Saturday, December 28, 2019

The Critical Conversation Surrounding Kipling s Novel,...

Nostalgia cannot be the sole modality for understanding the past and the self, yet neither can history. The two disparate parts must be brought together in order to understand the influences which, to a degree, create and shape a person. The critical conversation surrounding Kipling’s works tends to reduce their complexities to the single theme of imperialism. In doing so, the manifestation of his personhood is overlooked and ignored, creating an incomplete picture of Kipling and his beliefs. Though an advocate for imperialism and regarded by George Orwell as â€Å"the prophet of British Imperialism,† Kipling is unwillingly implicated within its rigid constructs (118). There is a unique complexity to Kipling’s works that stems from a psychological trauma. Kipling associated India with a fanciful childhood heightened through his expatriation at six years old. In turn, as Wurgraft highlights, spatiality proves to be incredibly important for analyzing Kiplingâ€℠¢s works; when he writes of and within India his tone significantly shifts from a harsh imperialist to a sympathetic, almost childlike, idealist (103-4). Therefore, while Kipling vocally advocates for imperialism, he does not do so at the expense of India and its inhabitants. This is a result of his affinity towards India in relations to his childhood, a result which manifests in his spatially Indian short stories. Of these short stories, â€Å"Without Benefit of Clergy† most acutely depicts his fanciful nostalgia to return to an

Wednesday, December 25, 2019

To Kill A Mockingbird Mother Figure Analysis - 775 Words

Every child needs a mother figure in their life to follow and to learn from. In To Kill a Mockingbird, shows that to grow up without a proper mother figure affects the development of a child. Scout needs a mother figure in her life some clear examples Harper Lee adds in the novel are Calpurnia, Aunt Alexandra and Miss Maudie. Calpurnia is a great example of a respectful and caring mother figure to Scout. One example of a caring moment is whenever Calpurnia has to tell Scout to not be rude. This is very motherly of Calpurnia because she is trying to eliminate rude behavior because Calpurnia knows that Scout might blow up over little things if she keeps this behavior up. ‘’ But he’s gone and drowned his dinner in syrup’, I protested. ‘†¦show more content†¦Aunt Alexandra always tries to enforce this onto Scout because she feels that every girl should be like the other. â€Å"Aunt Alexandra’s vision of my deportment involved playing with small stoves, tea sets, and wearing the Add-A-Pearl necklace she gave me when I was born;’’. In this quote Scout talks about how Aunt Alexandra tells Scout how to act and how she wants Scout to act. The lesson that Scout learns from her aunt is that most people in this town is very stereotypical and that Aunt Alexandra really cares and worries about the appearance of the children. Reputation, is the one big thing Aunt Alexandra worries about because she wants to keep the Finch’s heritage up with a good reputation in this town. She cares about her familys reputation because in the town of Maycomb everyone is gossipy so reputation is everything. Aunt Alexandra shows disappointment of her family name when she finds out that they have a black woman working for them, Atticus defending a black man, Scout not being the perfect little girl, when they have a Cunningham over for dinner, and when Jem and Scout went to courthouse to watch Atticus defend a black man out in public. The lesson Scout learns from Aunt Alexandra being over is that you want to keep your family reputation because in this town it means everything. Miss Maudie, the positive woman who lives across the street has a lot of lessons for Scout, even if she isnt with Scout most of the time. As Miss Maudie acts during herShow MoreRelatedTo Kill A Mockingbird Judgement Essay1406 Words   |  6 Page ssituation†- Anonymous. This quote can be applied to each character also each person in life. The jury should not laugh at the prisoner because it is only a matter of time before roles can be switched. In Harper Lee s award winning novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, she sets the plot in the small Southern town of Maycomb, Alabama, during the Depression. During this time period, issues like classism, racism, genderism, and general stereotyping were quite prudent. Harper reveals that it is unjust for oneRead MoreTo Kill A Mockingbird Character Analysis832 Words   |  4 Pagesnovel â€Å"To Kill a Mockingbird† is a thrilling bildungsroman following the timeline of a young girl named Jean-Louise (Scout) Finch, written by Harper Lee. As a young girl, Scout lacked a biological mother, the result of a sudden health tragedy. Mothers play a very important role in the life of a young girl. A Mothers goal is to guide their children down a healthy path of life while providing the nece ssary components needed to thrive. Although Scouts mother died years ago, her mother figure was supersededRead MoreKill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee1910 Words   |  8 Pages To Kill a Mockingbird is a novel by Harper Lee published in 1960. It was immediately successful, winning the Pulitzer Prize, and has become a classic of modern American literature. The plot and characters are loosely based on the author s observations of her family and neighbors, as well as on an event that occurred near her hometown in 1936, when she was 10 years old. The novel is renowned for its warmth and humor, despite dealing with the serious issues of rape and racial inequality. The narratorRead MoreThe Loss of Innocence and Maturity in to Kill a Mockingbird2128 Words   |  9 PagesThe Loss of Innocence and Maturity in To Kill A Mockingbird Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, To Kill a Mockingbird details the life and experiences of two children in a small town of Alabama. It describes how a series of events shakes their innocence, shaping their character and teaching them about human nature. In her novel, Lee demonstrates how these children learn about the essentiality of good and evil and the existence of injustice and racism in the Deep South during the 1930sRead MorePrejudice-to Kill a Mockingbird and Martin Luther King5895 Words   |  24 Pagesstep. In the twenty-first century prejudice and its destruction can be viewed in many forms of modern literature. Two of the most famous and rejoiced literatures that examine the theme of prejudice are Harper Lee’s realist fiction novel ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ and Martin Luther King’s heart warming speech ‘I Have a Dream’. Both texts explore the theme of prejudice of white Americans on the Blacks in the racially te nse times of the early twentieth century. Unlike Harper Lee, Martin Luther King goesRead MoreComparing Themes of To Kill a Mockingbird and A Raisin in the Sun1962 Words   |  8 PagesTo Kill a Mockingbird and A Raisin in the Sun are books both written during a time of racial tension and inequality. Harper Lee and Lorraine Hansberry lived through the civil rights movement and saw the physical and verbal harassment against African Americans. This experience is evident in both works as the theme of fighting prejudice shines through. The goal of this paper is to compare and contrast the theme in both books and how it affected both of the families. Also, throughout the paper I willRead MoreCalpurnia Character Traits1164 Words   |  5 PagesCalpurnia Character Analysis Calpurnia, or â€Å"Cal†, was the Finch’s African-American housekeeper and cook. Her being a black, middle-aged woman in a white dominated society, we can already infer she has experienced great racial injustices. Throughout the novel, we see significant and noticeable changes in the main characters, but little development in Calpurnia ´s character. Before you discard this essay on what was supposed to be about a chosen character changing due to social and racial injusticesRead MoreAnalysis Of John Milton s Paradise Lost Essay2201 Words   |  9 Pagesdifferent bildungsromans from different eras and regions to fully determine the necessary characteristics of a bildungsroman, like The Odyssey, To Kill a Mockingbird, David Copperfield, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and The Catcher in the Rye. One of the most well-known bildungsromans and one of the most applicable to Eve’s development is To Kill a Mockingbird. Scout Finch goes through a process comp arable to Eve’s, and will be especially useful in assessing Eve’s maturation since they are both heroinesRead MoreAnalysis Of The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn 1679 Words   |  7 Pages1. Analysis of an Important Character Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a story about growing up, facing the world, and fighting for what’s right. Huckleberry Finn matures greatly throughout the book, and Tom Sawyer plays an important role in showing this change. His character allows the reader to see Huck’s increase in maturity throughout the story. Tom is the constant, his immaturity not changing from the beginning to the end of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, while Huck is the changing variableRead MoreJasper Jones Study Guide6848 Words   |  28 Pages................................................................................... 10 Race and Ethnicity................................................................................................................................. 11 To Kill a Mockingbird (TKAM)................................................................................................................ 12 Australian Culture ...................................................... .............................................

Thursday, December 19, 2019

Abortion Is Morally Wrong - 2405 Words

Introduction We can all agree that abortion is a controversial issue debated in our society today, especially in Texas, which is one of the most conservative’s states in the nation. Some people argue that abortion is morally wrong, because it has to do with ending a life which, according proponents begins at conception, not at birth. Others contest that it is a woman s constitutional right to make reproductive decisions, particularly in situations of rape, incest, and health risks. In this paper I will survey the viewpoints regarding abortion presented by conservatives, Christian scholars, and advocates of women s reproductive rights. How does Conservatives View Abortion? As we have been discussing in our government class, we have learned that Texas is made up of Republicans, making it a conservative state. Conservative meaning, they want to preserve their old ways of taking decisions, they stand on tradition, and they have the tendency to conserve and preserve old way. According to Governing Texas and Introduction to Texas Politics it states that â€Å"Texas today is a political community that is dominated by the Republican Party† (Champage; Harpham; Governing Texas pg.4). It also goes on to say what kind issues are Republicans most conservative with. The government book goes on to articulate that, â€Å"In recent years, the Texas Republican Party has advocated increasingly conservative political positions on a variety of social and economic issues, including abortion, birthShow MoreRelatedIs Abortion Morally Wrong?1397 Words   |  6 PagesAbortion is viewed as an ethical issue worldwide as it has many debates which causes question: Should it be considered morally ethical or not? Should it be legal or illegal? Is it wrong, is it, right? In addition to multiple theories: Beliefs, Morality, Logic, Science and many others. Some argue that abortion is morally wrong because it has a right to life. While the opposing view believe that its morally correct because it holds no right to life. The text â€Å"The Deliberately Induced Abortion ofRead MoreAbortion Is Morally Wrong Or Not? Essay1234 Words   |  5 Pages230 abortion restrictions enacted by states in the US. In 2016 alone, there has been 1,256 provisions relating to sexual and reproductive health and rights. Of these 1,256, 445 provisions attempted to restrict access to abortion services (Nas, E., Benson Gold, R., Ansari-Thomas, Z., Cappello, O., Mohammed, L., 2016). Women’s rights as a human and as a US citizen are being violated through these restrictions. There is currently a strong disagreement in the US as to whether abortion is morally wrongRead MoreAbortion Is Morally Wrong?1682 Words   |  7 PagesAbortion is the termination of a pregnancy by removal of the fetus from the mother’s womb. It is estimated that there are 30-40 million abortions conducted a year (Trupin). Abortions have been legal in the United States since the Supreme Court’s decision in the 1973 Roe v. Wade case, however there is still a major controversy surrounding abortion as to whether or not abortions are morally acceptable. While some argue that abortion is morally impermissible, as it involves the killing of a fetus, othersRead MoreIs Abortion Morally Wrong?1704 Words   |  7 Pagessociety is how the legalities apply to the process of abortion. In this debate, most people usually connect with either the â€Å"pro-life† argument, or the â€Å"pro-choice† argument. Before developing a position, it is important to understand both sides of the argument and weigh the consequences of each. The common ground between the two is often mistaken, making it difficult for people to find their position. People who support banishing legal abortions are usually referred to as â€Å"pro-lifers.† They usuallyRead MoreAbortion Is Morally Wrong?1206 Words   |  5 PagesAbortion is one of the most divisive, controversial issues in today’s culture. Generally, there are two main stances one may take regarding the issue. However, many people hold views that are less extreme and do not favor one position or the other. One philosopher, Don Marquis, is against abortion in his essay, â€Å"Why Abortion is Immoral.† He opens his paper with the statement that the view of abortion as seriously immoral has not received much support, while the anti-abortion position is supportedRead MoreIs Abortion Morally Wrong? Essay1372 Words   |  6 Pagesten of these end in abortion† (Guttmacher Institute). Although today the United States is split among many controversial issues, one of the most disputed controversies is abortion, which has taken our country by storm over the last decade. As more and more unexpected pregnancies are occurring, many women find themselves faced with the financial and social burdens of potentially raising a child. Helpless and faced with a life- changing dilemma, these women turn to abortion as their only choiceRead MoreIs Abortion Morally Wrong?3071 Words   |  13 Pages Abortion -Final Mariel Timothy Howard University October 2014 Abortion, according to dictionary.com (2014) is the deliberate termination of a human pregnancy, most often performed during the first 28 weeks of pregnancy. When it comes to abortion many ethical issues, and questions become a great concern. Some questions of great concern are: is abortion morally wrong? Should abortion be illegal? Is the fetus an innocent person? What’s the right of the motherRead MoreWhy abortion is morally wrong1412 Words   |  6 Pagesyou slice it, abortion is morally wrong. Although that should not be misinterpreted for a pro-life stance on abortion because there are numerous circumstances that must be considered in each situation. Just because abortion is morally impermissible, it does not mean that society will deem you a bad person for getting an abortion under extreme circumstances. For that reason, abortion is a specifically tricky topic to discuss. There is no clear-cut answer as to whether or not abortion should be allowedRead MoreIs Abortion M orally Wrong?867 Words   |  4 Pagesopportunity to have an abortion rather than giving birth, and raising your child. An abortion can happen in practically two ways, the pill, which deteriorates the non-living fetus, or the physical way where doctors pull out the fetus with medical tongs. Parenting is having the child and raising them as your own till they are a legal adult at eighteen years old. The United States is quite divided on the topic, and choice of abortion. Nearly half think abortion is utterly wrong and should not be a choiceRead MoreWhy Abortion Is Morally Wrong1559 Words   |  7 PagesIMPORTANCE OF THE TOPIC: The morality of abortion is a topic that has long been discussed by both those for and against the act. Until 1972 when the Supreme Court case of Roe v. Wade made abortion legal in all 50 states, the act of getting an abortion was illegal in many states. Both sides of the moral arguments explain the reasoning behind their arguments. The moral question is if the act of getting an abortion is the same as murdering another human being. YES ARGUMENT PATRICK LEE AND ROBERT P

Monday, December 16, 2019

Freedom Of Speech Should Not Be Legal - 1644 Words

In today s society we see college as a Location for students to gain education and by the students gaining the education they obtain from colleges they than can use those skills to acquire a job that benefits the society we live in into a positive way. Freedom of speech is the right to express any opinion without being restrained by anyone, expressing ourself in part of being a person in that s what makes up who we are. We could believe in things,people or anything we have strong beliefs in. Students of any college should not be told by any any college officials what they can say and what they cannot say, they should be able to express any beliefs they feel strong about .students should be able to express what they out without being†¦show more content†¦A case that occurred on University of South Alabama is an example of when college official limits the right of Freedom of speech . According to Mitchell, Michael A., Ph.D. (University of South Alabama: Student Directed to Re move Pro-Trump Sign. FIRE. FIRE, 11 Apr. 2017. Web. 10 May 2017) it stated that â€Å"Months after Donald Trump was elected president, a University of South Alabama student was ordered by a campus administrator to remove a â€Å"Trump/Pence 2016† sign from his dorm room window. The administrator cited the university’s tax-exempt 501(c)(3) status, which prohibits the university from endorsing or opposing a political candidate. The student refused, citing the First Amendment. FIRE wrote to the university explaining—for the third time—that 501(c)(3) did not require or permit the university to censor student political speech that no reasonable person would believe to constitute action by the university itself. The university dropped the charges against the student.† It s not right for a college to restrain a student from expressing himself even if they believing something that they don t even agree with. In this case The student had a sign that suppor tsShow MoreRelatedPersuasive Essay On Hate Speech1612 Words   |  7 Pages In the name of free speech, hate speech should not be tolerated. Hate speech has devastating effects on the people and communities it is targeted at. Left unchecked hate speech can lead to harmful and violent effects. Over the past few years, the effects of hate speech used on women, homosexuals, ethnic groups and religious minorities have become more and more apparent. Hate speech can be very divisive in many of the situations it is used, depending on who interprets the expression can vary howRead MoreHate Speech And Freedom Of Speech1393 Words   |  6 Pages In the name of free speech, hate speech should not be tolerated. Hate speech has devastating effects on the people and communities it is targeted at. Left unchecked hate speech can lead to harmful and violent effects. Over the past few years, the effects of hate speech used on women, homosexuals, ethnic groups and religious minorities have become more and more apparent. Hate speech can be very divisive in many of the situations it is used, depending on who interprets the expression can vary howRead MoreThe First Amendment Of Our Constitution1511 Words   |  7 Pagesharmful hate speech that needs to be censored. Although a large amount of things that people find offensive are completely unnecessary we can’t go censoring it to make the problem go away. Freedom of speech doesn’t mean you can say anything you want to say but it does mean that you have the right to say most things, and most times speech cannot be censored no matter how appalling it is. Sometimes speech needs to be censored, but there is a big difference between illegal and legal speech that we needRead MoreHow Important Is The First Amendment?950 Words   |  4 PagesHow Important is the First Amendment? The First Amendment was adopted in 1791. It states that â€Å"Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.† (Wikipedia, 2016) The freedom of speech documented in the First Amendment is not only a constitutional protection, but also an inevitable part of democratic government and independence, which are essential values in ourRead MoreEssay on Hate Speech - Legal, but Unnecessary1376 Words   |  6 PagesHate Speech - Legal, but Unnecessary nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;While a clear and concise definition remains forthcoming, it is easier to establish what hate speech is not. Hate speech is wrong but legal in the United States of America mostly because we have the freedom of speech. But the First Amendment exists precisely to protect the most offensive and controversial speech from government suppression. In this case, people are allowed to use hate speech and not get arrested or any legal actionsRead MoreFree Speech vs Hate Speech Essay1647 Words   |  7 PagesFree Speech vs. Harmful Hate Speech Freedom of speech is instilled at the beginning of the Bill of Rights and it allows citizens of the United States to express their opinions without being afraid of what might happen to them, much like in other countries. Many times people are directly or indirectly harmed by others’ actions that are considered a right under the freedom of speech clause. Though, some people worry that if we do not allow for complete freedom of speech, it is hard to figure outRead MoreResearch Project : Facebook Cyber Issues899 Words   |  4 PagesCyber Issues The critical issues of privacy, freedom of speech, cyberbullying, and defamation are highlighted through the case study of Facebook by Reynolds (2014), where Denise Finkel sued Facebook, her former classmates, and their parents for posting defamatory statements within a private Facebook group. A thorough analysis of the entire defamation case and the parties that were impacted has been provided in this portfolio project. Moreover, the legal aspects of the case are identified, along withRead MoreThe Case Texas V. Johnson782 Words   |  4 Pagesobject. He was convicted, sentenced to one year in prison, and fined $2,000 (Texas v. Johnson (1989), Bill of Rights Institute) Johnson first appealed his conviction to the fifth Court of Appeals of Texas, arguing that his actions were â€Å"symbolic speech† protected by the First Amendment. However, he lost. Then he appealed the case to Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, the court overturned his conviction. And it asked the Supreme Court to hear the case (Texas v. Johnson, Encyclopaedia Britannica). TheRead MoreEssay on Censorship and Freedom of Speech658 Words   |  3 PagesCensorship may be protection from inappropriate materials, but it also limits free speech. For the limitation of free speech, it is reasonable why people are emphatically against censorship. It is understood that there is a need to filter some of the materials released in today’s society, but too much is being done by people who have no right meddling with everyone’s rights. Civilization has always been plagued by a never ending battle being fought over what is deemed right and wrong. In today’sRead MoreFr ee Speech Or Freedom Of Speech Essay911 Words   |  4 PagesIntroduction America is known as The Land of Freedom, basically we are entitled for legal freedom to do whatever we wanted to. However, the freedom of speech has been challenged by many university students and educators recently. In their argument, they believe that free speech has triggered students’ unhappiness and jeopardize campus’ safety. What is the free speech or freedom of speech? According to dictionary, freedom of speech is the right of people to express their opinions publicly without

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Construction Enterprise Architecture Management †MyAssignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about the Construction Enterprise Architecture Management. Answer: Introduction: In the current report, a client has approached to investigate Lufthansa Company with the help of PESTEL and Porters five forces framework. For this, a brief overview of the organisation has been carried out describing its mission, values, capabilities, locations and summary of stated performance. In addition, the strengths and weaknesses of Lufthansa have been dissected with the help of financial performance, product or service portfolio and core operations. Finally, the report sheds light on determining the attractiveness of the organisation along with suggesting whether to purchase or sell the shares of the organisation. Lufthansa is an aviation group having global operations in above 400 subsidiaries and associated organisations in Australia, Europe, UK and Asia. The organisation is segregated into five business segments that include the airline and airfreight services, passenger transportation areas, MRO, logistics along with IT services and catering (Lufthansa.com 2017). These segments play leading roles in their sectors and in few cases; they are even the global market leader. It is the largest European airline in terms of fleet size and the second largest airline in terms of passengers carried in 2016. In 2016, Lufthansa has an average of 124,306 members and the turnover of the organisation has been 31,660 million in the same year. As the organisation is involved in competing in the global airline industry, the business segments comprise of logistics, passenger business, overhaul and repair, information technology services and leisure travel. The core values of the organisation primarily include the following: Providing reliable services for air-cargo and passengers and seamless association with the partners enhances the volatile environment Growing profitability along with maintaining a healthy financial structure for enabling investment in developing business, products, fleet and people Commitment to sustainable development along with assuming ecological, social and civic responsibilities Exploiting the growth potential for developing value Adoption of activities in 2011, which would form the group into the Airline Powerhouse of Europe Competitiveness would receive a lasting boost Combination of financial strategy with sound foundations for financial flexibility Comprehensive and targeted analysis of the external environment of Lufthansa and its industry: In order to evaluate the external environment of Lufthansa, PESTEL analysis has been carried out, which is depicted as follows: There is deregulation in the global transport industries, which has helped the organisation in carrying out its business operations in an effective fashion (Albers et al. 2017). In addition, it obtains fuel subsidies from the German government and due to this, Lufthansa has managed to minimise its operating expenses in the home nation. However, it has failed to receive subsidies from the cross-border nations. As a result, the group has not succeeded in minimising its operational expenditures in those nations. However, the government is involved in fare range regulation along with apportioning usable routes for carriers to control the competition. For risk control, there is need for the governmental need to the tourists or immigrants. Moreover, there are few constraints in relation to adherence of the governmental policies. For instance, the UK government has passed a pledge to minimise carbon emissions by 60%, which is depicted in the UK Climate Change Bill. Furthermore, according to the EU Emission Trading Scheme, 1 kilogram of jet fuel is equivalent to 3.15 kilogram of carbon dioxide (Amir, Auzair and Amiruddin 2016). Thus, Lufthansa is compelled to reduce the utilisation of jet fuel in conducting its aviation-related operations. The first economic factor affecting the business operations of Lufthansa is the gross domestic production (GDP). This is because poor economy results in lower business travel. Most of the organisations in the airline industry reduce the costs on non-essential travel (Bergh et al. 2017). Hence, Lufthansa might need to modify the meetings to conference calls. The second factor includes the risk of inflation rate in EMEA/US, in which the tendency of the individuals would be low at the time of high rate of inflation in the nation. Another factor influencing the business operations of Lufthansa is the bilateral trade agreements in EMEA, and US as they enhance the travelling frequency of the businesspersons around the world. Finally, the rise in global prices has increased the overall operating expenses of Lufthansa. The figure below depicts the figure in relation to change in source of economic growth (Asia) and currency power (Euro v USD). The demographic change is one of the socio-cultural factors, in which the grey market development spends more on travelling and leisure. This is because of the changes in the preferences, lifestyles and fashions of the customers, since they need opportunities for visiting interesting, new and long haul destinations (Bromiley, Rau and McShane 2014). Along with this, the rising popularity of the holidays abroad has resulted in a boom for travelling demand. Moreover, there is a change in the perception of air travel in the minds of the consumers. This is because low cost revolution throughout Europe available to the greater public, There is rise in air travel, since the individuals not considering to travel by air now have the opportunity to travel. The growth of ageing population in Europe has considerable effect on the business income of Lufthansa, as these individuals have greater disposable income to spend. Finally, the greater number of commuters and the demand for lower cost carri ers depict change in attitude about the tour operators and travel agencies. As a result, this leads to image problems for the organisations providing greater service cost. With the rising advancements in technology, the direct customers in the global airline industry prefer worldwide access. The goal of Lufthansa is to regain the control of the customers. However, it is to be borne in mind that it is not possible for any organisation to own customers in the existing business environment (Carroll, Primo and Richter 2016). The airlines could leverage the same technology for gaining access to their wants and needs, the desired services and change based on willingness and paying ability despite the empowerment of the customers with the help of technology. The development of computer reservation systems has lead to competition in online travel agencies with improvement in site functionality and usability. In addition, there is flexibility in the booking process and the customers receive alerts or confirmations via SMS and e-mail. Finally, the convenient check-in on cell phone has helped the customers to look at the flight schedules and delays, if any. As identified above, the global governments are laying greater stress on the emission rate of carbon dioxide, due to which Lufthansa has reduced fuel burn and level of noise. For instance, Lufthansa has changed for its green house share contribution on flights, which are back and forth Europe. It has adopted environment friendly measures like use of proper equipment and donations to charitable institutions to increase its social responsibility. In addition, as the airports in Europe are located in metropolitan areas, such strategic location could provide convenience to the customers (Certo et al. 2016). Regulation regarding the level of carbon emission Changes in the employment laws, company laws, tax laws and their regulations in US, Australia and Europe Privatisation of the transport industry or traffic rights in Asian nations The competition laws in Australia have limited the travel fares of Lufthansa in its operating nations (Chen, Delmas and Lieberman 2015) The regulatory changes in EU, for instance, the enhanced call for better customer care have helped in reaching the consumers at a faster rate The regulatory changes in US, for example, the restrictions on gels and liquids past the screening checkpoints impact the customers of the mode of air transport in possession of such products (gels and liquids) The external environment of Lufthansa could be evaluated with the help of Porters five forces framework, which is represented briefly as follows: In terms of global competition, Lufthansa is the biggest in terms of revenue followed by AF-KLM and IAG. On the other hand, Vueling, Turkish and Norwegian Airlines are growing at a faster pace, while in terms of profit, Ryanair is the most profitable in 2016 (Peppard and Ward 2016). Along with this, Turkish and Finnair Airlines have recorded the greatest improvements of percentage point in their margins, while Alitalia, IAG and SAS have experienced an operating loss and decline in operating margin. Air-France KLM and Airberlin have made loss at the operational level; however, they experienced a narrow down of their loss margins. In addition, Lufthansa has entered into partnerships and equity investments by regions (Emirates). Furthermore, the Star Alliance Groups Lufthansa and Air China occupy the first two positions on routes between China and Europe. Thus, based on the above discussion, it could be stated that the threat of competition is medium in the global airline industry. As there is high start-up cost for entering into the global aviation industry, the capital requirement is high. In addition, the capacity of distribution channels is limited, as the existing organisations in the industry are competing to find a space for their products. The new entrants might find it difficult to obtain landing slots and gates at the major hubs. As a result, it might pose difficulties for the new entrants to form flight schedules at attractive times in a day (Eden and Ackermann 2013). The deregulated environment in USA and liberalised environment in Europe might lead to high-risk nature of the industry, which acts as a major impediment to the new entrants. Finally, the load factor has impact on revenue and it is highly vulnerable to economic slowdown (Frynas and Mellahi 2015). The main substitutes that might act as the competitors to the global aviation industry include high-speed train, boats and road. However, in case of long flights, there are no substitutes available in the global market. Despite this, the switching cost for the consumers to the substitute products is low, which might increase their propensity to substitute (Gamble and Thompson 2014). Finally, technologies like videoconferencing and telecommunications are substitutes to avoid visiting abroad nations through flights. However, the threat to substitutes is low. Bargaining power of the buyers: With the growing popularity of internet, there is increase in bargaining power of the purchasers. This is because it has increased the availability for a purchaser of a flight ticket to look for the cheapest fare available between various airlines. As a result, the air travel prices have become transparent and the market liberalisations coupled with lower cost of switching for the purchasers in the market has enabled in pushing down the air travel prices. The income of the consumers, tastes of the consumers, service quality, seasonal fluctuations and the availability of substitutes influence the price elasticity of the global aviation industry. However, the business travellers would maintain their levels of demand even at the time of increase in the air travel prices (Goetsch and Davis 2014). The short distance flights have experienced a dramatic fall in demand when prices rise because of the availability of substitutes. Hence, it could be inferred that the bargaining power of the bu yers in the global aviation industry is high. The fuel prices of aviation turbine comprise of around 80% of the overall operational costs of the airline industry. Moreover, due to the limited number of oil companies, the airlines hardly find any alternative (Grant et al. 2014). The labour like cabin crew, pilots, gate agents and ground personnel has bargaining power due to the labour agreements during industrial regulation leaving them with lower flexibility. This force remains an important influential dynamic in the successful performance of the sector. Along with this, there are only two main manufacturers for big commercial aircraft like Boeing and Airbus. If the airlines place large orders, it might take several years to be delivered. Thus, the bargaining power of the suppliers is high in the industry. Based on the above evaluation, the potential opportunities and challenges that would influence the business operations of Lufthansa include the following: The new lower cost platforms of Lufthansa provide immense growth options, as it has decided to transfer point-to-point European routes, which do not touch its hubs at Munich and Frankfurt to Germanwings. This would move into the long haul market operated on the part of Sun Express, which is a joint venture and Turkish Airlines is a part of this venture (Harrison and John 2013). In addition, the cultural change of Lufthansa is slow; however, it offers enough potential for the organisation. Although the business model of the organisation denotes that it is not sufficiently concentrated on placing its own house in order; however, the formation of new lower cost vehicles has provided some options in fighting with competition. The increasing competition from LCC poses a threat to the Lufthansa Group, since the rivals like Ryonair and Easy Jet are now involved in targeting the higher-level business travellers crucial to legacy airline profitability. Finally, the protectionist instincts of the airline group are the biggest threat to Lufthansa. In addition, the Gulf-based nations receive subsidy from the governments, which promote unfair competition. Such instinct poses a threat to Lufthansa, since it, since it denotes that the mindset is not yet right completely (Hill, Jones and Schilling 2014). Analysis of the capabilities of Lufthansa along with its key strengths and weaknesses: In the words of Drury (2013), profitability ratios are a group of financial metrics, which are used to evaluate the ability of a business in generating earnings in contrast to its expenditures and other pertinent costs spent during a specific timeframe. For most of these ratios, a higher value is always preferable, since it denotes better profitability position for the organisation. The following profitability ratios for Lufthansa have been taken into consideration for Lufthansa and they are depicted with the help of the following figure: Based on the above figure, it could be stated that the gross margin of Lufthansa has increased from 42.41% in 2014 to 44.97% in 2015 and the trend is inherent further to 45.96% in 2016. The primary reason behind such increase in gross margin is the increasing revenue from EU and Asia, while the cost of sales has started to fall in Australia and the Gulf Nations. In this context, Hubbard, Rice and Galvin (2014) remarked that increasing gross margin denotes better profitability position of the organisation before operational expenditures. Hence, in terms of gross margin, Lufthansa is enjoying a better profitable position in the global market. Along with this, another profitability ratio that has been taken into consideration is the net margin. As laid out by Jenkins and Williamson (2015), net margin is the percentage of profit that an organisation has earned after incurring operating expenses, financing costs and income tax expense. The higher the net margin, the better it is for the organisation. In case of Lufthansa, the net margin of the organisation has increased massively from 0.18% in 2014 to 5.30% in 2015 and it has increased further to 5.67% in 2016. The possible reason behind such increase is the massive increase in other income despite the operating loss suffered in 2015. Thus, in terms of net margin, Lufthansa is enjoying a better and profitable position in the global aviation industry. Furthermore, another profitability ratio that has been taken into consideration for evaluating the profitability position of Lufthansa is the return on capital employed (ROCE). In the words of Gans and Ryall (2017), ROCE depicts the percentage of profit each dollar of employed capital generates. In case of Lufthansa, ROCE has been negative both in 2014 and 2015; however, it has shifted towards the positive trend in 2016. The reason behind the negative ROCE in two years is due to operating loss from increased sales, general and administrative expenses. However, with the fall in such expenses in 2016, it has resulted in positive ROCE for Lufthansa and hence, it has generated sufficient amount with its invested capital. Thus, based on the above findings, it could be inferred that in terms of profitability position, Lufthansa is enjoying a better and favourable position in the global aviation industry. The liquidity ratios gauge the ability of an organisation to incur debt obligations and safety margin through the computation of metrics like current ratio and quick ratio. Comparing the past timeframes to the current operations allows the analysts to identify changes in the business (Lumley and Gergely 2015). The following liquidity ratios for Lufthansa have been taken into consideration for Lufthansa and they are depicted with the help of the following figure: According to the above figure, it could be observed that the current ratio of Lufthansa has increased from 0.75 in 2014 to 0.72 in 2015 and the increase is inherent further to 0.93 in 2016. However, the standard current ratio in the aviation industry is considered as 2 (Martin 2014). The possible reason behind such low ratio is the increase in account payables in contrast to cash availability of the organisation. As a result, the organisation has struggled to meet off its existing obligations with the available short-term asset base. On the other hand, quick ratio is similar to current ratio; however, it excludes inventories from current assets. The standard quick ratio in the global aviation industry is considered as 1 (Morden 2016). In this case, the quick ratio of the organisation has fallen from 0.69 in 2014 to 0.66 in 2015; however, it has increased to 0.85 in 2016. This denotes that the ratio is near the industrial standard, which signifies average liquidity position of the organisation in the market. The efficiency ratios are used typically to evaluate the way an organisation uses it assets and liabilities internally. These are used to gauge the short-term or current performance of the organisation (Potts and Ankrah 2014). The following efficiency ratios for Lufthansa have been taken into consideration for Lufthansa and they are depicted with the help of the following figure: The above figure clearly signifies that the payables turnover of Lufthansa has increased from 48.94 days in 2014 to 98.10 days in 2015 and it has increased further to 101.72 days in 2016. The higher the payables turnover in terms of days, the better it is for the organisation in retaining higher cash in hand (Morschett, Schramm-Klein and Zentes 2015). The brand image of the airline group in the global market has resulted in winning the trust and beliefs of the creditors, due to which the organisation has managed to extend its credit terms. On the other hand, the inventory turnover of Lufthansa has increased from 14.16 days in 2014 to 15.12 days in 2015 and the increase is inherent further in 2016 to 16.82 days in 2016. This denotes that there is slight fall in demand in the global market due to the presence of increasing number of competitors in the global market. However, based on the above evaluation, it could be stated that the organisation has stable efficiency position in the gl obal aviation industry. In the words of Rothaermel (2015), the solvency ratios are a key metric used to gauge the ability of an organisation to meet debt and other obligations. The following solvency ratios for Lufthansa have been taken into consideration for Lufthansa and they are depicted with the help of the following figure: In accordance with the above figure, it could be stated that Lufthansa has debt-to-equity ratio of 3.91 in 2014, which has fallen to 2.47 in 2015. The fall is inherent in 2016 to 2.36, which denotes that the airline group has focused massively on raising funds through debt instead of equity financing. On the other hand, the times interest earned ratio has increased massively in 2016, which signify that the organisation has adequate capability to meet its interest expense with the operating income. Thus, Lufthansa has increased debt burden questioning its solvency position; however, the operating income is greater. The strengths and weaknesses of Lufthansa in terms of its service portfolio and operations are depicted briefly as follows: Strengths: As it provides diversified range of operations, it is the leading aviation group in the global market It has formed sustainability and security program for driving sustainable growth The opening of new fleets and partnerships with other aviation group has increased the operating efficacy of the organisation Weaknesses: Employee strikes and disputes over wages influence business operations (Seuring and Goldbach 2013). The adaptation challenge to the staffs to the business evolution Evaluation of the current strategies of Lufthansa for long-term: Since the competition of LCC is for short haul, the competition in long haul sectors from the large three Gulf carriers like Qatar Airways, Emirates and Etihad and the star alliance power of Lufthansa, the Turkish Airlines would continue to stay. For instance, the Indian network of Lufthansa delivers significant feed through market via Frankfurt into the network of US however, the extensive India networks of Gulf-based airlines is obtaining an increasing share of this traffic via its own hubs. The national airlines within the organisation are operating as separate brands, each having its own fleet, labour structure and operations. The fuel prices of aviation turbine comprise of around 80% of the overall operational costs of the airline industry. Moreover, due to the limited number of oil companies, the airlines hardly find any alternative (Grant et al. 2014). The labour like cabin crew, pilots, gate agents and ground personnel has bargaining power due to the labour agreements during industrial regulation leaving them with lower flexibility. This force remains an important influential dynamic in the successful performance of the sector. Along with this, there are only two main manufacturers for big commercial aircraft like Boeing and Airbus. If the airlines place large orders, it might take several years to be delivered. Thus, the bargaining power of the suppliers is high in the industry. Conclusion: Based on the above evaluation, it could be stated that there is deregulation in the global transport industries, which has helped the organisation in carrying out its business operations in an effective fashion. In addition, it obtains fuel subsidies from the German government and due to this, Lufthansa has managed to minimise its operating expenses in the home nation. However, it has failed to receive subsidies from the cross-border nations. The increasing competition from LCC poses a threat to the Lufthansa Group, since the rivals like Ryonair and Easy Jet are now involved in targeting the higher-level business travellers crucial to legacy airline profitability. Finally, the protectionist instincts of the airline group are the biggest threat to Lufthansa. In addition, the Gulf-based nations receive subsidy from the governments, which promote unfair competition. In terms of profitability position, Lufthansa is enjoying a better and favourable position in the global aviation industry. However, there is slight fall in demand in the global market due to the presence of increasing number of competitors in the global market. Both the efficiency and solvency positions of the organisation are stable, which denote that the organisation is maintaining a competitive position in the global market. Lufthansa has increased debt burden questioning its solvency position; however, the operating income is greater. In addition, the opening of new fleets and partnerships with other aviation group has increased the operating efficacy of the organisation. Hence, based on the above evaluation, it is advisable to hold on to the shares of the organisation; however, purchase of the same is advisable after it minimises its debt burden. References: Albers, S., Baum, H., Auerbach, S. and Delfmann, W. eds., 2017. Strategic Management in the Aviation Industry. Taylor Francis. Amir, A., Auzair, S.M. and Amiruddin, R., 2016. Cost management, entrepreneurship and competitiveness of strategic priorities for small and medium enterprises.Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences,219, pp.84-90. Bergh, D.D., Sharp, B.M., Aguinis, H. and Li, M., 2017. Is there a credibility crisis in strategic management research? Evidence on the reproducibility of study findings.Strategic Organization, p.1476127017701076. Bettis, R., Gambardella, A., Helfat, C. and Mitchell, W., 2014. Quantitative empirical analysis in strategic management.Strategic Management Journal,35(7), pp.949-953. Bromiley, P., Rau, D. and McShane, M.K., 2014. Can strategic risk management contribute to enterprise risk management? A strategic management perspective. Bryce, H.J., 2017.Financial and strategic management for nonprofit organizations. Walter de Gruyter GmbH Co KG. Carroll, R.J., Primo, D.M. and Richter, B.K., 2016. Using item response theory to improve measurement in strategic management research: An application to corporate social responsibility.Strategic Management Journal,37(1), pp.66-85. Certo, S.T., Busenbark, J.R., Woo, H.S. and Semadeni, M., 2016. Sample selection bias and Heckman models in strategic management research.Strategic Management Journal,37(13), pp.2639-2657. Chen, C.M., Delmas, M.A. and Lieberman, M.B., 2015. Production frontier methodologies and efficiency as a performance measure in strategic management research.Strategic Management Journal,36(1), pp.19-36. Drury, C.M., 2013.Management and cost accounting. Springer. Eden, C. and Ackermann, F., 2013.Making strategy: The journey of strategic management. Sage. Frynas, J.G. and Mellahi, K., 2015.Global strategic management. Oxford University Press, USA. Gamble, J.E. and Thompson, A.A., 2014.Essentials of strategic management. Irwin Mcgraw-Hill. Gans, J. and Ryall, M.D., 2017. Value capture theory: A strategic management review.Strategic Management Journal,38(1), pp.17-41. Goetsch, D.L. and Davis, S.B., 2014.Quality management for organizational excellence. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson. Grant, R., Butler, B., Orr, S. and Murray, P.A., 2014.Contemporary strategic management: An Australasian perspective. John Wiley Sons Australia, Ltd. Harrison, J.S. and John, C.H.S., 2013.Foundations in strategic management. Cengage Learning. Hill, C.W., Jones, G.R. and Schilling, M.A., 2014.Strategic management: theory: an integrated approach. Cengage Learning. Hubbard, G., Rice, J. and Galvin, P., 2014.Strategic management. Pearson Australia. Investor-relations.lufthansagroup.com. (2017).Financial Reports - Investor Relations - Lufthansa Group. [online] Available at: https://investor-relations.lufthansagroup.com/en/finanzberichte.html [Accessed 25 Oct. 2017]. Jenkins, W. and Williamson, D., 2015.Strategic management and business analysis. Routledge. Lufthansa.com. (2017).Online flight tickets worldwide - Lufthansa India. [online] Available at: https://www.lufthansa.com/in/en/Homepage?WT.srch=1WT.mc_id=SEA_lhcom_IN_ensubID=1369743446408907962 [Accessed 25 Oct. 2017]. Lumley, I. and Gergely, M., 2015. The Value Perspective in Strategic Cost Management. A case study of a support function in a large manufacturing firm. Martin, R.L., 2014. The big lie of strategic planning.Harvard business review,92(1/2), pp.3-8. Morden, T., 2016.Principles of strategic management. Routledge. Morschett, D., Schramm-Klein, H. and Zentes, J., 2015.Strategic international management. Springer. Peppard, J. and Ward, J., 2016.The strategic management of information systems: Building a digital strategy. John Wiley Sons. Potts, K. and Ankrah, N., 2014.Construction cost management: learning from case studies. Routledge. Rothaermel, F.T., 2015.Strategic management. McGraw-Hill Education. Seuring, S. and Goldbach, M. eds., 2013.Cost management in supply chains. Springer Science Business Media. Sheng, L.I., 2013. Analysis of Strategic Cost Management in Coal Enterprise [J].Coal Technology,1, p.123. Simon, D., Fischbach, K. and Schoder, D., 2014. Enterprise architecture management and its role in corporate strategic management.Information Systems and e-Business Management,12(1), pp.5-42. Stead, J.G. and Stead, W.E., 2013.Sustainable strategic management. ME Sharpe. Vogel, R. and Gttel, W.H., 2013. The dynamic capability view in strategic management: A bibliometric review.International Journal of Management Reviews,15(4), pp.426-446. Walters, L.M., Pergola, T.M. and Matulich, E., 2014. Kennel-Up Company: an analysis of target costing and strategic cost management techniques.Journal of Business Cases and Applications,10, p.1. Wheelen, T.L. and Hunger, J.D., 2017.Strategic management and business policy. Pearson.

Sunday, December 8, 2019

Viewpoints of the person centered theory free essay sample

According to Rogers, Individuals have within themselves vast resources for self-understanding and for altering their self-concepts, basic attitudes, and self-directed behavior; these resources can be tapped if a definable climate of facilitative psychological attitudes can be provided (Rogers, 1980). Developed by Carl Rogers in the 1940s, the Person-centered method is a supportive type of therapy where trust is the most essential concept and clients are encouraged to create positive changes for themselves. It focusses on the here and now where everything is self-regulated such as self-awareness, self-development, and self-expression. It is an emotional and psychological approach to the person; a ‘way of being’, from which perception of self, reality and behavior may be reorganized (Rogers, 1947). The limitations of person-centered therapy reside not in the approach itself, but in the limitations of particular therapists and their ability or lack of it to offer their clients the necessary conditions for change and development (Thorne, 1991), as the therapist will begin to draw inferences that may represent the therapists own projections rather than the client’s actual experience (Schultz Schultz, 2013). We will write a custom essay sample on Viewpoints of the person centered theory or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Person-Centered theory differs from the psychoanalytic theory in that the person-centered theory is based on the humanistic philosophies whereas psychoanalytic theory is mostly deterministic. A difference between the humanistic view and the deterministic view is that humanism is based on the concept that the client has the freedom to make conscious choices and will automatically grow in positive ways (Corey, 1996), whereas the deterministic theory of Freud’s proposes that only after the client gained insight into the unconscious could he or she operate by choice rather than that of habit (Corey, 1996). Rogers theory states that human nature is driven by the inherent desire for positive self-actualization, and places the client in direct control as the therapist takes a backseat. Freuds theory emphasizes the unconscious where people are selfish and violent by nature and if allowed would pursue pleasure at all costs. According to Rogers three core conditions must be present for the counseling relationship to be effective and they are unconditional positive regard, genuineness, and acute empathetic understanding. The main two goals of Psychoanalytic therapy are to bring the unconscious to a level of conscious and to strengthen the ego (Corey, 1996). The person-centered approach is empathetic, humanistic, and non-judgmental;however this learner feels that it is limited to non-verbal clients, It’s unrealistic because not all therapists can be non-directive, and it can be somewhat annoying or irritating because clients may not want to hear their words repeated back to them. References Corey, G. (1996). Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy (5th ed.). Ca: Brooks/Coles Publishing. pp. 167-195. Rogers, C. R. (1957) The necessary and sufficient conditions of therapeutic personality change. Journal of Consulting Psychology, 21, 95-103. Rogers, C. R. (1980). A way of being. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin. Schultz, D. P., Schultz, S. E. (2013). Theories of personality (10th ed.). Belmont, CA: Cengage/Wadsworth. Thorne, B. (1991) Person-Centred Counselling: Therapeutic and Spiritual Dimensions. London: Whurr Publishers.

Wednesday, December 4, 2019

The Restructuring of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited Essay Example

The Restructuring of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited Essay Application Exercise Strategic Management Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), where I am employed, is engaged and exploration, refining, distribution and marketing of petroleum product across the country. In downstream product marketing BPCL, has bouquet of products on offer, ranging from Petrol, Diesel, to Aviation Fuel, to Cooking Gas to Auto Lubricants. It is a global major and ranked 225th in the Fortune Global 500 rankings of the worlds biggest corporations for the year 2012. The ChangeOpening up of the Indian economy in the nineties brought with it more competition and challenges to BPCL, kindled by the phased dismantling of the Administered Pricing Mechanism (APM) on petroleum products and emergence of additional capacities in the region in refining and marketing. Increasing globalisation, new products and services, and innovative marketing resulted in a very market savvy consumer. The production-based success philosophy of marketers was replaced by a customer-oriented philosophy.Bharat Petroleum took cognisance of this situation well in time and took radical steps to keep itself attuned to the changing times, realising that the future belongs to those who listen and adapt to their customers. Application of 7-S Framwork To assess the effectiveness of the implementation approach in BPCL in late 90s, I have applied below the 7-S Framework, which is based around seven key elements of any organisation, with the view that in order for it to operate successfu lly, all the elements in this model must align synergistically together.The factors are split into two groups: hard or soft. The hard elements are those that can physically be seen when in place, whereas the soft are more intangible and cannot readily be seen. Hard Elements| Soft Elements| Strategy| Shared Values| Structure| Skills| Systems| Staff| | Style| Shared Values Shared values are the pinnacle of the model and therefore in any organisation. They form the underpinning culture, strategy, effectiveness and performance, linking to every other element in this framework.They link all that is of the organisation: how people behave, the structure, its systems and so on. Getting this balance right means getting the culture right. In 1996, Bharat Petroleum went through a process of visioning, involving people at all levels, which evolved a shared vision and a set of shared values. Visioning exercise started with the board, facilitated by external consultants. The exercise was extended across the organization in a snowball approach flowing from top management to the junior management, facilitated by the external experts, specifically trained for this purpose.Thus emerged the core of the vision for BPCL which was owned by every management staff. The core of vision as articulated by the organisational members across the organization is given below – Be the Best| Make the workplace exciting| Improve boundary management| Fulfill social responsibilities, be ethical| Apply the best technology| Make systems strong and dynamic| Establish first-class brands and corp. image| Excellent customer care amp; service| Go for excellent performance and operational efficiency| Make people source of improvement|The visioning exercise the provided for articulation and aspirations of the people. The process brought the whole organization out of lethargy, increased the energy levels and expectations on individuals, teams and the organizations. Since, the vision was iterated thro ughout the organization, there was greater buyin for the change. Strategy Bharat Petroleum recognised that all strategic initiatives must conform to the overall vision of the Corporation and improve the economic value.Based on the assessment / visioning exercise carried out across the BPCL, following strategic gaps and opportunities emerged – 1. Collective dissatisfaction with status quo 2. Low customer focus and customer orientation 3. Huge gap between the vision and capabilities to achieve it a. Increase refining capacities to reduce the dependence on other oil PSUs for product support. Invest in refineries to cater to marketing aspirations in south, east amp; north India. b.Backward integration to invest in exploration and production to make up for the margins pressure in down stream activities. BPCL relentlessly worked towards fulfilling these gaps by taking following initiatives – Product Security Initiatives: To improve product security, BPCL acquired two standal one refineries – Kochi refinery (9. 5 MMTPA) in South and Numaligarh Refinery (3 MMTPA) in Assam. Investment in 9 MMTPA refinery in joint venture with Oman Refineries in Madhaya Pradesh to cater to Northern India, where BPCL was dependent on other PSUs for product support.Backend Integration Initiatives: Bharat PetroResources Ltd (BPRL) was incorporated as a wholly owned subsidiary company of BPCL with the objective of implementing BPCL’s plans in the upstream exploration and production sector. The exploration and production activities of BPRL and its subsidiary companies extend to 26 exploration blocks where they hold participating interests (PI). Of this, 11 blocks are in India and 15 are abroad. Besides India, BPRL has blocks in Australia, Brazil, East Timor, Indonesia, Mozambique and the United Kingdom.BPRL’s total acreage in all these blocks is around 68,000 sq. km, of which approx 89% is offshore acreage. These blocks are in various stages of exploration w ith definite finds. Brand Initiatives: In the highly competitive scenario, it has become imperative to own dominant brands. BPCL introduced new generation branded fuels Speed, Hi Speed Diesel and Speed 97, to introduce premium fuel brands in the Country, keeping pace with the technological advancements in the automobile industry leading to introduction of new generation vehicles.BPCL also recognized the customer need for pure quality and correct quantity of fuel for their vehicles and launched the flagship initiative of Pure For Sure (PFS) offering the guarantee of pure quality and correct quantity of fuel to our customers. The petrol pumps displaying a prominent Pure For Sure signage became landmark destinations. Automotive Lubricants Initiatives: Bharat Petroleum launched the full range of Automotive Engine Oils, Gear Oils, Transmission oils, Specialty Oils and Greases under the umbrella brand MAK, offering range of benefits to the users of present day modern vehicles.Structure Th e older structure was functionally organized. There were mainly four functions – Refineries, Marketing, Finance, and Personnel – each headed by a Functional Director. Other support departments like corporate affairs, legal, audit, vigilance, coordination and company secretary were directly under Camp;MD. Whole of India was divided into four regions and further in 22 divisions. Each region was headed by Regional Manager who was incharge of all activities within the region. Across the marketing function, every individual and role was focused on multiple customer segments.Hence, there was low customer awareness in terms if unique needs of different customer segments and marketing strategy was formulated by people who were far from the customer and had low understanding of customers they were targeting. Thus the old structure had created a bottleneck between strategy formulators and implementers in terms of regional structure and between the field staff and the corporate o ffices and the refinery. The early traumatic experience of huge loss in market share amp; profitability in auto lubricants, after it’s deregulation in 1990, forced the strategists for due reflection.BPCL then embarked upon the journey of restructuring. Bharat Petroleum realised that, in the long run, success can only come with a total reorientation and change in approach with the customer as the focal point. In a proactive move to adapt to the emerging competitive scenario and support the emerging strategy (discussed earlier), function-based structure was carefully dismantled and replaced with a process-based one. This made the company more responsive to its customer needs. BPCL therefore was restructured into a Corporate Centre, Strategic Business Units (SBUs) and Shared Services and Entities.The organisational design comprising of five customers facing SBUs, viz. Aviation, Industrial and Commercial, LPG, Lubricants and Retail and one asset based SBU, viz. Refinery, is based on the philosophy of greater customer focus based on the specific needs of each customer segments. Systems Bharat Petroleum has always been on the forefront of harnessing technology initiatives for BPCL has been on forefront in harnessing technology, maximising efficiency and achieving greater customer satisfaction.Bharat Petroleum became the first PSU to implement Enterprisewide Resource Planning (ERP) solutions SAP. The challenge of SAP implementation was to ensure that all the integrated elements work seamlessly across the length and breadth of the country, including the remote locations. Bharat Petroleum reaped huge benefits of the integrated system in many areas of its operations like, tracking customer-receivables, monitoring credit-management, inventory management, besides easing the operations in a large number of areas. SkillsAs a Strategic Business Partner, HR supports skill-upgradation and multi-skilling of staff by identifying target segment and requirements from each SBU, evaluation of on the job performance post deployment in the job requiring those skills sets. BPCL designed Structured Standard programs’ which is implemented across the organization on BPCL Core Values amp; Culture / Identification and Development of Talent / Coaching Skills / Understanding of PMS Process and its timeliness / Understanding of New Manager Assimilation Process for Senior Managers having experience of handling a team.Impact of training is assessed and evaluated through proper framework. HR designed integrated Talent Management process with 360 degree assessment of all management staff on competencies, engagement and aspiration. Based on these inputs, individual development plans are designed. The purpose of the exercise is to ensure that talent is retained, encouraged and groomed to take over leadership position in near future. Staff Various HR initiatives were also taken by BPCL. Some of them are listed below –Engaging Employees: BPCL realizes tha t event based engagement is not sufficient instead employees needs continuous engagements so that their grievances are addressed, they are hand held, if needed, feel secured and appreciated and get committed to their work and corporation. Performance Planning amp; Appraisal System: PMS system in BPCL facilitates achievement of the Vision and Business Plans of the Corporation and foster development of every management staff, thereby gaining competitive advantage in the industry.The objectives of PMS in BPCL is to create awareness of Corporate and SBU/ Entity goals, translate such goals into tangible objectives and measures at the individual level through discussions between Appraiser and Appraisee, identify managerial attributes/ competencies for each role necessary to achieve the goals, establish a formal process of continuous feedback on performance and identify developmental plans to enhance performance.Manpower Planning: Based on inputs from SBUs / Entities, HR either relocate th e already employed resource from other facility, based on the strength of the employee and the job requirement or initiate the process of recruitment. Career Planning: To bring HR closer to work place, BPCL has embedded HR with each SBU / Entity, who hand hold these set-up in HR matters in consultation with central HR set-up.Every year, embedded HR, alongwith corporate HR to discuss the talent development, career planning of individual staff to decide on inter-functional movement and short to long term career path. Conclusion The Quantitative impact of re-structuring, which placed BPCL ahead of its time among Oil PSUs, has been amazing over the period of time and helped it embark on path of successive progress. We will write a custom essay sample on The Restructuring of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Restructuring of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Restructuring of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The Restructuring of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited Essay Example The Restructuring of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited Essay Application Exercise Strategic Management Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), where I am employed, is engaged and exploration, refining, distribution and marketing of petroleum product across the country. In downstream product marketing BPCL, has bouquet of products on offer, ranging from Petrol, Diesel, to Aviation Fuel, to Cooking Gas to Auto Lubricants. It is a global major and ranked 225th in the Fortune Global 500 rankings of the worlds biggest corporations for the year 2012. The Change Opening up of the Indian economy in the nineties brought with it more competition and challenges to BPCL, kindled by the phased dismantling of the Administered Pricing Mechanism (APM) on petroleum products and emergence of additional capacities in the region in refining and marketing. Increasing globalisation, new products and services, and innovative marketing resulted in a very market savvy consumer. The production-based success philosophy of marketers was replaced by a customer-oriented philosophy. Bharat Petroleum took cognisance of this situation well in time and took radical steps to keep itself attuned to the changing times, realising that the future belongs to those who listen and adapt to their customers. Application of 7-S Framwork To assess the effectiveness of the implementation approach in BPCL in late 90s, I have applied below the 7-S Framework, which is based around seven key elements of any organisation, with the view that in order for it to operate successfully, all the elements in this model must align synergistically together. We will write a custom essay sample on The Restructuring of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Restructuring of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Restructuring of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The factors are split into two groups: hard or soft. The hard elements are those that can physically be seen when in place, whereas the soft are more intangible and cannot readily be seen. Hard Elements| Soft Elements| Strategy| Shared Values| Structure| Skills| Systems| Staff| | Style| Shared Values Shared values are the pinnacle of the model and therefore in any organisation. They form the underpinning culture, strategy, effectiveness and performance, linking to every other element in this framework. They link all that is of the organisation: how people behave, the structure, its systems and so on. Getting this balance right means getting the culture right. In 1996, Bharat Petroleum went through a process of visioning, involving people at all levels, which evolved a shared vision and a set of shared values. Visioning exercise started with the board, facilitated by external consultants. The exercise was extended across the organization in a snowball approach flowing from top management to the junior management, facilitated by the external experts, specifically trained for this purpose. Thus emerged the core of the vision for BPCL which was owned by every management staff. The core of vision as articulated by the organisational members across the organization is given below – Be the Best| Make the workplace exciting| Improve boundary management| Fulfill social responsibilities, be ethical| Apply the best technology| Make systems strong and dynamic| Establish first-class brands and corp. image| Excellent customer care amp; service| Go for excellent performance and operational efficiency| Make people source of improvement| The visioning exercise the provided for articulation and aspirations of the people. The process brought the whole organization out of lethargy, increased the energy levels and expectations on individuals, teams and the organizations. Since, the vision was iterated throughout the organization, there was greater buyin for the change. Strategy Bharat Petroleum recognised that all strategic initiatives must conform to the overall vision of the Corporation and improve the economic value. Based on the assessment / visioning exercise carried out across the BPCL, following strategic gaps and opportunities emerged – 1. Collective dissatisfaction with status quo 2. Low customer focus and customer orientation 3. Huge gap between the vision and capabilities to achieve it a. Increase refining capacities to reduce the dependence on other oil PSUs for product support. Invest in refineries to cater to marketing aspirations in south, east amp; north India. b. Backward integration to invest in exploration and production to make up for the margins pressure in down stream activities. BPCL relentlessly worked towards fulfilling these gaps by taking following initiatives – Product Security Initiatives: To improve product security, BPCL acquired two standalone refineries – Kochi refinery (9. 5 MMTPA) in South and Numaligarh Refinery (3 MMTPA) in Assam. Investment in 9 MMTPA refinery in joint venture with Oman Refineries in Madhaya Pradesh to cater to Northern India, where BPCL was dependent on other PSUs for product support. Backend Integration Initiatives: Bharat PetroResources Ltd (BPRL) was incorporated as a wholly owned subsidiary company of BPCL with the objective of implementing BPCL’s plans in the upstream exploration and production sector. The exploration and production activities of BPRL and its subsidiary companies extend to 26 exploration blocks where they hold participating interests (PI). Of this, 11 blocks are in India and 15 are abroad. Besides India, BPRL has blocks in Australia, Brazil, East Timor, Indonesia, Mozambique and the United Kingdom. BPRL’s total acreage in all these blocks is around 68,000 sq. km, of which approx 89% is offshore acreage. These blocks are in various stages of exploration with definite finds. Brand Initiatives: In the highly competitive scenario, it has become imperative to own dominant brands. BPCL introduced new generation branded fuels Speed, Hi Speed Diesel and Speed 97, to introduce premium fuel brands in the Country, keeping pace with the technological advancements in the automobile industry leading to introduction of new generation vehicles. BPCL also recognized the customer need for pure quality and correct quantity of fuel for their vehicles and launched the flagship initiative of Pure For Sure (PFS) offering the guarantee of pure quality and correct quantity of fuel to our customers. The petrol pumps displaying a prominent Pure For Sure signage became landmark destinations. Automotive Lubricants Initiatives: Bharat Petroleum launched the full range of Automotive Engine Oils, Gear Oils, Transmission oils, Specialty Oils and Greases under the umbrella brand â€Å"MAK†, offering range of benefits to the users of present day modern vehicles. Structure The older structure was functionally organized. There were mainly four functions – Refineries, Marketing, Finance, and Personnel – each headed by a Functional Director. Other support departments like corporate affairs, legal, audit, vigilance, coordination and company secretary were directly under Camp;MD. Whole of India was divided into four regions and further in 22 divisions. Each region was headed by Regional Manager who was incharge of all activities within the region. Across the marketing function, every individual and role was focused on multiple customer segments. Hence, there was low customer awareness in terms if unique needs of different customer segments and marketing strategy was formulated by people who were far from the customer and had low understanding of customers they were targeting. Thus the old structure had created a bottleneck between strategy formulators and implementers in terms of regional structure and between the field staff and the corporate offices and the refinery. The early traumatic experience of huge loss in market share amp; profitability in auto lubricants, after it’s deregulation in 1990, forced the strategists for due reflection. BPCL then embarked upon the journey of restructuring. Bharat Petroleum realised that, in the long run, success can only come with a total reorientation and change in approach with the customer as the focal point. In a proactive move to adapt to the emerging competitive scenario and support the emerging strategy (discussed earlier), function-based structure was carefully dismantled and replaced with a process-based one. This made the company more responsive to its customer needs. BPCL therefore was restructured into a Corporate Centre, Strategic Business Units (SBUs) and Shared Services and Entities. The organisational design comprising of five customers facing SBUs, viz. Aviation, Industrial and Commercial, LPG, Lubricants and Retail and one asset based SBU, viz. Refinery, is based on the philosophy of greater customer focus based on the specific needs of each customer segments. Systems Bharat Petroleum has always been on the forefront of harnessing technology initiatives for BPCL has been on forefront in harnessing technology, maximising efficiency and achieving greater customer satisfaction. Bharat Petroleum became the first PSU to implement Enterprisewide Resource Planning (ERP) solutions SAP. The challenge of SAP implementation was to ensure that all the integrated elements work seamlessly across the length and breadth of the country, including the remote locations. Bharat Petroleum reaped huge benefits of the integrated system in many areas of its operations like, tracking customer-receivables, monitoring credit-management, inventory management, besides easing the operations in a large number of areas. Skills As a Strategic Business Partner, HR supports skill-upgradation and multi-skilling of staff by identifying target segment and requirements from each SBU, evaluation of on the job performance post deployment in the job requiring those skills sets. BPCL designed ‘Structured Standard programs’ which is implemented across the organization on BPCL Core Values amp; Culture / Identification and Development of Talent / Coaching Skills / Understanding of PMS Process and its timeliness / Understanding of New Manager Assimilation Process for Senior Managers having experience of handling a team. Impact of training is assessed and evaluated through proper framework. HR designed integrated Talent Management process with 360 degree assessment of all management staff on competencies, engagement and aspiration. Based on these inputs, individual development plans are designed. The purpose of the exercise is to ensure that talent is retained, encouraged and groomed to take over leadership position in near future. Staff Various HR initiatives were also taken by BPCL. Some of them are listed below – Engaging Employees: BPCL realizes that event based engagement is not sufficient instead employees needs continuous engagements so that their grievances are addressed, they are hand held, if needed, feel secured and appreciated and get committed to their work and corporation. Performance Planning amp; Appraisal System: PMS system in BPCL facilitates achievement of the Vision and Business Plans of the Corporation and foster development of every management staff, thereby gaining competitive advantage in the industry. The objectives of PMS in BPCL is to create awareness of Corporate and SBU/ Entity goals, translate such goals into tangible objectives and measures at the individual level through discussions between Appraiser and Appraisee, identify managerial attributes/ competencies for each role necessary to achieve the goals, establish a formal process of continuous feedback on performance and identify developmental plans to enhance performance. Manpower Planning: Based on inputs from SBUs / Entities, HR either relocate the already employed resource from other facility, based on the strength of the employee and the job requirement or initiate the process of recruitment. Career Planning: To bring HR closer to work place, BPCL has embedded HR with each SBU / Entity, who hand hold these set-up in HR matters in consultation with central HR set-up. Every year, embedded HR, alongwith corporate HR to discuss the talent development, career planning of individual staff to decide on inter-functional movement and short to long term career path. Conclusion The Quantitative impact of re-structuring, which placed BPCL ahead of its time among Oil PSUs, has been amazing over the period of time and helped it embark on path of successive progress.

Sunday, December 1, 2019

The Shawshank Redemption, Personal Power Essay Example

The Shawshank Redemption, Personal Power Essay Advanced English Mary Gordon-Thomson 1) Explain how The Shawshank Redemption represents the personal power 2) Compare The Shawshank Redemption with another text in relation to the power of one 3) Do you agree with how The Shawshank Redemption represents organisational power 4) Compose your own text representing personal power 1. The Shawshank Redemption representing personal power The entire plot of this film relies on how personal power is striped from the prisoners and the effect that this has on them. With out this aspect the film would have very little or no effect in displaying Andy’s escape. Personal power is represented through out the film in a multiple of ways including scenes such as â€Å"institutionalised† and the music scene where Andy finds the record and plays it over the P. A system. Personal power is taken by a number of ways through out the film but mostly it is by isolation and imprisonment (both metaphorical and literal). The prisoners are living in a world of multiple layers of isolations. Starting from the large enclosed recreation yard to the smaller work crews down to the cellblock, cells, and leading to solitary confinement. Each of these layers are represented both physically and visually as well as through out the spoken thoughts of Red and significant lines by Andy. Imprisonment both mentally and physically also takes the personal power of choice away from the inmates. It seems at stages the only kind of power Andy or any of the other inmates hold is the freedom of thought and hope. Andy is shown to have much more hope then the other prisoners which is displayed by his â€Å"inner light† as Red calls it. â€Å"All I know for sure is that Andy Dufresne wasn’t much like me or anyone else I ever knew. .  . . It was a kind of inner light he carried around with him. This was spoken by Red after Andy traded tax advice with Bryon Hadley for beer for his workmates. It is Andys sense of self-worth that gives him the confidence and ability to make decisions such as these. The idea of institutionalisation is mentioned frequently by Red through out the film. This is the concept of how the prison takes away a persons ability to think independently and places them in a position of dependence on the routines and regulations of the prison. Red has the personal power to over come this feeling of institutionalisation by not following the path of Brookes after making parole. We will write a custom essay sample on The Shawshank Redemption, Personal Power specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Shawshank Redemption, Personal Power specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Shawshank Redemption, Personal Power specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Personal power is also represented in the music scene, possibly the most couragous (or perhaps just stupid) act Andy does in his time in the prison. By deliberatly disobaying orders from the Warden and continueing the music (a personal choice Andy makes) he puts himself at risk but gives the prisoners a few moments of freedom inside their regulated lives. Of course he pays the price for this but he is able to hold the music in his mind and uses that personal power to over come the pain he faces whilst in solitary confinement for two months. These are only displays of personal power that are written in the script. Cinematic techniques such as colour, camera angles, contrast, juxtoposition and repetition are all used to highlight and represent different aspects of personal power. The Shawshank Redemption represents personal power extremely well through out the film in these ways and more. This all in collaboration displays this aspect of power in a clear and obvious way that is able to be understood with out in depth analays like what we have done. 2. The Shawshank Redemption in comparision with Do you have power? By Julius Babarinsa regarding the power of one. The power of one means the power that one individual has over another person, place or thing. In The Shawshank Redemption it is obvious how Andy has the individual power to not only change his circumstances but also to vastly improve the lives of the other prisoners in Shawshank prison. Andy is able to (with the power of persistence) create an entire library that allows the inmates to read and learn when they previously could not. Andy is also able to bring hope back into the lives of many of his friends in the prison such as Red. â€Å"I hope Andy is down there. I hope I can make it across the border. I hope to see my friend and shake his hand. I hope the Pacific is as blue as it has been in my dreams. I hope. † In Julius Babarinsa’s poem Do you have power? He creates a long list of people and what they have power over and concludes the poem with: â€Å"We should realize that we are all citizens of this world we owe it to our children to use our powers positively to help make this world a better and friendly place So that we can create a just and compassionate society† By doing this he not only signifies the power of one but also enforces the question of how can you, the responder; use this power to benefit the world. Both The Shawshank Redemption and this poem have clear and precise ideals on what is able to be achieved as an individual and the expectations that this puts on each person to be the best that they can be. Whether that be breaking out of prison with a rock hammer or electing the right representative in a vote. 3. Organisational power in The Shawshank Redemption The Shawshank Redemption is extremely effective in its representation of organisational power. It uses a lot of different cinematic techniques such as repetition, contrasts and costume to clearly display different organisational power through out the film. There are two main forces of organisational power in The Shawshank Redemption. The guards are one group of organised power and the other organised power is the routine. The guards and the routine are both forces made by the prison but they use their power in completely different ways. The guards are brutal, they use force to scare the prisoners to do as they are told and completely rely on threats and intimidation to keep their position. The power that they hold may be very strong at their peak but when power relies on abuse and dishonesty is can not last forever. The routine is a very different kind of organisational power. It is present in every single shot inside the prison, from things as simple as their clothing to what time they eat, sleep and use the bathroom. It is unescapable and yet seems to be irrelevant in comparison to the obvious power of the guards. The reality is, it is not physical and mental abuse of the prisoners that wears them down, is it the constant and ever strong drone of this routine that break them. If given enough time it strips away everything individual the prisoners could previously have, even up to something as personal as a name. The guards’ power is obvious; it is shown in their uniforms, specifically angled shots to display height and status and the constant reminder of weaponry they have at their disposal, whether that be a fist, a gun or a baton. The routines power however is much more subtle and therefore can go unnoticed. It is shown effectively in the repetition of significant events (such as how Reds parole was being rejected and Red and Brookes leaving from the prison being exactly the same), Consistent and never changing features in lighting and colours with in the prison and also how time and age are shown. These two very different displays of organisational power are contrasting and yet both so effective through out the film. The direct choice of having more then one type of organisational power clearly displays exactly how powerful each organisation is and this adds greatly to our understanding and appreciation of the film. To answer whether or not I agree with how this type of power is displayed I hope it is clear to see I defiantly agree and I think they did a marvellous job of displaying and explaining organisational power through out the film. 4. Own text representing personal power My new home was the epitome of dank. The roof leaked, the walls thin and windows non-existent. It was there that I met Cooper. Cooper was my saviour. My brother. My best friend. He understood me in a way that I had never dreamt possible. Together, we found a light within the darkness. Every day, a new adventure beckoned. A game to be played; a secret smile to be shared. He made the slow years pass just a little bit faster, until finally, we decided to leave our murky prison and face the open air. Together, we would make it. That much was certain. The world outside the orphanages gates was harsher than either of us had anticipated, and it wasn’t long before we were making money the only way that we knew how. He would steal, and I would sell myself. We aspired to save enough money to rent a little place. To create that of which neither of us ever had, a home. However, that dream always seemed to be just that, a dream. Unachievable and unreachable. It was then, when our happiness seemed so shattered, that Cooper devised a plan. We would combine our talents. It was simple really; I would lure men into an ally, where he would beat them and steal their money. The first time this happened, I was unaware of the plan. The blood on his fists made my stomach turn and I screamed at him to cease. For the first, but not the last time, he scared me. Soon he became more ambitious. The plan changed. After seducing a stranger, instead of a dark street, I would allow him to lead me into his home. Cooper following quietly from behind, and while I distracted the man of the house, he would rob him of his every possession. In this way, the money that we needed to rebuild our lives was quickly collected. I told him that I would get a job in the market place to help; that I wanted to do this right. He disagreed and insisted that we continue, just one more job. And then another. And another. Cooper would not see sense. He began to muffle my complaints with his fists. I was scared but I knew nothing else. He was my everything. Without him, I could not exist. Eventually, the inevitable occurred. His anger overpowered his rational thought and a man lost his life beneath Coopers thrashing fists. How could I love a murderer? My brother. My best friend. Where did that boy go? The light that he once sparked within me had disappeared, and I knew that I must leave him. The following night I fled beneath a cloak of darkness. Miserable and lonely, I searched the streets for a familiar face; instead I found a familiar place. A whorehouse. My training had served me well, and I was accepted into one of the most highly respected brothels in town, the bell and whistle. This particular bordello served a higher class of customers then those with whom I had previously associated myself. We entertained society’s elite, royals, noblemen, high ranked officials, and, as you are aware, members of the church.

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Discipleship in Matthew Essay Example

Discipleship in Matthew Essay Global discipleship making disciples for the sake of the nations A study of the Gospel according to Matthew Introduction Matthew’s handbook for the church Why did Matthew write his gospel? John clearly had an evangelistic aim (Jn 20:31), but Matthew wrote his gospel for the church, for those who already follow Jesus. It is a teaching gospel, which arranges its material into subjects, summarising the teaching of Jesus and illustrating it with examples from his life. Matthew’s is the only gospel that mentions the church (16:18; 18:17). In short, Matthew wrote the first discipleship training course! Matthew divides his material into 5 sections, each of which contains a number of stories from the life of Jesus, and concludes with a chapter (or two or three) of extended teaching by Jesus to his disciples, before finishing with the passion narrative of the death and resurrection of Jesus. This fivefold division was no accident, for Matthew was a Jewish Christian (and former tax-collector), and all Jewish writings of his time followed this pattern (based on the 5 books of Torah Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy). Why did Matthew write this gospel for the church? He probably wrote it at a time when church and synagogue were growing apart, when the distinction between Jew and Christian was becoming more obvious. At first, most if not all followers of Jesus were Jewish. But over time, as more and more Gentiles found new life in Jesus, an ‘either/or’ situation developed. Matthew’s church was probably made up of Jewish Christians, facing increasing pressure over their (apparently) divided loyalties. We will write a custom essay sample on Discipleship in Matthew specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Discipleship in Matthew specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Discipleship in Matthew specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer And he wanted to show them that Jesus was indeed the long-awaited Messiah, fulfilment of the Hebrew Scriptures, and that they were not being unfaithful to their roots by being Christians. So how is this relevant to us? Matthew’s church has been described as â€Å"a community cut off from its roots divided in itself as to what its priorities should be, groping for direction in the face of previously-unknown problems† (David Bosch, ‘Transforming Mission’, p58). Does this sound familiar, such as our own context today? And Matthew’s response? â€Å"His concern is not simply to help his people cope with the new pressures they confront, but to assist them in developing a missionary ethos that will match the challenges of a new epoch† (Bosch, ibid). Matthew’s aim is therefore both pastoral and missionary – pastoral, in wishing to convey selfconfidence to a community of Christians facing a crisis of identity; and missionary, in seeking to embolden them toward seeing opportunities for witness and service around them. So this is very relevant to us. Matthew has written a gospel for the church, for those who follow Jesus, to encourage and motivate them, to give them confidence about who they are, and to direct them outwards, to share the good news with others. Matthew’s understanding of mission making disciples The theme of discipleship is central to Matthew’s gospel, and the term ‘disciple’ is used far more often by him than by Mark or Luke (Mt 73, Mk 46, Lk 37 times). But while in Mark and Luke, ‘disciple’ is the term reserved only for the Twelve, in Matthew it is used more widely, of any follower of Jesus. The Twelve are the prototypes for all disciples, who are to copy them, doing the things they did. And as well as being linked to the first band of disciples, any contemporary disciples are also linked to each other. No disciple can follow Jesus alone, but is irrevocably linked to the fellowship of disciples, the ekklesia, the church (which, as above, is why Matthew mentions it). There is a strong emphasis in Matthew’s gospel on doing God’s will, keeping his commands, and the challenge to be perfect, to surpass or excel, to observe or keep, to teach, and to bear fruit. Consider for example the concern for doing God’s will. In the Lord’s Prayer, we are to pray that His will be done (6:10); only those who do the will of the Father will be saved (7:21-23); in the parable of the two sons, it is the one who did his father’s will who is commended, not the one who said he would (21:28-31). For Matthew, actions are the test of the authenticity of words. It is not what we say, but what we do, that matters. Orthodoxy is not as important as orthopraxis right action surpasses right belief. Discipleship is about doing, about service. Another concern for Matthew is that any disciple of Jesus should give evidence of dikaiosyne, that is, justice-righteousness. It is a difficult word to translate into English, since it carries the connotations of both these words. ‘Righteousness’ refers to a right relationship with God; ‘justice’ refers to a right relationship with our fellow human-beings. It is neither only spiritual, nor only pragmatic. A right relationship with God protects us from legalism, and a right relationship with others protects us from empty words (both mortal sins in Matthew’s eyes). Discipleship includes a concern for both justice and righteousness. Who is to be discipled? This is the most Jewish of the gospels, full of direct Old Testament quotations and allusions. On two occasions, Jesus appears to restrict the work of himself and his disciples only to Israel (10:5-6; 15:24). And yet Matthew still manages to conclude his gospel with one of his most famous passages, the ‘Great Commission’, sending his disciples to make more disciples, of all the nations (28:18-20). Is this a bit of a surprise to the disciples, an afterthought by the soon-departing Jesus? As if he were saying, â€Å"Oh, by the way, here’s something I should have mentioned earlier, but I forgot. If you feel like it, and are not too busy, could you disciple a few nations for me? †. But the ‘nations’ (Gentiles, ethne) are in fact never far from sight throughout Matthew’s gospel. They are included in Jesus’ genealogy (1:5); they are the first to worship the new-born Christ (magi 2:1-11); Jesus lived in Galilee ‘of the Gentiles’ (4:15); news of his activities ‘spread all over Syria’ (4:24); the ‘plentiful harvest’ of 9:37 alludes to a wider perspective; the quotation of Isa 42:1-4 in 12:18-21 mentions ‘the nations’ twice; in the parable of the wheat and the tares, the field is ‘the world’ (13:38); Jesus was willing to enter non-Jewish homes (8:7); Jesus commends the faith of Gentiles, including the Canaanite woman whom he apparently initially rejects (8:10; 15:28); he explicitly promises that many from ‘the nations’ will participate in the messianic feast (8:11), and that finally the gospel will be preached in the whole world, as a testimony to ‘all nations’ (24:14). Thus, for Matthew, the mission of the church is to make disciples, followers of Jesus, who will do the Father’s will, from every nation. Discipleship is self-reproducing. Disciples will make disciples, who will in turn do the same, into every nation on earth. The ‘Great Commission’ Matthew’s summary of what disciple-making means When they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, â€Å"All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and makes disciples of all nations, baptising them in the names of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age† (Matt 28:17-29). These are some of the most used (and abused? ) verses in recent Christian history. Often taken out of context, and used to support missionary appeals of all kinds, this ignores the context we have outlined so far. They are not, as I suggested above, an afterthought, but rather the climax, a culmination of everything said up to this point, a summary of Matthew’s entire gospel, written so that we might â€Å"make disciples of all nations†. For Matthew, discipleship is the mission of the church, with all the nations in view. The content of this disciplemaking is teaching and baptising. The ‘going’ is not an imperative in Greek but a present participle thus it is not a command, but an assumption. The overall aim of the church, and therefore of all discipleship, is the winning of all nations to the status of true followers of Jesus. So how does Matthew suggest this is to be done? Mark uses ‘proclaim’ (kerysso) and ‘teach’ (didasko) interchangeably. Matthew never does. Jesus never ‘preaches’ to his disciples. He teaches them. In the first commissioning, the disciples are sent to ‘preach’ (10:7), a ‘proper’ missionary activity. But in the Great Commission, this is not so. The disciples are sent to ‘teach’, an activity reserved for the benefit of disciples, those who already follow Jesus. To understand this, we need to remember that, for Matthew, teaching is no mere intellectual enterprise. Jesus’ teaching appeals not to the mind, but to the will. It is a call for a concrete decision to follow him, and to submit to God’s will (as revealed in the life and ministry of Jesus). Proper actions, not words, are what count. This is what it will mean to disciple the nations. It is not enough simply to proclaim that ‘Jesus is Lord’ people from every nation are to be turned into mature, active followers of him. Jesus has universal authority. Why then make disciples? Because this fact has to be proclaimed to all. If Jesus really is Lord, it simply has to be proclaimed. No-one who knows can keep silent about it. They can only do one thing help others to acknowledge Jesus’ lordship. Only Jesus’ authority inaugurates and makes possible a worldwide mission. The universal, unlimited dominion of the risen Jesus evokes an equally universal, limitless response from his followers. Jesus promises to be with the disciples always, to the end of the age (Matt 28:20), is rooted in the first title given to him Immanuel, God with us (1:23). This presence is permanent, FACT, based on nothing more spectacular than a simple promise. No fireworks, no Pentecost. This presence and empowering is not simply for our own comfort, but is intimately connected with mission. It is only as it makes disciples that the church knows the presence of Jesus. The disciples are clearly modelled on Jesus, to do the things that he did (â€Å"teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you†; cf 10:24-25). But the disciples are not expected to be perfect. They are referred to as being ‘of little faith’, ‘afraid’, or ‘full of doubt’. Even in Matt 28:17, all worship, but some doubt. This communicates that mission never takes place in self-confidence, but in the knowledge of our own weakness, at the point of crisis where danger and opportunity come together. Like the first disciples, we stand in the place of tension between worship and doubt, faith and fear. Mission is â€Å"not a fringe activity of a strongly-established church, a pious cause which may be attended to once the home fires are first brightly burning† (David Bosch) . it is not one of the things the church does. It is the framework for all that the church does and is. It is the reason, the goal, the end of discipleship.  © Richard Tiplady December 1996 Discipleship in Matthew Essay Example Discipleship in Matthew Essay Global discipleship making disciples for the sake of the nations A study of the Gospel according to Matthew Introduction Matthew’s handbook for the church Why did Matthew write his gospel? John clearly had an evangelistic aim (Jn 20:31), but Matthew wrote his gospel for the church, for those who already follow Jesus. It is a teaching gospel, which arranges its material into subjects, summarising the teaching of Jesus and illustrating it with examples from his life. Matthew’s is the only gospel that mentions the church (16:18; 18:17). In short, Matthew wrote the first discipleship training course! Matthew divides his material into 5 sections, each of which contains a number of stories from the life of Jesus, and concludes with a chapter (or two or three) of extended teaching by Jesus to his disciples, before finishing with the passion narrative of the death and resurrection of Jesus. This fivefold division was no accident, for Matthew was a Jewish Christian (and former tax-collector), and all Jewish writings of his time followed this pattern (based on the 5 books of Torah Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy). Why did Matthew write this gospel for the church? He probably wrote it at a time when church and synagogue were growing apart, when the distinction between Jew and Christian was becoming more obvious. At first, most if not all followers of Jesus were Jewish. But over time, as more and more Gentiles found new life in Jesus, an ‘either/or’ situation developed. Matthew’s church was probably made up of Jewish Christians, facing increasing pressure over their (apparently) divided loyalties. We will write a custom essay sample on Discipleship in Matthew specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Discipleship in Matthew specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Discipleship in Matthew specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer And he wanted to show them that Jesus was indeed the long-awaited Messiah, fulfilment of the Hebrew Scriptures, and that they were not being unfaithful to their roots by being Christians. So how is this relevant to us? Matthew’s church has been described as â€Å"a community cut off from its roots divided in itself as to what its priorities should be, groping for direction in the face of previously-unknown problems† (David Bosch, ‘Transforming Mission’, p58). Does this sound familiar, such as our own context today? And Matthew’s response? â€Å"His concern is not simply to help his people cope with the new pressures they confront, but to assist them in developing a missionary ethos that will match the challenges of a new epoch† (Bosch, ibid). Matthew’s aim is therefore both pastoral and missionary – pastoral, in wishing to convey selfconfidence to a community of Christians facing a crisis of identity; and missionary, in seeking to embolden them toward seeing opportunities for witness and service around them. So this is very relevant to us. Matthew has written a gospel for the church, for those who follow Jesus, to encourage and motivate them, to give them confidence about who they are, and to direct them outwards, to share the good news with others. Matthew’s understanding of mission making disciples The theme of discipleship is central to Matthew’s gospel, and the term ‘disciple’ is used far more often by him than by Mark or Luke (Mt 73, Mk 46, Lk 37 times). But while in Mark and Luke, ‘disciple’ is the term reserved only for the Twelve, in Matthew it is used more widely, of any follower of Jesus. The Twelve are the prototypes for all disciples, who are to copy them, doing the things they did. And as well as being linked to the first band of disciples, any contemporary disciples are also linked to each other. No disciple can follow Jesus alone, but is irrevocably linked to the fellowship of disciples, the ekklesia, the church (which, as above, is why Matthew mentions it). There is a strong emphasis in Matthew’s gospel on doing God’s will, keeping his commands, and the challenge to be perfect, to surpass or excel, to observe or keep, to teach, and to bear fruit. Consider for example the concern for doing God’s will. In the Lord’s Prayer, we are to pray that His will be done (6:10); only those who do the will of the Father will be saved (7:21-23); in the parable of the two sons, it is the one who did his father’s will who is commended, not the one who said he would (21:28-31). For Matthew, actions are the test of the authenticity of words. It is not what we say, but what we do, that matters. Orthodoxy is not as important as orthopraxis right action surpasses right belief. Discipleship is about doing, about service. Another concern for Matthew is that any disciple of Jesus should give evidence of dikaiosyne, that is, justice-righteousness. It is a difficult word to translate into English, since it carries the connotations of both these words. ‘Righteousness’ refers to a right relationship with God; ‘justice’ refers to a right relationship with our fellow human-beings. It is neither only spiritual, nor only pragmatic. A right relationship with God protects us from legalism, and a right relationship with others protects us from empty words (both mortal sins in Matthew’s eyes). Discipleship includes a concern for both justice and righteousness. Who is to be discipled? This is the most Jewish of the gospels, full of direct Old Testament quotations and allusions. On two occasions, Jesus appears to restrict the work of himself and his disciples only to Israel (10:5-6; 15:24). And yet Matthew still manages to conclude his gospel with one of his most famous passages, the ‘Great Commission’, sending his disciples to make more disciples, of all the nations (28:18-20). Is this a bit of a surprise to the disciples, an afterthought by the soon-departing Jesus? As if he were saying, â€Å"Oh, by the way, here’s something I should have mentioned earlier, but I forgot. If you feel like it, and are not too busy, could you disciple a few nations for me? †. But the ‘nations’ (Gentiles, ethne) are in fact never far from sight throughout Matthew’s gospel. They are included in Jesus’ genealogy (1:5); they are the first to worship the new-born Christ (magi 2:1-11); Jesus lived in Galilee ‘of the Gentiles’ (4:15); news of his activities ‘spread all over Syria’ (4:24); the ‘plentiful harvest’ of 9:37 alludes to a wider perspective; the quotation of Isa 42:1-4 in 12:18-21 mentions ‘the nations’ twice; in the parable of the wheat and the tares, the field is ‘the world’ (13:38); Jesus was willing to enter non-Jewish homes (8:7); Jesus commends the faith of Gentiles, including the Canaanite woman whom he apparently initially rejects (8:10; 15:28); he explicitly promises that many from ‘the nations’ will participate in the messianic feast (8:11), and that finally the gospel will be preached in the whole world, as a testimony to ‘all nations’ (24:14). Thus, for Matthew, the mission of the church is to make disciples, followers of Jesus, who will do the Father’s will, from every nation. Discipleship is self-reproducing. Disciples will make disciples, who will in turn do the same, into every nation on earth. The ‘Great Commission’ Matthew’s summary of what disciple-making means When they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, â€Å"All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and makes disciples of all nations, baptising them in the names of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age† (Matt 28:17-29). These are some of the most used (and abused? ) verses in recent Christian history. Often taken out of context, and used to support missionary appeals of all kinds, this ignores the context we have outlined so far. They are not, as I suggested above, an afterthought, but rather the climax, a culmination of everything said up to this point, a summary of Matthew’s entire gospel, written so that we might â€Å"make disciples of all nations†. For Matthew, discipleship is the mission of the church, with all the nations in view. The content of this disciplemaking is teaching and baptising. The ‘going’ is not an imperative in Greek but a present participle thus it is not a command, but an assumption. The overall aim of the church, and therefore of all discipleship, is the winning of all nations to the status of true followers of Jesus. So how does Matthew suggest this is to be done? Mark uses ‘proclaim’ (kerysso) and ‘teach’ (didasko) interchangeably. Matthew never does. Jesus never ‘preaches’ to his disciples. He teaches them. In the first commissioning, the disciples are sent to ‘preach’ (10:7), a ‘proper’ missionary activity. But in the Great Commission, this is not so. The disciples are sent to ‘teach’, an activity reserved for the benefit of disciples, those who already follow Jesus. To understand this, we need to remember that, for Matthew, teaching is no mere intellectual enterprise. Jesus’ teaching appeals not to the mind, but to the will. It is a call for a concrete decision to follow him, and to submit to God’s will (as revealed in the life and ministry of Jesus). Proper actions, not words, are what count. This is what it will mean to disciple the nations. It is not enough simply to proclaim that ‘Jesus is Lord’ people from every nation are to be turned into mature, active followers of him. Jesus has universal authority. Why then make disciples? Because this fact has to be proclaimed to all. If Jesus really is Lord, it simply has to be proclaimed. No-one who knows can keep silent about it. They can only do one thing help others to acknowledge Jesus’ lordship. Only Jesus’ authority inaugurates and makes possible a worldwide mission. The universal, unlimited dominion of the risen Jesus evokes an equally universal, limitless response from his followers. Jesus promises to be with the disciples always, to the end of the age (Matt 28:20), is rooted in the first title given to him Immanuel, God with us (1:23). This presence is permanent, FACT, based on nothing more spectacular than a simple promise. No fireworks, no Pentecost. This presence and empowering is not simply for our own comfort, but is intimately connected with mission. It is only as it makes disciples that the church knows the presence of Jesus. The disciples are clearly modelled on Jesus, to do the things that he did (â€Å"teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you†; cf 10:24-25). But the disciples are not expected to be perfect. They are referred to as being ‘of little faith’, ‘afraid’, or ‘full of doubt’. Even in Matt 28:17, all worship, but some doubt. This communicates that mission never takes place in self-confidence, but in the knowledge of our own weakness, at the point of crisis where danger and opportunity come together. Like the first disciples, we stand in the place of tension between worship and doubt, faith and fear. Mission is â€Å"not a fringe activity of a strongly-established church, a pious cause which may be attended to once the home fires are first brightly burning† (David Bosch) . it is not one of the things the church does. It is the framework for all that the church does and is. It is the reason, the goal, the end of discipleship.  © Richard Tiplady December 1996