Saturday, August 31, 2019

Directing Macbeth act 4 scene 1 Essay

The scene I have chosen to direct is Act Four Scene One. I have selected this scene because I feel it has significance to the rest of the play. The events leading up to this are; Macbeth kills king Duncan of Scotland, Macbeth hires three murderers to kill Banquo and his son Fleance, Fleance gets away and Macbeth is haunted by Banquo’s ghost at a banquet. Three witches meet on a desolate heath and predict that Macbeth will become the Thane of Cawdor and then king, much to Macbeth’s amazement these predictions come true. (Thane of Cawdor in Act One Scene Three) â€Å"Why do you dress me in borrowed robes?† This makes one assume that the witches can predict the future. William Shakespeare wrote the play in 1601 when England and Scotland were under ruler ship of king James I of England and VI of Scotland. James I was very interested in witches and witchcraft, during his reign many women were wrongfully burnt at the stake and hung because they were believed to be witches. The people of this time were very superstitious and believed in witchcraft so the effect this play had on the audience would have been more powerful then when it was written, as opposed to now when the belief in witchcraft just isn’t as strong. So therefore the effect would not be the same on a modern day audience. The witches do not play a main character role in Macbeth (they don’t appear on stage much) but when they do appear the have dramatic effects on the other characters and the audience e.g. they don’t develop as characters but they are the key to the development of the plot (lady Macbeth has trouble sleeping) â€Å"Sleep shall neither night nor day.† The first witch says this in Act One Scene Three. Also they play a large part in Macbeth’s decline. They can be seen as responsible for this because their predictions come true â€Å"All hail Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter,† and they show him the apparitions. The witches represent evil in the play, particularly to the 17th century audience. In the 1600’s very little scenery and props were used in Shakespeare’s plays so the audience had to rely on Shakespeare’s language in order to understand events of the play. Performances were given in daylight so the audience relied entirely on the language of the play to create atmosphere. Thunder. Enter the three witches. Stage directions were often used. For my production the stage will be bare like the original productions in Shakespeare’s time. I would set it up like this because without elaborate backdrops the audience can pay more attention to the actors and Shakespeare’s language. This is important because in those days not everybody got an education only the well off people did so most people wouldn’t understand much of the play. But Shakespeare made sure there was a bit in it that everyone could understand. So therefore his language is the most important part of the play. Shakespeare’s language in this scene is extremely descriptive and very violent. This helps the audience understand how evil this deed actually is. Enter the three witches On entrance the stage will be completely blacked out (no lights). The audience will be able to hear chanting but not see anything on the stage just yet. Then we will focus on centre stage where green lights will flash on and shine down on the cauldron to allow the witches’ faces to be seen. The witches’ costumes will be old ragged black cloaks all torn and scraggy. Their hair will be a tatty, mattered and a scraggly grey mess all flopped in their faces. They will move slowly encircling the cauldron chanting the spell whilst moving. Each of the three witches has a bloodstained bag from which they dramatically pull out each item of the spell to show the audience before dropping it into the cauldron. † Finger of birth-strangled babe.† This should shock the audience because, the visual effect combined with the scary movement and items described in the spell â€Å"In the poison’d entrails throw.† The blackout at the beginning will create anticipation and mystery with which the witches are associated. Enter Hecat leader of the three witches â€Å"Something wicked this way comes.† The three witches and Hecat are referring to Macbeth, so therefore Macbeth should look wicked to represent the evil he has made since his last meeting with the three witches on the heath. Since his last meeting with them he has killed king Duncan, killed his best friend Banquo and has been haunted by him at a banquet. So physically Macbeth will look tired and on edge. Enter Macbeth Macbeth will casually stroll onto the stage saying his lines as he enters. All lights will still be on the three witches around the cauldron until they say â€Å"A deed without a name.† Then the light will be on the full stage. Macbeth is no longer frightened of the three witches because he believes they are helping him to reach his target / goal / aim in life. Macbeth will be wearing his usual garments, nothing special or different, this is because he feels comfortable around the three witches now. This is because, like I have just said, Macbeth feels the three witches are helping him. Enter the three apparitions For my performance I would stage the three apparitions very dramatically using light to form shadows and silhouettes. This would make them more mysterious and ghostly. Macbeth will shout at the apparitions, his aggression will show the audience how desperate he is. The third apparition boosts his confidence even more because he believes that this is impossible and will never happen, but in actual fact it does happen. â€Å"Who can impress the forest, bid the tree unfix his earth-bound roots?† This apparition must be the most dramatic so the audience remember in the final act when this apparition comes true. I believe that the three witches have played a large part in helping with the destruction of Macbeth. However I also think that even if Macbeth had never met the three witches upon that desolate heath he would have still come to the same fate. He still would have been killed but not as many innocent people would have been caught in the line of fire / his path of destruction. Macbeth sees the predictions and apparitions as things he should and can stop as opposed to things he cannot stop. Macbeth believes he is invincible, but as we know he could not be more wrong. â€Å"I bear a charmed life, which must not yield to one of woman born.† As a result of this many people were killed some innocent people and some not so innocent people. Macbeth loses everything including his wife, his best friend Banquo, his mind and eventually his head.

Friday, August 30, 2019

Analyzing Single Effect “Hop-Frog” Essay

Edgar Allan Poe believed that a short story should be written to create a single effect. He believed that every detail or incident of the story should contribute to the effect. The overall effect of â€Å"Hop-Frog† is the theme of revenge that is seen throughout the story. There are certain details and situations in the story that add to creating this effect. At the beginning of the story, Poe shows us how Hop-Frog has been mistreated by the king just to get a laugh, and how the poor dwarf just puts up with it, again and again. He does this when he forces Hop-Frog to drink wine [http://search.targetwords.com/u.search?x=5977%7C1%7C%7C%7C%7Cwine%7CAA1VDw], even though it makes him almost mad. However, Hop-Frog gets his idea for his own â€Å"jest† for the masquerade party. He explains every detail of his plan to dress the king and his advisors up as the Eight Chained Ourang-Outangs. When the part about covering the men with tar is mentioned, the reader may become suspicious, as this seems a little bit strange. However, the king is none the wiser, and so the men are all outfitted in their costumes. Hop-Frog has planned everything carefully, but no one has suspected anything, which is probably the way Poe planned it. At the masquerade, Hop-Frog appears behind the group of men after pushing them towards the middle of the room and puts h is fateful plan into action. Upon setting the men on fire, he has sought his revenge. Poe develops the themes of revenge and evil throughout the story by setting the stage for a character whom has been mistreated and may just snap and seek their revenge. It becomes obvious that Hop-Frog is this character as Poe describes the king repeatedly making jokes with him as the target. In â€Å"Hop-Frog†, Poe’s single effect is not laid out as clearly as it is in one of his other works, â€Å"The Masque of the Red Death.† In this story, there are certain descriptions that make the theme of evil stand out to the reader.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Pro gun control Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Pro gun control - Essay Example The essay dwells upon pro gun control, its advantages and disadvantages. To ensure that the regression models used for the study were valid, diagnostics were employed on the regression statistics used. In particular, the LIML regression models used for the study were tested for â€Å"multicollinearity, heteroskedasticity, outliners, normally distributed errors, and non-linearity† and were deemed to have adequately passed the test. In other words, the LIML regression model used was tested for possible conditions that may invalidate the results and was deemed to have passed the applicable tests or regression diagnostics. The LIML regression was applied on 39 cities covering Asia, Africa, Latin America, Europe and countries on other continents. The sample of cities in Altheimer’s 2010 study includes cities from developing, as well as developed countries. Unfortunately, it is not clear whether the sample of 39 cities used was a random sample, purposive, or a convenient sample. Further, no US city was included in the sample. However, the data covered by Altheimer in 2010, was â€Å"the most far reaching comparable crime victimization data† as of 2010. Based on the foregoing, what appears reasonable to conclude is that the case for gun control continues to rest on good merit. First of all, the latest research provides scientific and statistical evidence to the merit of the view that gun control can reduce violent crime. Further, the statistical tool employed to assess data related to the correlation between violent crime and ownership.

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

BUSINESS DECISION MAKING Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

BUSINESS DECISION MAKING - Essay Example The cost of this property is around 30% of prime property in London which can act as trigger for expatriates to invest in Dubai. (Castro, 2009). Similarly other proposed advantages of Dubai and reasons to remove doubts in Canadian and English minds should be gathered from the internet and real estate agents in Dubai. When it comes to gathering primary data, the company should randomly select 20 clients in the UK and Canada and present them with the questionnaire. This questionnaire is specifically designed to find out their preferences when investing. The presentation and the solution to the business problem will then be proposed after analyzing and synchronizing data from the Dubai property market and customer preferences and affordability. This when elaborated means that properties which match customer's tastes and budgets will be selected and then presented to the potential customers. Questionnaire for prospective clients 1) How much money do you plan to invest in Dubai? a) AED 10 0000 b) AED 200000 c) AED 2500000 or more 2) How much initial deposit are you willing to pay? a) 5% b) 10% c) 15% d) 20% or more 3) What is your current annual income? a) AED 200000 or less b) AED 300000 c) AED 400000 or more 4) What percentage of interest on mortgage do you recommend? a) 7.5% b) 9% c) 10% 5) What in your view is the ideal length of the investment term? a) 10 years b) 15 years c) 20 years d) 25 years or more 6) What is your expected annual rate of return from the property? a) 7% b) 10% c) 12% or more 7) What are your basic reasons for buying property in Dubai? a) Retirement/ Investment b) Vacation c) Second home d) Rental income 8) What is the ideal size of property you wish to buy? a) One bedroom studio b) 2 bedroom apartment c) 1 bedroom villa d) 2 bedroom villa or larger 9) Do you have any reservations about investing in Dubai? If yes please elaborate Results of the questionnaires collected from 10 clients. The Questionnaires were distributed to 20 potential clie nts, 10 in Canada and 10 in UK. The results were as follows. 10 out of 20 expatriates were willing to spend AED2000000 whereas 6 chose AED1000000 and 4 chose 2500000 or more. Most that is 8 chose to pay 15% as the down payment whereas 6 wanted to pay 20%. 3 chose 25% and 3 chose 10%. All potential clients had the annual income of AED 400000 or more showing that they had extra money and liquid financing to invest. Almost all unanimously agreed to lowest interest rates of 7.5% but 2 and that too only those who chose lower down payments agreed to 9% interest. The ideal length of the investment term was a tie between 15 and twenty years with 8 votes each. 2 selected 10 years and 2, 25 or more. The expected annual rate of return was 10% by 12 votes showing that prospective buyers knew that the current rate of returns lie between 7 and 10%. 6 chose 12% and 2 chose 9%. The results for the reasons for buying property were extremely variable. Muslim customers wanted property for retirement, vacations and second homes. People from other faith also chose between vacation and investment with vacations being the choice of the majority by getting 5 votes 8 clients wanted a 2 bedroom villa, 6 a 2 bedroom apartment while 4 wanted a larger villa and 2 a one bedroom apartment demonstrating that they

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Accuracy and Precision. Importance of Scientific Measurements in Essay

Accuracy and Precision. Importance of Scientific Measurements in Ranges - Essay Example Lastly; it can as well be defined as the degree of the proximity of the values under measurement. Precision on the other hand shows how close the two or more values under measurements are. The two terms are different in that one may be accurate but imprecise on the other hand one can as well be precise but not accurate. Measurements versus Accuracy The fact that accuracy and precision are two independent entities makes a value termed as precise to be either true or false depending on the accuracy of the measurement scale. Therefore it is false to that a measurement of high precision must exhibit high accuracy. Statistical Error and Systematic Error Statics error is that which arises as a result of biasness that is caused by the random fluctuations in statics which can be controlled or reduced by accuracy. On the other hand, systematic error is the error that results from the introduction of the biasness that results to systematic which is difficult to be eliminated. Two errors differ in the following way; first, while systematic errors arise because of the random fluctuations the statistical results from the experienced biasness. Systematic error is due to the introduced bias while the statistical is due to the random fluctuation. The elimination of systematic error is impossible while the latter is possible. Lastly, systematic error arises from the system while the statistics error is from the statics.

Monday, August 26, 2019

Personal experience Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Personal experience - Essay Example We knew that the Hessian troops were garrisoned at Trenton, across the river. We started at 6 in the evening and marched nine mile in the gathering darkness up to McConkey’s ferry. Soldiers were already being ferried across the icy river when we reached the place. It was snowing, and there were ice floes in the river. Most of us did not have proper clothes or shoes, and our muskets were sodden. . It was 3 in the morning of the 26th when finally all of us, including the artillery, crossed. General Washington watched us silently as we crossed . â€Å"We’ll take them by surprise. They must have been drinking all night†, said Lt. Munroe as we marched towards Trenton.. Half a mile from Trenton, we surprised a Hessian picket , and captured them. Just then we heard the boom of guns and knew that General Sullivan had arrived with the artillery. Lt. Munroe led us to rush the Hessian artillerists, just as they were about to fire two cannons. The Hessians fled pell-mell, not heeding their commanding officer , who was shot .We captured the entire Hessian force , except a few who escaped. I am proud to have taken part in the Battle of Trenton,. After our victory at Trenton, many recruits joined our army, and finally â€Å"the Rabble† were able to defeat the greatest power on the earth, and gain

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Cyborg and identity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Cyborg and identity - Essay Example Discussion The relationship developed between the bionic limbs of a user and their identity is evident from the fact that they give the user a sense of being a different person – which allows them the ability to become and act like whoever they want to become. This relationship between the bionic limbs and the identities developed by their users is evident from the case of Aimee Mullins, who is known to take the roles of totally different persons; she an athlete and an artist, whenever the occasion calls for it (TED 1). From the wide spectrum of the identities that she has developed, it is evidence that her bionic limbs play a role that exceeds the functional role of allowing her to walk like the other people (Warren 38). Further, many of the users of bionic limbs are able to keep them a secret to the general public, which implies that their functionality goes beyond that of enhancing their experience of the environment, but also allowing them to identify with everybody else ( Sobchack 20-22). The relationship developed between bionic limbs and the identity of the user is evident from their ability to fit into the social norm, which makes them feel like a part of the norm of having legs. The wearing of bionic limbs is viewed like an artistic replacement of the missing part of the body – which offers the user an artistic outlook and edge, besides making them appear like everybody else. This relationship of shaping the identity of the user and their impact on their identity can be traced from the conventional definition of a prosthetic, which is an object inserted or attached to the body of the user to replace a defective or missing body part (TED 1). This definition leads to the relationship between bionic limbs and the identity of the users, where, wearing these limbs is viewed like an artistic way of replacing the missing part of the body (Sobchack 20-22). The artistic replacement of the missing part of the body, apart from being imaged as the com plement that makes the user an able-bodied person, it makes them fit into the social expectations of the appearance of a normal person, which makes them feel like other people. The role of bionic limbs in shaping the identity of the users is evident from the fact that the users can do things better than they could do before – and in some cases better than normal people can do – including the ability to run faster and riding bikes. The new person with better abilities and in some cases, abilities that exceed those of ordinary people becomes the new identity of the user of bionic limbs (Warren 39). This ability to change roles from a disabled to a fully capable person contributes to the development of their new identity, which points out the integral relationship between bionic limbs and the identity of the user. This relationship is evident from the life of Aimee Mullins, whose lower legs were removed after birth, but she has matured to become a star in the Paralympics through the use of her bionic limbs. For example, as a Paralympics champion, her identity is developed around her use of bionic limbs, and without them, she may never become that star again. Further, her

Saturday, August 24, 2019

An Overview of Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

An Overview of Chapter 7 Bankruptcy - Essay Example As a result, Congress recently passed the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act 2005. This Act makes a number of significant changes to the Chapter 7 Bankruptcy framework (The New Bankruptcy Law: np). One major change is the need for all debtors considering bankruptcy under Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 to undergo credit counseling. This counseling is designed to aid debtors in determining whether bankruptcy is truly necessary and how a repayment plan might be worked out. Significantly, debtors must select an approved credit counselor. In addition, an income test is now applied to determine whether filers are eligible for the more popular Chapter 7 bankruptcy filing. To this end, a "means test" is employed to evaluate disposable income and to classify debts as secured, unsecured, and the degree of priorities. Another requirement imposes higher ethical duties on bankruptcy lawyers so that the attorneys must personally vouch for the accuracy of all information provided by the debtor. The expected effect is to make it somewhat more difficult and more expensive to retain a bankruptcy lawyer.

The Oppressive Legislature and the Actions of the British Essay

The Oppressive Legislature and the Actions of the British - Essay Example Many members of the clergy were torn as to which side they should choose. In some parts of the country, religion flourished, under the banner that God with the â€Å"Patriots† side. John Butler, a writer for the Department of the Interior, discussed that other churches and denominations suffered losses in attendance and, like the Anglicans, had to begin shutting their doors.1 The Quakers were by nature pacifists. They were opposed to any kind of acts of violent warfare. However, they entirely supported the colonists when they boycotted British goods. To the Quakers, this was an acceptable form of non-violent, peaceful resistance. Some Quakers were accused of being loyalists but generally, they considered themselves to not be a part of the revolution. Minorities at the time faced difficult challenges, as well. African American slaves found themselves on both sides of the revolutionary war. Many fought on the side of the â€Å"Loyalists.† However, the reasons were most likely based on the fact that the British offered to free those slaves that abandoned their â€Å"Patriot† masters. Native Americans were, also, caught in a difficult position. The Native Americans were already focused on trying to save their homeland; they hardly wanted to be caught in between the British and the Americans. They aimed to remain uninvolved in the warfare. However, eventually, the tribes were forced to make the choice. An article, in association The National Endowment of the Arts, explained that this ultimately ended with different tribes on different sides of a war that was not  theirs.

Friday, August 23, 2019

Personal statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Personal Statement Example E-commerce and internet marketing has always allured me because of its wide coverage and implications in different sectors. These two terms have changed the landscape of traditional business model and the way buyers and sellers interact with each other. With my bachelors in Management Information Systems and Masters in E-Commerce, I already possess the fundamentals which further inspire me to take on this course as my future study objective. According to me, use of information systems and electronic means in trading are going to take on the world by storm. In this realm, I feel I can contribute a lot to this revolution through my learning and qualities of team work, perseverance, dedication and incessant thirst for knowledge. My scholarship from Ministry of Higher education in Saudi Arabia provides the testimony of my hard work and devotion towards the attainment of my objectives. I also feel my prior experience of working with teams on group projects and frequent presentations has s harpened my interpersonal and communication skills in addition to technical and managerial skills. That is why I chose XX University as it boasts of the best breed of students across the world. These qualities and abilities which I have gained till now in my academic life will help me compete with the brightest of students and extract the maximum output of me in terms of creativity and innovation.

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Working arrangements at Richer Sounds Essay Example for Free

Working arrangements at Richer Sounds Essay The majority of the people Richer Sounds employ are employed on a permanent basis. All these people are issued with a written contract of employment. Permanent workers are given a 20 day paid holiday each year, this increase after six years by 1 day extra holiday per year, so if they work for 10 years they can get up to 25 days paid holiday a year. They are also entitled to sick pay, where they will be paid their normal wage for the first 10 days, then half of the wage for the next 20 days and after 30 days they will need to claim for government statutory sick pay. People who come to work on a temporary basis wouldnt be issued with a written contract of employment. Temporary employment is mainly done during busy periods such as Christmas, where colleges will be employed for a short time and their work will end as soon as the sale period is over.  Most colleagues in Richer Sounds work full time although their hours vary, because not all stores have taken the new working arrangement, which is to work from 12 noon to 7pm. A normal working week will be a total of 42.5 hours per week and for the stores who have changed to the new working arrangement it will be less. Contract of employment The contract is a written legally binding document provided by the employer for employee, the contract states in detail of what the employees terms and conditions are.  The terms of employment for colleagues in Richer Sounds are that they obey the rules of employment and codes of conduct; these are the two main and most important terms in Richer Sounds. The rules of employment are split into two sections. Section A are rules that Richer Sounds have decided for the company and section B are rules for the colleagues of Richer Sounds. Richer Sounds Advertise for new colleagues by advertising their vacancies within every edition of the in-store catalogue and website. Usually these vacancies are for needs of new sales person or need of new employees to work in the departments. This generates ongoing applications (CVs) from many interested people. If there are no vacancies at the time, then the company keeps a record of all the people who have applied for Richer Sounds, for a max of six months. These adverts saves the company major amounts of money, because if they were to publish it on the newspaper then they would have to pay a certain amount of money to the newspaper company, therefore the idea of publishing vacancy adverts on their catalogues and website is a really good way to save money. If the company doesnt receive any phone calls or reply from any people regarding an interest in the job, then the company will have to publish the ad in the newspapers, this way a wider range of people would be able to view it. Colleagues in Richer Sounds are also advised to introduce his/her friends or relatives to the business; however these applicants must also follow the same rules of the application process as all others do. Richer Sounds Advertise for new colleagues by advertising their vacancies within every edition of the in-store catalogue and website. Usually these vacancies are for needs of new sales person or need of new employees to work in the departments. This generates ongoing applications (CVs) from many interested people. If there are no vacancies at the time, then the company keeps a record of all the people who have applied for Richer Sounds, for a max of six months. These adverts saves the company major amounts of money, because if they were to publish it on the newspaper then they would have to pay a certain amount of money to the newspaper company, therefore the idea of publishing vacancy adverts on their catalogues and website is a really good way to save money. If the company doesnt receive any phone calls or reply from any people regarding an interest in the job, then the company will have to publish the ad in the newspapers, this way a wider range of people would be able to view it.  Colleagues in Richer Sounds are also advised to introduce his/her friends or relatives to the business; however these applicants must also follow the same rules of the application process as all others do.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Recommendations to Furniture Works on creating a global structure

Recommendations to Furniture Works on creating a global structure Multinational Companies A Multinational Company is defined as an enterprise which is operating in several countries but managed from one home country  [1]  . They have their headquarters in one country but operate on different countries known as host country. Numerous examples of these organizations are Ford, General Motors, Dell, Microsoft, Google, Siemens etc. There are obvious benefits for companies to expand their business to other countries. Few of them are cost advantages such as cheap labor, reduce transport and distribution cost, constant supplies of raw materials, and avoid any trade barriers  [2]  . Companies which do business overseas face many challenges. Cultural challenge is one among them. As we have seen from experience companies which tend to do more research and spend time and effort to study and understand the cultural differences is more successful than the companies which dont do their homework. Let us take an example where Mr. X wants to expand his Pizza business from United States to India. The cultural difference between India and U.S is a huge obstacle which needs to be studied by Hofstede cultural dimensional model. Cost structures, eating habits, trade barriers are few important variables which needs to be studied before setting up an franchise. One must try to differentiate what are the major differences between U.S and Indian culture? How these differences are going to affect the business? What are the measures need to be taken to avoid these risks? What kind of work ethic do Indian employees follow? Is it different from U.S? In U.S they follow very competitive work ethic which means profitability comes first. Mr. X shouldnt expect the same level of work ethic from Indian employees. He needs to be patient for the business to grow and yield profits. Next he must work on his brand. In U.S branding and creating a image to a company makes many loyal customers which he needs to work on with the new Indian market which will take time and effort and he should choose his advertisement carefully for Indian culture. Also Indians prefer traditional food so Mr. X should work on how he can market his fast food into the market  [3]  . The CEO, Furniture Works, South London. U.K REPORT ON RECOMMENDATION AND REFLECTIONS FOR FURNITURE WORKS TO EXPAND ITS PRODUCTION ABROAD GLOBALY: This report is for Furniture Works, South London, which is proposed to start Internet Sales. The company plans to establish its production function abroad. Initially it is working and conducting business in UK locally but there are future prospects for global expansion plans. As a Management consultant, my functions involve examining and analyzing alternative organizational and communication system the main idea behind this move is to develop a Virtual ORGANIZATION. With reference to the above all discussion and my evaluation here are my recommendation for effective Global structure for Furniture Works. Licensing- My first recommendation in phase of establishing business across the world for furniture works must get Revocable written formal or implied agreement by an authority or proprietor from the host country according to their Law. Joint Venture- My second recommendation for Furniture Works is to establish a Joint Venture with the local firms in the host country through this Furniture Works can formed to achieve its objectives of a partnership like temporary and permanent arrangement between two or more firms for its business success. Consortia-My Third recommendation for Furniture Works is Consortia its a Japans Term which means Cross ownership Agreement between Firms. For firms such as Furniture Works who want to expand their business internationally, it is inevitable for them to face the cultural challenge. Further I recommend following Business Strategies for Furniture Works: Globalization Strategy- organization like furniture Works should go through the process by which regional economies, societies, and cultures have become integrated through a global network of communication, transportation, and trade. Multi domestic Strategy- Another powerful strategy for Multinational Company like Furniture work is multi domestic Strategy. This means production of business within local community. Production, supply, Research and development and marketing are established nationally where business is done. After the business is moulded and developed locally innovation comes into picture which means there is decentralization which being outsourced locally  [4]  . Global Challenges- till now the Furniture Work is managing its business in U.K. for going to start business and getting expansion as Virtual Organization the Furniture Works should be ready to face Global Challenges like: Complexity and differentiation with different cultures and nations. For making better business environment sometimes big organization have to be ready for integration with local organization at host country. While establishing business links with different countries the Furniture Works should transfer its knowledge to local employees at host country. Finally I am recommending to the Management of Furniture Works how to Coordinate with its new companies worldwide. Global Teams- Furniture Works have to depend on teams working at international boundaries for the improvement of the business. In Multinational organizations such teams at the board level, product-development, and multi-cultural teams from various functions responsible for the global alignment of functional business processes. Headquarters Planning- Being an International Company the Furniture Works Headquarters must be in London, Which is its homeland country. Expanded Coordination Roles- Furniture Works should creating a supportive and enabling environment for the implementation its products selling in all those companies around the world. Bureaucratic Organization- Very large organizations which are well structured and well defined may be termed as bureaucratic organization. The main elements of such as organization is standard use of protocols and procedure to perform a particular task and high degree of control to make sure any particular task is performed to the standards  [5]  . There are two types of bureaucratic organization which are as follows, Standard bureaucracy : These type of company normally do standard routine work where large technical staffs led by mid level managers led by senior management. Professional bureaucracy: This type of company also does standard work but relies on efficient performance and complex in nature where the company hierarchy has only few mid-level managers. Flat Organization: Flat organization tends to have few level of hierarchy which means chain of control is short. This makes high level of employee involvement in decision making which increases team morale and spirit. This structure can be successful only in small organization. Boundary less Organization: This type of organization is of contemporary approach as they cant be defined or limited to or draws lines or boundary which is why the name boundary less organization came. Flexible and unstructured approach seems to be successful and many companies have started this approach after Jack Welch of GE coined this term.

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Market Study of Berger Paints Bangladesh Limited

Market Study of Berger Paints Bangladesh Limited 1.1 Problem Background Bangladesh paint market is experiencing a good growth of 8-10% per annum consistently in the late 90s and early years of this century mainly because of a boom in real estate development[1]. Besides, this trend in growth of demand is likely to persist or may even witness an upswing in the future as the country moves from rural base to urban base project (Real estate). There is a huge possibility that paint industry will further thrive because only 39% of the target market are currently using paint and others are progressing to get into the trend of using paint instead of the traditional way of whitening their dear houses. According to the cement manufacturers of Bangladesh, the cement market is also growing at around 4% p.a., which correlates quite well with our paint market growth data. The limited growth up to now in industrialization and per capita income in Bangladesh has restricted the size of the paint market, which is currently at around Tk.755-800 crores (1.5-1.6 crores gallon s)[2]. However a good number of local paint manufacturing companies (40 organized and at least 50 more in the informal sector) have been operating in this small market. Quite a few of these companies are producing paints of internationally acceptable quality and very importantly, the installed single shift production capacity of the local paint companies is double the present local market demand. Berger, the market leader in the Bangladesh paint market, is one of the oldest names in the global paint industry. It has its origin in the year of 1706 and from then on the company is operating with strong adherence to quality and social responsibility. Initially, Lewis Berger, a German national, founded dye pigment making business in England. Lewis Berger Sons Limited grew rapidly  with a strong reputation for innovation and entrepreneurship culminating in perfecting the process of making Prussian Blue, a deep blue dye, a color widely used for many European armies uniform. Production of dyes pigments evolved into production of paints coatings, which till today, remains the core business of Berger. Today, Berger offers all kinds of painting solutions in decorative, industrial or marine segment for both decorative and protective purpose. Based on the secondary literature survey, experts opinions and consumers requirements, the broad and the specific Objectives of the research have been set-â€Å"Market Study of Paint Industry in Bangladesh†. This objective can be met by following the study methodology described in the forthcoming chapter. 1. 2 Origin of the Study As a partial requirement for the completion of the MBA program, internship program is a vital part which opens the door to gather the practical knowledge in relation with the theoretical knowledge. MBA program at University of Dhaka requires a 3 months long internship program. As an intern, I was placed in Unitrend Limited- Affiliated with McCann Worldwide. I worked for 3 months in the Unitrend Limited (Brand Division), under the supervision of Jahidul Islam, Senior Brand Executive of Unitrend Limited. As an intern of the department I was asked to assist the Brand section (Berger pints Bangladesh Limited). After consultation with my supervisor, my faculty advisor at University of Dhaka, Dr. Serajul Hoque (Professor, Department of Marketing), I decided to explore â€Å"Market Study of Berger Paints Bangladesh limited (BPBL)†. 1. 3 Objectives Based on the secondary literature survey, experts opinions and consumers requirements, the broad and the specific Objectives of the research have been set. 1.3.1 Broad Objective Market Study of Berger Paints Bangladesh Limited (BPBL). 1.3.2 Specific Objectives i. To analyze market trends market shares of BPBL ii. To Analyze competitor behavior and performance iii. To determine current satisfaction level of BPBL iv. To find out whether current products of Berger Paints Bangladesh Limited meet consumer expectations or not. v. To identify the reference group (Painters, Architectures,) influence of the customers in choosing specific brand. vi. To find out the market potential for existing products (e.g. market size, growth, changing sales trends) vii. To Assess the potential for new products that are not provided by the current paint manufacturers ( in term of New product Development) viii. To forecast new user for existing products 1.4 Approaches to the Problem 1.4.1 Theoretical Framework A pull demand is created when demand is created in the market and is the most beneficial. To implement such a strategy we have to first assess the needs of the market, judging the perception of customers and contractors and finding out new locations and convert them into new dealers so that there is more availability of the product in the market.Assessing competitor market and developing a strategy to kill or overcome competition is the second part of the report. Opening new dealers in the market will take care of this. Expanding the dealer network helps in market penetration.All the effort will be a waste if there is no demand from the end consumer of goods. Painters, contractors, advertisements, friends and family influence the end customer. So the end customer generates the main demand and Berger Paints must analyze customer satisfaction over time. A Job Satisfaction Data Form How did you know regarding the services being rendered by Home Decor? TV†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Press†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..Friends †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Word of Mouth †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Others†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ We would like to have your comments on the following job details 1. Shade: Very Satisfied †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Satisfied †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Not Satisfied†¦..†¦ 2. Design: Very Satisfied †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Satisfied †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Not Satisfied †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 3. Workmanship of Painters: Excellent †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Good†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Average†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Poor†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 4. Service by Color Consultants: Excellent †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Good†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Average†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Poor†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 5.Overall Service by Home Decor: Excellent†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Good†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Average†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Poor†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 6. Will you refer Home Decor to anybody in near future? Yes†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. No †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 7. Completion done according to the time schedule: Yes†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. No †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 1.4.2 Analytical Model: 1.4.3 Research Questions Hypotheses: A structured questionnaire has been used to collect data. Multiple choice questions and dichotomous questions have been used to develop structured questionnaire. H0: There is no association between customer satisfaction (DV) and factors influencing customer satisfaction (IV). H1: There is an association between customer satisfaction (DV) and factors influencing customer satisfaction (IV). 1.5 Problem Definition Management Decision Problem 1. Is the Current satisfaction level of Berger Pints Bangladesh Limited satisfactory? Marketing Research Problem 1. To determine the factors those affect the customer satisfaction level of Berger Paints Bangladesh Limited. 1.6 Problem Variables 1. Dependent Variable To determine customer satisfaction level of Berger Paints Bangladesh limited. 2. Independent Variables Price Availability Variation in paint Variation in Shade Attractive Packet Packet Size Longibility Discoloration Swelling Powdering Thinner Requirement 1.7 Research Timeline: Activities Time (Week) 1-2 3-4 5 6 7-8 9 10 11-12 Preliminary Preparation Selection Training of Fieldwork Data Collection Data Analysis Draft Report Preparation Rerport Presentation Final Report Preparation 1.8 Limitations The study aims to explore analyze market study of Berger Paints Bangladesh Limited and find out if there is any scope for its improvement. In doing so, I have encountered the following problems: The Large sample size could detect the problems more accurately. I was unable to dedicate sufficient time to make an in-depth on such an important issue. It is quite difficult to write about an organization within 3(three) months. Heavy workload at office was one of the main barriers of this study and additional time for doing the survey could hardly be extracted. Another limitation of this report is Enterprises policy of not disclosing some data and information for obvious reason. 2.0: Literature Review The annual report of some of the leading paint companies of Bangladesh including Berger Bangladesh Ltd., Asian Paints Ltd., Elite Paints, Sagor Chemicals Company Bangladesh Ltd., etc. were studied along with whatever reports that were available. However, a good number of them were back dated and were of little use in view of the fast changing market position. Apart from the literature so far consulted, the initial phase of the methodology began with the review of relevant literature on the issues indicated under the â€Å"Top-down† and â€Å"Bottom-up† approaches as well as aspects under â€Å"Projection†, assimilation of relevant data available in the secondary sources, and then conducting a desk research. 2.1 Literature in the official website of Berger Paints Bangladesh Ltd With a view to bolstering consumer satisfaction, Berger Paints Bangladesh Limited has introduced â€Å"Berger Home Dà ©cor† on June 15, 2002 through which one can get an array of services pertaining to painting. Berger Home Decor offers two-stage services: 1. Free Service 2. Paid Service Berger Home Dà ©cor is currently offering wide range of services to its prospects and existing consumers embracing: Technical advice on surface preparation and application guideline.  · Paint selection.  · Dealer selection.  · Painter/ Contractor selection and  · Color scheme. 2.1.1 Literature on the Fundamentals of Berger India Illusions which formed a basis for BPBL Illusions †¦.†¦Report on BPIL Attachment on Illusions Syed Tanzim Rezwan, Assistant Product Manager, BPBL  · What is Illusions? An illusion is basically mentioned as ‘Designers solution/finish. It is more related to the application procedure than product. Regular products are applied with some specialized tools and in some cases with some specialized chemicals to get the desired design. As it is more related to the application procedure, Illusions is offered as a full painting solution rather than a product and that is why it is more like offering a service than a product.  · Objectives of launching Illusions The objectives are: Enhancing the brand image of Berger Value addition to the existing painting service  · Area of usage Illusions is basically a design finish. So it is more appropriate for the interior walls. Plastered walls or wooden surfaces are the preferred surfaces for Illusions use. One has to remember however, that Illusions is more like a designer finish than a protective one. So areas with exposure to high heat or water are not prescribed for Illusions use.  · Distribution Strategy The way Illusions is offered: Berger India is using their Home Dà ©cor facilities to offer Illusions in different cities. Their basic idea is to offer the painting solution through the existing panel of painters they have for different cities. 2.1.2 Literature on the Illusions Procedure as a service flow, developed in Berger India and which formed a basis for the service flow of Illusions in BPBL with some modifications; literature on client generation for Illusions through promotions by Berger India Modus Operandi Satellite Operations: BPHD/Illusions Berger India Illusions procedure as according to Berger India:  § On receipt of enquiry the Customer Support Manager will visit the site and complete finalization of the design/area of application/shades and fill into the job estimate page of the customer fact file  § The final estimate from the customer fact file is to be filled in and given to the customer.  § On customer agreeing to the job, 100% collection by means of a single current dated cheque is to be taken from the customer and a painting schedule has to be developed for the job. The cheque details and the painting schedule have to be filled into the customer fact file in relevant pages.  § On realization of the cheque, the materials for the job may be purchased from the dealer as deposited by the depot manager. Material will be issued by the dealer only against the order. Dealer on delivery of the material to the site has then to raise a bill on Berger Paints Home Dà ©cor for the material supplied and submit it along with a copy of the Material Requisitions form.  § Tools required for the job are to be signed out to the painter who has been allocated the job.  § A ‘Before photograph is to be taken of the site and on completion of the job. An ‘After photograph is also to be taken for each of the areas where Illusions designs has been applied.  § On completion of the job, the completion certificate has to be signed by the customer and following this, the warranty certificate has to be handed over to the customer along with a ‘Friendship ka faida reference booklet. Lead Generation: All of the below mentioned modes of promoting Illusions will be followed in varying mixes depenmding on the efficiency of the individual methods.  § Referrals: 10% of the job value will be paid to the referring party as referral commission Dealer Contractor Architect Interior Decorator 2.2 Literature on Asian Paints entering Bangladesh paint market -Asian Paints starts operations in Bangladesh 04 September 2002 Asian Paints, Indias largest paint company, has begun its operations in Bangladesh. The entry into Bangladesh marks Asian Paints 11th joint venture in international markets and its largest green-field venture in overseas markets. The inauguration of the operations of Asian Paints (Bangladesh) Ltd was done by Bangladesh Minister of Industries M K Anwar and Asian Paints (India) Ltd vice-chairman and managing director Ashwin Dani. M Rahman, executive chairman, Board of Investment, Bangladesh, and M L Tripathi, High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh, were the other distinguished dignitaries at the inauguration. Said Dani: The opportunities that the Bangladesh market provides for Asian Paints are immense. The experience that we have gained from operating in three out of six countries in the SAARC [South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation] region has armed us with excellent expertise to operate in this region. We would like to provide value for money and the complete range of products for the Bangladeshi consumer. He further said that low per-capita consumption of paints, vast potential to upgrade the market, limited product range, increased urbanisation and consistent GDP growth of around 5-6 per cent have been some of the reasons for Asian Paints entering into this market. Moreover, this venture will help the company consolidate its position in the SAARC region. Asian Paints (Bangladesh) Ltd is a joint venture between Asian Paints (India) Ltd, Indias largest paint company, and Confidence Cement Ltd, one of the largest cement producers in Bangladesh. Asian Paints will hold 51 per cent stake in the company, while 49 per cent will be held by Confidence Cement. A fully-integrated paint manufacturing unit has been set up and is situated in the Ghazipur district, north of Dhaka, which will service the entire Bangladesh paint market. Asian Paints will introduce the Apcolite range of products, which is its premium quality range in international markets, and the Decora range, which is its international brand for economy products. Under the Apcolite and Decora brands, many product segments will be covered in the initial phase. Asian Paints will enter into segments like interior wall finishes, the exterior segment, enamels and the wood finish segment through the above-mentioned brand names. The company will immediately introduce the concept of multiple shade choice to the Bangladeshi consumer in most of its emulsion paints. The launch of multiple shades in its Apcolite range of emulsions will provide to the Bangladesh consumer, for the first time, a wide choice of colors that was not previously offered by any paint company. The total Bangladesh paint market is estimated to be over 30,000 MT, valued at around INR 2200 million (US $45 million). The market is growing by around 5-7 per cent. The GDP growth for the country has been consistently around 5 per cent and the per-capita paint consumption is around 250 gms. The market, thus, provides high potential for growth as well as an opportunity for paint manufacturers to upgrade and expand the market. 2.3 Literature on Aqua Paints Architects Awards -Four to receive Ice Today Aqua Paints Award Shawkat Marcel Khan Four interior designers will be awarded the Ice Today-Aqua Paints Award 2007 for their works on interior design. The names of the winners will be announced during the award-giving ceremony which will be held at the Radisson Water Garden Hotel in the city on July 14. The award will be given for innovation, creativity and outstanding achievements in interior design in Bangladesh, said the organizers at a briefing, held at a city hotel on Thursday. ‘The grand prize will not be given as the jury comprising Mustafa Ameen, Nahas Ahmed Khalil and Kazi Golam Nasir did not find any design suitable for the award, said the executive editor of the monthly magazine Ice Today, Ziaul Karim.‘Each winner will receive the Commendation Award valued at Tk 25,000, a crest and a Nokia set, he added. A total of 27 designs were submitted in ‘Residential and Non Residential categories. The jury short-listed the entries to eleven designs in the first phase. Then, they visited each sites and narrowed down to four designs taking three from Non Residential category. 2.4 Literature on Home Dà ©cor Coverage and Painters In total there are Home Dà ©cor outlets in Bangladesh in total. However, apart from the specific regions where these outlets are situated, consultants and painters also travel to nearby areas and thus affectively cover a wider area as shown in Fig 2.2. The following tables and s are information gathered and organized by BPBL: Table 2.1: Painters and Contractors of Home Dà ©cor in Bangladesh Depot Contractor Painter Dhaka 15 38 Chittagong 5 14 Sylhet 3 7 Comilla 2 5 Khulna 3 8 Bogra 1 2 Rajshahi 1 2 National Total 30 76 The following tables and s are information gathered and organized by BPBL: 3.0: Methodology The methodology upon which the team undertook the assignment comprises of top-down and bottom-up approaches effected by literature review, secondary data analysis and desk research, and by conducting surveys, which after consultation with the experts yielded a pragmatic Market Analysis preceded by an overall industry situation, competitor analysis and customer analysis. 3.1 Nature of Research and Sources of Information The conclusive research design adopted is descriptive in nature. The sources of data were both primary and secondary. It involved collection of data about the characteristics of the paint market, competitors and different supply chain members. Secondary information was gathered from websites, newspaper articles, journals and annual reports of different paint companies. The design of collecting primary data from customers (end users) follows the following section. 3.2 Sample Design The sample design consists of defining the target population, determination of sample size and sampling method. 3.2.1 Target Population To collect data from customers (users) the target population is defined to be the households of Bangladesh. The country was considered to be composed of three economic zones (High, Medium and Low) on the basis of economic activities as follows: Zone 1: (High) : Dhaka, Chittagong and Sylhet Divisions Zone 2: (Medium) : Barisal and Khulna Divisions Zone 3: (Low) : Rajshahi Division. [Source: Statistical year book of Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, 2007] As the use of paint is very much related with rate of urbanization, the divisional cities of Zone 1 were selected. However, another divisional city was selected randomly from the Zone 2 to make the sample more representative to the entire population and it turned to be Khulna city. The sole division of Zone 3 could be taken into consideration too, but after consultation with the experts, it was omitted from the sampling plan for better utilization of the resources available to the Research Team. 3.2.2 Sample Size For determination of sample size, the Research Team tried to adopt various sampling techniques. But as the ratio of house owners (who are the end users of paint) is too small to the entire population of Bangladesh, the sample size becomes very small. So, after discussion with experts and the appointing authority, the sample size per city is determined to be 100. So the total sample size of this study is 400 (100X4). The distribution of the samples are furnished in table 3.1. Table 3.1: Sample distribution Dhaka Chittagong Khulna Sylhet Total End users 80 80 85 85 320 Dealers/Retailers 10 10 5 5 30 Painters 5 5 5 5 20 Architect/Developer 5 5 5 5 30 Total 100 100 100 100 400 3.2.3 Sampling Method Systematic sampling method was adopted for selecting samples. Households were considered sampling units and owner of the household was considered sampling elements. The holding list of City Corporation was used as the sampling frame. The frame was divided by the number of samples required to determine the sampling intervals. Then the first sample was selected from the first sampling interval following simple random sampling and then the rest of the samples were selected from subsequent sampling intervals as usual. If a household was found ineligible then the next adjacent household was considered the sampling unit. For conducting the surveys on the channel members, samples were selected based on judgment. The fieldwork was carried out during the period of May 28 to June 10, 2009. 3.3 Instrument and Scale for Data Collection Structured Questionnaire was used as the instrument of data collection. Five sets of questionnaire were used for customers, dealers, retailers, painters and developers respectively (Provided in the Appendix Section). Questions set in the questionnaire were worded with simplest form possible. Rank order scale and 5 point Likert scale were used in these questionnaires. In each questionnaire, at least one question was set as an open ended question to reveal the thoughts of the respondents regarding paint industry of Bangladesh. After preparation of the questionnaires, they were pretested using a small size of sample taken from Dhaka city. The reliability of the questionnaires was judged from the result of pretest. Coefficient alpha was used as a measure of internal consistency check for the questionnaires. 3.4 Field Survey Field Survey procedure was used to collect data from the primary source. The bases covered include customers (end users), dealers, retailers, painters and architect/developers. Furthermore, a panel of experts was consulted including experts in Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Architecture, Marketing, Economics and Supply Chain Management. A brief list of the expert pool is provided in the appendix A. The purpose, information coverage and other requirements of the study were further reviewed and finalized after consultation by the Research Team with the Unitrend management. Obviously the study was national in nature and the sample size was large enough to be representative of different segments. The steps involved in conducting survey were including sampling design process, questionnaire preparation, fieldwork, and data preparation and analysis. 3.5 Fieldwork and Supervision The fieldworkers were trained thoroughly for carrying out the surveys effectively. The training included as to how to select respondents, introduce themselves to the respondents, ask questions, provide reinforcements to the respondents, record the responses etc. Fieldworkers were students of Department of Marketing from the Faculty of Business Studies of University of Dhaka. A member of the Research Team supervised the fieldwork. He monitored the activities of the investigators very closely, provided them support and motivation, and in some cases, took part in the field investigation. 4.1 Berger Paints Bangladesh Limited: An Overview Berger, the market leader in the Bangladesh paint market, is one of the oldest names in the global paint industry. It has its origin in the year of 1706 and from then on the company is operating with strong adherence to quality and social responsibility. Initially, Lewis Berger, a German national, founded dye pigment making business in England. Lewis Berger Sons Limited grew rapidly with a strong reputation for innovation and entrepreneurship culminating in perfecting the process of making Prussian Blue, a deep blue dye, a color widely used for many European armies uniform. Production of dyes pigments evolved into production of paints coatings, which till today, remains the core business of Berger. Berger Paints started its sailing into the sea of Bangladesh from pre-liberation era, to be precise in 1950. In Bangladesh the major milestones of Berger Paints are given below: 1950 Started operation in Bangladesh by importing Paint from Berger UK 1970 Establishment of Chittagong Factory 1980 Named as Berger Paints (BD) Ltd. from Jenson Nicholson (JN) 1991 BMRE in Chittagong Factory 1995 Establishment of Double Tight Can Manufacturing Plant 1999 Establishment of Most Modern Sate-of-the-Art Paint Production Plant 2002 Construction of own building for the Corporate Office in Dhaka 2004 Establishment of Powder Coating Plant * Owns Corporate Office located in Dhaka * 2 Factories at Dhaka and Chittagong * 7 strategically located Sales Offices throughout the whole country. * A wide distribution channel reaches the whole country with a network of more than 1500 dealers 4.2 Vision and Mission of BPBL Berger emphasize highly on the ethical commitment to produce benchmark quality product. 4.2.1 Vision â€Å"We shall remain as the benchmark in the Paint industry by being an innovative and technology driven Company consistently delivering world-class products ensuring best consumer satisfaction through continuous value added services provided by highly professional and committed team.† 4.2.2 Mission â€Å"We shall increase our turnover by 100% in the next five years. We shall remain socially committed ethical Company.† 4.3 Area of Operation Berger Paints operates in three broad segments of the paint industry. 4.3.1 Decorative Paint * The objective is to beautify the surfaces with protection from corrosion and erosion * This business category mainly targets household segment offered to the consumers through a dealer network constituting major revenue earning business area of BPBL. * Products fulfill the aesthetic value of the consumers. 4.3.2 Industrial * Tailor made products to cater to the specific needs of customers. * Products give protection to the surfaces in extreme situations like severe hazardous environment, high temperature, movement of heavy materials and machinery etc. * Direct marketing approach is being used to promote the Industrial Coatings * Main customer groups: Garments Factories, Chemical Plants, Fertilizer Manufacturing Plants, Consumer Durable Manufacturing Plants etc. 4.3.3 Marine * Products are being offered mainly through direct marketing approach. * Dock Yards, Bangladesh Navy, Passenger Ships are the main user groups. * Market is mostly concentrated in Dhaka and Chittagong. 4.4 Manpower Structure It is consisted of more than 300 employees of whom about 160 are general workers and the rest are White Collar employees. These employees are working in different factories and depots of the company. The positional hierarchy of the company is as follows: 1. Managing Director 2. Director 3. General Manager (Executive -1) 4. Executive -2 5. Senior Manager 6. Manager 7. Assistant Manager 8. Officer (i, ii, iii, iv) / Management Trainee 4.5 SWOT Analysis The SWOT Analysis of Berger Paints is presented below: Strengths * Corporate image as pioneer in paint industry and one of the leading paint companies of the world * Wide distribution network * Rich experience on Bangladesh Paint Market * Presence in all major segments of the market * Strong financial base Weaknesses * Insignificant presence in the international satellite channels * Perceived as premium priced company at semi-urban and rural market * Higher dependence on large dealers * Consumers knowledge gap about paints painting system Opportunities * Growing market * Utilization of positive corporate * image for corporate diversification * To popularize economy products at remote market Threats * Fierce competition in the Bangladesh market * Credit-driven market * Strong command of few dealers in the market through sub-dealer * Unethical and corrupt practices by the local companies * Low priced imported products are entering due to trade liberalization 5.1 Existing Situation The paint market of Bangladesh comprises primarily with urban consumers as the rate of construction and decoration in urban areas is very high compared to that of the semi urban and rural areas. The mix of consumers in paint market encompasses with 80% urban consumers along with 12% semi urban as well as 8% rural consumers ( 5.1). The demand in the market can be categorized into 4 broader segments based on use Decorative, Industrial, Marine and Automotive paints. Decorative products are the used in households for beautification of buildings and interiors. This is the biggest among all segments. Industrial products have mainly two types of uses industrial raw materials and protective or maintenance. But in spite of the dual use, the segment is only 8% of the total demand. Demand for marine products are only 5% and for automotive paints, it is even lesser, only 3%. A detail of the product demand is endowed in 5.2. Decorative produ

Monday, August 19, 2019

Violence Chain :: Essays Papers

Violence Chain â€Å"Oh, hi Ahmed, how was the amusement park? Did you have fun?† he asked. â€Å"Yes I did,† I said with a surprising face; how could he ask me this question, when he just hit his son in front of me. Parent’s violence used to be normal in the United Arab Emirates. Parents used violence to teach their children. However, some parents still think that violence is the best way to teach children. These parents make the violence chain goes from one generation to another without stopping. Most of the children, who have been beaten up by their parents, suffer from many problems like they don’t having the ability to make friends, they lie, they fight, they drop of school, and much more. Parents who use violence don’t note that beating their children is the reason behind these problems; however, they continue beating them thinking that that will solve their children problems, which doesn’t, yet it makes them worse and worse. Once I had watched parent violence in front of my eyes, while it happened to one of my friends. He has been my friend for more than 4 years. We studied in the same school and we attended the same classes for these 4 years, so we were a real good friend. However, my story started in a beautiful weekend with not much homework. I and my friend decided to go to an amusement park near my house. This amusement park was considered as the biggest park in my country, so it has a lot of games. We usually go their from time to time, because there is nothing much going on in my city. Once we were there, we started to ride all games, and there were a lot. We were lucky that day because the park wasn’t crowded, so we didn’t have to wait in long lines. Riding games and enjoying the atmosphere took us the whole day, unfortunately we’ve forgotten about the time, when we should have been home at eleven pm. We forgot and returned at midnight. I didn’t think that it was a big deal, but when I looked at my friend face he was so worried and scared. I didn’t know why, so ask him â€Å"What’s wrong? Why do you look so worried?† But he didn’t answer he just said â€Å"Nothing, nothing wrong. Let’s just go back home,† so I just walked back with him to his home silently.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Nuclear Power Essay -- Energy

Nuclear power is a technology that has enormous benefits for humankind. As the demand for energy is only continuing to grow, it has become important to develop energy technology that has good yield and minimal negative side effects. After the harnessing of the atom for use in nuclear weapons, the knowledge of how to exploit the atom became incorporated in nuclear power plants (Corradini 1). These use uranium fuel in a process that releases tremendous amounts of energy to be captured, but also that creates minimal waste and other byproducts. Despite these, the benefits of nuclear energy outweigh any disadvantages, as seen by its high energy output, reliability, and minimal environmental impact when compared to energy sources such as fossil fuels. Due in large part to its high energy output, nuclear power is a feasible and practical technology for meeting the world’s energy needs. For example, global energy demand has been continually increasing, with a 66% growth between 1980 and 2007; this demand is expected to increase by 40% by 2030 (World-Nuclear.org). As a testament to nuclear power’s utility as an energy source, it currently provides a large amount of global electricity: nuclear power met 20% of the global demand of electricity as of 2008 (Abu-Khader). This power generation is spread across 30 countries and is a result of 436 nuclear power plants (Adamantiades). The 20% figure also represents the United States’ dependence on nuclear power for generating its electricity. France, however, has a drastically higher dependence on this type of energy source due to its economic practicality, relying on it to meet 80% of its electricity demand (Mufson). Other countries like France include: Lithuania, Slovakia, and Belgium... ...r. 2012. Adamantiades, A., and I. Kessides. "Nuclear Power for Sustainable Development: Current Status and Future Prospects." Energy Policy (2009). ScienceDirect. Web. 12 Apr. 2012. Connor, Steve. "Nuclear Power? Yes Please..." The Independent. The Independent, 23 Feb. 2009. Web. 2 Apr. 2012. Corradini, Michael. "Nuclear Energy." World Book Student. Web. 12 Apr. 2012. Mufson, Steven. "Nuclear Power Primed for Comeback." The Washington Post. The Washington Post, 8 Oct. 2007. Web. 3 Apr. 2012. Niiler, Eric. "Is Thorium the Future of Nuclear Power?" MSNBC.com. MSNBC, 07 Oct. 2011. Web. 04 May 2012. Reiss, Spencer. "Face It. Nukes Are the Most Climate-Friendly Industrial-Scale Form of Energy." Wired Magazine. Condà © Naste, 19 May 2008. Web. 3 Apr. 2012. "World Energy Needs and Nuclear Power." World-Nuclear.org. World Nuclear Association, Dec. 2011. Web. 5 Apr. 2012. Nuclear Power Essay -- Energy Nuclear power is a technology that has enormous benefits for humankind. As the demand for energy is only continuing to grow, it has become important to develop energy technology that has good yield and minimal negative side effects. After the harnessing of the atom for use in nuclear weapons, the knowledge of how to exploit the atom became incorporated in nuclear power plants (Corradini 1). These use uranium fuel in a process that releases tremendous amounts of energy to be captured, but also that creates minimal waste and other byproducts. Despite these, the benefits of nuclear energy outweigh any disadvantages, as seen by its high energy output, reliability, and minimal environmental impact when compared to energy sources such as fossil fuels. Due in large part to its high energy output, nuclear power is a feasible and practical technology for meeting the world’s energy needs. For example, global energy demand has been continually increasing, with a 66% growth between 1980 and 2007; this demand is expected to increase by 40% by 2030 (World-Nuclear.org). As a testament to nuclear power’s utility as an energy source, it currently provides a large amount of global electricity: nuclear power met 20% of the global demand of electricity as of 2008 (Abu-Khader). This power generation is spread across 30 countries and is a result of 436 nuclear power plants (Adamantiades). The 20% figure also represents the United States’ dependence on nuclear power for generating its electricity. France, however, has a drastically higher dependence on this type of energy source due to its economic practicality, relying on it to meet 80% of its electricity demand (Mufson). Other countries like France include: Lithuania, Slovakia, and Belgium... ...r. 2012. Adamantiades, A., and I. Kessides. "Nuclear Power for Sustainable Development: Current Status and Future Prospects." Energy Policy (2009). ScienceDirect. Web. 12 Apr. 2012. Connor, Steve. "Nuclear Power? Yes Please..." The Independent. The Independent, 23 Feb. 2009. Web. 2 Apr. 2012. Corradini, Michael. "Nuclear Energy." World Book Student. Web. 12 Apr. 2012. Mufson, Steven. "Nuclear Power Primed for Comeback." The Washington Post. The Washington Post, 8 Oct. 2007. Web. 3 Apr. 2012. Niiler, Eric. "Is Thorium the Future of Nuclear Power?" MSNBC.com. MSNBC, 07 Oct. 2011. Web. 04 May 2012. Reiss, Spencer. "Face It. Nukes Are the Most Climate-Friendly Industrial-Scale Form of Energy." Wired Magazine. Condà © Naste, 19 May 2008. Web. 3 Apr. 2012. "World Energy Needs and Nuclear Power." World-Nuclear.org. World Nuclear Association, Dec. 2011. Web. 5 Apr. 2012.

Advertising Essays -- essays research papers

ADVERTISING: RIGHT OR WRONG   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The largest money-making industry in the United States today is advertising. During events such as the Super Bowl, companies pay large sums of money in return for thirty seconds of air time. Advertising is the act of promoting a product by informing the public of the products worth. Whether it be television, radio, or newspapers, companies must find a distinct name and phrase that one can associate with their product; nonetheless, people often take offense to these names and phrases. People claim that often times these product names promote racial stereotypes and racial disunity. While some people may take offense to the name of the product as well as the way companies go about selling their product, the First Amendment undermines these offenses by allowing all Americans to have the right to freedom of expression. Companies do not, however, have the right to choose any name or phrase for their product. Various government agencies set strict limits on what can and what cann! ot be done by the advertising industries. By realizing that advertising is the practice of one’s First Amendment right, as well as knowing the rules for advertising, one can conclude that advertising does not promote racial disunity or racism.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The purpose of the First Amendment is to allow American’s the freedom to express how they feel; therefore, advertising is simply a practice of this right. If groups do not lik... Advertising Essays -- essays research papers ADVERTISING: RIGHT OR WRONG   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The largest money-making industry in the United States today is advertising. During events such as the Super Bowl, companies pay large sums of money in return for thirty seconds of air time. Advertising is the act of promoting a product by informing the public of the products worth. Whether it be television, radio, or newspapers, companies must find a distinct name and phrase that one can associate with their product; nonetheless, people often take offense to these names and phrases. People claim that often times these product names promote racial stereotypes and racial disunity. While some people may take offense to the name of the product as well as the way companies go about selling their product, the First Amendment undermines these offenses by allowing all Americans to have the right to freedom of expression. Companies do not, however, have the right to choose any name or phrase for their product. Various government agencies set strict limits on what can and what cann! ot be done by the advertising industries. By realizing that advertising is the practice of one’s First Amendment right, as well as knowing the rules for advertising, one can conclude that advertising does not promote racial disunity or racism.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The purpose of the First Amendment is to allow American’s the freedom to express how they feel; therefore, advertising is simply a practice of this right. If groups do not lik...

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Analyse the Political Implications of Concentrated Media Ownership and Control Essay

The media is primarily used to disseminate information. It is a platform for communication between the people and those who hold authority. In today’s world the media has an immense role in the functioning of society and has the ability to reach a mass audience through technologies such as print, Internet, television, film and radio. There has been increasing concern over the growing concentration of media ownership as well as how this increased media control influences and shapes democracy. Concentrated media ownership refers to the number of individuals or corporations who control an increasing share in the mass media market, which at present is very few. For example, eleven out of twelve major Australian Newspapers are owned by Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation or John Fairfax Holdings (Independent Australia, 2011). Society has seen media moguls, such as Rupert Murdoch, dominate cross-media ownership with companies in print, television, film etc. The media and politics are closely intertwined and with an increase in concentrated media ownership and control, issues such as political bias; the trivialisation and sensationalism of political issues in the pursuit of profits; and the decreasing amout of editorial diversity and expression, have become issues of concern for the consumers of this mass media. Street describes bias as â€Å"the idea that the practices of journalists and editors result in articles and programmes that favour one view of the world over another, providing sustenance for one set of interests while undermining an alternative† (Street, 2011). Bias is a large issue within all media, and authorities enforce a myriad of regulations and restrictions on media corporations to try and eliminate it. With an increase in media concentration, and the power that the media yields, eliminating political bias within the media has become an important issue. Since most of the media institutions are owned by corporations, such as Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation, the most common assumption is that the media as a whole may be influenced by its owners. For instance, there are times when the owners’ decision may affect the kind of information that media would disclose to the public. Wagner makes the point that â€Å"the news media distribute much of the information we receive about the world around us. Thousands of politicians, policy researchers and opinion makers wish to transmit information to the public at large. The news media serve as intermediaries in this information market, selecting to transmit a fraction of the millions of potential messages to an audience† (Wagner, 1997). For example, Rupert Murdoch’s Fox News channel was been criticised for its right-tilted news coverage. Murdoch has always been seen to favour the conservative side of politics and the Fox News channel has been seen to show preference toward the Republican Government in America. Fox Founder and president Rodger Ailes was a republican political operative in Washington. He helped with The Nixon and Reagan campaigns as well as the elder Bush’s media strategy for his presidentiary campaign in 1988 (Ackerman, 2001). David Asman, The Fox News Channel’s daytime anchor was known for his association with the right- wing Wall Street Journal. Another anchor for Fox News, Tony Snow, was a conservative columnist and also the chief speechwriter for the first bush administration (Ackerman, 2001). The Fox News Channel also hosted employees and presenters such as Eric Breindel, John Moody and Bill O’Reilly, all of whom were known for their conservative, right wing views (Ackerman, 2001). Rupert Murdock stated, â€Å" â€Å"I challenge anybody to show me an example of bias in Fox News Channel. (Ackerman, 2001) However, looking at the individuals that were in charge of disseminating the news at Fox, it is hard to believe that none of the political stories covered by Fox did not favour the more conservative side of American politics. Media conglomerates, such as News Corporation, have the ability to sway public opinion and with the increasing control they have access to, it is naive to think that they would not use this power to influence and sway public opinion to fit with their own agendas and ideologies. The size of the enormous media firms of today exceeds the size of the largest firms fifteen years ago by a factor of ten. (McChesney, 1999). With this increase in the size of the major media corporations also comes the increased pursuit of profits by these firms. Sometimes, this pursuit of profit can be to the detriment of information and in turn democracy. Corporations look for stories that will attract and entertain readers and viewers, sometimes neglecting stories that hold high information content and reflect political policies and agendas. McChesney refers to this need to aximise profits when he states â€Å"With the tremendous pressure to attract audiences but to keep costs down and not take chances, the standard route of the media giants is to turn to the tried and true formulas of sex and violence, always attention getters† (McChesney, 1999, p34). With the increased emphasis on profit maximisation and the commercialisation of news media, there is a risk that consumers of news media will cease to have access to information regarding smaller issues in society such as local political policy/s and other more localised issues. Because these issues are small and aren’t seen as revenue earners, or important issues, they may be sacrificed to make way for big stories and scandals. In other words, profit and revenue may become more important, in the eyes of media conglomerates, than information. The pure size of the media and its influence over information has huge impacts on democracy and politics. Meier (2011) sites Giddens in his work. Giddens talks about the trivializing of political issues and personas and states â€Å" The media†¦ have a double relation to democracy. On the one hand †¦ the emergence of a global information society is a powerful democratising force. Yet, television, and the other media, tend to destroy the very public space of dialogue they open up, through relentless trivializing, and personalizing of political issues. Moreover, the growth of giant multinational media corporations means that unelected business tycoons can hold enormous power† (p 298). In essence, Giddens is stating that while news media and media corporations may broadcast political issues and policies, these views are somewhat destroyed with the constant emphasis on the politicians themselves. Because of this a great deal of emphasis is taken away from the real political issues. An example of this is the constant criticism of Julia Gillard and her lifestyle. For example, she is an unmarried woman; her partner is a hairdresser. There is also constant evaluation of her hairstyle, wardrobe, her figure and her voice. Gillard is constantly known for stabbing Kevin Rudd in the back. She has also been portrayed as untrustworthy as well as a liar. Instead of the media evaluating and critiquing her policies and looking critically at her as a leader, we see the media sensationalising the above trivial issues instead of concentrating on what she is doing for the country politically. As Media concentration and control increases, diversity of expression decreases. In all healthy democracies, a wide range of assorted opinions are offered, and media offer a large variety of different positions, values and biases. No individual is obliged to accept any particular position or argument, but they are encouraged to have put their own views and criticisms forward. The core problem that comes with media concentration is that it diminishes ideological diversity within the media system. Studies have been conducted that show that although there may be more media outlets, there is not necessarily more information or diversity in media. â€Å"Rather than the new platforms leading to a diversity of voices, voices are in fact being snuffed out†¦ An analysis of independent media showed that 96 per cent of stories simply came from recycling stories found in the mainstream press. However, The study also showed that the mainstream press was producing 73 percent less information than 10 years ago† (independent Australia, 2011). Curran states that â€Å"they can use their financial power to drive new entrants out of the marketplace by launching expensive promotional campaigns, offering discounts to advertisers or buying up key creative personnel† (Curran, 2005) Because of the increased power of media corporations, they have the ability to eliminate their competition and therefore decrease the amount of diversity available to the consumer. Robert W. McChesney outlines in his book Corporate Media and the Threat to Democracy that there are three factors that allow democracy to work at its best. The first is â€Å" it helps when there are not significant disparities in economic wealth and property ownership across the society† (1997, p5). The second requires there to be â€Å" a sense of community and a notion that an individuals well- being is determined to no small extent by the community’s well-being† (1997, p5). Finally McChesney states â€Å"democracy requires that there be an effective system of political communication† (1997, p5). Media concentration and control works to the detriment of each of these factors. Firstly the multi billion dollar media corporations, do not represent economic equality within the society, in fact they help to make the gap between the working classes and authority increase. Media concentration disputes McChesney’s second factor as media moguls and corporations have become increasingly focused on the pursuit of large profits and personal gain, and are not heavily influenced around society’s wellbeing. Finally, an effective system of political communication should be based around diversity of news coverage and diversity of political issues, both locally and nationally, large and small. However, with the increasing size of corporations the diversity of expression has steadily decreased. Australia has one of the highest media concentrations in the free world. With the increasing control held by mass media conglomerates various political issues arise such as political bias; the trivialisation and sensationalism of political issues in the pursuit of profits; and the decreasing amount of editorial diversity and expression. The above issues threaten democracy and the media must be regulated and controlled before it threatens how the political system in Australia functions. Governments need to manage media moguls, such as Rupert Murdock before they gain too much power, and control, over political issues and coverage. The key to a democratic society is freedom of information, positive political debate and communication. These key functions of a democratic society are being threatened by concentrated mass media and the increasing control held by these corporations.

Friday, August 16, 2019

HRM Compensation

Definition:Compensation is the total amount of the monetary and non-monetary pay provided to an employee by an employer in return for work performed as required.Compensation is based on:Market research about the worth of similar jobs in the marketplace, employee contributions and accomplishments, the availability of employees with like skills in the marketplace, the desire of the employer to attract and retain a particular employee for the value they are perceived to add to the employment relationship, andThe profitability of the company or the funds available in a non-profit or public sector setting, and thus, the ability of an employer to pay market-rate compensation. Compensation also includes payments such as bounces, profit sharing, over time pay, recognition rewards and checks, and sales commission. Compensation can also include non-monetary perks such as a company-paid car, stock options in certain instances, company-paid housing, and other non-monetary, but taxable, income it ems.ADVANTAGES OF COMPENSATION & BENEFITSA well designed compensation and benefits plan helps to attract, motivate and retain talent in your firm (which is myWear). A well designed compensation & benefits plan will benefit your boutique in the following ways. 1. Job satisfaction: Your employees would be happy with their jobs and would love to work for you if they get fair rewards in exchange of their services. 2. Motivation: We all have different kinds of needs. Some of us want money so they work for the company which gives them higher pay. Some value achievement more than money, they would associate themselves with firms which offer greater chances of promotion, learning and development.A compensation plan that hits workers’ needs is more likely to motivate them to act in the desired way. 3. Low Absenteeism: Why would anyone want to skip the day and watch not-so-favorite TV program at home, if they enjoy the office environment and are happy with their salaries and get what t hey need and want? 4. Low Turnover: Would your employees want to work for any other boutique if you offer them fair rewards. Rewards which they thought they deserved?Advantage to Your Employees: 1. Peace of Mind: your offering of several types of insurances to your workers relieves them from certain fears. Your workers as a result now work with relaxed mind. 2. Increases self-confidence: Every human being wants his/her efforts to get acknowledgment. Employees gain more and more confidence in them and in their abilities if they receive just rewards. As a result, their performance level shoot up. Types of Compensation:This includes:Direct financial compensation consisting of pay received in the form of wages, salaries, bonuses and commissions provided at regular and consistent intervals Indirect financial compensation including all financial rewards that are not included in direct compensation and understood to form part of the social contract between the employer and employee such as benefits, leaves, retirement plans, education, and employee services Non-financial compensation referring to topics such as career development and advancement opportunities, opportunities for recognition, as well as work environment and conditions Examples of Financial vs Non-Financial CompensationCompensation can also be categorized as:Base Compensation Variable Compensation Supplementary Compensation Base Compensation and BenefitsBase Compensation is one type of Compensation. It refers to the basic salaries and wages given to he employees. It is normally constant at a given amount irrespective of the difference in work performance. Factors influencing Base Compensation and Benefits One factor that influences Base Compensation is demand and supply of labor in the market. Labor union pressure is also another factor influencing Base Compensation. This is because unions always try their best to fight for their members’ rights. Nature of job as determined by the job description , each employee deserves a different compensation package.Size of the organization and its ability to pay its employees. Product market compensation is yet another factor influencing Base Compensation. Psychological and social factors like employee satisfaction and security. Salaries paid by similar firms are also a factor affecting Base Compensation. Government policies on wage determination Cost of living of the employees. When the employees’ cost of living is very high then they need a higher compensation benefit. Increase in productivity of labor Firms in general; whether competing firms or not.Variable Compensation and BenefitsThis type of compensation as by its name is variable. It means that one gets compensation as per the work done. If one does a remarkable job then he or she deserves a higher compensation package than one whose work is of poor quality. Supplementary Compensation and Benefits Supplementary Compensation is compensation given by an employer when he or she wishes to. It is not compulsory or a routine once one is given the compensation that one will be awarded another time. In this type of Compensation the employer has a right to add, deduct or even withdraw the benefits when he or she wishes to.Compensation AdministrationThe Compensation Administration Department is charged with the task of developing and maintaining a comprehensive compensation and classification system in order to support the mission of the Division of Human Resources.The Compensation Administration Department’s responsibilities include: Developing compensation programs, policies, and procedures to meet the needs of the University administrators as they attract, retain, motivate, develop, and organize their diverse workforce. Ensuring compliance with federal and state compensation laws, statutes, and regulations, Balancing the need for internal equity while recognizing the desire to be market competitive.Evaluating positions consistently and classifying t hem into appropriate job titles ensuring that they are internally equitable, while recognizing the need to be market competitive. Developing and maintaining the classification and compensation structures. Some of the services provided by the Compensation Administration Department include: Providing compensation related information, tools and training to HR Liaisons and University Administrators.Conducting salary surveys and gathering market data to assist University Administrators in making informed salary decisions. Advising HR Liaisons and University Administrators in compensation matters; including establishment of new positions, promotions, transfers, demotions, reorganizations and salary increases. Providing current position descriptions to administrative and staff employees. Providing departments with Organizational Charts. Assisting in departmental re-organizations.Job Evaluation ProcessThis process refers to all components of the university's formal pay program. The staff em ployee's pay at Case results from the following: A. How are jobs evaluated? The job evaluation process established the relative value of jobs throughout the university. There are two steps involved in this process: 1. Job Analysis and Job Description – Using a â€Å"job profile,† the content of each job is analyzed to identify key duties, responsibilities, and qualification necessary to perform the job.Written job descriptions are then prepared to contain this information. 2. Job Evaluation – A computer assisted job evaluation plan, measuring 17 dimensions of nonexempt work and 28 dimensions of exempt work, is used to evaluate the relative worth of staff positions. This evaluation process focuses on valuing the content of each position in terms of a series of well-defined compensable factors.The factors for clerical, service, technical, and administrative support positions include:a. Knowledge: Minimum required level of specialized training, education, and previ ous related work experience.b. Skill: The manual and physical skills required to perform the duties of the position.c. Work Complexity: The degree and amount of judgment, initiative and ingenuity involved in accomplishing work.d. Contact with Others: The extent to which the work entails dealing with others in the course of one's regular duties, including the frequency and nature of contacts and the likely results of such contacts.e. Property Protection and Use: The extent to which the position has responsibility for university property, including funds, vehicles and confidential information.f. Work Leadership: The responsibility for directing, instructing and training personnel; and for planning controlling and assigning work.g. Working Environment: The physical conditions encountered during a typical work day. Conditions such as heat, cold, dirt, fumes, hazards, etc. are considered.h. Student Relations: The responsibility for dealing with students, including the nature and frequenc y of contacts. The factors for professional, administrative, and managerial positions include responsibility for:i. Programs, Projects or Operations: The level in the organization, scope of activities performed, parameters of authority, complexity or nature of responsibilities, and the minimum credentials required to perform the job upon hire.j. Supervision: The number and variety of employees supervised.k. Employee Relations: Promoting and maintaining satisfactory human relations, morale and effectiveness or subordinates.l. External Contacts: Personally dealing with individuals or organizations outside the university.m. Internal Contacts: Personally dealing with individuals within the university, but outside the direct line of authority of the position, to coordinate activities and task accomplishment.n. Investigation or Fact Finding: Activities undertaken to identify facts, and develop ideas, designs or processes.o. Scheduling, Planning and Forecasting: The complexity, variety and nature of the activities involved in determining and carrying out plans and reports.p. Establishing Objectives, Policies, Standards, Procedures, and Practices: The degree of authority to establish standards, and the scope, nature and complexity or these standards.q. Effects of Decisions: Making decisions and commitments which impact the university's resources.r. Student Relations: Personally dealing with students from routine exchanges of information to more complex activities such as counseling. At the conclusion of the job evaluation process, the compensable factors are weighted. A numerical total is then derived and each position is assigned a salary grade which has a salary range A salary range consists of a: MINIMUM: The lowest wage paid to a new employee with limited or no experience in this specific position. MIDPOINT: The â€Å"market† (or average) wage paid to one who is fully qualified. MAXIMUM: The highest wage paid for jobs in the salary grade.Each salary range h as different jobs, e.g. Clerk and Grounds Worker, because they have the same relative value as determined by job evaluation. Salary ranges (link to lastest Salary Structures for Staff) intentionally overlap from one grade to another. Fully qualified incumbents in a lower salary grade may be at the high end of their salary range, while the salary of a less experienced employee in a higher salary grade may be near the minimum of the range. It is thus possible that the salary of an experienced incumbent in a lower rated position will be the same as or more than the salary of an inexperienced incumbent in a higher rates position.B. How do we establish competitive salaries? Salary surveys are conducted annually and analyzed to establish and maintain competitive pay levels with all the markets in which the university competes and recruits, as summarized in the following exhibit. SURVEY SOURCES Employee GroupMarket Salary Surveys A. Exempt1. Department Head and Above National Customized su rveys with data form selected private research universities2. Below Department Head Regional Customized surveys with data from selected private research universities3. Entry Level Local Local surveys for service employees and salary data from the College Placement Association B. NonexemptAll Jobs LocalLocal surveys of selected manufacturing and service employers (banks, insurance, health care, etc.) Specialized surveys as needed for specific jobs, e.g. plumbers, radiation technicians, etc. This market data is correlated with the job evaluation results and salary ranges are established. These ranges are then periodically reviewed and adjusted to reflect changes in the marketplace. C. How are salaries determined? Starting salaries of new hires are normally placed within the first quartile of the salary range but occasionally may go up to the range midpoint to accommodate special recruiting needs. Salary progression in the range occurs over time, based on the salary budget and employee performance. Subsequent to employment, salaries normally change as a result of a promotion, an annual merit increase or an adjustment to maintain equity.Executive compensationExecutive compensation (also executive pay), is composed of the financial compensation and other non-financial awards received by an executive of a firm. It is typically a mixture of salary, bonuses, shares of and/or call options on the company stock, benefits, and perquisites, ideally configured to take into account government regulations, tax law, the desires of the organization and the executive, and rewards for performance.The three decades starting with the 1980s, saw a dramatic rise in executive pay relative to that of an average worker's wage in the United States,and to a lesser extent in a number of other countries. Observers differ as to whether this rise is a natural and beneficial result of competition for scarce business talent that can add greatly to stockholder value in large companies, or a soci ally harmful phenomenon brought about by social and political changes that have given executives greater control over their own pay. Executive pay is an important part of corporate governance, and is often determined by a company's board of directors.Executive compensation is not only a consideration close to the pocket book of CFOs but also a topic of increasing importance to managements and boards. As major economies show signs of recovering from the 2008 recession, compensation can become more decisive to retaining and motivating critical senior executive talent. But, executive compensation also continues to be scrutinized by major investors, proxy advisory firms and increasingly regulators – given the losses incurred by shareholders over the last couple of years.Thus, companies will have to critically review their existing compensation plans and how they adapt these plans for a changing economy. CFOs can play a critical role in framing the financial impacts of compensatio n plans and influencing the public perception of these plans. This CFO Insights article lays forth some critical considerations for CFOs. Executive Compensation: Components and Trends Executive compensation generally consists of a mix of four components: Annual base salary Annual incentive or bonus plan generally tied to short-term performance measures Long-term incentives consisting of a mix of restricted stock, stock options and other long-term performance plans tied to total shareholder return or financial performance Benefits plan.Compensation and The Role Of CFOWith the changes in the environment around the structure of executive compensation, companies are likely to adopt much more transparent compensation processes. We expect CFOs may play a more active role in implementing these processes, especially in four critical areas: 1. Pay for performance: CFOs can help shape pay for performance structures by getting to know shareholders’ expectations through their interaction s with analysts and major investors. This helps ensure that the company’s performance metrics reflect those expectations when shaping short- and long-term compensation plans. CFOs are also instrumental in shaping business-unit compensation and ensuring unit-level performance metrics are rigorously set and support the achievement of overall company financial metrics.2. Financial discipline: It’s important for CFOs to focus on what is affordable, albeit striking a balance with what is competitive. CFOs, even while struggling with the budget and trying to project out earnings for the next two or three years, should establish acceptable limits on compensation in terms of its dilutive effect on earnings. At the business unit level, CFOs can also establish better financial discipline and controls. They are especially capable of identifying how units may structure budgets that coax the best possible performance out of business unit leaders.3. Risk and internal controls: As ex ecutive compensation plans are key to attracting, retaining and motivating talent, CFOs should establish a rigorous process to understand how incentives influence employee behavior, how those behaviors aggravate risk and what steps or controls should be put in place to minimize the risk. Some examples include proper selection of incentive metrics, stress testing potential payouts under various performance scenarios and implementing additional internal controls, as needed to minimize the risky behavior. 4. Bridging the information gap: Aside from managing risk, CFOs could spend considerable time with both the audit and compensation committees to bridge the potential knowledge gap on compensation and financial performance.One example is how to best treat unusual or non-recurring items when calculating incentives. The audit committee is likely to have an in-depth understanding of these items, whereas the compensation committee more fully understands the impact such adjustments may have on incentive plans. The CFO can help link the two committees in helping decide which adjustments, if any, should be made for incentive plan purposes.