Successful People

How to Become a Successful Person Knowing how to become a successful person is essential for every person. It gives him an easy way for a good living. The characteristics of a successful person is different for every person, it depends on how they view it. My view about a successful person is someone who has the right balance in happiness between family and career and is happy in who he/she is and what he/she does. The first thing to become a successful person is to have skills.A successful person eeds to become the specialist in their Job area, no matter how difficult the situation is. Next is to have self-confident, never look down in yourself, because when you do it, that's when you will fail. Passion is also an important need, because success can be obtained by many people, but maintaining the drive to reach the goals requires a passion to achieve it. Beside all of that, there is one thing that is hard to be earned. Why do so many of us fail to act? We know what we must do, yet w e lack the will to do t.In another word, we lack of the courage. Success cannot exist without courage, many people who cannot be success are those who have the highest training and ethics, but lack of the courage. So what we need to overcome failure is having the will to act. A successful person is not afraid to take risk and make difficult decisions, and the important thing is they are ready to accept the responsibility of it. The next step to be a successful person is focus, creative, and optimistic. Why do we need to be focus?Because it is our drive that pushes us forward and keeps our momentum, but without focus we will Just move for the sake of motion. Why do we need to be creative? Because when we stuck with the old ideas, we can make the new ones. And why do we need to be optimistic? Because, an optimist can see the opportunity in every difficulty, optimism is in the heart of a successful human being! After having and being all of that, the next step is what needs to be done. Find the goal of your life can be a good start.After that define the meaning of success as you ee it, you can't be success if you dont know what it means to you, so set clear goals and be realistic. Trust other people to do their Job so you can focus on your own Job. Being surrounded by successful people is also a way to create a culture of success, they can make you become enthusiastic and even connect you to other people that can change your life. Stay away from distractions is also an important thing to become successful. There are always distractions and it is your choice to stay away from them or not.The last is gather as much information as you can, make intellectual connections from it and use it to make your life better. So listen, study, learn, and understand everything that you think is important. The characteristics that you need to have, what you need to be, and thing that needs to be done are all important. Things that you need to have and you need to be are the basic that must be in you, and then use all of it to do the things that need to be done. Each part plays a role that is vital to turn someone into a successful person. Adrian Kohar Accounting 1

Creative Writing – My Dad is not a bad sort of bloke

My Dad is not a bad sort of bloke. There are plenty who are much worse. But he dose rave on a bit, like if you get muddy when you are playing football, or rip your pants when you are building a den. Stuff like that. Mostly we understand each other and I can handle him. What he doesn't know doesn't hurt him. If he knew that I kept George, my pet mouse, under the bed, he wouldn't like it; so I don't tell him. That way he is happy, I am happy and George is happy. There are only problems when he finds out what has been going on. Like the time that I wanted to see Mad Max II. The old man said it was a bad movie- too much blood and guts. It's too violent,' he said. ‘But, Dad, that's not fair. All the other kids are going. I'II be the only one in the school who hasn't seen it. ‘ I went on and on like this. I kept nagging. In the end he gave in-he wasn't a bad old boy. He usually let me have what I wanted after a while. It was easy to get around him. The trouble stared the next morning. He was cleaning his teeth in the bathroom, making noises, humming and gurgling- you know the sort of thing. Suddenly he stopped. Everything went quiet. Then he came into the kitchen. There was toothpaste all around his mouth; he looked like a mad tiger. He was frothing at the mouth. ‘What's this? ‘ he said. He was waving his toothbrush about. ‘What's this on my toothbrush? ‘ Little grey hairs were sticking out of it. ‘How did these hairs get on my toothbrush? ‘ Did you have my toothbrush, David? ‘ He was starting to get mad. I didn't know whether to own up or not. Parents always tell you that if you own up they will let you off. They say that they won't do anything if you are honest- no punishment. I decided to give it a try. ‘Yes,' I said. ‘I used it yesterday. ‘ He still had toothpaste on his mouth. He couldn't talk properly. ‘What are these little grey hairs? he asked. ‘I used it to brush my pet mouse,' I answered. ‘You what? ‘ he screamed. ‘My mouse. ‘ He stared jumping up and down and screaming. He ran around in circles holding his throat, then he ran into the bathroom and stared washing his mouth out. There was a lot of splashing and gurgling. He was acting like a madman. I didn't know what all the fuss was about. All that yelling just over a few mouse hairs. After a while he came back into the kitchen. He kept opening and shutting his mouth as if he could taste something bad. He had a mean look in his eye- real mean. ‘What are you thinking of? he yelled at the top of his voice. ‘Are you crazy or something? Are you trying to kill me? ‘Don't you know that mice carry germs? They are filthy things. I'II probably die of some terrible disease. ‘ He went on like this for ages. Then he said, ‘And don't think that you are going to see Mad Max II. You can sit at home and think how stupid it is to brush a mouse with someone else's toothbrush. ‘ I went back to my room to get dressed. Dad just didn't understand about that mouse. It was a special mouse, a very special mouse indeed. It was going to make a lot of money: fifty dollars, in fact. Every year there was a mouse race in Smith's barn. The prize was fifty dollars. And my mouse, George, had a good chance of winning. But I had to look after him. That's why I brushed him with a toothbrush. I knew that George could beat every other mouse except one. There was one mouse I wasn't sure about. It was called Mugger and Scrag Murphy, the toughest kid in town, owned it. I had never seen his mouse before, but I knew it was fast. Scrag Murphy fed it on a special diet. That is what I was thinking about as I dressed. I went over to the cupboard to get a pair of underpants. There were none there. Hey, Mum,' I yelled out. ‘I am out of underpants. ‘ Mum came into the room holding something terrible. Horrible. It was a pair of home made underpants. ‘I made these for you, David,' she said. ‘I bought the material at the Oxfam shop. There was just the right amount of material for one pair of underpants. ‘ ‘I'm not wearing those,' I told her. ‘No way. Never' ‘What's wrong with them? ‘ and Mum sounded hurt. ‘They're pink,' I said. ‘And they've got little pictures of fairies on them. I couldn't wear them. Everyone would laugh. I would be the laughing stock of the school. ‘ Underpants with fairies on them and pink. I nearly freaked out. I thought about what Scrag Murphy would say if he ever heard about them. I went red just thinking about it. Just then Dad poked his head into the room. He still had that mean look in his eye. He was remembering the toothbrush. ‘What's going on now? ‘ he asked in a dark voice. ‘Nothing,' I said. ‘I was just thanking Mum for making me these nice underpants. ‘ I pulled on my fairy pants and quickly covered them with my jeans. At least no one else would know I had them on. That was one thing to be thankful for. The underpants felt strange. They made me tingle all over. And my head felt light. There was something not quiet right about those underpants- and I am not talking about the fairies. I had breakfast and went out to the front gate. Pete was waiting for me. He is my best mate; we always walk to school together. ‘Have you got your running shoes? ‘ he asked. ‘Oh no,' I groaned. ‘I forgot. It's the cross-country race today. ‘ I went back and got my running shoes. I came back out walking very slowly. I was thinking about the race. I would have to go to the changing rooms and get changed in front of Scrag Murphy and all the other boys. They would all laugh their heads off when they saw my fairly underpants. We walked through the park on the way to school. There was a big lake in the middle. ‘Let's chuck some stones,' said Pete. ‘See who can throw the furthest. ‘ I didn't answer. I was feeling weak in the stomach. ‘What's the matter with you? ‘ he asked. ‘You look like death warmed up. ‘ I looked around. There was no one else in the park. ‘Look at this,' I said. I undid my fly and showed Pete the underpants. His eyes bugged out like organ stops; then he started to laugh. He fell over on the grass and laughed his silly head off. Tears rolled down his cheeks. He really thought it was funny. Some friend. After a while Pete stopped laughing. ‘Your poor thing,' he said. ‘What are you going to do? Scrag Murphy and the others will never let you forget it. ‘ We started throwing stones into the lake. I didn't try very hard. My heart wasn't in it. ‘Hey,' said Pete. ‘That was a good shot. It went right over to the other side. ‘ He was right. The stone had reached the other side of the lake. No one had ever done that before; it was too far. I picked up another stone. This time I threw as hard as I could. The stone went right over the lake and disappeared over some trees. ‘Wow,' yelled Pete. ‘That's the best shot I've ever seen. No one can throw that far. ‘ He looked at me in a funny way. My skin was tingling. ‘I feel strong,' I said. ‘I feel as if I can do anything. ‘ I went over to the park bench. It was large concrete one. I lifted it up with one hand. I held it high over my head. I couldn't believe it. Pete just stood there with his mouth hanging open. He couldn't believe it either. I felt great. I jumped for joy. I sailed high into the air. I went up three meters. ‘What a jump,' yelled Pete. My skin was tingling. Especially under the underpants. ‘It's the underpants,' I said. ‘The underpants are giving me strength. I grinned. ‘They are not underpants. They are wunderpants. ‘ ‘Super Jocks,' said Pete. We both started cackling like a couple of hens. We laughed until our sides ached. I told Pete not to tell anyone about the wunderpants. We decided to keep it a secret. Nothing much happened until the cross-country race that afternoon. All the boys went to the changing room to put on their running gear. Scrag Murphy was there. I tried to into my shorts without him seeing my wunderpants, but it was no good. He noticed them as soon as I dropped my jeans. ‘Ah ha,' he shouted. ‘Look at baby britches. Look at his fairy pants. Everyone looked. They all started to laugh. How embarrassing. They were all looking at the fairies on my wunderpants. Scrag Murphy was a big, fat bloke. He was really tough. He came over and pulled the elastic on my wunderpants. Then he let it go. ‘Ouch,' I said. ‘ Cut that out. That hurts. ‘ ‘What's the matter, little Diddums? ‘ he said. ‘Can't you take it? ‘ He shoved me roughly against the wall. I wasn't going to let him get away with that, so I pushed him back- just a little push. He went flying across the room and crashed into the wall on the other side. I just didn't know m y own strength. That little push had sent him all the way. It was the wunderpants. Scrag Murphy looked at me with shock and surprise that soon turned to a look of hate. But he didn't say anything. No one said anything. They were all thinking I was going to get my block knocked off next time I saw Scrag Murphy. About forty kids were running in the race. We had to run through the countryside, following markers that had been put out by the teachers. It was a hot day, so I decided to wear a pair of shorts but no top. As soon as the starting gun went I was off like a flash. I had kept my wunderpants on and they were working really well. I went straight out to the front. I had never run so fast before. As I ran along the road I passed a man on a bike. He tried to keep up with me, but he couldn't. Then I passed a car. This was really something. This was great. I looked behind. None of the others were in sight- I was miles ahead. The trail trued off the road and into the bush. I was running along a narrow track in the forest. After a while I came to a small creek. I was hot so I decided to have a dip. After all, the others were a long way behind; I had plenty of time. I took off my shorts and running shoes, but I left the wunderpants on. I wasn't going to part with them. I dived into cold water. It was refreshing. I lay on my back looking at the sky. Life was good. These wunderpants were terrific. I would never be scared of Scrag Murphy while I had the on. Then something started to happen- something terrible. The wunderpants started to get tight. They hurt. They were shrinking. They were shrinking smaller and smaller. The pain was awful. I had to get them off. I struggled and wiggled; they were so tight they cut into my skin. In the end I got them off, and only just in time. They shrank so small that they would only just fit over my thumb. I had a narrow escape. I could have been killed by the shirking wunderpants. Just then I heard voices coming. It was the others in the race. I was trapped- I couldn't get out to put on my shorts. There were girls in the race. I had to stay in the middle of the creek in the nude. It took quiet a while for all the others to run by. They were all speared out along the track. Every time I went to get out of the pool, someone else would cone. After a while Pete stopped at the pool. ‘What are you doing? ‘ he said. ‘Even super jocks won't help you win from this far back. ‘ ‘Keep going,' I said. ‘I'II tell you about it later. I didn't want to tell him that I was in the nude. Some girls were with him. Pete and the girls took off along the track. A bit later the last runner arrived. It was Scrag Murphy. He couldn't run fast- he was carrying too much weight. ‘Well, look at this,' he said. ‘It's little fairy pants. And what's this we have here? ‘ He picked up my shorts and running shoes from the bank of the creek. Then he ran off with them. ‘Come back,' I screamed. ‘Bring those back here,' He didn't take any notice. He just laughed and kept running. I didn't know what to do. I didn't have a stitch of clothing. I didn't even have any shoes. I was starting to feel cold; the water was freezing. I was covered in Goosebumps and my teeth were chattering. In the end I had to get out. I would have frozen to death if I stayed in the water any longer. I went and sat on a rock in the sun and tried to think of how g to get home without being seen. It was all right in the bush. I could always hide behind a tree if someone came. But once I reached the road I would be in trouble; I couldn't just walk along the road in the nude. Then I had an idea. I looked at the tiny underpants. I couldn't put them on, but they still might work. I put them over my thumb and jumped. It was no good. It was just a small ordinary jump. I picked up a stone and threw it. It only went a short way, not much of a throw at all. The pants were too small, and I was my weak old self again. I lay down on the rock in the sun. Ants started to crawl over me. Then the sun went behind a cloud. I started to think about Scrag Murphy. He was going to pay for this. I would get him back somehow. Time went slowly, but at last it started to grow dark. I made my way back along the track. I was in bare feet and I kept standing on stones. Branches reached out and scratched me in all sorts of painful places. Then I started to think about snakes. What if I stood on one? There were all sorts of noises in the dark. The moon had gone in, and it was hard to see where I was going. I have to admit it: I was scared. Scared stiff. To cheer myself up I started to think about what I was going to do to Scrag Murphy. Boy, was he going to get it. At last I came to the road. I was glad to be out of the bush. My feet were cut and bleeding and I hobbled along. Every time a car went by I had to drive into the bushes. I couldn't let myself get caught in the headlights of the cars. I wondered what I was going to do when I reached the town. There might be people around. I broke off a branch form a bush and held it in front of my ‘you know what. ‘ It was prickly, but it was better that nothing. By the time I reached the town it was late. There was no one around. But I had to be careful someone might come out of a house at any minute. I ran out from tree to tree and wall to wall, hiding in the shadows as best I could. I decided to make a run for it. It was the only way. I dropped my bush and started running. I went for my life. I reached our street without meeting a soul. I though I was safe, but I was wrong. I crashed right into someone and sent them flying. It was old Mrs Jeeves from across the road. ‘Sorry,' I said. ‘Gee, I'm sorry. ‘ I helped her stand up. She was a bit short sighted and it was dark. She hadn't noticed that I didn't have any clothes on. ‘Disgusting,' she screeched. ‘Disgusting. I'II tell your father about this. ‘ I ran home as fast as I could. I went in the back door and jumped into bed. I tried to pretend that I was asleep. Downstairs I could hear Mrs Jeeves yelling at Dad; then the front door closed. I heard his footsteps coming up the starts. Well, I really copped it. I was in big trouble. Dad went on and on. What are you thinking of, lad? Running around in the nude. Losing all your clothes. What will the neighbour's think/ He went on like that for about a week. I couldn't tell him the truth-he wouldn't believe it. No one would. The only ones who know the whole story were Pete and I. Dad grounded me for a month. I wasn't allowed out of the house except to go to school. No pictures, no swimming and no pocket money either. In was a bad month. Very bad indeed. At school Scrag Murphy gave me a hard time. He called me ‘Fairy Pants'. Every one though it was a great joke, and there was nothing I could do about it. He was just too big for me, and his mates were all tough guys. I remembered the mouse race in Smith's barn. ‘We will win the mouse race,' I shouted. ‘It's in a month's time. We can use the next month to train my mouse. ‘ We started to train George. Every day after school we took him around a track in the back garden. We tied a piece of cheese on the end of a bit of string. George chased after it as fast as he could. After six laps we gave him the piece of cheese to eat. At the start he could do six laps in ten minutes. By the end of the month he was down to three minutes. ‘Scrag Murphy, look out,' said Pete with a grin. We are really going to beat the pants off you this time. ‘ The day of the big race came at last. There were about one hundred kids in Smith's barn. No adults knew about it, they would probably have stopped it if they knew. The prize money came from the entrance fee. ‘Right,' said tiger. ‘Get out your mice. ‘ I put George down on the track. He looked very small. He started to sniff around. I hoped he would run as fast with the other mice there. Scrags Murphy put his hand in the box and took out Mugger. He was the biggest mouse I had ever seen. There were about ten mice in the race- or I should say nine mice and one rat. Two rats if you counted Scrag Murphy. All the owners took out their string and cheese. ‘GO,' shouted Tiger Glenn. Mugger jumped straight on to a little mouse next to him and bit it on the neck. The poor thing fell over and lay still. ‘Boo,' yelled some of the crowd. George ran to the front straight away. He was going really well. Then Mugger started to catch up. It was neck and neck for five laps. First Mugger would get in front, then George. Everyone in the barn went crazy. They were yelling their heads off. Suddenly something terrible happened. Mugger jumped onto George's tail and grabbed it in his teeth. The crowd started to boo. Even Scrag Murphy's mates were booing. But George kept going. He didn't stop for a second. He just pulled the fat rat along after him. It rolled over and over behind the little mouse. Mugger held on for grim of death, but he couldn't stop George. ‘What a mouse,' screamed the crowed as George crossed the finish line still towing Mugger behind him. Scrag Murphy stormed off out of the barn. He didn't even take Mugger with him. Tiger handed me the prize money. Then he held up George. ‘George is the winner,' he said. ‘The only mouse in the world with its own little pair of fairy underpants. ‘

Women’s Employment and The Phenomenon of Dual Breadwinners in Canada

Throughout the early parts of Canadian history, Canadian women served only as wives and mothers where they shared the reservations of motherhood, the tasks and responsibilities of managing their home, and the vocation of serving their families (Errington 7). Throughout this century, labor or work was significantly divided based on gender. As Elizabeth Jane Errington wrote, â€Å"Men hunted, worked the fields, and tended to the heavy outdoor chores. W]omen kept the home, raised the children, and provided the food and clothing needed for daily subsistence† (8). Regardless of their economic status, women were limited to producing goods and services for their households. They were tasked to clean the house, cook food for the family and worked on a routine household chore. Thus the lives of Canadian women were dictated by the â€Å"cycles of pregnancy, childbirth, and lactation† (Errington 11). During the twentieth century, women were still discriminated in employment. There were reports of unequal pays between men and women workers wherein men’s salary is far above than women’s salary. However, during the 1950s to 1960s, the â€Å"new employment statutes† in Canada were formed to prevent discrimination in employment relation to race, religion, and gender. For instance, the â€Å"first Canadian Bill of Rights† has enclosed equal employment opportunity for all Canadians regardless of their gender, thereby prescribing equal pay for men and women. However, this bill failed to address the employment condition of the disadvantaged group. Thus, in 1970s, brought by increased pressure from minority and women group, the federal government instituted special programs that would improve the employment status of both groups. In 1977, the Legislature passed the â€Å"Canadian Human Rights Act† which aimed â€Å"to protect Canadians from discrimination based on ten grounds: race, national ethnic origin, color, religion, age, sex, marital status, family status, disability and conviction for offence for which a pardon has been granted (Human Resources and Skills Development Canada† [HRSDC]). Six years later, the â€Å"Royal Commission on Equality in Employment (RCEE)† was founded to advance equal employment opportunities through methods deemed as most effective, efficient, and equitable. This activity was delegated to individuals with disabilities, aboriginal peoples, minority persons and women. The following year, Judge Rosalie Abella released the report of this commission which addressed the problem relating to employment disadvantage. This report served as an instrument in the creation of â€Å"Employment Equity Act† in 1986, the purpose of which is to: Achieve equality in the workplace so that no person shall be denied employment opportunities or benefits for reasons unrelated to ability and, in the fulfillment of the goals, to correct the conditions of disadvantage in employment experienced by women, Aboriginal peoples, persons with disabilities, and visible minority people by giving effect to the principle that employment equity means more than treating persons in the same way but also requires special measures and the accommodation of differences. (HRSDC) Ever since this Act was instituted, the number of women’s employment increased significantly, almost causing women to claim equal percentage of employment with men’s employment. Considering a family where both a father and a mother are employed, dual breadwinners have become a trend in most family living in Canada. As the Canadian Human Rights Commission (CHRC), referring to equal pay between men and women, noted â€Å"Canadian women have achieved considerable progress towards equality in the past few decades but are still far from having reached full substantive equality. Current Trend in Employment Equity: A report on Women’s Employment From 2005 to 2006, women's representation in employment remained steady at 42. 7 percent. In 2005, the percentage of women’s representation in the private sector was 43. 3 percent, while in 2006, it was at 43. 1. At the public sector, women’s representation was at 41. 7 percent in 2005, while in 2006, women’s employment was 42. 1 percent. Although, women’s employment is significantly high, it remained below the availability in both the public sectors and private sector with a total 48. percentage (HRDC). In the federally regulated private sector, most women found employment in the banking sector with 134,274 women population or 68. 4 percent in 2006. Other private sectors where women have representations are in communications, with 88,398 employed women or 40. 8 percent; transportation with 38,949 women employees or 24. 5 percent; and others with 14,783 women representation or 30. 2 percent (HRSDC). Meanwhile, the number of women based on their selected occupational group is also noticeable with a total of 44. percent in 2006, wherein women who are employed as senior manager was 22. 2 percent; middle and other managerial level at 44. 2 percent; professionals at 46. 3 p ercent; and Employment Equity Occupational Groups at 44. 7 percent. Compared to the employment equity data in 2001 wherein women employment based on occupational group is summed up to 45. 3 percent, women’s representation is lower in 2005 where said total percentage was at 44. 5. Yet, it increased with . 2 percent as compared to the previous year (2008) (HRDC n. p. ). Furthermore, according to a report from Labor Force Survey (LFS), the total number of employment in Canada has declined in March 2009, recording an estimated 61,000 unemployed. This marked the highest unemployment rate of 8. 0 percent as compared to 2001 where unemployment rate is only at 0. 3 percent. Employment losses are common among men ages 25 to 54 with 7. 7 percent unemployment rate, and the youth ages 15 to 24 with 14. 8 percent unemployment rate. In contrast to 7. 7 percent unemployment rate among men between the ages 25 and 54, the percentage of unemployed women in the same age bracket was at 5. percent (Statistics Canada 7). Employment of men whose age ranges from 25 to 54 was at 7,236. 6 (in thousands) while employment among women in the same age bracket was at 7,246. 5 (in thousands) recorded in March 2009 (Statistic Canada 24). Increased in unemployment rate was due to the financial crisis that faced the world economy where Canada is one of the most affected countries. Looking at the figures, one may assume that women are claiming equal distribution of employment among men. Also noticeable is the low unemployment rate among women (5. %) as compared to men (7. 7%). This only indicates that women are participating actively (by being employed) in both public and private sectors in Canada. Most Canadian women are now becoming family’s breadwinners. Employment Equity for Women is not yet in Full Substance Many changes have occurred concerning women’s representation in the federal government of Canada. Aside from labor force participation, Canadian women also found themselves actively participating in electoral federal voting (Erickson and O’Neill 375). According to Erickson and O’Neill, factors such as increase in levels of education, occupational segregation, and lower pay rates incited Canadian women to cast their vote on people, party, or policy that aims for women equality with men. Armed with these struggles, Canadian women are now seeking for a fairer treatment in the workplace. Gender-sensitive groups petition for creating policies that would provide equal pay, treatment, and opportunities for women seeking for employment and those who are already working. They also urge the federal government to stop violence against women which are often manifested in the form of spousal and sexual assaults. Although the status of Canadian women has significantly developed from being housekeepers to becoming senior managers, equality between men and women in the workplace is not yet fully realized and implemented. As the CHRC noted, â€Å"For instance, in 2000, the average employment income for full-time female employees working year-round was 70. 8% of the income of male workers. Aside from the employment income, other factors such as gender, ethnic origin, race, and disability contributed to the economic disadvantage of Canadian women. As has been stated, â€Å"gender-based violence in the form of spousal and sexual assaults† also prohibits the substantive equality of men and women (CHRC). With regard to nature of employment, although the employment rate of Canadian women has increased, they are â€Å"more likely to be hired in part-time a nd temporary work as compared to men† (Cranford, Vosko, and Zukewich 456). This indicates that Canadian women are more exposed to negative employment environment such as â€Å"limited benefits and statutory entitlements, low earnings, job insecurity, low job tenure, poor working conditions, and high risks of being sick† (Cranford et al. 456). Many critics blamed the â€Å"feminization of employment norm [which] caused the erosion of the standard employment relationship [which then led to] the spread of non-standard forms of employment that exhibit qualities of [unstable] employment† often experienced by most Canadian women (Cranford et al. 56). The growth of non-standard employment began in 1980s and is continuously being practiced in the country. Furthermore, the feminization of employment standards was said to be brought by the following factors: occupational and industrial segregation; increased number of women participating in formal labor force; the gendering of jobs to accommodate more laborers; and occupational and income division betwe en and among men and women (Cranford et al. 460). Looking at this employment trend, it seems that Canadian women are still victims of inequality. In fact, many studies confirmed that the reason why most Canadian women working on a part-time and temporary basis is because they are being obliged to perform their chore of care giving for their family. As Cranford and associates put it: â€Å"[O]ver-representation of women in more precarious forms of employment is shaped by continuous gender inequalities in households resulting in women’s greater responsibilities for unpaid domestic work compared to men† (460). Thus, although most Canadian women are now taking their part as breadwinners of the family, they are still more bound by their household responsibilities as compared to men. Women Employment and Dual Breadwinners With the increasing number of women receiving higher levels of education, particularly those who are able to finish their college degrees, most of them are finding their chance to be employed in a high paying job. Being highly paid, these women are no longer concerned with the financial support that would come from their spouses. Most of them are interested in becoming successful in their chosen career. Such women’s aggressiveness often results in bringing home higher income as compared to their husband. However, over time, the phenomenon of dual breadwinners in most households across the globe has been bombarded with different issues relating to gender roles, equality, economic status, and others. It has been perceived that when a woman (particularly married woman) starts to work and serve as the breadwinner of their family, indirectly, the tendency is that later, she would abandon her role as a wife and as a mother. As Dr. Gail Saltz wrote: For some couples, having the woman make more money than the man creates an insurmountable problem. Some men feel emasculated if their wives are the primary breadwinners and they are asked to take on more household chores and additional childcare responsibilities. And some women feel resentful if they not only shoulder most of the household’s financial obligations, but also are expected to pick up the lion’s share of the domestic responsibilities. Moreover, living in a society that associates money with power, most people believe that the one who brings home more money automatically would lead or dominate the members of the family. Yet, the positive effect of women’s employment and the event of dual breadwinners can be observed in the progress of the economic and financial status of each household where both parents are employed and are receiving good income. Women Breadwinners in Canada One of the most radical changes in Canadian employment condition brought by the passage of Employment Equity Act was the growth of dual-earner husband-wife families as early as in 1960s. Statistics Canada identified that the increased in numbers of dual-earner couples during the past years was brought by the growth in numbers of wives who serving as the main wage earner in the family. In 1967, it was recorded that approximately 11 percent of married women were earning more than their spouses. In 2003, this percentage had nearly tripled, recording 29 percent increase on the number of women serving as primary breadwinners. Findings revealed that wives serving as primary breadwinners have an income of approximately $41,200 in 2003 compared to $57,800 income of their male counterparts (Statistics Canada). Although it has been noted that there are a considerable number of Canadian women who serve as primary breadwinners, Statistic Canada noted that primary-earner married women are receiving an income that is less than the income of primary-earner husband. Thus, families with wives as primary breadwinners are noted to lag behind the families with husbands serving as primary breadwinner. As stated in Statistic Canada report, Family incomes in which the wife was the primary breadwinner averaged $74,000 in 2003, compared with $86,000 for families in which the husband was the primary earner. In addition, on average, primary-earner wives contributed less to family income than primary-earner husbands. Employment earnings of primary-earner wives represented just over half of their family's income, while the earnings of primary-earner husbands corresponded to two-thirds. Analyzing this development, it can be assumed that although most Canadian women had found their place in labor sectors, there are still factors which serve as barriers for women to become the primary breadwinners of their families. Analysis and Conclusion Although women’s employment had increased over time and that there are a significant number of women who serve as family’s breadwinners, women have not yet reached an equal status with men nor replaced them as the primary earner in many families in Canada. One of the factors contributing to such trend is related to the amount of income being received by most employed women. Although the Employment Equity Act encouraged equal pay between men and women, most companies in Canada still give higher income, benefits, and incentives to male workers due to perceived work hazard where male workers are more exposed. Another reason is that most women are engaged in low paying job. Although there are some who work as managers and high professionals, many women are employed in blue-collar occupations such as clerical, secretarial, service, and sales jobs where the salary is low. Men who are employed in blue-collar jobs receive higher pay than men because of the nature of their work which require strong physical attributes. Moreover, though there are a large number of women employed in both private and public sectors, the tenure of their employment could not guaranty high earnings. In addition, most women are more often receive part-time, temporary, or contractual jobs as compared to a large number of men working as full-time employees. Being employed as part-time worker prohibits women to receive more benefits and incentives being given to full-time employees. With these conditions, the following conditions of employed women in Canada can be inferred: (1) equity and equality between men and women has not yet reached its full substantive goal; (2) Canadian women are still victims of male dominion both in family and labor affairs; (3) Canadian women are still struggling to have an equal status with Canadian men as primary breadwinners; and (4) Canadian women still need to encourage the federal government to create a more effective and efficient policy addressing the issues of inequality between men and women by enclosing all the aspects of living (economic, social, political and cultural). Only when these conditions are addressed properly will Canadian women receive their equal share in all aspects of living among with men. Meanwhile, the positive effects of women’s employment and phenomenon of dual breadwinners in Canada are: (1) women are able to contribute to the budget of the family; and (2) families with dual breadwinners are more likely to progress economically and financially. Works Cited Canadian Human Rights Commission. Social Equality in Canada: A Submission from the Canadian Human Rights Commission to the United Nations Human Rights Council as part of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR). 4 Dec. 2008. 1 May 2009. . Cranford, Cynthia J., Leah F. Vosko, and Nancy Zukewich. â€Å"The Gender of Precarious Employment in Canada.† Industrial Relations 58 (2003): 454-482. Erickson, Lynda and Brenda O’Neill. â€Å"The Gender Gap and the Changing Woman Voter in Canada.† International Political Science Review 23 (2002): 373-392. Errington, Elizabeth Jane. Wives and mothers, schoolmistresses and scullery maids working women in Upper Canada, 1790-1840. Montreal: McGill-Queen’s University Press, 1995. Human Resources and Skills Development Canada. History of Employment Equity. 16 Sept. 2003. 1 May 2009. . —. Employment Equity Act Annual Report – 2007: Chapter 1: Women. 18 Jul. 2008. 1 May 2009. . Saltz, Gail. â€Å"Women as Breadwinners?† MSNBC.com. 24 Jan. 2007. 1 May 2009. Statistics Canada. Labor Force Information. 9 Apr. 2009. 1 May 2009. . —. Study: Wives as Primary Breadwinners. 23 Aug. 2006. 1 May 2009.

The Four Methods in Lincoln Electric Case Study

The Four Methods in Lincoln Electric - Case Study Example Secondly, it was the R&D efforts of its founders and its proactive stance that made it a success over its competitors, even though it had shared technology during the Second World War for the benefit of the USA. The company setup was planned and organized with very few levels of management. Workers had a right to voice their opinions and thoughts and these were listened to, with the consequence that there was no need for unionization. There was an open door policy and every complaint was looked into. The vision for the company was to expand and prosper through a system of high productivity and rewards like year-end bonus and guaranteed employment. The company also promoted from within and many of the top management had progressed from the lower ranks up the organization. The company was successful in extending this culture and philosophy developed at Cleveland to some regions but met with opposition from others. To some degree, culture and education have been responsible for this. Di scuss Lincoln’s approach to the organization and motivation of their employees as it corresponds to the behavioral viewpoint of management, specifically as it relates to early behaviorism pioneered by Hugo Munsterberg, Mary Parker Follett and Elton Mayo’s Hawthorne Effect. The behavioral viewpoint of management seeks to motivate workers through a reward and punishment system aims to elicit a certain type of behavior from its employees. It is usually based on a system that is fair and equitable for everyone. Hugo Munsterberg proposed that employee skills match job requirements and devising management strategies that made employees follow management’s best interests. Mary Parker Follett preferred that organizations work like communities with joint efforts and collaboration between workers and management to deal positively with problems that might emerge.  

Behaviorism and Learning Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Behaviorism and Learning - Term Paper Example Generally, it has been observed that behaviors are derived from perceptions. Most of the practitioners have supported this statement through one way or other. This paper briefly discusses the experiments of renowned theorist in the field of psychology. It is believed that at the time of birth, human mind is tabula rasa which means a blank slate. As the mind starts to grow up and gathers information from the outside world (unconditioned stimuli), the behavior of the child starts to shape (conditioned response). By considering the consequences of the experiments discussed in this paper, it can be stated that behaviors are derived from perception and therefore, it can be stated that unconditioned stimuli leads to conditioned response. Summarize behaviorism and how it has affected the understanding of learning. Be sure to include the following information: Introduction The fundamental principle upon which behaviorism operates is ‘stimulus-response’. Its basic concept states that all behaviors are caused primarily by external stimuli. Behaviorism assumes that a learner is, in essence, a passive subject which responds to external stimuli. Under the theory of behaviorism, it is believed that at birth, human mind is tabula rasa which means a clean slate and behavior is shaped as soon as the mind starts to conceive external information and stimuli.... Out of all those, some major contributors of behaviorism are: Pavlov (1897) - In order to investigate the behaviorism theory, Pavlov conducted a research studying digestion in dogs. Watson (1913) – Watson published an article naming â€Å"Psychology as the Behaviorist Views It† and initiated a behavioral school of psychology. Watson and Rayner (1920) – programmed an orphan called Little Albert aka Albert B in order to scare the white rat. Thorndike (1905) – formulated the â€Å"Law of Effect† Skinner (1936) – Skinner was the first one who introduced the concepts of shaping and conditioning. Skinner wrote â€Å"The Behavior of Organisms†. Clark Hull’s (1943) – published â€Å"Principles of Behavior†. B.F. Skinner (1948) – formalized Walden Two in which he explained the foundation of utopian society upon behaviorist principles. Bandura (1963) – combines the concepts of behavioral and cognitive framework in his book called as â€Å"Social Learning Theory and Personality Development†. B.F Skinner (1971) – argues upon the concept that ‘free will is an illusion’ in his book named as â€Å"Beyond Freedom and Dignity† (McLeod, 2007). Main Components of Behaviorism Theory The two major components of Behaviorism Theory are: i. Classic Conditioning Classical conditioning is the fundamental response to stimuli. It is that conditioning in which a programmed or conditioned stimuli is paired with unconditioned stimulus until the conditioned stimulus becomes sufficient enough to educe the response ii. Operant Conditioning Operant conditioning has the basic notion of responding to the results of our actions. Operant conditioning is that component of the theory in which behavior is strengthened when reinforcement is

Questions in Principle of economy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Questions in Principle of economy - Essay Example Economists use the concept of elasticity to define the sensitivity of consumers to the change that happens in prices of goods and services. In general understanding elasticity is a reaction’s measure of one variable on the changing of another variable expressed in percentage. There are several types of elasticity, one of which is the price elasticity of demand. This indicator shows the percentage of demand changing under the influence of price changing also expressed in per cents. In other words, the coefficient of price elasticity defines how many per cents of changing the volume of demand will have if the price changes by 1 per cent. Formula of the mentioned indicator is the following: If calculated rate is bigger than 1 then demand on the product is elastic. This means that if price changes by 1 per cent then demand will change by more than 1 percent. So decrease in price on the product will cause sharp increase of sales that enlarges the level of total revenue. Therefore, in such situation the policy of decreasing the price can be very effective and may bring additional profits afterwards. Hence, for instance, for the telecommunication service providers, the higher the elasticity the better, because cutting prices will affect the growth in demand which in its turn will boost profits (Weingarten and Stuck 2001, pp. 32). If calculated formula of elasticity reaches 1 sharply then there is a unit elasticity, which indicates that 1 per cent change of price causes the same percentage change of demand. In this respect, the fall of price is compensated with the rise of sales and the total revenue remains unchangeable. The products with elastic demand are considered those goods that are easy to substitute. Luxury goods also have coefficient of elasticity that exceeds 1. For example, pieces of art are the products with elastic demand. Articles of prime necessity, such as, for example,

English Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 17

English - Essay Example In any war, the soldiers get paranoid; they are dispossessed of the sense of justice and morality, once they are part of the war. The solider will never be the same individual again.War is a terrible evil exercise for humanity. The victor is also a loser! Political leaders plan the war, but the soldiers fight it at the ground level. When one soldier is killed, the immediate family members suffer and the well-wishers go through an agonizing experience. The soldiers have no personal enmity and yet they are compelled to plan to eliminate each other. The only mantra for a soldier is, kill or get killed! Each day is a tough survival option for the soldier and no one at home is able to understand their predicaments. Tim illustrates a story of a soldier who brings his girlfriend to Vietnam. When she arrives, she is fresh and exuberant about the country that she is going to visit. But soon, the jungle life fascinates her; she loses attachment to her old city life. She disappears into the jungle. Tim explains this incident thus: "Tone? I didnt know it was all that complicated. The girl joined the zoo. One more animal--end of story." (O’Brien, p.107)Tim recalls a moment, how he killed a soldier who was walking down a trial. Tim threw a hand grenade at him and his face exploded†¦. He also narrates about the image of a young girl dancing outside her destroyed village, as American soldiers take the dead family away. ---One cries when one is sad; one doesn’t, when mad! Many such stories circulate. But, "Its safe to say that in a true war story nothing is ever absolutely tr ue." (O’Brien, p. 82) In Louise Erdrichs short story, "The Red Convertible," she communicates the emotional disturbances, war creates for a soldier and his relationships through symbolism of car between two brothers, Henry and Lyman. Their great attachment to the joint property, the symbol of their mutual affection during the pre-war days has vanished. Henry realizes that his

Managing Cultural Diversity - Cross Cultural Communication Research Paper

Managing Cultural Diversity - Cross Cultural Communication - Research Paper Example Management is about setting goals and achieving them in the decided time. However, different cultures have different approach towards goal setting and setting deadline, depending on their beliefs of free will or ‘will of God’ (Munter, 1993, para 6). These important aspects are covered in the article in detail. So the article not only looks at the word patterns, body language and behavior pattern of people that are shaped by cultural influences, but also dives deep into the roots of the behavior and reveals that actually, the behavior pattern and psychology stem from the religious and spiritual beliefs of people coming from different cultures. Another important aspect discussed in the article is the definition of self in different countries, i.e., if people see themselves as individuals or groups. This is extremely important in communication style as it talks about the comfort level a person from individualistic approach might feel while communicating with person having group approach (Munter, 1993, para 17). Also, the article has described how communication does not mean only the verbal or non-verbal communication that takes place between people, but also means understanding the habits of people in their mundane life. Hence, the author has also discussed the importance of understanding and following the eating habits, as according to the author, food is the major aspect of lifestyle and culture. So food etiquettes also play an important role in communication pattern (Munter, 1993, para 24). Apart from discussing the cross-culture aspects like value, image, credibility psychology and understanding the audience, the author has discussed aspects like

Ecotourism and community development Assignment

Ecotourism and community development - Assignment Example Ecotourism involves travelling to natural places with the aim of conserving the environment and improving the livelihood of the inhabitants of the region Forsyth (2010). Edgell (2006) argues that as a trend, ecotourism emerged in 1980 s and it involved small-scale visits, however in the recent years people have become more aware of it leading to its grown popularity. In Thailand, ecotourism has several benefits that point towards the conservation of the natural environment especially the Thai’s mangrove forests. Sirinart Rajini mangrove-ecosystem learning centre is the first product of the government’s effort to promote ecotourism. Created from an abandoned shrimp farm the centre aims to provide the residents with practical knowledge on the importance of promoting ecotourism. Following the establishment of a shrimp farm in the Sirinart Rajini ecosystem, the natural mangrove forest and environment was greatly affected and therefore the government aims to restore it by pr omoting ecotourism (Thanomrak, 2011). The centre works with the local communities to promote environmental conservation through soil conservation and reforestation. The centre therefore aims at establishing a sustainable ecosystem that benefits people and other inhabitants of the environment. ... The definition also includes the desire to conserve the natural environment as the second objective of ecotourism. Ecotourism generally targets the creation of awareness in people on the need to conserve the deteriorating natural resources (Wood, 2002). Ecotourism also promote the development of the local communities through promotion of economic activities that are aimed at the conservation of the natural environment and resources. Through ecotourism programs, the government is also pushing its agenda of poverty eradication through the promotion of sustainable community development projects Neth (2008). Although ecotourism has massive and notable benefits, some scholars have pointed at some disadvantages on the activity that focus on the long-term developments. Promoting ecotourism has led into encroachment into the natural environment and this has caused ecological imbalance. The process has therefore led to the destruction of ecosystems that are of great biological importance for the future generations. The need to generate more revenue has accelerated the pace of destruction of the natural environment and therefore the country would do better without the activity. Ecotourism has also exposed native communities of the country to external influence and this has promoted cultural interference (Belanger, 2006). The activity has therefore weakened the culture of the Thai people that had been one of the strongest cultures of the world. Through promoting ecotourism, cultural and religious values that are of great importance to the people and the country are being eroded constantly. The government is therefore conscious of the long-term effect of the activity in the

Utilitarianism Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Utilitarianism - Coursework Example From this discussion it is clear that on utilitarian grounds, the individual should be tortured for the good and safety of others, which is noticeably ethical. For a terrorism free world, as a true utilitarian I would vote for the painful torture of the innocent individual. According to utilitarianism, the good of others should come first. Utilitarianism is a concept in normative ethics that views the best moral action as the one that maximises utility.   The best and valid action in this terrorism case is to save as many lives as possible. However, choosing the option of the innocent individual to be slowly and painfully tortured is not an easy decision to make and is not morally accepted.This paper discusses that the theory of utilitarianism is a basic view of consequences. For that reason, letting one individual die for the safety of the rest of the world is a justified, permissible, and an even obligatory action. The author takes on this situation can also be justified through the theory of doctrine of double effect. The doctrine suggests for an act to be morally permissible it has to fit certain criteria and the outcome should favour many. The doctrine also suggests the action is essential for ‘evil’ purpose if it results in beneficial good.   According to the school of thought established by Immanuel Kant ,believes that our sense of morality is connected to reason, therefore according   school of thought letting the individual face torture is worth if it saves many lives.  

Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Project - Essay Example The total long term assets for this company in the year 2010 were recorded to be $86,113,000. As time went on, the company continued improving and by the year 2013, this value was recorded to be $142,431,000. In terms of liabilities, the percentage of liabilities for the company has been recorded to decrease substantially. The company has been able to reduce liabilities to a desirable level. This means that the company is in a position to generate more profit and improve on stocks and products. There is a reason, therefore to conclude that this company has high competitive abilities. There is a reason also to conclude that this company is better off than even its major competitors. In the year 2010, the percentage of total liabilities was more than one hundred percent. This showed that the company had to give out a lot of its earnings in terms of payments. All the same, by the year 2013, the percentage of total liabilities was recorded to have reduced to values less than one hundred percent. This shows that the company had expanded substantially. It shows that the company was in a position to settle various debts and to increase ion size. Using valuation techniques, the company’s growth rate for the present and next year can be estimated. The company grew by more than 108 percent in the year 2010. In the year 2011, the rate of growth was recorded to decrease to 103 percent. In the year 2012, the rate continued to decrease. It went down to 102 percent. We can therefore, prospect that this year’s rate of growth will be 101.5 percent and next year’s rate of growth will be 100 percent. This rate of growth will still ensure that the company develops to the desired level within reasonable time duration. We notice that there is a decreasing trend in the rate of growth for the company. The reason here is because the company is continues increasing every year. An increase in size of the company will imply that a greater total change will be needed t o reflect an increasing fraction on the total change. A substantial growth would therefore still indicate a smaller percentage than the previous due to the increase in size of the company. There will still be satisfactory rates of growth for the company in the next several years. This is according to what the information provided indicates for the three years period. At present, the company is fairly valued. The company does not have extremes of pending debts that have to be paid. This means that all the sales made by the company will contribute positively to the total value of the company. The sales for the company are also high. This will attract majority of investors to buy shares from the company. They will do this because they expect to get high returns from the shares. Once this is the situation, then the company will have enough amount of money to use in all their transactions. The company will be in a position to invest more thus attracting more profit. The value of the comp any at the moment is fair. The company has assets. These assets are fairly huge enough to attract any financial market participant to buying the business. The company cannot be said to be highly valued. We can neither say that the company is undervalued. After reading through all the information provided about the company, we can only say that the company is average valued. The value for the company can still be improved through various tactics that will enable the company

Waiting for Death in `A Rose for Emily` and `Old Ladies Home’ Essay Example for Free

Waiting for Death in `A Rose for Emily` and `Old Ladies Home’ Essay William Faulkner wrote, â€Å"A Rose for Emily† at a time when society was undergoing change. The South had lost the Civil War and the southern people were finding it hard to let go of the past. Emily is the symbolic representation of this resistance to change. She becomes numb emotionally simply carrying out the routine of life without any characteristic resistance while the people around her become onlookers. Similarly, Sylvia Plath’s poem â€Å"Old Ladies Home† relates the dehumanization of the inhabitants. The people in the Home have ceased to exist for the outside world. The women in the Home are existing like insects quiet and without character as the people around them move about, detached and cold. Analysis of the Theme and Symbolism In Faulkner’s short story, Emily, after her father’s death she became a recluse and stopped living. Her life became a part in history and it seemed she and the people around him simply waited for her death. She was described as, †¦a slight woman, though thinner than usual, with cold, haughty black eyes in a face the flesh of which was strained across the temples and about the eye-sockets as imagine a lighthouse-keepers face ought to look (Kirszner, 58). Faulkner shows the concept of death and how death can become a release when life becomes status quo. The reader is told in great detail about the position of Emily and her father in the town and the manner in which their life has changed. In Plath’s poem we read about the ladies wearing black and being ‘sharded’ in it. The words used to describe these women are, â€Å"Sharded in black, like beetles, Frail as antique earthenwear One breath might shiver to bits†¦ Age wears the best black fabric Rust-red or green as lichens. † The decay of the fabric represents the decay of their life. The nurses call them ‘ghosts’ and the beds are said to resemble ‘coffins’. The nature of the Home and the change in their life from youthful to aged shows the contrast of life to death. The concept of death and decay is prevalent in the story by Faulkner as well for he describes the decaying house as an eyesore among eyesores (Kirszner, 55). The decay represents the decay of Emily’s family’s position in society. The decaying body of Homer found after Emily Greison’s death also represents how things can get corrupted when change is not accepted. Emily was so steeped in her life in the past that she could not function in the present. Her father’s death and the death of her fiance caused her to give up on life and start a slow wait for her own death. The words Faulkner used to describe Emily and her situation included the smell and people going to her slunk around while the actual reality of Emily’s life became a tableau for the people of the town shown through the words, â€Å"We had long thought of them as tableau, Miss Emily a slender figure in white in the background, her father a spraddled silhouette in the foreground, his back to her and clutching a horsewhip, the two of them framed by the back-flung front door (Kirszner, 57). † Both Plath and Faulkner used the symbols and imagery of decay to show the progress of death. As the story and poem progress, death becomes the ultimate goal. The words and imagery in both the texts shows the frailness of the women. Through a description of the house Faulkner showed the change in Emily’s life. Her house decayed from a mansion to one that became a representation of failure and death. The crumbling walls became a source of fascination for the people and Emily ceased to exist as a person to them, rather she became a representation of the past [Allen, 1984]. The townspeople did not try to reach out or help her, they just focused on her life in fascination. Plath too, created a picture of the old women as decaying objects rather than human beings. They are described as insects and their progression towards death becomes inevitable. The words, ‘The old women creep out here†¦Ã¢â‚¬  are used to describe them and the word ‘creep’ is similar to Faulkner’s use of ‘slink’ to show the dehumanization of Emily and the others view of her as a symbol rather than a human. We see Plath go on to write, ‘Needles knit in a bird-beaked Counterpoint to their voices: Sons, daughters, daughters and sons, Distant and cold as photos†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The relationship between the women and their relatives is similar to the one Emily had with the townspeople. There was no warmth or love between them and the only connection was one of the past. The women’s relatives came out of a sense of obligation and duty and the visits were like looking at old photographs with no feelings. Like Faulkner writes, â€Å"Thus she passed from generation to generation dear, inescapable, impervious, tranquil, and perverse (Faulkner, 5), Emily’s life stood still. Her relationship with the world at large became stagnant and there was nothing to associate her life with being alive. Similarly, Plath [2009] uses the words, Age wears the best black fabric, to show how the women have stopped living and are in a constant state of mourning. They cling to every morsel of life and their very fragility shows the fragile threads of life and death. Conclusion: As we have seen Plath and Faulkner both wrote about the decay of life and the approach of death. They focused on the slow decomposition of human life physically and emotionally and how people become a ghost of their old selves as death approaches. However, while conceptually the similarities in the two texts may seem extraordinary there is a basic difference between these two narrations. Faulkner, wrote more of the decay and destruction of life figuratively, and how through the resistance to change humans become corrupted in their life. He wrote more of the death of a way of life, creating Emily and her life as a symbol of societal change. Plath, on the other hand discussed death in the physical concept. She presented the decomposition of human life and the loss of individuality as the progress of old age becomes eminent. The ladies in the poem were waiting for their death and had become mere shells of their former body. This stark contrast between the two texts creates a broader theme which suggests that without change human life ceases to exist and with the decay of the human body, life is but a wait for death. References: Allen, Dennis W. Horror and Perverse Delight: Faulkners A Rose for Emily. Modern Fiction Studies, Vol. 30, No. 4, Winter 1984, pp. 685-96. Plath, Sylvia Old Ladies Home accessed April 20, 2009 http://www. angelfire. com/tn/plath/home. html Kirszner, Laurie G. , and Stephen R. Mandell. A Rose for Emily. Fort Worth. Harcourt, 1997.

Pel Company History

Pel Company History Pak Elektron was setup in 1956 as a Public Limited Company with the object of initially producing transformers, switchgears, and electric motors. AEG experts and PEL personnel carried out the designing and production of this equipment jointly. After the conclusion of joint venture agreement with AEG Saigol Group acquired the PEL COMPANY in October 1978. The company floated its shares to the general public and was listed on Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE) and Lahore Stock Exchange (LSE). In 1980, Appliances Division was established and in 1981 its starts the production of Window Type Air Conditioners with the technical collaboration of General Corporation of Japan. This air conditioner was well received in the market for its quality. Subsequently in 1987 the production of Refrigerators and Deep Freezers was started. In 1993 the company has started the assembly of Compressors for Refrigerators and Deep Freezers under technical collaboration with Messrs. NECCHI COMPRESSORI of Italy. It was in early 70s that PEL became known in overseas markets due to its quality. The company started its export to countries like Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi, Qatar etc. Later on PEL supplied electrical equipments to various other countries in the Middle East, Far East and Africa with great success. 1.2 Vision To providing engineering goods and services through continuous improvement 1.3 Mission Statement To provide quality products services to the complete satisfaction of our customers and maximize returns for all stakeholders through optimal use of resources, To focus on personal development of our employees to meet future challenges, To promote good governance, corporate values and a safe working environment with a strong sense of social responsibility CHAPTER NO 2 BUSINESS OPERATIONS This chapter has been divided in five section, Section one described the product in which PEL deal. In second section business operation analysis are given. In section third SWOT analysis is given. In fourth section future strategy is given. In fifth section competitive analysis is given. 2.1 Organizational Structure 2.1 Division of PEL There are two division of PEL: Power Division Appliances Division This division is comprised for four departments. 2.1.1 Power Division The most powerful revenue generating business unit of PAK Elektron, produces Transformers, Switchgears and Energy Meters for the public sector such as KESC Karachi Electric Supply Corporation, LESCO and PESCO. They provide these three products: Production Transformers Production Switchgears Production Energy Meters During the year 2006, PEL retained its market leadership in the Power Equipment market, increasing its market share from 33% in 2005 to 36% in 2006 in the switchgear market and also maintained share of 35% in 2006 as well in the energy meters market. PELs leadership in the Power Equipment market is largely due to its strong Research and Development knowledge and high product quality. 2.1.1.1 Production Transformers PEL has vast experience in design and manufacturing of standard and special purpose transformers up to 33kV and up to 6000kVA ratings. PELs transformers have been successfully type tested for Impulse voltage and short circuit tests at KEMA, (Holland), HVSC Lab, Rawat (Pakistan), NIP (Pakistan) and UET (Pakistan). 2.1.1.2 Production Energy Meters Another successful and most powerful department of power division is its energy meter production department that manufactures Electro-mechanical Energy Meters under license from ABB-USA.The quality of PEL meters has been certified by KEMA Laboratories (Holland) and conforms to IEC 521, SGS Yarsley, and U.K, has certified PEL Energy Meter plant for ISO 9002. Following types of meters are manufactured: Electro mechanical Single phase Three phase_ Direct connected STATIC /DIGITAL Single Phase Three Phase Directed connected 2.1.1.3 Production Switchgears Switchgears are one of the highly technical and specialized power products of PEL. They are produced for indoor and outdoor installations complying with international installation standards. A major customer for this product is WAPDA. The Company provides one year after sales service warranty to WAPDA, KESC and other customers. In Switchgear, PEL enjoys market share of 33 % while competitors are Alstom, Siemens and Fico. 2.1.1.4 Power Transformers Owing to massive growth in power sector, demand for power transformers is also growing proportionately for all ratings from 66KV to500 KV. PEL has stepped into this activity by starting the manufacturing of 132 KV transformers, being the most demanded rating, and for these purposes has formed a strategies partnership by signing the two agreements. Based on the demand forecast of Power Transformers for WAPDA, KESC and other projects, PELs market share is initially targeted to be 20%, growing in five years. 2.1.2 Appliances Division The Appliances Division of PEL is the pioneer manufacturer of electrical goods in Pakistan. The Divisions product portfolio comprises of air-conditioners, refrigerators, televisions, microwave ovens, and split air-conditions. PEL is one of the three leading players in the home appliances market. The Company is engaged in the manufacturing and/or marketing of the following home appliances. The Companys Appliances Division contributed significantly to its sales in 2005-06. The main reasons for this growth are increase in market sizes along with PELs strong brand image accompanied with its extensive dealership network spread nationwide with over one thousand outlets and an after sales service network with over 100 workshops. Another major reason for the increasing growth in the home appliances market is the easy availability of consumer financing at lower interest rates. PEL itself is involved in selling its products through a marketing wing for sales against consumer financing. Availability of Chinese products at very competitive prices has not proven to be that big a threat to the local industry. This is because of the improved quality of the local products and cost efficiencies due to economies in product and raw material purchases hence making the local products competitive with the Chinese imports. In 2005-06, the Appliances Division contributed around 53%to the Companys sales whereas the Power Division made up the remaining 47%. Refrigerators and Split air conditioners were the main source of revenue in the Appliances Division, whereas transformers and energy meters are the main revenue drivers in the Power Division. The Appliance Division accounted for 44% of Net Sales during the year ended June 30th 2007. Refrigerators and Split air conditioners were the main source of revenue in the Appliances. The Company is engaged in the manufacturing and/or marketing of the following home appliances. Manufacturing Trading Refrigerators Microwave Ovens Air Conditioners (Split) Conditioners (Window) Deep Freezer Floor Standing ACs Generators Washing Machines 2.2 Business Process Analysis (Industrial Analysis) 2.2.1 Transformers PEL has vast experience in design and manufacturing of standard and special purpose transformers. New technical designs for improved efficiency and quality against special orders of non-standard transformers are continuously being explored. These transformers are available for various applications. Distribution Transformers Auto Transformers Furnace Transformers Welding Transformers Transformers are normally supplied in a period of 3 4 months after the receipt of orders from respective distribution companies of WAPDA and varied supply time for private customers. The Company provides one year after sales service warranty to WAPDA, KESC and private sector customers. 2.2.2 Energy Meters PEL manufactures three types of energy meters; Single Phase and Poly Phase. The electro-mechanical energy meters are manufactured under license from ABB of USA. The quality of PEL meters has been certified by KEMA Laboratories of Holland. PEL meters are superior than others due to their ability to lower revenue losses through accurate precise operation and reduction of maintenance expenses. Single Phase energy meters provide maintenance-free operations over a long period and accurate measurement of electrical energy. Poly Phase energy meters improve load performance and precision accuracy. The meters require minimum maintenance and can withstand abuse from surges and magnetic tampering. Three phase digital electronic meter with dual tariff capability recently launched and supplies to WAPDA has begun this year. Energy meter orders from WAPDA are received annually and their supply period is 9 -10 months. Energy meters to KESC are supplied in a period of 3 4 months. The Company provides one year after sales service warranty to WAPDA, KESC and Others. 2.2.3 Switchgears Switchgears are one of the highly technical and specialized power products of PEL. They are produced for indoor and outdoor installations complying with international installation standards. A major customer for this product is WAPDA. The Company provides one year after sales service warranty to WAPDA, KESC and other customers. 2.2.4 Refrigerators PEL Refrigerators were introduced in 1987 with features such as VCM (Vinyl Coated Metal) coating; stylish finishing and auto drain systems. PEL refrigerators carry compressor made by Danfoss of Germany. The low noise compressor is extremely silent and keeps the refrigerator running smoothly. Furthermore, the compressor is resilient to fluctuations in voltage level, thereby proving to be a more durable product. PEL is actively involved in the manufacturing and trading of refrigerators, which is a major source of consistent growth. The refrigerators business contributes to 48% of the Companys sales and this trend is expected continue in years to come (which is reflected in the figures for 2005-06 in the table below). 2.3 SWOT Analysis 2.3.1 Strengths PEL has the following strengths and is in more competitive position in these areas than its competitors. Following are the main strong points of PEL. 2.3.1.1 Strong Brand Image PEL has created the strong brand image in the mind of the customers through higher quality and low price. The customers of the PEL always prefer to buy the PEL home appliances like WRAC split AC and refrigerators whenever they wanted to buy. 2.3.1.2 Strong Dealer Network It is also the plus point for the PEL that it has also developed the strong dealer network in the market. The dealers are always trying to sell the PEL appliance to the customers because they know there are high margin in the PEL products. They can get more money after selling the PEL products. The management of PEL also provides more incentives to their dealers than their competitors 2.3.1. 3 Free Customer Service PEL provides free customer service for one year to its customers. So the customers always buy the PEL products due to its free service and it becomes loyal customer for the PEL. PEL always provides help to their customers for repWRAC, Refrigerators and other items. PEL always make efforts to satisfy the customers. 2.3.1. 4 M Arket Leader In WRAC (Window Room Air Conditioner) It is another strong point that PEL is a market leader in WRAC. The window room air conditioner is more demanded by the customers than its competitors air conditioners because it has more durability in operating systems and cools the room in few minutes. PEL always strives to provide the innovative features in WRAC. PEL air conditioner is cheaper and has a higher quality than others WRAC. Thats why customers always purchase the PEL window air conditioner. 2.3.1.5 Leader In Power Division In Pakistan the PEL is almost leader in power division. Almost all power division are provided by PEL to wapda. 2.3.2 Weaknesses Overcome on these weaknesses then it can become a market leader in the home appliance. Like other companies PEL has some weaknesses in operating the business. If PEL loses some competitive edge in the following points: 2.3.2.1 Lack Of Advertisement PEL was a very lack of advertisement according to other appliances companies. So it is a big weakness of PEL. 2.3.2.2 Lack Of Product Range PEL has introduced more products of consumer items but there are more needs to develop new consumer items like PEL washing Machines, Vacuum cleaner and other items. Due to lack of product Range, Company cannot earn more profit because consumers have high demand of these products and they say that if company is investing in these products then we can keep all PEL items and we never need to keep others company products. 2.3.2.3 Financial Problems Sometimes PEL faces the financial problems because its stocks are so much piled up in the stores that create the problem of cash flow because when the stocks are not sold and the production is in process for 24 hours a day than the company faces such problems. 2.3.3 Opportunities For the PEL there are more opportunities for expansion the business. If PEL realize that opportunities then it will be more fruitful and profitable for the company. 2.3.3.1 Exploration of Market In Pakistan PEL has the opportunity to explore the market in all over the Pakistan. Even though PEL introduce its products in all cities of Pakistan but there are so many places that have the capacity to absorb the PELs products. 2.3.3.2 Increase in Product Range It is the main opportunity for the PEL that it can increase its product range that will be a more profitable for the company. There are more needs to develop new consumer items like PEL washing Machines, Vacuum cleaner and other items. Due to lack of product Range, Company cannot earn more profit because consumers have high demand of these products. 2.3.3.3 Export Opportunity PEL Company has also the opportunity to export their products in other international countries like UAE, SAUDI ARABIA, and other Arabic and African countries. 2.3.4 Threats PEL Company in such a competitive era has many threats as well. These threats are for the present situations and future. Company should make its policies and strategies according to these threats. So following are the main threats for the PEL: 2.3.4.1 Strong Competition There is very strong competition for the home appliance in the market. So every company tries to come in the number 1 position for achieving the maximum shares in the market. 2.3.4.2 Chinas Product Chinas products are another threat for the Pakistani companies because these products are cheaper than the Pakistani products. An even china product not well in quality but it is comparatively in low prices than the consumers home appliance that are manufactured by the indigenous company. 2.3.4.3 Price War As there is stiff competition in the home appliance market that will cause the price war. So every company reduces the prices of its products to increase the sales. It will not only reduce the profit margin of the company but also reduce the quality of products. So price war is the main threats for all the companies, which are operating in these products. 2.3.4.4 Instability Of Government The rapid changes in governments will become threats for the companies because every government adopts its own policies for the industries. So it increases the uncertainty for the investors who want to invest heavy amount in their new projects. 2.4 Future Strategy PEL is one of the most widely recognized brands in the domestic refrigerator market. It is the second largest local manufacturer and one of the leading brands. For the past four years the Companys market share growth averaged 2% per annum. With continuous efforts in RD, PEL is concentrating on quality of product and cost minimization. The Company is considering technical collaboration for value addition through planned capital expenditures. Increased sales of manufactured refrigerators coupled with sales of split air conditioners are the major factors contributing growth in the appliances business. Other products are also being introduced as a part of Companys strategy to broaden its product range. 2.5 Competitive Analysis The prices are concerned PEL is charging reasonable prices to its customer for all of its microwaves comparatively from others. Prices charged by National, which is a multinational firm, are very higher in comparison with others because it uses special Japanese parts in its microwaves and ensures high quality and performance and only rich class shows interest in National Products. According to the retailers information, people are satisfied with the prices charged by PAK Elektron but still their preferences go along with Dawlence microwaves because of its highly created awareness. CHAPTER NO 3 LEARNING AS STUDENT This chapter has been divided into four sections In section one, I have discussed my duties as a internee during internship, In the second section, I mentioned accomplishments, In the third section I briefed my problems which I faced during internship and in the last and fourth section I offered that how this internship experience impact on my carrier. 3.1 Learning and Duties In finance department there are three sections. Corporate section Leasing and pledge Budgeting 3.1.1 Corporate Section In corporate finance I worked in different units. Firstly, I learned that how letter of credit works in PEL. 3.1.1.1 L.C Section I started working for the Letter of Credit Section. They gave me an introduction and shared important points. Mr. Asad, Senior Executive supervised me in this section. Letter of Credit: A document issued mostly by a financial institution, used primarily in trade finance, which usually provides an permanent payment undertaking. The letter of credit can also be source of payment for a transaction, meaning that redeem the letter of credit will pay an exporter. Letters of credit are used primarily in international trade transactions of significant value, for deals between a supplier in one country and a customer in another. In such cases the International Chamber of Commerce Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits applies.The parties to a letter of credit are usually a beneficiary who is to receive the money, the issuing bank of whom the applicant is a client, and the advising bank of whom the beneficiary is a client. There are different types of LC: a) L.C at Sight: In L.C at sight, Our Company opens an L.C in a bank which provides a guarantee to the exporter that he will pay the due amount. Now, the exporter takes these documents to his bank and asks the bank to give him money so that he can start working on the required contract. When he fulfills the contract, he goes to his bank and provides the required documents to prove that he has fulfilled the contract. Now his bank sends these documents to our bank and our bank ask us to confirm the clarity of the documents and if cleared then these documents are called cleared documents. Then lastly we will pay the bank the due amount. b) Usance L.C: In usance L.C the contract between the two parties require the importer to pay in a longer term e.g. 3 or 6 months after receiving the material from exporter. Our bank will pay the contract amount after the agreed period. c) INLAND LCIn land LC means LC open in a same country. 3.1.1.2 Guarantees I started working on the Guarantees, Leasing, Finance against Merchandise and Cash Financing Section. They just gave me an introduction and shared important points. Mr. Tahir Mahmood, Senior Executive supervised me in this section. Guarantees Section: Secret behind PELs success and increasing market share is its guarantees section that actively works to get every order either for appliances or for power of the company by speedily participating for the contract with the help of Tender Bonds of Guarantees. Types of Guarantees Tender guarantee ( Bid guarantee ) Balance of payment guarantee Advance payment guarantee Performance bond guarantee 3.1.1.3 Long Term Loans PEL acquired a long-term loan to finance the import of machinery. Recently PEL has purchased some machinery from China for Digital Energy Meters. The process for long-term loan is explained in following. Preparation OF Feasibility Report: Following points are considered while preparing the feasibility report. Financial Statement Cost of the project. This includes operating assets (land, building, Vehicles, furniture, capital expenditure and means of finance) Project profit and loss account Projected statement of changes in financial position. Financial Analysis Pay back period of total investment Ratio analysis Breakeven analysis Schedules Sales forecast statement Total production cost. Working capital Loan repayment schedule Bank Feasibility Report Bank studies the feasibility report and prepare report and prepare its own feasibility report to see where it would be feasible to sanctioned loan to company or not. Offering the Letter: The bank, if it is satisfied with the feasibility report then send offering letter. It has, Amount sanctioned Mark up rate Charge over fixed assets Tenor Installment periodS Interest payment period Acceptance If company accepts the terms, it must respond with this period. Negotiation: Negotiation between bank and company takes place to change certain conditions of offer letter and it acceptable for both parties. A second draft of the offer letter is prepared with changes and signs of bank and CEO OF PAK ELEKTRON LIMITED. Creation of Charges: A charge is created in favor of the bank to secure its loan with following documents affidavit. It is an undertaking by the company that will follow all conditions. Form 10. It contains the particulars of assets against which charge is created. All the above documents are submitted with registrar against whom a Certificate of Registration of Mortgage is issued. Types of charges Exclusive Ranking Pari passu Loan Repayment Schedule: This schedule is prepared to show the mark up principal and total installment value for whole tenure. 3.1.1.4 PRE-Shipment Pre-shipment is the last section of the finance department. The pre-shipment report may be summarized in the following 5 tasks which are as follows: Tender Bidding Acceptance Purchase order Inspection 3.1.2 Leasing Section This section works in order to fulfill the corporate production, personnel and operational needs such as Machineries, Auto Mobiles and office equipments. It enters into the Buying Contracts always with the one who offers best terms and conditions as well as the best Internal Rate of Return to the Company. 3.1.2.1 Direct Leasing In case of auto mobiles, a bank makes the pay order and gives it to the dealer on the behalf of firm. Firm pay the principle plus interest in installment to bank. PEL can do leasing with AL-Baraka bank. They paid approximately 15%interes on them. 3.1.2.2 Indirect or Machinery Leasing Machinery is imported from china and other countries e.g. USA etc. incase of imported machinery PEL has an LC opened by particular bank. The LC issuing bank deals with the exporters bank and makes payment to it. In machinery dealing the import department of the company is involved. Import department informs finance that they do not have enough funds to make a lump sum payment of machinery, and then leasing facility is used. A third bank called the leasing bank (from whom PEL takes leasing facility) makes payment to issuing bank and acquires papers of the machinery. PEL then makes regular lease payments to the leasing bank and finally acquires the papers of the machinery. Leasing bank also sends external auditors to PEL to verify whether the machinery is actually of the value quoted, whether it is in proper condition, durability of the machinery etc. 3.1.2 Working Capital Finance This type of loan is secured against: Pledge Hypothecation 3.1.2.1 Pledge It may be constructive or actual. Constructive pledge is that in which goods are not taken by bank rather keep them in companys good own under its own security. In case of actual pledge, bank holds the possession of goods. Logistics: The logistics department comprises a part of the finance department. It is headed by Mr. M. Hanif and further consists of a senior accounts officer, two junior executives and two accountants. The basic task carried out by the persons working in the logistics section is: daily check on production daily check on stock (materials and finished goods) controlling the production plan for the future control on orders in hand Materials imported by PEL basically remains in bank custody. The bank makes payments for these materials to the foreign suppliers and releases them to PEL as per payments by them. The bank further higher mucaddam companies/clearing agents to watch over and monitor these materials. The materials are generally store in PEL premises. Material requirement for appliances and power good manufacturing are different hence their requisition are also different. PEL uses cash financing and various other credit facility provided by the bank. Raw materials are imported using the different financing facilities. Materials are then use to make finished goods. The materials when enter the production cycle a term as work-in-process (WIP). WIP is hypothecated and loans taken against it. Then a portion of finished goods produced are further pledged and payments for raw materials are made through it. The whole procedure must be carried out in a timely way with correct information reaching at the right time from factory to material section, so that materials may be requested and obtained at the right time without delay. 3.1.2.2 Hypothecation Of Stock In this the finance is given on work in process goods. 3.1.3 Budgeting Section Getting started from the first day after formal introduction of staff, MR. Masood Tahir, Manager Finance PEL assigned task to Mr. Amer Khawaja (Manager Budgeting) and Sheikh Zaigham Ali (Finance Executive) Finance Budgeting section of my supervision. Forecasting for next year He told me management prepared Sales plan Production plan Material purchase plan Direct labor F.O.H ( factory overhead) Selling expense /administrative expense Other income Financial cost Mr. Zaigham told me PEL has two Divisions 1st Power Division, which deals in the manufacturing of Distribution Transformers Power Transformer Power Project Electric meters Switch gears 2nd Appliances Division includes production of Refrigerators, Deep freezer, Micro-wave Ovens, Splits AC. Trading items (Imported goods) water dispensor, washing machine, window AC, T .V, Generator. Sales Plan Sales plan made by marketing department for appliance and power division. Forecasting Base on last five year sales which is approved by marketing G.M. Types of Sales Export sales ( Afghanistan , India) C.M.D ( Consumer marketing department e.g Govt employees ) Corporate sales ( Institutional e.g hospitals , colleges etc ) Private sales ( for bankers , G.M reference 50% discount ) Metro / Makro sales Production Plan Production plan made model wise for refrigerator, split AC, microwave oven and deep freezer. Material Purchase Plan For material purchase PEL open L/C. Direct Labour: Decide labor quantity required. Labor rate decided. Other Income Scrap sales B pair goods Financial Cost mark -up on borrowing demrage cost ( pay extra amount after exceeding the shipment days ) The beginning of every year with the help of forecasts and then latterly throughout the year they compare it with the actual transactions of these two divisions. I did Afterwards, he showed me the budgets of both divisions which are prepared at some price and cost calculations of Transformers for him and I also did different ratio analysis based on last year results. Then, I was assigned to compare the production budget of refrigerator section of the production department with the actual results yet achieved which I performed and show to him the variances till date. 3.2 Problems Encountered There was no such problem but at same time it was very confusing because they mostly prefer to tell orally rather to practical work that make us ambiguous in some manner when we want to learn more and more. 3.3 Accomplishment we were keen to know about different section of finance department specially in LC opening (letter of credit) how to get loan from banks and why made pledges. We frequently analyses the Lc. 3.4 How Experience Impact On My Career During my internship I learned lot of knowledge that is helpful in my future planning and future career. I learned how to interact with senior management and get their experience that is helpful in my career. Due to my internship habit of regularity and punctuality. 3.5 Knowledge Acquired I had chance of acquiring a lot of new knowledge because it was my first professional experience of working real world of financial brainstorming. It was great experience that how plans and decisions are made executed. It elaborate that how risk involve in each step of decision making and how efficiently management cope up themselves with their competenciese. Conclusion In the nutshell, I want to bring some new idea that PEL should initiate some social benefit programs and try build their Goodwill by participating in the society. I found that the people while purchasing for a certain item take great i

The Corporate Rationale Of The Virgin Group Marketing Essay

The Corporate Rationale Of The Virgin Group Marketing Essay Richard Branson,founder of Virgin and is considered to be the single most important ingredient to all the successes that has been reaped.This case study examines the Virgin Group corporate strategy and it identities the relationships within the Virgin Group.Virgines value adding activities and qualities are discussed.The Virgin Group is comprised of many different assorted mixes of businesses. The Virgin Group is diversified into 200 businesses and it has a finger in every pie. Looking at the case the overall corporate rationale is simply a projection of Richards own philosophy and his personal persona that is revered and became respected by the public.Richards high profile allowed the Virgin brand name to be the far most important asset to the company. All the businesses in the Virgin Group are strategically targeted towards a five pillar empire that Richard created. These pillars are travel, leisure, moblie phones, entertainment, retailing and personal finance. All the businesss within the empire all the managers to have freedom to make decisions independently for growth and allows them to feel the same degree of ownership and values. Richard Branson, founder of Virgin in 1970 is in the authors opinion the single most important reason to all the success that has been reaped up-to-date. The corporate rationale is simply a projection of Richard Brandons own personal philosophy, which he has introduced into the structure of corporate rational. The Virgin Group is comprised with many assorted mix of businesses.(Rob Abdul, 30/01/02) Corporate rationale is the way in which a corporate parent envisages the way that it can add value to its strategic business units. The Virgin Groups rationale is to diversity into as many markets feasible, and extend the Virgin brand name further at a low cost; where stature could be relied upon to reduce barriers to entry into static markets. The following will be discussed below. The Virgin Groups rationale is to diversify into as many markets that are feasible. They want to extend the Virgin brand name further at a low cost where stature could be relied upon to help reduce the barriers for entry into a static market. The Virgin Group looks for a challenge in every venture and aims to providing better quality products than the competitors do. The Virgin Group aims at entering a market that is still in the growth phase. (Rob Abdul, 30/01/02) The Virgin Group sees itself as a restructurer, this means that it has low central costs due to relatively small corporate centre, with fairly minimal involvement at business level. However they vary from the portfolio managers because they also set about trying to identify restructuring opportunities within their businesses and have the skills and expertise in order to intervene and introduce these changes where necessary. ( Jenn,2008) The Virgin Group has a wide range of strategic business units about two hundred ranging from airways to drinks, and makeup to publishing. Virgins corporate rationale is that they try to enter static market, in which there are few competitors and where consumers do not get value for money.The Virgin Group enters these markets that are still in the growth stage and to try and shake them up, for example they did this with Virgin Airways and Virgin Cola. By entering the market that is still in its growth stage and has few competitors Virgin managed to produce the product or service for a slightly lower price than all other competitors within the market then they should , along with their strong Virgin brand name. Virgin Group gained a big market share fairly quickly because they had lower prices than everyone else. This is a good way in which to enter a market because it surprises the other competitors who may have become too comfortable in this monopolistic market, and has a potentially huge initial gain. Using the surprise tactic ensures that the other market leaders will not expected your move and result in a slow response , for example when Virgin entered the airways market, the British Airways had not anticipated them as competition and so were not prepared to be able to cut costs and compete. So Virgin Airways gained a big share of the market very quickly. Excellent management practices has also been refer to as a major strength of this group, and is there for one of the most significant components of its corporate rationale. The Virgin Group corporate rationale was also diversify into as many markets that were feasible and extend the Virgin brand name at a low cost. The Virgin Group looked for a challenge in every venture and aimed at providing better quality products to their customers and better than their competitors. The Virgin Group corporate rationale was to sacrifice their short-term profits in order to gain a longer-term growth and therefore they used an independent business level decision making method. This corporate rationale allows the managers to make decisions independently for growth and feel the same degree ownership and values that any other manager would feel in the Virgin Group. (Rob Abdul,30/01/02) Virgins rationale for expansion was based on fierce external diversification strategy and Richards constant need to be creative in his approaches to new challenges. For Richard the brand is very important and is an asset. The ultimate objective is to have an established global name and therefore the Virgin Group needs to have a number of core businesses with global potential, with expansion this can be achieved. . Are there any relationships of a strategic nature between the businesses within the Virgin Group? The Virgin Group is formed by various strategic business units (SBU). A strategic business unit is a part of an organization for which there is a distinct external market for goods or services that is different from another SBU. (Rob Abdul, 30/01/02) Basically, there are 56 strategic business units in the Virgin Group. For example, there are Virgin Travel and Virgin Trading in the Virgin Group. As previously mentioned all the businesses in the Virgin Group are strategically targeted towards a five pillar empire system that Richard created. At the heart of Virgins core strategy is to develop the five pillars of the business empire which includes travel, leisure, mobile phones, and entertainment, retailing and personal finances. Looking at the diagram below it shows that all the ventures have the same brand name. The Virgin Group Figure 1, The Virgin Group As this diagram shows that the brand name is the main strategic relationship and this creates a strong acknowledgement from customers. Giving a venture the name Virgin sends out a message to the customers. The brand is associated with the words fun, innovative and daring. This can result in transfers of all marketing and promotional activities up to the present for the specific venture respectively. (Rob Abdul, 30/01/02) The Virgin Travel consists of Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Holidays, Virgin Aviation and Virgin Balloon. The Virgin Trading consists of Virgin Megastores, Virgin Enterprises, Virgin Clubs and Virgin Cosmetics. Several strategic relationships exist within the Virgin Group. One of the most recent of these strategic relationships involves it offer to customers of digital and mobile phone services as well as broadband internet service. Virgin Digital UK offers digital music to a wide variety of customers in mediums that are compatible with a wide range of software and digital hardware. The company boasts a high preparation for this market as it has deep roots in the music industry, beginning with its record company Virgin Records, because of Virgins Records previous ownership and rights to many music tracks the company has benefited by it having already at its disposal thousands of tracks to make available to the public (Baker Capital, 2005) This is the partnership involved with the mobile phone service company under the Virgin Label. Downloading music to mobile phones is an advantage that can be offered to Virgin mobile customers as an incentive to subscribe or switch to Virgin mobile service providers. This is also an advantage for the Virgin broadband provider, as it allows the Group to further integrate its digital services to include internet service and offer such packages and exclusive deals that have the potential to draw even more customers. (Marivic Butod, 2007) Another strategic relationship exists among the Virgin transportation companies. The Group of airlines (Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Galactic) have the distinction of offering the lowest fares for packages in the Atlantic and other parts of the world. The ability to offer flights to and from more unknown and less-travelled destinations is granted to Virgin because of partnership between and among the virgin airline companies of the different regions. Furthermore, the benefit is extended by the existence of a partnership with Virgin Rail that offers extended service via railway farther into more unreachable regions of the European continent. The Virgin Group tries to create and grow relationships with directors, managers and pilots within Virgin Galactic and all the business in the Virgin Group strategically targeted towards travel, leisure, mobile phones, entertainment retailing and personal finance. All the businesses within the Virgin Empire allow the managers to make decisions independently and this allows them to feel the same degree of ownership and values that any other manager. Businesses were ring-fenced in order for the assets not to be switched between companies in the Virgin Group and if any company became too large another company would be put in its place. The name Virgin became synonymous with Richard Bransons name and this key psychological strategy helps with marketing and promotions because this at the end of the day helps them expand and get well known. Therefore many businesses outside the Virgin Group have shown their interest though joint ventures as the Virgin brand name is becoming well known. Does the Virgin Group, as a corporate parent, add value to its businesses? If so how? Corporate parenting places collective responsibility on local authorities to achieve good parenting for all children in their care. It requires ownership and leadership at a senior level, this includes all elected members. They make sure all councillors in your council understand their corporate parenting responsibilities and are committed to fulfilling them. (Marivic Butod, 2007) The Virgin Group as a corporate parent values all its businesses. The Virgin Group achieves value by understanding the institutionalised markets. The Virgins management team has done a good job in identifying satisfaction in the market. The management team expertise and experience matched with the strategy allows the company to offer more for less. The Virgin group also added value to its businesses with the brand name and used the brand name to help overcome barriers to entry. The Virgin brand name is a consumers supporter and as mention before the brand is much respected with the British public. The Virgin Group at a corporate parent also helps with limiting the risks for the other businesses joining in the joint venture. Any company, corporation or organisation that is in a joint venture with the Virgin Group had the benefits of limiting the risks associated in the market place. The other value that the Virgin Group contributes as a corporate parent is that they do not restrict the management teams. The Virgin Group has a flat management structure which helps encourage innovation, flexibility and it can help promote the values of shared ownership and responsibilities. (Rob Abdul, 30/01/02) The Virgin Group ensures that innovation is amongst the staff members and helps ensure that the individuals are successful in their careers. The Virgin Group acquires partners that have the same mind set for the venture and they ensure that they match their ability to be innovative and create differentiation for their particular company. These innovative thoughts and ideas are then applied directly into the business and therefore helping it to be successful. Virgin Mobile is an example of this innovation as it formulated a partnership with the existing telecommunications operators to retail in mobile services. The virgin Group and their management team were successful at identifying that the agreement was in the handling of the network management. Due to their innovation of their joint ventures and networking it promoted a unique service to the market. Virgin as a corporate parent added workable value as well to its businesses by investing and developing the employees and real expertise. With all the joint ventures that the Virgin Group have made they did indeed limit some risks but they also contradicted some signals to the customers by having so many businesses and if the one performed badly the other separate businesses with the brand name stand a chance on been labelled as the same. (Rob Abdul, 30/01/02) In a sense the Virgin Group is a community, every Small Business Unit in it share ideas, values, interests, goals, and the most important, they share the same brand. Therefore the Virgin Group as a corporate parent have set standards and helped the businesses know exactly how to create value to the customers and how to ensure that the brand name is upheld. The Virgin Group as a corporate parent does value to its businesses and has achieved it though understanding the institutionalised markets, using the Virgin band name to overcome barriers to entry, it limited risks by going into joint ventures with different companies, it does not restrict the management team and the Virgin Group shows innovation. Virgins management team have been doing very well when it comes to identifying a market that is still in its growth stage and markets with very little competitors. It is this expertise and experience that is coupled with the strategy to offer more to the customers for less and it has helped the Virgin Group plough though complacent business industries. As a corporate parent virgins brand name has helped to overcome barriers to entry. The fact the brand name is well established and accepted by the public it has helped with getting into certain markets and to expand into areas where the Virgin Group believes it can make a difference and offering something different to the consumers and a good price. Virgin has limited the risks by going into joint ventures and any company that goes into a joint venture with Virgin also benefits the limitations of risks in the market place. As a corporate parent it helps the new venture as one have limited risks as it is under a well known brand of standards and low cost. It also encourages the management teams to be independent and make choices that will better the growth of the company. Virgins corporate rationale to innovation allows the staff members to be successful in their careers. The Groups acquires partners that think alike and that match their abilities to innovation and differentiation. This should then be applied to the whole business. For example Virgin Mobile formulated a partnership with existing telecommunications operators to retail in the mobile services. This innovation leads them to promote unique services and better offers to the customers. What are the main issues facing the Virgin Group and how should they be tackled? The Virgin group of companies was faced with two main issues. In the short term was the groups financial situation. A number of Virgins businesses were experiencing substantial negative cash flows. Despite plans to generate funds this still left poorly performing companies such as Virgin Express, Virgin Megastores, and Virgin Money, where offloading Bransons equity stakes would prove more difficult. Looking at virgin Atlantic which is an airline industry it indicates that the Virgin Group relied on this airline to make the profits and when deregulation increased the competition within the market place caused Virgin Atlantic to make some Losses. According to the Virgin Rail the biggest problem that they face is that the uses of this form of transport is voted as the unpopular rail operator and the fact that Virgins rail statistics were ranked low. Virgin Groups brand name was slowly chipped away by the press due to their reputation of the rail transport. The Virgin Group, been a larger empire, faces publicity blindly due to the fact if things were going right all is good, but then all it takes is a handful of businesses in the empire to either experience unavoidable consequences. Virgin Atlantic is an example of this as when there was bad services provided and with the bad publicity of the Virgin Rail it caused a disastrous effect opn the other areas within the empire. (Marivic Butod, 2007) Virgin name became diluted and doing analysis of the environment must be learned and that is what they did after these events occurred. The public is sensitive and as a corporate parent Virgin can add value to its businesses by investing and developing real expertise. Therefore Virgin should change its policy to accommodate both independent and joint ventures to rely on short term profits. The main issues facing the Virgin Group is Virgin Atlantic and virgin Rail. Virgin Atlantic is the airline industry and like any other industry it id cyclic. This proved to be dangerous in 2001 because the Virgin Group seemed to rely entirely on the profits of Virgin Atlantic. To make matters worse deregulations increased the competition in the market place and this caused all most competitors were experiencing losses. The biggest problem faced by the Virgin Group though was the strategic Rail Authority review in 2000 because it was the most public. Virgin Rail was voted as the unpopular rail operator and it was ranked 23rd and 24th out of 25 operators. This was a major issue as it damaged a part of the Virgin reputation. That was not bad until the press slowly chipped at the company. (Marivic Butod, 2007) CONCLUSION: The key emphasis on this case was innovation and differentiation. The aim was to offer more for less and that each company was truly a Virgin in its own field. Although to some this notion may seem a bit too good to be true, yet no one can deny that the virgin group is one of the UKs largest private companies. Success was the result of Richard Bransons philosophy and approach in his company. By using effective leadership, giving motivation, employing effective communication, interaction, job redesign, building trust and respect, it is very clear that the company has been performing well in various industries that it manages. The main aspirations of the Virgin Group of the companys key stakeholders is to continue expanding operations and various international business locations, new kind of business ventures and to enhance the reputation of the brand. Virgins marketing is customer focused and is apparent that every major and minor decisions and plans created are based on the result of researches conducted and founded on the customers. Furthermore the services and products are something better and more valuable. Virgin bases its pricing strategy on several key trends that shape the global marketplace.