Casey at the bat ESSAY

He allowed the first pitch to pass him by, as though it was unworthy of his attention and skill, with the second pitch the same, and as the third approached to crop wad was ready to jump to fence at take the field. Casey now with determination and a fierce anger in his eyes, ready to hit the third pitch and prove his overly hyped skills. As the ball approached the crowd fell silent, Casey swung with all his might, creating a thick dust clog d. The dust settles as an overwhelming disappointment fell across the crowd, Casey had s truck out.The short narration of the game show flaws in Case's character, best reveal by the crowd's perception of him, and his pride, ultimately leading to his death as the e character of ‘the mighty Casey†(20). Casey is just a man, nothing more, the crowd made him to be more, because t he outcome of the game is looking poor and they needed a hero. All the men before Casey struck out or made base by a stroke Of luck. Casey happens to be at the end 0 f the roster, the last chance, the hero of the game.The crowd speaks of him as though he is the e only chance the team ever has of a victory, the only reason the sun came out this morning g, â€Å"if only Casey could 2 get but a whack at that / We'd put up even money, now, with Casey at the bat†(78). The only reason for showing to the game was to watch Casey at the bat, â€Å"for Casey, mi eighty Casey, was advancing to the bat' (20). Casey is known by all the fans as mighty, confine dent, prideful, and the only decent player they have seen all game. Making themselves and C ease blind to any mistakes Casey has and will make.Casey is a baseball player for the mudslide nine whose demise as a character s shown because he is too prideful. During the failures of the other batters, the only thing the onlookers can think of is watching the beloved Casey hit the ball. And Casey, h myself knows it, â€Å"For Casey, mighty Casey, was advancing to the bat. / There was ease in Case' s manner as he stepped into his place; / There was pride in Casey bearing and a smile on Case's face† (2022). Though Careers true colors are shown when he allowed the first pitch to pass him right by, as he says â€Å"That anti my style†(32).Come the second pitch the as me, as though the ball is unworthy of even one more glance, â€Å"But still Casey ignored T here is a very fine line between having self confidence and being conceited, Casey flirts co insatiable with that latter of the two. Often an over the top display self confidence can be an tempt to try and hide their shortcomings and failures. Case's pride is nothing more than s elf hype. By the end of the poem his character flaws and downsides are revealed entirely.He s so sulfanilamide and overzealous his pride becomes the only thing on his mind, an d in doing so he loses his mighty reputation, â€Å"But there is no joy in Mudslide mighty Casey has struck out†(53). Pride can kill any man, no matter their intelligence or ability to reason, because e it is rarely a good quality to possesses. Pride, it can have a tremendous impact on how you perceive yourself and how others think of you. It impacts your behavior tow rd others and he manner in which you speak to them, how you chose to live your life, how you dress and present yourself, 3 and your attitude towards the day.It comes down to measuring yourself gaga nest everyone else, â€Å"The rest / Clung to that hope which springs eternal in the human breast; / They thought, if only Casey could get but a whack at that / We'd put up even money, now, with Casey at the bat. But Flynn preceded Casey, as did also Jimmy Blake†(59), instead of looking tat ourselves and discovering what makes you, you, uniquely and without compare. It comes aft ere someone has harmed us, after we've achieved something monumental, or done something against perceived odds.Pride can be the boost we need to protect ourselves from an y further harm or disappo intment from others. But pride can have a strong negative impact, â€Å"B UT there is no joy in Mudslide mighty Casey has struck out†(53). Pride can ruin you by giving you the false illusion of knowing more than you do, or even make you believe you know eve retrying. Instead of you hearing a suggestion or a cautionary warning, you hear a dare, some en assuming you will fail. Pride was Case's superpower but also his krypton, leading to his own personal destruction. English 100002 Rewrite one of your topic sentences.

Role of Project Management

The Role of the Project Manager A project manager is the person who has the overall responsibility for the successful initiation, planning, design, execution, monitoring, controlling and closure of a project. The job title is used in construction, petrochemical, architecture, information technology and many different industries that produce products and services. The project manager must have a combination of skills including an ability to ask penetrating questions, detect unstated assumptions and resolve conflicts, as well as more general management skills.Key among his or her duties is the recognition that risk directly impacts the likelihood of success and that this risk must be both formally and informally measured throughout the lifetime of the project. Risks arise from uncertainty, and the successful project manager is the one who focuses on this as the main concern. Most of the issues that impact a project arise in one-way or another from risk. A good project manager can lesse n risk significantly, often by adhering to a policy of open communication, ensuring every significant participant has an opportunity to express opinions and concerns.It follows that a project manager is one who is responsible for making decisions both large and small, in such a way that risk is controlled and uncertainty minimized. Every decision taken by the project manager should be taken in such a way that it directly benefits the project. Project managers use project management software, such as Microsoft Project, to organize their tasks and workforce. These software packages allow project managers to produce reports and charts in a few minutes, compared with the several hours it can take if they do it by hand. Roles and ResponsibilitiesThe role of the project manager encompasses many activities including: ? Scope Management ? Time Management ? Cost Management ? Risk Management ? Quality Management ? Contract Management ? Communication Management ? Human Resources Management Fin ally, senior management must give a project manager support and authority if he or she is going to be successful. Scope Management Best Practices for Scope Management The knowledge area of Scope Management is all about making sure that the project includes only the work required to complete the project successfully.To be effective at scope management, project manager must learn to control what is and what is not in the scope of the project. Below are some of the best practices for successful scope management. ? Collect Project Requirements ? Define the Scope ? Create a Work Breakdown Structure ? Verify the Scope and Get Feedback ? Monitor and Control the Scope 1. Collect Project Requirements The ability to define and then effectively control the scope of a project depends a lot on the goals and requirements of the project. For this reason, project manager need to gather the necessary information up front, before you ever start the project.By clearly understanding the needs of the st akeholders and the capabilities and constraints of the resources, project manager have a higher chance to succeed. The easiest way to collect the project requirements is to perform interviews with the key stakeholders. Ask questions about their views of the finished product, the deliverables they expect to receive, and the schedule of the project. Once project manager have the information need, project manager may want to create a Scope Management Plan to define the processes that will be followed in defining scope, documenting scope, verifying and accepting scope, and managing change requests. . Define the Scope The scope of a project typically consists of a set of deliverables, an assigned budget, and an expected closure time. The previously collected project requirements will help project manager define the scope. Be sure to write down exactly what the project will entail and what it will not entail. Any amount of variation in the scope of the project can affect the project sched ule, budget, and ultimately the success of the project. Getting a clear and concise definition of the scope will help project manager manage changes as they occur.With a clear scope definition, project manager can simply ask the question, â€Å"Does this change fall within the scope of the project? † If the answer is yes, then approve the change. If the answer is no, then put a pin it and save it for another time or project. Scope Creep: Scope creep is something common with every project. This refers to the incremental expansion of the project scope. Most of the time, the client may come back to the service provider during the project execution and add more requirements. Most of such requirements haven't been in the initial requirements.As a result, change requests need to be raised in order to cover the increasing costs of the services provider. Due to business scope creep, there can be technological scope creep as well. The project team may require new technologies in order to address some of the new requirements in the scope. In such instances, the services provider may want to work with the client closely and make necessary logistic and financial arrangements. 3. Create a Work Breakdown Structure A work breakdown structure or WBS is a graphical representation of the hierarchy of the project.The WBS forces the project team to think through all levels of the project and identify the major tasks that need to be performed for the project to be completed on time. By starting with the end objective and then successively subdividing it into manageable steps or components in terms of size, duration, and responsibility, the WBS provides a high level view of the entire project. Furthermore, the framework makes planning and controlling the scope of the project much easier since project manager have a graphical chart to reference point for the tasks and subtasks needed for each phase of the project.As a general rule of thumb, no task within the WBS should be le ss than 8 hours or more than 80 hours. 4. Verify the Scope and Get Feedback Because projects are expected to meet strict deadlines, verifying the scope of the project is critical before and during the project cycle. Scope verification can be done after each major task or phase is completed or if it is a smaller project, after the project has been completed. To verify the scope, meet with the project customer or stakeholder and get him/her to formally accept the project deliverables.This includes getting a written acceptance of the deliverables and requesting feedback on the work performed. Getting feedback from the customer is an excellent way for project manager to improve processes and make sure the customer is happy with the work and the status of the project. The most important thing here is to communicate well and often. Verifying the scope and getting feedback will help you focus on customer acceptance, quality control, and verifying that work performed meets the definition of the scope of the project. 5. Monitor and Control the ScopeNow that the Scope has been clearly defined, a work breakdown structure has been organised, and the customer has formally accepted the scope of the project, it is time to actually manage and control the scope to avoid scope creep. Scope creep refers to the incremental expansion of the scope of the project, which may include and introduce more requirements that may not have been a part of the initial planning phases, but add costs and time to the original project. To effectively monitor and control the scope of the project, make sure project manager have an established process for managing change requests.Any and all requests should be vetted and approved before they get introduced into the project. The budget and schedule of the project should also be altered to reflect the new changes. These changes should get a formal sign-off from the customer or key stakeholder before proceeding. It is important that project manager clos ely monitor and control the scope to avoid disgruntled customers, higher than expected costs, and projects that aren't completed on time. Time Management Time Management refers to managing time effectively so that the right time is allocated to the right activity.Effective time management allows individuals to assign specific time slots to activities as per their importance. Time Management refers to making the best use of time as time is always limited. Know which work should be done earlier and which can be done a little later. Time Management plays a very important role not only in organizations but also in our personal lives. Time Management Includes: ? Effective Planning ? Setting goals and objectives ? Setting deadlines ? Delegation of responsibilities ? Prioritizing activities as per their importance Spending the right time on the right activity Effective Planning Prepare a To Do List or a â€Å"TASK PLAN†. Jot down the important activities that need to be done in a si ngle day against the time that should be allocated to each activity. High Priority work should come on top followed by those which do not need much of our importance at the moment. Complete pending tasks one by one. Do not begin fresh work unless we have finished our previous task. Tick the ones we have already completed. Ensure finish the tasks within the stipulated time frame. Setting Goals and ObjectivesWorking without goals and targets in an organization would be similar to a situation where the captain of the ship loses his way in the sea. Set targets and make sure they are realistic ones and achievable. Setting Deadlines Set deadlines for strive hard to complete tasks ahead of the deadlines. Learn to take ownership of work. One person who can best set the deadlines is project manager. Use a planner to mark the important dates against the set deadlines. Delegation of Responsibilities Learn to say â€Å"NO† at workplace. Don’t do everything alone.There are other pe ople as well. One should not accept something which he knows is difficult for him. The roles and responsibilities must be delegated as per interest and specialization of employees for them to finish tasks within deadlines. A person who does not have knowledge about something needs more time than someone who knows the work well. Prioritizing Tasks Prioritize the tasks as per their importance and urgency. Know the difference between important and urgent work. Identify which tasks should be done within a day, which all should be done within a month and so on.Tasks which are most important should be done earlier. Spending the right time on right activity Develop the habit of doing the right thing at the right time. Work done at the wrong time is not of much use. Don’t waste a complete day on something which can be done in an hour or so. Also keep some time separate for personal calls or checking updates on Facebook or Twitter. After all human being is not a machine. For Effective Time Management Project Manager Needs To Be: Organized – Avoid keeping stacks of file and heaps of paper at workstation. Throw what all don’t need.Put important documents in folders. Keep the files in their respective drawers with labels on top of each file. It saves time which goes on unnecessary searching. Don’t misuse time – Do not kill time by loitering or gossiping around. Concentrate on work and finish assignments on time. Remember the organization is not paying for playing games on computer or peeping into other’s cubicles. First complete the work and then do whatever feels like doing. Don’t wait till the last moment. Be Focused – One needs to be focused for effective time management.Ten Essential Time Management Strategies for the Project Manager The following are the best time management practices for project managers: 1. Use the right tools and equipment. In project management, a project manager's effectiveness will largely depend on the tools at his or her disposal. Even the most talented project manager will be limited if the right software and equipment are not available. Before taking on a project, project managers should thus assess their needs. Some areas to consider include: communications equipment, project tracking software, and collaboration software. . Get to know your project personnel. Social, economic, and cultural differences can often lead to misunderstanding and mis-communication among project team members, especially in situations where a project manager is working with a multi-national project team, and these misunderstandings can be a significant draw on project time. To counteract this affect, project managers should be familiar with the social, economic, and cultural differences of the project team members, and then ensure that these differences are taken into account within project communications. . The 20/80 rule. One of the guiding rules in the management of a project is the P areto Principle which states that roughly 80% of the outputs will be generated by only 20% of the inputs. In other words, a few elements create the most impact. Project managers can capitalize on this principle with the use of a Pareto Chart, a vertical bar graph that identifies in rank order the most important elements or factors in a project, so that attention can be directed to the things that matter the most. 4. The fudge factor.When creating the project budget and setting the project schedule, experienced project managers will always include a cushion in their estimates. These over-estimates of time and money are meant to compensate for any small, unexpected problems that may come up throughout the course of the project, and will ultimately help the project to stay on course. 5. Develop a solid risk management strategy. In addition to budgeting for unexpected draws on time and money, project managers need to have a solid risk management strategy in place so that a project recov ery plan can be quickly implemented if problems arise. 6.Effectively delegate tasks. One of the biggest pitfalls in project management is insufficient delegation of responsibilities. Project managers in particular must be available to oversee the various elements of the project and make key decisions. When they are being bogged down by tasks that can be done by others, then it compromises their ability to manage. 7. Conduct productive team meetings. When project personnel are brought together, it is vital that there be a clear and focused agenda to the meeting. Otherwise, the time of the project manager as well as all those attending the meeting will be compromised.Experienced project managers are adept at determining which information must be discussed in a face-to-face meeting and which information can be disseminated via other mediums. 8. Effective communication system for communication. It almost goes without saying that a project will never run smoothly if the right information does not reach the right people at the right time. A system for effective communication of project information among project personnel as well as project clients and senior executives is a must.Not only must the project manager ensure that he or she is presenting information in a clear, logical, and understandable way, but also that the right tools are in place, such as file- sharing programs, networks, and collaboration tools. 9. Daily personal to-do list. A simple, yet highly effective time management technique for the project manager is the daily creation of a personal to-do list. Having such a list on hand will help the project manager stay on track and not get caught up in the project's myriad details. 10. Stay focused on the big picture.As the old saying goes: don't sweat the small stuff, that's the job of the various project personnel hired to bring the project to completion. Putting undue attention on relatively insignificant aspects of the project can also quickly bring th e project off schedule. Experienced project managers know where they can â€Å"let go† versus knowing which things demand their attention. By following the time management strategies mentioned above, the project manager can help to ensure that all the elements of the project are indeed brought together in a harmonious path towards project completion.Time Management Tips for Project Managers Summary Time management is a basic skill for project managers. If project manager manage own time, how can project manager expect to manage the teams? Ask each day what project manager did to move the project forward. Plan the next day, what will project manager do to ensure the project continues along the straight and narrow. Plan the time, manage the resources with a light touch and communicate effectively. With a little time management, project success should come easier. Cost Management The following are the costs associated with the projects. Direct costsAny costs that are directly at tributable to the work on the project. These can include the salaries paid to the resources, the billing rate of the resources and costs of the software and hardware that are used for building the website Indirect Costs These costs are spread out against many projects and cannot be linked to one project alone. These costs include those incurred in shared services like cost of office space, taxes paid by the organization and other services like secretarial and janitorial staff Variable Costs Costs that change in proportion to the amount of time and material that are spent on produced in the project.Fixed Costs Costs that do not change with the timeline or progress of the project. A cost be either Fixed or Variable; Direct or Indirect The overhead costs for this project are the office setup and shared services. While the costs incurred in setting up the office space can be general overhead cost as it is a one-time cost and is borne by all the projects in the organization. The project overhead costs are the costs incurred in the shared services such as secretarial staff and other services provide to the project and can be directly billable as such.Time phased budget A time phased budget would include the costs incurred at each interval or milestone of the project. The milestones for this project would be requirements, design, coding, testing and implementation. The budget for the same would be the costs at each stage of the project. The budget at completion or BAC should have all the components of the costs included like direct and indirect costs, fixed and variable costs etc along with the cost at each phase or milestone of the project.The cost variance should be measured using Earned Value technique and this tool allows the manager to assess the completion of the project at each milestone according to the cost incurred and the value accrued till then. Variance between these two measures gives an accurate estimate of the health of the project. Cumulative costs T he cumulative costs of the project are the ones that are incurred up to a specific phase or milestone of the project. It can be measured by using a Cost Performance Index or CPI which measures the ratio of the Earned value with regards to the Actual cost incurred on the project.As outlined above, all the costs that accumulate up to a particular phase can be called the cumulative costs of the project. Cost control The cost management plan should include the plan for controlling the costs of the project. There should be a measurement of the costs involved and their variances tracked, if any. Any variance to the budget must be controlled by the controlling the impact of the cost changes. Further, cost control can be done in the area of overhead costs and general and administrative expenses. Estimating Project CostsThe Wideman Comparative Glossary of Common Project Management Terms describes estimating cost as â€Å"The process of forecasting a future result in terms of cost, based upo n information available at the time. † In his book ‘How to be a Better Project Manager', Trevor L Young defines estimating as â€Å"A decision about how much time and resource are required to carry out a piece of work to acceptable standards of performance. † Many techniques, books and software packages exist to help with estimating project costs. A few simple rules will also help ensure you create an accurate and realistic estimate. Assume resources will only be productive for 80 percent of their time. ? Resources working on multiple projects take longer to complete tasks because of time lost switching between them. ? People are generally optimistic and often underestimate how long tasks will take. ? Make use of other project manager experiences. ? Get an expert view. ? Include management time in any estimate. ? Always build in contingency for problem solving, meetings and other unexpected events. ? Cost each task in the Work Breakdown Structure to arrive at a to tal, rather than trying to cost the project as a whole. Agree a tolerance with the customer for additional work that is not yet defined. ? Communicate any assumptions, exclusions or constraints project manager have to the customer. ? Provide regular budget statements to the customer, copying the team, so they are always aware of the current position. ? Much data exists about the length of time particular items of work take, especially in the construction industry. A useful database of production rates can be found at Planning Planet Common Mistakes ? These are some of the common mistakes that can lead to inaccurate estimates. Not understanding what is involved to complete an item of work. ? Starting with an amount of money and making the project cost fit it. ? Assigning resources at more than 80 percent utilization. ? Failing to build in contingency. ? Failing to adjust the estimate following changes in scope. ? Dividing tasks between more than one resource. ? Providing estimates un der pressure in project meetings. ? Giving single-data-point estimates rather than range estimates. Three Point Estimating Three point estimating is a technique that helps project managers produce better estimates.Rather than a ballpark estimate, project managers can use three point estimating to gain a greater degree of control over how the end value is calculated. The end value is the weighted average of three estimates. To do three point estimating for a particular task or activity, ask the resource for their best-case, most likely and worst case estimates. Add the best-case estimate to four times the most likely, then the worst case and divide by six. This gives you your estimate (E value) which is a slightly more balanced view of how long the task or activity is likely to take.The formula is expressed as: E = (B + 4 M + W)/6 B = best-case (1/6) M = most likely (4/6) W = worst case (1/6) `Monte Carlo Simulation in MS Excel The Monte Carlo method of estimating project cost is bas ed on the generation of multiple trials to determine the expected value of a random variable. There are several commercial packages that run Monte Carlo simulation; however a basic spreadsheet such as Microsoft Excel can be used to run a simulation. Risk Management Literally speaking,  risk management is the process of minimizing or mitigating the risk.It starts with the identification and evaluation of risk followed by optimal use of resources to monitor and minimize the same. Risk generally results from uncertainty. In organizations this risk can come from uncertainty in the market place (demand, supply and Stock market), failure of projects, accidents, natural disasters etc. There are different tools to deal with the same depending upon the kind of risk. Ideally in risk management, a risk prioritization process is followed in which those risks that pose the threat of great loss and have great probability of occurrence are dealt with first. Refer to table below: IMPACT |ACTIONS | |SIGNIFICANT |Considerable Management Required |Must Manage and Monitor Risks |Extensive Management essential | |MODERATE |Risk are bearable to certain extent |Management effort worthwhile |Management effort required | |MINOR |Accept Risks |Accept but monitor Risks |Manage and Monitor Risks | |   |LOW |MEDIUM |HIGH | | |LIKELIHOOD | The above chart can be used to strategize in various situations. The two factors that govern the action required are the probability of occurrence and the impact of the risk.For example a condition where the impact is minor and the probability of occurrence is low, it is better to accept the risk without any interventions. A condition where the likelihood is high and the impact is significant, extensive management is required. This is how a certain priority can be established in dealing with the risk. Apart from this, typically most of the organizations follow a risk management cycle. Refer diagram below: [pic] According to this cycle there are four steps in the process of risk management. The first step is the assessment of risk, followed by evaluation and management of the same. The last step is measuring the impact.Risk identification can start at the base or the surface level, in the former case the source of problems is identified. We now have two things to deal with the source and the problem. Risk Source:  The source can be either internal or external to the system. External sources are beyond control whereas internal sources can be controlled to a certain extent. For example, the amount of rainfall, weather over an airport etc! Problem:  A problem at the surface level could be the threat of accident and casualty at the plant, a fire incident etc. When any or both of the above two are known beforehand, certain steps can be taken to deal with the same.After the risk has been identified then it must be assessed on the potential of criticality. Here we arrive upon risk prioritization. In generic terms ‘likelihood of occurrence ? impact’ is equal to risk. This is followed by development of a risk management plan and implementation of the same. It comprises of the effective security controls and control mechanisms for mitigation of risk. A more challenging risk to organizational effectiveness is the risk that is present but cannot be identified. For example a perpetual inefficiency in the production process accumulates over a certain period of time and translates into operational risk. The Principles of Risk ManagementEvery project manager and business leader needs to be aware of the practices and principles of effective risk management. Understanding how to identify and treat risks to an organization, a programmed or a project can save unnecessary difficulties later on, and will prepare managers and team members for any unavoidable incidences or issues. The M_o_R (Management of Risk) framework identifies twelve principles, which are intended â€Å"not to be prescriptive but provide s upportive guidance to enable organizations to develop their own policies, processes strategies and plan. Organizational Context A fundamental principle of all generic management methods, including PRINCE2 and MSP as well as M_o_R, is that all organizations are different.Project managers, programmed managers and risk managers need to consider the specific context of the organization in order to ensure thorough identification of risks and appropriate risk treatment procedures. The term ‘organizational context' encompasses the political, economic, social, technological, legal and environmental backdrop of an organization. Stakeholder Involvement It is easy for a management team to become internalized and forget that stakeholders are also key participants in everyday business procedures, short-term projects and business-wide change programmed. Understanding the roles of individual stakeholders and managing stakeholder involvement is crucial to successful.Stakeholders should, as fa r as is appropriate, be made aware of risks to a project or programmed. Within the context and stakeholder involvement, â€Å"appropriate† concerns: the identity and role of the stakeholder, the level of influence that the stakeholder has over and outside of the organization, the level of investment that the stakeholder has in the organization, and the type, probability and potential impact of the risk. Organizational Objectives Risks exist only in relation to the activities and objectives of an organization. Rain is a negative risk for a picnic, a positive risk for drought-ridden farmland and a non-risk for the occupants of a submarine.It is imperative that the individual responsible for risk management (whether that is the business leader, the project/programmed manager or a specialist risk manager) understands the objectives of the organization, in order to ensure a tailored approach. M_o_R Managing of Risk Approach The processes, policies, strategies and plans within the M_o_R framework provide generic guidelines and templates within a particular organization. These guidelines are based on the experience and research of professional risk managers from a wide range of organizations and management backgrounds. Following best practices ensures that individuals involved in managing the risks associated with an organization’s activity are able to learn from the mistakes, experiments and lessons of others. ReportingAccurately and clearly representing data, and the transmission of this data to the appropriate staff members, managers and stakeholders, is crucial to successful risk management. The M_o_R methodology provides standard templates and tested structures for managing the frequency, content and participants of risk communication. Roles and Responsibilities Fundamental to risk management best practice is the clear definition of risk management roles and responsibilities. Individual functions and accountability must be transparent, both within and outside an organization. This is important both in terms of organizational governance, and to ensure that all the necessary responsibilities are covered by appropriate individuals. Support StructureA support structure is the provision within an organization of standardized guidelines, information, training and funding for individuals managing risks that may arise in any specific area or project. This can include a centralized risk management team, a standard risk management approach and best-practice guidelines for reporting and reviewing organizational risks. Early Warning Indicators Risk identification is an essential first step for removing or alleviating risks. In some cases, however, it is not possible to remove risks in advance. Early warning indicators are pre-defined and quantified triggers that alert individuals responsible for risk management that an identified risk is imminent.This enables the most thorough and prepared approach to handling the situation. Review Cycle Related to the need for early warning indicators is the review cycle. This establishes the regular review of identified risks and ensures that risk managers remain sensitive to new risks, and to the effectiveness of current policies. Overcoming Barriers to M_o_R Any successful strategy requires thoughtful consideration of possible barriers to implementation. Common issues include: ? Established roles, responsibilities, accountabilities and ownership. ? An appropriate budget for embedding approach and carrying out activities. ? Adequate and accessible training, tools and techniques. Risk management orientation, induction and training processes. ? Regular assessment of M_o_R approach (including all of the above issues. Supportive Culture Risk management underpins many different areas and aspects of an organization’s activity. A supportive culture is essential for ensuring that everybody with risk management responsibilities feels confident rising, discussing and managing risks . A supportive risk management culture will also include evaluation and reward of risk management competencies for the appropriate individuals. Continual Improvement In an evolving organization, nothing stands still. An effective risk management policy includes the capacity for re-evaluation and improvement.At a practical level, this will require the nomination of an individual or a group of individuals to the responsibility of ensuring that risk management policies and procedures are up-to-date, as well as the establishment of regular review cycles of the organization’s risk management approach. Quality Management Procurement and Quality Process The art of project management calls for an increased vigil on quality and related processes. The project manager is expected to be aware of the best practices that are used for the project and is supposed to make sure that he or she adapts them to the use of project management. One area of concern nowadays is the absence of processes in procurement and staffing. These are areas of concern not only to the project manager but also to the organizations.There is a need to balance the requirements of the fast procurement and staffing cycle with that of proper processes to be followed. There has been much debate in many organizations about the lack of quality in recruitment and procurement. These twin areas of quality and procurement have the aspect of ruining the chances of a successful project and hence the project manager has a responsibility to steer the course and ensure that quality does not suffer. There are several areas of project management that need quality control and there are several benchmarks of quality that can be used to meet these standards. For instance, many organizations use Six Sigma and SEI CMM level processes to guide them in the art of quality and meeting quality specifications.These are just one instance of how the quality framework is used to differentiate between the processes that are er ror free and those that need revision and rework. Sampling method prescribed by Kaizen, Six Sigma etc can be used to improve the quality of the processes that are employed by the organizations. Kaizen, in particular relates to continuous improvement, a theme that would find resonance in the uber-competitive world of today. All organizations strive for quality and to find the edge that would differentiate those from others and thus these initiatives are the ones that the project manager must look forward to and implement them diligently in the workplace.To address the issues arising out of poor procurement and staffing practices, the project manager has to be in constant touch with one important stakeholder i. e. , the procurement and staffing teams and this is where the project manager is expected to show their level of competence by managing the procurement and staffing cycle. Quality Management Vs Quality Control Quality is defined as the degree to which the project meets the requ irements (PMBOK, 2009). The operative word here is meeting the requirements and hence anything that is done that is not conforming to the requirements is said to be deviating from the norm of quality. In the subsequent paragraphs, I look at the distinction between quality management and the processes of quality control.Quality management is the practice of drawing up plans that determine the standards that need to apply to the project, determining who would be involved in managing quality and their specific duties, meetings to determine if the project is conforming to the quality specifications laid out in the quality management plan and laying out the metrics that are used to measure quality. As defined by the PMBOK, Project Quality Management is the comprehensive plan that includes all the components of the quality planning process (PMBOK, 2009). Quality control, on the other hand, is the set of processes that measure the metrics of quality by assessing the specific project result s against standards.Quality control processes are done during project monitoring and controlling functions whereas quality management is done during the initiating and planning phase (PMBOK, 2009). Hence, quality control is the subset of quality management and is the final phase of the project management cycle. Quality management is all encompassing and consists of laying down standards against which the project quality metrics are defined and need to be measured against. Quality management takes into account the lower level details of how the output of the project is to be tracked and measured. Quality control is the process of ensuring that the quality metrics are met.Hence, while quality management is the process of planning and managing the requirements of the project from the perspective of quality, quality control is the process of measuring the level of output and the quality of the output and typically consists of measuring the output against the quality metrics that were de cided upon in the quality management plan. The reason that quality management and quality control are used interchangeably is due to the perception that quality control encompasses the planning aspect as well. This is certainly true in organizations that do not have a separate quality department and quality planning and quality control is the domain of the project management processes. In organizations that have separate quality departments and where there is a well thought out quality plan, quality management and quality control are separate and are handled by different people.In conclusion, quality management typically produces as its deliverables a comprehensive quality management plan that includes the quality control aspect of it. Quality control in this case is handled by a different set of people who do the tracking and measuring of metrics in a dedicated manner. Typically, the process of quality management includes the representatives from the quality department and the qual ity control processes are the reverse with the quality department handling the tracking of metrics and reporting to the project management team. Quality control is an independent audit of the quality of deliverables and is necessary for the sign off of the project. Deming's 14 Points and Quality Project ManagerQuality is misunderstood by many who think of it only as it relates to the final deliverable, but a quality product is itself achieved only through quality processes focused on efficiency, innovation, and continual improvement, and these require a quality management culture not only in our projects, but within our organizations. In chapter two of his 1986 book, Out of the Crisis, Edward Deming presented 14 principles that he believed could make industry more competitive by increasing quality. Organizational improvements can begin with anyone. While it's true that our professional domain as project managers is bounded by the project life cycle, our influence is often much great er than that, and quality management is one of those areas where skilled project managers are best suited to be instrumental change agents – first in the culture of their projects, and second, in the culture of their departments and organizations.As project managers, if we follow Deming's principles, we can create project environments where quality thrives, not only benefiting our customers and projects, but perhaps serving as a tipping point for effecting a quality management change within our organizations. 1. Create Constancy of Purpose towards Improvement Deming is telling management to stop reacting and plan better for the long-term. For project managers: What has been traditionally thought of as long-term planning is no longer achievable. Business changes too rapidly, and detailed, up-front plans take too long to produce and are always outdated by the time they're committed to paper.Yet projects must have a plan that establishes activities, milestones, and priorities, s o what we should strive for in our projects is thorough planning based on iterative, rolling-wave, or Agile approaches. Thorough planning uses detailed planning for the short-term with a longer-term view emphasizing constant reviews, re-planning, and risk management, especially for opportunities that can be exploited. This results in a project plan that can adapt quickly to abrupt business and deliverable changes without throwing the project into chaos. 2. Adopt the new Philosophy Deming is telling management to stop being hypocritical, awaken itself to the challenge, and become leaders.For project managers: People will always see through anyone who says one thing, but whose actions are entirely different. Lasting, energizing change starts first with us, and only then will it spread outward and excite others into action. As managers, our core values can't just be expressed through our words, but they must be evident in all our actions with our teams and coworkers. It takes time, but as our message and attitude spread to an ever-broadening base of people, a domino effect takes place and the members themselves become believers and evangelists in quality management themselves. 3. Cease Dependency on Inspection Deming is reminding management that the need for inspection will decrease if quality problems are prevented in the first place.For project managers: We all know that prevention is better than inspection, so our project management and execution processes need continual improvement methods built into them to reduce quality problems. But inspection goes beyond its purely quality connotations. Are we propagating a management style based on inspection? If our team has a tendency to run everything first past us for approval then we may be, and that isn't good for us, the team, or the project. Our responsibility as a project manager isn't to be the funnel through which everyone seeks approval. If that's what is happening then the project will stagnate and become i nflexible.Instead, let's make sure we create a project culture where the team has the skills, information, and experience it needs to make every-day, rapid decisions on its own. 4. End the Practice of Awarding Business on the Basis of Price Tags Deming's purpose behind this point was to eliminate variations in the manufacturing process by having too many suppliers of component goods. For project managers: Price alone should rarely be the determining factor because most procurement needs go beyond simple commodities. When a project is likely to involve frequent changes, we need vendors who can adapt or offer their own new ideas for responding to those changes, and that isn't likely to happen when cut-rate suppliers are chosen.This principle also holds true in our role as the vendor for internal or external customers. We are not just collectors of requirements – we need to be engaged with the customer and stakeholders, understanding their business objectives in order for us to provide the deliverable that best meets their changing needs. 5. Improve Constantly and Forever Deming is reminding industry leaders that they have to constantly strive to reduce variation, which leads to quality problems. For project managers: Continuous improvement is a core philosophy of the PMBOK, but it isn't like a switch that gets turned on or off. It's a mindset that is nurtured by the right environment.Members of the team need skills, information, and knowledge beyond their core subjects of expertise, and we should encourage experimentation and reward mistakes made in the search for innovation, which means we need to eliminate blame and ingrain the lessons-learned process in every part of the project. Large-scale improvements and innovative approaches often come from â€Å"amateurs† and not specialists because amateurs are driven by their interest in the subject and less wedded to preconceived notions and ideas. Chris Anderson, author of The Long Tail, says, â€Å"I 'll take a passionate amateur over a bored professional any day. † 6. Institute Training on the Job On-the-job training increases efficiency and results in job outputs with fewer errors. For project managers: Continuous improvement extends beyond just processes.It applies to the hard and soft skills, experiences, and knowledge of the entire project team. Professional development, coaching, and mentoring should be encouraged, acknowledged, and rewarded. Training doesn't have to be expensive, and it doesn't have to be formalised. Some of the best training experiences involve group-led efforts that also serve as team building exercises, such as Webinars, vendor demonstrations, and specific discussions on best practices. 7. Institute Leadership Deming wants management to be leaders not merely supervisors. For project managers: The problem on most projects is not a lack of management but a lack of leadership.Leadership is more about people skills than about project management skill s. Few projects have sponsors that view themselves as the leader on the project, and if the leadership charge is not picked up by the project manager then the project is not likely to be successful. A leader translates the project's vision into actions that excite, inspire, and motivate the project team, and he or she is able to instil a perception that the project isn't just creating a deliverable; it's accomplishing something phenomenal for the customer. 8. Drive out Fear Deming tells us that management by fear or punishment is detrimental because it inhibits questions and ideas from the workforce.For project managers: Fear stifles two cornerstones of quality – innovation and continual improvement. A fearful team isn't going to generate new ideas and it's going to hide its mistakes, leading to a poor lessons learned process. Deming's point goes beyond what most of us associate with fear. Fear is also that little voice all of us hear that suppresses us from speaking up or sh aring ideas – fear of failing, fear of sounding silly, fear of making a mistake, fear of missing a deadline, fear of stepping on another's toes, and so on. Yet these fears are just as detrimental to quality as fear of punishment. It's a lack of trust between team members and in the project's leadership that drives these fears.If we improve trust, team members will be more willing to share their ideas and question existing processes. 9. Break Down Barriers Between Staff Areas Deming wants everyone to realise that each person is a customer of someone and that everybody is a supplier to somebody. For project managers: Silos and a rigid hierarchy are dangerous not only to the project, but to the organisation. Innovation and continual improvement come about by somebody seeing a connection that is not inherently obvious, and connections can't be discovered when one is stuck behind artificial barriers. We can help break those barriers by exposing people to diverse situations outside their normal environment and comfort zones.Though there is a short-term productivity loss when people work outside their specialty, there is a longer-term gain for the project and organisation. This strategy helps build a larger pool of â€Å"generalists† in many subjects, and new experiences are a powerful motivator for many people. This approach also improves opportunities for innovative approaches and is a risk management strategy should key personnel leave the project. 10. Eliminate Slogans, Exhortations, and Targets for the Work Force Slogans imply the problem is with the employees, but the real problem is with the process. For project managers: The first point we have to accept is that we are responsible for problems within the project, whatever those issues might be.It isn't the team's fault, the customer's fault, or the organisation's fault – it's our fault. The root causes of most project problems are deficiencies in communication, scope, requirements, activi ty definitions, project planning and re-planning, risk management, and stakeholder involvement. All of these are within our professional domain even if we aren't the ones personally performing them. It's our responsibility to make sure the project processes are performed effectively to a level appropriate for the project. 11. Eliminate Management by Objectives Setting production targets only encourages people to meet those targets through whatever means necessary, which causes poor quality.For project managers: On the surface this principle probably sounds like heresy to most of us – how can a project be managed if targets aren't set? Well, it can't, but that wasn't Deming's point. He's talking about short-sighted versus thorough planning. Setting targets in response to a problem without first understanding and addressing the root causes in the processes will only lead to more quality problems. Milestones are the predominant targets for projects, and they need to be challengi ng to motivate the team, but they have to be achievable and flexible. Yet flexibility is one of the most common scheduling failures a project manager makes, especially on projects that are very iterative and involve rolling wave planning.As these projects progress, milestones have to be continually reassessed, and this often means that the original dates get pushed. Too many of us perceive these readjustments as â€Å"missing our target† because we're too married to dates that were only best-guesses or top-down estimates set early in project planning. We also should be careful to present milestone dates to stakeholders as estimates and help them understand the iterative nature of these kinds of projects – as the project is better understood and the work needed becomes clearer, milestone dates may change. 12. Remove Barriers to Pride of Workmanship Deming tells us that nobody feels good about producing shoddy work.When management creates an environment that fosters poor quality, employees are frustrated. For project managers: Recognising the team and individuals for their contributions and achievements helps instil pride of workmanship. Everyone on the project team should feel that his or her work is recognised and valuable to the project's success. Sincere appreciation is one of the easiest and cheapest yet most effective motivating agents we can use. Even â€Å"failures† and mistakes are achievements as long as there were valuable lessons learned. 13. Institute Education and Self-Improvement Deming wants everyone, managers and the workforce, to pursue training, education, and self-improvement.For project managers: Ongoing professional development is expected of certified project managers, but we should also expect and encourage it among our team and coworkers. Nearly every profession has its own certification and continuing education requirements, and our team members will appreciate it if we have a general understanding of their professi on's requirements, recognise them for certification efforts, and help them with opportunities for meeting those requirements. 14. The Transformation is Everyone's Job Deming says that everyone is involved in the fixing the processes. For project managers: This one is easy if we've done everything else right because all the other principles will result in quality management culture where everyone is involved in continual improvement and innovation.Having experienced first-hand a quality management experience, the people on our team will in turn spread those ideas to other project teams. Communications Management Having good communication skills is one of the key abilities of a project manager. However, this fact is frequently overlooked when choosing the ideal candidate for that position. Moreover, it is not emphasized as much as it should in most project management training programs. Thus, many times we find project managers with excellent management and technical skills but which a re really not-that-good communicators. Why is it so important? First of all, because a good leader should be a great communicator in order to lead and motivate his or her team, as we have discussed before.This is something that not only applies to the members of the team but to all the stakeholders of the project. A project manager has to be aware that all of them have different profiles and interests, and that it requires from him or her great ability to adapt the message to each one. Communication principles Good communication should be based on accuracy, clarity, transparency and interaction. Accuracy has to do with the detail and scope of the information that is being transmitted. The project manager must be able to provide the information that is needed for everyone within and outside the team. Sometimes excessively detailed information may divert attention from the main message and can lead the interlocutor to confusion.Mostly, the communication with the team should focus on t he objectives, and the plan to take to achieve them. While, for example, information that is provided to clients will focus on the requirements of the project and its evolution. To ensure information clarity, the language is a crucial thing and the project manager must perfectly handle all its variants. Generally, it will be common to use a more technical and specific language within the team, and a more formal style if the message is addressed to a client or a company directive. Transparency has a direct impact on the project manager’s credibility. A project manager’s honesty should be beyond doubt, and so, he or she has to provide continuous communication about the problems that arise.The last principle, but not a less important one is interaction. Communication cannot be unidirectional. In all situations, with any type of interlocutor, the project manager must be open to dialogue. He or she has to know how to both ask and listen in order to get accurate information that can be relevant in later decisions. It is essential to have continuous communication with all parties involved in the project. To help project manager with this, Doolphy, as an online project management tool, helps project manager to centralize all project information and adjust the access to each kind of user. Top Five Communication Skills for Project Managers 1.Active Listening In first place is project manager ability to listen to and understand others. Listening to the words and the meaning behind their words, not interrupting or letting our minds wander, asking questions to check understanding, observing non-verbal signals. According to Indian project manager Nirav Patel CAPM: â€Å"The benefits include getting people to open up and due to that lots of misunderstandings and conflicts can be resolved. † 2. Building Relationships based on Trust and Respect Trust and respect are the cornerstones of personal relationships. They are earned not a right and come from exper ience of our honesty, integrity and expertise.Among the characteristics people used to determine project manager credibility are truthfulness, openness, willingness to share ideas and information freely, consistency, reliability, loyalty, capabilities and competence. â€Å"Trust encourages people to propose ideas, suggest ways to enhance work, speak of their concerns and give advice,† says Dubai-based Kareem Shaker PMP. 3. Setting Clear Priorities In third spot is a project manager's ability to convey the strategy for their team – by setting goals, planning and prioritizing. This is the what, who, when, where, why and how of the project. Team members should understand both the big picture and the lower level technical priorities. â€Å"Essentially this is what a project manager does.If you can't do it you won't get everybody working on the same page,† says Australian Paul Ramussen. 4. Enabling Collaboration In a collaborative environment team members support and encourage each other rather than focusing solely on their own tasks and responsibilities. They are willing to co-operate and share information, ideas and assets to help each other. The result can be greater than the sum of its parts. â€Å"When we collaborate we get the 1Ãâ€"1=3 effect. Things happen that might not have if people had remained focused on their own work,† says American Adam Michaelson PMP. 5. Conveying the Organisation's Vision Contract In Project Management Project Contract TypesExplaining the bigger picture helps team members understand where the project fits within the overall aims of your business unit and organization. Senior executives are focused on the triple bottom line – finances, environment, reputation – this is where they expect your project to make a difference. American Jhaymee Wilson PMP says: â€Å"As project managers if we can't convey the link between our project and the organization how can we show we are delivering value? à ¢â‚¬  This article is based on research among project managers from around the world and was originally published as Five Essential Rules for Project Leaders on the PMI Career Central website. Introduction:In the world of business, contracts are used for establishing business deals and partnerships. The parties involved in the business engagement decide the type of the contract. Usually the type of the contract used for the business engagement varies depending on the type of the work and the nature of the industry. The contract is simply an elaborated agreement between two or more parties. One or more parties may provide products or services in return to something provided by other parties (client). The contract type is the key relationship between the parties engaged in the business and the contract type determines the project risk. Example most widely used contract types:Fixed Price (Lump Sum) This is the simplest type of all contracts. The terms are quite straightforward and eas y to understand. To put in simple, the service provider agrees to provide a defined service for a specific period of time and the client agrees to pay a fixed amount of money for the service. This contract type may define various milestones for the deliveries as well as KPIs (Key Performance Indicators). In addition, the contractor may have an acceptance criteria defined for the milestones and the final delivery. The main advantage of this type of contract is that the contractor knows the total project cost before the project commences.Unit Price In this model, the project is divided into units and the charge for each unit is defined. This contract type can be introduced as one of the more flexible methods compared to fixed price contract. Usually the owner (contractor/client) of the project decides on the estimates and asks the bidders to bid of each element of the project. After bidding, depending on the bid amounts and the qualifications of bidders, the entire project may be give n to the same services provider or different units may be allocated to different services providers. This is a good approach when different project units require different expertise to complete. Cost PlusIn this contract model, the services provider is reimbursed for their machinery, labour, and other costs, in addition to contractor paying an agreed fee to the services provider In this method, the services provider should offer a detailed schedule and the resource allocation for the project. Apart from that, all the costs should be properly listed and should be reported to the contractor periodically. The payments maybe paid by the contractor at a certain frequency (such as monthly, quarterly) or by the end of milestones. Incentive Incentive contracts are usually used when there is some level of uncertainty in the project cost. Although there are nearly-accurate estimations, the technological challenges may impact on the overall resources as well as the effort.This type of contract s is common for the projects involving pilot programs or the project that harness new technologies. There are three cost factors in an Incentive contract; target price, target profit, and the maximum cost. The main mechanism of Incentive contract is to divide any target price overrun between the client and the services provider in order to minimize the business risks for both parties. Retainer (Time and Material – T&M) This is one of the most beautiful engagements that can get into by two or more parties. This engagement type is the most risk-free type where the time and material used for the project are priced. The contractor only requires knowing the time and material for the project in order to make the payments.This type of contracts has short delivery cycles and for each cycle separate estimates are sent of the contractor. Once the contractor signs off the estimate and Statement of Work (SOW), the services provider can start work. Unlike most of the other contract types, retainer contracts are mostly used for long-term business engagements. Percentage of Construction Fee This type of contracts is used for engineering projects. Based on the resources and material required, the cost for the construction is estimated. Then, the client contracts a service provider and pays a percentage of the cost of the project as the fee for the services provider. As an example, take the scenario of constructing a house. Assume that the estimate comes up to $230,000.When this project is contracted to a services provider, the client may agree to pay 30% of the total cost as the construction fee, which comes up to $69,000. Conclusion Selecting the contract type is the most crucial step of establishing a business agreement with another party. This step determines the possible engagement risks. Therefore, companies should get into contracts where there is a minimum risk for their business. It is always a good idea to engage in fixed bids (fixed priced) whenever the proje ct is short-termed and predictable. If the project nature is exploratory, it is always best to adopt retainer or cost plus contract types. Contract Project Management ServicesContracting a project management professional to manage a project offers advantages in leadership, experience and cost savings. Yet

Jake

Hasnu, the stone cutter Plot A stonecutter named Hashnu sat beside the highway cutting stone when the King’s courtiers cross the street. He then wished to be King and that wish was granted. Then he felt the sun’s heat thinking that the sun was powerful than the king so he wished to be the sun. He became the sun but then the cloud covered the sun. Thinking that the cloud was powerful than the sun, he then wishes to be the cloud. When he became the cloud, he then wished to be a rock for it didn’t move for all of his raining and blowing.Then he experienced the hardships of being a rock being sculpted by a stonecutter so he wishes to be a stonecutter again and fulfilled his duty contentedly. Conflict  · The conflict in the story is when Hashnu wants to be the most powerful. Climax  · The climax in the story is when Hashnu wants to be the king, the sun, the cloud, the rock and the stone cutter again. Denouement  · The denouement in the story is when Hashnu reali zed that the most powerful among the creations of God is still the man and he now fulfill his duty as a stonecutter contentedly. CharactersProtagonist:  · Hashnu- the stonecutter Antagonist:  · Hashnu-the stonecutter Setting Time- Time of Monarchs Location- Along the road where the King and his courtiers were crossing. Theme The theme of the story is life process because the story tells the experiences of Hashnu when he became a king, a sun, a cloud, a rock and the stonecutter again. Point of view The point of view of the story is third person because the narrator is not a participant in the story and his knowledge is limited only to the character of Hashnu. Conflict The conflict in the story is Man Vs.Society because here in the story Hashnu struggles with himself and his desire to be the most powerful. Symbol The symbol in the story is the mallet which is used by the stonecutter. Moral Lesson Be contented with who you are. The Lady or the Tiger Plot – A semibarbaric kin g discovers his daughter is having an unlawful affair with a male suitor. The male suitor is soon arrested and forced to go to trial, a trial that consists of an arena with two doors. Behind one door is a tiger, set to maul the unlucky criminal; behind the other is a beautiful bride, set to euphimistically maul the lucky criminal.The princess, who loves the young criminal, knows behind which door awaits the tiger, points to the right, indicating which door the young man should choose. Setting – The story takes place a long time ago in a kingdom far, far away. Characterization – The king is semibarbaric. The young man is handsome. They are both stereotypes. The princess, on the other hand, is developed more deeply. We know she loves the prince. We know she has inherited some of her father's semibarbaric qualities. We know she is jealous of the bride to be, if chosen.We do not, however, know which door she has chosen for her lover. Conflict – A person v. person co nflict exists between the king and his daughter and the king and the young man. An individual v. society conflict exists between the two young lovers and the rules of the kingdom. The central conflict in the story is an internal conflict within the princess as she struggles between watching her lover in the arms of another or watching her lover get devoured by a tiger. Resolution – The story has no resolution. It is up to the reader to determine whether or not the young man lives or dies.Theme – Stockton's short story comments on the confusing nature of love and the subjective notion of civilization and barbarity. There is also an element of Determinism vs. Free Will and whether or not, if left to their own desires, humans make the right decision. Suspense – Suspense is created through the use of foreshadowing, dangerous action, and pacing. Stockton foreshadows the coming unhappiness of the princess (although he doesn't provide a definitive answer to the specifi c choice that causes that unhappiness). The dangerous action is provided by the tiger.The ultimate creation of suspense is done by the story's pacing. It is so well done, in fact, I still don't know what the young man chose. Irony – The ironic structure of the story–it has no end, for example–highlights the irony present in the story: (1) the princess and not the criminal is the story's true loser; (2) the king, despite the outward appearance of sophistication is, at heart, a cruel semibarbarian; (3) the princess deliberates for days on whether or not to save her lover Point of View – Do not confuse the author with the narrator.The narrator is third person omniscient and knows the fate of the young man. The author does not. The Gift of Magi PLOT – Linear a) Introduction – The story starts with a description of the place where the major characters live, and then the major female character is introduced. Rising Action One dollar and eighty-sev en cents. And the next day would be Christmas. Climax Jim stepped inside the door, as immovable as a setter at the scent of quail. His eyes were fixed upon Della, and there was an expression in them that she could not read, and it terrified her.It was not anger, nor surprise, nor disapproval, nor horror, nor any of the sentiments that she had been prepared for. He simply stared at her fixedly with that peculiar expression on his face. Falling Action Instead of obeying, Jim tumbled down on the couch and put his hands under the back of his head and smiled. Denouement ;quot;Dell,;quot; said he, ;quot;let's put our Christmas presents away and keep 'em a while. They're too nice to use just at present. I sold the watch to get the money to buy Your combs.And now suppose you put the chops on. " CHARACTERS: The two main characters are both protagonists (There is no antagonist): Mr. and Mrs. James and Delia Dillingham Young. – DEVELOPING/ Round Minor character: Madame Sofronie â⠂¬â€œ STATIC/ Flat SETTING a. ) Place The action takes place in New York City in a very modest apartment and in a hair shop down the street from the apartment. Although Porter does not mention New York by name, he does refer to Coney Island, the city's most famous amusement park, located in the borough of Brooklyn. ime – At Christmas Eve, a long time ago c) weather condition- winter time social conditions – The couple was financially- struggling e) mood or atmosphere – †¦ Life is made up of sobs, sniffles, and smiles†¦ POINT OF VIEW Stream of Consciousness – The story is told so that the reader feels as if they are inside the head of one character and knows all their thoughts and reactions. LITERARY DEVICES Foreshadowing Now, there were two possessions of the James Dillingham Youngs in which they both took a mighty pride. One was Jim's gold watch that had been his father's and his grandfather's.The other was Della's hair. Symbol The magi, as you know, were wise men–wonderfully wise men-who brought gifts to the Babe in the manger. They invented the art of giving Christmas presents. Being wise, their gifts were no doubt wise ones, possibly bearing the privilege of exchange in case of duplication. THEME Love has no bounds. CONFLICT -The couple’s financial struggle Person vs. Circumstances (classical) – The couple struggles against poverty Person vs. Himself/Herself (psychological) –Delia struggles with the painful decision of letting go her only prized possession

Politics Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Politics - Research Paper Example Elements of democracy It is the most common form of government in the world of today. Democracy comes from two words, demos means â€Å"people† and cracy means â€Å"rule of†, so the word democracy means the rule of people. The authority to take decisions rests with the people of such a government. Democracy is considered as the best way to show equality and liberty among people in a society2. Modern democracies have a number of characteristics. They have elections and voting which gives equal rights to political power. They encourage equality by not discriminating one group over another. Democracies allow people to control political actions. It emphasizes on citizen participation3. Democracy can exist on a variety of levels such as local and international. Forms of democracy There are two basic forms of democracy; one being direct and the other representative4. Direct Democracy It is that form of democracy in which all of the citizens of a political organization jointl y make the decisions for that group. When a matter needs to be solved and a decision has to be taken, all the members sit together and vote in favour or against the matter. Example of a direct democracy is ancient Athens. They used to come together, debate on the issue and jointly decide amongst each other5. One of the main advantages of a direct democracy is that the citizens feel important and included in the matter. All decisions have high degree of authenticity. On the other hand, it also has its own setbacks. It is not a realistic approach for large countries. It is impossible for people of a populous country like India to sit together and discuss on an issue. Another limit is its need for people to effectively participate. This requires that the citizens are well informed of the issue to be discussed. This needs the time of the citizens which today most of them do not have. Third, decisions are taken on majority’s opinions. In direct democracy, there can be a tyranny of majority. Majorities can unfairly suppress minorities’ rights. This is the reason direct democracy is only at regional and local levels6. Representative Democracy In this form of democracy, people choose officials to represent their group and to make decisions on their behalf. An official is selected through regular elections. In this form, the citizens still participate and have the authority to decide, but the chosen representative implements the policies on their behalf. Government which are based on the principles of representative democracy are titled as republics. Majority of today’s governments are republics, for instance, United States, Mexico, and European countries7. Representative democracy has several advantages over direct democracy. First, elected representatives can focus more on politics and become specialists on issues that average people do not have time. Second, the whole process of debating and then coming to one conclusion is quicker and less comp licated than direct democracy. Third, countries can save time and money on elections since they are held after every few years; where as in direct democracy there are campaigns for most of the issues. Fourth, chosen officials provide continuity in government and prevent major changes in policy. Lastly, the elected officials can make complex decisions which the public might hesitate to take8.

Explaining governmental organizational structure Essay - 2

Explaining governmental organizational structure - Essay Example It has a local economic impact that annually support more than 1370 jobs in the town leading to Annual Earnings of about $78,025,500 and annual economic activities that are amounting to about $214,144,300. It’s a source of employment to the residents of Babylon in different fields like accountants, managers, and aircraft control staff. Since the airport is self-supporting, none of the towns earning from tax is spent in funding any of its operations. In addition the airport together with its residents also contributes over 600,000 dollars as tax to the town. The airport is also the home to the famous American Air power museum which invites air travel enthusiasts from all over the globe. The facility hence adds to the income of the town and the airport. It is also the home to Long Island Republic Airport Historical Society which keeps the important displays of the airport. Finally, the airport has led the town to attain national publicity. It hence hosts world class events like golf. This also earns the town much income. In a recap of all these economic developmental benefits that the airport generates to the town of Babylon, we can conclusively sum it up by saying that the republic airport is an economic pillar to the town of

Heathrow Airport Project Evaluation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Heathrow Airport Project Evaluation - Essay Example This meant some of the Star Alliance airlines having their operations at terminal 2 and 3 would have to move to terminal 1. Completion of this project on time would enable Heathrow Airport, which currently caters for 90 airlines, to rise up to more than 180 airlines worldwide. Though completing the project on the laid timeline was one of the most important things, there were other factors that had to be considered, including the safety and health issues (BAA, 2012). This was important because the terminal was to be used by passengers, and their needs came first. All factors had to be considered so as to maintain the reputation of BAA to the stakeholders , the public, and the media. The passage of terminal 1 may lead to delays which could cause not only significant penalties but also loss of other clients. A project manager, David Buisson, was chosen to manage the project as he was a certified project manager who also had more than 13 years of working experience as a manger in various challenging and complex projects (BAA, 2012). Mr. Buisson had worked with teams of professionals from various places around the world, including professionals from industries who were skilled enough to tackle major transport and communication projects. Using the experience developed from many years of experience and meeting different people around the world, Mr. Buisson had the required sufficient knowledge to choose a team that would be able to complete the project in the required timeline. The teams chosen would be required to collaborate and make the success of the project the most important thing they do. They should also remember the safety of the project as it is supposed to serve millions of people and for decades of years to come. Planning Approaches Planning and survey are a continuous process wh ich may take time before being implemented. There are three proven planning approaches for projects which include top-down execution and responsibility; top-down policy and bottom-up planning and execution; and bottom-up execution and responsibility (Kerzner, 2000). The top down execution and responsibility is the department responsible for coordinating and planning of procedures and policies. The management in this approach is centralized as it involves a few people making decisions for the rest of the team (Cooke-Davies, 2000). In this case, the stakeholders are informed of the proceedings of the project and they make the decisions of whether the project would still be done or not. They decide whether the request for time extensions would be necessary, whether additional resources would make any changes to the project and they make conclusions without consulting the teams doing the project. This approach has its disadvantages as various departments may not get the special attentio n required to complete the project on time. Different teams may also not understand how they should relate to each other while trying to complete the project. The other approach is the bottom-up execution and responsibility which encourages each department to develop or come up with their ideas and implement plans without much supervision (Morris, 2004). In this approach, there is a manager in charge of them, but they only report to them in critical circumstances. In our case, the project manager encourages the team members to use the collaborative approach while solving various problems. This approach involves training various people as well as having different parties which can be expensive especially to big projects such as refurbishing Heathrow Airport Terminals. The last planning approach is the top down policy and bottom up planning and execution which have overall planning rules or guidelines which are

Financial accounting Math Problem Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Financial accounting - Math Problem Example You should not provide impairment losses in the financial statement as these will decrease our reported profit and may be misleading for tax authorities and shareholder. We have a responsibility of disclosing fair and accurate information, therefore we should not provide for impairment losses until we want to close our operations. Our business investment buildings will be included at their fair value according to the judgment of auditors in the balance under long-term leases head. This will be done according to IAS 16 principles which calls for fair-value to be include in the balance sheet. Fair value consists of costs less depreciation less impairment losses. Since, we are not charging any depreciation, we can simply state these building at their NRV that according to you come around $2.5 Million. You have also asked me about how to treat grants. You are right about the fact that we can treat it as deferred income. IAS 20 allows us to treat it as deferred income. However, this option may increase will increase our profit and will also result in more tax payments. So, it is better to not treat it as tax income and instead amortize it completely by adjusting it with the purchase of fixed assets.

Causes of Misunderstanding between Men and Women Research Paper

Causes of Misunderstanding between Men and Women - Research Paper Example The author applies these differences specifically in the way the sexes manage a business organization. While women "tend to soften their demands and statements," men opt to give direct orders. Generally, women are also apt in asking more questions than man. The article stressed that culture is pivotal in this distinctions. Women are raised to be more nurturing and maintain harmonious relationships while men aren't. The author, however, emphasizes that generalization about the characteristics of men and women based on the way they communicate are invalid. On the other hand, Turner explored how the way men and women think affects the way they communicate. Turner stated that a lot of factors influence the words that people say. However, people's words often reveal their thoughts. Thus, disparities between the communication techniques of the two sexes can be best explained by their thoughts. It is asserted that men tend to think more of reasons and engaged in more logical discussions. Women, on the other hand, think more of their emotions as manifested through their conversations. As men tend to engage in rational discussions, a common stereotype attached to them is "rationality." On the other hand, women are always regarded to become more emotionally attached and are often branded as "intuitive" since they don't really assert their opinions.

Topic will be based on which book you choose Term Paper

Topic will be based on which book you choose - Term Paper Example The constant commercial pommeling that teenagers are exposed to regularly makes them give in to the pressures of being considered cool by their peers, which in turn works in the corporations’ favor (Quart 32). In addition to all the above, the growing need to incorporate sex in some of these advertisements is making its way into the lives of teenagers and younger children. Recent sources in different organizations can attest to this. This paper will examine aspects of the book and relate it to an advertisement, and the impact it might have on its target market. At a particularly young age, teenagers and pre-teenagers are forced into different loyalty schemes by corporations that use their peers to market and sell their products. In Branded, the author brings into account the fact that corporations are having a higher stake in schools than they possibly should. In the past, countless groups, including parents and politicians, were at the forefront trying to resist the notion of advertising in schools. However, the current situation of sponsorship that most corporations boast of is making this a difficult task. Corporations, at present, have more shares in schools than any other party, and they are using this to their advantage. Brand-afflicted teenagers are now everywhere, but there might be time to save some of the young ones from the menace that is branding (Quart 47). Target audience Victoria’s Secret is one brand that is affiliated with the imagery of sex and sex appeal. In most of their advertisements, models and people wearing their lingerie appeal to the adults and market that tends to grasp the concept of being sexy. However, lately the brand has been moving toward a different market altogether. In a recent advertisement, â€Å"Bright Young Things,† the brand has brought to light their aim for a younger market. Teenagers and pre-teens who want to be considered cool are now looking toward Victoria’s Secret line of lingerie in a bid to look older, or more sophisticated. Parents are being forced to give in to the pressure of their young children who demand such clothing, and it is obvious that once children catch on to this brand, there is no turning back. It is next to impossible for the children not to remain loyal to the brand, if they start when young (Lutz 1). Aspects of the demographic The income and lifestyle of teenagers and pre-teens cannot be questioned as it is not impossible to pinpoint exactly where they get their income, or lifestyle choices. These aspects are influenced directly by their parents, immediate family members, and even friends. The little income that teenagers may receive is probably from allowances that parents offer their children once they partake of certain activities. However, as the issue of branding and marketing takes precedence in most schools and areas (Quart 53), teenagers are looking for different avenues which can work toward increasing their capital. It is this aspec t that sheds light on why teenagers look for different jobs during the summer and spring-breaks. More money means more savings, which ultimately leads to lifestyle autonomy. Parents have little or no say in the matter once their children start buying their own clothes, using their hard-earned money. Alissa Quart takes the reader into the processes used by corporations to attract teens and pre-teens into their branding world, and why it is particularly easy for teens to succumb to these schemes. The first aspect that comes into play is the use of people their own age to

Internship Report Format Essay Example for Free

Internship Report Format Essay Internship (Industrial Training) Report: An internship report is an organization study, a case study or a survey of an organization. The students are expected to make factual observation about functioning of an organization. The study is organization specific done by a student. The students are expected to study the whole organization or a wing of the organization (if the organization is of giant size). It is compulsory for the students to take up assignments or tasks (Project) given by the organization during their study period. Objective: To apprise students of the functioning of an organization. Submission of the Internship Report The internship report (Final- 3 hard bound copy and a soft copy) should be submitted Time Frame : 6 weeks Presentation and Viva The internship (industrial training) report will be evaluated by a team consisting of faculty members from the institute and the University department. The break up of marks is: a. Industrial Training report Evaluation 25 Marks b. Viva Voce 25 Marks Total 50 Marks Internship Report Format Purpose: To study Organizational activities in all functional areas and relate this to theoretical knowledge acquired and also to work on a project in one of the functional areas. Contents 1. Preliminary pages ââ€" ª Title Page (cover page and inside first page) ââ€" ª Declaration (By the student) ââ€" ª Certificate (Principal of the college On the letterhead) ââ€" ª Certificate (Faculty Guide in the College On the letterhead of the College) ââ€" ª Certificate (Organizational Guide on the letterhead of the Organization) ââ€" ª Acknowledgement ââ€" ª Contents ââ€" ª List of tables ââ€" ª List of charts / graphs 2. Executive Summary (Should contain summary of part A Part B in 2-3 pages) PART â€Å"A: Organizational Study 3. Chapter One Industry Profile Industry scenario with the various players details 4. Chapter Two Company Profile Details of the organization including the organization structure, A wards Certifications, SWOT analysis /Vision, Mission, Goals and objectives ,Markets present, market share, financials, Details of their products, Details of the various departments they have (Functional areas/Divisions) like ââ€" ª People ââ€" ª Policies ââ€" ª Systems and procedures ââ€" ª Problems if any Suggestions/Recommendations ( if any). PART â€Å"B: Study of the Problem / Issue 4. Chapter THREE Research Design †¢Statement of the Problem †¢Title of the project/study †¢Objectives of the Study †¢Scope of the study †¢Operational Definitions †¢Research Methodology 1. Sources of Data (Primary Secondary) 2. Research Method or type of study (Descriptive/Exploratory/ Experimental) 3. Sampling Plan (Sampling Unit, Sample size, Sampling Method) 4. Contact Method (Personal interview- Prior Appointment/Intercept / Mail / Telephone) 5. Data Collection Method (Questionnaire, Mechanical Devices) (ie., Research Instrument used). 6. Limitations of the Study 5.Chapter FOUR Data Analysis 6.Chapter FIVE Findings. Recommendations/Suggestions, Conclusion 7.My Learning 8.Bibliography (Don’t put chapter and page no. for this) The list of Books referred -Author, Title, edition, Publisher, Year of Publication and ISBN number. The list of Journals / Magazines etc referred Name of the journal/magazine, Publishing house, year/month of issue and article referred with the name(s) of the author of the article, and Page Numbers The list of the web sites (Not Search Engines) browsed The newspapers referred with Name of the Newspaper, edition and date of issue, the article title and the name of the person(s) who wrote the article. The names of the internal/private circulation material of any organization etc with details of it 9. Annexure (Don’t put chapter and page no. for this) Questionnaire, Interview Schedule, Financial Statements, Analysis sheets etc., Report: †¢ The report should be around 100 pages excluding the initial pages (certificates, declaration, contents) †¢ Spell check and grammar check to be made by the student before the final print is Taken. †¢ Both sides justification for all the pages †¢ Hard bound with Sky Blue Colour Cover. †¢ Font Size 12 for text/14 for headings Subheadings. †¢ 1.5 line spacing †¢ A4 Size Executive Bond Paper. †¢ Font style: Times New Roman / Arial. †¢ Foot notes-End of each chapter †¢ References at the end of each chapter

IKEA Competitive Positioning

IKEA Competitive Positioning This report critically analyses the competitive position of IKEA which has led to its success and failures over the past five decades. IKEA has been well known for its low price concept and wide range of furnitures. IKEA has grown enormously and now operates in 55 countries. This report analyses the external environment of IKEA by using the PESTEL Analysis. The analysis shows that political factor plays most important role while other external factors such as economic, socio-cultural, legal, environmental and technological contribute to some extent in determining the expansion and success of IKEA. The resource and capability of IKEA is analysed by using the Michael Porters five force analysis. The study shows that IKEA has to dominate in all the five areas to succeed in future. The report also studies that marketing mix used by IKEA in different countries which have had a major part in IKEAs success. IKEA is committed to satisfy its customers. For customer satisfaction IKEA has worked hard to understand the needs of their customers. This report also examines the customer perception and the IKEA philosophy leading to happy and satisfies customers. The strengths and weaknesses of IKEA as well as opportunities for expansion and threats from competitors are revealed by conducting the SWOT analysis. Finally the causes that could lead to the demise of IKEA are discussed along with its future. Table of contents Page no. Introduction 4 PESTEL Analysis 4 Resource and Capabilities 6 Marketing Mix 8 Customer Perceived Values 10 SWOT Analysis 12 IKEAs Future 13 Conclusion 14 References 15 Introduction The economic slowdown has had a negative impact on most businesses world over. Despite the slowdown IKEA plans to open stores in china and world over. The business was started by entrepreneur Ingvar Kampard who had the idea of selling things cheaper than the market price. Thus IKEA came into existence in 1943, when he was just 17 in the small village of Agunnaryd in Sweden. Furniture was introduced in the IKEA product range in 1947 and there after IKEA designed its own furniture. After opening its first store in Almhult in 1958(IKEA, 2009), Ikea has expanded its business worldwide and now operates in 36 countries around the world. Its sales for 2008-09 were 21.2 billion euros and had 127,800 employees. IKEAs success in the retail industry is due to its vast experience which spans over five decades in the retail market. Ikea also achieves product differentiation and cost leadership by its unique concept of selling furnitures in kits that are assembled by customers at home .IKEAs visio n is to create a better every day life for many people (IKEAs Annual report 2009). Macro Analysis (PESTEL Analysis) Political/Legal According to Scherrer (2003), changes in political and legal environment adversely affect the market place as well as the sale and distribution of a product. The political factors include the nature, level of corruption and stability of the government. While the legal factors include import laws, taxation, employment law, competition law, health and safety laws. Europe accounts for large part of IKEAs business with 82% of its sales coming from there (IKEA, 2009). This is because the governments in Europe are been stable, encourage foreign trade and favorable taxation policies. IKEA relocated its Group management, finance and treasury departments to Leiden in the Netherlands from Denmark. This move can be attributed to the favorable government policies in Netherlands that benefited the company over and above any other country in Europe and even Sweden. Globalization influenced IKEA to enter the Chinese furniture market much later after the import control rules were relaxed and governm ent opened up property markets. According to Miller (2004), heavy import taxes have hit IKEA; thus IKEA has been having difficulty in setting a price which good for the customers and the company. IKEA plans to relocate production of many items in china. One the other hand IKEA has no plans of entering Indian markets due to its strict licensing laws for the foreign owned companies. Economic According to Scherrer (2003), economic growth of any country is reflected by its economic climate which influences its plans for expansion. IKEA has no plans on expansion into underdeveloped and developing countries like India. The economic conditions do not favor its business strategy as the buying power of the customers is low. Thus IKEAs main market is Europe where every ordinary person including students can afford to buy an IKEA product. IKEA faced massive problem in china due to its economic condition as it became a luxury furniture brand in the Chinese mind and not many could afford its products. Socio cultural Scherrer (2003) states that consumer preference; purchasing patterns and conditions under which products can be sold are affected by the socio cultural changes. IKEA had to adapt to the cultural environment to expand its business in china. It had to get the Chinese customers to adapt to the do-it-yourself (DIY) concept. As labor is cheap in china, the DIY notion has not taken hold in china as in the western countries where customers know they save money by assembling the furniture Technological IKEA uses technology to stay ahead of the competition by producing furniture cheap and quality furniture. IKEA also uses technology by marketing and selling its products online. Thus IKEA is able to market its products to far many homes and increase its sales considerably. According to Rowley and Slack (2003), a new technology known as kiosk is used by IKEAs customers to view their choice of sofa covered in various fabrics available in that range. Environment IKEA is committed in using resources in an economic and careful way. (IKEA 2009, social and environmental responsibility). IKEA has been offering compact florescent light bulbs (CFLs) which can last up to 10 times longer and use 80 percent less energy than incandescent. IKEA is also committed in reducing the use of plastic bags and there by has introduced the Blue Bag which is cheap, reusable and durable. Resource and capabilities Resource and capability is illustrated by Porters Five Force Model Supplier Power Buyer power Rivalry Substitute Threat of Entry Michael Porters Five Forces Model Power of Suppliers Power of Customer/Buyer IKEA does not enter into actual production but has taken further steps thus keeping the suppliers in an even tighter grip. These suppliers are not only dependent on orders from IKEA but are also in direct financial debt to IKEA, because IKEA has paid for the assembly of their machinery. Hence IKEA has the buyers power to pressurize its suppliers to reduce manufacturing costs anyhow. To reduce the supplier power, IKEA has more than 1300 suppliers in 53 countries with majority of its products from Europe (64%), followed by Asia (33%) and North America (3%) (IKEA, 2009). Competitive Rivalry According to Hopkins (2008) there is more competitive pressure if there are more rivals in the industry. The number of rivals for IKEA is limited in Europe which is where major revenue is generated, as they are able to restrict competition due to their cost leadership and product differentiation. Apart from the competition IKEA faces from UK based BQ (the largest DIY retailer in Europe and third largest in the world) in china; its biggest worry is that it is facing competition from many international and Chinese chains who are copying its products. Many stores in china have IKEAs catalogue in their stores and they tell customers that they can reproduce the same furniture at a lower price. IKEAs online catalogue makes it easy to view and copy. Threat of Substitute Furniture made with wood can only be substituted by furniture made with plastic. But wood is bio degradable which is the reason wood is preferred over plastic. Threat of new Entrants Pass, Sturgess and Wilson (1994) state that it is difficult for entrants with unknown products to win viable market share as customer loyalty exists with the existing firm. IKEA enjoys loyalty from its customers which has been built up by huge and continuous investment in making its products better and cheaper. There is high barrier for entry set by IKEA which makes it almost impossible for a new entrant with unknown and untitled products to win a viable share of the market. Marketing Mix According to Armstrong and Kotler (2006), modern marketing consists of a major concept know as marketing mix. A firm needs get its marketing mix which includes product, price, place and promotion (the 4PS) right to get the response it wants from the target market. Marketing Mix Intended positioning/ Target Customers Product Variety Quality Design Features Brand name Packaging Services Price List price Discounts Allowances Payment period Credit limit Place Channels Coverage Assortments Locations Inventory Transportation Logistics Promotion Advertising Personal selling Sales promotion Public relations Source: Armstrong and Kotler (2006) Marketing an introduction. New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc Product Product strategy forms the first of the 4PS of modern marketing strategy. Product includes goods as well as services the company wants to sell. IKEA has large range of products for almost everything that is needed at home. IKEA is positioned itself as a company which sells quality goods at affordable price. In terms of service, IKEA encourages the concept of DIY but makes technical help available for its customers when needed. This makes IKEAs products different from other products available in the market. Price According to Myers, Caustic and Diamantopoulos (2002) it is difficult to price products in the international markets as the competition increases. IKEAs adopts low price strategy which is achieved by keeping the costs low between then manufacturers and customers. IKEA can also sell its products cheap because it makes bulk orders. IKEA plans to lower its prices in china by 27% to increase its sales. This is possible as china produces 30% of its products. Also large proportion of its raw materials also comes from china. IKEA also offers payment and credit options for its customers. Place IKEA has been able to reduce its costs by locating its shops in the suburbs of the cities. In china it has opened its store in shanghai city knowing that only 20 percent of visitors in shanghai have their own cars. Promotion IKEA promotes its products by advertising on TV and newspapers. It also markets and sells its products online. Broachers and catalog are printed which have the latest offers and the new products for convenience of customers. IKEA is also involved in helping NGOs like UNICEF. This creates a good company image in the customers mind. Customer Perceived Value According to Eggert and Ulaga (2002), customer perceived value (CPA) comprises of three elements, the multiple components of value, the subjectivity of value perceived and the importance of competition. The difference between benefits and costs of an offering perceived by the customers can be stated as customer perceived value. According to Heinonen (2004), organisations cannot only focus on process and outcome of service delivery which are easy to manipulate. Managers have to put in effort to consider the temporal and spatial elements in service. IKEAs warehouses are open for customers to test and select the furnitures. Thus IKEA has been able to create value by providing an arena where customers can perform services at their own convenience. IKEA Philosophy IKEA philosophy is to increase customer perceived value by delivering extraordinary customer service. IKEA reduces perceived sacrifice for its customers by offering them a remarkable experience through their new designs, high quality and low cost furnitures. IKEA maintains its low prices by reducing its shipping costs, inventory costs and also by their DIY concept. IKEA PHILOSOPHY Source: Bernhard Schindlholzer, the Customer Experience Labs (2008) IKEA is able to maintain its focus on being easier, cheaper and faster. It is also able to provide excellent customer service by its cost cutting and process optimization techniques. SWOT Analysis Strength According to Lee and Ko (2000), the internal as well external customers should be considered while determining the strength of an organisation. IKEA is able to maximize productivity and minimize waste generation as maintains complete control over production process. All the steps in the production process from forestry saw milling and board manufacturing to furniture is handled by the industrial group of IKEA which is called Swedwood. IKEAs own design group makes sure that their products match the trend of the market. The design group also co-ordinates with the industrial group and vise versa to effectively convert the design into furnitures. IKEA has been a long term partner of UNICEF supporting UNICEFs programs benefiting children and their opportunities for learning and development in Asia, Africa and Central and Eastern Europe. IKEA has also been working with UN to abolish child labor. By fulfilling its corporate social responsibility and repeated customer satisfaction, IKEA has been able to build a strong brand image and thus enjoys enhances customer loyalty all over the world. IKEA was ranked 41st among the best global brands around the world in 2006. Weakness IKEA has to depend on sub contracted manufacturers as it has limited manufacturing capabilities, which makes it difficult for IKEA to coordinate and control quality standards in some regions. IKEA may also face competition from the subcontractors as they may manufacture their own line of products. IKEA products are also easy to replicate which the reason it is facing competition in china from the local suppliers. These suppliers in china are able to copy the IKEA products and sell at a cheaper cost. Opportunity Lee and Ko (2000) state that opportunities are present every where such as changes in government policies, social patterns and even technology. Asia accounts for small part of IKEAs business with only 3% of its sales generated from there. IKEA senses an opportunity to make its mark in Asia. IKEA plans to cut prices in china considerably and open new stores. IKEA can also expand by using e-commerce to its advantage. By using innovative technology IKEA can reach customers in parts of the world where it does not have a store. Threat The major threat to IKEA is distinct demand in different regions. In a vast country as china, IKEA has to adjust to the living style and culture which differ from one part to the other. IKEA plans to expand despite the business being hit by the global recession. IKEA will have to be cautious of the decisions it takes for its future in these difficult times. IKEAs Future IKEA success can be attributed to its ability of turning problems into opportunities. IKEA has been able to globalize and compete with local products in diverse markets due to its vision and business idea. IKEA is finding out ways to reduce costs in china and also plans to open 10 more outlets by 2010. IKEA expects china to be the second largest furniture consumption market by 2014 only after USA. Therefore, IKEA has streamlining its resources in Asia-Pacific and will moved its purchasing, financial, operation, security and other functional departments from Singapore to Shanghai. Rowley and Slack (2003), a new technology known as kiosk is used by IKEAs for customer convenience. Thus by using better technology like kiosk, IKEA will be able to satisfy more and more customers and will keep growing. IKEA has to constantly look out for new and innovative ways to reduce costs and improve quality to stay ahead of the competition. IKEA has to be in control of the huge expansion it has planned. Inability to reduce costs and inability to be in control of expansion could lead to the demise of IKEA. Conclusion Analyzing IKEA by PESTEL analysis reflects the external factors that IKEA has to counter to achieve its goals. IKEA has to deal with different external factors like taxation policies, government rules and regulations, exchange rate in different countries. IKEA product prices vary from country to country largely due to the external factors. IKEA has adopted a unique marketing mix which has resulted in the enormous growth of the company. IKEA has been so successful because it has been able to change its marketing strategy to suit the culture of the country. Most of IKEAs business comes from Europe but now its expanding in Asia. To be successful in the highly competitive Asian and especially Chinese markets, IKEA will have to adopt new strategies which suit the cultures of these markets which is different from the western culture. IKEAs plan of expansion in China could be quite risks as they have not been able to make their mark in the Chinese markets as they have been able to make in Europe. Moreover, IKEAs business has been hit by the financial crisis world wide; it could be strategic for IKEA to focus on increasing their sales in the existing stores than expansion in China.