Analysis Of Jack London s The Call Of The Wild

Have people ever thought about writing style? Or about different literary movements? There are many different kinds of writing styles, along with many different literary movements. Authors choose the writing style they want, and whether or not to be in a movement. Jack London was one of these authors. He chose to be a part of the naturalism movement. Naturalism is a literary movement with the belief that humans and animals being shaped by their environment. He then chose to use indirect discourse in one of his most popular books The Call of the Wild. Free Indirect Discourse is when the reader knows the thoughts of the main character while having a third person view. Free indirect discourse can differ from direct discourse because it allows third and first person rather than just third person. The use of indirect discourse in Jack London’s work emphasizes the naturalist movement on humans’ industrialization. The environment that Jack London grew up in helped to shape his naturalistic writing style. Jack London grew up in San Francisco with his mother and step- father. He was raised by an ex-slave because his mother was sick. When he was a teenager he worked many jobs including sailing on a sealing ship, pirating for oysters, and many more. When he returned home at nineteen he returned to high school. This is where London discovered socialism or Social Darwinism, and was known as the â€Å"Boy Socialist of Oakland† around his neighborhood. He ran for mayor several times as theShow MoreRelatedA Analysis of Jack London Novels2925 Words   |  12 PagesA literary Analysis of Jack London three most recognized works, Sea Wolf; The Call of the Wild; and White Fang. Jack London lived a full life, even though he died at the young age of forty. In his life time he experienced many things, and I believe that these experiences were the catalyst of his novels. Jack London was an oyster pirate, a government patrolman in San Francisco Bay, a sailor and an agrarian reformer, a seal hunter in the North Pacific and a gold prospector in the frozenRead MoreSummary Of The Call Of The Wild By Jack London1908 Words   |  8 Pages Ms. Stone English 10 H 11 November 2016 Journal Entry #1: The Call Of The Wild, by Jack London 1. Section Summary A large dog, named Buck, lives on a big estate in the heart of Santa Clara Valley. While in the midst a famous gold rush in Klondike, Canada, many men need sled dogs to get around on the snow. Buck does not realize the great fear that he is in while living during this time. Manuel, a gardener on the estate that Buck lives on, gambles Buck to another man and loses. Buck beginsRead MoreA Critical Analysis of Oscar Wildes Importance of Being Earnest3101 Words   |  12 PagesIdentity 8 The Critique of Marriage 8 Idleness of the Aesthete and the Leisure Class 9 The Plot vs. Characterization 9 The Analysis of Character 9 The Structure Analysis of Plot 10 The Title of the play 11 Conclusion 12 Critiquing Play Introduction The play, The Importance of Being Earnest, is written by Oscar Wilde and was first performed in London at St. Jamess Theatre on fourteen February of the year of 1895. In order to escape burdensome social obligations, fictitious personalRead MoreAnalysis Of Where I m Calling From By Raymond Carver2284 Words   |  10 PagesArtapong Intapatana September 16, 2014 English Literature: Critical Thinking and Composition Prof. Jennifer Smith Where I’m Calling From Analysis â€Å"Where I’m Calling From† by Raymond Carver is a short story about a man’s struggle with Alcoholism, and his encounters at a drying-out facility or treatment center. The story itself seems very straight forward in the way it’s presented, 3rd person perspective, narrative writing style, realism (ENotes.com), but in actuality there’s a lot more to the storyRead MoreRomanticism and Modernism as Strange Bedfellows: A Fresh Look at Jack Kerouacs On the Road12240 Words   |  49 Pagesï » ¿ Romanticism and Modernism as Strange Bedfellows: A Fresh Look of Jack Kerouac’s On the Road Bliss was it in that dawn to be alive, But to be young was very Heaven! O time In which the meagre, stale, forbidding ways Of custom, law and statute, took at once The attraction of a Country in Romance! The Prelude—William Wordsworth (Come in under the shadow of this rock), And I will show you something different from either Your shadow at morning striding behind you Or your shadow at eveningRead MoreReview Of Charlotte Bronte s Jane Eyre 10879 Words   |  44 Pagestuberculosis at Cowan Bridge. Bronte s brother, Patrick, became addicted to drugs and alcohol before he died. Similarities: She, along with her three sisters, was sent to the Clergy Daughters School at Cowan Bridge. Charlotte Bronte lost her mother when she was five years old, and was raised by her aunt. Jane rejected two offers of marriage, but took one later; Charlotte rejected four offers of marriage, but accepted one later as well. Bronte based Jane s physical features off her. They are bothRead More Destry Rides Again, Mr Smith Goes to Washington, and the Fall of the Hollywood Studio System3533 Words   |  15 PagesDestry Rides Again, Mr Smith Goes to Washington, and the Fall of the Hollywood Studio System Thomas Schatz cites the 1950’s as the inevitable end of the Hollywood film studio system, with the signs appearing as early as the height of the second World War (472). However, the seeds of discontent and disintegration within the system were apparent as soon as the late 1930’s, exemplified in such films as Destry Rides Again (1939, George Marshall) and Mr. Smith Goes To Washington (1939, Frank Capra)Read MoreStrategic Management Process12814 Words   |  52 PagesPROCESSS Strategic or institutional management is the conduct of drafting, implementing and evaluating cross-functional decisions that will enable an organization to achieve its long-term objectives[1]. It is the process of specifying the organization s mission, vision and objectives, developing policies and plans, often in terms of projects and programs, which are designed to achieve these objectives, and then allocating resources to implement the policies and plans, projects and programs. A balancedRead MoreOscar Wilde Fairy Tales4397 Words   |  18 PagesTHE TRAGIC MODE IN OSCAR WILDE’S FAIRY TALES DÉBORAH SCHEIDT, Universidade Estadual de Ponta Grossa ABSTRACT: In this paper we examine the articulation of the tragic mode in Oscar Wilde‟s collection of fairy tales The Happy Prince and Other Stories, especially in â€Å"The Young King†, â€Å"The Selfish Giant† and â€Å"The Birthday of the Infanta.† By â€Å"tragic mode† we mean, in this context, the vestiges left by Greek tragedy and its development, the Elizabethan tragedy, in a piece of nineteenth century fictionRead MoreGlobal Strategy of Tesco5371 Words   |  22 PagesDefinition 5 2.3.2. Discussion 5 2.3.3. Limitation 5 3. Whittington - school of strategies 6 4. Global Retail Strategic Decision 7 4.1. Tesco Strategy overview 7 4.2. Porter s Five Force 8 4.2.1. Discussion 8 4.2.2. Challenges 9 4.3. Porter Diamond strategy 9 4.3.1. Discussion 9 4.3.2. Challenges 9 4.4. Porter s Generic Strategies 10 4.4.1. Discussion 10 4.4.2. Challenges 10 4.5. Product Life Cycle (PLC) 11 4.5.1. Discussion 11 4.5.2. Challenges 11 5. Conclusion 12 References 13

What do we mean by business environment Free Essays

Business Organisations simply mean a group of people working together as a team in a particular organisation by delivering products, goods and services to customer in exchange of profit. But, these organisation are influenced by many factors within the environment in which they operate and said to be the very dominant force in the shaping and moulding of the organisation. What do we mean by business environment? Business environment is a set of influence, which shapes and moulds an organisation. We will write a custom essay sample on What do we mean by business environment? or any similar topic only for you Order Now There are number of factor which shapes and moulds an organisation. In other word, the development and strength of an organisation lies on these seven main influence such as ways of doing thing, rules and regulation, principle and procedures, attitude and behaviour, product and service, framework of an authority and finally the channel of communication. As everyone knows, different people have they own of ways of doing thing because they are not necessary to have the same thought with others and maybe it all depends on some sort of style or tradition, which need to be followed. For an example, a football team has many strategic such as 4-4-2, 4-4-3, 3-5-2 and so on. But, they use different strategic when facing different opponent or maybe changes their strategic when it comes to a certain circumstance e. g. player got sent off or injured, difficulty in defending, urgency to score, etc. No one can declare a particular method or way of doing thing of organisation is the best. This is because each given set of circumstances requires different solution. Rules and regulation is must for an organisation. Without it, everyone will not be bothered to do what he or she supposes in a proper manner within the dateline. Let us take a look at this example, which is sound familiar for some of us. Being an APIIT student, everyone strictly prohibit the wearing of T-shirt, jeans, sneakers or slippers, as well as provocative and immodest attire. Principle and procedure are essential for an organisation. Every job or task given must be done according to a particular principle and procedure to ensure a good output or result in return. For instance, let’s take a look at a football team again. In order to score a goal, the ball must be played to one another until someone has the golden opportunity to score a goal. Attitude and behaviour play an important role for an organisation. Basically, there is two type of business environment, which is external and internal. What do we mean by external environment? External environment is non-controllable environment, which is outside an organisation. This environment can be divided into a number of areas such as politic, economy, social, technology -P-E-S-T- and last not the least globalisation. Political environment refers to the set of law, regulation and government policies existing within a particular country. Some people argued that this is the most powerful influence at work e. g. if a businessman wants to start up a business in a particular country, first he or she must ensure the political stability of that country. For instance, an unstable political climate in a country will not instill confidence in people and this will in turn affect the business climate adversely. If given an option to run a business in Kabul, Afghanistan or Tokyo, Japan, I am pretty sure that everyone will choose the second option. Moreover, the tax treaties, which are agreements between governments to avoid, double taxation of profits by the foreign and the domestic government would serve to accelerate the foreign investment in a country. Two main policies are privatisation (where government sells off some of its existing public corporation to the private sector e. g. MAS, Telekom) and deregulation (removal of government redtape and bureaucracy from the operation of the market or better known as duty tax e. g. same rate). Next, economic environment, which is mainly, emphasizes on customers’ demand for good and services and the resulting supply situation. How an organisation will fare depends on the level of demands for its goods and services. Factors such as buying behaviour, purchasing power, price levels, interest rates, etc. are important determinants of demands. Since, World Cup is this month, let us take another example on football. The football fever starts, as you walk around in the city you can see many football freaks wearing their favourite teams’ jersey. This clearly indicates the demands for jersey increases as the interest rates increases. Beside that, the state of economy in terms of changes in levels of income, employment, inflation and foreign exchange rates affect the level of consumption and the standard of living. Business organisation themselves can boost demand by extending employment and investment, and conversely they can adversely influence the economy when they cut back on investment or retrench workers. For instance, the current state of economy of Argentina will decrease the foreign investment and. As a result, many of their countrymen were unemployed and creating havoc everywhere causing a major setback for the government. Social environment is made up of the attitudes, beliefs, customs and values of people in society. Entrepreneurs must realise that these social factors vary with the different classes of people within a country – the rich and the poor, the educated and the uneducated, the liberal and the conservative, etc. For an example, in India the Indians belief and consider the cow as their mother for providing milk. Therefore, they do not eat beef. But, lately a McDonald outlet in India offers some sort of burger or meal with beef. These turn out to be a disaster for McDonald as many of the citizens got angry and begin to create havoc in the country. McDonalds’ outlet in India finally found a solution. They modified and make slight changes in their recipes, beef burger is replaced by fish burger. An excellent moves which paid off when they got an immediate response from the citizen. This show how important is to know the beliefs and customs of a particular country. It is fool to underestimate the beliefs and customs of a country. Hence, it has become necessary for businesses to analyse and study carefully these factors and issues if their goods and services are to be accepted. Another important and not a new factor in the overall environment is the technology environment. Its increasing importance and influence is now being felt clearly and powerfully than at any other time. The changes in technology are virtually revolutionising how work is perfomed in factories and offices, and indeed the whole market. For instance, massive advancement in technology and rapid changes in information technology helps to increase the productivity of an organisation. The usage of hi-tech machines and equipments will greatly influence the success of organization. It simply save a lot of time, energy and helps to cut down number of employees. Organisations that are not able to keep pace with such changes are left behind, and consequently edged out of competition. One area that has emerged as being vital to business organization is information technology. Assume that an organization dealing with thousands perhaps millions customers data, somehow need to use the the technology employed to collect, process, produced, maintain and update the customers information. Microprocessors have allowed the introduction of small low-cost micro-computers that have household application for monitoring weather conditions. Many industries such as motorcar manufacturers are using microprocessors to control the operation of the car engine. Globalisation environment is an essential factor in organization. With the rapid advancement of telecommunication infrastructure and information technology has forced organization to proceed beyond their national or geographic boundaries in search of ways and means to exploit existing new technology so as to ahead of their competitors. Speed and quality in addressing the needs of world-wide customers and continuously learning of organisations will greatly influenced the success of organizations. As everyone knows, the current business environment is one where the whole world is seen as one market place, borderless world. In short, the ability to think globally while acting locally. One example is the usage of internet and mobile phone which connects you to people all around the globe no matter where they are. Market environment is very much similar to the economic environment, but there are a number of distinguish features. Essentially this is the environment of competitors, buyers and sellers. It is important to monitor these three groups of people. For instance, competitors must also be analysed closely with regards to their strengths and weakness. Customers must also be researched thoroughly in order to establishe needs and trends. Businesses should also be constanly on the look out for new products and materials from existing or new supplier. It actually refers to an organization behavioural system whish is constantly changing as it adapts to the evolving requirement of society. As you can see customers itself influence the demand level because they have the buying or purchasing power. If you look out for mobile phone industries, there are number of companies competing each other to outplay, outwit and outlast one another to become the number 1 leading mobile phone. That is why you can see many mobile phones with different size and outlook out for sales like mushroom to satisfy the customers need. Finally, lets take a look at internal environment. There are number of area which covers internal environment such as the rules and regulation, employee management, produst and service and facilities. Rules and regulation is must for an organisation. Without it, everyone will not be bothered to carry out his or her duties and responsibilities in proper way. There are many rules and regulations in an organisation such as attire (e. g. wear modest attire), punctuality (e. g. always meet the dateline), behaviour (e. g. must be polite and coorperate with other colleagues). As an organization, employee management is important to run business systematically. The management is the backbone of an organization thus it needs to be strong to overcome any difficulty. A good management always productive and try their level best to meet their target or objective. Product and service is the most important factors without it business cannot be run. Customers is fussy and choosy, they always want the best product or service. Therefore, organisation must always upgrade their product and service to meet the need of so called customers. The best quality products with reasonable price always attract the customers. Last not the least, facilities and infrastructures which play an important role too in an organisation. Basically, a high class facilities and latest infrastructures simply help both the organisations and the customers to connect each other. Thus, a country with an excellent network of highways and railroads will definitely be attractive to foreign investment to start business there. It is vital to note that business orgnisation interact with the above environmental factors. This means that the influence and impact is not one-sided. How to cite What do we mean by business environment?, Papers

Organisational Issues at Lufthansa Airlines

Introduction and Background With increased oil prices, airlines all over the world have found themselves in a position where reducing their operation costs seem the only viable way of remaining profitable. The situation in the industry is so bad that British entrepreneur Richard Branson, in his characteristic jest, once said that becoming a millionaire is easy if one was to start as a billionaire and venture into the airline industry.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Organisational Issues at Lufthansa Airlines specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Branson was referring to the loss-making potential that airlines are exposed to in current operating environment different factors are seemingly conspiring to reduce the profit-making potential of airlines. Such include rising oil prices and increased pressure from competitors (most especially low-cost airlines). Deutsche Lufthansa AG (Lufthansa Airlines), like other airlines across the world has opted to cut its costs in a bid to remain profitable. Unlike some of its competitors however, Lufthansa is also facing extra challenges brought about by its workers. Represented by their labour unions, Lufthansa workers have been on and off strike action since 2008. As recently as March 2013, the airline was insistent that it would continue with its austerity plans, which seeks to cut 3,500 employees and ‘force’ its employees to take longer work days (an extra hour per week), in addition to having no pay rise within a two-year period (Redl 2013). Lufthansa’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Simone Menne has been quoted saying that the company is â€Å"ready for new strikes, if necessary also by the pilots† as it pursues its long-term goals of cutting costs and enhancing its profit-making (Redl 2013, para. 6). Adamant that the cost-cutting measures were necessary to protect the company’s long-term growth, Menne stated that the management would not address employees because by so doing, the company would be compromising the airline’s future for the sake of short-term harmony. But what long-term growth was Menne referring to one may ask. Well, according to Redl (2013, para.4), â€Å"Lufthansa is trying to bolster its finances so it can avoid jeopardizing a planned multibillion-euro investment in new, more fuel efficient aircraft†. The main employees’ issues that Lufthansa is grappling with include a 5.2 percent wage increase demand, enhanced job security demands, and improved trainee conditions demands (The Hindu Business Line 2013). The employees are represented by two unions, namely Ver.di, and Unabhangige Flugbegleiter Organisation (UFO). The former is a large union representing a large number of employees at Lufthansa, while the latter is a niche union representing two-third of the flight attendants in the company (Lindsey 2012).Advertising Looking for research paper on bu siness economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Statement of the problem Considering that Lufthansa Airline employees may have an inkling of the financial status of their employer, this research paper seeks to find out some of the reasons why employees still demand wage increments. Additionally, the paper seeks to find out if the management at Lufthansa has behaved in a manner that has prompted employees to feels as if the organisation does not value their input into the company. Drawing from organisational behaviour theories, the paper will also find out if the behaviours exhibited by the employees should be interpreted as an indication of their dissatisfaction with the management. The paper will also investigate some of the viable solutions that Lufthansa can use to end the labour relations stalemate. Methodology This paper uses a review of literature as the main research method. Primarily, the researcher has used academic art icles as the basis of theory, but has also used online newspapers articles and commentaries to understand the situation in Lufthansa. The researcher used keywords such as ‘managing labour disputes’, ‘managing strikes’, ‘labour disputes and organisational behaviour’ among others when searching various databases for academic articles for use in the literature review. The writer further obtained information about Lufthansa’s strike from online sources, but had to pay particular attention to the use of credible websites such as BBC, the Telegraph among others. The methodology was intentionally meant to help the researcher find, evaluate and synthesise information that would correspond with the task of statement of the problem as described above. Literature review According to Darlington (2012), employees do not always strike because their employers fail to grant them promotions, improved wages, or improved work environments. In some cases, t he indifferent attitude displayed by the employer is enough to make workers down their tools. In an age where disagreements are bound to occur, Darlington (2012) observes it is how the organisation deals with employees who go on strike that really matters. For starters, Darlington (2012) argues that organisations must be willing to find out what caused the strike, take measures to resolve the strike, and control the consequences of the strike. Most notably, lean organisations are becoming an everyday occurrence in the workplace, and so are changing employee expectations and loyalties. Competition on the other hand, is forcing organisation to rethink and design strategies to improve productivity. According to Darlington (2012), the aforementioned factors present challenges and opportunities, which modern organisations must confront and/or gain meaningful insights from.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Organisational Issues at Lufthansa Airlines specific ally for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Writing specifically about the airline industry, Hirsch and Macpherson (2000) observe that though unlikely, labour strikes in the airlines industry can occur, especially if negotiations between airlines and labour unions stall. The labour unions in the airlines industry have substantial bargaining powers (Hirsch Macpherson 2000). Since it is not in the interest of labour unions and the employees they represent to bankrupt their employers, Hirsch and Macpherson (2000) observe that the airline industry (especially in the United States) has developed a compensation plan that enable unionised workers to earn more as the profits increase, and moderate pay increases when airlines are experiencing tight profit margins. For the aforementioned to happen, unions must be able to appropriate company profits, but the company must also embrace innovation in order to develop products and services that generate profits. Inno vation often comes from the human resource, and this means that increased profits (and the consequent improvement in wages) are a product of good management that encourages good organisational behaviour. The appropriation of company profits by unions also requires good sharing of information between the two parties. Information sharing between union and employers on the other hand requires a good working relationship between the two. According to Bryson (2001), the nature of relationships that exist between unions and employers depends on the efforts and motivation that each side applies towards creating a good working arrangement. According to Bryson (2001) persistent work stoppages through strike actions are a manifestation of the collective distrust and resentment that labour unions (and the employees they represent) have towards the employers. The main prerogative of creating a good relationship between the two parties however appear to remain with the employer; Bryson (2001, p. 91) for example observes, management can â€Å"foster a high trust relationship with employees by ensuring that unions have sufficient power to make a positive contribution to the running of the workplace†. Bryson (2001) further observes that adversarial relationships are also an indicator of the bad faith motives and questionable endgames between employers and employees (represented by labour unions). In some cases for example, disrespect of unions by employers motivate strike actions.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Bryson (2001) however indicates that unions also (sometimes) play a part in creating bad relationships with employers. An example is when union’s bargaining is informed by politicised values, without paying particular attention to the employer’s ability to meet their demands. In a different study, Bryson (2005) observe that unions can also approach bargaining with doctrinaire views with the intention of establishing or enhancing their reputations among workers. In some cases, unions might even have the intention of solidifying their ranks as negotiators by assuming hard-line positions. Considering that strike actions (and the subsequent work stoppages) have greater negative consequences on the employer, Bryson (2005) argues that they (employers) should focus more on interest-based and integrative bargaining as a way of reducing the risks of work stoppages. Specifically, Bryson (2005) observes that negotiations should ideally emphasize commonalities between workers and their employers in order to attain goals and objectives that cater for the interests of both parties. By so doing, the parties would facilitate decision-making that is based on well thought-out assessments of the situation. The decision about work stoppages usually involves both parties making specific considerations. The employees for example judge the costs versus the benefits of such a strike by considering the anticipated price in lost wages, lost goodwill and a loss of concessions that the employer may have pledged against the predicted work stoppage outcome (Gunderson 2001). If the latter is more than the former, employees would no doubt opt to go on strike. The employers on the other hand contrast costs incurred during work stoppages against expected cost of increasing wages, and if the former is greater than the latter, Gunderson (2001) observes that employers usually agree to increase the wages. Through wage increment, the management of a company facing strike threats saves the company from absorbing work stoppage-related costs. Gunderson (2001, p. 444) further notes that unionised employees are â€Å"relatively protected from layoffs, and hence have little incentive to engage in concession bargaining unless a credible threat of a plant closing is imminent†. In some cases, employees may even want to extract high wages from firms that are near bankruptcy. Gunderson (2001) argues that while the intention of employees is to bankrupt a business, the management has a prerogative to protect the interests of the investors. Gunderson (2001) further observes that work stoppages/strikes occur as a result of erroneous outcome assessments by either the employer or the employees and their representative unions. This line of thinking suggests that strikes are mistakes, which result from imperfect information about the economic flexibility of either the employer or the unions. Gunderson (2001) further argues that if union members are well informed about their employer’s ability to tolerate production losses, and if employers are well informed about the union members’ capacity to go without remuneration, strikes would not occur. Drawing information form asymmetric information theories, Tracy (1987) supports the foregoing argument by observing that strikes are sometimes motivated by the union member’s attempt to extract information about the economic condition of the organisation from the employer. In other words, the limited information leads employees to distrust their employers, making strikes the only viable way of extracting information from them. The probability of strikes increases if either parties base their perceptions, demands and/or offers on the opponent’s current position (Darlington 2012). Relying on prevailing indicators (e.g. increased short-term profits and higher costs of living), may lead employees to ask for wage increments. However, if they would consider other leading indicators such as s ecurity of contracts, the threat of business failures, and the competitive environment, perhaps employees would be more considerate when placing their wage increment and other demands. Again, Darlington (2012) indicates that conflicting expectations can be corrected through effective information sharing, which would ideally enable parties to assess the cost and benefits of strike actions from a knowledge-based angle. In a different approach from Darlington (2012), Godard (1992, p. 162) argues that â€Å"strikes should be viewed primarily as expressions of worker discontent rather than a result of imperfect or asymmetrical information†. In a different article (Godard 1998, p.3) observes that the conventional employment relation places workers at a subordinate position to their employers, because, it is generally accepted that â€Å"capital hires labour†. Authority in the workplaces is hence exercised in a manner that places the interests of the owners above those of wor kers. Consequently, workers encounter difficulties related with trust, legitimacy and fairness. Godard (1998, p.3) therefore argues that strikes are largely a manifestation of the aforementioned difficulties, and should therefore be perceived as a â€Å"primary means through which workers are able to collectively voice discontent and distrust, either with the exercise of managerial authority in general, or with management’s position on a particular issue†. Apart from the economic consequences, Godard (1998) observes that strikes can also remodel how parties perceive themselves and each other. The changes in perceptions have implications on employees’ orientations towards work, unions, and their employer. Godard (1998) however observes that strikes are a reflection of the interactions between employers and employees, and the choices they make. Both the interactions and choices are shaped by variables in convention industrial relations, which may include among oth er things, social variables (trust, job satisfaction and effective communication), economic variables (profitability vs. Employee wages), and law variables (the consistency or lack thereof of labour laws with economic models) (Godard 1998). The literature sources reviewed herein reveal that employees chose to go on strike for different reasons. Key among such reasons is distrust in their employers. Such distrust can be triggered by ineffective flow of information between the employees and their employers among other things. The emergent theme from the literature review segment is that strikes are a medium through which employees communicate their dissatisfaction and distrust towards the management. From an organisational behaviour perspective, factors such as fear, moral concerns, affective concerns, and distrust among employees, and the management’s/employer’s inability to array such factors appear to be the underlying causes of strikes. Findings The first major strik e in Lufthansa was in September 2012 involving flight attendants. The strike occasioned some estimated â‚ ¬5-10 million losses to the company (BBC News 2012). The strike did not come as a surprise to analysts, who argued that it (the strike) was the culmination of negotiations which had taken more than a year and eventually stalled. Additionally, the management had deployed temporary workers on some routes despite resistance from unions representing the permanent employees. The deployment of such workers was interpreted to mean that the organisation did not mind what the employees (and their unions) thought. More exasperation on the employee’s side was triggered by a threat by Lufthansa Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Carsten Spohr, who prior to the September 2012 flight attendants strike, had said that the company would hire temporary workers to replace anyone who went on strike. Lindsey (2012) observes that the threat by Spohr triggered even more resistance from workers wh o were daring him to make good his threat. Welt (cited by Lindsey 2012) observes that even if such a threat would have worked to discourage employees from going on strike, it would have compromised the service provision by the same employees to customers. Welt (cited by Lindsey 2012) noted that in addition to Lufthansa being a transportation provider, it is the in-flight services that attract customers (especially considering that ticket prices is no longer a point of competition); as such, grumbling workers would likely offer poor in-flight services to customers and this would have inevitably reduce the airline’s ability to attract customers. Problem Analysis From a sociological approach, there are four interrelated issues that the management at Lufthansa failed to address, and which can be said to have led to increased dissatisfaction by the employees represented by the labour union. The first was the question of hiring temporary workers. At the time, every indication from the management showed that they were being hired to take up the jobs of permanent employees who chose to go on strike. Smith et al. (1993) observes that fear is an emotional result of a perceived threat or danger. It occurs in sudden or unexpected situations where it is believed that rewards or punishment are present (Smith et al. 1993). Fear also occurs when one perceive their control or ability to cope with a situation as being low. Ideally, people respond to fear by seeking support, confronting the situation, avoiding the situation, or practising self-control. In Lufthansa’s case, it would appear that employees responded to fear by confronting the situation and seeking support from the unions. Yet, the continued disregard of conditions set up by the union (e.g. the condition requiring Lufthansa to stop further recruitment of temporarily staff) was not headed by the airline. This could thus mean that the distrust between the two parties worsened. The second issue that the m anagement at Lufthansa failed to address appears to be affective; specifically, it would appear that a significant number of employees represented by both the UFO and Ver.di unions were demoralised by the management’s decision not to increase wages within a two-year period, while increasing the work periods by an hour. While the aforementioned measures were meant to be the employees’ contribution to the airline during the hard economic times, it seems the decision to implement them was not discussed and agreed upon by a majority of the employees. As such, a significant percentage of them felt that the management decision was imposed on them. The strikes, which the Chief Personnel Officer (CPO) at Lufthansa Stefan Lauer says are occurring at a three-months frequency, can thus be interpreted to be an indication that the management have been unsuccessful in convincing employees why the austerity measures are beneficial for both the airline and its employees in the long-te rm. The third factor which Lufthansa failed to address is related the morality of the strikes. According to CPO Stefan Lauer (cited by the Associated Press 2013), the union (ver.di and UFO) that have been pushing for increased wages for their members are motivated by a desire to improve their positions in the fragmented union landscape. In other words, Lauer is arguing that the unions understand quite clearly the reasons why wage increments and other demands placed on the airline cannot be met in the short-term, but their desire to gain credence among the employees they represent is blinding them. While Lufthansa may argue about the morality or lack thereof of the strike organised by unions, it would appear that the management has been adamant in its non-recognition that employees may have genuine issues that need to be addressed. The fourth and perhaps the most important factor that Lufthansa failed to deal with is distrust. Media is awash with news about the tough times faced by a irlines. This means that Lufthansa workers had an understanding of the economic pressures that their employer was facing. The fact that some employees are still clamouring for wage increments is an indicator that perhaps they do not believe that their employer’s financial situation is dire. As indicated elsewhere in this paper, it is not the intention of the employee to bankrupt their employers; after all, most employees understand that their job security is related to continued profitability of the firm. Notably, Lufthansa has indicated that wage increments would jeopardise its future plans to invest more fuel efficient aircrafts (Redl 2013). The question therefore begs, do the employees understand that fuel efficient aircrafts would benefit them, or do they perceive the short-term austerity measures as strategies to benefit their employer in future at their short-term expense? Clearly, such is a question that would clear the air of distrust that exists between Lufthansa and its employees. Possible solutions/ discussion The first possible solution involves Lufthansa compromising its current position and agreeing to the wage increment and working conditions improvements as demanded by the unions. Such an action would correspond to Gunderson’s (2001) views that in some cases, employers cannot concede to wage concessions, and even prefer layoffs, because they have information regarding their ability to pay, that the unions and the employees may not have. Again, such an argument refers to the asymmetric information argument, which Gunderson (2001) observes is a product of the principle-agent framework. The second possible solution involves Lufthansa upholding its stance and using legal means (as it has already indicated) to resolve the dispute. In the meantime, the airline would have to brace itself for occasional disruption to operations and consequent losses whenever the unions call for a strike. As indicated by Gunderson (2001), pleading inabilit y to pay is one way that employers can refuse to meet the high wage demands, and justify layoffs. Considering how costly strikes are, it would be generally understandable that employers would meet the pay demands (and other conditions) if its finances were in good shape; However, the fact that the organisation is absorbing costs occasioned by frequently strikes could arguably mean that the firm is honest in its inability to pay. The third solution would be negotiating for a new deal, which meets the employees in the middle (i.e. agree to some wage increments (ideally the amount should be less than the 5.2% demand by the unions). Already, Lufthansa has offered a 1.2 % wage increase offer with no job guarantees, but it would appear that the Ver.di union is not content with the offer’s contents. If negotiations fail, Lufthansa can table its final offer or state its final conditions, in which case the unions would either have to take or refuse the same. The fourth solution would probably follow British Airways (BA) response to the cabin crew strike led by the Unite Union. BA had responded by removing travel concessions from its cabin crew members who had participated in the strike, and subjecting some of them to disciplinary action. Additionally, the airline used volunteer crew, borrowed some from other airlines and chartered jets (BBC News 2011). During the 7-day strike in 2011, BA reportedly operated 58 percent of its short-haul flights and 79% of its long-haul flights (BBC News 2011). Although it operated below capacity during the seven days, it managed to send a clear message that no one is indispensable. As a result, some workers chose to work during the strike and by so doing, BA succeeded (albeit to a minor degree) in weakening the support that the union enjoyed from employees. Solution and implementation Considering the tough stance taken by both Lufthansa and Ver.di, it would appear that the third solution above (i.e. negotiating) a new deal is the most viable way of resolving the dispute. Before commencing the negotiations however, it would be advisable for Lufthansa to verify whether the strike by workers is as a result of information asymmetry or just a frantic measure by the employees to communicate their discontent and distrust towards the management. Lufthansa must also look into the possibility that Ver.di (and other unions) is using the strikes to remain relevant in a fragmented labour union environment. Whatever the case, Lufthansa must be willing to improve its communication with employees in order to make them willing to support the firm in its long-term strategies. For example, the firm must be willing to explain why the freezes on wage increments were necessary during the two-year period, and must also engage employees the decision to either scrap or uphold the one-hour-per-week work extension. Additionally, the management must specifically pay attention to work councils, because as Europa (2011, p. 8) indicates, they â€Å"are the main form of employee representation at the establishment level†. Engagement with the councils would thus provide a platform from where Lufthansa can address employee concerns in a manner that improves information sharing and trust levels. Through the councils, the management can attempt to appeal to personalities, while reiterating the need to develop citizenship behaviours. According to Ilies et al. (2009), employees who feel valued by the employer are more likely to exhibit good citizenship behaviours, and are even more likely to be satisfied in their jobs even when wages increments are not forthcoming. Ilies et al. (2009) observe that agreeableness and conscientiousness is more evident in organisations with high rates of job satisfaction. Notably, however, job satisfaction is the result of careful development of a deliberate organisational culture, which in addition to enhancing satisfaction, improves other employee dimensions such as performance, comm itment, strategy implementation and cohesion (Lund 2003). Justification It is widely agreeable among scholars that there are no final or definitive solution to the challenges and problems that organisations face. However, Lund (2003) indicates that the dynamics of organisational behaviour requires managers to recognise and separate the bad ideas from the good. Additionally, Lund (2003) observes that managers need to know when to be artful and when to be scientific. In Lufthansa, it would appear that the scientific approach to handling and appealing to employees to support the firm during the tough economic times is not working. Threats do not seem to be working. As such, perhaps it is time that Lufthansa tried to be artful. Effective communication and convincing employees that their future in the company depends on the short-term austerity measures is an ideal way to start. Adopting a cooperative approach towards resolving disputes would also be a wise idea for adoption by the Lufth ansa management. Notably, Lufthansa is not lacking lessons from its past, which it can learn from. In 1999 for example, the airline signed a pay agreement with its employees, which indicated the commencement of wage increments after years of stagnation following its 1991/1992 operational crisis. The years between 1992 and 1999 were termed as â€Å"years of sacrifice† since the firm had to restructure for purposes of enhancing its profit-making potential (EuroFound 2002, p. 13). The eight-year period portrayed that successful labour relations are possible if both parties (employees and employers) understand each other, and share similar goals (at least in helping the organisation to regain its footing in the market). Of special interest to the current management at Lufthansa would probably be the combined use of labour relations, personnel policy and management strategy in the restructuring years as indicated by EuroFound (2002). The smooth relations between the management and the employees (despite heavy union presence at the time) was according to EuroFound (2002, p. 13), a product of the â€Å"traditionally co-operative, consensual and relatively peaceful labour relations at Lufthansa†. The use of the word ‘traditionally’ in the foregoing quote creates the impression that labour relations at Lufthansa have not always been confrontational as witnessed since 2008. Ideally, such information should provide the current management with thought-provoking lesson. Ideally, the management should find out when and why labour relations changed from being â€Å"cooperative, consensual and relatively peaceful† as indicated by EuroFound (2002, p.13), to the current approach where work stoppages have become a regular occurrence. Conclusion From the literature review, and the findings of this research, it is clear that both Lufthansa and employees have valid reasons to their divergent views and positions. On one hand, the management at Lufth ansa has the right to protect the investors’ interests by upholding a wage bill that is within its ability to pay. Employees on the other hand have a right to petition their employer for wage increments and improved working conditions. Both parties are aware of the tough operating environment that airlines face, but it would appear that the employees do not believe their employer’s claim about inability to pay. As indicated herein, it could also be that employees are out to bankrupt the employer, or the unions are just using the strikes to remain relevant. Whatever the case, it would appear that the relationship between Lufthansa and its employees is fraught with distrust. Notably and as indicated in the discussion section, Lufthansa has several approaches with which it can resolve the labour relations problems it is currently facing. The approach Lufthansa takes must be based on the recognition of the important role that its human resource function plays. However, it must also balance the needs and wants of its human resource with the business objectives of the company. In other words, the company needs to embrace a solution that will guarantee its sustainability. One such approach is negotiating a new deal, whose main premise will be founded on trust and transparent sharing of information. References Associated Press 2013, ‘Lufthansa cancels about 1,700 flights amid strike’, The Montana Standard. Web. BBC News 2011, ‘QA: What’s the BA dispute about?’ BBC News Business. Web. BBC News 2012, ‘Lufthansa cancels flights as crew stage second strike’, BBC News Business. Web. Bryson, A. 2001, ‘The foundation of ‘partnership’? Union effects on employee trust in management’, National Institute Economic Review, vol.176, no.1, pp. 91-104. Bryson, A. 2005, ‘Union effects on employee relations in Britain’, Human Relations, vol.58, no.9, pp. 1111-1139. Darlington, R. 2012, à ¢â‚¬ËœThe interplay of structure and agency dynamics in strike activity’, Employee Relations, vol.34, no.5, pp. 518-533. EuroFound 2002, ‘Pacts for employment and competitiveness: case studies Lufthansa AG’, European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions. Web. Europa 2011, Germany: industrial relations profile- facts and figures. Web. Godard, J. 1992, ‘Strikes as collective voice: a behavioural analysis of strike activity’, Industrial and labour relations review, vol.46, no. 1, pp. 161-175. Godard, J. 1998, ‘strikes and the law: a critical analysis’, Industrial Relations, vol. 53, no.2, pp. 258-277. Gunderson, M. 2001, ‘Economics of personnel and human resource management’, Human Resource Management Review, vol. 11, pp. 431-452. Hirsch, B. T. Macpherson, D. A. 2000, ‘Earnings, rents and competition in the airline labour market’, Journal of Labor economics, vol.18, no.1, pp. 125-155. Il ies, R., Spitzmuller, M., Fulmer, I. Johnson, M. 2009, ‘Personality and citizenship behaviour: the mediating role of job satisfaction’, Journal of Applied Psychology, vol. 94, no.4, pp. 945-959. Lindsey, D. 2012, ‘The world from Berlin: ‘A question of Lufthansa’s very future’’, Spiegel Online. Web. Lund, D. B. 2003, ‘Organisational culture and job satisfaction’, Journal of Business Industrial Marketing, vol. 18, no.3, pp. 219-236. Redl, N. 2013, ‘Lufthansa cancels 690 flights as workers strike’, The Wall Street Journal (US Edition). Web. Smith, C., Haynes, K., Lazarus, R. Pope, L. 1993, ‘In search of the â€Å"hot† cognitions: attributions, appraisal and their relation to emotion’, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, vol. 65, no. 5, pp. 916-929. The Hindu Business Line 2013, We will not risk long-term growth for short-term harmony: Lufthansa finance chief. Web. Tracy, J. S. 1987 , ‘An empirical test of an asymmetric information model of strikes’, Journal of Labour Economic, vol. 2, no. 2, pp. 149-173. This research paper on Organisational Issues at Lufthansa Airlines was written and submitted by user Kelsey Buckley to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Free Essays on Computer Techonology In The College Classrooms

The use of computer technology is an ever rising trend in today’s colleges. Even though computers have been in classrooms for decades, there were initially limited to specific times and practices. College professors from all over the country have jumped on the bandwagon of computer technology within classroom environments. College professors are surrounded by multi-facets of computer diversity concerning college. Instant messaging and chatting, distance learning, and video conferencing are among the trends of diversity surrounding teaching tactics employed by college professors. Instant messaging and chatting has become an increasingly popular tool for college professors. They can allow students to Instant message questions to the teacher’s assistant during lecture. This can allow students to ask for clarification without the embarrassment of asking in front of the entire class. Another example used by college professors are, the used of chatting during lecture. Students are allowed to chat between each other during the lecture by explaining points that are put out by the professor. Video conferencing is another useful tool for college professors to employ. Professors can lecture students from the privacy of their own home. Professors and students are also able to visually see each other. In addition, the professor and the students are able to talk to each other as if in an actual classroom environment. Distance learning has become an inexpensive way to teach students for institutions. College professors are able to teach students from all over the country all from the privacy of their own home. Moreover, students are able to participate in distance learning from the privacy of their homes. Distance learning is an inexpensive way to handle the increased need for remedial education.... Free Essays on Computer Techonology In The College Classrooms Free Essays on Computer Techonology In The College Classrooms The use of computer technology is an ever rising trend in today’s colleges. Even though computers have been in classrooms for decades, there were initially limited to specific times and practices. College professors from all over the country have jumped on the bandwagon of computer technology within classroom environments. College professors are surrounded by multi-facets of computer diversity concerning college. Instant messaging and chatting, distance learning, and video conferencing are among the trends of diversity surrounding teaching tactics employed by college professors. Instant messaging and chatting has become an increasingly popular tool for college professors. They can allow students to Instant message questions to the teacher’s assistant during lecture. This can allow students to ask for clarification without the embarrassment of asking in front of the entire class. Another example used by college professors are, the used of chatting during lecture. Students are allowed to chat between each other during the lecture by explaining points that are put out by the professor. Video conferencing is another useful tool for college professors to employ. Professors can lecture students from the privacy of their own home. Professors and students are also able to visually see each other. In addition, the professor and the students are able to talk to each other as if in an actual classroom environment. Distance learning has become an inexpensive way to teach students for institutions. College professors are able to teach students from all over the country all from the privacy of their own home. Moreover, students are able to participate in distance learning from the privacy of their homes. Distance learning is an inexpensive way to handle the increased need for remedial education....

Lesson on Proverbs for English Learners

Lesson on Proverbs for English Learners Using proverbs as the starting point for a lesson can help open up many avenues for learners to express their own beliefs as well as discover cultural differences and similarities with their classmates. There are a few ways to go about using proverbs during a lesson. This article provides a number of suggestions for how you can use proverbs in class as well as how to integrate them into other lessons. There is also a list of 10 proverbs for each level to help get you started. Monolingual Class - Translation If you teach a monolingual class, ask students to translate the proverbs you have chosen into their own mother tongue. Does the proverb translate? You can also use Google translate to help. Students will quickly discover that proverbs usually do not translate word for word, but the meanings can be expressed with completely different expressions. Choose a few of these and have a discussion concerning the cultural differences that go into proverbs that get at the same meaning but that have very different translations. Whats the Lesson? Ask students to write a short story, much like Aesops fables, for a proverb they have chosen. The activity can start off as a class discussion of the meaning of a few level-appropriate proverbs. Once its clear students understand, ask students to pair up and create a story that will illustrate a proverb. Consequences This activity works especially well for advanced-level classes. Choose your proverbs and then lead a class discussion to check proverb understanding. Next, ask students to pair up or work in small groups (3-4 learners). The task is to think of logical consequences that might / could / must / cant happen if a person follows the advice the proverb provides. This is a great way to help students explore modal verbs of probability. For example, If a fool and his money are soon parted is true, then a fool must lose a lot of his / her earnings. Fools might have difficulty understanding real opportunities from those which are false. etc. Finding an Example in Class English learners that have been together for a longer period of time might enjoy pointing the finger at other students. Each student should choose a proverb they feel especially applies to someone else in class. Students should then explain, with plenty of examples, why they feel that particular proverb is so fitting. For classes in which students arent as familiar with their classmates, ask students to come up with an example from their own group of friends or family. To begin with, here are ten selected proverbs grouped into appropriate levels. These ten proverbs or sayings have been chosen for easy vocabulary and clear meaning. Its best not to introduce proverbs that take too much interpretation. Beginner Tomorrow is another day.Boys will be boys.Easy come, easy go.Live and learn.Never too old to learn.Slow but sure.One step at a time.Time is money.Eat to live, not live to eat.Theres no place like home. Intermediate Intermediate-level proverbs begin to challenge students with vocabulary that is less common. Students will need to interpret these sayings, but the allegories used are less culturally based, which can impede understanding. Any port in a storm.Blood is thicker than water.Dont count your chickens before they hatch.The early bird catches the worm.History repeats itself.A miss is as good as a mile.The more you get, the more you want.Many are called, but few are chosen.Still waters run deep.The tree is known by its fruit. Advanced Advanced-level sayings can explore the full gamut of archaic terms and meanings which demand detailed discussions of cultural understanding and shading. It is better to travel hopefully than to arrive.The company makes the feast.Discretion is the better part of valor.A fool and his money are soon parted.All that glitters is not gold.He who pays the piper calls the tune.From the sublime to the ridiculous is only a step.The opera isnt over till the fat lady sings.United we stand, divided we fall.Dont throw the baby out with the bathwater.

An Account of the Retail Manager's Duties Essay

An Account of the Retail Manager's Duties - Essay Example Some businesses find it very hard to register high number of sales. This usually results in losses to the business or profits that are not exactly up to the levels that had been set previously. Such sales are recorded as very low returns by the businesses and thus this may result in the business closing down. When a business is recording such low returns in the sales that it is making, it is said to be under-achieving (Cox & Britain, 2004). The Retail Manager’s Account in Context Under-achieving businesses are usually in a gradual process towards witnessing a major downfall. It something is not done about these businesses, the levels of the losses that are incurred are set to continue affecting the running of the business. For a small chain store such the one I am managing, the under-achieving sales are very dangerous. This might actually result in the eventual closure of the business as a result of poor sales (Taleo.net, 2012). These poor sales are usually witnessed because o f the poor marketing that is being done by the store. In order to increase the sales of a business, it is important that the consumers are made aware of the products that the business is selling or the services that it is offering. This way, the consumers will be more knowledgeable about these products and thus their purchases will increase the sales of the business. For my store, there are a number of factors that have played a role in causing it to become an underachieving store. This position of the store is not just as a result of a single factor. The store has got a number of issues that it is facing. These issues are very crucial and affect the sales recorded at the store. One of the major factors affecting the store is the number of staff and their payroll costs. Much as the store is a small chain, the number of employees at this store is not up to the required figures. It is important that these members of staff be in the required number in order for them to work efficiently (Cox & Britain, 2004). The current number of members if staff in the stories less than the required number. Thus, the business activities in the store have been slowed down. Clients and customers are not getting the necessary services on time and this puts most of them off. Another issue that needs to be dealt with in my store is the sales plan. Looking at the reports indicating the achieved sales, it is clear that the store needs to improve on the sales plan. The strategies put in place are not giving the required feedback to the store. The sales plan is a very important and key factor in improving the sales witnessed by a business. It is this strategies that lay down the ways through which businesses can actually attract new clients and also be able to retain the previous ones. The sales plan also gives the management of the business an idea of how it should control its marketing and the areas where it needs to pay a lot of attention in. this is important for any business in orde r to give it a sense of direction. For the store under my management, the sales plan needs to be improvised if at all an increase in profits is going to be witnessed. This is one area that I have to put a lot of concentration in (Stanley, 1999). Key Performance Indicators for Improving the Business In order to improve the sales of an underachieving business, it is very important to

How does Tesco maintain its lead in the online grocery market Assignment

How does Tesco maintain its lead in the online grocery market - Assignment Example Against this background, this essay seeks to critically evaluate the measures implemented by Tesco in order to maintain its lead in the online grocery market. The paper starts by outlining the historical background of the supermarket chain; this is followed by a detailed analysis of how it harnesses the use of the internet in its operations. Background information about Tesco According to Datamonitor (2004), Tesco PLC is the largest food retailer in the UK and it operates around 2,318 stores worldwide where 1,878 stores are located in the UK. The supermarket chain also operates stores in the rest of Europe and Asia and it is headquartered in Hertfordshire, the UK. The company is comprised of 367,000 employees worldwide (250,000 of them in the UK), sales of more than ?37billion and it has an estimated 30 % of the market share in the grocery industry in the UK. However, Paton (2005) suggests that Tesco now ranges far beyond food, given that it now offers services which include â€Å"b anking, flower delivery, online diets, legal advice, DVD rental and telecoms.† Tesco prides itself in training and retaining talented workers despite criticisms by other sectors of the society. Technological factors Technological development in ICT has immensely contributed to the positive growth of the organisation, especially through the use of the internet. For instance, online shopping has significantly improved the operations of the organisation given that the bulk of its customers can conduct their business in the comfort of their homes. The supermarket chain has fully harnessed the use of the internet in its online grocery market. The supermarket chain is comprised of Tesco.com, a wholly-owned subsidiary offering a complete online service, including tescodirect.com and tesco.net (Datamonitor, 2004). The company is also in a better position to maintain its lead in the online grocery market because it offers a range of online financial services. According to information o btained from (http://www.essaycoursework.com/modelanswer/business/help/pestle/tescos.php, ND), Tesco.com is regarded as the world’s biggest online supermarket and it is believed that it generates sales worth over ?577 million every year. There are different factors that contribute to the success of Tesco’s online business. Specially designed website Through the use of a specially designed website, Tesco is able to appeal to the interests of many customers as possible regardless of their geographical location. It acts as a global store whereby people from all corners of the world can make purchases online which is a great advantage for the organisation. The other reason for its success in online business is that its website has a catalogue of every product offered, which makes it relatively easier for the customers to do online shopping in the comfort of their homes without any hassle. The website is user friendly given that it is easier to navigate in search of differe nt products. Research has shown that there are more than one million households that use the company’s online services across the whole world and this is seen as a competitive advantage to the company since it is better positioned to receive more revenue from its operations (Datamonitor,