The Supernatural and the witches Essay Example for Free

The Supernatural and the witches Essay The story of Macbeth, like most of Shakespeares plays, tells a story that has a moral lesson attached to it. Macbeth was essentially a man who craved power but even when a prophecy was revealed that he would gain, Macbeth still wasnt truly satisfied. Instead, he went to great lengths to ensure that his power lasted longer than it should have. He submitted to the evil whims and plans of his wife, Lady Macbeth, and put himself in a position that destroyed his self respect, ruined his pride, degraded his honour, and spoiled his integrity. For my essay I have decided to base it on the witches and the super natural things, which take part in the book Macbeth One will always notice the many influences that Macbeth encounters before his downfall. Each one of these may have had some bit of impact on the final outcome. The three most popular causes of the tragedy of Macbeth are the main characters ambition, the witches prophecies, and Lady Macbeths influence over Macbeth. in this case, it is obvious that there was some other force behind him that helped him to change from a respectable, trustworthy man, to a deceiving murderer. In his encounters with the witches, Mabeth was introduced to that fact that he could have more power, and in hearing what he had to do to earn it, he was scared. However, with the witches making this power sound so grand, he was eventually convinced that his dignity was no longer essential. The witches, therefore, were what caused the legacy of Macbeth as a heroic individual to lead to his ultimate death and destruction. At the very beginning of the play it clearly shows that the three witches can foretell the future. They come into the play in the first scene during a horrendous storm and they have foreseen the visit that Macbeth is going to pay them. During Macbeths visit all three witches spoke in rhyme as if they were putting some sort of spell on him for example When the hurly-burlys done, when the battles lost and won They also give Macbeth a prediction, they did this because they knew it would encourage Macbeth to kill because they knew how ambitious he was and what lengths he would go to become king. At the end of the first scene it tells me that the witches have opposite values to us fair is foul and fouls is fair meaning good is bad and bad is good. The witches are very evil and vengeful. I know this because they send a sailor out to sea in a constant thunderstorm for several months. They do this because the sailors wife would not give them one of her many chestnuts. A sailors wife had chestnuts in her lap, and munched, and munched, and munched, and munched. Give me quoth I: Aroint thee, witch! the rump-fed ronyon cries. Her husbands to Aleppo gone, master O the tiger: But in a sieve Ill thither sail, and, like, a rat without a tail Ill do, Ill do, and Ill do. The quote explains why and how the witches gave such a terrible punishment. The witches are described as not looking like typical women. They are very ugly, old and they have beards. Obviously your typical woman would not have a beard. I know this due to the fact Banquo said to the witches live you? Or are you aught? This tells me that the witches are very old. Banquo said to the witches you should be women, and yet your beards forbid me to interpret that you are so Clearly this shows that the witches have beards The witches prediction was correct; Macbeth did ultimately murder Duncan and his guards. He murdered the guards just incase they saw something and they were to people about it. Lady Macbeth helped Macbeth murder the guards by putting something in their drinks so they would sleep. Personally I think that Macbeth cannot be held totally responsible for the killing of Duncan and the guards. I think this because other characters did motivate him to murder them such as Lady Macbeth and the witches. So far in the play Macbeth has become Thane of Cawdar by winning the battle against the Norwegians and Macdonald. The witches give Macbeth three Prophecies, which are Thane of Glamis (which Macbeth already is) Thane of Cawdar and the last prophecy that the witches gave to Macbeth is King of Hereafter All hail, Macbeth! That shalt be king here after The witches prophecies have already taken a big influence over Macbeths life. Glamis and thane of Cawder: The greatest is behind This meaning for Macbeth the next step is even better than the one before. Macbeth wants to become king but Banquo doesnt trust the witches he refers to them as the devil can the devil speak true Banquo believes that evil spirit would not tell them the truth. Banquo then said to win us to our harm meaning the witches are going to lead Macbeth and Banquo to their own destruction. Banquo was becoming suspicious of the death of Duncan. Macbeth Realises that Banquo heard the witches three prophecies he doesnt like Banqos suspicion so he arranges for him and his son Fleance to be killed. Macbeth wants his son murdered as well as Banquo because the witches have told him that they were the future King. Unfortunately for Macbeth there was a mistake in the killings of Banquo and his son. Although the killing of Banquo was very successful it was very brutal murder it consisted of 20 gashes to his head. His son escaped. That night Macbeth held a big celebrity banquet. This is the scene, which Banquos ghost appears. Macbeth being the only person, who can see him, turned and said to him Thou canst not say I did it. Never shake thy gory locks at me Obviously he does not react well to seeing a ghost at the feast. He denies having anything to do with the murder. When Banquos ghost reappears Macbeth begins to go mad and said to himself Avaunt! And quit my sight! Let earth hide thee Lady Macbeth makes excuses for Macbeth to cover up for his behaviour My lord is often thus, and hath been from his youth: pray you, keep seat; the fit is momentary In the quote lady Macbeth is trying to say that her husband is ill and that the Banquet must come to an end due to this. Macbeth again visits the witches for one last final time. Whilst he was there he mentioned that he had gone so far into his murders that he might as well carry on I am in blood stepped so far, that, should I wade no more Also during his visit, the witches are joined by Hecate, who is the queen of witchcraft. This shows the importance Macbeth had in the forces of evil. Not long into Macbeth visit the witches start listing ingredients for some sort of potion, which contains guts, a toad toe, snake, eye of newt, a frog, bats fur, dogs tongue, a humans lips, nose and liver, a wolf tooth, and a finger of a prostitutes baby strangled at birth Fillet of a fenny snake, in the cauldron boil and bake; eye of newt, and toe of frog, wool of bat and tongue of dog, adders fork, and blind-worms sting, lizards leg, and howlets wing, for a charm of powerful trouble, like a hell-broth boil and bubble The witches put all these ingredients into a cauldron to make a potion, which is made for Macbeth to drink. Once Macbeth had drunk the potion he begun to have apparitions. He saw an image of a head with a helmet this symbolised Malcolm coming towards the castle. I think the bloody child represented Macduff being born by a caesarean, the child with a crown on its head holding a branch I think represented Macduff becoming King as he was the only person who could kill Macbeth due to the fact that he was born by caesarean and not by a natural birth and the branch represented Macduffs army approaching Macbeths castle camouflaged into the woods hence the witches prophecy Macbeth shall never vanquished be until Great Birnham Wood to high Dunsinane Hill shall come against him and Banquo holding a mirror represented Banquo beginning a dynasty of royals. Due to Macbeths previous visit to the witches he proceeds to burn Macduffs castle to kill all his family but he fails to kill Macduff because he had gone away to rally an army somewhere in England. The castle of Macduff I will surprise, seize upon fife; give to th edge o th sword his wife, his babes, and all unfortunate souls that trace him in his line. No boasting, like a fool; this deed Ill do, before this purpose cool. When Macduff found out about the tragic, and brutal murders of his family he and his army returned to Scotland to kill Macbeth. Each person was carrying a branch from a tree, to form an illusion that they were a moving forest. Just as the witches prophecy said. As I said earlier Macduff was the only person able to kill Macbeth because he was born not of a woman, a lot of the army members have trouble trying to kill Macbeth but eventually Macduff killed Macbeth. Even in his final uttered words before his death, Macbeth refers to two of the witchs apparitions, these being the second and third apparition concerning the Great Birnam wood knocking at his door and his inevitability to anyone born of a woman:

Material Wastage on Construction Sites Work

Material Wastage on Construction Sites Work Material waste is recognised as a major dilemma in the construction industry and has important implications. The construction industry has been reported to be generating intolerable levels of material waste. This report reviews the causes and preventions of wastage of materials in the construction industry. The report also assists clients, main contractors, subcontractors and others who work in the construction industry with advice on how each individual can make a change to help reduce waste. 1.2. Definition of construction waste Waste is a common term and occurrence in the construction industry worldwide. Wastes are materials that are not main products which the initial user has no further use for his/ her wants to dispose. Waste is measured by size or weight and is unwanted or useless materials. Construction waste can be divided into material, labour and machinery waste, however, material waste is more of a concern because most raw materials come from non- renewable resources. Construction waste is generated by construction activities. 2. CAUSES OF CONSTRUCTION WASTE IN THE BUILDING INDUSTRY Waste measurement plays a significant role in the management of systems due to its effective way to measure their performance. Building material waste is complex to recycle due to high levels of contamination and a large degree of different materials mixed together and usually there is inadequate space for its disposal in large cities. There are seven categories of waste identified: There is unnecessary movement of people. When there is waiting by employees for equipment to finish its work. Defects in products. The overproduction of goods that are not needed. Goods awaiting further consumption. Unnecessary processing of goods. Unnecessary transportation of goods. There are other causes of material wastage such as accidents, working under suboptimal conditions, design of products that do not meet the userà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s needs, theft and vandalism. Along with the causes of indirect waste, material waste may be incorporated into buildings since materials are often used in excess of designed quantities or for a different purpose than what is specified, replacing materials for interior quality. It has been noted that material wastage is due to lack of control of materials by contractors. One of the major sources of waste was left over scrap resulting from cutting materials, such as bricks, blocks and sheetrock panels. Most of the waste involved with wood is non- reusable consumables meaning that this material assists in the production process but do not end as part of the building. Packaging and improper handling are also identified as important causes of waste. 2.1 Materials and the waste they cause Different products and materials are experience waste in different ways based on sizes, use and specification, this information was discovered by Skoyles (1976), Bossink and Brouwers (1996) and Forsythe and Marsden (1999) Steel Reinforcement Controlling the use of steel reinforcement on building sites is difficult due to it being bulky to handle due to its weight and shape. Steel reinforcement is always sold by weight. There are three main reasons for steel reinforcement waste:- Short unusable pieces are produced when bars are cut, Some bars sometimes have an excessively large diameter due to fabrication problems and trespassing which leads to theft. Poor structural design in terms of standardization and detailing causing waste due o non- optimized cutting of bars. Cement In- situ production of mortar: Cement is usually manually loaded in the mixer with the use of incorrect equipment. The lack of information available to construction labour for producing different mixes of mortar. Handling and transportation of mortar: This waste is related to site layout problems, lack of maintained pathways and use of inadequate equipment. Brickwork joints: Due to excessive consumption of mortar in joints, this is caused due to insufficient information available about process standards, inadequate supervisions, variations in the size of blocks and the lack of process standardization. Plaster thickness: Due to deviations in the dimensions of structural elements, problems in the incorporation between different designs and the omissions in the designs relating to defining the exact sizes of components such as door frames and blocks. Floor Screed: Due to deviations in the concrete slab level in relation to design and the need to inlay pipes in the floor. Sand, lime and Premix Mortar Sand and mortar are usually delivered in trucks, this may cause additional losses related to the lack of control in the delivery operation and the necessary handling demands. Bricks and Blocks The delivery of material such as the lack of control in the amount of bricks/ blocks delivered and the damage of the bricks and blocks are causes of waste, however, poor handling and transportation are the main causes. Another factor of waste is the need to cut the blocks and bricks which is due to the modular coordination in design. Ceramic Tiles The main source of waste was the cutting of tiles due to the problems in integration between architectural and structural design. This caused the cutting and wastage of tiles. Pipes and Wires Short, unusable pieces are produced when pipes are cut. Poor planning in the distribution of materials does not encourage the replacement of elements by others. Contractors often underestimate the real cost of waste on a project as this is not a clear cost. 2.2. Checklist to assess the causes of waste The following checklist can be used to assess the causes of waste:- Is the tender document complete? Is the design a fixed and agreed design? Is the information provided clear? Is the storage available safe and adequate? Is the workforce trained in waste management and waste reduction? Does the programme allow for the work to be carried out without interference with other trades? 3. PREVENTIONS OF WASTAGE OF MATERIALS Waste can be avoided by implementing inexpensive preventative methods related to managerial improvements. Some building materials and components use large amounts of non renewable sources of energy and sources that are in danger of exhaustion, such as timber, sand and crushed stone. It has been suggested that human work should be the main focus of waste prevention. The values of materials depend to a vast extent on the work that has been spent on them. In order to improve the efficiency of value- adding and non- value adding work, the aim is to eradicate waste by removing non- value adding activities. The control of waste to an acceptable level can only be reduced through major improvement in production system conditions. Waste prevention can be successful in many forms, such as:- By purchasing durable, long- lasting materials, Setting out to remove raw materials that are not incorporated into the final product or service, The use of products that are free of toxic material, By reducing the amount of packaging materials, Conserving water, energy or both, Implementation of in- process recycling. Waste prevention is a known as business strategy from which, any company can benefit. Waste prevention can be a routine part of daily business. The following basic steps can be taken:- Determining What Wastes you generate All waste streams need to be examined, including process wastes, hazardous wastes, non- hazardous wastes, solid wastes and office waste. By looking into bins, one can determine what materials are being thrown away. Each waste stream must be characterized to help determine the source of the waste, what processes generate it and how much is being discarded. Identifying Waste Prevention Measures All wastes should be evaluated for probable reduction. Determine how you can reduce each waste, evaluate your purchasing policies and determine what you can re-use. Production changes that would potentially improve efficiency, equipment, piping and layout changes should be identified. Resources that may help conduct a waste reduction assessment at a business should be identified. Priorities and goals should be set Prioritize waste prevention opportunities by considering cost, payback and increased employee safety. Attainable goals should be set. Get Started Employees should be taught about how to reduce waste and waste prevention activities should be promoted. Encourage employees by offering incentives. 3.1. Recycling Recycling is a process whereby materials that would have become waste, are transformed into new materials and products. By using more recycled or reused materials on a construction project, overall costs can be reduced. In recycling, used materials or waste are transformed into new products to prevent waste of potentially useful materials to help reduce consumption of fresh raw materials, to help reduce energy usage, to help reduce air and water pollution and lower greenhouse gas emissions. Recycling is an important part of modern waste reduction and is the third component of the à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½Reduce, Reuse, and Recycleà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ waste. Recyclable materials include many different types of glass, paper, metal, plastic, textiles and electronics. The composting or reuse of biodegradable waste such as food or garden waste is not typically considered recycling. Materials that are to be recycled can be taken to a collection centre or picked up from the curb side and then sorted, cleaned and reprocessed into new materials bound for manufacturing. Recycling of a material will produce a fresh, new supply of the same material. Recycling of goods or materials involves their reuse in producing different materials. Recycling has been a common practise for most of human history. Materials for recycling can be can be sorted into the various types on site, ready for pick up. Copper such as wire, old steel furnishings, or equipment and glass windows are some of the materials that can be recycled from a construction site. The type of waste materials accepted for recycling, varies from cities and countries depending on the types of materials that city or country can recycle. The difference in acceptance is reflected in the resale value of the material, one it is reprocessed. 3.2 Re-using Many materials from construction can be recovered from demolition and renovation sites and donated, sold, stored for later use or reused on current or other projects. Private companies sometimes recover materials from the site which can avoid the cost of removal by a contractor. Companies that have storage space available can store good material for future use or for another project. Space, time and equipment can restrict opportunities to reuse materials on smaller projects. Opportunities still exist to import materials from other sites, which may only be available in limited quantities and therefore better suited to small projects. Packaging waste cannot be eliminated or reduced. The most cost effective option with using packaging and the best option for the environment is to reuse the packaging as many times as possible. Repairing any damaged pallets on site is another way of reusing packaging. The pallets that are not in use can be sold to pallet suppliers. Old polypropylene bags can be used for storing demolition wastes. Large sheets of plastic sheeting can be used as wrapping for materials on site as weather protection. 3.3 Successes of prevention methods 3.3.1 Monitoring process and waste production changes- Track things such as the volume of waste products. 3.3.2 Calculating the savings- Look at savings in handlings, treating and disposals cost. 3.3.3 Look at indirect benefits- Try to gauge the value of less obvious benefits such as reaching new markets and improving public image. 3.3.4 Re-evaluate your efforts on a regular basis- As new raw materials and processes are introduced, waste streams change. Conduct regular assessments of your business to identify additional waste prevention opportunities. 4. REDUCTION OF MATERIAL WASTAGE 4.1. Advantages of reducing waste Reducing waste means that resources will be saved. Society benefits from reducing waste by allowing people to limit their usage of a certain privileged in order to conserve it for the future. This can be done effortlessly and doesnà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½t involve any extra equipment or dramatic life changes. Reducing waste will help communities, contractors and it improves the image of organisations and companies that reduce disposal. A lot of space will also be conserved in existing landfills. 4.2. Reasons for reducing waste The reduction of waste can be beneficial to many involved in the construction industry. Reducing waste can be a great financial benefit as waste has a cost. The cost of waste is included in a tender price and paid for by the client. Main contractors have the responsibilities for waste disposal but waste is also generated by sub- contractors. Based on an environmental and a cost perspective, clients, main contractors and sub- contractors have focused on the waste issue. The focus on waste is because of the tremendous escalating applied to landfill tax. Reducing the wastage of materials can also be a benefit to sub- contractors and can result in either a total saving to the project or an increase in project for sub- contractors. There would be a drop in tender prices and a competitive advantage achieved. Sub- contractors are to benefit from using their materials more efficiently. If sub- contractors show initiative to support and engage waste reduction measures, they can improve their chances of being known as preferred bidders as they can help main contractors meet their waste targets. In order for sub- contractors to reap the benefits from reduced material waste, they have to be pro- active. Reducing wastage material is also a benefit to clients and contractors. The cost of waste built into project tenders are paid for by clients. A reduced cost for the project can be achieved by reducing the volume of waste generated. The cost saving from projects can be shared amongst main contractors, sub- contractors and clients. Minimising environmental damage means less quantity of landfill space used and reduced environmental impacts associated with extracting, transporting and manufacturing the raw materials. At a corporate level, reducing waste can bring the following benefits to clients, main contractors and sub- contractors:- It demonstrates commitment to sustainability. It reduces the organisations carbon print Engenders a culture of material efficiency in all project activities. It provides evidence of environmental policies being put into place. Prevention of wastage of materials and recycling of waste reduces exhaustion of natural resources such as trees, oil and minerals. Sub- contractors should consider the following to reduce waste:- Use safe and secure storage Develop a strategy that minimises waste For moving materials, consider mechanical systems and machinery Off- site manufacture or construction should be considered Monitor construction activities Packaging must be used in an efficient way People must be trained and educated on how to reduce waste 4.3. People involved in taking action against reducing waste Waste is equal responsibility between all parties of the supply chain, starting from the client to the waste contractor. All involved cannot work in isolation to manage waste. 4.3.1 Clients Clients need to show initiative and leadership by setting rules and requirements for the proper use of materials and communicating these rules and requirements to the project team. The clients need to ensure that the issues with materials waste are discussed. It is also in the clientà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s best interest to ensure that all people involved are making an effort to reduce waste. 4.3.2 Main Contractors Main contractors have to pass on the information about material waste that the client has given him. The main contractor is to develop a site waste management plan that has estimates of wastes that will be generated. The plan needs to include a strategy to reduce waste. The contractor is to monitor waste data by gathering site waste data and comparing them against site waste data. 4.3.3 Sub- Contractors The sub- contractor must support the main contractors in order to ensure delivery of the clientà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s requirements. Sub- contractors must provide accurate waste estimates for their trade. Sub- contractors can develop actions to reduce waste and submit their ideas to the main contractors. The efficient and proper use of materials must be managed and controlled by sub- contractors to ensure that waste is minimised. On completion of a project, the sub- contractor must provide accurate data on the amount of waste, how was it generated and how it can be reduced. 4.4. Approach to waste reduction Sub- contractors can use four stages to reduce waste:-   Planning Implementation Review Improvement 4.4.1.1. Planning Figure 2 Source: www.org.uk/construction The site management plan is developed by the main contractor during this stage. The waste estimates are developed by sub- contractors. Reductions in waste can be realised by bringing in sub- contractors into the site waste management planning exercise. A waste management plan which is developed by the main contractor should have the following key features:- The waste targets that are set by the client, An estimate of the waste that could be generated on site, Solutions to reduce the waste and, Solutions for wastes going to landfills Main contractors need to ensure that sub- contractors are engaged and challenged on the waste they are likely to generate. Contractors and sub- contractors can manage a process of waste reduction that will allow them to meet the waste targets, if estimates of the quantities of materials and the waste likely to be generated are produced accurately. The following actions can assist the sub- contractors with reducing waste:- Accurate information to be used- when pricing projects, the information used must be up to date, in the correct format and must be accurate. The checklist can be used to check the quality of information. The check list will include:- Are the designs and specifications up to date? Is the latest issue of drawings? Is there any further information needed? Are the drawings in the correct format allowing scaling and printing? Use CAD drawings-Drawings must be available in digital format so that the information is accurate and to scale. This way contractors, sub- contractors and suppliers can have access to the same information and errors can be avoided. Carry out site measurements- if site measurements are carried out, more accurate estimates will be produced. Identifying the causes of waste- all causes must be identified at tender stage. 4.4.1.2. Implementation The implementation of the waste reduction strategy relates to the construction phase of the project. At the implementation stage, the practical measures to reduce waste on site, which is agreed at planning stage can now be implemented. During construction, waste management and waste reduction measures must be implemented. Contractors and sub- contractors must make sure that the waste management solutions that they proposed are put into action. They must also ensure that their effect is monitored regularly through project reviews. At each project review, reports on waste must be produced to assist the team to check performance and look for opportunities to reduce waste. While the project progresses, as each track is completed, reviews of individual performance should be carried out and feedback provided so that:- Sub- contractors can identify how efficient they were on the project. Main contractors can decide which trade contributes what quantity of materials to the waste stream and why. Main contractors and sub- contractors can learn lessons that will enable to improve on reducing waste. Main contractors and sub- contractors can learn lessons which will enable them to improve on reducing waste on projects. An important role in the way waste is generated on site is by construction activities. By main contractors and sub- contractors working together at this stage of the project, obstacles can be removed to increase material efficiency. This can be achieved by taking the following actions:- Implement a Waste Minimisation Strategy for the project as part of the Site Waste Management Plan (SWMP) SWMPà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s will soon become a mandatory requirement for many projects. The SWMP must contain detailed measures complying with relevant waste legislation and must also include good practise guidance and objectives in order to maximise reduction, re- use and recovery of construction waste. Develop a logistics strategy that minimises waste- A major contributor to waste is poor logistics. Solutions like just in time delivery, helps reduce damage to materials and products by minimising the time they are stored on site. Use safe, suitable and secure storage- For tradeà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s f materials that cannot fall under just in time delivery, suitable, safe and secure storage should be provided to avoid damage during storage and moves. Consider mechanical systems and machinery to move materials- This is useful for trades where materials are delivered in large quantities. Mechanical handling of materials will minimise damage and loss of the materials. Off-site manufacture and construction- This will improve efficiency and quality. It minimises the amount of work on site. Monitor and programme construction activities- The activities should be regularly reviewed. Work must be planned to avoid the overlapping of incompatible trades working in the same area. Use packaging in an efficient way- Packaging is one of the largest waste streams in the construction industry. Situations occur were either too much packaging is provided or too less packaging. The ways of reducing or eliminating packaging, needs to be investigated by main and sub- contractors. Trade and educate people on how to reduce waste- Personal responsibility needs to be allocated on site for waste reduction. Incentives should be given to people in order for them to reduce waste. Training and tool box talks on waste minimisation must be done to inform workers. There needs to be more interaction between estimators, buyers, site managers and operators. The following best practise activities should also be incorporated in the process of monitoring performance during construction:- A site manager should be appointed by main contractors to reduce waste on site. The position does not have to be a full time task. The role and responsibilities must be clearly defined to the site waste manager. The site waste manager should co- ordinate with sub- contractors to ensure availability of storage conditions. The site waste manager should keep a record of all material entering the site in order to reconcile against what has been used. A trade waste manager should be appointed by sub- contractors. In cases where materials are not supplied directly by the main contractors, the sub- contractors must liaise with the Site Waste Manager to make sure that the materials are supplied in an appropriate manner and in the correct quantity. Site Waste managers should monitors costs and the volumes of disposals of materials. 4.4.1.3. Review Figure 4 Source: www.org.uk/construction As each work package is completed and at the end of a project, a review of waste performance must take place as part of the final account and post project review. A review of waste performance should be carried out when each sub- contractor completes their work. Reviewing the data and providing feedback can have benefits such as :- Determining whether waste minimisation and management strategy is effective. Find out what works and what doesnà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½t work in reducing waste. Determine how efficient main/ sub- contractors were on the project. Main contractors can look at the trades and the amount of waste it generates. Capture relevant data for future reference. Sub- contractors and main contractors can learn lessons which will assist them in improving the waste performance on projects. Actions that can be taken at the end of projects:- Post Completion Reconciliation- making a comparison of the net quantity of materials used with the quantity ordered. The quantity of materials un- used provides a measure of how efficient usages of materials have been. Any reasons should be investigated and recorded. Carry- out reviews of performance against targets- Workshops should be carried out at regular intervals as part of the project reviews to access performance. Record Data- Capturing waste data should be continuous across different project types. This will allow contractors, clients and sub- contractors to decide how efficient material usage is and the effect it had on profit and overall project waste. 4.4.1.4. Improvement Figure 5 Source: www.org.uk/construction Companies can demonstrate best practise and a company- wide commitment to waste minimisation and management for an improved reputation with clients by improving performance. In improving performance, the waste minimisation is the ability to deliver projects for a lower cost which is the main benefit. Actions such as the following can be taken:- Share the lessons that have been learnt- A good way to improve performance is to learn from experience. The issues relating to minimisation and managing waste are new and good and bad experiences need to be shared across the construction industry. Promoting Innovation- By finding and identifying new ideas in the field of waste management and minimisation, clients, contractors and sub- contractors can contribute to increasing requirements for reducing construction environmental impact. Raise Awareness- All participants to the construction process can improve their performance on reducing waste, increase profits and by promoting a more sustainable image of the industry by raising awareness. Demonstrate better financial and environmental results- Contractors and sub- contractors can demonstrate through examples for future tenders and this can provide competitive advantages. 5. WASTE MANAGEMENT Waste management is defined as the collection, transportation, processing or disposal, managing and monitoring of waste materials. The term waste management normally relates to materials produced by human activity. This process is generally done to reduce their effect on health and the environment. Waste management is a distinctive practice from resource recovery which forces on delaying the rate of consumption of natural resources. The management of wastes, treats all materials as individual class, whether solid, liquid or radioactive substances, and tried to reduce the harmful environmental impacts of each through different methods. Waste management practises differ for developed and developing countries, they also differ for urban and rural areas and for industrial and residential producers. Waste management for non- hazardous waste residential and institutional waste in metropolitan areas is usually the responsibility of local government authorities, whilst waste management for non- hazardous commercial and industrial waste is usually the responsibility of the generator. 5.1 Waste handling and transportation Waste collection vehicles in South Africa, dustbins and waste sorting moulded plastic are some collection methods. Waste collection methods vay widely among different countries and regions. Areas in the less developed countries, do not have formal waste collection systems. 5.2. Waste Management Concepts There are a number of different concepts regarding waste management which vary in their usage between countries or regions. Some of the most widely used concepts are:- Waste Hierarchy The waste hierarchy refers to à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½Reduceà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½, à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½Reuseà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ and à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½Recycleà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ which are known as the à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½3 Rà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½sà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½. These classify waste management strategies according to their appeal n terms of waste minimisation. The waste hierarchy remains the cornerstone of waste management strategies. The aim of the hierarchy is to extract the maximum practical benefits from products and to generate the minimum amount of waste. Polluter Pays Principal Polluter Pays Principal is a principal where the polluting party pays gor the impact caused to the environment. In regard to waste management, this refers to the requirement for a waste generator to pay for appropriate disposal of the waste. 6. HAZARDOUS WASTE A major concern too many countries in the world is hazardous waste. Hazardous wastes are discarded materials that make them potentially harmful to health and safety of humans and the environment. Chemicals, heavy metals or substances generated as by products during commercial manufacturing, discarded paint, thinners, cleaning fluids and batteries can all be included as hazardous waste. Hazardous waste can be in the form of liquids, solids or gases. Hazardous waste sites can pose as a public health threat if the sites are not properly designed or managed. A Hazardous Waste Worker Training Programme (HWWTP) was created to support the Health and Safety of workers who work with hazardous waste. In order to minimize uncontrolled hazardous wastes, all involved in the transportation must comply with the SANS 10406 on Transportation of Dangerous Goods. The objectives of the transportation of Hazardous wastes are:- To ensure the correct packaging, temporary storage and collection prior to transportation, to prevent accidental spillage into the environment and minimise the impact if spillage occurs. To ensure that the hazardous waste arrives safely at a permitted facility. To ensure that emergency facilities are in place before accidents occur and the hazardous wastes are correctly marked so as to aid the emergency team. 7. CONSTRUCTION AND DEMOLITION DEBRIS Construction and demolition materials consist of the debris generated during the construction,

Organizational Change Of Procter And Gamble Marketing Essay

Organizational Change Of Procter And Gamble Marketing Essay In these ever changing and highly competitive markets, there has been a considerable amount of research carried out into new product development and introduction. A successful new product launch is believed by many to be the recipe to business or firm growth and profitability depending on their ability to identify the needs of customers and to quickly create products that meet these needs and can be produced at a low cost. The next step is to analyse and develop the market plan. This is done by reviewing the 4Ps product matrix as a way to finding a unique position from which to create a competitive advantage for the product. Also, review the SWOT with Clients and utilize SMART technique to develop the written, working plan Executing the plan and launching the product. This includes developing collateral materials, begin placement discussion with the first stage in the ideal channel, have enough discussion with as many different entities with a view to uncovering any previously undiscovered real objections. Review and improve plan as necessary with the new information, repeat until sold, and explore link extensions with new partners. It should be noted that new product development and introduction plan is the first stage in the Product Life Cycle. It is created in stages, giving logical break points to force the decision to proceed or not based on what occurs at each stage. Aim and Objective The goal of this research paper is to present in a clear and detail way how the development and launch of household care products by Procter and Gamble (PG) Company is aimed at bringing together the marketing, design, strategy and manufacturing functions of the company and also to identify the overall profitability of the product. Companys Overview and History With its headquarters in Cincinnati, Ohio, Procter and Gamble (PG) Limited is one of the worlds leading giants when it comes to making household products. The company is engaged in producing beauty, health, fabric, home, baby, family, and personal care products. With commitments to remain as the leader in its market, PG is one of the most aggressive marketers and is the largest advertiser in the world. Many innovations that are now common practices in corporate America including extensive market research, the brand-management system, and employee profit-sharing schemes were first introduced at Procter and Gamble. Procter and Gamble Limited has an employee base of 138,000 or more and operates in nearly 80 countries around the world and markets more than 300 brands in over 180 countries; more than half of the companys revenues are generated overseas. The company recorded revenues of $83,503 million during FY2008, an increase of 9.2% over FY2007. The operating profit of the company was $17.083 million during FY2008, an increase of 10.6% over FY2007. The net profit was $12.075 million in FY2008, an increase of 16.8% over FY2007. History Procter and Gamble Company (PG) was established as a joint partnership business by William Procter and James Gamble, two immigrants from United Kingdom in 1837 with head-office in Cincinnati, Ohio. By 1890, PG was selling more than 30 different types of soap, including Ivory. In 1915, the company built a manufacturing plant in Canada, its first outside the U.S. During 1917-1918, PG established the chemicals division which function was to formalize research procedures and develop new products. Then in the 1920s the company discontinued the manufacturing of candles. KEY DATES AND ACQUISITIONS: c. 1851: The Companys famous moon-and-star symbol is created. 1878: PG introduces White Soap, soon renamed Ivory. 1885: Introducing Innovative Employee Benefits. 1890: The company was incorporated as Procter and Gamble Company. 1911: The debut of Crisco, the first all-vegetable shortening. 1931: Brand management system is formally introduced. 1946: PG introduces Tide laundry detergent. 1955: Crest toothpaste makes its debut. 1957: Charmin Paper Company is acquired. 1961: Test marketing of Pampers disposal diapers begins 1963: Company acquires the Folgers coffee brand. 1982: Norwich-Eaton Pharmaceuticals is acquired 1985: PG purchases Richardson-Vicks Company, owner of the Vicks, NyQuil, and Oil of Olay brand 1988: Noxell Corporation, maker of Noxema products and Cover Girl cosmetics, is acquired 1990: PG expands its presence in the male personal care market by acquiring Shultons Old Spice Product line. 1991: Max Factor and Betrix cosmetics and fragrance lines are bought from Revlon, Inc. 1992: Pantene Pro-V shampoo is introduced. 1993: Major restructuring is launched, involving 13,000 job cuts and 30 plant closures. 1994: Company enters the European tissue and towel market with the acquisition of the Germany-based company, Schickedanz. 1997: Company acquires Tambrands, Inc., maker of Tampax line of tampons 1998: Organization 2005 restructuring is launched. 1999: Premium pet food maker Iams Company is purchased. 2001: PG acquires the Clairol hair-care business from Bristol-Myers Squibb Company. 2002: Jif peanut butter and Crisco shortening brands are divested. 2003: Company acquires a controlling interest in German hair-care firm Wella AG. By 2004, the company announced its agreement to acquire the commercial business of Grupo Vita in Spain. In the same year, PG finalized the sale of its juice drink brands, Sunny Delight and Punica, to JW Childs Associates LP, a private-equity firm in Boston. This further paring of the food business left PG with just two main food brands, Pringles and Folgers. The snacks and beverages unit accounted for only 7% of the companys total revenues in fiscal 2004. At the beginning of fiscal 2005 PG realigned its business units, shifting it five previous units into three: global beauty care; global health, baby, and family care; and global household care. Pringles and Folgers were placed within the latter unit. During the fiscal 2004, sales surged 19%, surpassing the $50 billion mark for the first time. Net earning also jumped 25%, hitting $6.48 billion mark. The newly invigorated company continued its streak of paying dividends without interruption since its 1890 incorporation, and it also increased its dividends for the 48th straight year. And in July 2005, a proposed merger with the Gillette Company, a leader in male grooming product was completed and cleared by the European Commission. Literature Review Product planning should be considered as a key driver for the eventual manufacturing and development of a successful new product. It can mean both organizational entity and the process of planning the product which can involve many more departments in a company (Allen, 1993). The consistent investment in consumer and market research, innovation, brand-building and go-to-market policies has considerably helped Procter and Gamble Company achieve success in its new product development strategy and also achieve considerable market shares. This case continues with an insight into PGs product innovations that have been a success among the diverse segments of the global market. The company is organized into three Global Business Units (GBUs) and a Global Operations group for producing commercially viable products. The three GBUs are beauty, health and well-being, and household care. The Global Operations group consists of the Market Development Organization (MDO) and Global Business Service (GBS). Research Methodology The research methodology will be based on the qualitative analysis, i.e. on the presentation and the analysis of a series of findings retrieved by researchers in the literature (Internet sites, online newspapers, periodicals, books and other academic publications, journals). The presentation of appropriate primary sources (statistical indexes, graphs, and financial data) will be also used in order to support the views of the literature. In other words, the research will be mainly secondary mostly because of the objectivity of data involved. More specifically, the use of primary research would not be used for the purpose of this research. Chapter 1 Organizational Culture and Structure 1.0 Corporate Structure Procter and Gamble organization structure is an important part of their capability to grow. It combines the global scale benefits of a $79 billion global company with a local focus to win with consumers and retail customers in each country where PG products are sold. PG organizational structure comprise three Global Business Units (GBUs), Global Operations, Global Business Services (GBS) and Corporate Functions (CF) Fig 1: Four Pillars of Corporate Structure of PG Global Business Units (GBUs) focus solely on consumers, brands and competitors around the world. They are responsible for the innovation pipeline, profitability and shareholder returns from their businesses. Market Development Organizations (MDOs) are charged with knowing consumers and retailers in each market where PG competes and integrating the innovations flowing from the GBUs into business plans that work in each country. Global Business Services (GBS) utilizes PG talent and expert partners to provide best-in-class business support services at the lowest possible costs to leverage PGs scale for a winning advantage. Corporate Functions ensure ongoing functional innovation and capability improvement. Procter and Gamble has adopted an organizational structure of innovation that allows them to launch innovation faster. The company has taken seven key steps in order to structure their innovation management and organization for faster innovation. Delegating decisions to innovative teams: Decisions are delegated to the innovative teams in order to avoid delays and enable fast innovation independent of top managements. Integrating the Research and Development Department into the Business Unit: Integrating majority of the RD into the business unit makes innovation management more effective and fosters the collaboration with the other departments of the business units and the orientation towards the customers in lieu of an exclusive focus on the technology. Co-Location of Teams Department: By locating all innovative team members and relevant departments of a division in the same place, the company can make sure that information flows without distortion. Central Innovation Team: Procter and Gamble has an organization of central innovation team at the corporate level which goes by the name Future Works. At the business unit level its central innovation teams belong to the New Business Development Organization. Central Innovation Fund: PG has established the PG Corporate Innovation Fund (CIF) for the purpose of financing the development of disruptive innovation and of new business. Crest Whitestrips were, for instance, funded by the CIF. External Interface for Open Innovation: In order to execute Open Innovation and to channel external solutions and ideas into the company, PG innovation management needs an effective external interface. The company has established its External Business Development Organization and its Connect Develop Organization. The mission of these departments is to realize the innovation potential, which slumbers in the outside world, via the development of external networks. Merger Acquisition Department: The mission of this department is to acquire innovative companies with a view of strengthening it innovation management and be in the market-place with innovations much faster. 1.1 Corporate Culture Procter and Gamble organizational culture is based on the guiding foundation of Purpose, Values and Principles (PVP) Purpose To provide branded products and services of superior quality and value that would touch and improve the lives of their consumers and in return, the consumers would reward PG with leadership sales, profit and value creation, and allowing their people, shareholder and the communities in which they live and work to prosper. Values Integrity Leadership Ownership Passion for winning Trust Principles Show respect for all individual The interest of the company and the individual are inseparable Strategically focused in their work Innovation being the cornerstone of their success Value Personal Mastery Seek to be the best Externally focused Mutual interdependency is a way of life. Organizational Change of Procter and Gamble A common aspect of any company whether small, medium or large scale is the structural and organizational changes. An organization undergoes change in order to ensure the products and services that would be given to customers are excellent, as well as, the performance of the employee within the company. Procter and Gamble is one the company that utilises change in organization in order to become one of the most well-known product producers in the whole world. Organization 2005 is aimed at changing PGs culture from a conservative, slow-moving, bureaucratic behemoth to that of a modern, fast-moving Internet-savvy organization. PG wants to make faster and better decisions, cut red tape, save cost out of systems and procedures, fuel innovation, set more aggressive sales goals and nearly double its revenue. The catalyst for all this change is Information Technology. Finally, PG wants to abandon its legacy of secrecy. Its new spirit of openness is most evident on the Internet. SWOT Analysis One strategic management tool that PG uses to stay ahead of its competition is the effective and efficient utilization of SWOT analysis. This involves specifying the goals and objectives of the business as well as identifying the internal and external factors that are favorable and unfavorable in achieving the goals and objectives Strengths Weaknesses * Strong focus on Research and Development. * Leading market position * Diversified product portfolio * Strong brand portfolio. * Increasing instances of product recalls * Dependent on Wal-Mart Stores for majority of its revenue Opportunities Threats

Dionysus and the Unraveling of Ideologies in The Bacchae Essay

Dionysus and the Unraveling of Ideologies in The Bacchae    Some evaluations claim that the Dionysus appearing in The Bacchae is fairly true embodiment of the ideals of ancient Athens. He demands only worship and proper reverence for his name, two matters of honor that pervaded both the Greek tragedies and the pious society that viewed them. In other plays, Oedipus' consultations with Apollo and the many Choral appeals to Zeus reveal the Athenian respect for their gods, while Electra's need for revenge and Antigone's obligation to bury Polyneices both epitomize the themes of respect and dignity. Yet although Dionysus personifies these two motifs, his clashes with the rest of Athenian tradition seem to make him its true adversary. Dionysius distinctly opposes the usual views on gender, age, rationality and divinity, leaving the reader to wonder whether these contrasts were Euripidean attempts to illuminate specific facets of the culture itself. Examination of Dionysus's challenges should begin with The Bacchae's most obvious perversion of custom, the question of gender. As Dionysus indicates early in the play, the enraptured band of Bacchant followers is comprised only of females: "Every woman in Thebes-but the women only- / I drove from home" (35-36). Though Cadmus further illuminates the matter by raising the question, "Are we the only men / who will dance for Bacchus?" (195-196), the text offers no definitive explanation for why Dionysus calls solely upon the women. A superficial reading might suggest that Euripides attempted to portray the stereotypical "weaker sex" as the one "more susceptible to invasive passions than men, especially eros and daemonic possession," but more is probably at stake.   Ã‚  Ã‚   As Edith Hall ... ...ty since "things could happen in the real life of Athens which were virtually unthinkable in tragedy, and vice versa." Perhaps the safest assessment of Dionysus is that while not a direct opponent of the traditional ways, his presence, and especially his effect on other characters, serves to highlight many social norms. According to Bernad Knox, "From start to finish, Euripides was 'attempting to show citizens bred in the traditional views...that such conceptions of the gods should offend them.'" Perhaps we as readers will never fully understand the Dionysus that appears in this play, but a closing look at a remark of the Chorus may bring us a step closer to this understanding: --What is wisdom? What gift of the gods is held in honor like this: to hold your hand victorious over the heads of those you hate? Honor is precious forever. (877-881)

User Sampling Methods :: essays research papers

1  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Sampling Methods When surveying, for any purpose, it is important to recognise that the results are only as representative as the survey subjects (the sample), and as such much academic research has been performed in to techniques for selection, broadly placing them in one of two categories – probability sampling and non-probability sampling. In short, with probability sampling the participants are selected by chance. There are dozens of methods of selecting members, using a variety of mathematical techniques, but the key is that each subject has a random, calculable chance of being selected. There is no human intervention involved in the selection. Method  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Characteristics Simple (random) Sampling  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The sample is selected entirely at random Stratified  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The population is first divided in to exclusive subgroups based on some predetermined criteria (e.g. location), then samples are selected at random Proportionate Stratified  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As above, but a smaller group that would otherwise not provide statistically valid results may be oversampled then the results weighted to correct for this. For example, if a particular group is too small to provide a statistically significant sample, more members of that group would be sampled Clustering  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The starting point for the sample is randomised, then assumes that the sample at that point is representative of the region. For example, selecting a street corner, interviewing the first 10 people, and assuming that they are representative of the area Table 2 - Probability Sampling Methods Non-probability samples, however, contain an element of human bias in the sample selection. Again, there are various methods for the selection, the most common of which are: Method  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Characteristics Quota  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Respondents are preselected to ensure that the sample is representative Purposive  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Subjects are selected as they have some specific characteristic, for example, hold a certain position or job type Convenience  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The sample is selected by availability Snowballing  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Contacts provide information about other potential respondents Self-selection  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Respondents volunteer themselves for selection Judgement  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  An â€Å"expert† uses his or her judgement to nominate people for sample Table 3 - Non-probability Sampling Methods Most samples use a combination of sample selection methods. For example, quota sampling is often used to ensure that a random sample is actually representative of the population. 2  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Survey types There are three basic surveying techniques that are suitable for consideration in the project: †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Interview †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Telephone †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Self Administered Survey 2.1  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Interview (face to face) This category includes in-depth interviews, focus groups and projective methods (such as word association tests) which are not suitable for use in this project. There are several distinct advantages to this type of survey, such as: †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Response rates tend to be higher than other methods †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ability to reassure the subject about their responses

Exemplary Leadership

Abstract In order to be a successful leader, one must have specific virtues to qualify them as effective. This analysis examines how a leader utilizes organizational power, the magnitude to which the leader is constrained by contingency factors, how the leader deals with ethical issues, and the leader’s decision-making style and influence tactics in addition to other characteristics.The leader detailed in this analysis is proven to be effective based on certain qualities and the methods he employ to successfully reach the organization’s goal, and motivate the employees to efficiently meet their subdivision and complete organizational goals. Upon completion of this analysis, it is recommended that a study is done to assess if factors such as age, sex, heritage, etc. contribute to the type of leader one becomes. Introduction Leaders are an essential part of every organization. The quality of leaders determines the success of the organization.There are exemplary leaders, a nd there are leaders that can learn a thing or two. What is a leader? Colquitt, Lepine, and Wesson (2011) define leadership as the use of power and influence to direct the activities of followers toward goal achievement (p. 451). This analysis will chronicle an exemplary leader that many other leaders can learn from. The analysis will assess the leaders use of sources of organizational power, how the leader is constrained by contingency factors, how the leader makes decisions, his influence tactics, and how ethical issues are dealt with.Context My boss at the job that I currently hold is a prototypical leader and the example chosen for this analysis. While studying Management at Howard University, one subject that was constantly visited is what makes a proficient leader. I always wondered where all of my bosses learned their horrible leadership skills from until I crossed paths with my present boss. His kindheartedness, importable nature, and accommodating temperament raises the bar for leaders everywhere.The way he interacts with his staff makes them happy to work dexterously to meet organizations goals above what is expected. These are the behaviors that Colquitt et al states an effective leader achieves. Discussion and Analysis The Use of Organizational Power Power is the aptitude to guide the performance of other individuals and limit unwanted influence in return (Colquitt et al. , 2011). The authors stated that even if one posses the power to influence, it does not guarantee they can effectively influence.Power is made up of five facets – legitimate, reward, coercive, expert, and referent. My supervisor has the power to request that I perform tasks within the scope of his authority – legitimate, the power to extend specific resources I need and rewards I want – reward, the power to control consequences for adverse behaviors – coercive, the expertise that I depend on to get my job done and to grow within the organization  œ expert, and finally he is an individual that I’d like to be associated with in the organization – referent.He has all five facets of power as described by Colquitt et al. My supervisor exercises his rights to power in order to help the organization reach its overall goals and not to be seen as a coercive leader. He exercises legitimate power for reasonable requests such as asking me to come in earlier than my scheduled time to attend an important meeting that could only be scheduled at that time. Notice that he makes reasonable requests, meaning that he gives the option to decline if I cannot make reasonable accommodations.He exercises reward power by periodically making mention of how he intends to go about upcoming performance appraisals. This is actually a strategic method as he utilizes his reward power to remind me of what he can do, which in turn heightens the effectiveness of legitimate power as I am more prone to be submissive to his requests in order to rece ive greater rewards. My supervisor has been in the marketing field – the basis of our department – for over fifteen years, which makes him somewhat of an expert, giving him expert power.My supervisor is not a fan of coercive power, as he does not feel the need to intimidate because he effectively gets his employees to do what they need to do. He encourages his employees to obtain the results he desires. Overall, my supervisor has a great deal of power. He strategically applies his powers in order to achieve what is most important – the organizational goal. As mentioned earlier, he uses his reward and legitimate power concurrently, which is beneficial for him and his staff.His expert power has strength in that I try to use it to my advantage to acquire new talents to help me grow in this organization and any future organizations. He is well respected because of his choice to not use coercive power. Contingency Factors There are four contingencies of power, which Colquitt et al tells us are substitutability, centrality, discretion, and visibility. My supervisor is insignificantly constrained by substitutability, which is the extent to which people have alternatives in accessing resources. My organization strongly attempts to adhere to budgets previously set for the year. o stick to budgets and discretion is the degree to which managers have the right to make decisions on their own (p. 455). Centrality represents how important a person’s job is and how many people depend on that person to complete their task, and visibility is how aware people are of a leader’s powers and position. . He does not have sole control of rewards and resources. As a non-profit, my organization relies heavily on budgets and each higher manager must adhere to their budgets that must be agreed upon by the chief financial officer and president.So even with his reward power, there are limitations. His centrality contingency is not a restraint. He has a ver y important role in the organization as we rely on him significantly to bring money into the organization. I personally depend on him for the completion of many of my assignments, as he must approve many of my tasks before it is executed fully. The discretion contingency may serve as a restraint for my supervisor; while he is Vice President of Marketing, the CFO or president must approve many of his big decisions.They can then revise or rebut his decision if they feel it is necessary. The visibility contingency is not necessarily a constraint or helper to my boss. The resources he can provide are not necessarily organizational record but his title makes it known that he is above most employees and under just the CFO and president; this makes it so he still has relatively high influence. Influence Tactics Colquitt et al (2011) defines influence as the use of an actual behavior that causes behavioral or attitudinal changes in others (p. 56) or as Ceasar and Grant (2004) define as Infl uence tactics are specific types of proactive behavior used to exercise influence. The influence tactics that my boss uses are exchange, consultation, collaboration, and ingratiation. One of my supervisor’s favorite influence tactics is the exchange tactic, which is when an individual extends a reward or resource to the target with the intent for them to perform a request (p). This tactic is most common when my supervisor has projects with outsourced associates.If we are compensating someone for their expertise and we need them to start working prior to receiving payment, he will construct and send an email stating â€Å"your payment is on its way, in the meantime please†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Usually, when I am asked to complete an assignment, I am also asked how we should implement it and at that point he approves or change it somewhat. This is the consultation tactic, which is when the target – me – is allowed to participate in deciding how to carry out or implement a request (p. 457). He uses the collaboration tactic, which involves making the request easier to complete.He generally provides me with the necessary resources I need to complete the task as well making it simpler so that it is done efficiently and effectively on the first try. Ingratiation is his favorite tactic to use. Ingratiation is the use of favors, compliments, or friendly behavior to make the target feel better about the influencer (p. 457). He never fails to tell me how awesome I am, or on occasions he would tell me that he does not need to review my work because he trusts me, or explain that he gave me a task because he knew I was smart enough to handle it.Influence tactics are the medium through which managers convert power into behaviors; when managers need others to perform tasks or participate in activities, influence tactics serve as a means of facilitating individual cooperation (Ceasar & Grant, 2004). The tactics that he uses are effective and he uses them appropri ately as well. He also uses personal appeals because in his line of work, he deals with a lot of outside clients.It is beneficial for him to build relationships with people in other industries so that they are readily available to help us when we need them. All in all, the tactics my boss uses results in internalization, which involves getting the target to agree with and become committed to a request (p. 459). Ethical Issues My boss works extremely well under intense conditions and with conflicts. Just recently, we joined with a major corporation for a campaign and sought help from a board certified doctor so that the information we offered would be further validated.Prior to execution of the assignment by the doctor, he let us know that he was not satisfied with the pay and proceeded to tell the major corporation false accounts of what we told him were part of the agreement. My boss could have outright denied his claims in the same rude manner that the doctor was exemplifying. Ins tead, he apologized to the doctor for the misunderstanding and attributed his false account to miscommunication. He then asked the doctor what his normal fee was for the task he performed, and he accommodated him accordingly.He then concluded he would never use the doctor again. In this example of an ethical issue, the fault is not of my organization or my boss but that of the doctor. However, my boss handled the situation in an ethical manner when he could have very well become as unethical as the doctor. I personally respected him for his handling of the situation, as I know my initial instinct would have been to react a lot differently. Decision-Making Styles Colquitt et al talks about four decision-making styles: delegative, facilitative, consultative, and autocratic.With delegative style, a leader gives an individual employee or a group of employees the responsibility for making the decision within some set of specified boundary conditions and with facilitative style, the leade r presents the problem to a group of employees and seeks consensus on a solution, making sure his or her own opinion receives no more weight than others (p. 488). With a consultative style, the leader present the problem to an individual employees or a group, asking for their opinions and suggestions before making a decision him- or her- self and with autocratic style, the leader makes the decision alone (p. 57). My boss uses three of the four decision-making styles as he sees appropriate. For example, he would use the delegative style in a situation where he gives the staff a project. He will provide the specified conditions and then allow us to determine the way we carry out the assignment. He would use the consultative style in a situation where he may want different viewpoints about a decision he has to make to see if he explored all relevant avenues before ultimately making the decision based on his own views.He uses the autocratic style when the decision does not directly affe ct the team and he needs no further input. Transformational Vs. Transactional Leadership According to Colquitt et al (2011), transformational leadership involves inspiring followers to commit to a shared vision that provides meaning to their work while also serving as a role model who helps followers develop their own potential and view problems from new perspectives (p. 496). Transactional leadership occurs when the leader rewards or disciplines the follower depending on the adequacy of the follower’s performance (p. 98). Grant (2012) defines transformational leadership as a central purpose to articulate a vision that focuses employees’ attention on their contributions to others. He states that this form of leadership motivate employees to perform more effectively. My boss is a transformational leader. Not only is he great at inspiring his staff to commit to a shared vision, he makes sure that their work is worth their while. He continually asks if our work is suffici ent and challenging enough because he does not want us to become bored.In addition, he gives us tasks that may go beyond our duties just to develop us into more valuable professionals. He gives us leeway to execute our tasks in a manner that is most comfortable to us while giving his input when we ask or when he sees it is necessary. He does not micro-manage and puts more focus on making us better employees so we can help him with our current skills while learning new skills to be more of a help in the future. Neutralizers Vs. Substitutes Neutralizers, as Colquitt et al (2011) explains, reduce the importance of the leader but have no beneficial impact on performance (p. 05). Substitutes reduce the importance of the leader while providing a direct benefit to employee performance. My supervisor’s effectiveness is rarely affected by substitutes. Because our organization is small, outside staff is less likely able to help us because each department has its specialty. Staff could gain experience that will lessen the extent to which they need the manager’s help but could never alleviate it completely because he is the provider of the tasks. Neutralizers are also minimal. There is task stability, formalization, and spatial distance, but inflexibility is not a factor.For the most part there are tasks that are unchanging and daily and there are written instructions for many of the tasks. Also, all leaders have offices and therefore there is spatial distance. Impact My supervisor has a major impact on performance and commitment in a positive way. His personality and leadership techniques make it so he is a pleasant person to work for. He governs over his employees just enough to make sure the work is done while giving enough space for them to be creative and comfortable. His behaviors definitely influence commitment because it is rare to find a boss of this caliber.Conclusions and Reflections I have always viewed my boss as a great boss. I never had the op portunity to think of why he was such a great boss. This assignment allowed me to do just that. And from my research, I found that my boss has virtually everything that makes a boss a great one from his personality to leadership skills. I have always had the attitude that I want to work for myself because most bosses were not very nice people. While I still desire to work for myself, I would not mind working with a boss like mine and now know that all bosses are not horrible people.I desire to be the exact type of boss that my boss is because his methods are effective. After taking the initiation and consideration assessment, I found that my score for initiating was considered low and the score for consideration was considered high. That coincides with the way I think I would lead. I would care about more about input from group members and their comfort than being more autocratic as a high initiative score would indicate. I would be interested in further researching if certain chara cteristics attribute to the sort of boss a person becomes such as gender, race, age, etc.References Colquitt, J. , Lepine, J. , Wesson. M. (2011). Organizational Behavior: Improving Performance and commitment in the workplace. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Gardner, W. L. , & Ceasar, D. (2004). Transition to Self-Directed Work Teams: Implications of transition time and self-monitoring for managers' use of influence tactics. Journal Of Organizational Behavior, 25(1), 47-65. Grant, A. M. (2012). Leading with Meaning: Beneficiary contact, prosocial impact, and the performance effects of transformational leadership. Academy Of Management Journal, 55(2), 458-476.

Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra (MPO), Kuala Lumpur Program

The MPO concert opened with choir singing with the whole orchestra playing their instruments. In the prelude, there are two movements. Both of these movements are exciting and dramatic in moods. At first, the violinists are playing with the skill of pizzicato . The woodwind part also plays a important part in creating the atmosphere. The musician hit the bass drum and increased the mood of grand in the exciting part. The pianist used the skills of staccato in performing too. In the second part, the music started with the woodwind part which created a contrast mood with the previous part. The musicians blew the French horn with the accompany of the triangles before the choir started singing. It is a peaceful part. In the second movement, the baritone who sit beside the conductor started his solo with the accompany of some percussions such as triangle. Afterwards ,the strings part join the music. In the third movement, it has a drastic change in mood where the moods turn to lively and exciting. More instruments such as tambourine joined this movement and create the joyful environment. In the third part, it started with the strings part. The moods is lively and happy. Then a musician plays the flute alone which creates a short peaceful moment. After that brass joins the music and creates a richer tone color atmosphere. While, in the second movement, the main point is on the choir and they are singing in a repetition style which creates an echo effect. In the third movement, the choir is singing with the accompany of percussions and the moods is relaxing and lively. In the forth part, the baritone starts singing again. This time ,he is singing in a more aggressive mood accompanied with the strings. The mood in this movement is angry and desperate. After that there is a short piece of bassoon solo and the tenor starts singing. I was impressed by the singing skill of the tenor and he sang in a mood of regret and sad. Afterwards, baritone starts singing after the tenor has ended. This part was ended by the choir singing with the accompany of the whole orchestra. In the fifth part, the soprano surprised me with her voice. She is singing accompanied with the strings and woodwind. The mood in the part of the solo of the soprano is sad and hopeless. After a short piece sung by the choir, the baritone sang again in a way like replying to the soprano. This part ended with the solo of the soprano in a extremely high pitch sound. In the sixth part, the choir sang with the accompany of the whole orchestra and the mood in here is peaceful and sacred. Finally in the last part, it is repeated again from the 1st part where it is the most exciting part in the whole ecstasy and it is grand in mood. I enjoyed the previous part as it seem like more interesting to me and I think it is a nice experience as this is my first time listening to an music concert. However I think it will be better if I could understand what is the choir singing about.