The people who are most likely to benefit with the coming of age of these web-based university courses include the students who are unable to attain visa and permission for studying abroad in different campuses of the world. Also tuition fees is another significant aspect that comes under the related discussion, which could be marked as one of the reasons as to why students choose to have the web-based university courses in the first place. The disabled fraternity is also likely to achieve high quality education through the adequate use of technology coming under the heading of the web-based university courses and indeed distance learning. Then there are the aged people who are immobile and cannot move as such which form a large percentage of the students who acquire education through the use of the web-based university courses. However the single most significant feature of these people getting connected to the web-based university courses lies in the fact that fees is a major issu e and these people are unable to pay such hefty sums whilst enrolling at the time of admissions to the universities the world over. On the flip side of the coin, the weaknesses, risks, disadvantages and problems concerned with the web-based university courses are also present. These are in the form of absence of providing an interactive discussion with the instructors and fellow students in the real sense of the word. The aspect of asking questions and clarifying points could be marked with

Automobile production chain Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Automobile production chain - Essay Example This paper aims to discuss how globalization exactly impacted this process. First, in the automobile production process, the component which has the greatest impact on whether the automobile will became a success in the marketplace is the deign stage of the production chain. In here engineers, suppliers, marketers, distributors, and even customers collaborate to create a new automobile. After the specifications of the new car, a prototype is created to validate the assumptions made by the design team. After the prototype, the parts for the new automobile product will be sourced. In sourcing out the necessary components, close coordination between and among the third-, second-, and first-tier suppliers, company, production staff, and the design team is necessary to pave the way for an efficient assembly line for the product. After the final assembly, the company coordinates with its distribution networks to create an effective and efficient distribution programs for the car to reach the end consumers or the consumers to be able to reach the car. In the above production chain, almost all its stages are affected by globalization; however such impacts were driven by different factors for each of the production chin stages. For example, "major auto assemblers invested heavily in the emerging markets, building new capacity and modernizing existing plants" (Humprey 2003, p. 121) because of cost reduction possibilities (for the final assembly chain), for the long-term growth prospects (for the distribution chain), and many more. On the other hand, the assembly and component manufacturing portion of chain is the most global process. In the assembly and component manufacture, the economic activities of organizations across national boundaries are well coordinated. Never have we seen a single economic activity so global it is now impossible to create an automobile just from the economic resources of a single nation (Liu, Sui & Gu 2008, p. 11). As Sturgeon, van Biesebroeck and Gereffi said, "the world automotive industry, like many others, is in the midst of a profound transition. Since the mid-1980s, it has been shifting from a series of discrete national industries to a more integrated global industry" (2008, p. 302). An impact of the increasing globalization of the automobile industry on the production chain is the creation of affiliated design centers and centralization of the heavy engineering work of vehicle development (Sturgeon, van Biesebroeck & Gereffi 2008, p. 302). In terms of the usual distant relationship of the automobile manufacturer with its suppliers, this is no longer the case now. In Thailand for example, the foreign manufacturers spend constant effort in developing the local suppliers by offering resources, training, feedback and solutions (Petison & Johri 2008, p. 76). Such support had enabled some local automobile parts suppliers to become global as in the case of Brazil (Grisis & Ribeiro 2004, p. 415). In some places, this close coordination had resulted in the creation of supplier parks either as a modular consortium or industrial condominium (Morris, Donnelly & Donnelly 2004, p. 129; Howard & Squire 2007, p. 1192). As the business environment of the automotive industry becomes more and more global, so as does the complexity of this environment (Li & Chandra 2007). Geffen and Rothenberg observed that "[a]utomobile assembly plants worldwide face increasing pressures in the environmental arena"

A Review Of Leadership Management Essay

A Review Of Leadership Management Essay The term leadership means different things to different people. Although no ultimate definition of leadership exists (Yukl, 2002), the majority of definitions of leadership reflect some basic elements, including group influence and goal (Bryman, 1992). Leadership is one of the rare and precious human capitals. Without leaders to guide and shape decisions society would become stagnant. Within the arena of leadership there are good leaders, bad leaders, and effective leaders. All three coexist simultaneously in a world of followers. A good leader is someone who can motivate and excite people about a specific subject. They are the one who possesses many qualities. First and most important a good leader is to possess the ability to recognize whats fair, good, and honest. A good leader always sets a good example of integrity, morals, and will lead his followers in accordance with these qualities. In addition to being just a good leader must be a strong thinker. Good leader inspire workers into higher levels of teamwork, there are certain things a leader must be, know, and, do. These do not come naturally, but are acquired through continual work and study. Good leaders are continually working and studying to improve their leadership skills. Bad leaders have a tendency to turn a good organization around and burn it to the ground. They make rash decisions without discussing it with the team, for one. They dont want to share the glory with anyone at all. They want to do everything and take the credit all by themselves.This is probably one of the biggest reasons that leaders lose the respect of their team. In an organization and in a team, leader has to work or need to communicate with the team. An Effective leader is someone who manages to get people to do what they want.   It could be defined as one who exerts influence to get others to achieve the leaders objectives. An effective leader is a person with a passion for a cause that is larger than they are. The essential needs for the effective leaders are good communication, knowledge and understanding, team work, recognition and encouragement, vision, risk and innovation, ethics, flexibility with leadership styles and commitment. 2. Theories behind leadership Leadership theories in management have evolved over time into various types, with their own lines of thought. Each theory provides a model of effectively steering an organization. Adding to Kurt Lewins (1945) observation that there is nothing so practical as a good theory, Whetten (2002) suggests that only a good theory is practical. Hence, we have two successive goals: (1) we should understand the components that comprise theory; and (2) we should incorporate this knowledge into the theory of leadership. There isnt one right definition of leadership. There are various leadership theories out there, and when you limit leadership to one definition, you also limit the value of true leadership. Leadership can be something very difficult to describe or explain. It is abstract. There isnt a certain shape that it takes, or there isnt one specific direction. Depending on the leadership theory that you are talking about, one person could be considered successful and the other a failure. Leadership theories are founded on a persons opinion. Many theorists have put forward their own views and formulated their own theories regarding leaders and leadership. The author will explore some of the theories on the subject of leadership. 2.1 Great Man Theory The Great Man Theory is associated most often with 19th-century commentator and historian Thomas Carlyle. This theory assumes that leaders are born and not made. Leaders usually were members from the aristocracy since they only got a chance to lead; hence, it was considered that good breeding contributed in making great leaders. The concept of a Great Woman was not explored and andocentric bias was never realized. In addition, the theory also states that when there is a great need, then a great leader arises, like Buddha, Jesus, Churchill and Eisenhower. 2.2 The Trait Theory This theory assumes that human beings are born with inherited traits and the right combination of traits makes them a leader. Hence, leadership was a matter of traits whether inherited or acquired otherwise. Stogdill (1974) identified certain traits like adaptability, socially aware, achievement oriented, decisive, dominant, energetic, cooperative, assertive, self-confident, persistent, responsible, and capacity to tolerate stress. McCall and Lombardo (1983) identified four basic traits, namely, emotional composure and stability, intellectual breadth, highly developed interpersonal skills, and the capacity to admit errors. Although leadership trait theories are popular, it is viewed by many as very simplistic. There are those that argue that trait theories attribute the success of leadership solely to his or her personality and physical traits or characteristics without regard to the situational context. The trait approach is considered too simplistic as an explanation of the complex leadership phenomenon. 2.3 Participative Leadership Theory This theory assumes that the conclusion of many minds makes a better decision than the judgment of a single mind. Hence, the leader invites participation from the persons responsible for carrying out the work, since it makes them less competitive and more collaborative, thereby increasing their level of commitment. Participants may be subordinates, peers, superiors, or stakeholders. The extent of participation may vary. The leader may outline the objectives or goals and allow the team to decide how it can be achieved or the leader may allow a joint decision to be taken with respect to objectives and its method of achievement or the team may propose but the final decision is always of the leader. Many varieties exist, like consultation, democratic leadership, Management By Objectives (MBO), power-sharing, empowerment, and joint decision-making. The negative side of this theory is that when a leader asks for opinions and does not find them suitable, then it leads to cynicism, feelings of betrayal, reduced motivation and decreased level of commitment. 2.4 Lewins Theories Kurt Lewin along with others conducted experiments in 1939 and came up with three styles of participative leaderships, namely autocratic, democratic, and Laissez-faire. In the autocratic style, the leader took the decisions without consulting others. In the democratic style, the leader took the decisions after consulting others or let the majority decide on what is to be done. In the Laissez-faire style, the leader lets others decide on the decisions to be taken. Lewin et al. discovered that the autocratic style led to revolution, the Laissez-faire style lacked enthusiasm and coordination, while the democratic style proved to be the most effective. Since these experiments were done on children, they still required further study and research. 2.5 Likerts Theories Rensis Likert (1967) theorized four styles, namely, exploitive authoritative, benevolent authoritative, consultative, and participative. In the exploitive authoritative style, the leader uses methods as threats, coercion, and other fear-based methods to enforce conformance. It is always a top-down approach and the views, feelings, of others are given no value. In the benevolent authoritative style, the leader becomes a benevolent dictator and uses rewards to motivate performance. The leader listens to rose-tinted views from the subordinates as they tell only what the leader likes to hear in the hope of gaining rewards. Trivial delegation of decision is done, however important decisions are always made centrally. In the consultative style, the leader seeks consultations, however, most upward flow of information is still rose-tinted and the decision is almost taken centrally. In the participative style, the leader invites participation across all levels, including the shop floor worker , and attempts to make the employees psychologically closer are made. Dissensions, arguments, feelings of betrayal all take place in this style. The leader becomes a father figure and a cult head, whose saying ultimately becomes the final decision. 2.6 The Charismatic Leader Theory This theory assumes that leaders gather followers simply by their charm, grace, and personality. If a leader is not a natural charismatic leader then that individual takes a lot of trouble in maintaining the image and developing requisite skills. They are usually very persuasive and use their body language very effectively. In a theatrical sense, charisma is played out as exhibited by politicians, religious and cult leaders. Conger Kanungo (1998) have elucidated five characteristics of charismatic leaders, namely, clear vision and its lucid articulation, sensitivity to the environment, sensitivity to the needs of the members, ability to take personal risks to support their viewpoints, and ability to perform unconventional behavior. Musser (1987) noted that charismatic leaders wanted their followers to commit to absolute devotion to themselves. The charismatic leader may not want to change anything or transform anything unlike the transformational leader. If the charismatic leader is well-intentioned then they can contribute significantly to the growth of the entire group, however, if they are Machiavellian and selfish, then by the creation of cults, they can effectively rape the minds and bodies of their followers. Their own self-belief can lead them into psychotic narcissism and their self-absorption is so high, that their irreplaceability, intentional or otherwise, can guarantee no successors and thus they make a permanent mark in history. 2.7 The Transformational Leader Theory The concept of transformational leadership was initially introduced by leadership expert and presidential biographer James MacGregor Burns.1 According to Burns, transformational leadership can be seen when leaders and followers make each other to advance to a higher level of moral and motivation. Through the strength of their vision and personality, transformational leaders are able to inspire followers to change expectations, perceptions and motivations to work towards common goals. Later, researcher Bernard M. Bass expanded upon Burns original ideas to develop what is today referred to as Bass Transformational Leadership Theory.2 According to Bass, transformational leadership can be defined based on the impact that it has on followers. Transformational leaders, Bass suggested, garner trust, respect and admiration from their followers. This theory assumes that a leader with vision and passion can achieve great things by inspiring, injecting enthusiasm and energy, and thereby transform the individual or the group towards the attainment of individual or group goals. Transformational leadership is concerned with the performance of followers and developing them to their fullest potential. Tesco is considered as the most successful retail company in the United Kingdom. The success of Tesco was heralded by the appointment of Terry Leahy as the Chief Executive Officer. Leahy is considered as a visionary and transformational leader who led the company into a series of organizational changes that aimed for the company to become more customer-focused and to develop the companys workforce. Terry Leahy is revered as an excellent leader. Leahy was reported to say that he believes that the success of a leader depends upon maintaining a happy workforce. According to him, there are four things that a leader must provide to his workers and followers to satisfy and motivate them. These are: A job that is interesting to do A chance to get on in life To be treated with respect A boss who is some help and not their biggest problem 2.8 The Transactional Leadership Theory This theory states that people work for reward and punishment. A clear chain of command with loyalty as the primary focus works best in social systems. The subordinate should only do what the leader tells to do without trying to find out the justification for it. The leader creates clear structures and the subordinates are required to follow. For successful completion of the work, they are rewarded whereas for unsuccessful completion, they are punished. The leader uses management by exception, that is, once the operation has defined performance expectations then it does not need much attention. Exceeding expectations gets praise whereas not fulfilling expectations gets corrective actions. The limitation of this approach is that it is assumed that the individual is a rational man (a person who is largely motivated by money and hence whose behavior is predictable), which he may not be due to emotional and social factors. In such a situation, other approaches may prove to be more effect ive. 2.9 The Situational Leadership Theory This theory assumes that the action of a leader depends on a number of situational factors, like motivation and capability of followers, relationship between the leader and the followers, stress, mood, etc. Yukl (1989) has identified six situational factors namely, subordinate effort, subordinate ability and role clarity, organization of the work, cooperation and cohesiveness, resources and support, and external coordination. 3. Cross Culture Differences in Global Organisation Leadership style is a part of cultural distinctiveness. The international business faces different challenges and obstacles in geographical, financial, legal, political and cultural environments. Culture presents challenges that make human interactions difficult. Cultural differences are found in areas such as language, values, and behaviors. The cultural environment in which an international business operates in has an enormous impact on the organization. Cultural differences according to Graham (2001) are often not obvious and associated problems are neither easily diagnosed nor corrected. Cultural differences have a huge impact on the efficiency of the international enterprise, and particularly on the management of people. Every country has a different culture that sets it apart from the rest. Every country has a different history, government and laws. The more countries with which a firm interacts, the more complex and difficult conducting business becomes. According to Briscoe et al (2004) the primary cause of this complexity and high level of difficulty has to do with the importance and critical nature of the differences between various countries cultures. Dutch business professor Geert Hofstede (2005) has described culture as a pattern of thoughts, feelings and actions that every individual carries within them, a pattern which is developed and learned through out ones lifetime. He also conducted what is considered as the most influential work on business cultures. Hofstede identified five cultural dimensions that affect international businesses. These dimensions are: Power Distance, Uncertainty Avoidance, Individualism vs. Collectivism, Masculinity vs. Femininity and Short-term vs. Long-term Orientation. 4. The Impact of Culture on Human Resource Management Perhaps one of the area in the international business that is most affected by culture is Human Resource Management (HRM). According to Sims (2002) culture is essential to International Human Resource Management. The research conducted by Hofstede (1980) revealed that culture has huge implications for Multinational Corporations. According to Hofstede differences in culture may significantly affect HRM practices. Organizations that plan to establish businesses outside their home countries must realize that employing people with different culture and orientations might cause difficulties and collision between the organizations business practices and the culture of the host country. In principle, it is believed that a large contradiction between the multinational companys HRM practices and the host countrys culture is a main ingredient in failure. Wide-ranging cultural differences from country to country require corresponding differences in HRM practices among a companys foreign subsidiaries. The mix of cultures in the subsidiaries of a multinational company and the level of cultural differences among the subsidiaries will restrict the IHRM approach taken by an organization (Sims 2002). International Human Resource Management is the process of procuring, allocating and affectively utilizing human resources in a multinational corporation.   HMM managers in multinational corporations need to achieve two somewhat conflicting goals. First, they must integrate HRM policies and practices across a number of subsidiaries in different countries so that overall corporate objectives can be achieved. At the same time, the approach to HRM must be sufficiently flexible to a llow for significant differences in the types of HRM policies and practices that are most effective in different business and cultural settings (Sims 2002). 5. Nestle UK and Nestle India cross culture case The existence or presence of the Nestle Corporation in different countries around the world provides realization of the incidence of cross-cultures and cultural diversity in a particular business. The prevalence and practice of a specific culture in a specific company provides significant changes and differences in its approach in terms of production, operations, sales and market share. Thus, in this regard, organizational culture serves to be one of the major factors that affect the performance and communication in the entire organization, most especially in terms of operating and maintaining an international organization, such as Nestle. Henri Nestle founded the company in 1867 in Switzerland, as a manufacturer of infant cereals. Nestle corporate culture is extended to all branches and locations of the company around the world.   Ã‚   One of the most successful branches of Nestle Company in Asia is Nestle India Limited. The mother company set up its operations in India in 1912 as a trading company, and began as a manufacturing company in 1961 at the Moga factory. All manufacturing and marketing plants in India are in charge of the different brands produced in India, namely, milk and infant dietetics, culinary products, cereals, beverages and instant drinks, chocolate products and confectioneries, and chilled dairy products (2004). It employs over 3000 employees, and is regarded as one of the Most Respected Companies and amongst the Top Wealth Creators of India (2004). On the other hand is Nestle UK, which started as a sales office in London in 1868. By 1901, Nestle opened its first factory in the United Kingdom, and by 1905 it merged with Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Company. Currently, it produces and manufactures brands such as Nescafe, Kit Kat, Polo, Smarties, Aero, and Black Magic (2007). From this information, the different cultures that exist in both organizations and branches of the Nestle Corporation can be assumed. It has been reported that Nestle India has been strictly adhering to the business objectives of its mother company. The business objective of the company is to manufacture and market products that would sustain and create value for the consumers, stockholders, employees, business partners, and the economy of India over a long and significant period of time. In this regard, Nestle India is conscious of the fact that its success is the reflection of the professionalism, conduct and ethical values of the entire management and employees of the company. As such, the company aims to make sure that the companys operations and processes would be characterized with the highest standards of ethical and responsible conduct. In addition, the significant and distinct characteristic of Nestle India can be observed through its Corporate Business Principles and Management and Leadership Principles (2007). Based on Nestle Indias Business Principles, it can be perceived that the business practices of the company, particularly in terms of their respective decisions are characterized by typical Asian traditions, beliefs, and practices. It has been reported that one of the most successful departments or divisions of Nestle India is its chocolate and confectionery division. Being typically Asian, Indian workers in the company work altogether and collectively. Indians, like the rest of the other Asian nations tend to increase their interactions with one another, as with any other Asians, collectivism and group participation is an important aspect of work and interaction. On the other hand, being Western, the culture in the chocolate division of Nestle UK may not be as similar as the culture of Nestle India. This is because British employees, in general, are individualistic, independent, frank, and very open-minded individuals. Unlike the Indian employees, British employees may be somewhat more individual and more independent, thus, require less interaction from co-workers and other colleagues. British employees are performance-driven and goal-oriented, thus, chatting during working hours are not their required form of interaction in the working environment. This is further strengthened by the fact that Nestle UK is one of the dominating chocolate manufacturers in the United Kingdom, being part of the 3.6 billion Euros revenue of the UK chocolate market in 2004 (2005).   Another distinct data or characteristics that can be differentiated between the two branches of Nestle are the differences between their languages, religions, cultural beliefs, economy, politics, and social status. The major language of India is Hindi, while the major language spoken by the British citizens is English. The major religion of India is Hindu, while majority of the British citizens are Christians. In terms of cultural beliefs, Indian beliefs are rooted from their religion, Hindu, thus, their practices and values as well. This is also similar with the British, whos beliefs and cultural practices stem from Celtic and Christian beliefs. In terms of social, economic, and political status, India is considered a developing country, given its population and way of life, while the United Kingdom is regarded as one of the most powerful developed countries in the world. As such, in incidence of cross-cultural communication, discrimination, conflict, misunderstanding, and cultu ral ethnocentrism may exist.   In the event that a British national works in the Nestle India manufacturing plant, and vice versa, it can be assumed that problems and issues can be encountered, due to differences of approaches, culture, and language involved. In this regard, it can be assumed that changes in cross cultures may entirely affect business practices of an organization, even despite the influence and guidance of its mother company. This is because the approach of each Nestle company is customer-oriented, and based on the needs, preferences, and tastes of its consumers. In this regard, the sweetness, packaging, and taste of a particular chocolate confectionery in India, may be significantly different from the products in the United Kingdom. In addition, some products in the United Kingdom may not be present or available in India. 6. International Leadership Leadership style is a part of cultural distinctiveness. Among the western nations, American leadership style has been developed in the United States and the German leadership style embraced in Germany. France has it independent style. Likewise, in Asia a variety is present, and, Japan has promoted its independent distinctive style. Corporate leadership continues to be a quintessence of every nations old cultural legacy. UK follows a practical style of leadership. British leaders customarily stress upon social skills and practicality. Their courtesy, openness, self-discipline, and willpower are cultural assets. This guides them to be involved with interpersonal proficiency and advice. British leaders are more characteristic compared to their Portuguese or Spanish equivalents. Leaders are quite job-oriented and, reticent and courteous, thereby creating impersonal and proper settings for business dealings. In addition, British leaders possess a shorter-term viewpoint for their business development compared to the Swiss, Japanese and Germans. The leadership style of Italy, in contrast, has increased levels of autocracy with stress on the hierarchical pattern. Decision competencies are more focused on the top leadership, who is concerned with every facets of the business. 7. Case study of McDonalds operation in Europe The McDonalds Corporation is the largest food service operation in the world in terms of system-wide sales. At the beginning of 2000, it was operating more than 25,000 restaurants in 116 countries. A modest estimate of its current worldwide workforce would be around 1.5 million people, and 10 million people are estimated to have worked for the corporation since it was formed. More than one in ten Americans are considered to have got their first job at McDonalds, and it has now taken over from the US Army as having Americas largest job-training programme (Vidal, 1997 cited in Royle 2000, p. 16). It is an incredibly successful multinational and is expanding at a breath-taking rate. It plans to open between 2,500 and 3,200. In order to deal with different environmental factors in different countries, McDonalds has established a head office in every country where it operates. The head office in the United States still plays an important part in the decision-making. The U. S. head office regularly monitors the activities of its overseas operations. It has an international division, and its US consultants sometimes take part in European meetings. Meetings frequently take place between various European heads to discuss matters of cross-national importance (Royle, 2000). The structure of restaurant operation and administration in each country tends to follow similar pattern, but in some countries it appears to be more complicated than others. In some countries, some restaurants are operated as joint ventures or through holding companies. In most of the larger countries such as Germany and the UK, operations are usually split into several regions and are administered through regional offices in the major cities Royle, 2000). The heads of departments for each functional area are usually situated in the head offices (for example London and Munich), these functional areas being the executive, marketing, finance, personnel, purchasing, real estate, technical appliances and administration. Although there is a high level of central control, operations are normally administered directly from the regional offices. McDonalds system is very flexible in overcoming cultural, political and economic differences and obstacles in different societies (Royle, 2000). Fr anchise restaurants are local in the sense that they understand local issues, local culture and the kind of obstacles likely to confront the McDonalds system. Industrial relations, and specifically the relationship between the worker, the union, and the employer, vary dramatically from country to country. In Germany, for instance, codetermination is the rule. Here, employees have the legal right to a voice in setting company policies (Sims, 2002). The ability of trade unions to organize and gain recognition for collective bargaining at McDonalds varies considerably in different European countries.   In the case we see that culture has a tremendous impact on the operation of a multinational company McDonalds. The company operates worldwide. Although decision-making is still influenced by the head quarter in the United States, every country has a head office that deals with different issues particularly in the area of culture. We also see that the employees from different countries exhibit different values, attitudes and behaviours. These are derived from their culture. We see that McDonalds has become successful by implementing a localized strategy. The culture of the host country is taken into consideration. 8. Conclusion To conclude this leaders generally do not follow a single approach and they mix and match as per their needs and requirements. In critical situations, they are more dictatorial in nature as they face the prospect of failure. Leaders generally exhibit integrity, dedication (spending whatever time and energy that is required to get the job done, rather than giving it the available time), humility, openness (ability to understand new thoughts and ideas), and creativity . In order for business to be conducted smoothly, leaders need to aware of international cross cultural and need to adapt flexibly. Successful business leaders must shape their organizations to be more nimble and flexible, less hierarchical, and more networked. The fate of future business rests, in part, on how well business leaders can anticipate change, demonstrate authentic leadership, maximize the power of their talent, and embrace social responsibility. Todays leaders are already facing challenges and changes that are rapidly transforming where, how, and with whom they do business. Leaders who are adapting their strategies are merely keeping pace with change. A more strategic view of agility is about leaders anticipating trends and proactively defining innovative strategies.

Sweeney Todd :: essays research papers

Sweeney Todd is by no means a conventional musical; it takes several forms of music and theater and artfully places them together. Sondheim very effectively transports the audience back to Victorian England for a mad waltz with murder, mayhem...and meat pies. He also utilizes his skill as a choral composer to write some truly fascinating ensemble pieces accompanied by a very intricate plot with many elements carefully layered.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are several important thematic elements in this carefully written commentary on our society, and Sondheim makes good use of his music to accent not only the melodramatic plot, but these themes as well. For example, the song â€Å"Kiss Me† becomes an anthem for Anthony and Johanna and a symbol of their true love....they loved when they did not even know each other’s names. Sweeney Todd may be a dark musical, but its construction lends well to light voices and an equally light orchestral style. Plot-wise, this show is rather light, the characters seem cartoonish and one-dimensional, especially Mrs. Lovett, Anthony, and Johanna, who appear to be little more than melodramatic character roles. Ironically, Mrs. Lovett, the absolute capitalist, is one of the show’s most complex characters. Mrs. Lovett is not merely some amoral witch out to make a fast dollar, she is a character driven by greed and love to keep Sweeney however she can.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In conclusion, the play gives an excellent example of captive innocence, and the loss of innocence that immediately follows. Sweeney is driven to murder, Mrs. Lovett bakes these people into pies, Johanna kills, Lucy is forced to become a Beggar and a whore, and nearly every major character experiences their own fall

Herbal Market

MALAYSIA HERBAL MARKET Currently, the value of global herbal market for nutraceuticals is at USD 70 billion and USD 20 billion for phytomedicines with an average growth rate between 15 to 20 percent annually. While the Malaysia herbal market is valued at RM 4. 55 billion 0f which 90 percent of the raw material used was imported. It is with this potential in mind that Malaysia’s herbal industry can be one of the agriculture Entry Point Projects under the National Key Economic Areas in the Economic Transformation Programme.According to the Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Minister Datuk Seri Noh Omar, Malaysia's fast growing herbal industry is expected to contribute about RM2. 2 billion to Gross National Product (GNP) by 2020. While the world market for herbal products is expected to exceed RM2 trillion by 2020 from RM777 billion in 2009, the local herbal market was likely to grow 15 percent annually from RM7 billion in 2010 to about RM29 billion by 2020. Moreover, Malaysia h as been listed as the 12th most biodiversity nation in the world and ranks fourth in Asia.We have over 15,000 flowering plants and over 3000 species of medicinal plants in our rich biodiversity tropical rainforest. Of these about 200 are being used as herbal remedies and approximately 50 species are commonly used in traditional medicine preparation. Furthermore, Malaysians quite familiar for the uses of herbal products as our multi-ethnic communities have been practicing traditional medicine with herbal plants for centuries. In rural area, some of them still use poultices, myriad brews and pastes derived from herbal plants or used it for the purpose of physical ailments and beauty treatments.Therefore, upon realize the significance of herb, our government had given financial support to research work related to herbs in term of Intensified Research in Priority Areas (IRPA) grants, the focus areas by the National Biotechnology Directorate, as well as other grant schemes. For example, RM25 million had been allocated by the government for a local company to conduct clinical research on Tongkat Ali in order to securing approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA).Our government also support the effort that try to make halal pharmaceutical products being proved by the Halal standard for the pharmaceutical industry in order to protect the interests of Muslim consumers and all consumers in general the world over. Not only these, certain implementations also have been taken in view of turning Malaysia into a global herbal producer. World Health Organization (WHO) consistently reported that 80% of the world’s population depends on herbal medicine. There also a growing trend of people moving from synthetic allopathic drugs to herbal cures.This is because consumers realize the importance of health versus diseases, the changes in lifestyle, the growing of synthetic medical cost, and the growing knowledge of consumers about traditional medicines. Many co nsumers have known that the effective of herbal cures are the results of thousands years of herbal healing framework development through practise and error, observation, analysis and study. Moreover, there have been some high profile natural based cures such as Taxol plant for breast cancer and the Bintangor plant for AIDS.In order to achieve the goal stated in the previous paragraph, the highest standard of manufacturing should be included to be able to compete in terms of quality, safety, efficacy, pricing, and branding of products, as well as efficient distribution network and meeting international health certification standards. We also need to increase the domestic consumption by strengthen the domestic demand for Malaysian health foods and medicine besides reduce reliance on imported medicine, according to the speech by TAN SRI NOR MOHAMED YAKCOP.The ministry of health also has been diligently monitoring the herbal products in the market as well as conducted random sampling of herbal products to ensure that the standards of these products remain the same as the specified standards registered by the manufacturers. Notable markets for Malaysians herbal producer are USA, Europe, China, Japan and the Middle-east countries. This is important to ensure that our herbal product to penetrate the global export market.

Modern Artists and philosophers

Appropriate of all the choices we have at hand. However the instruments we use to define and determine our perception of our world have been leading man on in his quest for knowledge and science has been one of the key elements of this movement. But when looking at the history of the development, one comes to a degree of understanding regarding the evolution of scientific knowledge where one realizes that man has never actually been able to be sure of the legitimacy of his knowledge regarding the world around him (Time Inc. , 1965).Being modified under the most minute of observations and being based upon an infinite process of observations and experimentations has rendered science incapable of bringing man to peace with the world within which he lives. The outward appearance and the elements of the world that constitute it do not blend with each other. But interestingly, subjects of the non-scientific genre such as poetry and philosophy have begun to take the lead in this process of evolution of the perception man hold regarding the world around him (Heelan, 1989). Modern Artists and philosophers have contributed extensively to the cause.So much so that their work has reached well beyond the realm of the mind of the layman and requires delving into in order to be fully understood. The relationship between mind and body has now become even clearer than it was in the past as the scales of reliance of one upon the other have shifted. Modern philosophy has brought the mind of man to be the central element of his existence rather than the body. The body brings man to the elements around him, but it is his mind that allows man to reach a state where he can perceive their existence.The entities that appear to be based on their attributes and properties are in fact, not merely based on their attributes but it is these very attributes that give them existence, and for the same reason, it can be concluded that these attributes indeed, are the very entity itself. Similarl y, the perception of the space around man and all the elements present in space is also a subject matter that has undergone much debate and continues to be analyzed. In, the constituents of the universe each object has its own individual characteristics and attributes that make it an entity.However, the issues of whether the entity is based upon its unique attributes or the attributes together have a relationship amongst each other and come together to form the entity has been a much contested question. Over time philosophers have come to a point where it has been determined that the relationship between man and the entities in his universe amongst which he lives is not a matter so straightforward to comprehend. It is indeed nothing less than a breath taking sense of revelation that elates a person when one looks at the extent to which the perception of man about his world has evolved.From considering the entities around him to be mere instruments that are part of the universe and s erve only a secondary role to that of man, philosophers have come to a point where the entities that surround man are regarded to hold just as much significance as man himself holds. Works Cited Heelan, P. (1989). Space-Perception and the Philosophy of Science. University of California Press. Time Inc. (1965, May 7). The Limitations of Science. Retrieved January 28, 2009, from TIME: http://www. time. com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,898761,00. html

Case Study SG Cowen

Case Study SG Cowen SG Cowen: Recruitment process The hiring process in any company should be marched with the objectives to be attained by the new employees (Taylor 6). In fact, the set goals should inform the required skills and competencies during the hiring process (Turban and Daniel 733). In essence, for the firm to attain its goals and remain competitive, it must maintain a stream of skilled and competent employees (Barber 136).Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Case Study: SG Cowen specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The key decision factors Cowen considers in making hiring decisions The hiring process in the company is based on the strategy of choosing the best candidate in the MBA class from the top business colleges. The candidates chosen are incorporated into the company’s associate programs. Even though the company is looking for the best talent, the criteria used in selecting the recruits do not secure talented candi date. The recruitment and the hiring process are even challenging. The considerations to the key positions include the high academic performances and considerable job accomplishments. Besides, the candidates must have attributes that are oriented towards the organization goals. An important area the company was considering includes exceptional academic achievement particularly in business. In addition, the candidate must show the right attitude and enthusiasm on the job to be provided. Other attributes the company was considering includes the interpersonal skills, social development skills, culture and communication skills. About the criteria The criteria used by the company to hire the best candidate are challenging and do not secure the talented candidates required. The hiring process begins by visiting business schools providing the information regarding the company intentions and the hiring process to the potential candidates. The visiting and the information provision process i s followed by the interview session, which is long and involve complex processes. As the case indicates, the hiring criteria in the company have many problems. First, the banking professionals undertake the hiring processes instead of the human resources managers. Human resources professionals are presumed to be having hiring skills and competency in the hiring process (Avery 672). Therefore, employing the banking professionals was a great mistake. Due to lack of formal training in the recruitment process, the SG Cowen employees ended up with recruitment criteria that stereotyped their candidates. The recruitment team considered factors such as the marital status, the type of English the candidate use, physical appearance as well as other personal attributes that does not add value to the firm (Agnvall 3).Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In fact, the candidate s are chosen according to the interviewer individual belief. The process leads to biases through which the candidates are chosen. As indicated in the case, the prejudice of individual towards a particular candidate can sway the whole team not to select the best candidate. The hiring criteria based on subjective measures compromises the attainment of the company objectives (Allen 77). The hiring process should not be based on long procedures. The hiring procedure should be specific to the competencies the company needs (Kiger 39). Since the hiring process in SG Cowen is long and based on subjectivity, the process can be described as being unfair. The two Candidates to Choose Selecting the best two candidates among the remaining pool of four candidates proved to be challenging task. In fact, this was the most important decision to be made by the recruiting bankers. Serious considerations have to be made regarding the candidates as all have the required qualifications. For the right ca ndidate to be selected, the bankers should look for the distinct attributes that differentiate the applicants (Billsberry 23). The attributes should add value to the firm (Ployhart et al 47). The bankers are to make decisions that have two important consequences to the organization. The decision on the type of recruit will affect the success of the company. In other words, the recruits the bankers are going to select will either make the company succeed or fail. Therefore, the candidates must have the right attitude towards the success of the organization goals (Overman 3). Generally, the success of the firm depends on the quality of its workforce. The quality of new hires must also imitate the quality needed in the workforce (Breaugh 103). The decision also influences the quality of the workforce. The bankers must identify the person having the cultural fit for the organization. Therefore, giving an approval for the right candidate who fit culturally within the organization is crit ical for the maintenance of the company reputation and credibility (Jattuso and Evans 139). In addition, making the right hiring decisions will increase the personal credentials as well as benefits that come with it.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Case Study: SG Cowen specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Based on the above criteria, the first candidate that could have been chosen among the four is Natalya Godlewska. The candidate possesses strong academic credentials compared to other candidates. The candidate holds good grades in both her MBA and undergraduate studies. In addition, the candidate has perfect referrals from her former employees. Among the distinct attributes the candidate possess include hardwork, determination, ambitious, and the right attitude towards work (Hansen 59). In addition, leaving its former jobs to join the firm indicates the enthusiasm and the right energy the candidate has towards the job. Even though some of the members expressed reservations on her cultural fit in terms of language barriers, the candidate still outfit the others based on her competence and experience. The candidate’s background explains her poor English but that will not have greater impact of her job delivery. Moreover, the candidate has successfully worked in other firms, which is a proof of success in her social skills. Further, the candidate has mastered her graduate courses in US graduate schools where English is used. Language does not determine the candidate social and cultural adaptability within the workplace (Backhaus 117) The second candidate that could have been chosen is Ken Goldstein. According to the criteria set by the company, all members of the team commended the candidate. In addition, the former employer has put the candidate in high evaluation points. Moreover, the former employer has recommended the candidate for high performance that the firm requires. Besides aca demic credentials and the company criteria, the candidate is a team player an attribute that is highly regarded by the firm. The reservations being expressed by some members that the candidate cannot fit among the recruits due to family commitments are based on subjective recruitment critter. In essence, such an attribute is not important as being competent and able to deliver the results.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The most important attribute the new hire should express is the commitment towards the organization success (Pulley 89). The success of the candidate in Price Waterhouse Coopers expresses his commitment despite additional domestic responsibilities. Such commitment will be simulated in the firm. Agnvall, Elizabeth. â€Å"Hiring at-home workers.† Staffing Management, 4.4 (2008): 2-5. Print. Allen, David.Retaining talent: A guide to analyzing and managing employee turnover. Alexandria: VA SHRM Foundation, 2008. Print. Avery, Dereck. â€Å"Reactions to diversity in recruitment advertising: Are differences black and white?† Journal of Applied Psychology, 88.4 (2003): 672-679. Backhaus, Kristine. â€Å"An exploration of corporate recruitment descriptions on Monster.com.† Journal of Business Communication, 41.2 (2004): 115-136. Print. Barber, Alison. The hiring challenge: Recruitment in small firms. Greenwich, CT: Information Age Publishing, 2005. Print. Billsberry, J ames. Experiencing recruitment and selection. Chichester, UK: John Wiley Sons, 2007. Print. Breaugh, James. â€Å"Employee recruitment: Current knowledge and important areas for future research.† Human Resource Management Review, 18.3 (2008): 103-118. Print. Hansen, Frank. â€Å"Employee referral programs, selective campus recruitment could touch off bias charges.† Workforce Management, 18.6 (2006): 58-59. Print. Jattuso, Mia and Evans Sinar. â€Å"Source effects in Internet-based screening procedures.† International Journal of Selection and Assessment, 11.7 (2003): 137-140. Print. Kiger, Patrick. â€Å"Burnishing your employment brand.† Workforce Management, 86.18 (2007): 39-45. Print. Overman, Stephenie. â€Å"Show off your brand.† Staffing Management 2.1 (2006): 2-6. Print. Ployhart, Robert, Benjamin Schneider and Neal Schmitt. Staffing organizations: Contemporary practice and theory. New York: Routledge, 2006. Print. Pulley, John. â€Å"When the grass wasn’t greener.† Staffing Management, 32.3. (2006): 89-91. Print. Taylor, William. â€Å"To hire sharp employees, recruit in sharp ways.† Staffing Management, 3.2 (2006): 6-7. Print. Turban, Daniel and Daniel Cable. â€Å"Firm reputation and applicant pool characteristics.† Journal of Organizational Behavior, 24.6 (2003): 733-751. Print.