With appropriate reference to theoretical and empirical literature, Essay

With appropriate reference to theoretical and empirical literature, critically assess the arguments of why a multinational may undertake corporate hedging - Essay Example Hence, it is the policies based on increased exposure of firm to price instability, resulting from future price knowledge. Corporate Hedging is done by multinational companies a lot, and the trend is being picked up speedily Motivation factors of multinational firms for corporate hedging seem are facilitation of internal contracting, competitive pricing concerns, and informational asymmetries. Moreover corporate hedging depends upon accounting treatment, derivative market liquidity, recent hedging outcomes, foreign exchange volatility, technical factors, and exposure volatility. What we need to understand is the reason for the multinational firms to take up corporate hedging. There are opportunities like increased leverage and tax benefits that are the motivating factors behind corporate hedging. The multinational companies opt for the hedging process simply because of the risk factor. More correctly it does not take away the risk rather the unacceptable risks are converted into acceptable risks. Many companies remain confused towards making the decision whether they should hedge or not hedge. The factors that hinder their decision making is the doubt about the risks, the cost of the hedging process itself, fear of reporting loss on derivative transactions. Also adding to all this confusion is the lack of strategies and also the un- familiarization with hedging tools. Then is the role of the corporate risk managers. They must determine the risks the company is willing to take and also the ones that the company wants to get away with through hedging. The fundamental principle behind corporate hedging is its hindrance against losses that multinational companies may face in difficult situations. Like for example the losses that incurred many IT companies by the year 1997 when there was depreciation of dollar. More commonly we can explain hedging functions in a similar manner as the hedges that protect the garden from stray dogs. The goal behind any hedging

A newspaper invites young people to write articles about television Coursework

A newspaper invites young people to write articles about television programmes they either loathe or love. Write the piece you would send to the newspaper - Coursework Example You can tell which series it is from the opening sequence. Actually I can tell what series it is from the extent of Chandler’s physical decline. He starts out quite fit and degenerates into an increasingly zombified, staring-eyed mess. Apparently he had to fight some addiction demons in real life. My theory is that working with this bunch gradually eroded his sanity. I only watch Friends because it provides the ideal opportunity for venting all my pent-up frustrations about life. For me this programme has all the charms of an emotional punchbag. I look at the smug, silly faces and enjoy an imaginary workout in the boxing ring with each one in turn. Except Chandler. Something worries me about Chandler. It is a fact that every viewer on the planet, unfortunately, has a soft spot for one of the six characters. It’s a kind of post-modern Rorschach test. The one you identify with reveals your true nature. I never did see the attraction of Friends, and even now, almost a decade after the last series gasped its way onto our screens, I don’t get it. I mean look at the stereotypical gender roles. The girls are all mad: Rachel is sex-mad, Monica is neurotic and has issues with food, issues with hygiene, issues with men, and a seriously weird relationship with her brother. And Phoebe. Well, Phoebe is the poster girl for cloud-cuckoo land. â€Å"Smelly cat, smelly cat†¦You smell like something dead†¦Ã¢â‚¬  What was that all about? I hope the producers are insured against all the law suits that are bound to follow from children thinking that this is acceptable behaviour in an adult human being. And the boys are not much better. Would you go out with any of them? The show has a formula that is repeated ad nauseam until finally the characters just show up on the set and the dialogue writes itself. In fact it is so predictable that a ten year old could write it and nobody would be any the wiser. Joey and Chandler have little boy-games in their flat, while Rachel

Job Roles and Working Arrangements At Richer Sounds Essay Example for Free

Job Roles and Working Arrangements At Richer Sounds Essay Levels of Hierarchy: are the layers of authority within an organisation. Spans of control: A span of control is the number of workers directly supervised by a more senior employee. Whereas an organisation chart shows how employees fit into the business, a job description gives details about what is expected of the individual employee. Job applicants normally receive a job description when they apply for a position with a business. A job description usually consists of: 1) The title of the job (e. g. sales manager). 2) The tasks to be completed as part of the job (e.g. having to write monthly sales reports, in the case of a sales manager). 3) The responsibilities of the job (e.g. a sales manager might be responsible for managing a team of sales representatives). 4) Information on working conditions linked to the job, such as rates of pay, hours to be worked and holidays. 5) A description of how the job fits into the organisational structure. UK businesses have employed increasing number of part-time and temporary employees. They have also used self-employed workers, who hire out their skills to firms but are their own bosses. At the same time, businesses have made use of more flexible contracts of employment, in some cases with annualised hours (hours worked in a year) included instead of hours per week. High proportions of these types of employees in businesses are called flexible workforces. In recent years, a number of trends have emerged in the UKs workforce, including: More temporary workers: The number of workers on temporary contracts has risen since the early 1980s although in the last few years it has levelled out. In 2000, nearly two million workers were on temporary contracts. Use of annualised hours: Many businesses face an uneven pattern of work over the year. For example, farms are very busy in the summer months harvesting crops, but are quiet in the winter. Without annualised hours, farmers might pay overtime in the summer and not have enough work to keep employees busy during the winter months. More part-time working: The number of employees within the UK who work part-time has increased each year. By 200, more than one-quarter of all employees nearly seven million people were part-time workers. Self-Employment: The number of self-employed has fallen recently, but 2.5 million people still work for themselves. Hiring consultants: Many businesses have replaced full-time employees with consultants, who work for a business for a short time. Consultants are usually very highly skilled, for example IT experts. Use of contractors: Many businesses employ other firms to carry out particular duties. The exact arrangements are set out in a contract between the businesses involved. It is common, for example, to hire contract staff for cleaning, rather than use permanent full-time employees. Managers: Managers play a vital role in businesses; 1) They have responsibility for an aspect of the businesss work under the guidance from the director. For example, a manager might take responsibility for employee training, under guidance from the director of human resources. 2) Managers plan activities, look after teams of employees, manage finances and attempt to meet targets set by the directors of the business. 3) Managers jobs are normally secure, as they usually have permanent full-time contracts. Managers often have a professional qualification in an area such as accountancy or marketing. They need to be good communicators, able to use IT, use time effectively and control finances. Managers pay varies according to the seniority of the position, but it can be over à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½100,000 a year. Other benefits that are common are company cars and private health insurance. Supervisors: In some businesses supervisors are also called team leaders. Supervisors provide a link between operatives and managers. They; 1) Monitor work of junior employees. 2) Ensure that production and quality targets set by managers are met whenever possible. 3) Advise managers of problems or difficulties in the work of the business. In some businesses supervisors have been given responsibility for some of the roles previously carried out by managers. For instance, they may recruit new employees or lead training sessions. The pay of supervisors depends on how much authority they have, but they are normally paid more than operatives. Operatives: The most junior employees in the business are the operatives. In a factory, they would work on the production line; in a shop they would be the sales assistants. Their role in a business is as follows; 1) They are normally only responsible for their own work. 2) They usually carry out routine tasks, though some employers do provide more varied and interesting work. 3) They often have little job security. Many are employed on temporary contracts, and when the contract runs out they may find themselves unemployed. Others find they are no longer needed because their jobs have been replaced by machinery. 4) In a minority of businesses, they are allowed to take decisions such as stopping the production line to remove poor-quality products. Many operatives are relatively unskilled. Sales assistants may have some training and qualifications in customer service, but some factory workers on production lines have no qualifications. Because of this, pay rates for operatives are normally low.| Support Staff: The support staff provides Specialist skills in businesses. They may offer expertise in the areas of security or information technology or provide secretarial skills. Support staff can operate at various levels in the organisation; 1) They offer advice and assistance in their specialist areas to employees. Thus, IT staff may recommend new software or hardware, provide training and sort out computer problems. 2) Some support staff are managers looking after teams of people are in charge on finances; others carry out routine tasks. 3) Senior support staff take important decisions, such as spending on computer systems. There are two working arrangements at Richer sounds, one is for permanent and temporary colleagues and the other is for full-time and part-time colleagues. Information on these working arrangements follow; Working arrangements for permanent and temporary colleagues: The vast majority of their colleagues are employed permanently. They are all issued with a written contract of employment. At Christmas Richer S0unds employ greeters in their stores to greet and assist customers at busy times. Their greeters are temporary colleagues who work for a short time and their work ends after the sale period. Many are students at college or university who work for them during their Christmas holidays. Richer Sounds do not issue written contracts to temporary colleagues, neither do we keep personnel records for them. However, they do receive a mini-welcome pack, which explains how Richer Sounds operates. Working arrangements for full-time and part-time colleagues: Most of thei colleagues work full time, although their hours may vary. A normal working week for store colleagues is 42.5 hours although in some of their stores which are open from 12 noon 7 pm, colleagues may work fewer hours. Departmental support colleagues work 40 hours a week. Richer Sounds dont use the term part-time. Colleagues who dont work the full number of hours are called career key timers. They have access to all the same training opportunities and benefits as the full-time colleagues.

The Performance Appraisal Process Management Essay

The Performance Appraisal Process Management Essay The essence of the concept of the HRM is that people working in the organization are viewed as a valuable resource. If these people are managed properly, they can boost productivity through commitment and capability. HRM lays emphasis on the importance of integrating personnel functions (recruitment, selection, appraisal, reward, development, industrial relations, grievance and discipline, retirement, redundancy, dismissal) into the overall strategic management of the organization. All organizations evaluate the performance of their employees to find out their relative worth for the job they are doing. Performance is being related to the productivity, it is crucial for the organization to achieve its goals and objectives. Effective performance for the organization means that output can be maintained with fewer numbers of employees. Performing effectively is also of crucial importance to the employee because organizations can no longer tolerate poor performance, they (employees) are m ore likely to be dismissed. The effective management performance, therefore, is not only vital for the long-term survival of the organizations but is also a moral obligation on the employees. Performance appraisal is considered as the systematic evaluation of individuals to their performance on the job and their potentials for development (Dale S. Beach, 1980: 290). Wendell French has defined performance appraisal as a systematic and periodic assessment of how employees are doing their jobs in relation to established norms and the communication of that kind of assessment to employees. It is a process of evaluation an employees job performance with respect to its requirements. A systematic performance appraisal provides information for making decisions about various issues such as promotions, pay increases, layoffs, training and development and transfers. It is managements powerful tool in controlling human resource and productivity. Managers can improve an employees job performance through clarifying expectations and evaluating performance. Employees also, in general, prefer having some kind of appraisal to develop an appropriate vision of their own effectiveness and opportunities (Wood, 1988). Formal performance appraisal can meet the three needs, one of the organization and the other two of the individuals within the organization: It provides systematic judgments to back up salary increase, transfer, demotion or termination. It is the means of communicating to subordinates the behavior, attitudes, skills or job knowledge and let him know where he stands. It is used as a base for coaching and counseling the individual by his superior. The effective management of performance is not only vital for the survival of the organization but is also in the best interest of the employees. The underlying assumption of performance management is that the individual employees can satisfy their needs and objectives by contributing to the attainment of the organizations objectives. This may result in employees motivation and greater job-satisfaction which is at the core of HRM (Foot and Hook 2008). The performance appraisal process generally consists of the following six steps as depicted in Figure 1 (Decenzo and Robbins, 1998). Figure 1. The Performance Appraisal Process Establishment of performance standards Communicate the performance expectations to employees Measure actual amount of performance Compare the actual performance with standards Discuss appraisal with the employee If necessary, take corrective action Performance appraisal begins with the establishment of clear and objective standards of performance evolved out of job analysis and job description. These standards need to be communicated to the employees. Subordinates have to receive and understand the information properly. The third step is the measurement of the actual performance. For this, four measures can be utilized by managers, namely, personal observation, satisfied reports, oval reports and written reports. The fourth step is the comparing of the actual performance with standards. If any deviations are found between standards and actual performance, the manager may proceed to the fifth step to discuss the appraisal with the employees. Final step of appraisal is taking corrective action when it requires The objectives of performance appraisal can be classified by different ways but according to (Harrison, 1995) to the objectives of performance appraisal are i. administrative: which determine orderly way of promotion, transfers and increase of payment. ii. Informative: supplying the relevant data to management team according to performance of subordinates and weakness and strengths of individual. iii. Motivational: create good environment to employee which motivate staff to develop themselves and to improve their performance According to (Randell, et al. 1972) the main purpose of staff appraisal is to evaluate, auditing, constructing succession plans, motivating staff, developing individuals and checking. Similarly according to (Lefton, 1997 ) performance appraisal can be defined by mainly four characteristics a. its formal b. it tries to find out why and how a subordinates is doing the job c. it tries to explore how subordinate can do better way in a job d.it always tries to produce benefits for subordinate, the organization and the superior. Performance evaluation systems in Nepalese organizations are mandatory. The results of performance appraisal are not used in terms of career development, reward management and employee training and development. The results are mostly used to decide whether to promote employees or not (Adhikari, 2006). The main purpose of performance evaluation in government and public enterprises is the promotion of employees. It is not used for performance feedback to employees, reward management and identifying the needs of training and development. In civil service, 40 percent of performance appraisal is confidential and thus non transparent to employee (Agrawal, 2001). Three different approaches exist for doing appraisals. Employees can be appraised against (i) absolute standards, (ii) relative standards, or (iii) objectives (MBO). However, no one approach is always best. Absolute standards are individual oriented whereas relative standards rank individuals. Management by objectives facilitates continuous improvement of performance results. Most of the private sector enterprises in Nepal lack systematic performance appraisal system. Personal judgment and subjective assessment of owner-manager serves as the key criteria for performance appraisal (Agrawal, 1982). Formal and systematic performance appraisal system was non-existent in tea industry of Nepal. Promotion is the vertical movement of an individual in an organizations hierarchy, enhanced status, accompanied by increased responsibilities, and usually with increased income, though it is not always so (Monappa and Engineer, 1999). It is the advancement of an employee to a higher job-rank in the organizational hierarchy accompanied by a pay rise (Pigors and Myers, 1981: 303). Employees consider their ultimate success of their career and performance in terms of the number and frequency of promotion they get during their service. Yoder et al observed that promotion gives incentive to initiative, ambition and enterprise, unrest and minimizes discontent, attracts capable personalities, appropriate logical training of advancement, and forms and effective reward for cooperation and loyalty, long term service, etc. (Yoder,1979). It increases satisfaction in the employees that their talents and capabilities are being recognized. In turn, they trust the organization and devote for the acco mplishment of organizational goals and objectives. In Nepal, the Civil Service Act was promulgated in 1956 which stated that promotion should be given to civil service personnel on the basis of work efficiency (Civil Service rule, 1993). Many changes have been done in the promotion system of the employee in the government organization since that time. The Administrative Reform Commission formed under the chairmanship of Mr. Vedananda Jha suggested that the promotion criteria for civil service personnel should include (a) seniority, (b) experience, (c) academic qualification and training, and (d) departmental performance report including co-operative attitude. Another Administration Reform Commission formed under the chairmanship of Mr. B.B. Thapa noted as promotion occupied special importance in the career development of employees, so capability to hold higher promotion and the capacity to perform the work satisfactory in the present position were the main criteria of promotion (Government of Nepal, 1996, Report of Commission). Amend ments were done in the Civil Service Rules in 1978 and 1983. Similarly the Administrative Reform Committee formed under the chairmanship of the then prime-minister Mr. G.P. Koirala in 1991 emphasized performance oriented promotion system. The new Civil Service Act, 1993 laid stress on performance ability with criteria such as past performance, seniority, work experience of remote area, and academic qualification. Similarly, the comparative weight-ages of promotion criteria of civil service employees were changed after 1992. NASCs study on promotion system of civil services stated that there was lack of clarity in its purpose and no consistency in the average promotion period between level and services. The risk of subjectivity in merit rating was a major apprehension in the minds of civil servants for giving more weight to merit rating. Even the performance evaluators views were in favor of no link of the promotion with the performance. Basic perquisites for sound performance appraisal practices, such as clear organizational and sectional objectives, individual job descriptions, adequate and reliable information system etc. were not properly provided in the civil service. Majorities were in favor of number allotting 50 percent of seats to the promotion by competitive examination as compared to the exiting 25 percent, in some cases even less. Williams (1972) ascertained that managers lacked adequate means or determination to control the motivation and productivity of their workforce. Job description, performance appraisal and output indicators were non-existent; rewards and sanctions were irrationally applied; salaries were not genuinely related to knowledge and or effort requirements; offices had inadequate facilities; poor co-operation and limited delegation. The top of the decision making level was congested by trivialities while middle-level staff were in a soporific frenzy over the responsibilities for complex planning and fiscal matter. The review presented above fairly indicates that the limited attempts have been made to study personnel / HR management practices in public and private enterprises of Nepal. Those studies have shed light on some aspects of personnel / HR management, however, the concluding remark indicates that personnel /HR management in the past remained neglected areas of management. This review also indicates that no systematic attempts have been made to study HRM practices in tea industry of Nepal. This knowledge gap has called for a systematic study which could bridge up such a gap. The present study is an attempt in that direction. Tea industry which is leading position in the national economy is growing extensively mainly in the eastern region of Nepal. It is, being one of the most labor intensive, agro-based industries; it involves a great deal of workforce, which provides direct employment to about 41000 workforces. After the privatization of Nepal Tea Development Corporation in 2000, the change in ownership is also accompanied by deep changes in organizational procedures and culture that could have a profound effect on enterprise behavior and performance (Manandhar, 1998). There have been only a few research studies in the field of human resource management in private enterprises of Nepal. And there has not yet been any specific research conducted in HRM in tea industry of Nepal. So, in view of the poor research-based on HRM and the lack of knowledge existing in this field, the research work is virtually called for the streamlining of HRM practices. Research can lead to an increased understanding of an improvement in HRM practices. It can provide insights for managers as they attempt to increase employee productivity and satisfaction while reducing absences and turnover. Research can also identify potential problem areas related to HRM. Industry background The golden beginning of tea plantation in Nepal dates back to the year 1863, with the first tea processing factory was established in the year 1878, in Ilam Tea Estate. In 1959 Budhkaran Tea Estate was established at Jhapa which was the first tea estate in private sector. Soon after this venture, Satighatta, Nakkalbanda, Mittal, Giribandhu Tea Estates and Himalaya Tea Garden were established. The establishment of Nepal Tea Development Corporation (NTDC) in 1966 is considered to be a landmark to augment the tea cultivation. Generally, two types of tea orthodox and CTC (Crush, tear and curl) are produced in Nepal. At present, there are 128 tea estates and 45 tea processing factories as registered in NTCDB. Basing on the previous statistical figure of total tea plantation area of 16420 hectares, and multiplying by 2.47 persons per hectare, it is estimated that about 41000 people are employed in tea industry of Nepal Tea industry which is considered as the backbone of national economy of Nepal but there has not yet been any specific research conducted in HRM in tea industry of Nepal. So, in view of the poor research-based on HRM and the lack of knowledge existing in this field, the research work is virtually called for the streamlining of HRM practices. Research can lead to an increased understanding of an improvement in HRM practices. It will provide insights for managers as they attempt to increase employee productivity and satisfaction while reducing absences and turnover. Research aim, research questions or hypothesis and objectives Research aim: The research aims is to investigate the employee performance appraisal system in an organization. Research question Is the performance appraisal practice key to pay rise, training and development, promotion or termination of the employee in the tea industry of Nepal? Research objectives The specific objectives of this study are: 1. To examine how employee performance is appraised in an organization. 2. To evaluate the effectiveness of performance appraisal system in the organization. 3. To analyze the relationship between performance appraisal and the factors like pay rise, training and development, promotion or termination of employee in an organization. Research Methodology The research philosophy applied for this research project will be phenomenological instead of positivist philosophy and the researcher will analyse and explain the purpose of research through the qualitative methods. 4.1. Research Philosophies: Positivism and Phenomenology Phenomenology as a philosophy, propounded by Edmund Husserl in the 20th century which is concerned with the systematic analyses and reflection of consciousness, structures and phenomena as it approaches in the act of consciousness. The reflection in the phenomenological philosophy is to be done through the first person viewpoint which is highly modified first person. According to Saunders et al. (2000) explained the significant differences between these two approaches of research which is very useful for this study to make concise choice. Regarding the worldview Saunders et al say that phenomenology describes world is subjective which is socially constructed whereas Positivism philosophy says that the world is objective and external. In terms of their basic beliefs they further say that positivism define that the observer is independent in his or her observation, converse to this, phenomenological view says that the observer cant be isolated from what is being observed rather than th e observer is a part of what is being observed. In positivism Science is taken as free of value contrary phenomenological philosophy takes the human interest in science. Phenomenology view says that human interest is to colour the science. Taking into consideration of research nature the research the researcher finds phenomenological philosophy opt for this study. Collis and Hussey (2003) says that phenomenological research provides qualitative data which is well matched with this research, as the qualitative data by its nature is subjective and rich because there is a significant level of participation of the researcher. Besides these facts, the research setting is the commercial organization which is natural setting rather than laboratory setting of the positivistic philosophy. 4.2. Qualitative and Quantitative Research Mainly there are mainly two kinds of research where researcher can apply any one of them or mix both qualitative and quantitative as per their demand of the research topic. In this study, researcher will use qualitative approach with the definition of Collis and Hussey (2003) who says, qualitative research as an approach of study which is subjective and tries to explore and understand the social and human activities which includes reflection and examination on perceptions. Performance appraisal as such is a subjective in nature which is related to the study of human behaviour with a fixed organizational setting. Inductive and Deductive Research The choice between two methods of research as inductive and deductive is also depends on the nature of the study. The deductive research which begins with theory and later tested through empirical observation. In this study, inductive approach will be used where researcher moves from the particular to general. 4.4 Source of Data In the initial phase of investigation, a comprehensive study of various relevant materials books, reports, research works etc. will be done. Both the primary sources and secondary sources of data collection tools will be applied. While collecting data from primary sources, multi-data collecting method i.e. triangulation method will be applied. The researcher will prepare the questionnaires that elicit the facts regarding the personal appraisal system in the organization. In the second phase, the researcher will visit the different tea states with semi structure interview schedules, design to get information on what was being done and how was it being done relating to various aspects of employee performance and appraisal process. Then after first field study, he will construct some research questions regarding to structure interview for pilot study. So, at last with the help of pilot study he will fully prepare research question for structure interview for different employee as worke rs, managers and assistant. The researcher thinks that collecting data from different methods helps the researcher understand the phenomenon more deeply and increases the reliability and validity of the data. The secondary data will be collected from various published and unpublished reports, records and documents of Central Bureau of Statistics, Labor Department / Office, Center for Economic Development and Administration of TU, Nepal Tea and Coffee Development Board, Agro Enterprise Center under Federation of Nepal Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Data will also be collected from publications of different national and international institutions, research works, books and relevant articles published in different journals, magazines and newspapers etc. and will review for obtaining necessary information. 4.5. Sampling Procedure: The sampling method for selecting the tea estates will be judgmental sampling. The tea estates for this study will select mainly on the basis of their size of plantation, number of employees, and production performance of the companies representing both corporate and private sector, and hilly as well as Terai region. For this study, five leading tea estates having their own processing factories will be selected comprising two tea estates from corporate sector, namely Kanyam tea state from hilly area of Ilam and Tokala from Jhapa district. On the other hand three tea estates from the private sector, namely, Budhkaran, Satighatta and Giribhandhu will be chosen from Jhapa district. Five employees from different level of each estate will be considered as a sample. So sample of this study will be 30. Analysis of Data: After the collection of data from both primary and secondary sources most of the processing work, tabulation and calculations will be conducted manually in the beginning. Data will classify into different groups and finally they will be presented in tabular forms. Similarly, the respondents views and opinions will be analyzed in terms of different levels of employees such as managers / officers, assistants and laborers. The analyses of data will be made with the help of relevant statistical tools such as simple average, percentage and chi-square tests. For computation and statistical analysis electronic scientific calculator and computer will be used. Research ethics While conducting the research we requires certain disciplines .It embodies certain goals and norms which the researcher need to maintain coordination between the actions or activities they applied and maintain which establish the public trust of the discipline. Ethical standard helps the researcher to maintain knowledge and truth to minimise the error. It is essential to avoid misrepresentation, fabrication, and falsification of data. Some ethical issues as honesty, integrity, objectivity, carefulness, openness will be carefully considered while conducting the research. . This study will reveal a clear picture about the existing state of HRM practices in tea industry. The outcome of the study may serve as a research infrastructure on which further researches can be built. And the information and conclusions derived from this study may be useful and helpful for practicing managers, as well as planners, policy makers and other agencies concerned, through better understanding of HRM practices relating to tea industry. Thus, it is a modest attempt towards examining and understanding HRM practices in tea industry of Nepal. Also, researcher has a good taste of knowledge and highly interested about tea industry of Nepal from the very beginning. So the research topic will be significance for researcher. Human resource is the most important resource in an underdeveloped country like Nepal which can be mobilized or managed for the overall development of the country. But in practice, very little attention has been given to the management of human resources in any organizational setting. Consequently Nepalese industries have been facing various HR problems such as low employee-morale, low productivity and greater tension between labor and management. Timescale After the proposal has been accepted by the University of Wales the following time line will be followed to complete the research work: Figure 2. Gantt chart: Months and weeks→ Activities ↓ April Weeks↓ May Weeks↓ June Weeks↓ July Weeks↓ 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 Read literature Conform objectives Draft literature review Field survey with semi structure interview schedule Research question for structure interview for pilot study Pilot study of interview Prepare research question for final interview Conduct final interview with employee and fill up questionnaire Tabulation of raw data Analysis . Writing thesis Deadline à ¢Ã…’Å ¡ Resources Both primary and secondary sources will be used in the study. In the initial phase of investigation, a comprehensive study of various relevant materials books, reports, research works etc. will be done. The secondary data for this study will be used from previous research works, books and relevant articles published in different journals, magazines and newspapers etc. In the first stage of primary data , the tea estates were visited with the semi-structured interview schedules design to get information on what was being done and how was it being done. With that information from first visit, more reliable semi structure interview will be designed and piloted with 7 non-sampled employees of different levels such as managers, assistants and workers. Finally, revise structure interview schedules will be construct and administer to the 25 sample employees with different level.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee :: To Kill a Mockingbird Essays

To Kill A Mockingbird In the novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, a character Atticus states; â€Å"Courage is when you know you’re licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what.† Throughout history, there have been many courageous people who have strongly demonstrated the quality of courage. Courage is a reoccurring theme that Harper Lee chooses to emphasize throughout To Kill A Mockingbird that many of her characters pursue as a strong quality. However, courage is proven to be most evident through Atticus, Scout, and Calpurina. Atticus is truly a man of courage. Throughout, To Kill A Mockingbird he has to face many situations where a courageous decision is needed in order to help someone very important. Although there are many characters that are against Atticus’ decisions, he still tries to see them through knowing that the odds of succeeding are weak. Atticus definitely defines courage when he makes the decision to represent a Negro named Tom Robinson, in court. Unfortunately, many people in the town of Maycomb are prejudice and look down upon Atticus for choosing to do so. However, Atticus knowing how strongly people feel about his decision for defending a black man feels that it is something he must do. A quote from the novel symbolizing his courage is found where Jem and Scout are asking Atticus why he is defending Tom Robinson: â€Å"Every lawyer gets at least one case in his lifetime that affects him personally. This one’s mine I guess.† This quote represents his courage because it shows that he has a responsibility and is going to do the best job he can even when he understands that the odds are against him. Atticus also displays courage when he tells Scout that you shouldn’t judge someone until you have been in his or her shoes. A quote showing this is found where Scout explains to Atticus about her day’s misfortunes at school and how Miss Caroline tells her that she was taught the wrong way by her father: â€Å"First of all, Scout if you can learn a simple trick, you’ll get along a lot better with all kinds of folks. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view.† This quote further explains his courageous qualities because it shows that he doesn’t believe in judging others until you have been in their skin, or until you know a person.

Discuss how fear undermines the moral integrity of many of the :: English Literature

Discuss how fear undermines the moral integrity of many of the characters involved 'The Crucible' is a play based on the 17th century Salemwitch hunts. It is also a parable for the events in McCarthy's era in the U.S.A which was a high profile topic at the time it was written. The play is about people who are wrongly accused of helping the devil. 'The Crucible' was written by Arthur Miller and was first performed in 1953, New York. It is set in a puritanical society where the people believe in hard work and little luxury. Their life is based around God, the Bible and the 'Ten commandments'. They're joyless and God-fearing. Pride and integrity are extremely important to them. They're obsessed and fearful of sin, damnation and the devil. Fear is an abstract emotion, it causes people to worry, become nervous and sometimes act in an irrational manner. People can be 'fearful' of many different things. It could be that you or someone you care about is in danger or that you are scared of someone or something. It makes people conscious and aware of what is happening around them or what could happen. It is induced by something frightening, whether it be justified or not (it could be about nothing, paranoia). Fear is often provoked by the unknown, for example the devil in 'The Crucible'. People are very cautious of phenomenon that they are ignorant of or that cannot be explained. A fear that is particularly relevant to the play is, fear of losing their good reputation. Fear can have a major effect on society, especially one as puritanical as Salem. It fuels existing tensions and turns people against each other. People become suspicious of everyone and trust no-one. They accuse their enemies and even their friends. Fear causes people to protect themselves and their pride even at the expense of other of other people's lives! One lie can lead to a dozen as an allegation spirals out of control. People pride themselves on their moral integrity in the town of Salem. 'Moral integrity' is where people live by God's rules and their own principles. They try to keep a good reputation and do the 'right thing'. It is a sort of 'standard' amongst the locals. However, once "the devil entered Salem", the moral integrity of people was at risk, as many people lost the integrity they had as it was all undermined by fear of the Devil, and of being accused. Mary Warren loses all moral integrity she once possessed at the end of 'The Crucible'. Mary is one of the only girls who does not join in Discuss how fear undermines the moral integrity of many of the :: English Literature Discuss how fear undermines the moral integrity of many of the characters involved 'The Crucible' is a play based on the 17th century Salemwitch hunts. It is also a parable for the events in McCarthy's era in the U.S.A which was a high profile topic at the time it was written. The play is about people who are wrongly accused of helping the devil. 'The Crucible' was written by Arthur Miller and was first performed in 1953, New York. It is set in a puritanical society where the people believe in hard work and little luxury. Their life is based around God, the Bible and the 'Ten commandments'. They're joyless and God-fearing. Pride and integrity are extremely important to them. They're obsessed and fearful of sin, damnation and the devil. Fear is an abstract emotion, it causes people to worry, become nervous and sometimes act in an irrational manner. People can be 'fearful' of many different things. It could be that you or someone you care about is in danger or that you are scared of someone or something. It makes people conscious and aware of what is happening around them or what could happen. It is induced by something frightening, whether it be justified or not (it could be about nothing, paranoia). Fear is often provoked by the unknown, for example the devil in 'The Crucible'. People are very cautious of phenomenon that they are ignorant of or that cannot be explained. A fear that is particularly relevant to the play is, fear of losing their good reputation. Fear can have a major effect on society, especially one as puritanical as Salem. It fuels existing tensions and turns people against each other. People become suspicious of everyone and trust no-one. They accuse their enemies and even their friends. Fear causes people to protect themselves and their pride even at the expense of other of other people's lives! One lie can lead to a dozen as an allegation spirals out of control. People pride themselves on their moral integrity in the town of Salem. 'Moral integrity' is where people live by God's rules and their own principles. They try to keep a good reputation and do the 'right thing'. It is a sort of 'standard' amongst the locals. However, once "the devil entered Salem", the moral integrity of people was at risk, as many people lost the integrity they had as it was all undermined by fear of the Devil, and of being accused. Mary Warren loses all moral integrity she once possessed at the end of 'The Crucible'. Mary is one of the only girls who does not join in

American Film History 1930-60

The chief technological innovation during the 1930s was the development of deep focus cinematography. Deep focus involved the expansion of depth of field, resulting in images that maintained sharp focus from objects in the extreme foreground to those in the distant background. Deep focus was achieved by filming with extremely wideangled lenses whose apertures had been stopped down. This sort of cinematography was made possible by a variety of developments in related fields of film technology.In 1939 the introduction of lens coatings, which permitted 75 per cent more light to pass through the lens to the film inside the camera, enabled cinematographers to decrease the lens aperture an additional stop, facilitating greater image definition. The results of these developments can be seen in Orson Welles’ Citizen Kane (1941). This and other films which were shot in exteriors took advantage of relatively short focal-length lenses and abundant sunlight to produce ‘deep' images. According to this new code, the film stock's greater sensitivity to the full range of colours signified a greater realism.On Citizen Kane the Toland style is most pronounced, most systematically and effectively employed, and most widely recognized. Although he had been refining his methods in the films with Wyler and Ford, Toland had yet satisfactorily to combine his technical and stylistic interests within a single picture. He saw Citizen Kane as a chance to experiment on a large scale. In a June 1941 article in Popular Photography entitled â€Å"How I Broke the Rules on Citizen Kane†, Toland related that ‘the photographic approach †¦was planned and considered long before the first camera turned', which was itself ‘most unconventional in Hollywood', where cinematographers generally have only a few days to prepare to shoot a film. Robert L. Carringer, in his indepth sudy of the production, writes that Welles and Toland ‘approached the film together in a spirit of revolutionary fervor', and that ‘Welles not only encouraged Toland to experiment and tinker, he positively insisted on it' (Nowell-Smith 45). The work indicated something of a shift to a more documentary-style realism.Citizen Kane was, then, an opportunity for Toland to make flamboyant deep focus identified with his own work. Welles had come to Hollywood with no professional film experience, and (according to Welles) Toland had sought out the Kane assignment. After the filming was completed, Toland was at pains to claim several innovations. For greater realism, he explained, many sets were designed with ceilings, which required him to light from the floor. Since the sets were also deep, he relied on the carrying power of arc lamps.Furthermore, since Welles and Toland had decided to stage action in depth, Toland sought great depth of focus by using Super XX film, increasing the lighting levels, and using optically coated wide-angle lenses (Bordwell 45). The result s hifted the traditional limits of deep space. In yielding a depth of field that extended from about eighteen inches to infinity, Toland's ‘pan-focus' made it possible to have a sharp foreground plane in medium shot or even close-up and still keep very distant background planes in focus. Fifty years on, Kane remains contentious.French critic Andre Bazin, who saw it in 1946 at the same time as Italian neo-realism, argued that its extensive use of deep focus promoted the reality of the phenomenal world of the film, but subsequent critics have noted that the film is also highly self-conscious, artificial, and even baroque. The use of deep focus was not unique, and director of photography Gregg Toland had already experimented with it on other productions. Welles's role as ‘author' of the film has also been hotly contested, notably by Pauline Kael (1974), who argued, probably incorrectly, that the script was solely the work of Herman J.Mankiewicz. But even if Kane was not compl etely novel in its structures or techniques, it remains the fact that these techniques are masterfully integrated in the film's complex texture. Bazin, for example, argued that Citizen Kane was a film of high quality in that it was a film of realism. Realism was an axiom of his aesthetic position. But the statement which links this axiom with the specific aesthetic judgement of Citizen Kane raises problems. The realism of the film, Bazin argues, derives from its use of deep-focus photography and minimal cutting.Such techniques minimize fragmentation of the real world. The trouble is that this could be a definition of realism as nonfragmentation, or an assertion that films employing such techniques are perceived as more real. The latter, unlike the former, is open to empirical test, although Bazin uses it as a selfevident aesthetic judgement. Thus, although there is nothing inherently wrong with the argument, it does involve different sorts of statements with consequent different cri teria of adequacy.Bazin does share a considerable admiration for the achievements of Italian neo-realism; in particular. And yet Bazin rarely falls into the trap of seeming to formulate a puritan aesthetic which will include neo-realism at the expense of all else. Unlike Kracauer (formally, at least) he admits to different forms of realism. Thus, for example, the distinction he draws between the ‘documentary' realism of Scarface and the ‘aesthetic' realism of Citizen Kane, both forms allegedly finding their unification in La Terra Trema (Bordwell 90).This willingness to speak of different types of realism can lead to problems in interpreting his position. In Signs and Meaning in the Cinema, Wollen takes to task two contemporary inheritors of Bazin's views (Barr and Metz) over their opposition of Rossellini and Eisenstein. The villain for Bazin, he points out, was not Eisenstein, but German Expressionism. But the real problem is that at different times, and in different w ays, Bazin occupies both positions. He starts life invoking a case similar to Kracauer's in favour of a ‘purist' realism.But this proves too limiting for his much more catholic tastes, and so he also develops a second case as spatial realism. Unfortunately, he never really brings the two conceptions face to face; never really resolves the strains between them. It seems useful here to take a closer look at these basics of his argument: The realism of the cinema follows directly from its photographic nature. Not only does some marvel or some fantastic thing on the screen not undermine the reality of the image, on the contrary, it is its most valid justification.Illusion in the cinema is not based as it is in the theatre on convention tacitly accepted by the general public; rather, contrariwise, it is based on the inalienable realism of that which is shown. All trick work must be perfect in all material respects on the screen. The `invisible man' must wear pyjamas and smoke a cig arette (Bazin 108). Andre Bazin puts Welles in his pantheon of realist directors, along with Renoir, Rossellini, De Sica, Stroheim, Flaherty, and even Murnau (whom he praises for choosing the moving camera over editing in the construction of many of his filmic scenes).Yet Citizen Kane is also a film in the tradition of German Expressionism. Like Murnau, Welles externalized the subjectivity of his characters (and especially of Kane) by means of psychologically charged settings, acute camera angles, distorting lenses, and disconcerting camera movements (Tudor 56). The demented architecture of Xanadu in the mist-enshrouded shots at the beginning of the film recalls Howard Hawks’ Scarface (1932). Near the end of the film both Susan and Kane are dwarfed by the oversized ornaments and statuary that furnish Xanadu, and serve as external projections of Kane's inner deadness and mindless materialism.The gargantuan rooms through which their voices echo—they nearly have to shout at each other to be heard—reflect the distance that has grown between them. When Kane steps into an enormous blazing fireplace and informs Susan that â€Å"Our home is here,† he metaphorically becomes the host of hell. After Susan leaves him, Kane, now utterly alone, wanders past a structure of double reflecting mirrors which reflect his image into infinity. As far as he looks, all he can see are images of himself, a perfect physical representation for a man trapped within his own narcissism.Welles also used extreme camera angles and strange camera movements in conjunction with his expressive mise-en-scene. In the year of its release, Citizen Kane was a radically experimental film—fully twenty years ahead of its time—and was widely recognized as such by American critics. Citizen Kane is surely the most celebrated and analyzed of all English language films and, arguably, the greatest – at least as measured by periodic surveys of critics and scholars . We saw that in the 1940s a realist aesthetic somewhat modified classical practice. This was conceived as partly an ‘objective' verisimilitude, especially of setting and lighting.Location shooting, taken in conjunction with low-key (‘mood') lighting, helped define one distinct postwar cinematographic practice. This practice did not fundamentally violate classical principles of causal and generic motivation. This conception of ‘realism' also owed something to a standardization of deep-focus shooting. Certain traits became common to many ‘realistic' films of the 1940s and 1950s. Finally, Bazin sees both forms of realism in spatial realism of Welles. Certainly Citizen Kane preserves the unity of space through Toland's deep-focus photography.Certainly the cuts are minimized by use of dissolves and joins across the soundtrack. But Welles is, nevertheless, the true inheritor of expressionism, the specialist in the distortion by camera angle, the mysterious shadows once painted but now created through lighting, the grotesque, and the baroque. Works Cited Bazin, Andre, What is Cinema? op. cit. Bordwell, David, The Classical Hollywood Cinema: Film Style & Mode of Production to 1960. Routledge: London, 1988. Nowell-Smith, Geoffrey The Oxford History of World Cinema. Oxford University Press: Oxford, 1997. Tudor, Andrew, Theories of Film. Viking Press: New York, 1974.