Business Need Business Communication Skills Essay

BUSINESS NEED BUSINESS COMMUNICATION SKILLS * BASICS OF BUSINESS COMMUNICATION – Communication skills have emerged as the most powerful set of skills to possess for accelerating ones career trajectory and speed of accomplishment in every walk of life. To prepare yourselves for a rewarding career in the broad field of management, it is even more essential to acquire, practice and exhibit high levels of communication skills in normal and crisis situations. Effective communication skills provide the ladder to the managers and leaders for rapid progression in their careers. Business communication is the sending and receiving of verbal and non verbal messages within the organizational context (Roebuck, 2001; Over, 2001; Murphy, Hildebrandt, & Thomas, 1997). Hanna and Wilson (1998) expanded on this definition, indicating business communication is a process of generating, transmitting, receiving, and interpreting messages in interpersonal, group, public, and mass communication contexts through written and verbal formats. Hynes (2005) stated effective business communicat ion is the key to planning, leading, organizing, and controlling the resources of the organizations to achieve objectives, and may be formal or informal in nature. Argenti (2007) discussed business communication functional aspects and found that over half of the heads of corporate communication departments oversee business communications functions that include media relations, online communications, marketing, special events, product/brand communications, crisis management, employee/internal communications, community relations, and product/brand advertising. The expanse and importance of business communication underscores the need for business education and business to collaborate in preparing business majors for the workplace. It is widely accepted that business management and business educators perceive communication skills as highly valuable to employees and organizations alike. In business organizations, numerous sources have reported that communication skills are critical to career success and a significant contributor to organizational success (Du-Babcock, 2006; Roebuck, 2001; Certo, 2000; Dilenschneider, 1992; Rushkoff, 1999). In academia, research  has shown faculty and administrators perceive that communication skills are very important to students’ eventual career success (National Association of Colleges and Employers, 2001; Gray, 2010). Despite the agreement in business regarding the importance of communication skills, evidence exists that long-term employees and those just entering the work force from college still lack these skills. Pearce, Johnson, and Barker (1995) reported fair to poor (the lowest two categories on a 5- point scale) communication and listening skills of managers and employees. Fordham and Gabbin (1996) interviewed 84 business executives and concluded that business students with apprehension about communicating are less likely to practice the communication and, therefore, are less likely to develop communication skills. * Objectives * Scope of Communication * Types of Communication * Significance of Communication Skills * Communication Process * Process at Communicators‟ End * Process at Communicates‟ End * Communication Model * OBJECTIVE – After perusing this unit, students should be able to: 1. Appreciate the vast scope of communication in modern world 2. Distinguish between the process of communication and exercise of power 3. Understand that one-way flow of information is a part of the overall process of communication 4. Identify different types of communications 5. Grasp the importance of communication skills in the life of an individual and enterprise 6. Recount the dividends that accrue from acquiring effective communication skills 7. Understand the sources that lead to multiple interpretations of oral and written communication * SCOPE OF COMMUNICATION – Communication as a subject of study has a very vast canvas. To different people, communication implies various areas of study, research and application: (1) It is a means of transportation from one place to another viz., moving men, machines, materials etc by surface transport like railways, roadways or by air or by sea. It is not uncommon to describe a region or a country backward in terms of means of communication because it is not serviced or well connected by railways, roadways, airways or seaways. (2) It also relates to means of sending / receiving messages, packets or parcels through post, telephone, telegram, radio, wireless or Internet. These means of communications have undergone rapid changes during the last few decades. Postal services have been revolutionized by courier services – same-day delivery, next-day delivery etc. Telephone services have become commonplace – one can talk to a person anywhere even one orbiting in a satellite without shouting. The mobile telephony and use of Internet has changed the way people talk and communicate with one another. They are changing the way business is done. (3) Communication is a major focus of attention for artists – singers, dancers, actors, painters, sculptors etc are all trying to communicate with their audiences. They Endeavour to win their attention and appreciation so as to secure attractive returns for their efforts. In managerial or business context, it is the science and art of communicating. Etymologically, communication as a word is derived from the word „common‟ in English or „Communis‟ from Latin. It means „shared by‟ or „concerning all‟. Thus communication is a process of „influencing others‟ to achieve common, shared objectives. These goals could be that of individuals, families, teams, departments functions and companies. Communication has emerged as a very powerful personal skill that individuals must acquire to be able to perform their duties and become efficient managers and effective 1. Communication and Power – Communication is also the most powerful input resource in an enterprise. The various resources, just to recount, are as below: 1 Men 2 Money 3 Materials 4 Machines 5 Methods 6 Management 7 Measurement 8 Message covering both information and communication flows 9 Motive Power 10 Motivational Leadership Messaging has emerged as the most important resource for, without it, nothing can be transacted anywhere. It is the lifeline of any society. It is the glue that holds companies, communities and countries together. There is another process that is also used to influence others – it is the use of authority or power. They say if person has power it shows because it quickly shows his influence or hold on others‟ opinion. However, it must be understood in its proper perspective. Power has been described as „a process of influencing others to do some thing that, left to themselves, they will not do‟. This process is, then, quite different from that of communication where we influence others as equals – members of the family, members of the inter-departmental teams or customers or fellow members of an association. The process of communication is greatly dependent on the skill of individuals who, as equal members, are in a position to influence others so as to compel, propel or impel them to work together to achieve common goals! (2) Communication as a two-way process Communication is a complete process – it starts with communicators sending messages to receivers, the „communicatees‟. An experienced sender of message, whether oral or written, would think of the audience as his customer. He would try to gauge or guess the kind of level of communication the receiver is comfortable with. Thereafter, he would craft his message in a manner and in the language, words, phrases and idioms that the receiver is familiar with. Each receiver of message is really a customer whose needs and wants should be as well known to the sender as it happens in a market place. Obviously, like the sender who chooses words, phrases and idioms from his vocabulary depending on own learning, experience and exposure, receiver also has his own mental filter that is the product of his learning, experience and exposure. To absorb the message in his mind, he does the abstraction of the message in to words, phrases and idioms that he is familiar with or has command over. This leads to his formulating his response to the message received. Once again, it goes through the mind filter and ultimately comes out of the communicatee and starts its return journey to the sender of the message. It conveys back what is understood by the receiver. A sensitive speaker is able to judge the reaction of his audience from the gestures, sounds and expressions of the audience – the way they sit, the way they yawn or the way they twitter their fingers etc. It is thus a complete cycle because it is a two way process. Until the full process has been gone through the process of communication is considered to be incomplete. (3) Information as a one-way process Information flow is another related process. Information is knowledge; it comes from the processing of raw data which records the events as they take place in every miniscule of an organization or an institution. Knowledge is power. The flow of information is considered to be an extremely powerful tool at the disposal of men at all levels of a business enterprise. However, difference between communication and information flows must be understood clearly. Whereas communication is a two way process, information is a one-way process. It is, therefore, half of the process. Yet it is used  very extensively in organizations. As businesses grow in size, complexity and dynamics, it is very difficult to ensure two way process all the time. Much of the time, information flows one way – downwards, upwards or horizontal along formal lines of command. These lines of command become the channels of information flows and serve as the cornerstones of communication, coordination and control. 2. TYPES OF COMMUNICATION Communication can be classified as below: Communication Verbal Non-verbal Communication ommunication Oral Written Body Language Communication Communication 3. SIGNIFICANCE OF BUSINESS COMMUNICATION SKILLS – Conversing and corresponding with people around is such a common activity that most of individuals are so pre-occupied with their daily routine that they do not stop and ponder over the immense advantages that business enterprises can derive from mastering the art and science of communication. Following payoffs are only suggestive: 1. Internal communication – Before the end of nineteenth century, businesses were small; they started growing in size from the beginning of twentieth century. Contemporary business enterprises are very large and have not only become multinational but also transnational in character. Besides, they have grown in complexity in terms of a wide array of products and services they deal in and the number of countries and  continents they are operating in. Also, arising from liberalizing of many national economies, global competition has intensified and the rate of change in market place has accelerated. Market forces have also become very dynamic, almost verging on chaos. 2. External communication – As a business enterprise in the modern society, it has to interact, pro-act or react to happenings in other institutions viz. 1 Government bodies, statutory / regulatory agencies, municipal authorities etc 2 Distributors, dealers and retailers 3 Customers, community and society at large 4. Communication skills as vital job requirement- Human beings are communicating all the time. Ability to express powerfully and influence the attitude and behavior of people for giving better performance on their jobs, has emerged as a job skill of critical importance for managers / leaders at all levels of management. Thus all employees are expected to: 1 Write good correspondence 2 Be good in oral conversation 3 Develop and cultivate powerful body language 4 Be able to sell ideas and products effectively 5 Be very good in weaning away customers from competitor and retaining them It is now increasingly understood that even specialists like accountants, engineers, technicians etc should have good communication skills. In the present day knowledge society, competitive advantage of acquiring excellent communication skills cannot and perhaps need not be emphasized! * Communication skills essential for promotion – Communication skills have emerged as the most critical prerequisite for  promotion to senior executive positions in the industry. Consequently, managers at lower rungs of organizations should also have good command over the spoken and written language of the business. As a general rule, managers should have the ability to make their communications heard, read or understood. * COMMUNICATION PROCESS – * In order to develop a deep understanding of the subject of communication, it is important that everyone understands the complete process of communication. Broadly, it has two parts: * Process at communicator end (Senders‟ Part) * Process at communications end (Receivers‟ Part) A GOOD DEBTOR IS A GOOD COMMUNICATOR Definition: Debtor is an expression used in the accounting world to specify a party who owes money to a company or individual. A debtor can be an entity, a company or a person of a legal nature that owes money to someone else – your business for example. If you have one or more debtors, that makes you a creditor. To put it simply, the debtor-creditor relationship is complimentary to the customer-supplier relationship. Definition: a person who communicates, especially one skilled at Conveying information, ideas, or policy to the public. a person in the business of communications, as television ormagazine publishing. Definition In this division, â€Å"collector† means a person, whether in British Columbia or not, who is collecting or attempting to collect a debt. Harassment (1) A collector must not communicate or attempt to communicate with a debtor, a member of the debtor’s family or household, a relative, neighbour, friend or acquaintance of the debtor, or the debtor’s employer in a manner or with a frequency as to constitute harassment. (2) Without limiting subsection (1), one or more of the following constitutes harassment: (a) using threatening, profane, intimidating or coercive language; (b) exerting undue, excessive or unreasonable pressure; (c) publishing or threatening to publish a debtor’s failure to pay. Disclosure to debtor (1) A collector must not attempt to collect payment of a debt from a debtor until the collector has notified the debtor in writing or the collector has made a reasonable attempt to notify the debtor in writing of (a) the name of the creditor with whom the debt was incurred, (b) the amount of the debt, and (c) the identity and authority of the collector to collect the debt from the debtor. (2) A collector must not initiate verbal communication with a debtor with respect to the collection of a debt until 5 days after the collector has sent to the debtor the written notice referred to in subsection (1). (3) If a debtor informs the collector that the debtor has not received the notice required under subsection (1), the collector must send that information to the debtor at the address provided by the debtor. Communication with debtor (1) A collector must not communicate or attempt to communicate with a debtor at the debtor’s place of employment unless (a) the collector does not have the home address or telephone number for the debtor and the collector contacts the debtor solely for the purpose of requesting the debtor’s home address or telephone number or both, (b) the collector has attempted to contact the debtor at the debtor’s home address or telephone number, but the collector has not contacted the debtor in any of those attempts, or (c) the collector has been authorized by the debtor to communicate with the debtor at the debtor’s place of employment. (2) The collector must not make more than one verbal attempt, under subsection (1) (b), to contact the debtor at  the debtor’s place of employment. (3) At the time a collector communicates with a debtor, the collector must first indicate to the debtor (a) the name of the creditor with whom the debt was incurred, (b) the amoun t of the debt, and (c) the identity and authority of the collector to collect the debt from the debtor. (4) A collector must not continue to communicate with a debtor (a) except in writing, if the debtor (i) has notified the collector to communicate in writing only, and (ii) has provided a mailing address at which the debtor may be contacted, (b) except through the debtor’s lawyer, if the debtor (i) has notified the collector to communicate only with the debtor’s lawyer, and (ii) has provided an address for the lawyer, or  (c) if the debtor has notified the collector and the creditor that the debt is in dispute and that the debtor would like the creditor to take the matter to court. Communication with persons other than debtor (1) Except for the purpose of obtaining the debtor’s home address or telephone number, a collector must not communicate or attempt to communicate with a member of the debtor’s family or household, or a relative, neighbour, friend or acquaintance of the debtor unless (a) the person contacted has guaranteed to pay the debt and is being contacted in respect of that guarantee, or (b) the debtor has authorized the collector to discuss the debt with the person contacted. (2) A collector must not communicate with a debtor’s employer except (a) for the purpose of confirming the debtor’s employment, business title and business address, or (b) for other purposes authorized in writing by the debtor. Time of communication (1) In this section, â€Å"statutory holiday† means a holiday, except Sunday, unless the holiday falls on a Sunday. (2) Except on the request of the person contacted, a collector must not communicate, either by telephone or in person, with the debtor, a member of the debtor’s family or household, or a relative, neighbour, friend or acquaintance of the debtor, or the debtor’s employer or guarantor (a) on a statutory holiday, (b) subject to paragraph (a), on a Sunday, except between the hours of 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. local time for the person contacted, or (c) on any other day, except between the hours of 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. local time for the person contacted. Cost of communication A collector must not communicate or attempt to communicate with a person for the purpose of collecting, negotiating or demanding payment of a debt by a means that results in the costs of the communication being payable by the person. Collection from person not liable for debt or in excess of amount of debt A collector must not (a) collect or attempt to collect money that exceeds the amount of the debt owing, (b) collect or attempt to collect money from a person who is not liable for the debt, or (c) if a person has informed the collector that the person is not the debtor, continue to communicate with that person unless the collector first makes all reasonable efforts to ensure that the person is in fact the debtor. Legal proceedings (1) If a debt has been assigned to a collector, the collector must not (a) bring or continue a legal proceeding for the recovery of a debt as plaintiff unless the debtor has been given notice of the assignment, or (b) bring a legal proceeding unless the collector first gives notice to the debtor that the collector intends to bring the proceeding. (2) A collector must not recommend to a creditor that a legal proceeding be brought, unless the collector first gives notice to the debtor that the collector intends to recommend that a proceeding be brought. (3) Nothing in subsection (2) affects solicitor-client privilege. (4) A collector must not directly or indirectly threaten, or state an intention, to bring or continue a legal proceeding for the recovery of a debt (a) for which the collector does not have the written authority of the creditor, or (b) for which there is no lawful authority. Removal, seizure, repossession and distress A collector must not do any of the following, whether on the collector’s  own behalf or on behalf of another person, directly or indirectly: (a) unless there is a court order to the contrary, remove from inside the debtor’s private dwelling any personal property claimed under seizure, distress or repossession, in the absence of the debtor, the debtor’s spouse, the debtor’s agent or an adult resident in the debtor’s dwelling; (b) seize, repossess or levy distress against personal property that is not specifically charged or mortgaged, or to which legal claim may not be made under a statute, court judgment or court order; (c) remove, seize, repossess or levy distress against personal property during a day or during the hours of a day when removal, seizure, repossession or distress is prohibited by the regulations. False or misleading information and misrepresentations In collecting or attempting to collect payment of a debt, a collector must not (a) supply any false or misleading information,  (b) misrepresent the purpose of a communication,  (c) misrepresent the identity of the collector or, if different, the creditor, or (d) use, without lawful authority, a summons, notice, demand, or other document that suggests or implies a connection with any court inside or outside of Canada. Additional prohibited practices A collector must not commit or engage in a prescribed act or practice.

William Henry Harrison, U.S. General and President

William Henry Harrison, U.S. General and President William Henry Harrison (February 9, 1773–April 4, 1841) was a U.S. military commander and the ninth president of the United States. He led American forces during the Northwest Indian War and the War of 1812. Harrisons time in the White House was brief, as he died about one month into his term of typhoid fever. Fast Facts: William Henry Harrison Known For:  Harrison was the ninth president of the United States.Born:  February 9, 1773 in Charles City County, Virginia ColonyParents: Benjamin Harrison V  and Elizabeth Bassett HarrisonDied:  April 4, 1841 in Washington, D.C.Education: University of PennsylvaniaSpouse: Anna Tuthill Symmes Harrison (m. 1795-1841)Children: Elizabeth, John, William, Lucy, Benjamin, Mary, Carter, Anna Early Life Born at Berkeley Plantation, Virginia, on February 9, 1773, William Henry Harrison was the son of Benjamin Harrison V and Elizabeth Bassett (he was the last United States president to be born before the American Revolution). A delegate to the Continental Congress and signer of the Declaration of Independence, the elder Harrison later served as governor of Virginia and used his political connections to ensure that his son received a proper education. After being tutored at home for several years, William Henry was sent to Hampden-Sydney College at age 14 to study history and the classics. At his fathers insistence, he enrolled at the University of Pennsylvania in 1790 to study medicine under Dr. Benjamin Rush. However, Harris did not find the medical profession to his liking. When his father died in 1791, Harrison was left without money for schooling. After learning of his situation, Governor Henry Light-Horse Harry Lee III of Virginia encouraged the young man to join the army. Harrison was commissioned as an ensign in the 1st U.S. Infantry and sent to Cincinnati for service in the Northwest Indian War. He proved himself an able officer and was promoted to lieutenant the following June and became an aide-de-camp to Major General Anthony Wayne. Learning command skills from the gifted Pennsylvanian, Harrison took part in Waynes 1794 triumph over the Western Confederacy at the Battle of Fallen Timbers. This victory effectively brought the war to a close; Harrison was among those who signed the 1795 Treaty of Greenville. Frontier Post In 1795, Harrison met Anna Tuthill Symmes, the daughter of Judge John Cleves Symmes. A former militia colonel and delegate to the Continental Congress from New Jersey, Symmes had become a prominent figure in the Northwest Territory. When Judge Symmes refused Harrisons request to marry Anna, the couple eloped and wed on November 25. They would ultimately have 10 children, one of whom, John Scott Harrison, would be the father of future president Benjamin Harrison. Harrison resigned his commission on June 1, 1798, and campaigned for a post in the territorial government.  These efforts proved successful and he was appointed Secretary of the Northwest Territory on June 28, 1798, by President John Adams. During his tenure, Harrison frequently served as acting governor when Governor Arthur St. Clair was absent. Harrison was named the territorys delegate to Congress the following March. Though he was unable to vote, Harrison served on several Congressional committees and played a key role in opening the territory to new settlers. With the formation of the Indiana Territory in 1800, Harrison left Congress to accept an appointment as the regions governor. After moving to Vincennes, Indiana, in January 1801, he built a mansion named Grouseland and worked to obtain the title to Native American lands. Two years later, President Thomas Jefferson authorized Harrison to conclude treaties with the Native Americans. During his tenure, Harrison concluded 13 treaties which saw the transfer of over 60,000,000 acres of land. Harrison also began lobbying for a suspension of Article 6 of the Northwest Ordinance so that slavery would be permitted in the territory. Harrisons requests were denied by Washington. Tippecanoe Campaign In 1809, tensions with Native Americans began to increase following the Treaty of Fort Wayne, which saw the Miami sell land that was inhabited by the Shawnee. The following year, the Shawnee brothers Tecumseh and Tenskwatawa (The Prophet) came to Grouseland to demand that the treaty be terminated. After they were refused, the brothers began working to form a confederation to block white expansion. To oppose this, Harrison was authorized by Secretary of War William Eustis to raise an army as a show of force. Harrison marched against the Shawnee while Tecumseh was away rallying his tribes. Encamping near the tribes base, Harrisons army occupied a strong position bordered by Burnett Creek on the west and a steep bluff to the east. Due to the strength of the terrain, Harrison elected not to fortify the camp. This position was attacked on the morning of November 7, 1811. The ensuing Battle of Tippecanoe saw his men turn back repeated assaults before driving off the Native Americans with determined musket fire and a charge by the armys dragoons. In the wake of his victory, Harrison became a national hero. With the outbreak of the War of 1812 the following June, Tecumsehs War became subsumed into the larger conflict as the Native Americans sided with the British. War of 1812 The war on the frontier began disastrously for the Americans with the loss of Detroit in August 1812. After this defeat, the American command in the Northwest was reorganized and after several squabbles over rank, Harrison was made commander of the Army of the Northwest on September 17, 1812. After being promoted to major general, Harrison worked diligently to transform his army from an untrained mob into a disciplined fighting force. Unable to go on the offensive while British ships controlled Lake Erie, Harrison worked to defend American settlements and ordered the construction of Fort Meigs along the Maumee River in northwest Ohio. In late April, he defended the fort during an attempted siege by British forces led by Major General Henry Proctor. In late September 1813, after the American victory at the Battle of Lake Erie, Harrison moved to the attack. Ferried to Detroit by Master Commandant Oliver H. Perrys victorious squadron, Harrison reclaimed the settlement before commencing a pursuit of British and Native American forces under Proctor and Tecumseh. Harrison won a key victory at the Battle of the Thames, which saw Tecumseh killed and the war on the Lake Erie front effectively ended. Though a skilled and popular commander, Harrison resigned the following summer after disagreements with Secretary of War John Armstrong. Political Career In the years following the war, Harrison aided in concluding treaties with the Native Americans, served a term in Congress (1816–1819), and spent time in the Ohio state senate (1819–1821). Elected to the U.S. Senate in 1824, he cut his term short to accept an appointment as ambassador to Colombia. There, Harrison lectured Simon Bolivar on the merits of democracy. In 1836, Harrison was approached by the Whig Party to run for president. Believing they would be unable to defeat the popular Democrat Martin Van Buren, the Whigs ran multiple candidates hoping to force the election to be settled in the House of Representatives. Though Harrison led the Whig ticket in most states, the plan failed, and Van Buren was elected. Four years later, Harrison returned to presidential politics and led a unified Whig ticket. Campaigning with John Tyler under the slogan Tippecanoe and Tyler Too, Harrison emphasized his military record while blaming the depressed economy on Van Buren. Promoted as a simple frontiersman, despite his aristocratic Virginia roots, Harrison was able to easily defeat the more elitist Van Buren. Death Harrison took the oath of office on March 4, 1841. Although it was a cold and wet day, he wore neither a hat nor coat as he read his two-hour inaugural address. He fell ill with a cold on March 26, shortly after taking office. While popular myth blames this illness on his prolonged inaugural speech, there is little evidence to support this theory. The cold quickly turned into pneumonia and pleurisy, and despite the best efforts of his doctors, Harrison died on April 4, 1841. Legacy At age 68, Harrison was the oldest U.S. president to be sworn in prior to Ronald Reagan. He served the shortest term of any president (one month). His grandson Benjamin Harrison was elected president in 1888. Sources Collins, Gail.  William Henry Harrison. Times Books, 2012.Doak, Robin S.  William Henry Harrison. Compass Point Books, 2004.

Motives for Murder in Edgar Allan Poes The Black Cat

Motives for Murder in Edgar Allan Poes The Black Cat The Black Cat  shares many characteristics with Edgar Allan Poes The Tell-Tale Heart: an unreliable narrator, a brutal and inexplicable murder (two, actually), and a murderer whose arrogance leads to his downfall. Both stories were originally published in 1843, and both have been widely adapted for theater, radio, television, and film. For us, neither story satisfactorily explains the murderers motives. Yet, unlike The Tell-Tale Heart, The Black Cat makes extensive attempts to do so, which makes it a thought-provoking (if somewhat unfocused) story. Alcoholism One explanation that comes up early in the story is alcoholism. The narrator refers to the Fiend Intemperance and talks about how drinking changed his formerly gentle demeanor. And its true that during many of the violent events of the story, hes drunk or drinking. However, we  cant help but notice that even though he isnt drunk as hes telling the story, he still shows no remorse. That is, his attitude on the night before his execution isnt very different from his attitude during the other events of the story. Drunk or sober, hes not a likable guy. The Devil Another explanation the story offers is something along the lines of the devil made me do it. The story contains references to the superstition that black cats are really witches, and the first black cat is inauspiciously named Pluto, the same name as the Greek god of the underworld. The narrator deflects blame for his actions by calling the second cat the hideous beast whose craft had seduced me into murder. But even if we grant that this second cat, who appears mysteriously and on whose chest a gallows seems to form, is somehow bewitched, it still doesnt provide a motive for the murder of the first cat. Perverseness A third possible motive has to do with what the narrator calls the spirit of PERVERSENESS- the desire to do something wrong precisely because you know its wrong. The narrator posits that its human nature to experience this unfathomable longing of the soul to vex itself- to offer violence to its own nature- to do wrong for the wrongs sake only. If you agree with him that humans are drawn to break the law just because its the law, then perhaps the explanation of perverseness will satisfy you. But were  not convinced, so we continue to find it unfathomable not that humans are drawn to do wrong for wrongs sake (because were not sure they are), but that this particular character is drawn to it (because he certainly seems to be).    Resistance to Affection It seems to me that the narrator offers a smorgasbord of possible motives partly because he has no idea what his motives are. And we  think the reason he has no idea of his motives is that hes looking in the wrong place. Hes obsessed with cats, but really, this is a story about the murder of a human. The narrators wife is undeveloped and virtually invisible in this story. We know that she loves animals, just as the narrator supposedly does. We know that he offer[s] her personal violence and that she is subject to his ungovernable outbursts. He refers to her as his uncomplaining wife, and in fact, she doesnt even make a sound when he murders her! Through it all, she is unfailingly loyal to him, much like the cats. And he cant stand it. Just as he is disgusted and annoyed by the second black cats loyalty, we  think he is repulsed by his wifes steadfastness. He wants to believe that that level of affection is possible only from animals: There is something in the unselfish and self-sacrificing love of a brute, which goes directly to the heart of him who has frequent occasion to test the paltry friendship and gossamer fidelity of mere Man. But he himself is not up to the challenge of loving another human being, and when faced with her loyalty, he recoils. Only when both cat and wife are gone does the narrator sleep well, embracing his status as a freeman and looking upon [his] future felicity as secured. He wants to escape from police detection, of course, but also from having to experience any real emotions, regardless of the tenderness, he brags he once possessed.

Challenges which organisations and managers face

Challenges which organisations and managers face This report aims at understanding the challenges that managers and organisations face in going international, and will offer some recommendations and possible solutions that can be considered by the organisations. The number of corporations that are going international is on a steady increase, as the world is opening up for foreign firms and there is more opportunity to expand to new destinations across the globe. Most times, multinational companies operating abroad face much more difficult tasks than before, due to high competition. A lot of companies form partnerships with foreign distributors in order to expand internationally, but they might not have the necessary resources and international experience it takes to sustain an international presence as the whole process can be a very demanding task, especially on the part of the managers Countries of the world are now interacting more rapidly in the globalized business environment of today. Thus the problems involved in managing a cross diverse cultures affects not only the multinational corporations, but also domestic companies, as a large number of domestic corporations also face multi-cultural environments because they seem to be constantly selling their good or making purchases in the international markets. Some domestic corporations also employ a lot of staff and management who are from different cultures. Thus when managers fail to fully appreciate and deal with the resulting differences in behavior, attitudes and values of those with whom they work or interact, especially in international business transactions, then that would be a major source of difficulties. According to Charles Perrow â€Å"Interactive complexity is the measure of the degree to which we cannot foresee all the ways things can go wrong. This may be because there are just too many interactions to keep track of. More likely, it is because our various theories are simply not up to the task of modeling socio-technical interactions. Seco nd, coupling is a measure of the degree to which we cannot stop an impending disaster once it starts.† (Perrow, C 2000) This might be as a result of managers not having ample time, or maybe because it is not physically possible, or due to a lack of experience. The capacity of managers to prevent any surprises that may arise from doing business on an international scale diminishes as the interactive complexity increases. Therefore, as the level of interactive coupling and interactive complexity continues to increase in a corporation. Then the whole system can be seen as an accident waiting to occur. This is what Charles Perrow refers to as â€Å"normal accident† in the sense that errors of operation will merely serve to trigger the events. Therefore, the management techniques and strategies employed to resolve international business problems have to differ from the management techniques for resolving local and domestic problems. As such mangers are to improve upon their managerial capacity to prevent unanticipated interactions and components, the system has to be firstly simplified, then there has to be and effort to increase the capacity to handle international problems, building in longer response times, and decoupling of major components. Apart from convergent problems which are problems which show promise for solution, multicultural corporations also face divergent problems. Divergent problems don’t promise a solution and tend to lead to more differences. According to Tylor (1977)

Phase 2 - International Law and Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Phase 2 - International Law and Business - Essay Example Several legal as well as ethical guidelines have been created for the protection of environment. One such legal guideline is Clean Air Act which was enacted during the period of 1970 (Www2.epa.gov, 2014). Under this act the EPA is required to create (National Ambient Air Quality Standards) NAAQS and its purpose was even to have separate NAAQS in all the states of United States by the period of 1975 (Www2.epa.gov, 2014). The main aim of any organization is to ensure that shareholder value is increased and in order to increase the shareholder’s value, a company needs to ensure that it continues to perform its business in a profitable manner. Keeping the profitability of the company in mind, the company needs to give importance to protection of the environment as if due to their activities environment is damaged then the chances of them facing costly law suits may increase and they may even be disliked by the consumers due to which they may loose customers and experience

Waitrose and its Organizational Behaviour Structure Case Study

Waitrose and its Organizational Behaviour Structure - Case Study Example Last year, Waitrose registered gross sales up 251.6 million pound which is 6.8% to just under 4.0 billion pound. Waitrose operating profits (excluding property profits of 8.6 million pound) has increased 38.3 million pound which is 22% increase to 212.1 million pound. It is likely to grow at the rate of 3.6 % (excluding Petrol). It has the market share of 3.9% and has registered growth in operating margin by 5.4% (excluding property profits). Waitrose sales have growth by 47% in last four years. Its market share of the UK organics market stands at over 18%. Sales density of Waitrose has increased by 2.3% to 1,038 pound per square feet. Due to its higher product quality, Waitrose achieved 13 out of 18 quality standard industry awards. Waitrose has maintained its long-term relationship with farmers and suppliers and committed to support and sell only British farm products. Waitrose is providing specialized services to provide knowledge of the products to its customers. So Waitrose aims to combine the convenience of supermarket with the expertise and services of specialist shop and offer price commitment to ensure its customer to get good value for money at Waitrose. These are the sole reasons why Waitrose voted as the most favorites. These are the sole reasons why Waitrose voted as the most favorite grocer of U.K (All the data has been extracted from the website www.waitrose.com ). Individuals as an employee are motivated through the fulfillment of their desires & needs, and is the base for the fact that why people behave in a certain way to achieve their personal goals. The two factor theory (sometimes also called motivation-hygiene theory) was proposed by psychologist Frederick Hertzberg. According to Hertzberg, the factors leading to job satisfaction are separate and distinct from those that lead to job dissatisfaction. Therefore, managers who seek to eliminate factors that can create job dissatisfaction may bring about peace but not necessarily motivation. They will be placating their workforce rather than motivating them. As a result conditions surrounding the jobs such as quality of supervision, pay, company policies, physical working conditions, relation with others and job security is characterized by Hertzberg as hygiene factors. When they are adequate, people will not be dissatisfied; neither will they be satisfied. If we want to motivate people on th eir jobs, Hertzberg suggested emphasizing factors associated with the work itself or to outcomes directly derived from it, such as promotional opportunities, opportunities for personal growth, recognition, responsibility and achievement. Maslow's hierarchy of needs theory based on five needs, first two lower needs and later three upper needs (Physiological, Safety, Social, and Esteem & Self Actualization) has received wide recognition, particularly among practicing managers. This can be attributed to the theory's intuitive logic and ease of understanding. In the later years, Alderfer has reworked Maslow's need hierarchy to align more closely to empirical research. It is revised need hierarchy is labeled ERG theory (Alderfer, 1969). Alderfer argues that there are three groups of core needs- existence, relatedness & growth. The existence group is concerned with providing basic requirement, which Maslow considered to be physiological and safety needs whereas relatedness considered Masl ow's social needs and the external component of

Project Statistics Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Statistics Project Example When the organizations’ infrastructure or environment is organized aptly, it will positively influence the employees. Employees are the crucial â€Å"cog† for the organizational functioning and success. This significance of employees was put forward by Mayhew (2014) who stated that the objective of any organization is profitability; and that profitability and thereby organizations success depends on the employees performance, with poor performance by the employees being detrimental to the companys success. Employees work in an organization on full-time basis as well as short-term basis. Although, full-time employees are the majority in any organization, employment of short-term employees are also on the rise. â€Å"The use of temporary workers is growing rapidly, with the number of companies using temporary workers on the increase as global competition increased and the urge to cut down on costs of undertaking businesses in order to remain competitive rises† (Wan dera 2011). This role of both full-time and short-term workers brings in focus the number of hours they contribute to the organization (Simeon 2013). So, the report will focus on the data collected from 400 fashion stores located in the Netherlands thereby discussing those stores’ infrastructure, employees including full-timers and part-timers, the hours contributed by them and others. As above-mentioned, the data is regarding the study of direct annual sales of 400 Dutch fashion stores in the year 1990. The quantitative variables used are: Total Sales (tsales), Sales per square meter (sales), Number of full-times (nfull), Number of part-times (npart), Total number of hours worked (hoursw) and Sales floor space of the store in square metres (ssize). Since all of them are quantitative variables, the Karl Pearson correlation coefficient for continuous variables is calculated and tested for its significance. â€Å"Karl Pearson correlation coefficient measures quantitatively the extent to which two variables