Comparative Analysis of Amazon and Webvan

Webvan was founded by Louis Borders in 1999 after he saw the opportunity in the growing number of people making online purchases. Borders created Webvan as an enterprise that would offer greater variety than conventional stores and at the same time provide the necessary convenience to online shoppers. Webvan started by offering groceries that were frequently bought by online shoppers to ensure economies of scale in their orders.After establishing a critical customer base, it planned to use its distribution system to expand its sale to product lines that were not being frequently offered but with high profit margins such as books and consumer electronics. The company developed the web store and constructed its distribution and fulfillment center in the San Francisco Bay area from 1997 to 1999. After implementing its trial delivery system in May 1999 to 1,100 customers, Webvan was launched in June of the same year as a venture whose primordial mission is to deliver to its customers eve rything from groceries to palm pilots in a cheap and efficient manner.After raising $1. 2 billion as start-up capital from its stock offering, it began to execute grandiose plans of establishing strings of futuristic warehouses with motorized carousels and robotic product-pulling machines which costed $35 million, hoping it would minimize the cost of operations. With profit-margins so thin, Webvan failed to cover its growing cost of operations. Demand was so weak to sustain the income that Webvan needed to raise. Finally, after suffering a net loss of $217 million and accumulating tremendous deficits amounting to $830 million, Webvan found itself in a loosing situation.By July 2001, Webvan Group, Inc. and its subsidiaries, Webvan-Bay Area, Inc. , Webvan Operations, Inc. , and HomeGrocer. com, Inc. filed voluntary petitions for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the United Stated Bankruptcy Court in July 2001 and ceased operations. Amazon was founded by Jeff Bezos in 1994, after he noticed the promising growth of Web sites and internet access. Bezos was said to be particularly â€Å"optimistic about online retail opportunities and set out to develop a business model that will leverage growth of internet access in the United States†.Bezos decided to start with bookselling as its initial retail category, with the belief that online business model possessed superior economics to established competitors. Amazon was so successful in its initial public offering that it was able to sell 3 million shares at $18 per share, thereby raising $54 million as part of its start-up capital. And so they say the rest is history. Amazon evolved from a tiny warehouse to a leading internet retailer in the world. Bogler and Johnson (2000) wrote:â€Å"The company’s growth was phenomenal: it expanded from books to offering 28 million items across numerous categories and acquired 29 million global customers along the way. By 2000 according to Interbrand, Amazon. com beca me the forty-eighth most valuable brand in the world, embodying the principle of electronic commerce for people worldwide. † However by late 2001, Amazon experienced a tremendous loss of $2. 3 billion. Its share price which ascended rapidly in 1999 went down significantly. Fortunately, it was able to borrow $2.1 billion to sustain its international investments. With innovations such as the one-click system and creative strategies to raise revenues from publishers and increase in sales from wider product selection, Amazon was able to survive the slump in the subsequent period at the NASDAQ. (Burgelman, 2001) By 2008, Amazon emerged as a global brand with 76 million active customer accounts and order fulfillment to more than 200 countries. With this volume of sales, on December 31, 2007 Amazon employed approximately 17,000 full-time and part-time employees. COMPARE & CONTRASTIt would be interesting to note that the founder of Webvan actually started in the business of booksellin g. In terms of experience in the dot-com business, Amazon started earlier in 1994 while Webvan started in 1999. Webvan started operations in 1999 and was publicly-listed on November of the same year, with its share price zooming to $34 from the offering price of $15 on its opening day. This allowed Webvan to raise a whopping $1. 2 billion in start-up capital from the offering and other sources such as venture capitalists, thereby putting it within the league of Amazon.com. ([email  protected], 2001) In other words, both companies were of equal footing in 1999 when Webvan caught up with Amazon in terms of dot-com stature and financial backing. Both companies also established strategic alliances in the course of their operations. In the case of Webvan, it established partnership with Eve. com, an online prestige beauty products retailing company. It also established strategic alliances with Coca-Cola Company, Kraft Foods, and Chlorox Company. This was done by Webvan to reduce its pr ocurement costs.Amazon partnered with Drugstore. com (pharmacy), Living. com (furniture), Pets. com (pet supplies), Wineshopper. com (wines), Sothebys. com (auctions) and Kozmo. com (urban home delivery). In most cases, Amazon purchased an equity stake in these partners, so that it would share in their prosperity. Such partnerships helped Amazon extend its reach into the customer-base of other suppliers, and of course, customers who buy in one category such as books can be encouraged to purchase into other areas such as clothing or electronics.Webvan carried mostly perishable grocery goods in its retail categories while Amazon had the policy of selling only non-perishable and conveyable items. Since profit margins were so thin for perishable goods compared to non-perishable goods, it would be easy to undertsand why Amazon had greater chances of success than Webvan. Furthermore, perishable items have greater risk and cost in inventory handling. This is the reason why Webvan had to in vest too much money in its warehousing infrastructure. This spelled the difference in the success and failure of the Amazon and Webvan.Webvan had to invest too much money on a system that must ensure the freshness of its perishable goods. It had to establish a highly technological and robotic warehousing infrastructure that was very expensive to begin with in contrast to Amazons system which required its employees to â€Å"touch† its products. In the case of Amazon, since most of its items sold online were non-perishable, it had lesser inventory risks. In addition to that, its business model allowed it to shift it cost of carrying most of its inventory to its suppliers.Thus, Amazon had better grip in its infrastructure costs. The savings it obtained from its leaner operations allowed it to invest its money in developing its software systems that facilitated greater efficiency in its distribution. Finally, the viability of both business differed mainly from its customer-base a nd funding support during hard times. Webvan had a weak local customer-base that was often dissatisfied by its delivery service while Amazon had a strong customer-base that was not only confined to the US but also overseas.More so, NASDAQ just gave up on Webvan when it continously experienced financial setbacks while Amazon was able to secure additional investments to sustain its global operations. CAUSES FOR FAILURE OR SUCCESS One of the main reasons why Webvan failed is because it made the wrong decision of investing the money it successfully raised in a very expensive infrastructure and rapid expansion of operations. According to Strom (2001): â€Å"Webvan spent huge sums on high-tech warehouses that were designed to revolutionize distribution, but they turned out to be mostly a waste of money.The problem is that all the technology was meant to reduce labor costs, and labor is relatively cheap. Worse, Webvan designed the warehouses so they could scale to 8,000 orders per day, bu t that's a lot of unnecessary expense when you're receiving less than half that many orders. † Another factor that led to the failure of Webvan is the decline in the quality of its service delivery. When Webvan took over HomeGrocer, an internet grocery shopping store which was absorbed into Webvan’s grandiose expansion plan, customers noticed the deteriorating effectivity of customer service.Before the takeover, there were no complaints with HomeGrocer specially interms of customer service. Emails from customers were being promptly addressed by customer service such as providing refunds in cases of occasional mistake or damaged food. This quality of service worsened when customers started to receive rotten fruits from the delivery. Webvan was buying inferior produce in order to save on cost. Such decline in customer service resulted in customers going back to the conventional way of picking up their groceries and patronizing the local groceries once again.(Mcafee, 2006) Finally, it can be seen that Webvan’s botched acquisition of HomeGrocer led to its failure as it did’nt handle the merger of resources and assets wisely. HomeGrocer’s competency and strength in terms of operations and marketing were not totally assimilated into Webvan’s system. Amazon’s e-commerce technology platform, brand power and fulfillment infrastructure was a key to its success. It had technological innovations that efficiently facilitated online order such as the â€Å"one-click check out process†.Amazon provided its customers with an online system that allowed shoppers to purchase products online without filling lengthy registration and shipping forms that would usually turn-away buyers. Amazon was able to create an online system that also helped repeat purchases by buyers to be executed by just one click of a button – a system whose patent was eventually awarded to Amazon. One important factor why Amazon succeeded is becaus e of certain inherent strengths in its business model.Its negative operating cycle allowed Amazon to get credit card payments from its customers in a few days while enjoying a time lag of thirty to sixty days to pay its vendors after the sale. This gave Amazon a financial advantage that allowed it to generate interest in the full price of its goods for over a month. Another inherent strength in Amazon’s business model is its less dependence on physical infrastructure such warehouses. Amazon was able to sell it products with out actually carrying in most of its inventory thus shifting the risk of its inventory to its vendors.Amazon’s suppliers carried the burden of storage, thereby lessening its cost due to minimal inventory handling. Amazon also instituted free shipping offers to encourage increase in basket size since customers have to spend over a certain amount to receive free shipping. The level at which free-shipping is set is critical to profitability. Because of this, Amazon got a competitive edge as promotional battles evolved with its competitors. LESSONS LEARNED AND CONCLUSION Growing Too Fast Too Soon The lesson that can be learned from the experience of Webvan is that of timing.Some would think it’s a business that is way ahead of its time; others would say it grew too fast too soon. In his review of the â€Å"Top ten dot-com flops†, German (2009) wrote that: â€Å"A core lesson from the dot-com boom is that even if you have a good idea, it is best not to grow too fast too soon. But online grocer Webvan was the poster child for doing just that, making the celebrated company our number one dot-com flop. In a mere 18 months, it raised $375 million in an IPO, expanded from the San Francisco Bay Area to eight U. S.cities, and built a gigantic infrastructure from the ground up (including a $1 billion order for a group of high-tech warehouses). Webvan came to be worth $1. 2 billion (or $30 per share at its peak), and it toute d a 26-city expansion plan. But considering that the grocery business has razor-thin margins to begin with, it was never able to attract enough customers to justify its spending spree. The company closed in July 2001, putting 2,000 out of work and leaving San Francisco's new ballpark with a Webvan cup holder at every seat.† Getting Big Fast Ironically, in the case of Amazon, the same business principle of getting big fast was said to be the most important decision that lead to its success. In an interview with Jeff Bezos by Fortune Magazine, he said that the initial strategy was very focused and very uni-dimensional†¦It was GBF: Get Big Fast†¦What once looked foolish can seem smart now. When we started the company on July 15, 1995 we offered one million titles. We were advised by very knowledgeable people to offer only three hundred thousand titles.That was twice the size of the inventory carried by the largest physical bookstores. The catalogue was hard for us but d oable. Obtaining the books was really hard. But the success generated word of mouth. (Brooker, 2000) Supply-chain management was also a crucial lesson in the experience of Webvan and Amazon. The company that was able to efficiently and effectively manage its online retail business with minimal inventory cost and risk was the company that turned out to be successful.The difference in the supply chain management of both companies ultimately distinguished between the company that was financially viable and which one was not. References Bogler, Daniel and Edgecliffe-Johnson, Andrew (2000). Jeff Bezos: The Man of Last Year Revisited. Brooker, Katrina (2000). Beautiful Dreamer. Fortune Magazine. Burgelman, Robert and Meza, Philip (2001). Amazon. com: Evolution of an e-tailer. Graduate School of Business. Stanford University. [email  protected] (2001).Webvan Finds that Shopping for Food Online Hasn’t Clicked with Consumers. [Online]. Available: http://knowledge. wharton. upenn. ed u/article. cfm? articleid=321 German Kent (2009). Top 10 dot-com flops. CNET Networks Incorporated. [Online]. Available: http://www. cnet. com/1990-11136_1-6278387-1. html Mcaffee, Andrew and Ashiya, Mona (2006). Webvan. Harvard Business School. President and Fellows of Harvard College. Strom, David (2001). Where Webvan Went Wrong. TidBits #588. [Online]. Available: http://www. strom. com/awards/255. html

Managing the Customer Experience

With the rising affluence and advances in IT in the society, incomes and living standards rose continuously. These contribute to a change in lifestyle and lead to increased demand for products and services. As a result, customer is expecting a good quality customer experience. Customer service plays an important role in an organization’s ability to generate income and revenue. Successful customer service is an on-going process of meeting and exceeding customer expectations. A customer service experience can change the entire perception a customer has of the organization. Through the articles on customer complaints and compliments, I had read and summarized the various points customers consider as important to enjoying quality customer experience. Firstly, body language and communication. Two of the most important parts of positive body language are smiling and eye contact. Customers expect staff to look into their eyes as they are having a communication. This shows that the staff respect them and by listening to them. Also, staff responsiveness will create a bond of trust and a communication comfort level. Secondly, be an information expert. In other words, staffs are to know what products or services they are offering back to front. Whatever the situation may be, staffs are expected not to leave customer with an unanswered question. This is critical because it determines the retention of customers as staffs are the customer only contact to determine how to use the product or service to get the best return on investment. Thirdly, anticipate customer needs. Staffs are encouraged to look for ways to serve their customer more than they expect. For instance, to remain contact with customers by keeping them informed of new events, product updates or even calling to say hello. In doing so, customer will be amazed by the employee who make the effort in going the extra mile to help them. In addition, they will feel that they are well taken care of and this creates a seamless relationship. In conclusion, I had quoted a meaningful quote from the web from the point of view of a customer. â€Å"Quality customer experience refers to the customer journey which makes them feel happy, satisfy, served and cared, with a sense of being respected, according to his or her expectation or standard, start from first contact and through the whole relationship. †

Assessment of ALDI Marrketing Plan

Today, marketing is a fundamental aspect and have assisted most companies around the globe to achieve growth potentials. Apparently, institutions that value total quality management and customer satisfaction usually position the business at a good point to compete favorably in the market (Wilkie, et al. 2015, p. 424). To favorably compete in the dynamic business environment, most organizations align their objectives with its functions units including the finance, human resource, and operation management.   The selection and targeting of the right customers and provision of customer-centric products are among the primary considerations that most business has relied on to develop marketing strategies.   Efficient marketing requires the employment of professional marketers who can perform an appropriate media planning and ensure enacted measures culminates to the desired objective. The most important factors of production are the qualified marketing department, operation management, and above all the financial resources (Stannage, 2106). Marketing, therefore, is the process of positioning the product to the consumers to influence their buying decision (Kotler & Keller, 2016). A focus is usually on the customer's purchase behavior and afterwards informing and promising them that the qualities they might be seeking are contained in the product. In the report, I have explored the marketing strategies used by Aldi Australia in overcoming the fierce competition that has existed in Australia market for a long period. Also, the report has described the background of Aldi, followed by an analysis of the marketing strategies the company has used since the incorporation in 2001, and further offered recommendations to boost marketing strategies currently used. From the conclusion, it is apparent that marketing is a critical function that plays pivotal roles in the success of business, more so, the Aldi Stores in Australia. History about Aldi dates back the year 2001 when the players in the grocery industry recognized its presence in Australia market. Before this period, the company was in operational but under different names and if not, it was under different management and existed in other countries. Aldi operates beyond the borders, for instance, most of Europe, and it majorly deals in the grocery industry (Grant & Butler, 2011, p. 49-90). Because the report intended in assessing the marketing strategy plan for Aldi in Australia, other areas like the United Kingdom and the United States where the company operates were not captured. Despite starting when a significant market share was dominated by Woolworth and Coles, the embrasure of technology and adoption of low pricing strategy has enabled it overpower these competitors and emerge as one of the best supermarkets to shop in Australia (BBC, 2015). Besides, Aldi makes a monthly sale of more than a billion every month where an average of 6.1 million people shops in Aldi stores located all over the country. The investment of about $2.8 billion in the grocery industry shows that the company is large and there and it records an annual turnover of about $7billion. However, measures need to be enacted to enhance the implementation of marketing strategies, in consideration of the changing customer needs and preferences. The company is currently aiming at establishing more stores in the Southern region of Australia to increase the number of stores from about 450 stores (Ruddick, 2012). However, the expansion in the major city has been a problem because of the discriminative State regulations governing planning and developments in urban cities. These bureaucracies existing for smaller firms to establish development projects in the major city has negatively impacted on the pace of infrastructural growth for Aldi. This restriction has bee n a major setback to the administration of the company. In the recent days, the technological breakthrough has been the primary factor that has significantly boosted the efforts of sales persons and promoted media planning. Aldi has appropriately utilized the, marketing mix â€Å"4ps†, promotional mix â€Å"Mc Kinsey 7s†, opportunities and strengths and financed promotional and marketing plans (Pash, 2016).   A thorough understanding of the external environment through the use of environmental tools assists the management to gain knowledge about; the magnitude of competition as well as customers purchasing behaviors (Solis, 2011, p. 201-202). Relying on the internal environment is importance in customizing on the strengths and opportunities. Over the period, Aldi has been keen in applying a marketing approach that tally with the company financial ability (Pash, 2016).   This part has, therefore, assessed the marketing strategies and further proposed other approaches to be applied by the management of Aldi. Aldi is a famous company in the provision of quality products at relatively low prices. In addition, its marketing strategies are well known to buyers because they focus much on the market needs and company mission. Indeed, Aldi has been more influential to suppliers and manufacturers to offer quality products at lower prices (Muston, 2014). The company has, however, applied the following sales and marketing measures to convince and attract customers. As we talk today, Aldi is one of the leading sellers of grocery products to the most of the people in Australia who are known to uphold price sensitive character. First and foremost, Aldi has utilized pricing strategy to win the favor of the customers. The approach has involved selling quality products to customers at the lowest price. Despite the company just being a dealer, it has managed to offer its products to consumers at affordable prices. Additionally, their services have been satisfactory. From statistics, the company offers its products as cheap as at 25%, in comparison with the prices offered by other supermarkets (Chung, 2015). Secondly, Aldi has applied marketing mix and sales promotional mix. These two are the major approaches used by companies. Aldi is not an exceptional. The marketing mix has included the elements of price, product, place and price (Voberda, et al. 2011). The price aspect however, was a major strategy as discussed above. The marketing mix led to the distribution of the products near customers. Aldi has established most stores at convenient places that are reached by customers. Marketing mix has, therefore, been greatly depended on by the company and it was successful because of the unlimited support from the shareholders (Lancaster, et al. 2002). Furthermore, it has utilized advertising through electronic media like the Television and Radio.   It has an excellent record in monitoring the effectiveness of the advertising media as well as media planning. Apparently, these two forms are reached by most of the target market served by Aldi. Also, Aldi has been using differentiation strategy. Under this approach, it has ensured that the right products are offered to the customers. They offer products that are needed by consumers but not any product (IBIS world, 2016). And the interesting part above all is that these products are usually of the best quality. Users found it very unusual to shop in Aldi stores where there is a variety of products, of high quality and at the lowest cost. Sincerely, this approach is the best holistic experience customers have had from Aldi. As per now, Aldi is still performing well in the grocery industry. The success is not only in Australia but also experienced in the other parts where the company has affiliates. With the developments experienced in technology, businesses are imperatively required to perfect the current operational and marketing approaches (Bradley, 2010, p. 90-120). Therefore, the enhancement of these strategies can be possible through normal changes based on the prevailing market conditions. Some of the additions and considerations that are supposed to be implemented by Aldi are discussed below: First, Aldi has to embrace integrated marketing communications. Through this method, the marketing approaches utilized are usually complemented by the others. Those that become ineffective are, however, are boosted by the other. Consequently, a large number of customers will be reached. However, this approach works well if the organization has enough funds to finance the initiative (Kotler & Keller, 2016). But the long-term effect is that it enhances most number of the targeted population to reach more information. Secondly, it should adopt creativity and innovations through incorporating technology into organizational processes. For example, talented employees indeed bring new ideas and methods of overcoming the fierce competition on the market. Being a company that has redefined the grocery industry in Australia, and applying the cost leadership approaches, it will be ironical to found that the same company is lagging behind in technological know-how. The adoption of technology will automatically enhance the use of social media, internet, and other electronic sources to promote its products (Lancaster, et al. 2002). In the long run, the company will found itself in a scenario where other transactions will be conducted by e-commerce. Thirdly, Aldi should focus on the use of publicity. Substantial investment in publicity will foster a good relation with the customers who will consequently develop customer loyalty. Though it has been involved in a marketing campaign, this trend should continue by adding more focus on it (Shimizu, 2016, p. 25-26). Lastly, it should enhance the marketing mix strategies by using appropriate sales promotion techniques. Through market research, the firm can understand when to use a particular form of marketing and sales promotion mix (Reicheld, et al. 2010, p. 121-126). For these methods will timely inform the consumer about the new developments in the products and price to offer them an opportunity to perform price comparison. Most importantly, Aldi should use appropriate form according to customer segmentation to ensure everybody has sufficient information about the company. Wrapping up, it is apparent that marketing is a fundamental subject for any organization. An effective marketing strategy will be the reason for the success, contrary in which failure will be inevitable.   The management of Aldi applies effective sales and marketing techniques that were much customer-centric which have resulted in this unquantifiable success. For instance, the pricing strategies have attracted most customers to prefer purchasing the products from Aldi stores. However, this method was not the only strategy that resulted in the success. There are others like advertising, public relations, market campaigns, differentiation and more. It thus implies that there is a great need for businesses to consider all possible measures for them to withstand the changing market. Most importantly, the opportunities and strengths should be adequately relied on in turning the hostile external environment bearable.   The marketing mix 4ps and Mc Kinsey 7s model should appropriately c ombine for the goal of meeting organization short and long term objectives. Through embrasure of the discussed topics, Aldi has managed to reach where it is and considering the plans that are already in place and the company will still grow. BBC, (2015). Aldi overtakes Waitrose's market share. BBC News dated 8th April, 2015. . [Online] Accessed on 19 th Jan, 2017, from: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-32218170 Bradley, Nigel (2010).Marketing Research: Tools and Techniques. Oxford University Press, Oxford, p.90-120 Chung, F. (2015). The Supermarket switch is on as Aldi takes top award in customer satisfaction: Business retail July 21 2015. Accessed online on 19 th Jan, 2017, from: https://www.news.com.au/finance/business/retail/the-supermarket-switch-is-on-as-aldi-takes-top-award-in-customer-satisfaction/news-story/3ce35413bb26d01118190010c9cb0916 Grant, R., & Butler, B. (2011). Contemporary strategic management: An Australasian perspective, John Wiley and Son Australia, 5(21), 54-90 IBIS world, (2016). Supermarkets and Grocery Stores in Australia: Market Research Report. Retrieved on 19 th Jan, 2017, from https://www.ibisworld.com.au/industry/default.aspx?indid=1834 Kotler P & Keller, (2016). Marketing Management 15 th Global Edition published by Pearson Education Australia Pty Ltd. Lancaster, G., Massingham, L. and Ashford, R. (2002). Essentials of Marketing: Fourth edition. New York: McGraw-Hill. Muston, P (2014). Marketing Practices and Strategies for Aldi:  slide share, retrieved on 19 Jan, 2017, from: . Pash, C.   (2016). Aldi opens its battle with Coles and Woolworths in South Australia: Business Insider Australia. Accessed on 19 th Jan, 2017, from: https://www.businessinsider.com.au/aldi-opens-its-battle-with-coles-and-woolworths-in-south-australia-2016-2 Ruddick, G. (2012). Billionaire Aldi heir Berthold Albrecht dies at 58. Retrieved on 19 th Jan, 2017, from: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/9729434/Billionaire-Aldi-heir-Berthold-Albrecht-dies-at-58.html Reicheld, Z and Sasser, N. (2010), â€Å"Enhancing Customer Retention Through Relationship Marketing†, Journal of Marketing, 6 (11): 121-126. Shimizu, Koichi (2016). Co-marketing (Symbiotic Marketing) Strategy: (Japanese) 5th edition, Souseisha Book Company, pp.25-62. Stannage, T. (2106).‘Marketing help: Marketing Strategies that work.   Business Consultancy Services,  weblog post,  retrieved 19 January 2017, from: . Solis, B. (2011). Engage: The Complete Guide for Brands and Businesses to Build, Cultivate, and Measure Success in the New Web, John Wiley & Sons, Inc. pp. 201–202. Voberda, H., Morgan, R., Reinmoeller, P., Hitt, M.A., Ireland, R.D., Hoskisson, R. (2011) Strategic Management: Competitiveness and Globalization, South Western: Cengage Learning. Wilkie, D., Johnson, L., White, L. (2015). Overcoming late entry. The importance of entry position inferences and market leadership: Journal of Marketing Management, 31: 424

Statistics homeless people Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Statistics homeless people - Essay Example Number of Homeless Households Figure 1 below shows the evolution of the number of homeless households from 2002 to 2010. While the number of homeless households increased from 2002 to 2004, it reduced continuously from 2004 to 2009, and in 2010 again, there was a slight increase in the number of homeless households. Figure 1 Number of Homeless Households in Wales The maximum number of homeless households was 9855 households in 2004. From 2004 to 2009, homelessness decreased at an average of nearly 11% per year and in 2010, the increase in homeless households was just over 12%. The average number of homeless households from 2002 to 2010 was 7182 households. Clearly, this shows that the efforts of the Welsh Government have been successful in their commitment for controlling homelessness and supporting homeless people. Reasons for Homelessness In order to succeed in their aim to reduce and eventually eradicate homelessness, the Welsh Government also studies the reasons why people/househ olds become homeless. Figure 2 below shows the break-up of these reasons. Figure 2 Reasons for Homelessness in Wales in 2010 Figure 2 shows that the biggest reason, which accounts for 20% of homelessness in Wales in 2010, is the loss of tied accommodation which may be due to disasters like fire or for other social/financial reasons. If we combine this with the factor of loss of rented or tied institution or care centre which accounts for 16% of the homelessness, we see that just over 1/3rd, that is 36% of homelessness is caused by loss of rented/tied accommodation or institutions. The next biggest reason is the inability or unwillingness of parents to accommodate which accounts for 19% of homelessness. However, if we combine this statistic with homelessness due to inability or unwillingness of other relatives or friends which accounts for 8% of homelessness, we see that 27% of all homelessness is caused by social exclusion of homeless people by their parents/relatives/friends. Broad ly speaking, the categories of reasons for homelessness may be divided into two parts: financial reasons and social reasons. Financial reasons include loss of rented/tied accommodation, mortgage arrears, and rent arrears. The financial reasons together are responsible for 42% of all homelessness. The social reasons include inability or unwillingness of parents/relatives/friends, break-up with partner and violence or harassment. The social reasons are responsible for 47% of all homelessness. In fact, a lot of social reasons also arise out of financial difficulties like the inability of parents to support. Economy and Homelessness As we have seen that 42% of homelessness is caused by purely financial reasons and some of the social reasons are also due to financial troubles, we now take a look at how homelessness varies with the economic output. For the economic output, we consider the data for Gross Value Added (GVA) for Wales. According to the statistics bureau of the Welsh Governmen t, the GVA can be considered as a close substitute for Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the measure of economic output. Figure 3 below shows the relationship between actual GVA and the number of homeless households for different years. The data points shown in figure 3 are the values of GVA and number of homeless households in Wales from 2002 to 2009. The line has been drawn to show the approximate trend in the data points. Figure 3 GVA and homelessness in Wales for

Genre Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Genre Analysis - Essay Example Notably, the car started with a three wheeled vehicle that dubbed the Benz parent motor car. This car was unveiled by Karl Benz; however, a month later, a four wheeled vehicle that was powered by Daimler engine was introduced as a product of this company. Other than being a car, since it origin, the Mercedes Benz has since been known for its luxury and refinement with symbol of success, status, and good taste. The first Mercedes Benz was crafted in the year 1901 and car was named after Emil Jellinek’s daughter, Mercedes. Jellinek was one of the primary distributors of the Daimler. In the year 1926, Daimler and Benz merged and formed Daimler Benz AG and this marked the birth of Mercedes Benz. During its foundation, Daimler pointed a signified fact that his engines would be used for vehicle on the land, air, and sea (Adler 35). Notably, this fact came to fact year later, after his death. It is has ever been noted that right from its invention, Mercedes Benz has been synonymous w ith excellence in automotives. For instance, the 1931 Mercedes Benz 170 became a car in its own class since it was the first car in world with an exemplary technology that has remained extraordinary until in the contemporary automobile production. One of these features is the independent suspension provided by its four wheels. From its comfort and luxury, the Mercedes Benz did establish itself a brand of choice among the buyers especially between the 30s and 40s, thanks to the convertible cruisers including the 380 and 540K. Advancement of year led to advancement in series of Mercedes Benz and new model were unveiled. In the 1950s, the company introduced the Mercedes Benz 300 SL that was also known as the â€Å"Gullwing† and was the world ever known supercar (Adler 82). This Mercedes Benz’s model had a dramatic styling as well as race bed technology. Other than the comfort and class, Mercedes Benz Company was and is still concerned with safety technology. For instance, the Mercedes Benz 220 sedans were the first ever vehicles to incorporate â€Å"crumple zone† patented body design that intended to absorb impact in cases of crash. Changes in the market demand and technology ever pushed Mercedes Benz Company to advance in its technology and automotive designs. For instance, in the year 1963, the company launched Mercedes Benz 600 that increased the company’s reputation as one of the home best automotive luxury. Moreover, it unveiled the elegant luxurious sedan limousine and air suspension system that was marked to be a head of its time as well as a V8 engine that produced 300 horsepower. These vehicles were effective especially the same decade’s Mercedes Benz 300 SEL 6.3, a full sized sedan that accelerated from zero to 60 within a time limit of seven seconds. This was the fasted car during its time. Other supercars that have ever been manufactured by Mercedes Benz company include the 1970s S – Class vehicles, coupes, an d opulent that provided users with powerful engines among other features. Despite development and technological demands, the Mercedes Benz has continued to provide end users with cutting edge of technologies that are convincing the users as well as safer (Adler ‘Mercedes-benz: 110 Years of Excellence†¦ 162). Notably, Mercedes Benz was the first car to offer antilock brakes. Moreover, with its continued mindful in safety aspects, Mercedes Benz was the car manufacturer to offer airbags and traction control,

Fidel Castro of Cuba (1959-2008) Research Paper

Fidel Castro of Cuba (1959-2008) - Research Paper Example Fidel Castro is the former political leader of Cuba; he has served tenure of governance from 1959 to 2008. Fidel Castro is popularly known for the Cuban revolution which brought him to power largely by public support. As with all revolutions, two perceptions of Fidel Castro commonly exist in recollections – one portrays him as a heroic leader rescuing his people from the evils of social inequalities and another portrays him as a blood-thirsty lunatic hound shooting his people just to avenge the disagreement with or disobedience for his thoughts. â€Å"The seed of revolution is repression† (Wilson). When the public realizes that they are being oppressed by the laws formulated for their betterment, an uprising or rebellion is most sure to follow. However, more often revolutions are long drawn and tiring as governments refuse to let go of power and public refuses to be led into deterioration. â€Å"It is impossible to predict the time and progress of revolution. It is governed by its own more or less mysterious laws† (Lenin). It is needless to say those in power consider the uprising as evil while those in oppression consider the powerful as evil. Fidel Castro was the son of an illiterate sugar plantation owner. His parents wanted him to get education and eventually enrolled him in a boarding school. His teachers soon realized that Castro was an intelligent student and all-rounder athlete. He graduated in Law and initiated his practice as a lawyer in Havana, the capital of Cuba (Simkin). The conditions that led to his rule stemmed from his inclination to uptake court cases of poor and oppressed individuals who could not afford to pay him adequately. Consequently, Castro was financially unstable. However, this instability and the increasing numbers of cases with poor people involved made Castro realize the injustice prevalent against the Cuban nationals (Simkin). At the time, United States had a large holding in Cuba lands in the form of business properties. Most of those benefitting from these economic activities were foreign people while the vast majority of Cuban people were forced to live in poverty or difficult conditions. Castro saw this as an abuse of Cuban resources and people and set off on his political journey to rectify this error (Simkin). Castro was able to gain control of the governance through his political and rebellious course of action. Initially, he joined Cuban People’s Party in 1947 to put in his efforts in the social revival of Cuba. The party’s motives largely attracted Castro as these were consistent with his own goals. The party pressed for reforms whereby the corruption and injustice would be rectified, unemployment and poverty catered to and obnoxiously low wages looked on for improvements. His patriotism and passion quickly brought him to the forefront of the team. His interpersonal skills made him a hero in the eyes of numerous Cuban people who supported him in his motives till the very end (Simkin). In 1952 when the elections were scheduled to be held, Castro was a member of Congress for the Cuban People’s Party. This party was the most liable to be selected for the formation of the upcoming government. However, General Fulgencio Batista intervened in the elections with the help of armed forces and took over the control of the country’s affairs. This infuriated Castro and his fellow members. He was soon seen plotting against Batista’s make-do governance. Within a year in 1953, Cas tro attacked the Moncada Army Barracks with the help of 123 other individuals, both men and women (Nosotro, 2010). With a compliance of only 123 individuals, Castro did not stand a chance against the organized armed forces of Batista. Soon the rebellion was suppressed with eight killings during the battle and numerous killings after that. Castro repeatedly got lucky when those individuals in charge of him continually disobeyed orders of assassinating him. The news quickly

Compare and contrast the economic, political and social environment of Essay

Compare and contrast the economic, political and social environment of the United States in the 1920s and the 1950s - Essay Example The economy of 1920 boomed and contributed to the success of the country during this era. It resulted in a boost in employment, cost-effective development and consumerism. In 1920s, there was a great enhancement in purchase of commodities, mass production, industrial production, corporate profits and movies. In 1920, every field witnessed innovative breakthroughs and creations. These inventions embrace cars, methods of transportation, gas stations, malls/shopping centers, radio, and sewing machines. The period of 1920 was a period of huge advancement in the sphere of mass communication and the movies became popular as well (Goff & Terry, 2002). The manufacturers made huge profits from new business and production approaches. Departmental stores along with service station chains benefited from considerable retail power and helped in wage rise. The figure of millionaires in US increased during this period. The share market reached to the pinnacle. The salaries of management were increased excessively. Banks offered significant bonuses to their staff. The moral codes of business distorted and corruption was prevalent in politics, business and society. This was an indication of the end of booming period in USA. Comparatively, the period of 1950 was somewhat outdated. The economy during 1950 observed no major innovation. The main issue of this era was inflation, the rise in consumer prices, in indirect business taxes as well as social security taxes. Tax rates along with employment rates carried on climbing during this period. First half of 1950 viewed the prosperity of progress of life insurance companies and enrollment of new private companies to take in the extremes of personal investments (Goff & Terry, 2002). The industries that flourished after the war comprised, transport industry, newspaper industry, automobile industry, housing industry, electronics and aviation and aerospace industry, military industry, Hollywood and newspaper industry. During this

Equality Legislation in the Labour Market Essay

Equality Legislation in the Labour Market - Essay Example We know that Equality Legislation plays a vital role for the success of any organization. We need equality in the labour market due to the advantages it provides to the employee as well as the organization on the whole. We would look at few of the General Equality Legislation that exists in Scotland and see as to how it benefits the organizations. As from 6th April 2003, subject to regulations, parents and others (such as guardians) who are responsible for looking after children aged under 6 (or under 18 if the child is disabled) have the legal right to ensure that requests they make for flexible working arrangements (such as part-time work or work at home) are taken seriously by their employers. The request must be to enable the employee to care for the child and an important condition is that the employee must have been employed in his job for at least 6 months to be eligible. (See source 2 for the knowing the source of this legislation.) These regulations introduced new rights for part-time workers. Two amendments came into force on 1st October 2002. These cover Comparators (Regulation 2) and Access to Occupational Pension Schemes (Regulation 8(8). The part-time workers regulations ensure that Britain's part-timers are not treated less favorably than comparable full-timers in their terms and conditions, unless it is specifically justified. This means that part-timers are entitled, for example, to: There is no neeThe same hourly rate of pay The same access to company pension schemes The same entitlements to annual leave and maternity / parental leave on a pro rata basis, The same entitlement to contractual sick pay, and No less favorable treatment in access to training (See source 2 for knowing the source of this legislation) Advantages of partime workers Effective labour tool for managing costs In the last decade the industry has expanded to offer employees for office, industrial, technical, medical, and engineering fields. There is no need for extra fringe benefits as in January of 1985 Federal civil service regulations were changed to permit the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to hire temporary workers for up to 4 years without providing fringe benefits. Part-time employees can be an excellent staffing option for small or young businesses, due to the potential for flexibility and the relatively low cost. Part-time workers necessarily work fewer hours, so will cost less in wages. In addition, part-time employees typically do not qualify for company-sponsored benefits. Sample Equality Legislation 3: Equal Treatment

Ghaidan v. Godin-Mendoza Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Ghaidan v. Godin-Mendoza - Essay Example The Claimant Mr. Ghaidan who is also the appellant seek for an overturn of the Court of Appeal ruling in the Lordship’s House. The Court of Appeal ruled against Mr. Ghaidan who wanted to evict a tenant in his apartment claiming that the tenant-Mr. Godin-Mendoza did not have the right to inherit the property from the deceased spouse. The dead spouse and Mr. Godin-Mendoza had engaged in homosexual marriage1. Because in Fitzpatrick v Sterling Housing Association Ltd [2001] 1 AC 27 the Lordship’s House did not recognise inheritance of property by a same sex partner Mr. Ghaidan thought that this was the best opportunity to evict Mr. Godin-Mendoza from his flat. Mr. Godin-Mendoza was in the Lordship’s House as a defendant in the appeal case brought about by Mr. Ghaidan who wanted to evict him from his flat after the death of his partner Mr. Wallwyn-James had died2. Mr. Godin-Mendoza was living with a protected tenant who also happened to be his marriage partner- Mr. Wa llwyn-James in basement flat at 17 Cresswell Gardens, London SW5. However, when his partner Mr. Wallwyn-James died as rightful spouse he thought that he was protected by Paragraphs 2 and 3 of Schedule 1 to the Rent Act 1977. This Act provides that a surviving spouse of the protected tenant if living in the same dwelling-house until the death of the partner will became an automatic legal tenant after the death of the protected partner. Mr. Godin-Mendoza was in the House of Lords to defend his right to occupy the dwelling house after the death of his spouse considering that the landlord wanted to evict him. Judges in the case of Ghaidan v. Godin-Mendoza [2004] A number of judges presided over the appeal case in the Lordship’s House and they include Lord Steyn, Lord Nicholls of Birkenhead, Lord Rodger of Earlsferry Lord Millett, and Baroness Hale of Richmond3. The House of Lords judges dismissed the appeal by Mr. Ghaidan and as such the claimant- Mr. Ghaidan lost his case whereb y he intended to expel Mr. Godin-Mendoza from the apartment. Difference between House of Lords decision and Fitzpatrick v Sterling Housing Association Ltd [2001] The first imminent difference in the two cases involves the fact that one ruling recognised same-sex marriage while the other disputed same sex marriage with respect to succession of property from a deceased partner4. In Fitzpatrick v Sterling Housing Association Ltd case the judges expressed that it is only surviving partners of the heterosexual marriages that have a right to legal tenancy by succession after the death of their spouse with who they have been sharing a dwelling house. However this provision is not recognised in homosexual marriages and as such they have to compete with other members of the family of the protected tenant for rightful tenancy by succession. House of Lords decision in Ghaidan v Godin-Mendoza recognised same sex marriages in relation to legal tenancy by succession. The House of Lords Judges sta ted that both the heterosexual and homosexual spouses have equal right in succeeding the dwelling house of the deceased spouse in which the couple have been living in together as husband and wife5. This is the main reason why the landlord Mr. Ghaidan failed his appeal which he tried to evict Mr. Godin-Mendoza because they were engaged in a same sex marriage. Material facts i) The fact that the defendant was a homosexual was a material fact. This is

A Rose for Emily essay Essay Example for Free

A Rose for Emily essay Essay Sometimes in life, the suppression of one’s ambitions combined with the fear of loneliness can lead to a clinging of the familiar. This is evident in William Faulkner’s short story â€Å"A Rose for Emily† in which an emotionally unstable Emily Grierson poisons her lover, Homer Barron, to prevent him from deserting her. Because of the Griersons’ high social status, the townspeople keep up with Emily’s every move although she had become a recluse in the years following her oppressive father’s death. With an overall forthright tone, Faulkner creates a surprise ending by using an unconventional plot structure and conveys the dangerous extremes  one may resort to in order for love. At first glance, the ending of â€Å"A Rose for Emily† may come as a shock due to the unchronological plot, but in hindsight there are many clues that Faulkner uses to suggest an unfortunate resolution. The surprise, of course, is the revelation of Emily’s necrophilic tendency to embrace the corpse of Homer. The first ominous hint toward Emily’s crime is when a â€Å"smell developed† two years â€Å"after her father’s death and a short time after her sweetheart†¦deserted her. † This evokes a feeling of curiosity as to what could be causing such a stench in Emily’s home that would attract the neighbors’ attention. Later, when her father died, the doctors had to â€Å"[try] to persuade her to let them dispose of the body. † Even though her selfish father drove away all of her suitors just so he could keep Emily as a maid, â€Å"with nothing left, she would have to cling to that which had robbed her. † Because her father was all she had known, Emily refused to let him go even though he robbed her of any opportunity at love. Her clinging to Mr. Grierson after his death strongly foreshadows her future clinging to Homer after she murders him. The next clue involves Emily’s purchasing of arsenic from a druggist. When he informs her that the law requires a reason for the purchase, â€Å"Miss Emily just stared at him, her head tilted back in order to look him eye for eye†Ã¢â‚¬â€daring him to try forcing the reason from her. This suspicious action evokes a feeling of suspense as Miss Emily’s intentions are still unclear but obviously harmful. Had she planned to use the arsenic only â€Å"for rats,† why would she withhold her reason from the druggist? One final hint is given after Emily’s visiting relatives leave the town and â€Å"within three days Homer Barron was back in town. † He is admitted into Emily’s house and the narrator remarks â€Å"that was the last we saw of Homer Barron. † Once more, apprehensiveness is apparent as the narrator’s statement is usually uttered only when a person is presumed to have died. These hints would certainly reveal the surprise prematurely had they been told in a conventional, chronological plot. If Faulkner presented them in order—first Emily’s clinging to Mr. Grierson after his death, her purchasing of arsenic, Homer’s disappearance into Emily’s home, and then the acrid smell emanating from her home—the conclusion would be far more predictable. ` Through the use of an unchronological, unorthodox plot structure, Faulkner is able to  astound the reader with an appalling resolution. Although many ominous hints add to the suspense, the resolution remains unknown. Had the events unfolded in consecutive time, the surprise factor of the conclusion would not have been as effective. Emily’s embracing of the corpse of her dead lover shows her mental instability as she resists letting go of what is familiar to her, just as she did with her father. A morbid story with an unconventional plot structure, â€Å"A Rose for Emily† provides insight into how a fear of loneliness can drastically affect one’s actions and mental state.

Literature Review of Research related to Performance Appraisal

Literature Review of Research related to Performance Appraisal This chapter served as the foundation for the development of this study. An overview of the extensive historical research related to performance appraisal,as well as the theories of motivation related to performance appraisals is presented. 2.1 Performance Appraisal System 2.1.1 Meaning of performance: There are different views on what performance means. According to Brumbrach (1988, cited in Armstrong, 2000): Performance can be actions as well as their consequences. Behaviours originate from a performer and convert performance from a concept to an act. Not just the instruments for results, behaviours are also outcomes in their own right the product of mental and physical effort applied to tasks and can be judged apart from results. The above definition considers performance to be involving both the actions, in other word behaviours, taken during the process in attempting to achieve goals and outputs obtained as a result from the effort. Following this, Armstrong (2000) emphasizes the need for managers to deal with the potential of employees and accomplishments while managing performance. To determine if performance has been achieved, measures have to be developed to appraise the accomplishments and establish the rate at which it has been accomplished. Above all, performance should be about the decision and action taken with available information at any existing situation. 2.1.2 Performance Management System (PMS) Noe et al (2006) define performance management as the process through which managers ensure that employees activities and outputs are congruent with the organisations goals.The concept of performance management has contributed a lot in the development Human Resource Management in recent years. The concept was first coined by Beer and Ruh in 1976. However, it is barely in the mid 1980s that it had been accepted as a distinctive approach. Performance Management is widely being used in organizations so as to obtain the best results by trying to improve performance of the workforce. Goals and standards are being planned well beforehand in order to get satisfied outcomes. 2.1.3 Performance Appraisal System (PAS) Performance appraisal also known as performance review, formally documents the achievements of an individual with regards to set targets. It is a component of PMS. The system has become an essential management tool in todays organizations. Managing employees performance can be said to be as important as any other work that all managers execute during the year. Grote (2002) describes performance appraisal as a formal management tool that helps evaluate the performance quality of an employee. Schneier and Beatty as cited in Patterson (1987) define it as a process which apart from evaluating also identifies and develops human performance. According to Karol (1996) performance appraisal includes a communication event planned between a manager and an employee specifically for the purpose of assessing that employees past job performance and discussing areas for future improvement. 2.1.4 History of PAS The history of performance appraisal is fairly concise. Appraisal really began with the Second World War. It was used to assess results. Dulewicz (1989) says that there is an indispensable human inclination to judge the work of other people as well as ones own work.It can thus be said that appraisal is both unavoidable and universal. Even without the existence of a planned appraisal system, one can have a tendency and find it natural to evaluate the job performance of another easily and subjectively. Performance appraisal was seen in the industry in early 1800. Randell (1994) identified its use in Robert Owens use of silent monitors in the cotton mills of Scotland. The Silent monitors were in terms of blocks of wood with different colours painted on each visible side and it was hung above each employees work station. At the end of the day, the block was turned so that a particular colour, representing a grade of the employees performance, could be seen by everyone. (Weise and Buckley, 1998) Subjective evidence indicates that this practice had a facilitating influence on subsequent behavior. Spriegel(1962) and Weise and Buckley(1998) affirm that by the early 1950s, 61 per cent of organizations regularly used performance appraisals, compared with only 15 per cent immediately after World War II. DeVries et al. (1981) pointed out the primary tool to be the trait-rating system, which focused on past actions, using a standard, numerical scoring system to appraise people on the basis of a previously established set of dimensions. The main tool, used under here was trait rating system. The concept of Management by Objective (MBO) was first proposed by Peter Drucker in 1954. Mcgreror then used it in the appraisal process in the year 1957. He suggested that, employees should be appraised on the basis of short-term goals, rather than traits, which are jointly set by the employee and the manager. Weise and Buckley (1998) affirm that this method was very advantageous as it lead to a transformation of a managers role from being a judge to a helper. It also showed that employees productivity ultimately leads to performance. However, when employees performance was measured on the basis of units, then MBO was ineffective. This lead to new development in the appraisal process and the employees were evaluated on the basis of behaviour based rating. Smith and Kendall (1963) designed the first tool to focus on behaviors and it was the Behaviorally Anchored Rating Scales (BARS). 2.1.5 Modern Appraisal Todays performance appraisal process has evolved into a more planned and formal process. It is used as a means which helps identify and compare employees performances. The appraisals data are frequently being used to review several Human Resources decision. It can determine any need for career developments and trainings. For issues such as raise in salaries, rewards and promotions, employers are more and more making use of the appraisals results. Appraisals have now developed into a regular and intervallic system in organizations, normally carried out at least once a year. When talking about the modern approach to appraisal, the term feedback cannot be ignored. The one-to-one discussion between supervisors and subordinates gives rise to feedback and is referred to as the feedback process. This process can improve communication all through the organization but also it can reinforce employees relationships with their superiors. This is so as the workers have the feeling that they do matter to the organization and that their needs are being taken into consideration. The performance appraisal system has most likely become a future-oriented approach as it aims to improve future performances by considering present problems. 2.1.6 Purposes of PAS The most known purpose of performance appraisal is to improve performance of individuals. Cummings and Shwab (1973) held that performance appraisal has basically two important purposes, from an organizational point of view and these are: 1. The maintenance of organizational control 2. The measurement of the efficiency with which the organizations human resources are being utilized. Still, there are also a variety of other declared purposes for appraisal as per Bratton and Gold (2003) and Bowles and Coates (1993) and some are; improving motivation and morale of the employees, clarifying the expectations and reducing the uncertainty about performance, determining rewards, identifying training and development needs, improving communication, selecting people for promotion, discipline, planning corrective actions and setting targets. Furthermore, Bowles and Coates (1993) conducted a postal survey of 250 West Midland companies in June 1992, where organizations were asked questions pertaining to the use of Performance management in the organization. These questions included the apparent purpose of PA in the management of work, its strengths and weaknesses. Through their survey they found out that PA was beneficial in the following ways: PA was favorable in developing the communication between employer and employee It was useful in defining performance expectations It helped identified training needs. Performance appraisal can thus be used as an effective tool to improve employees job performance by identifying strengths and weaknesses, meeting of targeted goals and providing training if needed. 2.1.7 Techniques of PAS There are several commonly used techniques of performance appraisal as reviewed by Oberg (1972). They are as follows: Essay Appraisal, Paired Comparison, Graphic Review Scale, Weighted Checklist, Person to Person Rating, Forced Ranking, Critical Incidents. The above techniques were the traditional ones but the methods most widely used today are: Management by Objectives Employees are requested to put up their own performance objectives. They are then judged through these objectives by verifying whether they were satisfied or not. However, in many cases organizations themselves set their standards and goals even after consulting employees. 360 Degree Feedback 360 Degree Feedback is a process in which employees receive private and anonymous feedback from the people who work around them. Kettley (1997) says that when an individual receives feedback from different sources of the organization, including peers, subordinate staff, customers and themselves, the process is called 360 degree feedback or appraisal. The employee is then assessed using those received feedback 2.1.8 Feedback Feedback about the effectiveness of an individuals behavior has long been recognized as essential for learning and for motivation in performance-oriented organizations. Ilgen et al.(1979) stated that feedback is considered as an important tool in performance appraisalprocess. Feedback can be a useful tool for development, especially if it is specific and behaviorally oriented, as well as both problem-oriented and solution-oriented according to Murphy and Cleveland (1995). One of the basic purposes of formal appraisal process is the provision of clear and performance based feedback to employees. Carroll and Scheiner(1982) affirmed that some organisations use feedback as a development tool,while in some organizations it is used for merit evaluation and compensation adjustment. McEvoy and Buller(1987),Wohlers and Gallagher( 1990) contributed that feedback is very essential for the employees because it forms a baseline for the employees which help them to get a review of their past perfo rmance and chance to improve their skills for the future. Ashford (1986) says that when feedback is considered as a valuable resource, then only the individuals feel motivated to seek it, which helps in reducing uncertainty and provides information relevant to self-evaluations. There is also evidence that performance feedback (if given appropriately) can lead to substantial improvements in future performance (Guzzo et al., 1985; Kopelman, 1986; Landy et al., 1982) Fedor et al. (1989); Ilgen et al. (1979) identified that it is commonly accepted that negative feedback is perceived as less accurate and thus less accepted by recipients than positive feedback.Furthermore, Fedoret al. (1989) found that negative performance appraisal feedback was less accepted and perceived as less accurate than positive performance appraisal feedback. 2.1.9Views Organisations Employees have on P.A.S Evans (1986) asserts that many employees believe that their promotion or salary increments depend mostly on their performance. Employees therefore are in a dilemma and consider this situation as survival of the fittest. They know for a fact that, their performance will only be taken into consideration at the end of the day. So, in order to grow in the company they need to be proactive towards their work. The feedback the employee receives from his superior, may simply describe the level of performance achieved. Hence, it becomes important for the managers to conduct the appraisal technique correctly. Employees can only accept criticism if it is useful and important to them. Managers should therefore know how to give information regarding progress made in performance and how to present criticism as well. Meyer et.al (1965) carried out a study in General Electric Company where certain points relating to performance feedback was highlighted. In this study, 92 employees were appraised by their managers on two occasions over two weeks. The study was carried out using questionnaires, interviews and observation. The first appraisal highlighted performance and salary while the second one underlined performance and improvement. It was observed that lots of criticisms were pointed out by the managers, which lead to defensive behaviour of the employees. The conclusion of the study was that criticism leads a negative impact on the motivation and performance of the employees. Also feedback sessions designed to improve performance should not at the same time consider salary and promotion issues. Ilgenet. al (1979) add that employees who believe that the appraisal system is under any kind of bias, are most likely to be dissatisfied by their work and can also leave their jobs. On the other hand Murphy and Cleveland highlighted one possible reason for the widespread dissatisfaction with performance appraisal in organization as the systems used by these help neither them nor their employees in meeting the desired goals. Landy et al. (1978), Klasson et al. (1980), and Tang and Sarsfield-Baldwin (1996) found evidence that the assignment of raters influences perceptions of fairness and accuracy in performance appraisals and hence about the whole process itself. Nevertheless, according to Jacobs, KafryZedeck (1980) employees perceive PA to give them a proper understanding of their duties and responsibilities towards the organization. Likewise, organization sees it as a tool to assess employees on a common ground and one which helps in salary and promotions decisions, training and development programs. In many circumstances appraisal plans are interpreted by managers as a system that helps an organization to change regular priorities and usual ways of working and in so doing to alter its strategic direction. Hence, in circumstances where change cannot be attained by managerial proclamation, appraisal takes on the character of an engine of change. When managers look at appraisal from this angle they hope that it will bring about a change in strategic direction and organizational behaviour. Researchers have suggested that reaction to performance appraisal is critical to the acceptance and use of a performance appraisal system (Bernardin Beatty, 1984; Cardy Dobbins, 1994; Murphy Cleveland, 1995). Reactions may even contribute to the validity of a system (Ostroff, 1993). Cardy and Dobbins (1994) suggest that with dissatisfaction and feelings of unfairness in process and inequity in evaluations, any performance appraisal system will be doomed to failure (p. 54). Murphy and Cleveland (1995) stated that reaction criteria are almost always relevant, and an unfavorable reaction may doom the carefully constructed appraisal system. 2.1.10Benefits of PAS Possibly the most important benefit of appraisal is that, in the rush and pressure of todays working life, it allows the supervisor and subordinate to have time out for a one-on-one discussion of indispensable work problems that might not otherwise be addressed. Likewise, the existence itself of an appraisal system indicates to employees that the organization is genuinely concerned with their individual performances and advancement. This only can have a positive impact on the employees sense of worth, commitment and belonging. Appraisal offers the rare chance to focus on employment activities and objectives, to spot and correct existing problems and to enhance favorable future performance. Thus the performance of the whole organization is improved. Performance appraisal usually provides employees with acknowledgment for their work efforts, if any and as a result it brings them satisfaction. Actually, there are facts supporting that human beings will even prefer negative recognition in rather than no recognition at all. During performance appraisals, feedbacks are obtained. These provide vital information on whether training and development needs should be considered. The presence or lack of working skills, for example, can become very obvious. The supervisor and subordinate can thus agree upon any demand for training. As far as the organization is concerned, the overall appraisal results can provide a regular and efficient training needs audit for the organization as a whole. The information obtained from appraisals can also give indication on an organizations recruitment and selection practices. This can be done by screening the performance of recently hired workers. The general quality of the workforce can also be monitored by assessing any improvement or decline performances. Changes if needed in the recruitment strategies can then be considered. 2.1.11Criticisms related to P.A.S There are several problems in the actual performance appraisal primarily due to rater bias. Some supervisors are too lenient and thus have a tendency to rate all employees positively rather than really measuring their performance. Another problem is the central tendency where supervisors position the majority of the employees in the center of the performance scale, even though they deserve a better or worse grade. The halo effect is another error usually made during appraisals. This arises when a supervisors general feeling about an employee influences the overall judgment. Performance appraisal systems are at times criticized for weaknesses in the system design itself. Sometimes they assess the wrong behaviours or consequences, or focus on employees personality instead of on their work performances. Very often standards for appraising employees are not related to the work itself. As a consequence employees may not likely be interested in such a system where performance standards are unsuccessful in highlighting important aspects of the jobs. Some organizations founds that PAS is a constant cause of tension, since evaluative and developmental concerns come often into disagreement. It is said that the appraisal can serve only one of them at a time. Also they find it dehumanize and demoralize to pass on judgments which then become source of apprehension and stress to employees. Many researchers such as Derven (1990) expressed doubts about the effectiveness and dependability of the appraisal process. Some found the process to be imperfect in nature. Moreover, Gabris Mitchell found a disturbing bias in the appraisal process called the Matthew Effect. It is said to take place in cases where employees keep on receiving the same evaluation each year. This denotes that there is the belief that if an employee has work well, he or she will continue on that pace. The Matthew Effect advocates that even if employees struggle to do well, their past appraisal reports will discriminate their future progress. Accuracy is important in appraisals. However for raters to appraise employees accurately, they should give unbiased results. Unfortunately accurate ratings are quite impossible as researchers affirm that personal liking, look, former impressions, gender and race will certainly manipulate appraisals, that is, there will always be some kind of biasness. 2.1.12Conclusion about PAS There are various schools of beliefs as to the validity and reliability of performance appraisals. While Derven (1990) doubts about its dependability, Lawrie (1990) finds it to be the most important aspect of organizations. A recent survey concluded that more than fifty per cent of the workforce wishes that their supervisors list the performance objectives much more specifically and clearly. The same survey revealed that 42 per cent of the employees were rather disappointed their organisations performance appraisal system. Many supervisors make the wrong use of appraisal. They use it as a punitive tool rather than helping their subordinates to improve their performance and overcome work problems. According to Shelley Riebel, as in the Detroit News (April 11, 1998) often managers are unsuccessful to explain what they really expect from their employees and fail to well describe the criteria used for assessing their performance. The data obtained during the appraisal process should be wisely used and considered. Still, for performance appraisal to be successful, it is important to carry it out on a regular and consistent basis. This will allow supervisors to follow and review employees work. Raters often make the mistake of emphasizing too much on mistakes committed by the employees. Rather, if ever some problem is spotted by the supervisor, the issue should be discussed with the employee concerned and both should try work on a solution. 2.2 Motivation Performance Appraisal System 2.2.1 Introduction to Motivation Motivation can be defined as the driving force that moves us to pursue a certain goal, or trigger a particular action. It can be considered as the desire within a person causing him or her to act. People generally act for a motive and that is to achieve a specific objective. Two main types of motivation have been noted, namely intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsic motivation comes from the inner self while extrinsic motivation arises when external factors require one to perform something. According to Passer and Smith (2004) the concept motivation refers to a course of action that influences the determination, direction and dynamism of goal-directed behaviour. Similarly, Kreitner and Kinicki (2007) assert that motivation represents psychological practices that stimulate voluntary actions. In the work context, as confirmed by Coetsee (2003), motivation entails the readiness of individuals and groups to put much effort so as to achieve organizational goals. From the above, it can be construed that there exists no single and general definition for motivation. Yet, Boje and Rosile (2004) regard motivation as an authoritarian ideology, a way to manipulate performance and where visions of self-actualisation need gratification. This view might be too negative to consider, but the rise in capitalism has been driven by high concentration motivation programmes which sometimes turn employees into production machines. 2.2.2 Motivation and P.A.S in Organisation Today Motivation can be the key to a successful organization. It is often claimed that the best businesses have the best motivated workers. Well motivated employees are said to be more productive and perform quality work. It remains however one of the most challenged tasks for managers to motivate their staffs as everyone is unique. A supervisor should strive to tie in the companys goals together with the employees individual goals through performance management. Moreover, the whole performance appraisal process and its result can affect an employees motivation. As highlighted by Cummings and Swabs (1973), employees performance is the outcome of the employees motivation to perform. In an organisational context, the performance is appraised by assessing the employees aptitudes and potentials to achieve the set goals. 2.2.3 Theories of Motivation related to P.A.S 2.2.3.1 Edwin Lockes Goal Setting Theory A main element for efficiently coaching employees is by using goal setting. Edwin Locke (1968) introduced the Goal Setting Theory whereby employees get motivated to work for the organisation when they are given specific and pronounced goals to achieve. This theory emphasizes that hard goals produce a higher level of performance than easy goals. Secondly, particular hard goals produce higher level of output and lastly, behavioural intentions lead to choice behaviour. Many, who study the relationship between performance and motivation in organizations, will agree that goal-setting and explanation creates confidence in the workers. By clearly explaining the meaning of the goals, employees will have a clear view on what the organization wants to achieve. Coetsee (2003) affirms that the most performing workers are goal-directed. Set goals allow employees to accomplish organisational vision, aims and strategic objectives. The assumption made here is that when people recognise and understand what is expected from them and how they are to be met, they will be motivated to achieve them within the time-limit. With regard to coaching, goal-setting theory has been used more than any other as a framework to motivate employees to improve their performance. The early work of Maier (1958) and Meyer et al. (1965) emphasized goal setting in the appraisal process. In a study, Latham et al. (1978) found that consistent with the theorys predictions, employee participation in setting the goals resulted in higher performance than assigning them, not because of greater goal commitment, but rather due to high goals being set. According to Dossett et al. (1979), a similar result was observed with Weyerhaeusers word processing employees. Goals and objectives set by the employers and employees should be discussed regularly. Erez (1977) asserted that for difficult goals to result in high performance, sufficient feedback is very important. 2.2.3.2 Behaviour Maintenance Model (BMM) Cummings and Swabs presented the Behaviour Maintenance Model (BMM) to illustrate how people are motivated to perform efficiently in an organisation. This model emphasises on the significance of outcomes in the motivational process. Fig.1: Behavior Maintenance Model This framework shows that goal aspirations results in goal attainment and motivation. When goal attainment is achieved by the employee, it leads to job satisfaction which in turn leads the employee to become motivated. 2.2.3.3 Victor Vrooms Expectancy theory Expectancy theory is an idea that was introduced by Victor Vroom. The theory as explained by KreitnerKinicki (2007) is based on the assumption that people are motivated to act in ways that will be followed by valued and desired outcomes. The theory says that an employee might be motivated when there is a belief that a better performance will result in a good performance appraisal which will help in the realization of personal goals. The theory focuses on motivation as the combination of valence, instrumentality and expectancy. Valence is the value of the alleged result. Instrumentality is the point of view of an individual whether he or she will really obtain what they want. It shows that successful act will eventually lead to the desired result. Expectancy refers to the different level of expectations as well as confidence regarding ones capability. Employees believe that these create a motivational force and this force can be represented by the formula: Motivation = Valence x Expec tancy The theory focuses on three things: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Efforts and performance relationship à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Performance and reward relationship à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Rewards and personal goal relationship 2.2.4 Conclusion: Performance Appraisal as Motivator? From the above reviews, it can be seen that no such research has been done to show if performance appraisal really acts as a motivator to employees. Bratton and Gold (2003) and Bowles and Coates (1993) claimed motivation to be one of the purposes of appraisals. It remains unconditional to know whether performance appraisal has a role to play in employees motivation. The research will therefore try to answer the following research questions: Does the Performance Appraisal System affect employees motivation? Does the system affect more a specific category of employees? How do employees perceive the PAS at the MRA? How do employees perceive feedback? Does the level of importance given to the system directly affect the employees motivation? Does the trust put on the appraiser influences the employees motivation?

Alienation in Tennessee Williams, The Glass Menagerie Essay -- Tennes

Alienation in Tennessee Williams', The Glass Menagerie Life is a lonely tale of alienation, as Tennessee Williams conveys though his play, â€Å"The Glass Menagerie.† Williams surrounds Laura in isolation from a world in which they wish to belong to by using various symbols. The symbolic nature of the motifs hidden within the lines of this play provides meaning to the theme found consistent throughout the play: Individuals are all alone in the world. Williams brilliantly illuminates the idea of isolation through the symbolic use of glass. The symbolism of the glass is directly connected with the character of Laura. Similar to glass Laura is extremely fragile, her soul and image faces the possibility of being easily damaged and destroyed. Her character is tragically transparent as it is simple to decipher. However, glass objects, unlike a painting or photograph, have three dimensions. It is possible to examine every side of Laura’s fragile character, just as it is a glass figurine. Laura is trapped into a mold of glass, unable to move or break from its pattern; she is trapped in her own world of alienation. Yet, in a different light, glass reflects a rainbow of personality and beauty. Similar to the rainbow given off by glass Laura aids characters in achieving a sense of beautiful and colorful self-awareness. Williams contrasts light and dark to bring attention to Laura’s isolation from the world, and illuminate it as moments of the beauty that exists in huma...

The Value of Economics in Everyday Life :: Free Essay Writer

The Value of Economics in Everyday Life It was the strangest thing. It all began on the evening of June 15th 2008. My grandmother passed away. This was weird because no body even knew she was dying. Well maybe it was just her time to go. It was a very rough couple of days. My sisters, my mother and I set up the calling hours for her wake, and the time and place for her funeral. It was vary hard to concentrate on these tasks when one of our loved ones had passed away. About two weeks had passed and things were begging to return to normal. It had been a tremendous loss for our family, but we all knew that we had to get on with our lives. I recall a message that was left on my mother’s answering machine reporting that my grandmother had written a will. It was discovered when all of her things were being cleaned out of her home. Not a single soul within my grandmother’s family knew about this will, so it was a big surprise. The message on the machine clearly stated that the will was going to be opened and read to the family, on July 5, 2005 at 1:00 p.m. at the county court house. Everyone was anxious to find out just what he had left. No body was expecting much because they knew my grandmother didn’t have very much. She had raised seven children on her own. The day had finally come. It was just about 1:00 p.m. and the will was being opened. It read as follows: â€Å"Well all, I guess it was my time to go. I am in a better place now, where there is no suffering or pain. I need you all to promise me that you will be happy for me. I know it is hard to do, but it is for the best. Now I need you all to take a deep breath for there is something that you all must know. I have been saving some things up over the last 50 years, mainly because I knew this day was coming, I just wasn’t sure when. You all know that I was one for money. We never had much, so when I made a little extra, I was

Use of Rhetoric in Jonathan Edwards Sinners in the Hands of an Angry G

On July 8th 1741, Jonathan Edwards preached the sermon â€Å"Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God† in Enfield, Connecticut. Edwards states to his listeners that God does not lack in power, and that people have yet not fallen to destruction because his mercy. God is so forgiving that he gives his people an opportunity to repent and change their ways before it was too late. Edwards urges that the possibility of damnation is immanent. Also that it urgently requires the considerations of the sinner before time runs out. He does not only preach about the ways that make God so omnipotent, but the ways that he is more superior to us. In his sermon, Edwards uses strong, powerful, and influential words to clearly point out his message that we must amend our ways or else destruction invincible. Edwards appeals to the spectators though the various usages of rhetorical devices. This includes diction, imagery, language/tone and syntax. Through the use of these rhetoric devices, Edwardsâ₠¬Ëœs purpose is to remind the speculators that life is given by God and so they must live according to him. This include...

Abuse on Reality TV Essay

An incident of child abuse occurs every ten seconds, and more than five children die every day as a result. Approximately 80% of children that die from abuse are under the age of four. Reports have kept a steady growth rate for the past ten years, with the total number of reports nationwide increasing 45% since 1987. Since 1985, the rate of child abuse fatalities has increased by nearly 40%. These statistics were taken from a National Abuse Statistics survey. ​ CAPTION: Taken from a study on child abuse by Childhelp.org, this graph represents the number of child deaths per day due to child abuse and neglect. As shown, the number has significantly increased, and is still continuing to increase. ​Many cases of child abuse have been recorded, and in many of those cases, innocent children have died. This is a growing problem and it continues to get worse. ​Most everyone is familiar with the various types of abuse such as neglect, sexual abuse, physical abuse, psychological maltreatment, and medical neglect. Sadly, there is a new type of child abuse added to the list, the exploitation of young children and their privacy on reality television. ​According to AbuseWatch.net, children must be recognized as child actors if they are to be used in reality shows or any other type of TV production. This is not the case today. Basically, having these children on television without any pay is child labor, and they should legally be pro tected by child labor laws. The sad fact is TV producers are not employing these minors and are ignoring these child labor laws. ​They’re getting away with this crime because the children are considered as â€Å"participants†, like someone in a documentary. Due to this classification, it is excused from federal and state child labor laws as the children’s activities are being recorded on camera, opposed to the performance of a role. The children are not classified as hired employees, and do not earn a wage. They also do not get benefits that they would receive if they were to be called a â€Å"child actor.† Therefore, the child  labor laws are being ignored and these minors are not being employed. ​In 2007, the series, Kid Nation, abandoned 40 kids, ages 8 to 15, in a fake Old Western town. While viewers watched in agony, these kids spent their days literally left alone. A little girl burnt herself on a stove. These children were neglected for goodness sake. Complaints were made and authorities investigated. Not only is this against the law, but it is taking away children’s rights to privacy and, most importantly, their childhood. In a recently aired TLC reality show Dance Moms, children were yelled at and belittled in front of the camera, and thousands of viewers. Andy Dehnart describes his experience with the show in an article. He wrote, â€Å"During season 1 finale, Mackenzie, 7, started crying while rehearsing for a music video and ran out of the room, ponytail bouncing over her hot pink sports bra. She found her mother in a back room and ran toward her. â€Å"Please don’t make me go!† As she hugged her mother, Melissa, Mackenzie’s head was turned, and her eyes made contact with the camera, staring right at us. She pulled away, her face a mess of sadness and anger, and pointed accusatorily at the camera and its operator’s instructiveness.† It was extremely evident that this was televised child abuse. This is not the kind of abuse that consists of making a child do something that they don’t want to do in that particular second, but abuse that broadcasts moments of a little naive child’s life that should never be shown to the public. CAPTION: This picture, taken from an article written by Nichelle Strzepe, shows a young girl crying to her mom after her teacher has just finished yelling at her and giving her negative feed back. From a recently conducted interview with Kara Acosta, a young girl with experience in the dancing agency, she stated that, â€Å"The teachers on that show are way too strict. It would be difficult for a grown parent to deal with that type of teaching let alone a young child. Plus their way of teaching is not effective. The kids in my dance class learned best by positive reinforcement.† In the article by Sherry Rickmeier, Katherine Heigl states that she â€Å"watched with open-mouthed amazement as girls as young as seven were encouraged to dress provocatively and shimmy around a stage doing a dance performance that could just as easily been a burlesque routine.† Not only does she comment on the disturbing sexual aspect of the show but also  comments that, â€Å"I was also horrified by the way their instructor spoke to them when she felt they weren’t up to snuff. It was demeaning, belittling, and downright unkind. There is no reason to break anyone down in order to prepare them for inevitable disappointment or unkindness. Especially not a child’s.† There is a clearly defined line between giving helpful criticism and yelling nasty things at children telling them they are â€Å"dumb†, and â€Å"stupid†. It is highly degrading and pure verbal and emotional abuse. Society as a whole is implying to our children that this is ok. The fact is, its not. ​This brings us to the television series Toddlers and Tiaras. ​ The show Toddlers and Tiaras began three years ago, and has since drawn in more viewers. In this series, little four year old girls parade around in flashy dresses; wear fake eyelashes, fake teeth, and globs of makeup. Not only is this taking away their innocence, but it’s submitting them to child pornography. Girl’s outfits include those of sex idols such as Daisy Duke, Dolly Parton, and a prostitute from Pretty Woman. CAPTION: This picture, taken by a college student from a blog on why child beauty pageants are hazardous to children’s health, shows a seven year old who has the face of a twenty year old woman, and is showing off her body to win more points from the judges. An interview conducted with a high school teacher and role model, Mrs. Gorenstein, was recently conducted to show the view of adults on this subject. When asked what she thought the message of the show Toddlers and Tiaras was, she replied saying, â€Å"This show sends the message that kids can get what they want by being bratty, looking pretty and flaunting around their looks.† She also said, â€Å"These shows are pushing a very fine line between showing child abuse and providing entertainment. I would say these shows should be taken of the air, but I worry what they’ll replace it with.† A high school student, Delaney McGinn said, â€Å"These shows are dumb, pointless, and a waste of money. It is showing kids that it’s ok to be extremely fake; in fact it’s teaching them how to do it. These parents are selfish and aren’t letting their children be themselves. Children learn the most in their first couple of years, and all these kids are going to learn is how to be snotty and how to throw a fit when you don’t get what you  want. † ​These children run around looking like miniaturized twenty year olds. The parents of these kids would do anything to have their child win, including hair extensions, caked on makeup, fake eyelashes, spray on tans, fake teeth, and extremely revealing clothing. The want of girls to be happy with natural beauty is punted out the door when it comes to this show. There is absolutely nothing natural about these young children. They look like Barbie dolls. CAPTION: This picture is taken from an article written by Dabney B. about why this show is so messed up. This picture shows how fake these little girls are made. They are sexualized, and are freely shown off to the dangers of the world, just for a couple bucks. This little girl looks like a porcelain doll, not a cute natural little girl. ​There have also been cases of parents â€Å"doping† up their children to make them perform better. A pageant mother claims she prepares her daughter by giving her an unidentified juice drink, â€Å"pageant crack† or â€Å"go-go juice†. No one knew what was in the concoction, and some people were led to believe it had a small amount of alcohol in it along with extremely caffeinated soda drinks. According to the article â€Å"Are Toddlers and Tiaras mothers DOPING their daughters?† by Sadie Whitelocks, the mother, Mrs. Holler, told her daughter to take â€Å"two big gulps† of the drink from an unlabeled drinks bottle. In a couple of seconds the change in the young child was wildly apparent. Moments after having her â€Å"special drink† the young girl started doing stomach spins on the floor. ​Defining the exploitation of children’s privacy on TV, such as these, as child abuse is a bit complicated. But after looking at all of the evidence, it will be extremely difficult for people to say that it is adequate for this to continue. You’d think after all the child abuse cases related to rape and sexual abuse, one like the John Benet Ramsey case, people would want to end the use of reality TV shows that illustrate these young girls in a sexual way, but these shows continue to play on televisions all throughout the country. ​

Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer’s Day

Word Count: 617 Teanna Armstrong Enc 1102 Essay #3 March 11, 2013 Sonnet, Theme, and Structure of â€Å"Shall I Compare thee to a Summer’s Day? † A sonnet’s structure has symbolism and it presents the theme in many poems of Literature. In the poem â€Å"Shall I Compare thee to a Summer’s Day? † by William Shakespeare happens to be a sonnet. To begin with, the sonnet mentioned above is called a Shakespearean sonnet. It is composed of three four-line quatrains and a concluding two-line couplet. Certain components of the author’s point are suggested to be based on its structural patterns; components such as thought and feeling.Meaning this sonnet can introduce the subject in the first quatrain, expand and develop it in the second and third quatrains, and conclude something about it in its final couplet. This whole set up helps the reader to capture the theme; and helps the author to organize the theme. As well as, the sonnet’s structure p lays a key role, other than just being a Shakespeare and sonnet. The structure of the sonnet is strictly constrained, and this one in particular is believed to be a fixed form sonnet. Poems in fixed forms are recognized by their rhyme, meter, and repetition.Furthermore, usually in its opening line the central idea of the poems is expressed. The theme of the poem â€Å"Shall I Compare the to a summer’s day† May be stated as: Can someone, or the subject, really be compared to all the components of a summer after understanding the theme it shows the reader that the sonnet is asking is the subject comparable to a summer’s day, making the structure of the poem easier to understand. To illustrate, the theme is hinted in the first half of the first stanza; which starts the order of the sonnet’s theme. It is clearly indicated that the second line: â€Å"Shall I compare thee to a summer’s Day? (874) is the question that he will be answering. This question also shows that a comparison will be made. The question that remains is what is being compared to what. This is answered in the second line, which states â€Å"Thou art more lovely and more temperate† (874). This statement shows that Shakespeare is comparing a summer’s day to a person who is more lovely and temperate compared to the day of a summer. Moreover, the structure of this sonnet has setup the central theme for the reader in the first stanza. What lies in the next two stanzas are details and deeper emotions or thoughts to fill the reader’s mind with illusions of the sonnet.These middle stanzas are placed in Shakespearean sonnets for this essential reason. The details in this particular selection creates more compare and contrast examples between that person and a Summer’s day. Although Shakespeare wrote the contrast and compare by explaining all of the Cons of summer in these two stanzas, and in the last two line, also known as the couplet, he tur ns the direction back onto the person he was speaking of to show what the cons were compared to. Not only that, but Shakespeare also showed meaning in this couplet: â€Å"So long as men can breathe†¦ This gives life to thee† (874).The statement stated before is meaning the opposite of what was said in the first two stanzas about the summer. Instead, Shakespeare is indicating that the person will live on through his poem forever unlike a Summer’s day. In Conclusion, many poems have different components that lead the reader to realize the central theme. In sonnets particularly, everything is placed where it should be for a reason. All sonnets have symbolism and presents the theme in many pieces of literature as explained above. . Works Cited 1. Diyanni, Robert. Literature: Reading Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. Unites States of America: McGraw-Hill Companies, 2007. Print.