Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Conflict in The Workplace A Look at Carolyn and Nick Essay

This paper will discuss how to diagnose a conflict using various conflict models using a case study that involves a workplace conflict between two individuals. Included will be detailed characteristics and attributes of the parties involved and how they may affect the conflict. Confidentiality is important in the workplace and will be discussed in regards to the case study. Resolution solutions that a practitioner may use will be suggested to assist in resolving the conflict. Conflict resolution can be a difficult task but if a practitioner implements tools like conflict models than conflict can be undoubtedly resolved. Conflict Scenario The conflict presented in this case study is between two employees that perceive tension in the†¦show more content†¦This is where the conflict between Carolyn and Nick started. Carolyn said yes and Nick whom decided not to be supervisor earlier said no. Nick stops the resident from going outside and asked the resident to sit and talk; the resident sat down and attempted to listen to Nick talk about why his answer was no. The resident was becoming agitated and got loud with his words; he started cussing and then becoming aggressive. The other staff members and Carolyn went out to the living room to comprehend what was going on. When approaching the situation the lead staff member Carolyn asked for all the staff to go off-line except for the graveyard staff. This went on for two hours, Nick continued to engage in conversations with the resident which at this point Nick was forcing his will onto the resident which made the resident escalate more and he started breaking windows. At the end of the resident’s blow-up, Nick then agreed to give the resident his cigarette and told Carolyn that he finds it in the best interests if the resident just had one cigarette and he will go to his room. Diagnosing the Conflict In diagnosing the conflict a professional practitioner could use tools such as the conflict models discussed in The conflict resolution toolbox: Models and maps for analyzing, diagnosing, and resolving conflict. These models provide the practitioner the ability to see the conflict from various perspectives and analyzeShow MoreRelatedManagers’ Role in Implementing Organizational Change: Case of the Restaurant Industry in Melbourne5116 Words   |  21 Pagescommunication, employees’ attitude and perception of managers’ undertaken actions. INTRODUCTION Change, defined as an effort that consists of actual physical changes to operations and different emotional stimulation (Bernerth, 2004) is painful in the workplace, going from what is certain and known to the otherwise. Employees lose the comfort of the known and the familiar, the sense of competency they used to possess, the status and/or financial security they once enjoyed and networks the y have gone atRead MoreFundamentals of Hrm263904 Words   |  1056 PagesShoring 21 Mergers 22 A Look at Ethics 22 Summary 23 Demonstrating Comprehension: Questions for Review 24 Key Terms 24 HRM Workshop 25 Linking Concepts to Practice: Discussion Questions 25 Developing Diagnostic and Analytical Skills 25 Case 1: Work/Life Balance at Baxter 25 Working with a Team: Understanding Diversity Issues 25 Learning an HRM Skill: Guidelines for Acting Ethically 26 Enhancing Your Communication Skills 26 ETHICAL ISSUES IN HRM: Invasion of Privacy? 9 WORKPLACE ISSUES: We Are NowRead MoreHuman Resources Management150900 Words   |  604 Pagespoint to the likelihood that employers in many industries will have difficulties obtaining sufficiently educated and trained workers. Estimates are that about half of the U.S. workforce (about 50 million workers) needs or will need new or enhanced workplace training to adapt to the myriad job and technological changes that are occurring. At the same time, many individuals who are obtaining higher education degrees are doing so in nontechnical or nonscientific fields rather than engineering or computerRead MoreStrategic Human Resource Management View.Pdf Uploaded Successfully133347 Words   |  534 Pagesâ€Å"fearless cultures† in which employees can speak up in order to challenge the status quo without being concerned about retribution. Retention improves with other related aspects of culture such as positive relationships with superiors , absence of conflict-laden relationships, having input into decisions, less emphasis on formal authority, information sharing, and support for employees.52 Effective Selection Procedures When firms hire employees that match well with the organization, the job, and

Monday, December 23, 2019

Emersons Self Reliance vs. Douglass Narrative of the Life

After reading both â€Å"Self Reliance,† by Ralph Waldo Emerson and â€Å"The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave,† by Frederick Douglass, one might notice a trend in what both writers regard as the key to happiness or self-fulfillment. Emerson and Douglass both imply that acquiring knowledge is what people should strive for throughout their lives. However, their perceptions on the kind of knowledge should be attained is where their ideas diverge; Emerson is the one that encourages one to develop the soul whereas with Douglass, it is the mind. One of the primary issues that Emerson tried to convey was that one must follow what they believe is true for themselves and not listen to what other people think. He states,†¦show more content†¦This shows that being â€Å"true† to oneself was just as big an issue to Douglass as it was to Emerson. As imperative as individualism was to Emerson, developing one’s soul was even more s o. The process in developing one’s soul was just as important. He states, â€Å"But man postpones or remembers; he does not live in the present, but with reverted eye laments the past, or, heedless of the riches that surround him, stands on tiptoe to foresee the future (Emerson 157).† The word â€Å"heedless† means â€Å"carelessly† and by using the word â€Å"riches† Emerson means nature. What he meant by using these words together was that men forget about the beauty in nature because we see it all too often to notice it. Men are too wrapped up in their lives and thinking about the future that they overlook the splendor that nature has to offer. He also states, â€Å"These roses under my window make no reference to former roses or to better ones; they are for what they are; they exist with God today (Emerson 157).† With this, Emerson is trying to convey the fact that God is present in nature and all its beauty. Although Douglass’ de sire to develop the mind was strong, he didn’t always have it. It wasn’t until Mr. Auld had chastised Mrs. Auld for teaching him the alphabets that he really felt the aspiration to read. Douglass said, â€Å"That which to him was a great evil, to be carefullyShow MoreRelatedStrategic Human Resource Management View.Pdf Uploaded Successfully133347 Words   |  534 Pages 607 EVOLUTION OF PRACTICES ................................... 608 SYSTEMS OF HIGH-PERFORMANCE HUMAN RESOURCE PRACTICES .......................................... 609 INDIVIDUAL BEST PRACTICES VS. SYSTEMS OF PRACTICES ........................................................... 614 UNIVERSAL PRACTICES VS. CONTINGENCY PERSPECTIVES...................................................... 616 EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE: THE CASE FOR UNIVERSAL BEST PRACTICES................................................... 618

Saturday, December 14, 2019

Big Fish Free Essays

The Big Fish is based on a genre, Southern Gothic, where freak nature comes in a role in story telling. The Big Fish have three most common elements in Southern Gothic. Those elements are imprisonment, freakiness, and supernatural. We will write a custom essay sample on Big Fish or any similar topic only for you Order Now The father would tell a story to his son about his life. However, his son thinks his father is full of lies. It brings the conflict between reality and fiction. In Southern Gothic, it doesn’t matter because it combined reality and fiction into one story. Although, it is hard to see the reality behind it because in the movie, the father make up a lot of stuff even though it is almost true. Imprisonment is found in The Big Fish, because the father is imprisoned in his room and in the hospital. Also, the villiage kept all of its people until Ed left the villiage. Those people could’ve been there for years because they love their home so much. The giant was in his cave because he was shunned and feared by the people until Ed befriended the giant. Imprisonment is found in Southern Gothic, and is in found in the story as well. Supernatural is everywhere in The Big Fish, because there was a woman who turned into a fish during the movie. The twins were conjurned but at the end they were serparated. Also, the giant was a huge person who was isolated for a long time. The circus was filled with strange people. Even the headmaster is a wolf at night, and The Eye shows a person’s future death. Also, the way the son was born was very There was a lot of supernatural involved with the movie. Freakiness is all around in the movie, because the villiagepeople had no shoes nor socks on. They walked around barefoot. Even the father was telling a story with his wild imaginations. He even made his death the way he saw in The Eye. He accepted his death from the beginning he saw his death. The father never once freaked out but rather looking foward to the day he dies. Everyone was there at his funeral. By everyone he knows in his life showed up for his funeral. How to cite Big Fish, Essay examples

Friday, December 6, 2019

Organizational and National Cultural †Free Samples to Students

Question: Discuss about the Organizational and National Cultural. Answer: Introduction International business research focuses on those firms that conduct business across borders (Brush, Edelman Manolova, 2015). As opined by Wagner III Hollenbeck(2009),some reasons may be to mitigate for a small domestic market or to seek new markets for their product (Wild, Wild Han, 2010). A particular set of countries which are given particular attention in the literature are emerging markets (Hitt, Ireland Hoskisson, 2014). In the contemporary business context, firms are expanding internationally to mitigate the risk of operating in a single market along with increasing their brand identity, exposure and growth potential. There are significant advantages for firms who expand internationally. Globalization is not a process firms undertake; it is a macro/political economy process (Hitt, Ireland Hoskisson, 2014). There are significant advantages for firms who expand internationally, ultimately being linked to increased firm performance (Hitt, Ireland Hoskisson, 2014); however, t here are also barriers and challenges faced by firms operating across borders. Effective identification and implementation of the strategies are more applicable for the service industries due to the reason that the pattern or utility of the service being provided in the domestic market will be different compared to the international market (Wild, Wild Han, 2010). The taste and preference of the customers will be more diversified in the global market along with different rules and regulations in different regions. Though, international business offers opportunities for the contemporary business organizations, however, it also poses various challenges which should be effectively managed. In the recent times, organizations belonging from the developing economies are entering in the global market. This is due to the fact that, the economies of the emerging economies are rapidly increasing and organizations are gathering competitive advantages to compete in the international market. They possess some sort of competitive advantages over others due to various reasons which will be discussed later in this report (Wagner III Hollenbeck, 2009). Ola cab is one of the leading service firmsproviding app based cab service in the Indian market ("About us | Car rental | car hire | taxi India | olacabs.com", 2017). Currently they are one of the key players in the market having other global competitors. However, in the case of entering in the global market, they will have to determine diversified strategies in order to fulfill the requirement in the global market. The approach that they are maintaining currently may not prove beneficial for them in the international market. Moreove r, journey from a developing country to a developed market involves various modifications of the existing strategies being fulfilling different taste and preference pattern of the customers. The customer behavior from developing and developed countries varies to a large extent in terms of expectations and requirements. This report will discuss about the potential internationalisation of emerging market service firms, by evaluating the example of Ola Cabs possibilities for internationalisation. Moreover, the competitive advantages that the service industries belonging from the developing countries possess will also been discussed in this report. Various issues and challenges in the international business which can be faced by the organizations will also be discussed. Critical analysis will be done to determine the various aspects of international business. Internationalisation of the service firm Evidence shows that an increased number of service firms are operating across borders (Boehe, 2016). Previous research has focused on the internationalization processes and strategies of service firms (Budhwar, Debrah, 2013). Moreover, the number of internationalized service firms from Emerging Economies is increasing. This is due to the reason that in the recent times, more and more service firms are entering in the global market. In addition, the trend of service firms entering in the global market is more from the developing economies. According to Boehe, (2016), more service firms are entering in the international market to tap the resource rich countries. According to Boehe (2016), the service firms from the developing countries lacks in resources. Thus, in order to fill the gap of inadequate resources, service organizations are entering in the global market and targeting the countries with having extensive resources (Boehe, 2016). According to Xue, Zheng, Lund, (2013), China is one of the leading developing economies in the world and huge numbers of service and manufacturing firms are entering in the global market. They stated that, there is huge difference in the requirement and approach of the service and the manufacturing firms in entering in the global market. According to them, the international business strategy for the service firms requires more experience rather than tangible resources. It is due to the fact that, service organizations will need the experience in dealing with the customers of the host country which will be very different than that of their home country. On the other hand, the manufacturing firms only require the availability of their business resources in order to produce their products in the host country. According to the researchers, service firms deals directly with the customers and thus they have to determine the social and cultural background of the host country more effectivel y to provide their service accordingly. According to Jensen Petersen, (2014), service organizations from the developing economy enter in the global market to enhance thebrand value of the organizations.According to them, service organizations from the developing countries have limited opportunities in creating value and thus they enter in the global market to gather more opportunities for their value creation. With the access to the global market, service organizations will have more market base to tap and more number of customers to reach out. Thus, they will have more options in enhancing their business portfolio and increasing their brand value. According to Parola, Satta, Persico, Bella, (2013), various service firms is entering in the global market, however, the choice of their entry mode is having serious implications on the effectiveness of their international business strategies. According to them, service organizations select their entry mode strategies according to their resources, market sector and the approach of the host country. This is due to the reason that service firms having less resources will not imply the direct investment mode of entry to enter in the global market. On the other hand, if the market sector they are operating is limited to the niche sector then it is unlikely that they will invest extensively in the host country. The approach of the host country is also one of the key determinants in selecting the entry mode. According to Budhwar, Debrah, (2013), there are various challenges being faced by the organizations from the developing countries in entering in the international market. One of the key issues that they face is the lack of brand value. Due to their presence in the developing country, service organizations find difficulty in penetrating in the market of the host country. The brand of the service firm from the developing countries does not get adequate exposure in the international market which creates barriers in operating in the host country. Moreover, the lack of updated technologies and adequate financial resources is further creates issues for them in their international market. Majority of the organizations from the developed countries have the access to the latest and updated technologies. Thus, it is a major drawback for the serviceorganizations from the developing countries. Due to the reason that service industry have to directly deal with the customers, thus lack of access to latest technologies is making them trailing behind the organizations from the developed countries. Similar conclusion by Kumar, Siddharthan, (2013), regarding the challenges faced by the organizations from the developing countries. However, they have added another point which is also an important issue for the service organizations in the international business. According to them, service firms face the issues in managing the human resource in their international business. This is due to the reason that, the organizations from the developing economies lacks experience in the international business and it becomes difficult for them to manage the diversified employees in the international business along with their varied requirements. This caused internal issues and employee unrest in the organization. However, a different view given by Wang, Hong, Kafouros, Wright, (2012) states that organizations from the developing countries are also get influenced by the government policies of their home country. This is due to the reason that, government of the developing economies influences the organizations in initiating their international business activities according to their objectives. Thus, through the initiatives of the global business strategy of the organization, government tries to enhance their role in the geopolitical scenario. However, various researchers pointed out other aspects of the internationalisationof the service organizations from the developing countries. According Luo, Wang, (2012), the approach of the organizations from the developing countries is quite different from the organizations from the developed countries. This is due to the fact that the organizations from the developing countries are highly influenced by their organizational policies in home countrysuch as, influence of the work culture of the parent country on the work culture of the organization. According to them, the majority of the organizations from the developing countries are having effective establishment in their home country. On the other hand, the international market for them is not well established or it is going to be started. Thus, the policies and strategies implemented by them in initiating their policies regarding international business are according to their home country approach. However, it may pose challenge for them in the future due to the reason that in the international business, diverse approach should be initiated to effectively cater to different requirements of the customers. Thus, the unified approach of the organizations from the developing economies does not create much effectiveness in the international business. However, there are various other aspects that are also need to be considered in the international business such as technology. There are various technologies which help to enhance the performance and the effectiveness of the strategies in the international market. According to Dunning (2013), technologies help the organizations to enhance their competitiveness in the global market by reaching out to the new market more effectively. Technologies help in planning the policies regarding the international business more effectively. Thus, organizations from the developing countries can enhance their organizational performance and effectiveness with the help of the technologies. In addition, international market comprise of more diversifies customer segments and market portfolios and thus use of technologies help in gaining the effective market strategy to cater to every customer segments. As stated by Berthon, Pitt, Plangger, Shapiro, (2012), in the current scenario of international business, technologies and marketing goes hand in hand. Thus, it is important for the organizations to effectively align the available technologies with their marketing activities. They also stated that one of the important technologies being used by the contemporary business organization is the social media. Marketing activities through the social media will help the organizations in reaching out to more number of customers in the global market. Initiation of the social marketing activities will also help to gather the feedback from the customers which can be further used to modify the service accordingly. The current market trend and the taste and preference pattern of the customers can also be determined with the help of the social media marketing. This is one of the way in which technologies helps in facilitates the international business strategies. Thus, although not researched speci fically in relation to the service firm, technology has been found to be important in facilitating internationalisation According to Chen, Chiang, Storey, (2012), information technology and business analytics have positive impact on the international business policies of the organizations. According to them, initiation of information technology and business analytics will help the organization in effective management of the customers in the global market. Moreover, information technology will help to enhance the communication channel of the organization by promoting effective communication among all the stakeholders in the organizations (Ulmer, Sellnow Seeger, 2013). In the international business strategy, communication is much important due to the reason that it helps to connect the stakeholders from around the world. Thus, from the above critical analysis of the internationalisation policy of the service firms along with determining all the associated aspects, it can be concluded that organizations from the developing or emerging economies faces various problems in entering in the international ma rket more than that of the organizations from the developed economy (Brush, Edelman Manolova, 2015). In addition, the approach of the firms from both the economies in entering the international market is quite different. Hence, from the above review of literature, it is been found that service firms generally internationalise because of mitigating their small operating area as well as enhancing their brand value. However, they find the many challenges in due course of expanding their operational area. Technology has been found to facilitate in the process of entering in the international market. In this report, the case of Ola cabs will be used, and introduced in the next sections. Ola cab is being founded in India in 2010 by Bhavish Aggarwal and Ankit Bhati. At the time of their introduction, the Indian taxi sector was not matured enough and app based cab service was a new concept at that time. Thus, at their initial stage, Ola got a huge untapped market to operate (Harding, Kandlikar Gulati, 2016). They first started their journey from Mumbai and currently they are operating in more than 110 cities with having more than 6, 00,000 vehicles in their inventory.With several strategic acquisitions and service diversifications,such as acquiring the Indian cab aggregator Taxi for sure and diversifying their business in offering service to the niche market with Ola Lux, they are currently enjoying the market leadership status in the Indian cab market.Currently the net value of Ola stands at $5 billion. With the increase in number of competitors in the Indian market, Ola cab is currently facing the effect of increasing competition in the market. Thus, theyare now ini tiating the plan to enter in the global market to increase their market share. Market scenario of Indian transportation industry With the improvement and rapid growth of the road infrastructure in India, the transport industry is also going to exceptional transformation. More automobile organizations are entering in this market.With the growth of the transportation industry, the cab or taxi market is also showing huge growth. The traditional cab service in the Indian market is still now having the market leadership status (Rahman Anand, 2014). However, with the rise in various app based cab services, the taxi market is showing some intense competition in the recent years. It is being estimated that the Indian taxi market will show good growth in the next few years. Moreover, the growth in the per capita income and boom in the internet access among the common people will further help to push the growth of the cab market in India (Muralidhar, 216). However, the entry of global cab aggregator Uber has posed a huge challenge to Ola cab (Rahman Anand, 2014). With their global business experience and huge capital infrastructure, they are effectively competition for the market leadership position. Further, it is being estimated by Muralidhar (2016), that the cab service in India is still at its primary stage and there are huge opportunities to tap for the aggregators. This factor is influencing various global and domestic organizations to enter in this sector. Moreover, there are various challenges also in the Indian market that are being faced by these organizations. One of the key issues for them is the regulations and legislations in the Indian transport industry (Surie Koduganti, 2016). Moreover, the clash between the traditional taxi operators and the app based service providers is also creating negative perception about the potentiality in the Indian market. Major cab operators are incurring losses due to offering huge discounts to the customers. This is due to the reason that, in a country like India, price sensitivity is one of the key criteria for the customers(Spears, 2014). Thus, to maintain the market leadership position, aggregators have to offer services at lowe r prices to attract more customers (Spears, 2014). Thus, this is further reducing the viability of the organizations in operating in the Indian market. These are the main reasons for Ola to look up for the new markets in foreign countries such as Singapore. This will help them to reduce the risks being associated with operating in a single country. Potentiality of entering in the market of Singapore Singapore is one of the most developed economies in the Asian regions with having favorable per capita income(Gantman 2012).However, determination of the external environment of Singapore will help to determine the potentiality and the challenges to be faced by Ola cab in operating there. The political environment in Singapore is favorable and stable. Being a developed economy, the government is also more concentrated on the economic development of the country. According to the political and risk consultancy, Singapore is having low political risk (Gantman, 2012). Thus, it is an opportunity for the business organizations to enter the market of Singapore. In addition the incentives being provided by the government for investing in the market of Singapore can also be availed by Ola cab. Being a developed economy, the per capita income of the customers is more than that of the income of the home country of Ola. Thus, the business opportunities for them are more in entering the Singapore market (Rodan, 1989). Moreover, the per capita income of Singapore is the highest in the entire ASEAN regions. With having rapid industrialization, the income of the customers is further rising. Thus, the market potentiality for Ola cab is much favorable. The business friendly legislations and the low rate of taxation will further help Ola cab to effectively operate in the market of Singapore (Tan, 2012). The social environment of Singapore is liberal and inspired by the western culture. Thus, Ola cab will not find any social barriers in providing service to the market in Singapore (Vaara et al., 2012). Moreover, with the increase in the average income, the purchasing power of the customers is also increasing. Thus, market will be there for Ola cab to operate. It is also been seen that majority of the people in Singapore do not have the positive acceptance for the blue collar jobs (Webster, 2014). Thus, the service being provided by Ola will be more accepted by them due to the fact that Ola will provide convenience to the customers. Moreover, the customers in the Singapore market is already accustomed with the concept of app based cab service. Thus, it will be easy for Ola to introduce their service in the Singapore market. As earlier discussed, the economy of Singapore is developed and with the help of rapid industrialization, more and more new technologies are being made available in the country (van Stel, Millan Romn, 2014). The penetration rate of the internet service is over 70 percent. The infrastructure of information technology is also much favorable in Singapore. Thus, it is a huge opportunity for the Ola cab due to the fact the service of them is primarily based on internet access. Thus, with having the extensive internet penetration, the market will be more for them. Challenges for Ola cab in Singapore One of the key challenges that Ola cab will face in operating in the Singapore market is the presence of several competitors. Singapore is already having a few established players who are offering app based cab service (Rayle et al., 2016). Thus, it will be difficult for them to gain the market share from among the established operators. Moreover, another key challenge that will face is the increasing cost of doing business in Singapore. This is due to the reason that, with the development of the economy, the cost involved in doing business is also increasing in Singapore. Thus, Ola has to incur more cost in operating in the market of Singapore. Though the government policies in Singapore is more business friendly but in the recent time, introduction of strict legislations for the organizations in maintaining their employees may have adverse effect on the business of Ola. The market share of Ola may also take a hit due to the fact that, the recent global economic crisis had adversely affected the economy of Singapore also (Castells, Caraca Cardoso, 2014). Thus, Ola also has to face the economic crisis being occurred in the Singapore (Milioti, Karlaftis Spyropoulu, 2015). Ola will already face stiff competition in the market of Singapore upon entry. However, due to the fact that the Singapore is having open and liberal economy, there is always the risk involved regarding the entry of new competitors (Hayek, 2012). Thus, more entry of new competitors will further decrease the chance of growing market share for Ola. Another key challenge that is to be faced by Ola in having business in Singapore is the anti-foreigner sentimen t. This is due to the reason that the income inequality is widening and the foreign companies are being blamed. Competitor analysis Singapore is having large numbers of taxi and cab aggregators intensely competing in the market. Some of them are operating for years and gained enough goodwill and reputation in the market. The market is going to be more intensely competitive with the entry of the global cab aggregators (Maciejewski Bischoff, 2015). Some of the few leading cab aggregators operating in the market of Singapore are Citycab, Comfort Taxi, SMRT taxi and Transcab. Uber the global cab aggregator is also operating in this market. Currently, Uber is leading the market due to their cheap and competitive pricing strategies over their competitors (Cramer Krueger, 2016). However, Ola upon entering the market of Singapore will have to consider few factors to drive their business effectively. One of the key factors is providing smart fleet of air conditioned and properly equipped cab. In their home market of India, having air conditioned cab is being treated as luxury and not as necessity. Thus, in India, Ola has the option of availing air conditioned and non-air conditioned cab. This, strategy will not get succeed in Singapore. This is due to the fact that all the major cab aggregators there are providing air conditioned cab and it is being treated as necessity by the customers. Another factor that is to be considered is offering of eco-friendly cab to the customers. Awareness about the environment is on rise in Singapore. Adopting this concept, various cab aggregators in Singapore are offering eco-friendly cabs which runs on CNG or batteries (Lin et al., 2014). This is also helping them in creating a distinctive image in the market. Thus, Ola also has to consider innovation in their business strategy to effectively cater to the market of Singapore. Rapid innovation in providing the service to the customers will be an effective tool to gain foothold in the Singapore market (Cheng, Yang Sheu, 2014). Discussion Thus, from the above literature review with respect to the business portfolio of Ola cab from India, it can be said that Ola should consider the cultural aspect of Singapore before entering the market. This is due to the fact that, for the service industry, determination of the cultural aspect is much important as they have to directly deal with the customers and the duration of service encounter is more in the case of service industry compared to the manufacturing industry.Moreover, it is also been observed by evaluating the literatures that service organizations such as Ola cab from India are opting to enter developed economies due to the reason that developed economies are already having the required infrastructure for operation. Moreover, the per capita income of the population in the developed economy is more than that of the developing economies. Thus, the market potentiality of the service organizations such as Ola Cab will be more in the developed economies such as Singapore. Moreover, the review of the literatures helped to gain an understanding about the requirement of the service organizations especially from the developing economies in operating in the developed countries. It is been evaluated that, one of the key factors that should be considered by the service organizations in entering in the developed economies is the experience in operating in the international market. However in the case of the Ola cab, they do not have the required experience of international business. Thus, they may face some issue in coordinating various aspects in the international business in their initial stage. Another key factor that also should be considered by the service organizations in entering in the international market is the initiation of latest, updated and suitable technologies. This is due to the reason that, business scenario in the developed economies is much more developed and technologically advanced compared to the business scenario in the developing coun tries. Thus, in entering the market of Singapore Ola have to initiate latest and updated technologies to effectively coordinate their business, to stay aheadin the competition and to enhance the convenience of the customers. Thus, the more will be the latest technologies being used by them, the more will be their competitive advantages in the market of Singapore. In the above discussion of the literature, it is been noted that choice of the entry mode is also an important factor to consider for the service organizations in entering in aforeign market. As earlier discussed, Ola cab lacks experience in the international business and being from the developing countries, hey also do not have the access to the latest technologies. Thus, the entry mode should be chosen effectively by them in order to effectively operate in the market of Singapore. Various literatures have stated that management of the human resources should be done effectively by the service organizations in entering the foreign market. Thus, in the case of Ola Cab, they have to decide about their chosen approach of international human resource management. This is due to the reason that, employing people only from the market of Singapore will not be beneficial for them due to the fact that they are not aware about the organizational cultures, values and policies of Ola cab. On the other hand, employing people only from the home country will also not be beneficial for the due to the reason that, employees from the home country cannot able to effectively determine the expectation, trend and requirement of the local market. Thus, effective consideration of these factors will help them to cater to the market of Singapore efficiently. Conclusion Having analyzed the market and business potential of Ola in entering in the market of Singapore, it can be concluded that Ola is having huge opportunities in Singapore market, provided they will effectively implement their business strategies. This is due to the reason that, this report has identified various issues and challenges that may be faced by Ola in entering in the market of Singapore. Critical analysis has been done in determining the challenges and opportunities being faced by the service providers from the developing economies. This analysis helped to identify the probable issues and challenges to be faced by Ola in the global market. One of the key issues being identified is the lack of experience and resources of the organizations such as Ola which will pose a challenge for them in operating in the global market. Thus, Ola has to consider these factors before entering in the market of Singapore. Another factor that should be considered by them is the cultural aspect of Singapore. Effective determination will help to offer and design their services according to the requirement of the customers. Competitor analysis has been done in this report to determine the market scenario in Singapore. It is been analyzed that various established competitors are operating in the market and it will be huge challenge for Ola to attract market share. From the critical analysis of the literature it is been seen that, the key challenges that will be faced by Ola cab are the management of human resources in the market of Singapore and choice of the market entry policies. In the case of the market entry policies, initiation of the joint venture with any domestic firm in Singapore will be helpful and most effective for them. This is due to the reason that, as discussed earlier, Ola cab is not having experience in operating in the international market. Moreover, they do not have effective market data about Singapore. Thus, initiation of joint venture will help them in having partnership with a domestic firm of Singapore. This firm will have better knowledge about the local market re4quirement. In addition, the initiation of joint venture will also involve less risk due to the fact that he domestic firm will also investment in the venture. In the case of the human resource management, Ola cab should initiate the geocentric approach in o rder to have employee from both home and host country on board. Thus, it is being expected these measures will help them to effectively operating in the market of Singapore. Reference About us | Car rental | car hire | taxi India | olacabs.com. (2017).Olacabs.com. Retrieved 31 August 2017, from https://www.olacabs.com/about.html Berthon, P. R., Pitt, L. F., Plangger, K., Shapiro, D. (2012). Marketing meets Web 2.0, social media, and creative consumers: Implications for international marketing strategy.Business horizons,55(3), 261-271.https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bushor.2012.01.007 Boehe, D. M. (2016). The Internationalisation of Service Firms from Emerging Economies: An Internationalisation Perspective.Long Range Planning,49(5), 559-569.https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.lrp.2015.09.006 Brush, C. G., Edelman, L. F., Manolova, T. (2015). The impact of resources on small firm internationalisation.Journal of Small Business Strategy,13(1), 1-17. Budhwar, P. S., Debrah, Y. A. (2013).Human resource management in developing countries. Hoboken: Taylor and Francis. Castells, M., Caraa, J., Cardoso, G. (2014).Aftermath: The cultures of the economic crisis(1st ed.). Oxford University Press. Chen, H., Chiang, R. H. L., Storey, V. C. (2012). Business intelligence and analytics: From big data to big impact.MIS Quarterly: Management Information Systems,36(4), 1165-1188. Cheng, C. C., Yang, C. L., Sheu, C. (2014). The link between eco-innovation and business performance: a Taiwanese industry context.Journal of Cleaner Production,64, 81-90.https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2013.09.050 Cramer, J., Krueger, A. B. (2016). Disruptive change in the taxi business: The case of Uber.The American Economic Review,106(5), 177-182.https://dx.doi.org/10.3386/w22083 Dunning, J. H. (2013).Multinationals, Technology Competitiveness (RLE International Business)(1st ed.). Routledge. Gantman, E. R. (2012). Economic, linguistic, and political factors in the scientific productivity of countries.Scientometrics,93(3), 967-985.https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11192-012-0736-3 Harding, S., Kandlikar, M., Gulati, S. (2016). Taxi apps, regulation, and the market for taxi journeys.Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice,88, 15-25.https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tra.2016.03.009 Hayek, F. A. (2012).Law, legislation and liberty: a new statement of the liberal principles of justice and political economy. Routledge. Hitt, M. A., Ireland, R. D., Hoskisson, R. E. (2014).Strategic Management: Concepts: Competitiveness and Globalization (11th ed.). South-Western College Pub. Jensen, P. D. ., Petersen, B. (2014). Value creation logics and internationalisation of service firms.International Marketing Review,31(6), 557-575.https://dx.doi.org/10.1108/imr-09-2013-0187 Kumar, N., Siddharthan, N. S. (2013).Technology, Market Structure and Internationalisation: Issues and Policies for Developing Countries (1st ed.). Routledge. Lin, C., Choy, K. L., Ho, G. T., Chung, S. H., Lam, H. Y. (2014). Survey of green vehicle routing problem: past and future trends.Expert Systems with Applications,41(4), 1118-1138.https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.eswa.2013.07.107 Luo, Y., Wang, S. L. (2012). Foreign direct investment strategies by developing country multinationals: A diagnostic model for home country effects.Global Strategy Journal,2(3), 244-261.https://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.2042-5805.2012.01036.x Maciejewski, M., Bischoff, J. (2015). Large-scale microscopic simulation of taxi services.Procedia Computer Science,52, 358-364.https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.procs.2015.05.107 Milioti, C. P., Karlaftis, M. G., Spyropoulou, D. (2015). Impact of the Financial Recession on the Taxi Market: Perceptions of Travelers and Taxi Drivers.Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, 2536, 67-75.https://dx.doi.org/10.3141/2536-09 Muralidhar, S. H. (2016). How Ola Disrupted Taxi Services in India?Review of Knowledge Management,6(3), 5-17. Parola, F., Satta, G., Persico, L., Bella, E. D. (2013). Entry mode choices in international markets: Examining the antecedents of service firms strategies.International Journal of Globalisation and Small Business,5(1/2), 34-57.https://dx.doi.org/10.1504/ijgsb.2013.050483 Rahman, T., Anand, N. (2014). Organized sector taxi operators in India-Opportunities and Challenges.International Journal of Research in Management and Social Sciences,2(3 (II), 23-28. Rayle, L., Dai, D., Chan, N., Cervero, R., Shaheen, S. (2016). Just a better taxi? A survey-based comparison of taxis, transit, and ridesourcing services in San Francisco.Transport Policy,45, 168-178.https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tranpol.2015.10.004 Rodan, G. (1989).The Political Economy of Singapores Industrialization: National State and International Capital. London: Palgrave Macmillan. Spears, D. (2014). Decision costs and price sensitivity: Field experimental evidence from India.Journal of Economic Behavior Organization,97, 169-184.https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jebo.2013.06.012 Surie, A., Koduganti, J. (2016). The Emerging Nature of Work in Platform Economy Companies in Bengaluru, India: The Case of Uber and Ola Cab Drivers.E-Journal of International and Comparative Labour Studies,5(3). Tan, K. P. (2012). The ideology of pragmatism: Neo-liberal globalisation and political authoritarianism in Singapore.Journal of Contemporary Asia,42(1), 67-92.https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00472336.2012.634644 Ulmer, R. R., Sellnow, T. L., Seeger, M. W. (2013).Effective crisis communication: Moving from crisis to opportunity (2nd ed.). London: SAGE Publications. Vaara, E., Sarala, R., Stahl, G. K., Bjrkman, I. (2012). The Impact of Organizational and National Cultural Differences on Social Conflict and Knowledge Transfer in International Acquisitions.Journal Of Management Studies,49(1), 1-27. https://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-6486.2010.00975.x van Stel, A., Milln, J. M., Romn, C. (2014). Investigating the impact of the technological environment on survival chances of employer entrepreneurs.Small Business Economics,43(4), 839-855.https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11187-014-9565-5 Wagner III, J. A., Hollenbeck, J. R. (2009).Organizational Behavior: Securing Competitive Advantage(1st ed.). Routledge. Wang, C., Hong, J., Kafouros, M., Wright, M. (2012). Exploring the role of government involvement in outward FDI from emerging economies.Journal of International Business Studies,43(7), 655-676.https://dx.doi.org/10.1057/jibs.2012.18 Webster, M. (2014). Where the jobs are: The new blue collar.USA Today. Retrieved from https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/09/30/job-economy-middle-skill-growth-wage-blue-collar/14797413/ Wild, J. J., Wild, K. L., Han, J. C. (2010).International Business: The Challenges of Globalization(5th ed.). New Jersey: Pearson/Prentice Hall. Xue, Q., Zheng, Q., Lund, D. W. (2013). The internationalisation of service firms in China: A comparative analysis with manufacturing firms.Thunderbird International Business Review,55(2), 137-151.https://dx.doi.org/10.1002/tie.21532

Friday, November 29, 2019

Why Business Models Matter

Business models became popular as a result of the internet boom that made many companies to begin relying on web-based models. Companies shifted from the traditional methods that were based on strategy and competence in an attempt to embrace the new trend. The new models came with a promise of substantial profits and efficiency.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Why Business Models Matter specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More All the entrepreneurs who bought into the new idea ended up suffering huge loses because they did not implement the models in the right way. The concept of business models therefore did not perform well in the initial stages because many people did not actually understand the concept. The failure of these business models came as a result of misuse and distortion. Many entrepreneurs wasted their capital by investing in flawed models without careful consideration. The new concept of doing business us ing models is still very applicable in different types of business ventures. A business model should be implemented in the right way for businesses to achieve the desired results. Business managers should come up with working definitions of a business model to introduce clarity and predictability in their models. The arcane mathematical models have an influence on the structure of business models. Business models explain how a particular enterprise works using elaborate stories. A quality business model should answer the fundamental business questions that guide the success of a business enterprise. To begin with, a good business model should identify who the customers are in relation to their needs and preferences. A business model should also reflect a clear plan on how the enterprise will make money. The main aim of doing business is to make profit and at the same time meet customer needs. Business models should also have a sound economic logic to prove their viability. The cost of a business enterprise should not in any way exceed he equivalent revenues. The main objective of a business model is to tell a good story about a particular business venture in order to attract customers and prospective investors. American Express is an example of companies that attracted a lot of customers by telling a convincing story to customers using a business model. The company’s business model motivated customers by giving them an insight on the value of its services. It is also important to note that the good narrative in a business model should be accompanied by numbers for it to be very convincing. Telling a story without credible numbers to substantiate the propositions in the model does not make any economic sense. The spreadsheet has played a significant role in improving business analysis. Each and every component of a business model can be tested and fully analyzed by using the spreadsheet.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Personal computers have played a vital role in improving the way business plans are designed.  Spreadsheets enable managers to have some foresight in the expected performance of a business venture because of their effectiveness in numerical analysis. It is therefore very necessary to be realistic in coming up with a business model without relying on assumptions. A quality business model should be designed using actual and relevant market insights. Business models should be flexible enough to accommodate changes incase things fail work out as planned. A business model should be practically tested and revised accordingly on a continuous basis. It is always a great challenge to get it right when it comes to revenue projections and this should always be expected by business managers. A complete business model should have both the narrative part and the numbers part. The two parts should be tested and if one or both fail, then the model can not work. The narrative and the numbers tests are very critical in determining how effective a business model is. The narrative part of a business model helps a great deal in promoting the brand of a particular business. The price of products or services falls under the numbers part.  The competitive advantage of a business largely depends on the ability of its model to change the industry dynamics. A business model that is unique makes it difficult for competitors to replicate. The marketing and pricing strategies of an adopted model can contribute immensely in expanding the customer base. The strategies adopted by a business enterprise can make the business stand out from its competitors. The competitive nature of modern business requires business managers to come up with competitive strategies. Michael Dell was able to maintain a competitive advantage in the computer business by adopting the strategy of selling computers to users directly as oppose d to using resellers. Dell was able to gain an inventory advantage over his competitors by using this strategy. The Dell example shows how businessmen can improve their businesses by coming up with innovative business strategies. It is important to note that a business strategy is very different from a business model. A business model that is implemented as a strategy tends to bring better results because it reflects clarity. It is also important to emphasize the fact that having a good business model does not guarantee success in business. A good business model should be accompanied by good implementation strategies for it to achieve the desired results.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Why Business Models Matter specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This essay on Why Business Models Matter was written and submitted by user Jaidyn Nolan 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.

Monday, November 25, 2019

The Radio Pakistan Essays

The Radio Pakistan Essays The Radio Pakistan Essay The Radio Pakistan Essay The Radio Pakistan Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC) As observed in the case of television, the state maintained a position of monopoly in the radio sector until the2002 liberalisation of the media and PEMRA’s emergence as a broadcasting licences-awarding authority. Sincethen, there has been a steady growth in FM radio stations across the country. According to figures from 2009, there are presently 40 FM radio stations operating in Pakistan. After an initial surge in new radio stations, however, PEMRA’s increasing tariffs for new licences has significantly reduced the pace of applications being submitted. Another visible consequence of this surge in prices has been a gradual control of the radio market bythose actors with sufficient financial and political power, that is, ‘industrialists, large media groups, feudal lords or politicians’. 57 In spite of the above liberalisation in the sector, the state-owned PBC still maintains a dominant position, especially with regard to its reach in rural areas. According to the PBC’s own figures, its 69 medium (33), short wave (7) and FM (29) stations cover approximately 80 percent of Pakistan’s territory, or 96. 5 percent of the population, and it has a regular audience of 95. 5 million listeners. 58 Its dominant presence in rural areas is obviously linked to the low technological threshold represented by radio in general, when compared to more expensive, sophisticated and electricity-dependent communication systems such as internet or television. In addition, the PBC has successfully attempted to establish a foothold in those areas by localising its broadcasting activities. It suffices to say that, in addition to the Urdu language, the PBC also broadcasts in 20 regional languages from 33 different cities. Beside its traditional and exclusive field of operations, namely medium and short wave transmissions, Radio Pakistan has become increasingly active in expanding its broadcasting to FM radio waves as well. Is first FM transmission dates back to 1998, but since 2002 it has been adding many more FM channels to its services, keenly aware of the fact that FM listenership comprises about 40 percent of the total radio listenership in the country, and also increasingly conscious of the need to reach those listeners at the periphery of the country – such as in the FATA – who could easily fall under the spell of local militants using FM stations for propaganda purposes. 59 â€Å"External† Competitors The medium and short wave realm, however, has not always been the PBC’s undisputed and undisturbed broadcasting domain. The largest media organisation in the world, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), can rightly claim a presence in what used to be British India, which predates the establishment of the PBC. BBC operations started in the colonial territory in the 1940s, mainly as a counter-propaganda media outlet to the German Nazis. The programmes at that time were broadcast in the Hindustani language for the local population. It was only with the 1947 partition that the PBC came into being. Two years later, the BBC followed the political developments by establishing an Urdu-language broadcast for Pakistan, and in 1966 it formalised this new service by creating the BBC Urdu Service. By the late 1990s the BBC Urdu Service had become the dominant radio news service in Pakistan. In 1998 it was said to reach 20 million daily listeners across both Pakistan and India. In 2009 that number had dwindled to 13 million. This decline has been largely attributed to the media liberalisation process that was launched in both countries and to the subsequent emergence of strongly competitive new mass communication media. In addition, the BBC started to encounter increasing problems with short wave frequencies in Pakistan, due to competing transmissions from Radio China. In an attempt to counter the growing competition, in 2001 the BBC Urdu Service launched its own website, where it also put its radio transmissions. Further, it also decided to step into FM radio broadcasting in order to gain better control of the reach of the local transmissions. The FM radio experience worked well until 2007, when a new Pakistani law prohibited foreign broadcasts from within the country. At that point the BBC created BBC Pakistan and it also started to rebroadcast its programmes through local FM stations. The BBC is currently considering the launching of a BBC Urdu TV channel that would nitially broadcast programmes for two to six hours a day. 60 Despite the complex and challenging legal and political environment in which the BBC has had to operate from the very beginning, its fame as an independent broadcaster has earned it a great deal of respect and a significant listenership among the Pakistani population. Interestingly, this appears to be particularly true in the politically unstable tribal areas. According to a Waziri researcher, ‘60 to 70 percent of the people living in FATA listen to and rely on BBC news broadcasts’. 61 The recent launching of programmes in Pashto has further strengthened the BBC’s position in these areas. Before the start of the latest military operations, the BBC was believed to have an almost complete coverage of FATA. The channel can count on three local correspondents based in Peshawar and on coverage originating from the NWFP’s districts of Bannu and Dera Ismail Khan. The geographical embeddedness of BBC correspondents has earned them widespread credibility among the local population and often, in addition, special access to militants operating in those areas. The remainder of the local population is believed to listen to a series of new radio channels that have been set up with the support of the international community, and above all of the US (via USAID). These FM radios include: Radio Deewa – affiliated to the Voice of America (VOA); Radio Mashaal (â€Å"Torch† in Pashto) – launched in January 2010 by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/ RL), it broadcasts in local Pashto dialects with the objective of offering ‘an alternative to the growing number of Islamic extremist radio stations in the region’;62 Radio Azadi – established in 1985 by RFE/RL, it is presently ‘the leading media outlet in Afghanistan, reaching 50% of the Afghan population across the country’,63 and also some of the border areas in Pakistan. For the 2010 fiscal year, there has been a request to the US Congress to provide additional funding to this station in order to expand broadcasts to Pashto speakers in northwest Pakistan; and Radio Dilbar – part of a project supported by the British government, it aims to increase the capacity of FM radio stations in NWFP by training their staff in developing citizen-based programming. The purpose of the international community in these areas is clear: to use these radios to reach out to the local communities with a mixture of entertainment, current affairs and religious programmes, in order to pursue a peacebuilding agenda and eventually to fill the gap left by the so-called Taliban radios that were operating in some of the FATA agencies and other settled areas64 (mainly in the Khyber agency and in the Swat Valley, with the already mentioned Radio Mullah) prior to the April 2009 military offensive. These ew local radios have characterised themselves by the careful use of terminology referring to the militants,65 and by their educational efforts towards a â€Å"true† understanding of Islam. 57 IMS (2009). Op. cit. p. 22. 58 For more information, see radio. gov. pk/aboutus. htm and radio. gov. pk/new/site/images/pbc_st. jpg. 59 As it has been indeed the case with the Taliban leader in the Swat Valley, Maulana Fazlullah, also known as Radio Mullah. 24 Initi ative for peacebuilding www. initiativeforpeacebuilding. u 60 Most of the information provided in this section has been collected during an interview with Wussatullah Khan, BBC Urdu Service representative, Islamabad, 20th January 2010. 61 Interview, Mansur Khan Mahsud, FATA Research Center, Islamabad, 21st January 2010. 62 ‘RFE/RL launches radio station in Pakistan’s Pashtun Heartland’, RFE/RL, 14th January 2010. Available at reliefweb. int/rw/rwb. nsf/db900SID/SNAA-7ZS2S7? OpenDocument. 63 For more information, see rferl. org/info/Afghanistan/181. html. 4 According to Mansur Khan Mahsud, the Taliban did not need radio channels in other FATA agencies because these were de facto already under their control. These radios broadcast by using simple technology, whose outreach was necessarily limited. The average range was estimated to be no more than 50 to 60km. When the military offensive got off the ground in the Swat Valley, the transmission capabilities were imm ediately neutralised and at the beginning of 2010 no Taliban radios were signalled by Mansur Khan Mahsud either in that valley or in the FATA. 65 Terms such as â€Å"terrorists† or â€Å"fundamentalists† are carefully avoided.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Marketing Communications Exam Questions Assignment

Marketing Communications Exam Questions - Assignment Example Sophistication is a brand personality characteristic that displays the glamour of the consumer, while ruggedness measures the strength of the brand (Aaker, 1997:351). The brand personality allows consumers to identify emotionally with a product, while making the consumers respond to the brand with feelings and emotions. The brand personality framework provides for a different perspective of looking at a brand, through using a system of human characteristic to assess the product, such that the consumer is able to fully understand how they feel about a product, as opposed to the consumer looking at how the brand performs. In this respect, brand personality enables a consumer to express himself or herself through the brand (Aaker, 1997:3454). For example, any individual who chooses to wear a Nike truck suit and Nike branded racing shoes simply wants to express himself or herself as an athlete, and any individual who looks at such a person will simply see an athlete. The marketing communication managers can utilize the brand personality framework to connect with the target audience or the prospective customer by differentiating the brand that the managers are promoting from a range of brand categories, which will in turn act as a driver of consumer preference and usage (Aaker, 1997:350). Therefore, the marketing communication manager can use a brand that will relate to a consumers personality as the promotion bait, making the consumers go for the product, since by relating such a product with their personality, the brand will serve as a means of the consumer expressing themselves. For example, the marketing manager can target the Nike brand to customers who look beauty and physical-figure conscious, since probably they ar e used to jogging or working in the gym, thus the Nike brand would help identify the customers as athletes. The hierarchy of marcom effects model is relevant in moving a consumer from awareness to a loyal customer. This is because; it defines the six

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

How Roman Empire lived on , even though it died 476ad Essay

How Roman Empire lived on , even though it died 476ad - Essay Example pire, deposed the Emperor Romulus, who lived in Italy’s Ravenna in a bloodless coup in 476ad; but Emperor Zeno continued to live and rule in Constantinople, whose authority was acknowledged by Odoacer himself. Roman power continued in the East, under rulers of Constantinople and a ‘fall’ was not particularly noticed. East Roman Emperors considered themselves as the real Roman Emperors, right heirs to Augustus. Byzantine was part of Roman history and 476ad was more of a Western point of view it was the continuation of Roman empire and the fall of Western empire was simply ignored and the division of the two was not particularly glorified because there was no such formal division and they remain. Even the promulgated rules applied to the entire territory, because in spite of two empires, the empire remained one for a very long time. Hence, there was a change in the region and the empire no doubt lost some of its glitz; but there was no fall. The Byzantine flourished diplomatically with many countries. It became the centre of literature, culture, religion and architecture. Roman Catholic Church continued to exist and it represented the lost empire with very little change while Byzantine survived for another thousand years. In a way it was a glorious period under Justinian like rulers. Religion was becoming more and more prominent; but the emperors retained their authority fully. In latter fifth century, the emperor estranged himself from Roman Pope by declaring himself Monophysite, which was discarded by Justin, an action that gained Pope’s support. Byzantine Christianity was slightly different from the Latin Christianity and culture. They thought ecclesiastical and theological authority vested in the Emperor and not with Pope and his minions. But adoption of strict traditional ways made it an absolutely static religion. The Empire pursued classical and intellectual traditions of education, philosophy, composition , literature, history. Women were well

Monday, November 18, 2019

SQL&Security Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

SQL&Security - Assignment Example The collection has a provision for checking and validating the typed parameters. 3). a). After using SQL injection, the table that had the users came up. These were the names of the field being referenced. The command that was used was ‘=’. Inputting this in the name field made the database to drop the able contents. The contents are valid because they came assigned with user ID’s. 3). b). When the characters ‘=’ are input in the username text box, the results is the contents of all the usernames that can access the system. The database responds to this entry by displaying all the contents for the field entered. The result for this is the display of the contents of the username table as shown below. ^(((((25[0-5]|2[0-4][0-9]|[0-1]{1}[0-9]{2}|[1-9]{1}[0-9]{1}|[1-9])\.(25[0-5]|2[0-4][0-9]|[0-1]{1}[0-9]{2}|[1-9]{1}[0-9]{1}|[1-9]|0)\.(25[0-5]|2[0-4][0-9]|[0-1]{1}[0-9]{2}|[1-9]{1}[0-9]{1}|[1-9]|0)\.(25[0-5]|2[0-4][0-9]|[0-1]{1}[0-9]{2}|[1-9]{1}[0-9]{1}|[0-9])-(25[0-5]|2[0-4][0-9]|[0-1]{1}[0-9]{2}|[1-9]{1}[0-9]{1}|[1-9])\.(25[0-5]|2[0-4][0-9]|[0-1]{1}[0-9]{2}|[1-9]{1}[0-9]{1}|[1-9]|0)\.(25[0-5]|2[0-4][0-9]|[0-1]{1}[0-9]{2}|[1-9]{1}[0-9]{1}|[1-9]|0)\.(25[0-5]|2[0-4][0-9]|[0-1]{1}[0-9]{2}|[1-9]{1}[0-9]{1}|[0-9]))|((25[0-5]|2[0-4][0-9]|[0-1]{1}[0-9]{2}|[1-9]{1}[0-9]{1}|[1-9])\.(25[0-5]|2[0-4][0-9]|[0-1]{1}[0-9]{2}|[1-9]{1}[0-9]{1}|[1-9]|0)\.(25[0-5]|2[0-4][0-9]|[0-1]{1}[0-9]{2}|[1-9]{1}[0-9]{1}|[1-9]|0)\.(25[0-5]|2[0-4][0-9]|[0-1]{1}[0-9]{2}|[1-9]{1}[0-9]{1}|[0-9]))),)*)(((25[0-5]|2[0-4][0-9]|[0-1]{1}[0-9]{2}|[1-9]{1}[0-9]{1}|[1-9])\.(25[0-5]|2[0-4][0-9]|[0-1]{1}[0-9]{2}|[1-9]{1}[0-9]{1}|[1- b) Students numbers are predictable because they are sequential and are assigned according to faculty. This makes it easy to predict another student’s number, to beak this cipher an algorithm is created to subtract the cipher byte from the respective ascii equivalent of the number, after they have been converted to binary. An example Student ID number is

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Effects Of Globalization On Media Media Essay

Effects Of Globalization On Media Media Essay Globalization is a process by which various cultures, societies and economies through a global network of trade and communication become integrated in all respects. It basically marks the paradigm shift in economic thinking. During Hellenistic period commercialized urban centers were focused around the Greek culture which stretched from India to Spain. Trade was a very important aspect during that time and for the first time the thought of cosmopolitan culture emerged. The effects of globalization are diverse, affecting the various aspects of the world so as to bring changes for the better .Its effects not just influence the financial conditions of the country but also affects the industrial sector and the culture of the countries involved. Globalization widens the access to a range of foreign supplies for the consumption of a large number of consumers, owing to the market planning and policies adopted by different corporations. Media refers to the different means of communication like radio, television, internet etc. It plays a very important role in shaping human mind. Mass media is a section of the media determined to reach a greater audience. Most globalization theorists believe that media has played an important role in acceleration of globalization. With the increase in the importance of economic, cultural and technological integration between countries, it has a great impact on our societys personal lives. It is because of globalization that today there is an increased access to a broad range of media. (Impact of Globalization on Media) Globalization has a great influence on the media and further its impact on us. The most visible effect of globalization is wide spread communication. The introduction of newspapers, magazine, internet and TV has immensely helped to spread information and has helped people to come together from all over the world. However this impact has its own disadvantages, its advantages are much more.. In my opinion the impact of globalization on media has its own advantages and disadvantages but however the advantages are much more than the disadvantages. As mentioned above one can see that the process of globalization has led to opening up of people mind towards not just the walls within which they stay but also be aware of whats happening around the world. Ever since mass media came into existence companies have used this as a means to communicate to let a large no. of people aware about their products. On the other hand even the people watching it or reading about it are in a position to gain maximum benefit as with the help of media they will be able to decipher between good or bad as per their requirements. With the years passing by and increasing globalization there is sophistication of advertising methods and advancement in the techniques adopted. Globalization in media, not just restricted to advertisement in other fields in fact in every field has opened up broader commun ication lines bringing the various companies, economy and more importantly the countries together. role of internet in the media globalization The internet has done a revolution to the impact of globalization in the media. The contribution of internet in the role of media has changed over the past few years and has increased distinctively. In the society the digital media is intensely transforming the consumer behavior and traditional media business models. On one hand it is creating new opportunities but its troublesome pressure is being accelerated by the global recession. Today with the ease of internet access a large number of people are consuming more media in entirely different ways and a lot of the time not paying for it. Internet is one of the easiest ways to associate oneself with the media in todays fast paced world. Moreover with the ease of accessibility of the internet even the younger generation has started adopting this to keep themselves aware of whats happening around them. Media also uses internet in their favor to publicize and distribute what they want to highlight. . Asia contributing to 56%of the popul ation of the world has 42% of the worlds internet users.[7] Be it at school or work or home everybody has an access to the internet these days. People especially students are heavily active on social networks like facebook and LinkedIn. In fact these social networks sometimes bring integrity and helps people stay connected. It acts as a platform to the society for better connectivity and hence being aware or updating themselves regarding what is happening around them. For instance in Asia almost 10% of the Asians are on facebook. The number of facebook users in Asia is 93,584,580 and the internet users in Asia is 828,930,856.[7] In political field internet serves as a medium to connect the media and the viewers. A lot of people are unable to go through the newspapers everyday because of either very busy schedule or ignorance or because of travelling. However most people in todays generation are connected with internet. Therefore people read about the elections about the various political issues through the internet. Even the media updates all its news at every instant on the internet and get a lot of responses from all its viewers which helps them get feedbacks to make amendments. The role of internet has a lot to contribute to the economical aspect or impact of the media. With the share market and the online trading and banking facilities people have started shifting from the conventional ways of doing things to this modern easier and hustle-free method. The term globalization in economics is about the different aspects of cross-border transactions, free international capital flows, portfolio investments, diverse and rapid blending of technology. The theory of globalization states that it enhances prosperity in terms of the economic development of the country and leads to proficient allocation of resources, which in return leads to more employment higher standards of living, more outputs and lower prices. The internet facility provided by the media channels help the users (viewers) to be able to update themselves from wherever they are. The news provided through the internet is mostly updated at every instance and is more precise and easier to find than other sources of the media. There are options of commenting on the news updates and the best part is that one can indulge themselves in a discussion and hence connect the social and economic aspects of the issues. Of the total of 4600 news and information sites the top 7 sites ,they collect about 80% of the online traffic.[9] The role of internet in the cultural and traditional aspect is quite prominent. Globalization has an immense effect on the cultures of the different countries. It has always had a very deep impact on the cultural identity. The free flow of information, speedy progress in the field of technology, transportation and communication has converted this world into a global village. The reductions in costs and better facilities and variety of choices have changed the tastes of individual and societies leading to a stronger integration. The use of internet through the media provides an inter mix and exchange of ideas and thoughts between countries. The media provide the news about not just within the country but also around the globe. Along with the general news about ones nation, media also highlights the cultural and traditional aspects of the country. With the help of globalization and internet being a source of it there is an exchange of these cultural and traditional aspects leading to a n amalgamation of culture. The extent of this amalgamation differs from country to country or place to place depending on the amount of exposure people have to the internet or the media. Falkland islands has the highest internet penetration rate of 100% as its population is equivalent to the number of internet users in the country which means that all the citizens of this country use internet.[Internet world stats] This cultural diffusion opens up the mindset of the people and lets them know the world in a much matured way. role of television in the media globalization The television acts as an eye opener to the viewers. The role of television in the media globalization has made a remarkable impact on the society. There are both sides to it negative as well as positive. However it is the positive effect of television which is way more than the negative and hence the impact is progressive on the society. In todays world almost every house has an access to television and over the years the accessibility has increased immensely. United Kingdom tops the list with an average television rate of 28 hours per person per week.[9] When the press media had not come into picture, people used to communicate by writing letters and sending them through direct mails .The beginning of press media came as an information revolution. This press media has become a source for promoting, projecting and supporting the process of providing information. It assists the journalists in networking and the globalization has led to revolution of news circulation, printing, editing and reportage. It is because of globalization that the spread and exchange of news becomes possible which leads to people of one country knowing not just about the news within their own country but aware about international news as well. Therefore globalization has led to the timely processing and distribution of information. (Jan, 2009) Therefore international print media can be read and understood on the domestic grounds. The role of the press media is diverse and it focuses on all the issues concerning out daily lives and well being. It plays role in e ducating the people on political parties, international happenings, entertainment glamorous celebrity gossip and sport events .After the press media there was the discovery of radio and television. This lead to a different kind of revolution as press media restricted one to just read but radio and television appealed to another sense as it had both visual and audio sense.A recent poll states that about 59% of Americas population obtain the world news on television out of which 37% is through cable and 22%through broadcast.[9] According to researcher George Gerbner the most popular television programs are no longer the ones made for the national consumption but are the ones made for international distribution. With further research he came to the conclusion that this was in order to increase the marketability of international television program distribution. (Media and Internet, 2009) A political economist and media historian named Robert Mc Chesney criticizes the multinational corporations for using the media as a platform to serve their own interests only. These companies create content and own the publishing companies and hence use them to distribute their own product. Another opinion which a lot of researchers have is regarding the impact of globalization on media with respect to local culture. They feel that the World Trade organization is threatening the local culture by encouraging foreign investment in local media. Firstly, the younger generations watch television regularly and there are points in the year when they watch it more than the average. This is because of the seasonal shows which they watch for a certain number of weeks and then may not watch for next couple of days after one season of the show is over. These programs on television depict the various cultures all around the world. The media through television can reach to the mass people. The television serves to a larger number of people than the internet at one time. In terms of political aspects the television has a lot to add to. The viewers can be made aware of the political issues sensitive topics concerning the nation. The television can provide its viewers with important facts and information concerning the democracy and the political system which can help us make better decisions. At the same time it gives us the overall picture of what is happening in the rest of the world. A lot can be understood and adopted through movies as well. Movies depict the various issues of the society and politics and it greatly influences the viewers and a lot of the time leaves them thinking about the social and political issues and acts as an eye-opener. The economical aspect is highlighted by the television through advertisements and the news channels giving updates on the share market, brokers and stocks. The advertisement in a way makes us consumers and helps to make us aware of all the suitable options available for us in the market. This is not just restricted to advertisements of clothing or grocery but at the same time about pension plans and banks. In fact with television one neednt always go to the stock markets or keep waiting for the newspaper for the stock conditions but can keep oneself updated with the television news channels. The Cultural and traditional issues are focused by the television through movies, serials , reality shows and advertisements. role of radio in the media globalization Radio is one of the easiest and cheapest media source. It is easily available in most part of the country. The biggest advantage of the radio as a means of media globalization is that it can be understood by even an illiterate person and can cater to a larger number of people. Moreover it has a greater impact on the rural as they are able to connect to the radio easily. Therefore the importance of radio in the society is indispensable. Television and radio catered to illiterate people as well. Moreover the advertising industry has used this as a medium to expose global products daily to the audience. The radio was one of the oldest means of spreading information amongst the people. Be it a cricket match or songs or elections peoples ears used to be stuck to the radio to keep themselves aware of things around them. Most people in todays generation are not regular listeners to the radio unless they listen to it for music on their way to work. The use of radio amongst them is now restricted only to music and that has also reduced remarkably because of technological advancements like I pods and music phones. In the political and economic aspects the role of radio is slow and steady. However in the rural areas it has a great impact. The rural people are greatly influenced by the news and information shared by the media through radio. In fact this helps them to understand the political system and the advertisements make them aware about the various products. Radio also highlights the social issues and helps eradicate and revolt against those issues in the best possible way. Radio in todays world is a platform for advertisement. In fact it generates a lot of income and adds to the economy of the media. It provides the listeners with enumerable options available in the market but at the same time highlights the ill issues of the societies and methods to eradicate them. Radio also provides a platform for the cultural and traditional exchange. For example, the radio channels provide music of different parts of the world and hence this leads to one nation understanding the music of the other. Music reflects the culture and the tradition of the area to a large extent. conclusion Globalization reflects our identity and connects us to the rest of the world. The science and technology makes the world globalized and in turn reflects the theory of convergence and promotes cultural identity. Globalization is a very debatable topic as with a lot of positive aspects there are quite a lot of limitations or negative impact of globalization on the countries. Where it has benefited a lot of countries on one hand, on the other it has also generated significant international oppositions over all the issues that has increased inequality and environmental degradation The limitations are as follows: Economic liberalization Effect on income disparity Effect on disease(health) Effect on the environmental degradation Globalization is definitely bringing the world together in order to create one global world but however one must understand its limitations and make the best use for the betterment of the nation and oneself by adopting the best of every nations culture. Media has always played a very important role in our society and for a long time it remained one of the methods of controlling people and their recreational time. (The Role of Media in the Society) The media hence provides different types of information in different ways in the form of newspaper, internet, television, magazine, radio etc. In fact its a very essential and simplified way to inform or simply to entertain the audience. As the process of globalization becomes more prominent the role of media and advertisement and consumerism also increases considerably. Therefore globalization is not just integrating trade, investment and financial markets but also integrating the consumer markets. At the same time the consumer receives an overflow of information through commercial advertising. However with the years progressing the methods and techniques of advertising have become sophisticated creating a better and much aware world and hence turning luxuries into necessities. (Shah, 2006) Just by sitting at home one can get the entire news of the world by any medium like radio, tv or internet, this is possible only because of globalization. Globalization in media has also made us aware about the economical and political conditions of a particular country but also provides us with entertainment of all sorts. Globalization in the media has definitely got some negative aspects to it but however the advantages are way more and therefore there is a remarkable progress in development in all economic, social, political, cultural and traditional aspects

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Demmings Fourteen Points Essay examples -- essays research papers

Demming's Fourteen Points   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Demming’s formulation of his Fourteen Points is seen by many as the management equivalent of the â€Å"10 Commandments†. Like many quality driven approaches, the fourteen points take a holistic view of an organization, how it works, and its relationships with its stakeholders.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Point 1: Create constancy of purpose towards improvement of product and service, wth the aim to become competitive, to stay in business and to provide jobs.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Constancy revolves around the customer. Success depends on how well a company evalutes its processes, products and markets in order to understand future requirements. This requires a commitment to invest and adapt to to changes in the market place.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Point 2: Adapt new philophies. Management must awake to new challenges, learn their reponsiblities and take on leadership for change.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Quality means giving the customer what they expect. Business cannot afford mistakes. Mistakes of any type are costly, and reliable products reduce costs. Demming 3   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Point 3: Cease reliance on mass inspection to achieve quality. Eliminate the need for mass inspection by building quality into the product in the first place.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Dependency on inspection at key points in a process to ensure quality is too late, expensive and...

Monday, November 11, 2019

My Job, My Education

Electronic mail, instant messages, electronic documents and all other electronic records are a part and parcel of the world we live in today.   These are invaluable assets, if not resources for most organizations nowadays.   Organizations are required to safeguard these assets, given that a large number of electronic documents carry very important information.   Many electronic documents are also required by law, especially after the infamous accounting scandals that captured the headlines in the recent past.My organization, ABC, Inc., develops software products that capture, archive, and store all forms of electronic documentation and provide organizations with the ability to efficiently search and locate these documents on demand, should they be misplaced or deemed lost.   My major responsibilities on the job include designing software and orchestrating the development, quality assurance, and release activities; creating and maintaining the team project file, and managing t he time and resources for an ongoing project; and evaluating the evolving risks and communicating them to the upper management on a regular basis.An organization’s strategy is the foundation for the actions that its employees take to reach its goals.   This strategy must be aligned with the organization’s mission.   My organization’s strategy happens to be quality improvement, which is aligned with its mission to deliver high quality software products to its customers.   As an employee of ABC, Inc., I am proud to have an impact on the organization strategy, given that all the employees of my organization use this strategy as  he foundation of their actions.   In addition, I work on quality assurance, and hence, the impact of my work on the organization strategy may be considered greater than that of many others.My decision-making ability with the organization is also quite high.   After all, I am held responsible for the management of time and resour ces on the project that the entire organization considers extremely important.   What is more, I evaluate risks and communicate them to the upper management.   My organization relies on my evaluations and decisions to a certain extent.My EducationTom Kozicki, Director of Marshall's MBA Career Resource Center at the University of Southern California, has said that â€Å"Regardless of what is going on in the economy, the need for an understanding and mastery of business fundamentals will never change.†Ã‚   Perhaps this need is inherent in us all!In May of 2000, a year before I graduated with Masters in Computer Science, I had to choose between job offers from a start up technology organization and a well known software giant.   I chose the start up company at the time to become its fifth employee!   This decision called for a variety of challenges, including long working hours.   Had I joined the already established and popular software firm with over ten thousand emp loyees and successful processes in place, I would not have faced the challenges that I faced in the new company.The reason why I opted for the start up company was that I felt that I needed to have hands on experience with all pieces and parts of a technology company at the beginning of my career.   This kind of experience was only possible with a new company that would have been willing to trust and initiate me into all of its processes.   I required the kind of attention that the good old software giant could not have allowed me to get.I have never regretted my decision because the company that I joined permitted me to work on almost every aspect of software business.   I grew with my company and gained most necessary skills to start a business venture of my own!One of the most important customers of my company was a Japanese firm by the name of Matsushita Electricals (MEW), deploying my company’s software in almost all Asian countries.   Working closely with this c lient made me understand the Asian work culture besides the growing importance of Asian markets.After I finished my startup experience, I joined a mid-sized organization with software development and testing teams based in India, China, and Japan.   I was fortunate once again, for this time I was able to not only interact with the Asian teams but also to lead an offshore team.Today, I foresee my own career moving in the direction of Asian-American business, initially from a technical lead perspective and ultimately in a leadership role within the software industry, preferably with another start up organization.   This thought process has evolved from my past experiences in the software industry, and my perspective of the evolution and growth of the industry itself.Keeping in view the direction in which my chosen industry is headed, I believe that immense windfall gains and comparative advantages are in store for US-trained/thinking business leaders and managers in the Asian mark ets in the coming years.   I therefore seek to accelerate my career with great enthusiasm, trusting that an MBA degree from XYZ University would provide me with the ramp for my career at the same time as I continue to grow in my organization.I completed my Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering from a reasonably reputed university in India before doing my Masters in Computer Science in the United States.   I know that I bring my rich culture and heritage with myself into the MBA program.   My technical and management experience with Asian and American businesses will certainly be of great help to my colleagues in the program.   What is more, I love to socialize and to share my ideas, enthusiasm and energy with others.   This, I believe, is of additional advantage to all the people I interact with.Bibliography1. MBACareers. â€Å"Up Close and Virtual Interviews with Leading B-School – The Marshall School, University of Southern California.† Available at http://ww w.mbacareers.com (26 January 2006).2.The Mihalik Group. 2005, â€Å"Organization Strategy and Goals.† Available at http://www.themihalikgroup.com/consult_org_strategy.html (26 January 2006).

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Bayeux Tapestry essays

Bayeux Tapestry essays William, Duke of Normandy was promised by his cousin, King Edward to be the next King of England after the Death of King Edward, but instead Harold Godwinson took the throne. Harold Godwinson was the second most powerful man in England and an advisor to Edward. Harold and Edward became brothers-in-law when the king married Harold's sister. With Harold becoming an even more powerful man and becoming an in-law to King Edward, Harold was a strong candidate for the throne. His claim was strengthened when the dying Edward supposedly uttered "Into Harold's hands I commit my Kingdom." With this kingly endorsement, the Witan (the council of royal advisors) unanimously selected Harold as King. Harolds coronation took place the same day as Edward's burial. William also had a strong argument on taking the throne, he was promised by his cousin King Edward. The day that Harold was crowned King William viewed that event as defying King Edwards wishes and a sacred oath. When Harold defied this oath, William gained the support of the Pope who excommunicated Harold. The last person claiming the right to the throne was Harald Hardrada, King of Norway, he was promised the throne by Harthcut (ruler of England before Edward) saying that who ever dies first must give their land to the other. Hardrada however was busy fighting for the rule of Denmark so he couldnt claim England. William took control of England in 1066 and ruled until his death in 1087. Made in 1067, it was commissioned by the half-brother of William, Duke of Normandy, Bishop Odo. It was built to celebrate the victory William had over Harold Godwinson in the battle of Hastings on the 25th of September 1066. The tapestry is 70 meters long and 50 cm wide. In the first half of the tapestry William wanted to show how he was destined to take the throne of England. After that the tapestry showed how William ...

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Review Of Lterature Essays - Literature, Fiction, Christianity

Review Of Lterature Essays - Literature, Fiction, Christianity Review Of Lterature Part I: Introduction and Chapter 1 Introduction Dostoevsky introduces Part I of Notes from Underground. He tell us that in this first portion, the protagonist will introduce himself and explain the causes that led to his appearance before us in this text. He then explains that the subseque nt extract, Apropos of the Wet Snow, will record the protagonist's own notes. Summary The Underground Man starts off by telling us that he has liver disease, but refuses to go to a doctor out of spite. He realizes that he hurts only himself by doing this, but even so he remains obstinately opposed to seeking proper medical attention. He tells us that he is now forty years old, a former civil servant, rude and bitter. He then immediately retracts his statement, saying he was actually not rude at all. He scoffs at us, the readers of his Notes, insisting that he does not care what w e think of him. The Underground Man goes on to explain why he became spiteful, saying that only fools go far in this world, and intelligent men like himself face failure inevitably. After assuring us that he is not writing for our amusement, he describes his current mis erable situation. He lives in his corner, where he has bunkered down since quitting the Civil Service upon receiving a large inheritance from a wealthy relative. He has a gruesome dim room with a maidservant he despises. The St. Petersburg weather ag gravates his health, but he does not careit makes no difference to him whether he stays or goes. Finally, he invites himself to tell us more about himself, as any decent gentlemen likes to do. Commentary The Underground Man's spiteful refusal to see a doctor resounds throughout the text. The terms nihilistic and masochistic have often been applied to the Underground Man (heretofore referred to as the UM). Nihilism is a repudiation of societal values, and masochism is the deliberate infliction of pain on oneself, usually for pleasure. The UM's hatred of society in general and his own powerlessness somehow combine to make it pleasurable for him to hurt himself , perhaps since he cannot harm soc iety as a wholehis helpless resentment of the external world leads him to attack himself, to shake up his inner world. The UM does not invariably turn against himself, however: we will also see him transfer this humiliation and shame onto others, play ing the role of humiliated and humiliate St. Petersburg is also introduced in this chapter; although it may not be mentioned that much from here on in, it is important to view the city as a central character in the text (see the section on St. Petersburg for a discussion of the setting). The UM's self-consciousness, his constant analysis and revision of his own thoughts and words, is one of the most distinctive elements of the Notes. The UM is very aware, not only of our presence as readers (he constantly addresses us), but of our presence as judges. Thus, we must question the UM's sincerity every time he insists that he is not here for our amusement, or that he doesn't give a damn. The alienation that the UM feels is central to many of Dostoevsky's most famous characters, and is not an indication of insanity so much as a failure to deal with the impossibility of life in St. Petersburg. It is telling that the UM, like many of Dostoe vsky's other characters, is a low-ranking Civil Servant. Dostoevsky says that in the nineteenth century, one must be a characterless person, with a joblike the UM'sthat erases one's individuality and identity.