Old Man and the Sea Essay Example

Old Man and the Sea Paper Matthew Goodrich Mr Call 16,9, 2012 Old Man and The Sea Essay The Old Man and The Sea was one of the last great works of Ernest Hemingway and was written as a way to come to terms with his old age. A hero is defined as a man who is of distinguished courage or admired for his ability and brave deeds. The Old Man mirrors Hemingway’s ideal man, who is coming into his old age. Ernest Hemingway was born on July 21st 1899 and was an American author and journalist. His writing style was severely under rated. His adventurous life greatly influenced later generations. Hemingway produced most of his works during the 1920s and 50s. He wrote seven novels, six short stories, and two non-fiction works. Several books of his were published after death. Many of his works are considered American Classics in literature. The Old Man is a kind, confident and determined man. Although Santiago is old, he asserts himself through fishing by imbuing his acts with a brotherly love and a desire to remain stoic no matter his hard ships. While the Old Man lives in relative seclusion, he gives his life meaning through fishing. He creates this meaning by imbuing his work with a brutally intense focus. We will write a custom essay sample on Old Man and the Sea specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Old Man and the Sea specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Old Man and the Sea specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Santiago’s determination and perseverance that he infuses within the various tasks that he has before him helps Santiago accomplish his goals. Without his focus he would never have prevailed against the mako and shovel nosed sharks. This is apparent when during the night, Santiago awaits the next wave of sharks and begins to wonder, â€Å"what can I think of now? Nothing. I must think of nothing and wait for the next ones†[111]. Santiago’s focus facilitates the progress of his accomplishments; but also defines himself as a character and a code hero. Santiago is an accomplished fisherman with a great capacity for determination and passionate focus, which affirms his beliefs and breaths meaning into the chaotic world that he has been thrown into. The Old man has no next of kin and his only true friend is the boy, Manolin. This lack of outside relationships allows for Santiago to become more focused and determined. Which is the definitive aspect of Santiago as a human being and as a fisherman. This is most apparent when The Old Man states, â€Å"You were born to be a fisherman as the fish were born to be fish†[105]. While the old man is a focused and determined person he finds the balance between life and death in all of nature. He respects nature and treats every aspect of it with a brotherly compassion. Santiago respects the struggles of others, especially the struggle between man and beast. The respect that Santiago gives others is also filled with a burning compassion. While battling the marlin, The Old Man regularly refers to the fish as â€Å"brother† this shows a true sense of empathy towards his brother, the marlin. An Important factor in Santiago’s struggle is that he does not treat the marlin as a foe but as a comrade whom he must battle in order to survive. Although Santiago regrets that he must kill the noble marlin in order to survive. Battling the marlin brings Santiago great joy but he respects the fish’s desire to survive: â€Å"You are killing me, fish, the old man thought. But you have a right to. Never have I seen a greater, or more beautiful, or a calmer or more noble thing than you, brother. Come on and kill me. I do not care who kills who† [92]. The marlin is a noble and powerful fish but Santiago finds beauty and grace in even those who seek to prey upon him. Although the shark preys upon Santiago, he still respects the shark’s powerful nature and speed. Santiago comments on his beauty and features similar to the marlin. Which is in stark contrast to the marlin. Respecting the balance between life and death is an important quality of Santiago’s as well as a code hero. The Old Man respects nature but also fills the world around him with his ideals and beliefs. Santiago remains stoic during tumultuous times. He finds himself remaining calm and treating his body as a tool rather a part of his self. While battling the marlin, The Old Man’s hand begins to cramp. He quickly reprimands his hand for failing him at such a pivotal point in his battle. Remaining detached is an important quality of Santiago’s as well as an important quality in Stoicism. Stoicism is a school of thought, which held the principles of logical thought, and allowed for destructive emotions and painful or primal feelings to be filtered out. Along with filtering out primal emotions stoicism requires intense focus and physical determination. After Santiago’s rest during the night, he pulls his hand from the sea to see if it had healed and he feels a searing pain in his hand and then tells himself that, â€Å"pain does not matter to a man†[84]. This defines the Old man’s entire struggle, the elimination of pain in the face of insurmountable odds. Many Hemingway heroes display stoic qualities such as Robert Jordan in Whom The Bell Tolls who fought in The Spanish Civil War on the republican side. The qualities of Santiago mirror that of many Hemingway heroes who represent Stoicism, Determination, and the respect of nature. Santiago is old and alone but he gives his life meaning through fishing and respecting nature, while remaining a stoic individual. The Old man affirms his beliefs and who he is as a person by focusing on fishing. He respects the natural world and equates nature to other human beings. Stoicism is an important quality of Santiago’s and helps him in his goals as a fisherman. Santiago is an important Hemingway hero and clearly represents all the aspirations and ideals of Ernest Hemingway.

Audrey Hepburn 7 Essays

Audrey Hepburn 7 Essays Audrey Hepburn 7 Essay Audrey Hepburn 7 Essay Audrey Hepburn was born on May 4, 1929 in Brussels, Belgium. She really was blue-blood from the beginning with her father, a wealthy English banker, and her mother, a Dutch baroness. After her parents divorced, Audrey went to London with her mother where she went to a private girls school. Later, when her mother moved back to the Netherlands, she attended private schools as well. While vacationing with her mother in Arnhem, Holland, Hitlers army took over the town. It was here that she fell on hard times during the Nazi occupation. Audrey suffered from depression and malnutrition. After the liberation, Audrey went to a ballet school in London on a scholarship and later began a modeling career. As a model, she was graceful and, it seemed, she had found her niche in life until the film producers came calling. After being spotted modeling by a producer, she was signed to a bit part in the European film Nederlands in 7 lessen (1948) in 1948. Later, she had a speaking role in the 1951 film, Young Wives Tale (1951) as Eve Lester. The part still wasnt much, so she headed to America to try her luck there. Audrey gained immediate prominence in the US with her role in Roman Holiday (1953) in 1953. This film turned out to be a smashing success as she won an Oscar as Best Actress. This gained her enormous popularity and more plum roles. One of the reasons for her popularity was the fact that she was so elf-like and had class, unlike the sex-goddesses of the time. Roman Holiday (1953) was followed by another similarly wonderful performance in the 1957 classic Funny Face (1957). Sabrina (1954), in 1954, for which she received another Academy nomination, and Love in the Afternoon (1957), in 1957, also garnered rave reviews. In 1959, she received yet another nomination for her role in The Nuns Story (1959). Audrey reached the pinnacle of her career when she played Holly Golightly in the delightful film Breakfast at Tiffanys (1961) in 1961. For this she received another nomination. She scored commercial success again in the espionage caper Charade (1963). One of Audreys most radiant roles was in the fine production of My Fair Lady (1964) in 1964. Her co-star, Rex Harrison, once was asked to identify his favorite leading lady. Without hesitation, he replied, Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady. After a couple of other movies, most notably Two for the Road (1967), she hit pay dirt and another nomination in 1967s Wait Until Dark (1967). By the end of the sixties, after her divorce from actor Mel Ferrer, Audrey decided to retire while she was on top. Later she married Dr. Andrea Dotti. From time to time, she would appear on the silver screen. One film of note was Robin and Marian (1976), with Sean Connery in 1976. In 1988, Audrey became a special ambassador to the United Nations UNICEF fund helping children in Latin America and Africa, a position she retained until 1993. She was named to Peoples magazine as one of the 50 most beautiful people in the world. Her last film was Always (1989) in 1989. Audrey Hepburn died on January 20, 1993 in Tolochnaz, Switzerland, from colon cancer. She had made a total of 31 high quality movies. Her elegance and style will always be remembered in film history as evidenced by her being named in Empire magazines The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time.

Affordable heath care act (obama Care) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Affordable heath care act (obama Care) - Essay Example Without this type of insurance, many American citizens would decline medical treatment from hospitals, resulting to the worsening of their condition and later death, a risk to the U.S economy. Reforms in the sector from 1965 by former President Lyndon Johnson to the reforms by the current Obama administration have shed light to their enactment and implementation as well as their receipt by the people. To counter the negativity of the past policies, the Obama Administration introduced the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, whose policy implementation has had disparities to the citizens and the business direction of America. President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act into law on March 23, 2010. The act has taken the center stage concerning healthcare system in America. It is crafted as the â€Å"ObamaCare† due to President Obama’s efforts to modify the Medicare and Medicaid that were introduced by his predecessor, Lyndon Johnson. The ACA’s full implementation is expected to change the entire scope of the health system in America. Due to controversial, political play by the opposition, the Act was contested in the U.S Supreme Court and upheld as valid to the people of U.S in June 28, 2012. The main goal of the care is to provide many American citizens with affordable accessibility to quality health insurance and to reduce the costs of health care to the citizens. The policy requires the health insurance companies to cover individuals with pre-existing conditions (Kayla 2). The major benefit of the ACA is to provide all Americans access to healthcare. According to Nick (2012), the current statistics from the government show that around thirty seven million citizens have no health insurance due to its expensiveness. The implementation of the law ensures a good health system and insurance for uninsured citizens. In addition, the Act will usher financial aid to the citizens in order to provide them basic coverage, through the Medicaid Program or by subsiding the health insurance system through exchanges. These exchanges will be set up in all states, especially for those that do not create their programs as upheld by the federal government (Nick 13; Leiyu and Douglas 20). The Affordable Healthcare Act reinforces normative out of control costs in the healthcare system. The high prices induced by the previous system were a setback to Americans accessing proper health care. According to statements by the Obama Administration, the ObamaCare cuts, approximately $716 billion wasted and implicated to American citizens from the Medicare. Such amounts, as advocated for by the ACA, are reinvested into the policy implementation and Medicaid. The costs previously utilized in healthcare makes it difficult for the citizens to afford health insurance, and therefore, weaken the nation due to rapid health expenditures. The reduction of such costs, which are got from the taxpayers, ensures that the nation’s budget o n health is reduced. Insurance companies are also kept on check from proposing unjustified rate hikes that affect the citizens (Janet 89). The Act implementation adds more consumer benefits and protections to its citizens. The stereotype that America has a great healthcare system is a dream to many of its citizens. ObamaCare acts as a security to glaring inequalities in the current system being used. Racial discrimination was often practiced towards the blacks and the Hispanics. It creates an impressive bulwark of new client safeguards and benefits. In addition, health insurance

DHSNo-MachRules and Safe Harbor Provisions for Employers Essay

DHSNo-MachRules and Safe Harbor Provisions for Employers - Essay Example SHA) will have the right to file complain to OSHA free of any legal charges as OSHA protects the employers by investigating on the legal complains that has been filed by the employees (U.S. Department of Labor, 2007). Aside from the complying with the OSHA guidelines, employers are also required to follow the rules as set by the Social Security Administration (SSA) (Lian, 2007). Employment law is not limited to issues related to employment discrimination related to race, age, and gender or the minimum wage and work benefits that each employee is entitled to; the law also protects the welfare of the local employees from any forms of accident that occurs within the workplace due to employers’ negligence to provide a safe working environment for employees or in any forms of threat which prohibits the local citizens from being able to have an opportunity for employment. Over the years, the increasing number of immigrant workers is said to be threatening the employment opportunity of the local residents. Since thousands of employers submit a ‘no-match’ employees’ name and the corresponding Social Security numbers as provided on Forms W-2 do not match the records of SSA each year (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, 2009), the District Court Judge Charles R. Greyer legally allowed the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to develop a new harbor safety rules that will address the court’s concern regarding the case of AFL-CIO v. Chertoff, Case No. 07-CV-4472 CRB (N.D. Cal.) back on December 2007 (Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, 2007). As part of informing the general public regarding the new harbor safety rules, the DHS and SSA spread ‘a No-Match’ letter to those who are directly concerned with the issue (NAFSA, 2009). Aside from providing a brief summary regarding the AFL-CIO v. Chertoff case, the significance of spreading the â€Å"No-Match" rules and safe harbor provisions for employers will be thoroughly tackled in details. This paper aims to

Differences in Assessing and Managing Credit Risk in Investment Essay

Differences in Assessing and Managing Credit Risk in Investment Banking and Commercial Banking - Essay Example Credit risk represents the possibility of loss due to the inability of the obligor to fulfill the terms in the financial obligation (bond, note, lease, installment debt etc.). The credit risk is known by slightly different terms in investment and commercial backings. Counterparty credit risk is important for investment banking mainly in trading operations and loan credit risk is crucial in commercial banking. Though both may be caused by the same reason, default, they are managed differently. Credit risk becomes a very serious issue if accompanied by poor banking operations. Proper systems and controls should be in place for effectively assessing and managing credit risks in both type of banking operations. Credit risk arises when a borrower of a loan fails to repay it (in commercial banking) or when an issuer of a security or a bond fails to fulfill his financial obligation (a corporate who issued a bond may go bankrupt) to the borrower . For assessment of credit risks in the financial products the investment banking firms (which is more complex compared to assessment in commercial banking) rely on the credit rating assigned to the issuer by the major credit rating companies. To arrive at the credit rating, the agencies carry out a research and an assessment of the account statements (income and expenditure, balance sheet), quality of the management, previous business and financial track records, the potential business and financial risks and the ability of the management to mitigate them effectively. ... Proper systems and controls should be in place for effectively assessing and managing credit risks in both type of banking operations. Assessing Credit risk in Investment Banking and Commercial Banking Credit risk arises when a borrower of a loan fails to repay it (in commercial banking) or when an issuer of a security or a bond fails to fulfill his financial obligation (a corporate who issued a bond may go bankrupt) to the borrower (in investment banking). For assessment of credit risks in the financial products the investment banking firms (which is more complex compared to assessment in commercial banking) rely on the credit rating (considered as the representation of the financial strength of the issuer or the product that is issued to meet its financial obligations) assigned to the issuer by the major credit rating companies. To arrive at the credit rating, the agencies carry out a research and an assessment of the account statements (income and expenditure, balance sheet), quality of the management, previous business and financial track records, the potential business and financial risks and the ability of the management to mitigate them effectively. Based on the data collec ted and analysis of the same, the agencies issue a credit rating, which is a qualitative judgment of the ability of the issuer to meet his financial obligations. Standard & Poor, Moody's (US) and Fitch-IBCA (UK) are some of the leading and reputed credit rating agencies whose ratings carry more value in the financial market. The companies/products who exhibit least risk are given investment grades and with increasing possibilities of risk, the rating is graded down to the ones with definite possibility for default are

Types of organizational structure

Types of organizational structure What is the definition of an organization? Is a social unit of people that is structured and managed to meet a need or to pursue collective goals. All organizations have a management structure that determines relationships between the different activities and the members, and subdivides and assigns roles, responsibilities, and authority to carry out different tasks. Organizations are open systems they affect and are affected by their environment. A business organization is an individual or group of people that collaborate to achieve certain commercial goals. Some business organizations are formed to earn income for owners. Other business organizations, called nonprofits, are formed for public purposes. These businesses often raise money and utilize other resources to provide or support public programs. The term business organization refers to how a business is structured. The business organization is defined in the bylaws when the business is formed with the name and contact information of those who own and run the company with their roles defined. The bylaws state the purpose of the organization and what it does. A sole proprietorship does not have bylaws because one person owns and controls the business. What is an organizational structure? Is the typically hierarchical arrangement of lines of authority, communications, right and duties of an organisation. Organisational structure determines how the roles, power and responsibilities are assigned, controlled, and coordinated, and how information flows between the different levels of management. A structure depends on the organisations objectives and strategy. In a centralized structure, the top layer of management has most of the decision making power and has tight control over departments and divisions. In a decentralized structure, the decision making power is distributed and the departments and divisions may have different degrees of independence. A company such as Proctor and Gamble that sells multiple products may organize their structure so that groups are divided according to each product and depending on geographical area as well. Organizational structure is a system used to define a hierarchy within an organization. It identifies each job, its function and where it reports to within the organization. This structure is developed to establish how an organization operates and assists an organization in obtaining its goals to allow for future growth. The structure is illustrated using an organizational chart. There are two types of Organizational structure. Formal Structure which is the organisation of business that hierarchical the nature. For a company, formal structure can be found on its organisational chart that includes the staff names and their official job titles. It is easy to understand and to the point is unlike the long drawn out definitions while reading, one do forgets the previous sentence after moving to the next. The other defines the term in its crudest form. A formal organisation structure shows a recognisable chain of command, it also has many levels of management. This makes communication slower and decision making harder to implement. Informal structure Informal structure consists of the social structure of an organisation. It includes the corporate culture, behaviour interactions and social connections which occur within an organisation. Many organisation have a formal, written structure, and a more informal, cultural structure. A good advantage for the informal structure is, it evolves constantly. And it can easily respond quickly in a changing situation. An informal structure is much more relaxed, with very few levels of management. This makes communication much easier between levels and decisions and made faster. Centralization Decentralization Centralization is said to be a process where the concentration of decision making is in a few hands. All the important decision and actions at the lower level, all subjects and actions at the lower level are subject to the approval of top management. According to Allen, Centralization is the systematic and consistent reservation of authority at central points in the organization. For example Company A is run by Stephen Clarkson B. Delgado. Company A is being controlled by a centralized or a top level superior; this is an example of an centralized organization. The implication of centralization can be: Reservation of decision making power at top level. Reservation of operating authority with the middle level managers. Reservation of operation at lower level at the directions of the top level Decentralization is a systematic delegation of authority at all levels of management and in all of the organization. In a decentralization concern, authority in retained by the top management for taking major decisions and framing policies concerning the whole concern. Rest of the authority may be delegated to the middle level and lower level of management. Decentralization is the distributing power and decision making among different people, departments, or locations within an organization. For example, a national retail chain may allow its store managers to make decisions on the merchandise that will be carried in their particular stores. Some benefits decentralization would include decisions are made by those who have the most knowledge about local conditions greater managerial input in decision- making has a desirable motivational effect managers have more control over results Business Structures As a government has different types of organization, Organisations have a formal structure which is the way that the organisation is organised by those with responsibility for managing the organisation. They create the formal structures that enable the organisation to meet its stated objectives. Often these formal structures will be set out on paper in the form of organisational charts. However, in the course of time an informal structure develops in most organisations which is based on the reality of day-to-day interactions between the members of the organisation. This informal structure may be different from that which is set out on paper. Informal structures develop because: people find new ways of doing things which they find easier and save them time patterns of interaction are shaped by friendship groups and other relationships people forget what the formal structures are It is easier to work with informal structures. Sometimes the informal structure may conflict with the formal one. Where this is the case the organisation may become less efficient at meeting its stated objectives. However, in some cases the informal structure may prove to be more efficient at meeting organisational objectives because the formal structure was badly set out. There are two types of Organizational structures Tall Structures Tall organizational structure is one which has many levels of hierarchy. In these organizations, there are usually many managers, and each manager has a small span of control they are in charge of only a small group of people. Tall structures tend to be more complicated and complex, and may be slower to respond to market changes than organizations where managers have a larger span of control. Tall structure has many levels of management and its supervision. Long chain of command is one of it. It means, running from the top of an organisation. The advantage of tall structure is clear management structure, narrow span of control, the function of each layer will be clear and distinct, and a clear progression. Pros and Cons of tall structure The pros of tall structures lie in clarity and managerial control. The narrow span of control allows for close supervision of employees. Tall structures provide a clear, distinct layer with obvious lines of responsibility and control and a clear promotion structure. Challenges begin when a structure gets too tall. Communication begins to take too long to travel through all the levels. These communication problems hamper decision-making and hinder progress. Flat Structures Flat structures have fewer management levels, with each level controlling a broad area or group. Flat organizations focus on empowering employees rather than adhering to the chain of command. By encouraging autonomy and self-direction, flat structures attempt to tap into employees creative talents and to solve problems by collaboration. Pros and cons of flat structure Flat organizations offer more opportunities for employees to excel while promoting the larger business vision. That is, there are more people at the top of each level. For flat structures to work, leaders must share research and information instead of hoarding it. If they can manage to be open, tolerant and even vulnerable, leaders excel in this environment. Flatter structures are flexible and better able to adapt to changes. Faster communication makes for quicker decisions, but managers may end up with a heavier workload. Instead of the military style of tall structures, flat organizations lean toward a more democratic style. The heavy managerial workload and large number of employees reporting to each boss sometimes results in confusion over roles. Bosses must be team leaders who generate ideas and help others make decisions. When too many people report to a single manager, his job becomes impossible. Employees often worry that others manipulate the system behind their backs by rep orting to the boss; in a flat organization, that means more employees distrusting higher levels of authority. Diagram of Tall and Flat Structure Tall structure http://www.emeraldinsight.com/content_images/fig/0291020503007.png Diagram 1: Tall structure By: http://www.emeraldinsight.com/content_images/fig/0291020503007.png Flat structure https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjySfEhP_v_8LiAMMyf7_OFZvq-Skjo4_AtTwgI5q6sW47u5zd9MXp9ZjpQyYWX0VVsPNtPlJddshGzof7aPCeewXNVtQd-ja37XWX-oo4f_Qlgut7RiW3LG0lyznvDaSX_WgE6dNVz_WpV/ Diagram 2: Flat structure By: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjySfEhP_v_8LiAMMyf7_OFZvq-Skjo4_AtTwgI5q6sW47u5zd9MXp9ZjpQyYWX0VVsPNtPlJddshGzof7aPCeewXNVtQd-ja37XWX-oo4f_Qlgut7RiW3LG0lyznvDaSX_WgE6dNVz_WpV/ Span of control Span of control is the term now used more commonly in business management, particularly human resource management. Span of control refers to the number of subordinates a supervisor has. In a business of more than one person, unless the business has equal partners, then there are managers and subordinates. Subordinates are workers controlled by the manager. A hierarchy describes the structure of the management of the business, from the top of the company the managing director, through to the shop floor worker, who reports to their foreman, in a manufacturing business. The hierarchy of a business is usually best understood by drawing an organisation chart showing which levels of management and employees report to whom. An example of a hierarchy is shown in the diagram below: http://www.tutor2u.net/business/gcse/organisation_public_sector_clip_image002.jpg Diagram 3: Span of control Created by: http://www.tutor2u.net/business/gcse/organisation_span_of_control.htm The advantages of a narrow span of control are: A narrow span of control allows a manager to communicate quickly with the employees under them and control them more easily Feedback of ideas from the workers will be more effective It requires a higher level of management skill to control a greater number of employees, so there is less management skill required An example of a wide span of control is shown in the diagram to the right:http://www.tutor2u.net/business/gcse/organisation_public_sector_clip_image004.gif Diagram 4: Wide span of control By: www.tutor2u.net, (n.d) There are also different types of organizational structure Product Structures An organizational structure is a framework in which companies outline the different responsibilities in their company. A product-based organizational structure separates the company by products, activities, projects or geography. This allows a company to have a particular focus on specific items in its business operations. Organizational structure refers to the different hierarchies or levels in a company. An organizational structure appears as a series of boxes, vertical and horizontal lines. The boxes represent various titles within the organization, and the vertical lines represent to whom that position reports. Horizontal lines show which employees are on the same level. The appearance of an organization structure is usually pyramidal because there are fewer executive-level positions at the top of the company. Advantages and disadvantages: Product-based structures allow companies to remain flexible in the business environment. This allows the company to add or remove structure sections as necessary. However, it can prohibit companies from achieving company-wide goals since each unit operates on its own. product-business-organization-structure.jpg (516ÃÆ'-344) Diagram 5: Product structure By: http://the-business-plan.com/wp-content/uploads/product-business-organization-structure.jpg Geographical structure Organizational structure defines the hierarchy in which an organization will operate. There are many defined types of organizational structure, but some organizations may create their own, or use a combination of several structures to efficiently run business operations. Geographic organizational structure is used for organizations that have offices or business units in different geographic locations. Geographical structure is the firm organized into geographical units (regional, national, international) that report to a central headquarter which administers the core functions such as planning and marketing. example-geographic-org-chart.jpg (600ÃÆ'-159) Diagram 6: Geographical Structure By: http://thethrivingsmallbusiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/example-geographic-org-chart.jpg Function The term organizational structure refers to how the people in an organization are grouped and to whom they report. One traditional way of organizing people is by function. Some common functions within an organization include production, marketing, human resources and accounting. The classic organizational structure where the employees are grouped hierarchically, managed through clear lines of authority, and report ultimately to one top person. Advantages Some advantages of a functional organization are that the lines of command are clear. Individuals specialize and departments tend to develop common knowledge across the group. There may be an advantage to individuals in that career paths can be fairly easily defined. Disadvantages Disadvantages of the functional organization include poor communication across groups and slow response to changes in the environment. Too much work may be referred upward due to the lack of decision making authority, and serious problems can ensue when groups develop a narrow perspective. http://thethrivingsmallbusiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/example-functional-org-chart-jpg.jpg Diagram 7: Function Structure By: http://thethrivingsmallbusiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/example-functional-org-chart-jpg.jpg Multi divisional Companies use organizational structures to characterize their hierarchical and reporting structures. The organizational structure shows the superior-subordinate equations in the organization. A multi-divisional organizational structure is used by large organizations. Here, the scale of operations is very large; hence the number of employees is also very enormous. The company divides all of its strategic functions into departments. All these departments do their share of the allocated work, and all the work is later collated as the organizational tasks. According to the Human Resource Management Guide, a multidivisional organizational structure consists of self-contained units that operate as their own separate entity. For example, Procter and Gamble owns multiple national brand names and creates a self-contained business model and organizational structure for each product. Each brand is given its own corporate identity, leadership and organizational design. Advantages A multidivisional organizational structure promotes motivation among team members because of the performance/reward connection. This structure makes it easy for leadership in the organisation to maintain keen oversight and reward those who perform well. The service provided to customers meets their needs more appropriately because leadership and employees work more closely with customers. There is also clear identity and purpose in this structure that increases team member loyalty, dedication and satisfaction. Disadvantages A multidivisional organizational structure does have some disadvantages. The disadvantages deal directly with external relationships. Although the department itself is very close and possesses a defined identity and purpose, communication between departments can be difficult. Conflict between departments is common due to competition and differences in values, systems and expectations. This structure also costs more to operate and manage because each division is considered its own entity. http://www.emeraldinsight.com/content_images/fig/0410130305001.png Diagram 8: Multidivisional diagram By: http://www.emeraldinsight.com Matrix Matrix structure is defined as a type of management system in which workers report to more than one person, effectively having two or more supervisors at the same time. This can be illustrated by the example of a project environment, where professionals with different types of expertise are brought together to work on a projects. They report to a number of managers of different projects, as well as to a functional supervisor. The idea is to share knowledge and personnel to maximize effectiveness. The matrix structure is an organizational design that groups employees by both function and product. The organizational structure is very flat, and the structure of the matrix is differentiated into whatever functions are needed to accomplish certain goals. Each functional worker usually reports to the functional heads, but do not normally work directly under their supervision. Instead, the worker is controlled by the membership of a certain project, and each functional worker usually works under the supervision of a project manager. This way, each worker has two superiors, who will jointly ensure the progress of the project. The functional head may be more interested in developing the most exiting products or technologies, whereas the project manager may be more concerned with keeping deadlines and controlling product costs. Advantages The cross functional teams of a matrix structure reduce the functional barriers between departments, and increase the integration of functions. Matrix structures open up for communication, and may provide an opportunity for team members to learn from each other thus distributing valuable knowledge laterally within the organization. The matrix structure makes it possible to assign specialized resources to projects when needed. Disadvantages A matrix structure lacks the effectiveness of bureaucracy, and will potentially not work if the organization does not need to react swiftly to changes The flat hierarchy may be the cause of conflict, and different stakeholders may pursue entirely different goals. The great focus on integration between functional areas requires a great amount of lateral communication, and it may require great resources to get information distributed efficiently between team members. As said before, the use of a matrix structure seems more feasible for organizations operating in business environments characterized by change, dynamism and uncertainty. This could e.g. be organizations operating in high-tech industries such as computing or telecommunication http://thethrivingsmallbusiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Example-Matrix-Organization-Chart-jpg.jpg Diagram 9: Matrix Diagram By: http://thethrivingsmallbusiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Example-Matrix-Organization-Chart-jpg.jpg Definition of Culture Is the values and behaviours that contribute to the unique social and psychological environment of an organization. Organizational culture includes an organizations expectations, experiences, philosophy, and values that hold it together, and is expressed in its self-image, inner workings, interactions with the outside world, and future expectations. It is based on shared attitudes, beliefs, customs, and written and unwritten rules that have been developed over time and are considered valid. Also called corporate culture. Company culture is the personality of a company and defines what a company, from an employee perspective, is like to work for. Company culture includes the company mission, values, ethics, expectations, goals, and work environment. Whether written as a mission statement, spoken or merely understood, corporate culture describes and governs the ways a companys owners and employees think, feel and act. Your own businesss culture may be based on beliefs spelled out in yo ur mission statement. It could consist in part of a corporate symbol, like the rainbow-colored apple that symbolizes Apple Computer. Whatever shape it takes, your corporate culture plays a big role in determining how well your business will do. There are four types of cultures: Power Is one based on the dominance of one or a small number of individuals within an organisation. They make the key decisions for the organisation. This sort of power culture may exist in a small business or part of a larger business. There are some organizations where the power remains in the hands of only few people and only they are authorized to take decisions. They are the ones who enjoy special privileges at the workplace. They are the most important people at the workplace and are the major decision makers. These individuals further delegate responsibilities to the other employees. In such a culture the subordinates have no option but to strictly follow their superiors instructions. The employees do not have the liberty to express their views or share their ideas on an open forum and have to follow what their superior says. The managers in such a type of culture sometimes can be partial to someone or the other leading to major unrest among others. Role Exists in large hierarchical organisations in which individuals have clear roles (jobs) to perform which are closely specified. Individuals tend to work closely to their job description, and tend to follow the rules rather than to operate in a creative way. Role culture is a culture where every employee is delegated roles and responsibilities according to his specialization, educational qualification and interest to extract the best out of him. In such a culture employees decide what best they can do and willingly accept the challenge. Every individual is accountable for something or the other and has to take ownership of the work assigned to him. Power comes with responsibility in such a work culture. Task Exists when teams are formed to complete particular tasks. A distinct team culture develops, and because the team is empowered to make decisions, task cultures can be creative. Organizations where teams are formed to achieve the targets or solve critical problems follow the task culture. In such organizations individuals with common interests and specializations come together to form a team. There are generally four to five members in each team. In such a culture every team member has to contribute equally and accomplish tasks in the most innovative way. Person There are certain organizations where the employees feel that they are more important than their organization. Such organizations follow a culture known as person culture. In a person culture, individuals are more concerned about their own self rather than the organization. The organization in such a culture takes a back seat and eventually suffers. Employees just come to the office for the sake of money and never get attached to it. They are seldom loyal towards the management and never decide in favour of the organization. One should always remember that organization comes first and everything else later. There are certain organizations where the employees feel that they are more important than their organization. Such organizations follow a culture known as person culture. In a person culture, individuals are more concerned about their own self rather than the organization. The organization in such a culture takes a back seat and eventually suffers. Employees just come to the offi ce for the sake of money and never get attached to it. They are seldom loyal towards the management and never decide in favour of the organization. One should always remember that organization comes first and everything else later. Task 2 Explain how the relationship between an organisations structure and culture can impact on the performance of the business All businesses have Business organization has structures and cultures that have been followed to apply great impact on the productivity of their business. These organizations could have applied either a product structure, Multi-dimensional, Matrix structure etc. And have followed a power type culture or person type culture and so on. Each of these has its own effect and impact on their business. These structures and cultures play an important role of setting the definition of an company, setting their goals and how they could organize its members to meet their goals As The behaviours and beliefs characteristic of a workplace are its culture. The culture and structure of an organization affect one another. A structure appropriate to the organization helps to develop a healthy culture. In companies with rigid structures, communication tends to follow reporting lines. In companies with flatter structures, communication may occur more easily across departments. Studies have found a relationship between job satisfaction and organizational structure. Organizations with flatter structures may foster more feelings of self-actualization and create less anxiety in employees. Relationships with customers may suffer if departmental relationships cause the customer difficulty in getting problems addressed. Multi-functional teams that can answer a customers questions and resolve issues have a positive effect on customer satisfaction. Organizational structure impacts the success of a companys projects. If project personnel also perform routine operational work , it may be difficult for them to focus on projects and meet schedules. If the flow of information across departments is difficult, it may affect ability to share resources effectively. Task 3 Look at the factors associated with individual behaviour and discuss how they influence an individuals behaviour at work. Each individuals work has its own effects on organizations. There are many factors on how individual or group goals have affected an organization. These goals could also be the life force of the performance both could be positive or negative depending on how the scenario goes. Either way all these factors are important as a single employees goals and ambition could lead any organization to success if in proper standing and worked on accordingly. Collective goals These are goals that are collected or shared by individual to form a same goal coming from the same ideology. For instance a basketball teams belief in practicing and training other people with the game or making basketball more accessible to others, this could lead their team to complete objectives like win in an inter-basketball tournament, gaining new players and earning more money. Or to simply fulfil the need of its members to gather more players to gain more company and improve their basketball abilities. Within these goals there are many different types of goals as it is shown Ideological Goal, These are the goals or objective that has a connection with an individuals belief and values. These Goals usually are the inspiration of what an individual have for example. An Archery clubs mission or ideological goal is to share to other people their own knowledge of archery. Formal Goals are goals set by an dominant individual, These goals are usually organizational based goals that is set by a higher supremacy. These goals move an organization on how that individual or owner wants his organizations to be. Shares personal goals are goals pursued when the individual members agree and collide with their own individual ideas as missions. These are the goals shared by all individuals of a group to form one centralized mission where they can all complete as a group. Controlled performance Every organization needs to take responsibility to its owners and other stakeholders for the achievement of its collective goals. These goals cannot simple move on its own and needs to be moulded step by step being controlled accordingly so that to ensure the success of their goals and missions. This ensures that All goals whether ideological, formal, or shared personal goals are understood by all members The necessary resources are secures and utilised in such a way that goals will be reached without undue risk, disruption or waste They can tell whether, or to what extent they have reached their goals. This is why all organizations has a centralized management, to ensure that the employees who are working on these goals and mission carry out their individual tasks positively and with no mistake to avoid negative backlashes and effects.

Tom Sawyer - No Average Young Boy :: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer: No Average Young Boy To say that Tom Sawyer was an average young boy growing up in Illinois would be an understatement. "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer", written by Mark Twain is an absolutely enchanting book. Every episode is more exciting than the prior one, which is why this book receives five stars. Set in the old Southwest in an almost poverty stricken shabby village called St. Petersburg. The whole town knows one another, and of course they know each other’s business. Sunday was the holy day when everyone would gather at the church to compare notes on the past weeks events. The children had to rely on making good clean fun from meager surroundings. Swimming, fishing, picnicking, and playing "Hide n' seek" in the long hot summer days were all good ways to pass the time. But Tom was more venturesome than that, and with his best friend Huckleberry Finn, he lived everyday to its fullest. Tom had a little more schooling than Huck, but Huck was growing up on the streets and surviving just fine considering that his father was a drunk. Tom had a good home, being raised by his Aunt Polly, (his mother died so her sister took him in). He also lived with his half-brother, Sid, whose main objective in life was to make Tom’s miserable by ratting him out all the time, and his q uiet cousin Mary. His antics were ingenious though. The way that he turned whitewashing the fence as a punishment into a grand experience for all of the boys in town who couldn’t wait to hold the brush and paint. Tom was not a bad boy, just an inquisitive one who’s mind never rested†¦ always dreaming, and making his dreams sound so good, he could always rope Huck Finn into his escapades. Tom couldn’t lie, and he couldn’t see someone suffer for the sins of another, as seen when he tells the truth about the murder of Dr. Robinson. It took real guts to point the finger at "Injun Joe", the half-breed, who was also one of the most despicable scoundrels in the town. Tom was also loyal to his friends, and showed that when he wouldn’t tell that Huck Finn was with him that night the doctor was killed in the graveyard. Tom also couldn’t leave Becky Thatcher in the cave when they were lost and she had all but given up hope of being found.