Oleana’s Phone Calls

Leanness Phone Calls David Mate's play Lean is a two character power struggle between a young college student and her Professor. By the second act of the play the struggling student, Carol, has filed a formal complaint of sexual harassment, based not on what actually happened, but on the written definition of said conduct in the universities nomenclature. By act three, unbeknownst to the professor, Carol has filed attempted rape charges against the professor. Again the charges do not reflect what actually occurred but find sound footing in the written word of law.As the story unfolds we e the power shift from the safe, smart, and accomplished professor to the worried, unknowing, and desperate student through the use and interpretation of language. At pivotal moments in the play the professor's phone rings. Calls from his wife, his real estate agent, and his secretary move the story along. Mate's phone interruptions reveal elements of character, power dynamics, and conflict to the aud ience, The phone calls also provoke the audience to draw there own conclusions about the play. Meet is an American playwright, screen writer and film director from Chicago.He has written several novels, a book of poetry, and worked in television as well. He studied at Goddard College in Vermont and at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of Theater in New York. He has taught at New York University, Goddard College, and the Yale Drama School, and he regularly lectures at the Atlantic Theater Company, of which he is a founding member. He got hi start in show business at Chicago Second City, a comedy club that produced many cast members for Saturday Night Live. Meet has won many awards including a Toni and a Pulitzer Prize.His most notable work is the play Gallantry Glen Ross, a gritty kook at cutthroat real estate salesmen. He has a distinct style of writing, especially known for his sparse and blunt dialogue referred to as â€Å"Meet Speak†. Characters often interrupt each other and thoughts or comments go unfinished. Meet says in a 1994 interview with Charlie Rose that â€Å"drama is three things; who wants what from whom? What happens when they don't get it? Why now? (Rose, Charlie Rose. November 1 1, 1994) Lean is no exception. Meet begins Lean with a revealing look at John by way of phone conversation he is having with his wife.They are in escrow on a new house and he is sorting out issues. Carol has done poorly on her paper and wants nothing more; it seems, than to improve her grade in the class. She sits across from him at his desk. It is unclear if John has invited Carol in to sit at the desk or if she entered and sat down uninvited, but what this phone call tells the audience is that the boundary between John's personal life and professional life is not well defined. Using the phone allows Meet to establish John as someone who is in a position of power. He is delegating to his wife; â€Å"†¦ Hat's why I say â€Å"call Jerry†¦ † (M eet, 1, 1) and he is needed; â€Å"I'm going to meet you there†¦.. ‘m leaving in ten or fifteen†¦ † (1, 1), and he is confident; â€Å"We aren't going to lose the deposit†¦ † (1, 1), he assures his wife. Meet conveys to the audience that John is a busy and successful man. He is in the driver's seat, accomplishing his goals and taking care of hand, her grade, but instead asks, â€Å"What is a term of 2) a phrase he uses on the phone. Rather than begin a discussion about her performance in the class Carol asks a question about the professor's personal phone call.This allows Meet to show that Carol does not know and is seeking answers to more than Just this course. The first phone call in the play allows Meet to show the audience that John is opportunistic and self serving. The professor is annoyed with and has little patience for Carol. He struggles not to interrupt her, uses bigger words than he needs to, and says things like, â€Å"l know how pot entially humiliating these†¦ [Things can be]† (1 , 39), which can only serve to move them further apart from each other. By the time the phone rings he has subtly challenged her intelligence and she has subtly challenged his ability to teach.John can take a calculated risk at this Juncture, to maintain power by disturbing Carol. Look, look, I'm not your father. â€Å"(l, 97) he says. The less than benevolent professor knows this will either enrage her or make her feel small and child like. It is a cheap shot but should she challenge or confront him for saying it, he simply has to pick up the phone to maintain his position. She does make that challenge, asking, â€Å"Why did you say that† (1, 102) and instead of answering her he picks up the phone. The conversation is short, but long enough for him to move away from answering to the comment.The phone here allows Meet to reveal an element of cowardice in John's character, and submissiveness in Carol because the inve stigation simply moves on when he hangs up. Meet leaves the audience to sort things out on their own. The next phone call reveals that John's desire to connect with his students is second to his desire to handle his own affairs. The conversation returns to the subject of Carol not understanding the class, but instead of attempting to teach Carol something he discounts his writing ability, â€Å"perhaps its Just not well written† (1, 117) referring to the book he authored and the course itself â€Å"Look.It's Just a course, it's Just a book, it's Just a†¦ † (1 , 127). John goes on to tell Carol some anecdotes ND finally says, â€Å"l am talking to you the way I wish that someone had talked to me. I don't know how else to do it than to be personal, .. But†¦ † (1,229) Carol is confused by the statement and asks, â€Å"Why would you want to be personal with me? â€Å"(1,230) In spite of much gibberish on John's part, here lies an opportunity for them to understand each other better. Carol is on the brink of understanding his methodologies, the why he teaches like he does. The phone rings as John begins to explain, but answers the phone before he can finish.To effectively help this student he needs to connect to her in some way. He has made an attempt, but the phone call lets us know that it really isn't that important to him. Likewise Carol has made an attempt, but after John ends his call Carol does not seek further explanation for a personal connection with her. Instead she pries into his private life by inquiring about the call. It appears to not mean that much to Carol either. Meet also shows that John is grasping for the power that is fading away by deciding not to answer the phone. John goes on to share some of his negative views of higher education.He claims the exams students take in college are ,263), and clears his contempt of the tenure committee of which he now awaits his nice home, and his family (1 ,273) until finally , loosing him, Carol interrupts, â€Å"l want to know about my grade. (Long Pause)† (1, 278) John's ego is dented by the interruption. Here the phone rings again. This time Meet uses the phone to alert the audience that something significant is happening. The audience's ear is now trained to pay close attention to when the phone rings. It has provided insights into the characters and help change the subject.John is finding it difficult to actually teach Carol anything and she has had enough. Carol says, â€Å"l should go. â€Å"(1,286) And John says, â€Å"I'll make you a deal† and â€Å"Let it 289). Meet shows that John is still capable of wielding power in her world. He is determining the course of the conversation. John has no bag of tricks, no skill to deliver knowledge to this student, so he crumbles. He states, â€Å"we'll start the whole class over†¦. Your final grade is an A. (The phone stops ringing)†. (1,289) The audience can hear the residual sounds of the last ring fade away as academic standards, responsibility and respect fly out the window.The audience is left wondering what Just happened. The phone is used to interrupt the flow of conversation between two protagonists. The inappropriate offer of an A has captured Carol's interests, and temporarily restored power to the lack luster professor. He has saved the deal sort to speak, and at the same time effectively removed the responsibility to impart knowledge to the student. Feeling much safer (and powerful) now he continues to espouse his particular brand of gibberish. He is making a genuine attempt to share what's in his head, but failing. She has become upset and he tries to console her.John shows compassion toward Carol and she feels comfortable enough to share with him a secret. â€Å"l always†¦ All my life†¦ ‘ have never told anyone this†¦ † (1, 436) This is a pivot point in their relationship, and yes the phone rings. Carol is about t o confide in John, to trust him. John is about to gain access to Carol in a way that could possibly help him teach her. He answers the call and proceeds to have a rather forceful conversation about the house sale. At one point he threatens to take the seller to court (1, 439). This phone call reveals to the audience that perhaps John is somewhat unreasonable and unlikable. †¦ Screw her†¦ † He says, and â€Å"†¦ Leave her there to stew in it†¦ † (1, 439) Meet shows that John is selfish, and unsympathetic. The audience is forced to agree or disagree with his behavior. Once more the phone call shows that John's priorities are for himself and not of his students needs. Carol discovers that John is not the right person to confide in. In fact she feels abandoned at this point. John is not someone she can trust. Indeed this phone call is a pivot point. It marks the beginning of the end for the professor, because teaching is less important to him than his st atus as a teacher.Again neither Carol nor John continues the conversation where they left off and the audience is left to wonder what her issue is. As the play progresses John's phone conversations clearly show that he is less confident than before, letting the audience know that he has become less powerful. Act 2 opens with the pair discussing the formal complaint of sexual harassment Carol has filled with the tenure committee. Things he said and did in Act 1 have been exaggerated or taken out of context to substantiate her claim. Her agenda now is clearly not a better grade or more understanding of the course material. She is out for his blood.She now holds some power over the professor. In Act 1 John holds court in the arena of academia of room; she is a student to be Judged. Now Carol brings accusations against John, supported by the manipulation of language and her â€Å"Group† (2, 73) She is about to explain who and what her group is to John when the phone rings. It is John's wife who is worried about the house sale, and the complaint. John is nervous and less forceful. This phone call acts to block forward progress in their communication, as it id when he was going to explain why being personal with was necessary and when Carol was about to reveal her secret..When the phone rings in Act 3 the conversation reveals to the audience that things are unraveling. Carol has come to John again. The tenure committee has confirmed Carol's complaint and John has been denied tenure. The shift in power has become obvious. Carol is forceful and aggressive in conversation. She is using big words, very different from Act 1. John is on the ropes. He is loosing his Job and is at Carol's mercy. John is unaware that Carol has filed attempted rape charges against him. Ironically he is now studying something she is an author of (the indictment).As the phone rings John is still referring to the indictment as accusations, Carol is arguing they are proven. It is his secre tary. He has neglected speaking to people in his life for some time. â€Å"†¦ L have no time†¦ † (3, 47) People are worried about him, â€Å"†¦ Tell Jerry I'm 47) This phone call acts as a catalyst for the end of the play when things come too head. From this point Carol is in a position of authority, allowing or not allowing things in the conversation, and now explaining things to John. John covers that Carol and her group are staging a coupe.

Hinduism Characteristics Essay

The following nine facts, though not exhaustive, offer a simple summary of Hindu spirituality or about Hinduism. 1 Hindus believe in a one, all-pervasive Supreme Being who is both immanent and transcendent, both Creator and Unmanifest Reality. 2 Hindus believe in the divinity of the four Vedas, the world’s most ancient scripture, and venerate the Agamas as equally revealed. These primordial hymns are God’s word and the bedrock of Sanatana Dharma, the eternal religion. 3 Hindus believe that the universe undergoes endless cycles of creation, preservation and dissolution. 4 Hindus believe in karma, the law of cause and effect by which each individual creates his own destiny by his thoughts, words and deeds. 5 Hindus believe that the soul reincarnates, evolving through many births until all karmas have been resolved, and moksha, liberation from the cycle of rebirth, is attained. Not a single soul will be deprived of this destiny. 6 Hindus believe that divine beings exist in unseen worlds and that temple worship, rituals, sacraments and personal devotionals create a communion with these devas (divine beings) and God. 7 Hindus believe that an enlightened master, or satguru, is essential to know the Transcendent Absolute, as are personal discipline, good conduct, purification, pilgrimage, self-inquiry, meditation and surrender in God. 8 Hindus believe that all life is sacred, to be loved and revered, and therefore practice ahimsa, noninjury, in thought, word and deed. 9 Hindus believe that no religion teaches the only way to salvation above all others, but that all genuine paths are facets of God’s Light, deserving tolerance and understanding. GOD AND LORDS IN HINDUISM God is a one being, yet we understand Him in three perfections: Absolute Reality, Pure Consciousness and Primal Soul. As Absolute Reality, God is unmanifest, unchanging and transcendent, the Self God, timeless, formless and spaceless. As Pure Consciousness, God is the manifest primal substance, pure divine love and light flowing through all form, existing everywhere in time and space as infinite intelligence and power. God is all and in all, great beyond our conception, a sacred mystery that can be known in direct communion. Hindus believe in one Supreme Being. In the Hindu pantheon there are said to be three hundred and thirty-three million Lords(divine beings). The plurality of Lords are perceived as divine creations of that one Being. So, Hinduism has one supreme God, but it has an extensive hierarchy of Lords. Hinduism views existence as composed of three worlds. The First World is the physical universe; the Second World is the subtle astral or mental plane of existence in which the devas, angels and spirits live; and the Third World is the spiritual universe of the Mahadevas, â€Å"great shining beings,† our Hindu Lords. Hinduism is the harmonious working together of these three worlds. Hinduism is a family of four main denominations – Saivism, Shaktism, Vaishnavism, Smartism – under a divine hierarchy of Mahadevas. These intelligent beings have evolved through eons of time and are able to help mankind without themselves having to live in a physical body. These great Mahadevas, with their multitudes of angelic devas, live and work constantly and tirelessly for the people of our religion, protecting and guiding them, opening new doors and closing unused ones. TEMPLE WORSHIP IN HINDUISM It is in the Hindu temple that the three worlds meet and devotees invoke the Lords of our religion. The temple is built as a palace in which these Lords live. It is the home of the God and Lords, a sacred place unlike every other place on the earth. The Hindu must associate himself with these divine beings in a very sensitive way when he approaches the temple. Though the devotee rarely has the psychic vision of the Deity, he is aware of the God’s divine presence. As he approaches the sanctum sanctorum, the Hindu is fully aware that an intelligent being, greater and more evolved than himself, is there. This Lord is intently aware of him, safeguarding him, fully knowing his inmost thought, fully capable of coping with any situation the devotee may mentally lay at his Holy Feet. It is important that we approach the Deity in this way – conscious and confident that our needs are known in the inner spiritual worlds. The physical representation of the God, be it a stone or metal image other sacred form, simply marks the place that the Lord will manifest in or hover over in his etheric body. It can be conceived as an antenna to receive the divine rays of the Lord or as the material body in or through which the Lord manifests in this First World. When we perform puja, a religious ritual, we are attracting the attention of the devas and Mahadevas in the inner worlds. That is the purpose of a puja; it is a form of communication. To enhance this communication we establish an altar in the temple or in the home. This becomes charged or magnetized through our devotional thoughts and feelings which radiate out and affect the surrounding environment. You can feel the presence of these divine beings, and this radiation from them is known as shakti. It is a communication more real than the communication of language that you experience each day. Finally, it must be clearly understood that God and the Lords are not a psychological product of the Hindu religious mind. They are far older than the universe and are the fountainheads of its galactic energies, shining stars and sunlit planets. They are loving overseers and custodians of the cosmos, earth and mankind. The Hindu cosmological terrain envelopes all of humanity. HINDU HOLY BOOK The Veda is the Hindu holy book. The four books of the Vedas—Rig, Yajur, Sama and Atharva—include over 100,000 verses. The knowledge imparted by the Vedas ranges from earthy devotion to high philosophy. Their words and wisdom permeate Hindu thought, ritual and meditation. The Vedas are the ultimate scriptural authority for Hindus. Their oldest portions are said by some to date back as far as 6,000 bce, orally transmitted for most of history and written down in Sanskrit in the last few millennia, making them the world’s longest and most ancient scripture. The Vedas open a rare window into ancient Indian society, proclaiming life’s sacredness and the way to oneness with God. For untold centuries unto today, the Vedas have remained the sustaining force and authoritative doctrine, guiding followers in ways of worship, duty and enlightenment. The Vedas are the meditative and philosophical focus for millions of monks and a billion seekers. Their stanzas are chanted from memory by priests and laymen daily as liturgy in temple worship and domestic ritual. All Hindus wholeheartedly accept the Vedas, yet each draws selectively, interprets freely and amplifies abundantly. Over time, this tolerant allegiance has woven the varied tapestry of Indian Hindu Dharma. Each of the four Vedas has four sections: Samhitas (hymn collections), Brahmanas (priestly manuals), Aranyakas (forest treatises) and Upanishads (enlightened discourses). The Samhitas and Brahmanas affirm that God is immanent and transcendent and prescribe ritual worship, mantra and devotional hymns to establish communication with the spiritual worlds. The hymns are invocations to the One Divine and to the Divinities of nature, such as the Sun, the Rain, the Wind, the Fire and the Dawn— as well as prayers for matrimony, progeny, prosperity, concord, protection, domestic rites and more. The Aranyakas and Upanishads outline the soul’s evolutionary journey, provide yogic philosophical training and propound realization of man’s oneness with God as the destiny of all souls. Today, the Vedas are published in Sanskrit, English, French, German and other languages. But it is the popular, metaphysical Upanishads that have been most amply and ably translated. KARMA AND REINCARNATION IN HINDUISM Karma Karma literally means â€Å"deed or act,† but more broadly describes the principle of cause and effect. Simply stated, karma is the law of action and reaction which governs consciousness. In physics-the study of energy and matter-Sir Isaac Newton postulated that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Push against a wall. Its material is molecularly pushing back with a force exactly equal to yours. In metaphysics, karma is the law that states that every mental, emotional and physical act, no matter how insignificant, is projected out into the psychic mind substance and eventually returns to the individual with equal impact. The akashic memory in our higher chakras faithfully records the soul’s impressions during its series of earthly lives, and in the astral/mental worlds in-between earth existences. Ancient yogis, in psychically studying the time line of cause/effect, assigned three categories to karma. The first is sanchita, the sum total of past karma yet to be resolved. The second category is prarabdha, that portion of sanchita karma being experienced in the present life. Kriyamana, the third type, is karma you are presently creating. However, it must be understood that your past negative karma can be altered into a smoother, easier state through the loving, heart-chakra nature, through dharma and sadhana. That is the key of karmic wisdom. Live religiously well and you will create positive karma for the future and soften negative karma of the past. Truths and Myths About Karma Karma operates not only individually, but also in ever-enlarging circles of group karma where we participate in the sum karma of multiple souls. This includes family, community, nation, race and religion, even planetary group karma. So if we, individually or collectively, unconditionally love and give, we will be loved and given to. The individuals or groups who act soulfully or maliciously toward us are the vehicle of our own karmic creation. The people who manifest your karma are also living through past karma and simultaneously creating future karma. For example, if their karmic pattern did not include miserliness, they would not be involved in your karma of selfishness. Another person may express some generosity toward you, fulfilling the gifting karma of your past experience. Imagine how intricately interconnected all the cycles of karma are for our planet’s life forms. Reincarnation The soul functions with complete continuity in its astral/mental bodies. It is with these sensitive vehicles that we experience dream or â€Å"astral† worlds during sleep every night. The astral world is equally as solid and beautiful, as varied and comprehensive as the earth dimension-if not much more so. Spiritual growth, psychic development, guidance in matters of governance and commerce, artistic cultivation, inventions and discoveries of medicine, science and technology all continue by astral people who are â€Å"in-between† earthly lives. Many of the Veda hymns entreat the assistance of devas: advanced astral or mental people. Yet, also in the grey, lower regions of this vast, invisible dimension exist astral people whose present pursuits are base, selfish, even sadistic. Where the person goes in the astral plane at sleep or death is dependent upon his earthly pursuits and the quality of his mind. Because certain seed karmas can only be resolved in earth consciousness and because the soul’s initial realizations of Absolute Reality are only achieved in a physical body, our soul joyously enters another biological body. At the right time, it is reborn into a flesh body that will best fulfill its karmic pattern. In this process, the current astral body-which is a duplicate of the last physical form-is sluffed off as a lifeless shell that in due course disintegrates, and a new astral body develops as the new physical body grows. This entering into another body is called reincarnation: â€Å"re-occupying the flesh.† During our thousands of earth lives, a remarkable variety of life patterns are experienced. We exist as male and female, often switching back and forth from life to life as the nature becomes more harmonized into a person exhibiting both feminine nurturing and masculine intrepidness. We come to earth as princesses and presidents, as paupers and pirates, as tribals and scientists, as murderers and healers, as atheists and, ultimately, God-Realized sages. We take bodies of every race and live the many religions, faiths and philosophies as the soul gains more knowledge and evolutionary experience. Therefore, the Hindu knows that the belief in a single life on earth, followed by eternal joy or pain is utterly wrong and causes great anxiety, confusion and fear. Hindus know that all souls reincarnate, take one body and then another, evolving through experience over long periods of time. Like the caterpillar’s metamorphosis into the butterfly, death doesn’t end our existence but frees us to pursue an even greater development. Dharma Dharma yields Heaven’s honor and Earth’s wealth. What is there then that is more fruitful for a man? There is nothing more rewarding than dharma, nor anything more ruinous than its neglect. When God created the universe, He endowed it with order, with the laws to govern creation. Dharma is God’s divine law prevailing on every level of existence, from the sustaining cosmic order to religious and moral laws which bind us in harmony with that order. Related to the soul, dharma is the mode of conduct most conducive to spiritual advancement, the right and righteous path. It is piety and ethical practice, duty and ob ligation. When we follow dharma, we are in conformity with the Truth that inheres and instructs the universe, and we naturally abide in closeness to God. Adharma is opposition to divine law. Dharma is to the individual what its normal development is to a seed–the orderly fulfillment of an inherent nature and destiny. SIGNIFICANCE OF HINDUISM Hinduism is unique among the world’s religions. I boldly proclaim it the oldest religion in the world. To begin with, it is mankind’s oldest spiritual declaration, the very fountainhead of faith on the planet. Hinduism’s venerable age has seasoned it to maturity. It is the only religion, to my knowledge, which is not founded in a single historic event or prophet, but which itself proceeds recorded history. Hinduism has been called the â€Å"cradle of spirituality,† and the â€Å"mother of all religions,† partially because it has influenced virtually every major religion and partly because it can absorb all other religions, honor and embraces their scriptures, their saints, and their philosophy. This is possible because Hinduism looks compassionately on all genuine spiritual effort and knows unmistakably that all souls are evolving toward union with the Divine, and all are destined, without exception, to achieve spiritual enlightenment and liberation in this or a future life. Please visit, if you wish to seek further

The Effects of American Imperialism on Native Americans Essay

The Effects of American Imperialism on Native Americans - Essay Example This essay analyzes that after the war between Indian and French national ended in present America, Britain designed an effective system of governance. The colony had to tighten control on the American territory. In response to this need, the British government provided various policies. The federal government in the present United States of America had to inculcate the aspect of nationalism on the Natives. One of the policies related to nationalism for the Natives of America was the Snyder Indian Citizenship Act. This Act came into effect in the year 1924. The basic principle of the act was to assimilate Indians and other natives into the American culture.  This essay analyzes that after the war between Indian and French national ended in present America, Britain designed an effective system of governance. The colony had to tighten control on the American territory. In response to this need, the British government provided various policies. The federal government in the present Un ited States of America had to inculcate the aspect of nationalism on the Natives. One of the policies related to nationalism for the Natives of America was the Snyder Indian Citizenship Act. This Act came into effect in the year 1924. The basic principle of the act was to assimilate Indians and other natives into the American culture.  The U.S during the nineteen century was influenced towards expanding it territories westwards. Concerning the expansion, the government would have to occupy territories owned by native tribe communities.

There is a bleak relationship between liberalism and colonialism Essay

There is a bleak relationship between liberalism and colonialism - Essay Example Colonialism leads to atrocities where liberalism is absent. Elkins acknowledges that British colonialism in Kenya did not give natives right and access to amenities (Elkins 2011: 7374). The system of governance used constituted torture and violence to ensure that Kenyans obeyed the system. Additionally, the use of military agents to deal with Mau Mau insurgents used thepower that denied Kenya access to freedom. The military government received support from the high officials in the colonial government. The illegal use of force to rule Kenya confirms that liberalism cannot thrive where colonialism is practiced. Elkins reveals that the five complainants required hard evidence for them to win the case. One of the documents that were used includes Hanslope Disclosure, and it was used to document cases of violence and detention. The practice of colonialism during British Empire in Kenya led to deaths at least 1,000 Mau Mau suspects through hanging. Bringing colonial warlords to justice gr ants the former colonies a sense of self-actualization. However, the warlords out up a fight and destroy any evidence that can ascertain that they committed atrocities that disrespected human rights. One of the common processes that are used to seek reconciliation between colonialism and liberalism is restorative justice. Elkins argues that liberalism comes through the process of restorative justice (Elkins 2011: 736). Mau Mau suspects and sympathizers were detained amidst massive public support and protests.

Globalisation and Diversity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Globalisation and Diversity - Essay Example These are a set of indicative norms that companies can use to do their business. They help companies to adapt to international standards of corporate behavior. By adopting this, companies show their willingness to conduct their business in an ethical way and become role models for others to follow. Introduction It has been increasingly felt by all that there should be a proper alignment of objectives between the international community and the business community. This need has become stronger by the fact that they have common goals. Some of them are, fighting corruption, taking care of the environment and issues related to its safety, enabling social inclusion, and building common markets. All these factors have opened up avenues for an extraordinary cooperation and need for transparency between different stakeholders such as business, governments, civil society, labor force and the United Nations. The UN Global Compact is a very well planned initiative for all those organizations in the world, which are dedicated to align their business operations and strategies with â€Å"Ten universally accepted principles.† (United Nation, 2011). These principles are adopted in the areas of human rights, labor, environment and anti- corruption. This initiative is both local as well as global. In fact private and public enterprises can participate in this. There are no mandatory requirements to join this initiative. However once a company joins it, it must endeavor to remain accountable for its operations to its stakeholders. Discussion of question set By aligning the business operations and strategies with ten universally accepted principles, the organizations are indicating their willingness to join it on a voluntary basis. They also agree and believe that business is the key driver of globalization. With this initiative, they can make sure that they make significant contributions to the growth of economies and societies at large (Schreck 2009). Their contribution c an be in several areas such as, markets, technology, finance and trading. The social, political and economic opportunities and threats have a significant effect on all the businesses. More and more companies are increasingly realizing the need to work together and collaborate with the all the stakeholders such as, governments, civil society, labor to improve their business volumes and profits. The UN Global Compact has made vital contribution to the development of business in an ethical way (Gjolberg 2004). The environmental principles of the United Nations Global Compact have left a great impact on the organizations. More and more companies have now started realizing the need for focusing on environmental issues and their effect on the industry and individuals (Rasche 2010). The first ten years of the existence of Compact have thrown interesting findings which have been endorsed by scholars, business tycoons, and stalwarts from the civil society as well the staff working in the Glo bal Compact initiative. Their comments clearly indicate the achievements of the Global Compact and the future trends it should follow to sustain the initiative. It also has to meet challenges and oppositions from the traditionalists. Rashce also highlights the changes in the structure of the Compact, role of Global Compact Local Network and the spread of communication on the progress of the policy. The story of UN Global Compact is not all successful and its strengths and weaknesses are clearly brought out by Rashce.

Imagine you are a business owner; discuss debt financing, types of Assignment

Imagine you are a business owner; discuss debt financing, types of risk, beta, and investments - Assignment Example This would give you a better idea to stock only as much as you would need. For a small business the ratios can do wonders as it utilizes current cash flows to determine how much cash would be flowing in the future. Most importantly for a small business like mine the financial ratios help to identify the weaknesses and the strengths of the business. This way the retailer can have a better understanding on how to play his cards in order to make his business flourish. A few ratios that tend to be important to a small business would be income ratios, liquidity ratios, and profitability ratios. Though what seems important for a small business enterprise will not be as important for a larger business enterprise. Thus larger business corporations have to consider retailers and wholesalers, for them it’s the ratio is of total assets and total liabilities. They have manufactures and a number of other liabilities and ratios that need to be accounted for while the workings of a small business are fairly simple. Another important factor in managing small businesses that is debt financing. Most small businesses do not require large investments and so they use debt financing. Debt financing is all about taking a loan from the bank to finance the newly found business practice. Debt financing surely has its upsides and downsides. We shall discuss the upside first; debt financing allows you to have full control over your business practices unlike having a partner. Another one would be the tax benefits involved (Bragg, 2011). Another important factor would be that the amount due is fixed and so can be managed over the months’ time because it is easier to generate the amount with a target in mind. Last but not least no amount of profit generated is up for sharing. Where theres an upside theyre bound to be a downside as well. The debt financing brings along with the

A. Critically assess why organisations should implement supportive Essay

A. Critically assess why organisations should implement supportive career management practices - Essay Example With more internal and external pressures to deliver client oriented services, professionals and organizations alike are increasingly pushed either to perform or face the axe of competitive market forces. Both the individual and the organization are all sailing in an expectant climate of taking responsibility for career management and development. Practitioners and researchers are in agreement that effective career management strategies are essential resources for organizational and individual growth prospects. Even though interest in the long-term growth may seem to be a shared objective of both individual employees and their employers, the key to a sustainable success remains the maintenance of sharp skills, which is largely the responsibility of the individual. The adage of ‘working for an employer for a lifetime with career prospects of â€Å"moving up the ladder†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ seems to be a distant antique memory. In response to the new workplace dynamics, organizational management in the 21st century strives to reward quality services. In this regard, therefore, a working world characterized by globalized outsourcing, reorganization, contract labor, streamlining and downsizing has been adopted to curb escalating costs. As such, those entering the job market can, thus, be expected to have dynamic careers with the ability to serve clients in different organizations during a work life estimated to last for 40–50 years. ... While self-management is an important element of individual independence, it takes a self-activated attitudinal shift to cultivate reliance on oneself from the dictatorial organizational career management systems (Arnold, 1997). Critical self-analysis with a view to discovering inner, hidden talents, unexploited capabilities and career ambitions not only helps the individual to map out a concrete action plan but also creates the impetus towards the realization of one’s own desires (Sturges et al., 2000). Precisely, career self-assessment helps in developing more elaborate ideas on desired goals and how to achieve such aspirations. Contributing to the same subject of career development, Seibert, Kraimer and Crant (2001) are also in agreement that individual career self-management has an immense contributory effect on improving employee outcomes as well as the general success of one’s career. Accordingly, personal initiatives such as career oriented feedback from colleagu es provide a more satisfying level of carrier progress via identification of specific areas that require improvement. Notably, those active in monitoring and managing their career development are more likely to engage in informative career conversations to illuminate paths that better serve to accomplish personal aspirations (Schein, 1993). Indeed, self-assessment through feedback from colleagues informs a deeper understanding of oneself on certain fundamental internal career prospects which, in turn, enhance commitment to a more delivering career. Research into a more satisfying work life indicates that personal careers are most productive when employer’s goals are met (Sturges et al., 2000). Certainly, nothing would be more satisfying than knowing that preset targets