Friday, August 21, 2020

Analysis Of The Financial Statements Of Alphabet †Free Samples

Question: Examine about the Analysis Of The Financial Statements Of Alphabet. Answer: About the Companies: Apple is a traded on an open market American transnational firm headquartered in California. The organization was established by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne. Basically, the organization is engaged with the way toward planning, creating and selling shopper gadgets, PC programming just as online administrations. Letter set is one more traded on an open market American transnational organization established by Larry Page headquartered in California. The arrangement of Alphabet for the most part includes various enterprises, for example, innovation, investigate, life sciences just as venture capital. Amazon is a traded on an open market association headquartered in Seattle, Washington. The organization is attempted activity in electronic business just as distributed computing. Fundamentally, Amazon can be considered as the biggest web based tech goliath regarding complete deals just as market capitalization. Key Financials Survey of the monetary reports of the firm Amazon uncovers that the companys stock is up by around 14% till date and 17% during the earlier year. The enterprise impressively beat desires in the underlying a half year during 2016, be that as it may, the organization neglected to meet the primary concern approximations especially during the second from last quarter of the year 2016. Audit of budgetary condition during 2016 mirrors that Amazon recorded about 29% development in income to more than $29 billion and 161% development in by and large working profit to around $2.9 billion, basically determined by solid pace of development across business fragments especially Amazon Web Services[1]. Then again, investigation of fiscal summaries of Apple Inc uncovers that money somewhat decline by around 1%, while it stays at elevated level. Once more, stock stays at reliable level that reflects high level of companys deals. Also, the absolute current resources of the business concern Apple enlisted by the organization increased by almost 2% during 2016. Once more, long haul venture is additionally high since the organization Apple is likewise intending to build up another business substance in California using the speculations during the long term[2]. Financial reports distributed by the organization additionally mirrors that the fixed resources, impalpable resources alongside generosity of the firm are predictable, while the all out current risk of the enterprise diminished by about 1%. Once more, held profit of the company likewise improved since money diminished. Once more, there exists no treasury stocks and it is positive sign as respects the portions of the organization Ap ple[3]. Examination of the budget summaries of Alphabet uncovers that the income of the firm expanded from $74989 to $90272. This shows a year on year development of around $15.28 billion during the particular timeframe of 2016. Once more, the working costs of the company as reflected in the benefit and misfortune statement of the firm added up to $66.56 billion. Be that as it may, the detail reflects increment from roughly $55.63 billion when contrasted with the earlier years figure. Be that as it may, the total compensation of the firm likewise expanded to $19478 during 2016 in contrast with the year prior period. What's more, stock of the firm Alphabet Inc likewise expanded from the year 2014 to the year 2015, in any case, from that point, the figure for stock marginally diminished during the period 2016, subsequently reflecting predominant sales[4]. Similar investigation of the monetary state of the firm Basic investigation of monetary reports of the three firms during the period 2016 uncovers that the income, net benefit just as the profit before premium duty deterioration just as amortization expanded at a quicker rate than that of the Apples. Notwithstanding, Amazon records the most elevated level of development in income during the period 2016 among the three distinctive firms[5]. Apples income anyway somewhat declined during 2016 to $215639 when contrasted with the year back period, while Alphabet Inc enlisted income of $90272, up by $15.28% that is around 20%. In any case, Amazon enlisted incomes of $136.0 billion during the period 2016, that is up 27.1% year on year that is from the degree of $107.0 billion recorded during the year 2015.Again, the present resources of the enterprise Apple Inc enrolled to be $89378000 and the equivalent developed to $106869000. Be that as it may, the present resources of the firm Alphabet Inc are recorded to be 105.41 billion when contrasted wi th the year prior period. Then again, the present resources of the enterprise Apple Inc is seen to be $45781000 when contrasted with $35705000. Amazons current resources is recorded to be $45.7 billion when contrasted with the year back figure of 35.7 billion. For this situation, the present resources of the Alphabet spoke to prevalent figure[6]. In any case, Amazon enlisted net income of around $2.4 billion during the budgetary year 2016, while the net overall revenue as recorded by the firm was 1.7%. Once more, then again, the net gain of the firm Apple Inc diminished by around 23% from $53394000 to $45687000 in 2016. Once more, the overall gain of Alphabet Inc was enrolled to be 19.4 billion of every 2016 when contrasted with 15.8 billion out of 2015. Consequently, it very well may be thusly referenced that Amazon spoke to a solid direction of development both regarding income just as net profit reflecting relatively better monetary soundness of the firm during the period 2016. M oreover, the pattern demonstrates that the business concern Amazon can possibly turn into the initial trillion organization among the three firms. References Brealey, R, S Myers, F Allen,Principles of corporate money. in , New York, NY, McGraw-Hill Education, 2017. Helbk, M, S Lindset, B McLellan,Corporate money. in , Maidenhead, Berkshire, Open University Press/McGraw-Hill Education, 2010. BRIGHAM, E,FUNDAMENTALS OF FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT. in , [S.l.], SOUTH-WESTERN, 2017. PRASANNA CHANDRA.,Financial Management. in , Tata McGraw Hill Education Pvt. Ltd., 2011

Sunday, July 12, 2020

4 Ways to Handle a Mamas Boy Husband

4 Ways to Handle a Mamas Boy Husband More in Relationships Spouses & Partners Marital Problems LGBTQ Violence and Abuse Being married to a mamas boy isnt always a bad thing. A man who is close to his mother is not a mamas boy in a negative way. A man who is attached to his mother at the hip, however, might be more of a problem. This is particularly if he cant seem to function without her. 1. Establish Clear Boundaries Your man might be used to his mother catering to his every need and want, but that does not mean that you need to as well. It is important that you set boundaries and let him know that you will not behave like his mother. He can act like a boy with his mother all he wants, but when he is with you, he should act like a man who can take care of himself. He may use manipulation on you to get his way, so you need to be strong when he accuses you of not loving him and wanting what is best for him. Studies have shown that managing boundaries in marriage is important for a successful relationship, especially in couples where both partners are wage-earners.?? He probably does not mean the things he says, but will say them to get what he wants. If you give in, he will continue to use manipulation to get his way. 2. Maintain Independent Space If hes a mamas boy, it is not a good idea to move into her house. Chances are, their relationship as mother and son will come before your relationship with him. He will most likely side with his mother on every subject as to not upset her. He may even go to his mother when the two of you have a disagreement. While he can do these things even if you live outside of her home, the distance will help some. You do not want to feel like the third wheel when living with your spouse. If you both can’t afford a place of your own, then you probably should not have gotten married yet. If you are in financial straights and his parents have offered to help you by letting you move in, make sure there is an end date in mind. If you are doing it to save for your own home, realize that you are risking irretrievably damaging your marriage. Keep in mind, however, that living apart from your in-laws does not guarantee a stress-free relationship with your in-law. Many couples still report feeling pressure.?? 3. Avoid Confrontation Its not your place to go to your mother-in-law and ask her to back off. If you want to talk to anyone about the situation, its your husband you need to talk to. Do not come from a place of anger, though. When you approach the topic, be sensitive and tell him that you feel a little jealous and would like more alone time with him. Remind him that you like his mother and dont mind going to her house for dinner once a month, but she should not be coming on all of your activities and dates just because she is lonely or has poor boundaries. Explain that you do not want her out of your lives, but you both need time to connect and grow as a couple. 4. Make Your Own Choices Its one thing for your mother-in-law to make his choices if thats what he is comfortable with. She might pick out his clothes, his food, and even his career. If he is incapable of making these decisions without her input, that might be something to consider trying to iron out. You dont want his mother to become a decision-maker about choices you make as an individual or as a couple. Your mother-in-law should not be part of your personal decisions about finances, career paths, parenting, or vacations unless you directly ask for her input. You should also not include her in your marital disagreements. If your spouse is too attached to his mother, it’s important to look at how this is damaging your marriage. You probably ignored red-flags about this when dating, so if you are now seeing it in your marriage, you need to address it sooner rather than later. If trying to communicate and resolve problems around this does not move things in the right direction, professional help is probably in order.

Wednesday, May 20, 2020

The Pre Raphaelite Brotherhood By John Everett Millais

The Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood was founded by John Everett Millais, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, and William Holman Hunt who were students at the Royal Academy. Millais, Rossetti, and Hunt were dissatisfied with the academy teaching students to mimic renaissance masters like Raphael, and sought to create art reminiscent of the medieval period. In addition for their distaste for renaissance perfection in art the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood were inspired by the theories of writer and art critic, John Ruskin. Ruskin encouraged artist to go back to nature, as well as show moral and material truth in their art via the use of symbols and more naturalistic depictions of nature (Harrison, Wood and Gaiger, 200). â€Å"The Brotherhood at its inception strove to transmit a message of artistic renewal and moral reform by imbuing their art with seriousness, sincerity, and truth to nature.†(Meagher) From Millais I will focus on one of his more famous paintings Ophelia, followed by Rossetti†™s Proserpine, and Hunt’s Awakening Conscience. John Everett Millais’ Ophelia painted in 1851 is a depiction of noble woman Ophelia from Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Ophelia’s story is tragic as she loses the favour of price Hamlet who then goes on to kill Ophelia’s father. Ophelia is driven mad by these event and is found dead in a brook, the scene depicted in Millais’ painting. True to the Pre-Raphaelites and Ruskin’s ideology the background was painted from observation with great care and detail. Perhaps the mostShow MoreRelatedThe Life of the Famous English Painter, Sir John Everett Millais885 Words   |  4 Pages Sir John Everett Millais was born on June 8, 1829 in Southampton, England to John William Millais and Emily Marie Millais. Their family had a French background and were wealthy people in the middle class, partly due to the fact that the mothers family were very successful saddlers, which are people who were skilled at making saddles (Artmagick 1, Tate 1). When Millais was little h e was considered a child prodigy when it came to painting and his family moved to London in 1838 to improve contactsRead MoreArt 100 Museum Paper814 Words   |  4 PagesIntro to Art/Art 100 Pre-Raphaelites I visited National Gallery of Art, Washington DC on Friday, March 29, 2013 to see the exhibition â€Å"Pre-Raphaelites: Victorian Art and Design, 1848-1900†. It is the first major survey of the art of the Pre-Raphaelites to be shown in the United States features some 130 paintings, sculptures, works on paper, and decorative art objects. The young members of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, formed in 1848, shook the art world of mid-19th-century Britain by rejectingRead More The Pre-Raphaelites Essay3594 Words   |  15 PagesPre-Raphaelites, a group made up of 19th-century English painters, poets, and critics whos work responded towards the practice of Victorian and neoclassical subject mater by developing bright imitations of religious work. More specifically, and of the most beautiful are the paintings of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and their followers, bright and clear colours, fair women and themes from myths and legends.(Darkamber 1). The groups source of inspiration came from early Renaissance painters andRead MoreThe Pre Raphaelites Critique On Society Through The Image Of Women1495 Words   |  6 Pages Worship of Ugliness: The Pre-Raphaelites Critique on Society through the Image of Women The Pre-Raphaelite brotherhood started in 1848 when seven men banded together in opposition of the disingenuous teachings of the London Royal Academy of Arts. The named themselves the ‘Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood’ or ‘PRB’ for short. This secret society was an avenue for the men to create how they wanted, and promote their agenda to the greater English public. Through the artists, opposition to utilitarianRead MoreWhat Is The Theme Of Sexualism In The Eve Of St Agnes By John Keats1799 Words   |  8 Pages Pre-Raphaelite art was a movement was born of poetry, English Romanti cism texts inspired the young artists of the Brotherhood. The first of these texts The Eve of St Agnes, a poem by John Keats and key text from Romanticism that served as inspiration for John Everett Millais and William Holman Hunt and spawned the dawn of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. A romantic tale of elopement and awakening sexuality, young Porphyro hides in Madeline’s bed cha mber, Even to Madelines chamber, and thereRead MoreImages of Victorian Women by the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood Essay1012 Words   |  5 Pagesmovements, such as the Chartist demonstration and the fall of the Second Empire in France, paved the way for new ideologies. The Pre-Raphaelites were inspired by the changing atmosphere of the times and through their art attempted to introduce emotion, realism and originality back into British painting. The members of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood were John Everett Millais, William Holman Hunt, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, F.G. Stephens, Thomas Woolner, James Collinson, and William Michael Rossetti. TheseRead MoreEssay about Female Poets and the Dark Side of Life505 Words   |  3 Pageswas culturally, a rather strange period. The Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood was started in 1848 by Dante Gabriel Rossetti, John Everett Millais and William Holman Hunt, as a reaction against what they saw as the stale, formula-driven art produced by the Royal Academy at the time. They aimed to go back to a more genuine art, exemplified as they saw it by the work of the Nazarenes, and rooted in realism and truth to nature. The Pre-Raphaelites, being young, talented, and having many ideas of Read MoreAnalysis Of Dante Gabrielle Rossetti Essay1350 Words   |  6 Pagesaspects of the world, Rossetti also faced hardship and grievances with conflict in his life. Strong enough to push through it, he was a man of wonders that unfold as he grows. This essay will explore the life of dante Gabrielle Rossetti the British pre-Raphaelite poet from London. Looking over his works and accomplishments starting from poems all the way to his other works. Examine the impact of Dante Gabrielle Rossetti mark in history and why he is or isn’t important. Rossetti’s father Gabriele movedRead MorePre-Raphaelites: Realism Over Reynolds Essay2092 Words   |  9 PagesIn September 1848, a group of seven men banded together secretly to create the â€Å"Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood,† or â€Å"P.R.B.† (Whiteley 6). This group included: Gabriel Charles Dante Rossetti (1828-1882), John Everett Millais (1829-1896), William Holman Hunt (1827-1910), Thomas Woolner (1825-1892), William Michael Rossetti (1829-1919), James Collinson (1825-1881), and Frederick George Stephens (1828-1907). Though this movement lasted only a few years, these men pulled the art establishment away from theRead MorePainting With Light By Dante Gabriel Rossetti Essay1391 Words   |  6 Pagesthe largely experimental period in which this developed coincided with the founding of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. Paintings by Dante Gabriel Rossetti, John Everett Millais and John Singer Sargent are included (and personally i believe they are the highlights of the exhibition) are shown side by side with the photos they inspired and of subjects they drew inspiration from. The Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood was a secret society of the mid 19th century that sought to create a new form of British art

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

George Washington Paper - 1005 Words

Fast Facts on George Washington * Born: February 22, 1732 Pope’s Creek, Virginia * Children: no natural children (Adopted the children of Martha Custis) *Grandfather by marriage of Confederate General Robert E. Lee * Military Service: Commander General, Revolutionary War * Profession: Surveyor/Planter * Political Party: Federalist * Home State: Virginia * Political Offices: Chairman of Constitutional Convention * Died: December 14, 1799 (Age- 670 Last Words: â€Å"I die hard, but I am not afraid to go. â€Å"Tis well.† Buried: Mount Vernon, Virginia * Term of Office: April 30, 1789 – March 3, 1797 * Number Of Terms Elected: 2 Terms * Nickname: â€Å"Father of Our country† * First Lady: Martha†¦show more content†¦Historical Significance Washingtons significance cannot be overstated. He led the Continental Army to victory over the British. He believed in a strong federal government which greatly influenced the nation during his eight years in office. He did not allow others to trap him as royalty. He worked on the principle of merit. His warning against foreign entanglements was heeded by future presidents. By declining a third term, he set up the precedent of a two-term limit. Events and Accomplishments of George Washingtons Presidency: Washingtons administration was one of precedents with many standards that are still followed. For example, he relied on his cabinet for advice. Since his cabinet appointments went unchallenged, presidents are generally able to choose their own cabinets. He chose a successor for Chief Justice John Jay from outside the bench instead of based on seniority. Domestically, Washington was able to stop the first real challenge to federal authority with the suppression of the Whiskey Rebellion in 1794. Pennsylvania farmers were refusing to pay a tax and he sent troops to ensure compliance. In foreign affairs, Washington was a huge proponent of neutrality. He declared the Proclamation of Neutrality in 1793 which stated that the US would be impartial toward belligerent powers currently in a war. This upset some who felt we owed a greaterShow MoreRelatedEssay on George Washington628 Words   |  3 PagesGeorge Washington George Washington was born on February 22, 1732 on Popes Creek Farm in Westmoreland County, Virginia. The family George was born into consisted of his father, Augustine Washington, his mother, Mary Washington, and five brothers and sisters: Betty, Samuel, John Augustine, Charles and Mildred. There were also three other older children from his fathers first marriage to Jane Butler, who died in 1729: thirteen year-old Lawrence, twelve year-old Augustine and nine year-oldRead MoreAccomplishments And Failures Of George Washington1738 Words   |  7 Pages21 April 2017 Many Triumphs and Failures of George Washington. George Washington had enormous amounts of failures, but he had achieved great things as well. From being a young boy living in Pope’s Creek, Virginia to becoming the president of the United States. He has faced a lot of hardships and failures. But through all of his hardships throughout his life he has become the greatest president of the United States, George Washington. George Washington had early influences as a child. His childhoodRead MoreGeorge Washington s Leadership Style932 Words   |  4 Pages George Washington’s Leadership George Washington s strong, courageous, intelligent leadership was important because it brought the victory of the American patriots over the British in the Revolutionary War. George Washington and his leadership skills made this a great place. He paved the way for American Generals. George Washington was a great man who also lead us to victory. He also gave up lots of things to be general and president. Mount Vernon was a very mysterious place. George WashingtonRead MoreGeorge Washington s Secret Six Essay1250 Words   |  5 PagesGeorge Washington’s Secret Six: The Spy Ring That Saved the American Revolution, a monograph written by Brian Kilmeade and Don Yaeger, narrates the Culper Spy Ring’s operation in New York City and its contribution toward the American victory over the Great Britain in the American Revolution. Under the order of General George Washington, Major Benjamin Tallmadge established the Culper Spy Ring with the purpose to outspy the British troops’ activities and movements in Manhattan, therefore allowingRead MoreEssay on analysis articles of capitulation1011 Words   |  5 Pagesbattle, in which Coulon had surrounded Washington’s Fort Necessity, and subsequently asked for the surrender of the Virginian troops led by George Washington. Although Washington agreed to the terms of this peaceful surrender, the document was written in French and Washington’s misguided interpreter failed to recognize that in the document it said that Washington had â€Å"assassinated† Coulon’s half brother Jomonville Glen, in a previous battle. (Lengel) The document also stated that the captains JacobRead MoreGeorge Washington s Influence On The United States1337 Words   |  6 PagesGeorge Washington played a critical role in the development of the United States from the early stages. He is one of the Founding Fathers, the men who led the revolution against Great Britain and established the United States of America. George Washington can be considered a â€Å"seed† as in he planted himself into the system and grew into the man many define as the greatest president to ever serve our nation. Washington was the first president of the United States. Washington had-in the words of theRead MoreEssay on General George Washington and The Continental Army1009 Words   |  5 Pageslife, liberty, and freedom were for med. Spearheading these new ideals was General George Washington and his continental army, but the road ahead of Washington and his men was not an unproblematic one. The winter at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania proved this to Washington and his men. Yet the true American ideal of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness were never forgotten in their battle. General George Washington gained command of the continental army in July 3, 1775 from the directions of GeneralRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book Into The Wild By Jon Krakauer1686 Words   |  7 Pagesfreedom and exemption. Washington and McCandless are similar because they did something most people would not. They both stepped out of the ordinary society and decided to do what they think is best. For example, Washington led the Continental Army against the great British Empire, and Chris left his normal and traditional life, to seek a life of adventure and determined to go on a journey across the United States. Washington became the first president of the United States. Washington was also the onlyRead MoreAmerican Revolution : The American Revolutionary War923 Words   |  4 Pagesplace to ban importation of Rum and French Wines form the Dutch and French, and it would increase taxes on sugar and products that were imported for the colonies form Britain. The Stamp Act was put into pl ace to tax the American Colonies on paper shipment, and paper products. A few years passed, and the colonies grew more and more furious with the British parliament, so in 1768 Great Britain sent troops to Boston to attempt to reduce the political uproar. In 1773 Great Britain passed the Tea Act, whichRead MoreSpies of the American Revolution1211 Words   |  5 Pageshave been so well prepared to engage the enemy and win in decisive battles. Long before the conception of organizations like the National Security Agency (NSA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) or the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) , George Washington served as the chief intelligence officer and spymaster of our nation. He headed a covert ring of spies who s intel, bravery and for some, ultimate sacrifice would help shape the outcome of the war. There were many rings of spies during this

Preparing Non Alcoholic Beverages Samples †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Preparing Non Alcoholic Beverages. Answer: Espresso Coffee A typical Espresso Coffee shot has three main properties namely, the roast, ground and pressure that is used to brew the typical coffee. The one preparing the coffee shall focus of these three qualities to prepare a great espresso. Espresso coffee is supposed to be roasted very dark in order to give it stronger and much potent flavor. Thus it is essential to select the beans which are well roasted to make a good espresso. The roasted coffee is then ground to a fine powder which helps to increase the required pressure in order to push water through filter. The grind shall be appropriate to not block the coffee filter. The water is then pushed through coffee with great pressure. The right pressure helps get a shot of coffee that is strong and tastes good[1]. Ingredients Recipes An Espresso shot is commercially prepared in the Espresso Machine. However, there are other ways as well to prepare the espresso shot. One can make Espresso using the Aeropress, Moka Pot and French Press. Espresso with an Aeropress For a shot of Espresso, Aeropress Machine, Roasted Coffee Beans, a Grinder, a measuring scale or equipment and Electric Kettle is required. Firstly, the water shall be heated to the right brewing temperature that is 185-205 degree Fahrenheit. Then the beans shall be grounded to the right consistency. The freshly ground beans give fresh shot and better aroma. The Aeropress shall then be prepared by placing filter in drain cap and the machine shall be sturdy enough to take the pressure. The ground coffee and hot water is then filled in the Aeropress. After 30 seconds to stirring the mixture is plunged and then served[2]. Espresso with a Moka Pot It is the classic way of preparing Espresso. This method requires Moka Pot, roasted coffee beans, Grinder, measuring scale, and electric Kettle. The coffee shall be firstly ground. The water then needs to be put in bottom of the pot. The coffee is placed in the filter basket of the pot and the top is then attached. The pot is kept on the stove over medium heat. When the pot starts to make a hissing sound, it indicates that the coffee has been prepared. The top of coffee gets full of coffee and hazel brown foam appears on top of the coffee. The pot shall be removed from the top and coffee shall be served[3]. Espresso with a French Press This method requires French Press, roasted coffee beans, grinder, measuring scale and stovetop kettle. For 1 cup water 2 tablespoon of coffee shall be required. The coffee shall be grounded. The water shall then be heated to 195 degree Fahrenheit. Ground coffee and few splashes of hot water is added to the French press. Then rest of the water is added and the lid is closed and coffee is steeped for four minutes. The plunger is pressed halfway and then full way down. The coffee is then ready to be served[4]. References Alessandro Parenti and others, 'Comparison Of Espresso Coffee Brewing Techniques', Journal of Food Engineering, vol. 121, no. 1, 2014. Amy Fleming, 'How To Make The Perfect Espresso' The Guardian, 2012, https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2012/may/09/how-to-make-the-perfect-espresso, (accessed 19 July 2017). Piernicola Masella and others, 'A New Espresso Brewing Method', Journal of Food Engineering, vol. 146, No. 2, 2015. Tolgahan Kocada?l? and Vural Gkmen, 'Effect Of Roasting And Brewing On The Antioxidant Capacity Of Espresso Brews Determined By The QUENCHER Procedure', Food Research International, vol. 89, no. 1, 2016.

Thursday, April 23, 2020

Social Learning Theory Essay Example

Social Learning Theory Essay This research by Bandura shows that there IS a difference between learning and actual performance. Children imitate behaviour under certain circumstances but always seem to learn it. Differences were apparent between Bandura and Walters study in 1963 and Banduras study in 1965 because only rewards were given to the children producing any type of behaviour. This shows inconsistency in research findings making it difficult to be able to draw conclusions. However, the differences between the 2 experiments show that children observing punishment has a larger effect on behaviour than if they see rewards suggesting that production of behaviour depends on how the observed behaviour is responded to by others. It is found that children are more likely to replicate observed behaviour if model was rewarded, whether other adults approved, whether other children imitated the behaviour, and whether the observer can relate to the model. There are also other factors to account for the findings from Banduras experiments especially to do with the family backgrounds the children were from. Hollins and Howells found that children raised by aggressive parents were also likely to be aggressive themselves. This suggests that children have learned the aggression from their family home and repeated it in different social contexts i. e. took aggression out on the Bobo doll. This therefore supports Social Learning Theory. We will write a custom essay sample on Social Learning Theory specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Social Learning Theory specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Social Learning Theory specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Furthermore, Patterson et al (1989) found that in homes where there was at least one aggressive child, the common factor was a home environment where physical punishment and shouting were often used. This would increase aggression in people as they have learned it from their family and evidently would repeat it in the outside world because thats how theyve been brought up. Similarly, if children in a family were brought up in a caring background where you look after one other then you would find that these children are the least aggressive in society. Social Learning Theory has been largely supported by psychologists which has been shown through Banduras research. However his research was based solely on young childrens perception and learning of behaviour and doesnt account for adults therefore findings cannot be generalised to all of society. Phillips (1986) investigated Social Learning Theory in adults and found that homicide rate in adults was higher following the broadcast of a boxing match suggesting that observing this aggressive behaviour led more people to inflict harm on others. This therefore shows that social learning is present in adults providing empirical support for Social Learning Theory. Another strength is that Social Learning Theory accounts for a lack of consistency in aggressive behaviour. i. e. aggression in front of peers is different to behaviour shown around parents because behaviour is reinforced differently (context-dependent learning). Social Learning Theory also accounts for cultural differences in aggressive behaviour, i. e. individualistic cultures are more aggressive than collectivistic cultures because individuals learn from others how to look after themselves and how to survive. However, Bandura was criticised on the grounds that the television programmes he used in his experiments were not representative of the programmes at the time therefore again lacks ecological validity. It is also highly unethical to manipulate childs behaviour as they probably did not give informed consent even though parents allowed them to participate. Social Learning Theory has also been largely criticised by biological researchers. They argue that the theory completely ignores individuals biological state. they state that the social learning theory rejects the differences of individuals due to genetic, brain, and learning differences (Jeffrey, 1985: p. 238) The effect of the media on aggression has also been widely researched. Aggression ideas shown by the media, influences people to observe, learn and imitate the behaviour. However, evidence for this is inconclusive. Media may simply be a contributing factor, all the other factors like family background and individual differences could account for peoples levels of aggression. In conclusion, Social Learning Theory as an explanation of aggression ignores that aggression can be innate and the amount of arousal within the person at the time can affect behaviour largely. However, the theory is largely supported in psychology as is demonstrated through Banduras work with the Bobo dolls. These experiments demonstrate conclusively that the acquisition and production of aggression is socially mediated. (Cardwell and Flanagan, 2004: p. 37). References Bandura, A. (1962). Social Learning through Imitation. University of Nebraska Press: Lincoln, NE. Bandura, 1973. cited on http://www. criminology. fsu. edu/crimtheory/bandura. htm. Accessed on 1st November 2005. Website used for various information. Bandura, A. , Walters, R. H. (1959). Adolescent Aggression. Ronald Press: New York: http://mentalhelp.net. Social Learning Theory Essay Example Social Learning Theory Paper Social Learning Theory: Social Learning is on the nurture side of the Nature Vs Nurture debate. The main concept of the social learning approach is that you learn by observing the behaviour of others and the outcomes of those behaviours. For example, if a child was to see someone getting positively rewarded, they would copy the behaviour to receive the reward. Whereas, if they were to see someone being punished they wouldnt copy it. (Van Wagner K, 2005) Social learning theory explains human behaviour in terms of continuous reciprocal interaction between cognitive, behavioural, and environmental influences. (Learning-Theorists, 2009) Albert Bandura stated in 1977 that Learning would be exceedingly laborious, not to mention hazardous, if people had to rely solely on the effects of their own actions to inform them what to do. Fortunately, most human behaviour is learned observationally through modelling: from observing others, one forms an idea of how new behaviours are performed, and on later occasions this coded information serves as a guide for action. Modelling is a method used where the client learns from imitation alone, without any specific verbal direction by the therapist. (Wikipedia, modelling, 2008) The conditions that must be in place for effective modelling are: We will write a custom essay sample on Social Learning Theory specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Social Learning Theory specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Social Learning Theory specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer * Attention A persons characteristics determine their attention level; such as sensory capacities, arousal level, perceptual set, past reinforcement. (Learning-Theorists, 2009) * Retention Retention is remembering what you paid attention too, such as mental images, sounds, symbolic coding. (Learning-Theorists, 2009) * Reproduction This is when you reproduce what it is you paid attention too, such as physical capabilities and self-observation of reproduction. (Learning-Theorists, 2009) * Motivation Motivation is having a good enough reason to imitate what you paid attention to in the beginning. Motivation can be past, promised and vicarious. (Learning-Theorists, 2009) Albert Bandura Albert Bandura was born on the 4th December 1925, and is a Canadian psychologist that created the Social Learning theory. (Wikipedia, Albert Bandura, 2008) He first started research on the Social Learning theory whilst he worked in the Department of Psychology at Stanford University. Working along side one of his students Richard Walters; they studied human motivation, thought and action which he then furthered to social learning and aggression. This all interlinks to his most famous experiment The Bobo Doll Experiment. Bobo Doll Experiment The Bobo Doll experiment was first conducted in 1961. Its main goals were to help understand behavioural learning in the form of aggression. The experiment involved 72 children aged between 3 and 6, divided equally by gender, watching a model acting in a certain manner towards the Bobo Doll. The children were then split into groups that were divided by gender, aggressive behaviour and non-aggressive behaviour. They were then split between models that were the same gender or different gender. In total, there were 8 experimental groups. (Wikipedia, Bobo Doll Experiment, 2008) The children were taken individually into a room which contained a Bobo Doll, lots of toys and a model. The child watched the model for 10 minutes whilst they played with the toys for a minute and then acted aggressively towards the Bobo Doll for the rest of the time, using physical and verbal abuse and also hitting it with a mallet from one of the other toys. (Wikipedia, Bobo Doll Experiment, 2008) The model would then leave and the child would be taken to a second room which contained the same equipment as the previous room, but this time the model would only play with the toys and completely ignore the Bobo Doll. (Wikipedia, Bobo Doll Experiment, 2008) The child would then be taken to a third room which contained many appealing toys and a Bobo Doll. The child would only be allowed to play with the toys for a short amount of time until someone would enter the room tell them that those toys were for the other children and that they werent allowed to play with them. This was to make the child angry, hoping to cause aggression. (Wikipedia, Bobo Doll Experiment, 2008) Finally, the child would be taken to a fourth room with contained toys of aggressive and non-aggressive nature, such as the Bobo Doll, a mallet, toy guns, a ball, paper and crayons, plastic farm animals and a tea set. (Wikipedia, Bobo Doll Experiment, 2008) Bandura recorded the results of the Bobo Doll experiment in 8 different measures of aggression ranging from kicking the doll, shouting insults they heard from the model and using the mallet. After studying the results Bandura found out that children do learn from watching the behaviour of others, discovering that the children that saw the aggressive model imitating the physical aggression, 38.2 from boys and 12.7 from girls. The same results were found for verbal abuse, with boys using it 17 times and girls 15.7 times. It was also proved that males tended to be more aggressive than females, after finding out that there were 270 incidents of males showing aggression, against females showing aggression 128 times. (Wikipedia, Bobo Doll Experiment, 2008) Social Learning in Health and Social Care Social Learning is present in school education from teachers and fellow students. Teachers have to help students believe they can do the work and watch others be successful and develop self-efficiency to experience success themselves. Teachers also have to show appropriate behaviour and language whilst around students; this is so they get an understanding of what is right and wrong. (Teachnet) Teachnet states that Modelling provides an alternative to shaping for teaching new behaviours. Instead of using shaping, which is operant conditioning, modelling can provide a faster, more efficient means for teaching new behaviour. To promote effective modelling a teacher must make sure that the four essential conditions exist; attention, retention, reproduction, and motivation. Social Learning in Health Education In health education, there is no approach that has been specifically said to work better than the rest. Social Learning could be used in health education to try to advise someone to reduce or stop whatever is harming their health. An example of this would be using the peer-led approach to health education, such as if an ex-smoker was to talk to a smoker about giving up, the ex-smoker could explain about all the advantages to their health and wellbeing, like no loss of breath and no lingering smell on their clothes, hands and hair.

Tuesday, March 17, 2020

The success of project management was based on focusing on the objectives of the Project Triangle of cost, time and quality. The WritePass Journal

The success of project management was based on focusing on the objectives of the Project Triangle of cost, time and quality. The success of project management was based on focusing on the objectives of the Project Triangle of cost, time and quality. CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTIONDissertation conceptProject ManagementProject PlanningActivities or groups of activates that contribute to risks of delaysContingency planning: Strategies that could bring the projects on timeThe three key learning pointsThe critical pathGantt charts  Project Scope ManagementProject failure  Why things go wrongCHAPTER 2 – DEFINITIONS AND CHARACTERISTICS OF RISK MANAGEMENT CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORSProject Risk ManagementProject environment and risk  Ã‚  INTERNAL  Environment  EXTERNAL  EnvironmentRisk ManagementIdentifying RisksManaging RisksCritical Success FactorsSuccess criteriaSuccess factorsCHAPTER 3 – LITERATURE REVIEWa.  Success of projects implemented in AfricaProjects in African countries:China’s investments in Africab.  Leadership Success  c. International projects and cultureCHAPTER 4 LIMITATIONSMethodologyResearchFurther researchCHAPTER 5 CONCLUSIONCHAPTER 6 BIBLIOGRAPHYRelated CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION Dissertation concept The fundamental question considered in this dissertation is, in the past, the success of project management was based on focusing on the objectives of the Project Triangle of cost, time and quality. Although this has lead to the success of many projects, there is an increasingly popular viewpoint that this focus is too limited.   Analyse the importance of the other emerging success factors of projects such as customer focus and a move away from the traditional project end point towards aspects that act through the lifetime of the product or service created. Project Management Projects are temporary organisations with a clearly defined beginning and end with unique defined objectives and resources. Project Management is a method for bringing change in a company (no-repetitive activity) e.g. banking systems; moving from paper based to computer based. It’s a socio-technical system (involvement of humans and technical tools). PM is not only for building a new system but also modifying an already existing system. A project can be defined as an activity with a specific goal occupying a specific period of time. . (Ray Wild 1995 pg 353) Project is a limited activity, not only in time, but also in the use of resources. Project management, therefore is concerned with the pursuit of a specific goal, using given resources over a defined period of time. This will often require the planning and establishment of an operating system, acquisition of resources; the scheduling of activities and evaluation/review of completed activities. Project Management is all about managing these resources in order that the project is delivered To specification On time, and Within budget Project Planning Good project management starts with good planning the objectives of a project should be clear and would conform to the SMART model: Specific Measurable Agreed Realistic, and Time-based Activities or groups of activates that contribute to risks of delays Projects do not always go according to plan and it is generally the case that when this happens, work takes more, rather than less time, than expected. Good project management recognises the internal and external factors that might throw a project off schedule. Monitoring progress carefully will help identify the likely impact of any delays so that action can be taken to get the project back on track. This is explained further in chapter 2 under project environment and risk. Contingency planning: Strategies that could bring the projects on time The three key learning points 1. Identifying risks of the project: Once the risks are identified, it is easy to manage risks properly rather than trying to put out fires during the project. 2. Indentify the critical path using network diagrams 3. Gantt charts The critical path The critical path is the path through the network with the greatest total duration. (Andrew Greasley pg 375 2006) the critical path method was developed by Dupont during 1950s to manage plant construction. The PERT approach was developed by the US Navy during the development of the Polaris Submarine launched ballistic Missile System during the same decade.(Sapolsky,1972, Andrew Greasley pg 375 2006) A project can have more than one critical path, if several paths tie for the greatest duration. Activates on the path must be started and completed on time; otherwise the total project will not be completed on time. Gantt charts Gantt charts are line diagrams, with lines representing both time and activates. They can be used to estimate the amount of resources required for a project. Where activates are continuous ‘chain’ with one activity able to follow immediately after the other, these can be drawn as a continuous line on the chart.   Project Scope Management Project Scope Management includes the processes required to ensure that the project includes all the work required, and only the work required, to complete the project successfully (PMI 2004). In Project scope management the primary concern is to define and control the scope of work that should or should not be included within the constraints of Cost, Time and Quality. This phase can be break down into 5 basic steps: Scope Planning Scope Definition, Create Work Breakdown (WBS), Scope Verification and Scope Control. Project failure Projects fail when they do not meet the following criteria for success: It is delivered on time. It is on or under budget. The system works as required. Only a few projects achieve all three. Many more are delivered which fail on one or more of these criteria, and a substantial number are cancelled having failed badly.   Why things go wrong Marsh (2000) proposed an analytical framework to categorize project failures. Quality Problems The wrong problem is addressed – A primary cause of failure is that some projects are started with no clear idea of what exactly are the goals and strategy of the client organization. Analysis is carried out incorrectly – Team is poorly skilled, or inappropriately resourced. Majority of projects fail as a result of poorly skilled and unqualified staff, resulting in poor project management. Project undertaken for wrong reasons – Technology pull or political push. This was evident during the DOT.COM crash during the year 2000. Many companies were simply following a trend set by either their competitors or by internal personnel. Productivity Problems Users change their mind – Many projects have failed over the years as a result of change of requirements by users of the project. This has resulted in increasing costs and time constraints that many projects cannot handle. External events change the environment – New legislation or political intervention can result in failure of projects. Natural environment hazards put projects at risk. Implementation is not feasible – Many projects are over-ambitious and result in project failure. Poor project control – Inexperienced project manager, he/she is ultimately responsible for the completion of the project and therefore it can be argued that any project failure is also the failure of the project management. Quality and productivity play an important part in the success of a project. Quality in terms of the purpose and measurement of what the project is intended for. Productivity relates to the potential rate of progress a project could have. This is in terms of both financial and time invested in a project and its potential return. CHAPTER 2 – DEFINITIONS AND CHARACTERISTICS OF RISK MANAGEMENT CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS Project Risk Management What is Risk? â€Å"A risk is any uncertain event that, if occurs, could prevent the project realizing the expectations of the stakeholders as stated in the agreed business case, project brief or agreed definition. A risk that becomes a reality is treated as an issue.† (Young, 2007: 107) Project environment and risk Kathleen Schwalbe (2003): p6 suggests: The project management environment directly affects a project The environment affects HOW a project should be managed Projects are influenced by stakeholders and issues The Project environment has two main sections known as the Internal and External Business/Project environment.   Ã‚  INTERNAL  Environment There are a number of issues in the internal business environment that need to be considered when assessing the risks to the project. The three main stakeholders of a project include the owner, the technical staff and the end-user. Their involvement will ultimately determine the success of the project. In terms of end-users their participation will include the outputs of the system both directly and indirectly. Project managers’ view is that they are the ones that will produce and oversee the projects, finally those of whom will finance and commission the project (owners). Within this group it only requires one stakeholder to conflict with another for the project to fail. All stakeholders will determine whether the project succeeds. End-users may not have enough input into the system and thus resulting in a poorly produced project. Developers/project members may feel that budget and time constraints may overshadow the completion of the project, while the owners may feel that the project has exceeded its budget or may be delivered too late leaving it irrelevant. Factors such as technological advances and changes in the business environment all affect the success of a project.   EXTERNAL  Environment When assessing the risks to the project there are a number of issues in respect of the business environment external to the organisation that need to be considered. Is there likely to be any major governmental or political change , that may occur during the development of the project, which may affect the stability of the market place, the reason for the project and the scope or content of the project. Is there likely to be any major change in the economic environment that might occur during the development of the project that may affect the financial aspects, the market place the project provides products or services for now. The project environment is very important in regards to a project. By understanding factors both internally and externally, only then can a project manager plan a project effectively that will not affect the completion and performance of the project system. Risk Management All projects bring with them an element of  Risk. In the best-planned projects there are uncertainties and unexpected events can always occur for example project staff might leave unexpectedly, the budget might suddenly be cut or a fire or theft might affect the project progress. The majority of risks are however related to the fact that a project manager’s plan is based on estimates and they are therefore manageable. Risk management is a mechanism that allows project managers to predict and deal with events that might prevent project outcomes being delivered on time. Identifying Risks When identifying a new project a Risk Assessment will have to be conducted in order to manage a project without the possible effects of disruption. In order for this to happen the following questions have to be asked: What could possibly go wrong? What is the likelihood of this happening? How will it affect the project? and What can we do about it? The sort of areas that risks are associated with includes: The  activities  along the timeline and any threats to completion and to timescales. The project  components: stuff, equipment other resources. Dealings with  contractors  and  suppliers. Other projects  that might have an impact. Organisational  changes that might occur during the project. Outside influences  that might affect the project such as changes in financial support or government policy The assessment of likelihood of the risk occurring and potential impact if it does occur will come from the experience and knowledge of project stakeholders and others consulted during the risk analysis process. You can think of risks in terms of a matrix (see figure 1) jiscinfonet.ac.uk/InfoKits/project-management/InfoKits/infokit-related-files/risk-matrix-picFIGURE 1 Your greatest effort will be focused on addressing the risks that are most likely to occur and those that will have the biggest impact if they do occur. Managing Risks In order to effectively manage risk it is important that each risk is allocated to an identified owner. This should be someone within the project team whose responsibility it is to keep an eye on the situation and ensure that the necessary mitigating actions are actually carried out. Responses to the initial risk assessment may include: Risk Transfer  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ move the risk to someone more able to deal with it e.g. contract out the supply and support of the hardware infrastructure Risk Deferral   alter the plan to move some activities to a later date when the risk might be lessened. Risk Reduction  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ Either reduce the probability of the risk occurring or lessen the impact e.g. increase staffing resource on the project. Risk Acceptance  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ Sometimes there’s not a lot you can do other than accept the risk and ensure that contingency plans are in place. Risk Avoidance  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ Eliminate the possibility of the risk occurring e.g. use alternative resources or technologies Managing risk is an ongoing process. The nature of the risks that are faced will alter as the project progresses e.g. staff recruitment may be a big issue at the start of a project whereas staff retention is the issue as the project draws near to an end. At the very minimum project managers should review the risk assessment and management plan at each phase boundary before moving into a new phase of the project. This would allow the project to be managed effectively throughout the system development life cycle. Critical Success Factors Critical Success Factors are measures used to verify if a project is successful or not. Traditionally the success factors have been those used by the Iron triangle(Time, Cost, Quality) to determine if the project has been a success I terms of; the project is completed on Time, on budget and as required/specified(good quality and performance). However, other factors have arisen for example; clients, stakeholders, contractors, etc. These are some of the CSF that is used to determine the success of a project. â€Å"Research on project success further shows that it is impossible to generate a universal checklist of project success criteria suitable for all projects. Success criteria will differ from project to project depending on a number of issues, for example, size, uniqueness and complexity†,J. Wateridge, IJPM 16 (1998) Success criteria Success criteria are those benchmarks against which the success of the project will be measured. Success factors Success factors are those factors that assist in the achieving of criteria. CHAPTER 3 – LITERATURE REVIEW a.  Success of projects implemented in Africa â€Å"The term ‘African countries’, refers to all those countries on the African continent including the Islands of Madagascar, Mauritius, Reunion and Seychelles. African countries are by no means homogeneous. They have different religion, social and economic conditions. Modern African states were constituted with no reference to ancient kingdoms, so that each new state includes rival ‘nations’ with nothing other than colonial institutions holding them together. Despite these differences, African countries are characterised by some or all of the following conditions† Ndiritu Muriithi, IJPM, Vol21, Issue5 African countries have different religions and economic conditions. There are some conditions that characterise African countries. It is important for organisations to go through these conditions and conclude if it’s a risk or gain for a project. These include:  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Political conditions: The political situation in countries e.g. Uganda and US is different. The political stability is very important for a company implementing a project because changes in political environment such as war or other factors may affect the overall strategy of the company. The government taxes and policies on a company can affect the project strategy for the company as certain new policies could affect the movement of capital and resources across countries.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Social conditions: The social and cultural influences on the business vary from country to country. It is very important that such factors are considered. The company must consider the effect of working culture on the business. The cultural differences can lead to lack of communication and co-ordination, especially in a highly creative and rapidly changing industry such as china.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Economic conditions: The effect globalisation encouraged many companies to outsource many of their projects to developing countries. This helped many companies to achieve a strategic advantage in terms of cost saving. For example, salaries of Ugandan workers are much less than for those in USA.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Technology conditions: The technology is rapidly changing, this is led to increased competition and developing countries which have the low cost skilled labour could soon be a direct competition to developed countries. The companies must manage their resources efficiently in order to gain the first movers advantage and gain market leadership. However some African countries face power shortages which can have a great impact on a project. A company must be prepared for this by investing in Captive Power Plants (CPP) which is generator driven.    Some of the major problems African countries face that could affect the outcome of a project includes:  ·   Corruption: Corruption is like a disease that has spread all over Africa. If projects are not properly supervised or monitored, money can be diverted into other areas; be it personal gain or into other operations.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Inflation: Inflation causes many distortions in the economy. When prices rise consumers cannot buy as much as they could previously.   This discourages savings due to the fact that the money is worth more presently than in the future.   This expectation reduces economic growth because the economy needs a certain level of savings to finance investments which boosts economic growth.   Also, inflation makes it harder for projects to be planned for the future.   It is very difficult to decide how much to produce, because businesses cannot predict the demand for their product/project at the higher prices they will have to charge in order to cover their costs. Disease:   The most common diseases in Africa are transmitted by insects, contaminated food and water. Foreign employees need to be provided with information such as; protecting   themselves from insect bites by wearing proper clothing, using mosquito nets, applying an insect repellent to exposed skin and clothing, and if possible, avoiding high risk situations. As well as getting vaccinations for diseases such as yellow fever. If employees are well informed and trained, they can be prepared and this will not affect their performance hence reducing on risk of project failure. Civil war:   Take the case of Libya where citizens are rioting in order to change the president however, the president of Libya; Muammar Gaddafi does not want to step down. This brings along a number of issues such as; business closing, foreigners leaving the country because of the risk of safety. The country is unstable and any operations or projects that have been implemented may have to be put on hold or shut down. â€Å"Saif al-Islam Gaddafi also hit out at those behind the violence. He said protests against his fathers rule, which have been concentrated in the east of the country, threatened to sink Libya into civil war and split the country up into several small states† Aljazeera Projects in African countries: China’s investments in Africa In recent years, Chinas rapid economic development, enhanced national strength, and the gradual opening to the outside world have attracted the attention of the world. African countries can learn from Chinas successful experience from economic and trade exchanges with China, particularly in infrastructure facilities constructions and choosing an economic development model suitable for their domestic situations. For example, in Zambia, government learnt from China to establish export processing free trade zone, took a series of measure of facilitate investment and trade and exempted enterprises from import duties and value-added tax. To sum up, a long history of friendly political relationship and continuous support of each other paved the way for the economic and trade boom between China and African countries in the recent years. The advantages in resources, capital, products and technology are highly complementary that makes the cooperation possible. China’s preferential policy towards the investment in Africa further encourages Chinese enterprises to enter into the African market.  African countries also devoted themselves to  reduce the deficit, control inflation, reform state-owned companies,  adopt policies to attract foreign investment and actively improve the investment environment.  It is estimated that the following 5 to 8 years will be the â€Å"Golden age† for the Sino-African relationship. Chinese corporations will continue to increase investment in Africa and the mutual trade and economic cooperation will have an optimistic prospect. b.  Leadership Success Leadership has been exercised since the very start of civilization. The Chinese philosopher Lao Tze was writing about leadership 2,500 years ago and his work is still referred to (Crainer, 1996). Quality of leadership is central to the survival and success of project groups and organizations. As  The Art of War, the oldest known military text puts it as, the leader of armies is the arbiter of the peoples fate, the man on whom it depends whether the nation shall be in peace or in peril (Sun, Undated). The way a project is managed can either lead to its success or failure. Different Project Managers use different leadership styles. The types of Leadership styles are listed below: Autocratic: autocratic leaders are authoritarian; they keep most of the authority to themselves; they do not delegate much or share information with employees. Democratic:   democratic leaders by comparison, like to involve their workers in decisions; they also take the views of their subordinates into account when making decision. Laissez-Faire:   laissez-Faire leaders encourage freedom of group or individual decisions with little leader participation. A leader would supply information about tasks but would take no further part in the discussion process. Finally no attempt to praise or criticise others would take no place apart from the occasional comment or remark. Paternalistic: paternalistic leaders believe he or she knows what is best for the employees Which style of leadership is most effective depends on the kind of situation the leader is dealing with. Assume that a consultant company with clear and structured tasks. Each consultant knows his own job. Under this circumstance, we can predict that the company will work more efficiently if the leader is relation-related than task-related. On the other hand, the assembly line, the leader comes under pressure of an urgent demand. Although the workers know exactly how to do their jobs, can you predict whether it will be fulfilled before lead time led by a task-related leader or a relationship-related leader. But in very favourable situations, task-related leaders can focus on cultivating good interpersonal relations because they know the job will get done. Therefore, the most effective leadership style depends on; the organizations, the skills of their managers, the characteristics of employees, the nature of their tasks and their structures. No one style of leadership appears universally better, although a good deal research indicates that a considerate, participative or democratic style of leadership is generally (not always) more effective. Furthermore, as there more and more  MNCs, managers should be sure to consider national culture as an important variable in choosing a leadership style. Factors which affects leadership style Risk when a decision has to be made urgently and involves a high degree of risk e.g. selling a football player. The leader is likely to be quite  autocratic. Time constraint if there is plenty of time to discuss matters and only a low chance of it going wrong (low risk) the style may well be more democratic. Skills of manager and workforce The leaders are expected to be backed up by a well-trained support staff of experts in a range  of relevant fields. However workforce has to be well skilled and trained in the following: Responsible Teamwork Communication Friendship Self-respect Recognition Relationship Abilities Teams depend on the culture of the company in which the team exists.  Ã‚  When I say culture, I mean watch how people act and interact.  Do people do things for one another?  Ã‚  If a project team is supportive and trusting then likewise there is a good chance that teams will be successful.  Ã‚  Also, it is important that members of teams have realistic expectations.  Ã‚  The unrealistic expectation that is usually assumed by leaders is that team members are expected to put aside their own personal goals and work strictly for the team.  Ã‚  The best teams have leaders who do not make these unrealistic expectations. A team can also become stronger through bonds that are created over time.  Ã‚  When there are certain situations that the team has encountered before, then how much easier is it to go into that situation again and perform better. ANALYSIS Leadership style will depend on factors such as the task, the people involved and the amount of risk. Effective management training could be a useful way to persuade leaders to be flexible. The best style of management at any moment will depend on an enormous range of factors such as personalities and abilities of the manager and the worker and the nature of the task. The way in which a leader deals with his or her colleagues can have a real impact on their motivation and how effectively they work. Leader who always involves discussion with his or her workers will gain better ideas and a more highly motivated workforce. Leadership is a process through which a person tries to get organizational members to do something the person desires. The leader’s influence extends beyond supervisory responsibility and formal authority. Leadership is very important. The reason is because they provide vision and direction and are therefore a key element of business success. As a result, any successful project shows that it has strong leadership. When autocratic leadership is used at the beginning of a leadership it helps to show how people will think that you are serious when leading them. But I prefer when democratic leadership is being used because it helps the employees to feel responsible of what they do; they get a chance to make opinions and decisions.   c. International projects and culture Organisational climate and project success can be linked to international projects. More and more projects are being done abroad. The culture of an international organisation can affect the performance of a foreign employee. â€Å"Few managers would dispute that the climate or atmosphere of an organisation  - loosely, what it feels like to work there  - is likely to have some impact on its performance. There is less   agreement about what is an ideal climate for optimum performance, and the influence managers can have in creating and maintaining it† Organisational climate and project success, Roderic J. Gray To ensure implementation of successful international project, emphasis on planning and management tools should be placed for Project Managers to use to ensure control of time, cost, resources and quality of performance. However, risk or most problems arise because of the environment itself and not from the control of the project manager. In this case the environment refers to the culture of a new country and the difficulties employees face in adjusting or working in these new business environments and how this can an affect on a project’s success or failure. A method that can be used to decide whether a country is risky or not to implement a project is the Hofstede Cultural Dimensions Framework. Hofstede is a Dutch researcher most famous for his theory of cultural dimensions framework. Hofstede’s (1980) dimensions of culture have become the most widely used model for explaining various effects across cultures (Yoo and Donthu, 1998).   Stedham and Yamamura (2004) describe culture as stable and enduring but also somewhat changeable due to external forces. Hofstede’s five dimensions include the following. a) Power Distance.   The power distance dimension has to do with inequality in a society.   In a high power distance environment there would be greater tolerance for, and expectation of, inequality in prestige, wealth and power. b)   Uncertainty Avoidance.   Hofstede focuses on uncertainty at the organizational level looking at the use of rules and strategies to reduce exposure to an unsure future. c)   Individualism and Collectivism.   This dimension has to do with the relationship the individual has with the group and more generally with society.   Hofstede points out that the nature of this relationship determines not only how people think about themselves and their immediate group but the â€Å"structure and functioning of many institutions aside from the family† (p210) d)   Masculinity and Femininity.   There seem to be two elements to this dimension.   One deals with the values held and the other with role expectations.   Hofstede (1980) notes that in a work setting, males value â€Å"advancement, earnings, training, up-to-dateness† while females value â€Å"friendly atmosphere, position security, physical conditions and manager cooperation† (p281).   The second aspect of this dimension has to do with what people in a culture expect of sex roles.   In a very masculine culture, sex roles would be differentiated while in a feminine culture sex roles would be more similar. e) Long Term Orientation (LTO).   This is a recent addition to the Hofstede model, added as a new dimension to the model in the second edition (2001).   It is based on the philosophy of Confucius and has to do with â€Å"persistence, thrift, personal stability and respect for tradition† (p351).   It describes a longer term, higher level view of life. Just as there are differences seen in the dimensions between countries, it could be expected that there would be differences expected between groups of individuals within countries.   Differences between attitudes and behaviours of males and females are extensively studied and well documented in Western culture.   Similarly, individuals have been observed to change in their attitudes and behaviour as they age.   Variations in Hofstede’s cultural dimensions across age and gender have been studied by some researchers.   Stedham and Yamamura (2004), for example, examined the cultural differences between Americans and Japanese with a focus on sex and age differences.   They found no differences due to age and differences between males and females on the power distance dimension in  Japan  (mf), individualism (mf) in both countries. Effects of globalization:   Hofstede notes changes in measured levels of his dimension between 1968 and 1972.   It seems very likely that changes between 1972 and now would be much more profound with globalization of business and telecommunication and the shift of  China  to more free-market economy.   While there has been some debate on whether there is convergence of world culture, Inglehart and Baker (2000) concludes that while cultural differences will persist there is a trend to more common cultural values as countries industrialize.   Perhaps  China’s values are beginning to change and that change is seen especially in its cohort of young people. Hofstede regarded both national and organisational culture as phenomena at different levels. However he felt that they were both linked. â€Å"Organisational cultures are supported by employees’ societal values, while national cultural differences reside in practices at organisational level† (Huczynski Buchanan, 2001). Hofstede argued that peoples` behaviour in the work place is largely influenced by societal cultural values as careers are a trade off between risk, security, success and family life. â€Å"One could expect that societal power distance norms between countries would impact differently† (Huczynski Buchanan, 2001). However for the success of an Organisation it is important to keep in mind the national culture and adhere to it. Let’s take the example of the HSBC bank whose catchphrase all over the world is â€Å"your local bank†.  Ã‚  As the worlds local bank, their employees need to reflect the diversity of the communities they serve. Their commitment to diversity starts at the top. Their Board is one of the most ethnically diverse among leading international companies, so is their employee base: half are women, three in 10 are Asian, one in seven is Latin American; Caucasians are a minority. As a result they are able to easily adapt to the national culture in which they are based. Their organisational goal consists of adapting to the national cultures in which the bank is based, among other missions. They employ local employees to help in building the bank with the norms and beliefs in keeping with the society and its culture (www.hsbc.com). As a whole they are extremely success, accepted and recognised Organisation worldwide. How to measure success [[International Journal of Project Management, A new framework for determining critical success/failure factors in projects, Volume 14, Issue 3, June 1996, Pages 141-151] CHAPTER 4 LIMITATIONS Methodology When looking at the options available for conducting research I looked at the three aims that need to be met when collecting information.   The research must be reliable and valid, the validity gives a true picture of what’s being measured and the results are reliable if another person can conduct the same method and achieve the same results. Research Further research CHAPTER 5 CONCLUSION Projects exist in every sphere of business, markets, segment, and industry. Projects would come in a myriad types, sizes, and complexity- from small initiatives, medium-size initiatives to mega-projects. Nowadays, project management is no longer special-need management. It is rapidly becoming a standard way of doing business. Project managers need to communicate with everyone in the company who’s responsible for implementing and reviewing projects. To work effectively, it must enable communicating about a project’s progress, goals, costs, and availability of personnel. In addition, the effective project manager should have skills and a good working knowledge of project management process, and pay attention on risk management plan, which will enhance a project success and a long-term benefit to a corporation. It is important to adapt the organisational/project culture and get the correct mix between the organisational culture and the national culture in order to come up with the sufficient mix for the smooth running of the project, especially in regard to its employees. Therefore it is important to keep up to organisational cultural values but it is essential to adapt these organisational cultures in order to keep in line with the national culture. By this the organisation will be accepted by the population in that country without them feeling that it was changing their lifestyles in some way. Therefore with increasing Globalisation, Organisational culture should be taken into account but should not be considered be more important than National cultures. In this way, projects can run smoothly. CHAPTER 6 BIBLIOGRAPHY Adel Al Khattab, John Anchor and Eleanor Davies (2007)International Journal of Project Management: Managerial perceptions of political risk in international projects. Volume 25, Issue 7, Pages 734-743. Andrew G, 2006, Operations Management: John Wiley Sons, Ltd Cacioppe, R (1997) ‘Leadership moment by moment!’  Leadership Organization Development Journal.  Volume 18 Issue 7 pp335–345 Crainer, S. (1996) Leaders on Leadership, Northants: Institute of Management Foundation Hofstede, Geert H. (1980),  Cultures Consequences: International Differences in Work-Related Values,  Beverly Hills: Sage Publication. Huczynski, A. and Buchanan, D.(2001)  Organizational Behaviour: An Introductory Text, ch.19, Prentice Hall:  London Inglehart, Ronald and Wayne E. Baker (2000), â€Å"Modernization, Cultural Change and the Persistence of Traditional Values†,  American Sociological Review, 65, Feb, 19 – 51. Marsh, D, 2000,  The project programme support office handbook,  Volume one,  Great Britain: Project Manager Today. McKenna, E (1998) Business Psychology Organisational Behaviour, Sussex: Psychology Press Ltd Mullins, L.J. (2006)  Management and Organisational Behaviour, Essex: Prentice Hall. Edition 7 M.S. Nawaz and J. Hood (2005), Managing international business risk – political, cultural and ethical dimensions: a case study approach, J Insurance Res Practice 20 (1), pp. 16–24. Ndiritu Muriithiand Lynn Crawford (2003) International Journal of Project Management: Approaches to project management in Africa: implications for international development projects. Volume 21, Issue 5, Pages 309-319. Ray W, 1995, Production and operation Management,  London: Cassell educational ltd Roderic J. Gray (2001) International Journal of Project Management: Organisational climate and project success Volume 19, Issue 2,Pages 103-109 . Schwalbe, K., 2003,  Information technology project management,  London: Course  technology. Stedham, Yvonne E. And Jeanne H. Yamamura (2004), â€Å"Measuring National Culture: Does Gender Matter?†,  Women in Management Review, 19, 5, 233 – 243. Stogdill, R.M. (1974) Handbook of leadership: A survey of the literature, New York: Free Press Sun, T. (undated) The Art of War hackcraft.net/SunTzu/wagingWar/20/ J. Wateridge, How can IS/IT projects be measured for success. International Journal of Project Management 16 1 (1998), pp. 59–63. Yoo, Boonghee and Naveen Donthu, (1998), â€Å"Validating Hofstede’s Five-Dimensional Measure of Culture at the Individual Level†,  American Marketing Association, Conference Proceedings, 83. Yoo, Boongee, Naveen Donthu and Tomasz Lenartowicz (2004) Working Paper. Young, T. L. (2007) The Handbook of Project Management: A practical guide to effective policies, techniques and processes. 2nd Edition, London: Kogan Page. Fig 1. â€Å"Risk Matrix† (online) jiscinfonet.ac.uk [located] jiscinfonet.ac.uk/InfoKits/project-management/InfoKits/infokit-related-files/risk-matrix-pic â€Å"Gaddafis son in civil war warning† english.aljezeera.net [online]  Ã‚   Available from: http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/02/2011220232725966251.html ‘The case of HSBC’ [located] www.hsbc.com

Sunday, March 1, 2020

Suppressed Evidence Fallacy

Suppressed Evidence Fallacy In the discussion about inductive arguments, it is explained how a cogent inductive argument had to have both good reasoning and true premises. But the fact that all included premises have to be true also means that all true premises have to be included. When true and relevant information is left out for any reason, the fallacy called Suppressed Evidence is committed. The fallacy of Suppressed Evidence is categorized as a Fallacy of Presumption because it creates the presumption that the true premises are complete. Examples and Discussion Here is an example of Suppressed Evidence used by Patrick Hurley: 1. Most dogs are friendly and pose no threat to people who pet them. Therefore, it would be safe to pet the little dog that is approaching us now. It should be possible to imagine all sorts of things which might be true and which would be highly relevant to the issue at hand. The dog might be growling and protecting its home. Or it might even be foaming at the mouth, suggesting rabies. Here is another, similar example: 2. That type of car is poorly made; a friend of mine has one, and it continually gives him trouble. This might seem like a reasonable comment, but there are many things which might be left unsaid. For example, the friend might not take good care of the car and might not get the oil changed regularly. Or maybe the friend fancies himself as a mechanic and just does a lousy job. Perhaps the most common use of the fallacy of Suppressed Evidence is in advertising. Most marketing campaigns will present great information about a product, but will also ignore problematic or bad information. 3. When you get digital cable, you can watch different channels on every set in the house without purchasing expensive extra equipment. But with satellite TV, you have to buy an extra piece of equipment to each set. Therefore, digital cable is a better value. All of the above premises are true and do lead to the conclusion. But what they fail to note is the fact that if you are a single person - the sort of person who often seems to be the subject of the ads, curiously enough - there is little or no need to have independent cable on more than one TV. Because this information is ignored, the above argument commits the fallacy of Suppressed Evidence. We also sometimes see this fallacy committed in scientific research whenever someone focuses on evidence which supports their hypothesis while ignoring data which would tend to disconfirm it. This is why it is important that experiments can be replicated by others and that the information about how the experiments were conducted be released. Other researchers might catch the data which was originally ignored. Creationism is a good place to find fallacies of Suppressed Evidence. There are quite a few cases where creationist arguments simply ignore evidence relevant to their claims, but which would cause them problems. For example, when explaining how a Great Flood would explain the fossil record: 4. As the water level began to rise, the more advanced creatures would move to higher ground for safety, but more primitive creatures would not do so. This is why you find less complex creatures further down in the fossil record and human fossils near the top. All sorts of important things are ignored here, for example, the fact that marine life would have benefitted from such a flood and the would not be found layered in such a way for those reasons. Politics is also an excellent source of this fallacy. It isnt unusual to have a politician make claims without bothering to include critical information. For example: 5. If you look at our money, you will find the words In God We Trust. This proves that ours is a Christian Nation and that our government accepts that we are a Christian people. What is ignored here is, among other things, that these words only became mandatory on our money during the 1950s when there was a widespread fear of communism. The fact that these words are so recent and are largely a reaction to the Soviet Union makes the conclusion about this being politically a Christian Nation much less plausible. Avoiding the Fallacy You can avoid committing the fallacy of Suppressed Evidence by being careful with regard to any research you do on a topic. If you are going to defend a proposition, you should make an attempt to find contradictory evidence and not simply evidence which supports your presupposition or beliefs. By doing this, you are more likely to avoid missing crucial data, and it is less likely that anyone can reasonably accuse you of committing this fallacy.

Thursday, February 13, 2020

Mind the Gap Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Mind the Gap - Essay Example Table of contents Abstract 1. Introduction 2. ‘The Small and Medium- sized Enterprises’ 3. Financial crisis on SMEs’ capital structure 4. Sovereign debt crisis which affects the bank’s credit standards, credit margin, and funding conditions 5. Regulatory changes on policies that deal with bank lending activities 6. â€Å"The Federation of small Businesses† 7. Recommendation 1) Introduction â€Å"The Small and Medium- sized Enterprises† abbreviated as SMEs is defined by the European Commission as â€Å"an enterprise employing not more than 250 employees; having an annual turnover of not more than â‚ ¬50m and balance sheet assets of â‚ ¬43m; and that has less than 25 per cent of its capital.† However, SMEs are defined using three concepts and they include small, local, and single. They are small in nature when considering the number of employees, capital and assets, and turnover. They are also owned by a single owner who could only be the sole employee. SMEs are also local in nature because their markets are usually based on local areas or places of residence (Fielden, 2003). In the European Union, Small and Medium- sized Enterprises faces a number of issues in term of financing. These issues include effects of financial crisis on SMEs’ capital structure; the sovereign debt crisis impacts on bank’s credit standards, credit margin, and funding conditions; and the effects caused by comprehensive regulatory changes on policies dealing with bank lending activities. However, â€Å"The Federation of small Businesses† abbreviated as FSB, has come to rescue these SMEs by representing them in the issues for financial market (Ministry of defence, 2013). Its functions revolve around practices dealing with financial lending â€Å"of the small and medium-sized Enterprises.† 2) â€Å"The Small and Medium- sized Enterprises† The SMEs have been recognized as the key contributors of the econo my in the European Union, due to the way they have changed the union into a market oriented economy. Currently, statistics shows that 96% of the registered firms are recognized â€Å"as small and medium sized firms,† with SMEs accounting for approximately 82%. These small businesses actively contribute to 25% of the annual Global Domestic Product of the European Union (Villa, 2011). Despite their great contribution, SMEs are faced with financial crisis, cause by various factors hence affecting the capital structure. The financial sector within the European Union is characterized by a system based bank where SOCBs or state owned commercial banks play an important role. SOCBs provide 78 % of the overall loans in the economy, with half of its credits being channeled into SOEs. This, therefore, makes it difficult â€Å"for the small and medium size enterprises† to access bank loans. 3) Financial crisis on SMEs’ capital structure However, there are a number of factor s which leads to financial crisis that affects the SMEs capital structure. The first one is firm growth. It is suggested that firm’s growth is relatively negative to its capital structure. A SMEs’ information asymmetry may demand an extra premium for it to raise external funds, despite the true

Saturday, February 1, 2020

Cover Letter for a Residency Program in Family Medicine Essay

Cover Letter for a Residency Program in Family Medicine - Essay Example I am confident that my combination of practical work experience and reliable educational background has prepared me for making an immediate impact on large public hospitals. Having worked in leading international hospitals in the health care, I am highly skilled in various clinical procedures and understand the level of professionalism and communication that should be displayed for the long-term success in the medical area. My background and professional approach to treatments made me responsible, punctual and extremely organized. During these years of high competition I developed leadership qualities with skills to motivate employees around me. I have proved my abilities to successfully carry out managerial tasks and actively react to emergency situations. I believe that I can be of significant and valuable contribution to the Canadian Medical facility as a physician. I hope that my professional dedication and hard-working attitude will serve the healthcare need and will provide the community with the respected health support.

Friday, January 24, 2020

Social Security Policy in Brazil Essay -- International Law, brazil

Brazilian social security benefits are only available to Brazilians and foreigners who have made contributions to the social security system. Some of the benefits that we will introduce and discuss are; maternity benefits, temporary incapacity or accident benefits, long-term sickness benefits, disability benefits, pensions benefits, imprisonment benefits, death benefits, and invalidity benefits. In many of the cases in order to receive benefits or assistance, the insured must have contributed to at least twelve months of working, or in the case of the old age pension at least one hundred fifty-six months of contribution are required. In some cases there are instances where the contribution is waived if the insured as hurt or injured on the job or becomes pregnant. We will also discuss the problems with the Brazilian Social Security problems and ways that we believe will improve the Brazilian Social Security Program. For the old age pension benefit the men are required to have contributed five more years of work than the women. The United States Social Security Administrative Office website states that the men must have at least thirty years of contributions. The maternity monthly benefit is paid as 100% of the workers last wage; benefits are paid to women for up to four months. Women with miscarriages get paid for two weeks. Any woman who has adopted a child under the age of one also gets paid for four months. The minimum amount paid is about 229 dollars in U.S. currency and the maximum is about 1,743 dollars in U S currency. Work injury benefits depend on the degree of risk. According to the United States Social Security Administrations Office of Retirement and Disability, the accidents that occur while commuting to and fro... ...arge like 1 or 2 percent to people who receive the welfare. Third problem that â€Å"Brazil’s National Social Security Institute (INSS) has recently published a report showing a trend of men in their 60s marrying women half their age, which is leaving a big pool of young widows collecting benefits for much longer than anticipated.† So we will question is this fair? And we believe that government can add more detail to this benefit. For example, if the women or the men are not over 50 they are not allowed to collect pension when their husband or wife pass away. Or they can collect partial pension. Works Cited http://www.oecd.org/document/37/0,3746,en_2649_34117_43225253_1_1_1_1,00.html http://www.previdenciasocial.gov.br/buscaGeral.php http://www.gwu.edu/~ibi/minerva/Fall1998/Pedro.Farias/Pedro.Farias.html http://www.lacea.org/meeting2000/ReynaldoFernandes.PDF

Thursday, January 16, 2020

The Man to send Rain Clouds

â€Å"The Man to Send Rain Clouds† Leslie Mormon Silks wrote â€Å"The Man to Send Rain Clouds† in 1969. The story details the death of an old Indian named Teflon. During one point of the story Leon prepares Topsoil's body for burial. Leon proceeds to paint Topsoil's face yellow. In the Native American Culture the color yellow stands for mourning or death. Teflon may be dead, but Silks presents him as a transitional character going through the three stage process. Silks uses the three stage process to demonstrate the importance of vying a full life and leaving a lasting impression upon the world.The first stage of the process is Separation. Separation is the character moving away into the unfamiliar. Teflon is literally, physically separated from his tribe. In the beginning of the story Teflon is found dead in the sheep pasture under a tree. Teflon was an old shepherd who tended the sheep alone at night. Silks presents Teflon as a lonely, neglected, poor man. â€Å"The y found him under a big cottonwood tree. His Levi Jacket and pants were faded light blue so that he had been easy to find. The big cottonwood tree stood apart from a small grove of winter bare cotton woods which grew in the wide, sandy arroyo.He had been dead for a day or more, and the sheep had wandered and scattered up and down the arroyo. † Silks illustrates the tree as being isolated from the other trees because it parallels Topsoil's separation from the others. â€Å"The people stood close to each other with little clouds of steam puffing from their faces. † The next stage of the process is transition. Transition is the character going through trials and tribulations that stimulates personal growth ND knowledge. Topsoil's burial process is his Journey of change.Teflon went from being a weathered lively old man to being a fragile decomposing corpse. Topsoil's fragility and age is illustrated when the young people dress him in his burial clothes. â€Å"He looked sma ll and shriveled, and after they dressed him in the new shirt and pants he seemed more shrunken. † â€Å"They laid the bundle in the back of the pickup and covered it with a heavy tarp before they started back to the pueblo' The other characters do not even look at Teflon as a human anymore. Topsoil's death transitioned other characters as well. But there he was, facing into a cold dry wind and squinting at the last sunlight; ready to bury a red wool blanket while the faces of his parishioners were in the shadow with the last warmth of the sun on their backs. † Throughout the story the priest transitioned from religious to spiritual. Teflon taught the Father Paul the importance of having a spiritual life. Teflon transition was physical and spiritual. The last stage of the process is reintegration. Reintegration is the character turning to the place where he started or a better place than where he started.Teflon returned to the earth from which he came from. â€Å"They lowered the bundle into the ground, and they didn't bother to untie the stiff pieces of new rope that were tied around the ends of the blanket. † In the King James Version of the bible it is stated in Genesis chapter thirteen verse nine, â€Å"By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return. † Teflon is returning from what he was made from. I believe that Silks wrote this story to show her readers that she believes life is short.I know life is short. I have seen many people die in my twenty years of life. After I read this short story I went to visit my mom's grave. It seems that after you die no one remembers you. I wandered through the older part of the cemetery fixing headstones. So many were turned over, broken and abandoned. I wondered where the decease's loved one was. The optimism in me wants to believe that I will leave a lasting impression on the world ar ound me. In reality I will probably die and be ergot as soon as my casket hit the bottom of my grave Just like Teflon.I think that Silks is trying to inspire her readers to live fully because one day it will all be over. I want to leave this world a better place. Also another question is, â€Å"Can someone give a greater gift from the beyond then from life itself? † I'm sure the rain did come and replenish the crops so that the Indians had plenty of food and agriculture to sell. Teflon gave a greater gift to his tribe then what he would have been able to give them during life. Teflon also gave Father Paul the gift of Spiritual learning.After watching the burial Father Paul realized that religion isn't the only thing in life. Father Paul expanded his view on death and life after death because of Teflon. Teflon gave everyone a greater gift then what was expected. â€Å"The Man to Send Rain Clouds† shows readers how life after death really is. At one point or another ever yone ponders how the world is going to react in response their death. I think everyone should read this story because it really changes ones perspective about death after life. â€Å"The Man to Send Rain Clouds† will motivate and fresh you outlook on life.After reading this a reader will respond to life in a more conscientious way. This story could improve the quality of our world if it was well- known. â€Å"The Man to Send Rain Clouds† is an inspiring tale of death.