Monday, January 27, 2020

Main factor Project management for successful completion of a project

Main factor Project management for successful completion of a project Project management is an important aspect of an organization a main factor for successful completion of a project. In todays changing times tools such as project management, if used properly can provide a useful way for organizations to manage that change effectively. Managing construction projects is a complex undertaking. The quality of a project is the result of many factors the quality of Project Manger is one such factor. Project manager make things happen on a project. A project needs a good planning, organization management which would bring out the maximum benefits for the organization and this can be only achieved by a good leader-Project manager. Another area which needs a lot of attention in an organization is conflicts disputes. Conflict is an inevitable aspect of an organization. It can be destructive as well as functional and it depends on the project manager to resolve the conflict in a manner so that it does not lead to the loss for an organization. There have been many past studies on project success factors affecting project success. These include Project managers competence, control systems responsibilities, selection of teams, politics, contracting solving of conflicts, proper allocation of resources etc. Effective project management begins with selecting and prioritizing projects that support the firms strategy and mission. Project managers have to plan and budget projects as well as orchestrate the contributions of others. Social-skills, decision making skills, problem handling skills, opportunities recognizing skills, and management of conflicts are certain personal attributes of a project manager affecting p roject success. The main aim of study is to find different attributes of a project manager which would help in overcoming all the challenges faced while working on a project as this marks the success of any organization. Project manager plays a very important role in a successful working of any organization and the aim of this study is to deeply study all those attributes which a project manager must have to become a good leader who can manage his team well extract maximum benefits out of them within the limits of time, money resources. Projects are inherently uncertain face unexpected events, from small changes to unforeseen changes like conflicts within organization, with the client, resource unavailability, etc. Project Manager forms a link between the top management the other employees so it is the responsibility of the project manager to maintain a good balance between both. The conflict can arise in top management as well as other employees. The aim of the study is to see how project manag ers respond to such events. As this forms a major reason for the success of any organization, the aim is to give an in depth study of these characteristics of a good project manager which is profitable for all the organizations draw a critical relationship between the Project Managers managerial attributes, the use of key project management principles, practices project performance. The study would also recommend some methodological processes, conceptual frameworks, experiments, experiences some conclusions drawn from various studies done in various companies compare contrast them with previous studies to attain a broad analysis for successful working of a project manager his role in successful completion of a project within the given constraints. Initially the study would examine what a project is, what project management is and what is the role of a project manager. Then the study would examine the causes, types effects of conflict followed by the ways they can be resolved the role of Project manager in conflict resolution. SEARCH STRATEGY The search strategy starts with an aim objective in mind. The aim the objective of present study are as follows: AIM: To study the roles responsibilities of an effective Project Manager analyze what attributes of a Project Manager are required to resolve different conflicts in an organization. OBJECTIVES: To define Project Project Management. To define the roles responsibilities of an effective quality Project Manager. To define conflict, examine its causes, types, core processes effects in an organization. To examine what attributes of a Project Manager are required to manage Conflict effectively. The key words used in the study include: Project, Project Management, Project Manager quality, Project manager roles, Unexpected events, Conflict, Conflict Management, work performance of Project Manager, Managerial attributes, Project Performance, Power, Politics, organizational politics, leadership, communication, motivation, managing project teams, project stakeholders, project life cycle. These words are relevant for the search because they cover the required objectives of the study. They help in finding the appropriate journal papers, links or other information regarding the different aspects of a project, project management, Project manager, conflict conflict management by a project manager. These words help in finding information that can describe the overall aim objectives of the study. The other sources of information include: Search engine used: Science direct, Scopus, Google Scholar, Engineering Village. Other sources: Project Management: the managerial process 4e by Gray Larson. Business Psychology Organizational Behavior by Eugene McKenna. Commercial Management of Projects defining the discipline by Dawid Lowe with Roine Leiringer. Industrial Organizational Psychology by John B. Miner. www.ogc.gov.uk www.apm.org.uk REVIEWS OF FOUR JOURNAL PAPERS: Project Quality project managers: This journal paper Project Quality Project managers- http://tinyurl.com/24d9ue8 emphasizes on the fact that a successful project requires sound project management practices and for any project management system to be effective, a project must be managed by a project manager who exhibits high quality managerial attributes. The research discussed in the paper is sponsored by the Construction Industry Institute. The main purpose of the paper is to confirm the critical relationship between the use of key project management principles, practices project performance. The paper emphasizes on the effective project management practices their use by project managers at all levels during a project life cycle. The paper argues that the relationship between a Project Managers managerial attributes project success is indirect. The project performance is affected by the effective application of project management principles by a project manager. Further the paper also argues that the high quality managerial attributes are an equally important contributor to project success and commensurate with high quality technical skills. The paper presents the key principles recommended practices such as strategic project organizing, design effectiveness, project control management of quality articulated by the Construction Industry Institute (CII) the Business Roundtables Construction Industry Cost Effectiveness (CICE) project. They are believed to have the strongest effect on project performance. The paper clearly defines the objectives scope of the research. The data does not only give theoretical results but also provides empirical support by acquiring data through detailed questionnaire developed to survey 400 construction companies where the respondents provide individual views based on their experiences on projects in the heavy engineering, building industrial construction sectors. This paper also provides strategies to improve project manager effectiveness. This helps in deeper understanding of the managers ability to consistently produce project success. However this paper considers only the aspect of project Manager as the factor for project success. Project success could be assessed not only on project management techniques but also on other external factors. The Project Manager must also allow the client to take equal responsibility of the project. It is important to determine the expectations importance of each customer in the project by the project manager as t his also marks one of the factors for successful running of project. [1,2] Along with leadership skills there is also a need of emotional competencies and as the project managers progress they need to enhance their leadership competencies particularly developing the emotional dimensions. [3] This paper also does not examine the working environment affecting the performance of project managers. This is important not only for determining the success of a project, but also in continual of the good performance of project managers. [4] The research done by CII CICE indicates that the critical factor to project success is the quality of a Project Manager. Managing construction projects is a complex undertaking requires many factors. The quality of Project Manger is one such factor. Project Manager needs to stress different attributes at different times over the life of a project to make the project successful. Many Project Managers are perceived to lack the requisite managerial skills so new strategies such as increased pre appointment training, mentor system, careful selection of potential project managers etc are suggested to improve the quality of an effective Project Manager. 2) Conflict its management: This journal article http://tinyurl.com/37skcfr presents a detailed analysis of conflict its management by disputants themselves or by third parties such as Project Managers, mediators etc. The paper first examines the causes, core processes effects of conflict subsequently probes into conflict escalation de-escalation, context conflict management. In the end the paper also concludes some suggestions for future research provides recommendations for practicing managers. The article highlights the issues by reviewing certain scholarly reviews of the conflict literature which have already been published. The major purpose of the article is to draw attention towards the inevitable unanticipated nature of conflict and how these can be managed by disputants or by third parties such as Project Managers who play an important role in conflict management. The article defines conflict as a process where one party perceives that its interests are being opposed or negatively affected by another party. It then goes onto explain the causes of conflict like individual characteristics, inter-personal factors, communication, behavior, etc. It explains the effects of conflicts on individuals organization subsequently determines the concept of conflict escalation de-escalation. It then unfolds the conflict context which has been approached from 4 different perspectives: (i) A description of the conflict setting, (ii) A reference to the independent variables, (iii) The environment in which the conflict is embedded (iv) The structural level or paradigm of the conflict. The article then explores the role of disputants in managing conflict such as Perspective (establish co-operative goals, note the alternatives etc), descriptive ( agree to symbols of defeat, compromise, convert the opponent etc) the role of third parties such as Project manager tactics (adopting appropriate leadership styles, group-discussions, encouraging negotiations etc), mediation, arbitration, conciliation recapitulation. The article helps in deeper understanding of all the phases of conflict, its inevitable nature, its effects causes. It not only explains the conflict phases , its management but also gives research managerial suggestions for future references. The suggestions provided though are beneficial for the practicing managers but should have been more detailed provide with examples to help in clear understanding of the point. It is important to identify five modes of conflict resolution such as confronting, compromising, smoothing, forcing avoiding. [5] This article does not mention any cognitive analysis. Cognitive analysis approach( identifying conflict domain, generation of conflict cases, exercise of judgment, analysis of result cognitive feedback) identifies cognitive difference between the parties as the main source of conflict which needs to be taken care by a Project manager.[6] An awareness of the potential approaches to conflict resolution and the understanding of their consequ ences can provide project managers with a invaluable set of tools to create an optimal work environment. The article concludes that a conflict is self-generating inevitable in an organization. The conflict process is dynamic, self-perpetuating constantly changing: like effects become causes; original causes may disappear; new causes arise; the number of parties change etc. This makes conflict management a difficult target. Project Manager plays an important role in recognizing conflicts managing them as and when required. Conflict is prevalent cannot be recognized at all times so its management requires a lot of efforts. The challenge for organizational leaders and project managers is to try to maintain the right balance and intensity of conflict in project management. By utilizing project management principles, understanding the dynamics of conflict, and learning approaches to conflict resolution, managers will be able to establish an environment in which creativity and innovation is encouraged and project goals are accomplished. [7] 3) The Titanic sunk, so what? Project manager response to unexpected events. The journal article http://tinyurl.com/364k9rb studies the responses of Project manager to unexpected events during a project life cycle. This paper stresses on the point that unanticipated events are inevitable in a project the project success depends on the responses of the project manager to such events. This paper explores the gap between the practice success by defining three elements namely: Event, Response the perceived success. The article compares contrasts the successful unsuccessful responses to draw attention on successful practices. As responding to unexpected events is a fundamental function in project management, an analysis of 44 unexpected events faced by 22 experienced Project Managers in defense defense related organizations was conducted in the given study. The participants were asked to think of significant unforeseeable events during the project which took them by surprise or were unknown or unpredicted their responses were recorded to such events. The research was designed using a grid to unfold the differences between successful unsuccessful responses to unexpected events from the perspective of a project manager. The results found that some participants had difficulty in identifying unknown-unknowns ( circumstances, events outcomes that were not identified in the first place) from known-unknowns ( circumstances, events or outcomes that have been identified as possibly existing, but do not know whether they will take place or not). The ability to identify possible risks reflects the experience of the participants. The main purpose of the paper is to draw the importance of unexpected events during a project which many times are just neglected by Managers to study their responses in such events. These unexpected events threaten the viability of a project. The study carried on groups organizations looked at the behavior of individuals during crisis like situation. An Adapted Repertory Grid (RepGrid) method was used to explore the unexpected events their responses. The data was collected in three steps namely: discussion on each event to derive an overview of what happened in each event, response monitoring finally evaluation of the internal validity of data. The study revealed that successful responses were organic based on three pillars: A responsive functioning structure at organizational level, good interpersonal relationships at group level competent people at the individual level. The study gives an idea of responses to unexpected events their evaluation as success or failure. Certain studies suggest that conflict develops not only in environmental circumstances but in the styles used by individuals when confronted with a conflict. The manner in which a person responds to organizational decision and uncertainty will influence the responses of others and the individuals work experience. [8] But this has again beeen contradicted by concluding that a Project managers previous experience has a minimal impact on the projects performance whereas the size of the previous managed project does affect the managers performance.[9]. However some researchers found no relationship between project success project size. [10] The results conclude that the successful responses to unexpected events lie within the three pillars: Responses functioning structure, Good interpersonal relations Competent people. Simple, responsible functioning structures are highlighted by the study participants as fundamental pillars of success. The analysis suggests that there is a need to refrain from merely adopting a process based approach to predict all possible events. It should be understood that the combination of structure, people, relationship are more likely to enable a successful response to an unanticipated event. The result emphasizes to focus on behavioral aspects of project management further draws attention on successful unsuccessful responses of project managers to such events. 4) Understanding the role of politics in successful project management: This journal paper http://tinyurl.com/2va3ass links the ability of project manager other key players in an organization to understand the importance of organizational politics which is one of the major factors of conflict as a sign towards successful project management. Politics is most often regarded as damaging but common experiences acknowledge that politics often one of the prime moving forces within any organization for better or worse. The main purpose of this paper is to draw attention towards the role of politics in successful project management identifying ways in which Project managers can use politics in a positive effective manner. It focuses on the point that Project Management politics are inextricably linked. Successful managers are those who understand that their job consists of more than simply being technically managerially competent. Power politics is rarely addressed in project management but it needs to be understood that their presence is ubiquitous their impact is significant. The paper points to three modes of power: Authority, Status influence illustrates that these are the key problems faced by Project Manager in attempting to develop their projects in organizations. The paper explains the implications of project politics stresses that a Project Manager needs to acknowledge politics as a fact of organizational project life. It focuses on the fact that it is important to learn to cultiv ate appropriate political tactics as they decide whether it is healthy or unhealthy give characteristics of political behavior like underlying attitudes, techniques etc. Politics if not handled on time may lead to conflicts within the organization so a Project manager needs to acknowledge politics and manage it accordingly. The article suggests some measures to be adopted by Project manager such as the need to employ certain tactics such as conduct performance appraisals on their project team subordinates as it helps in sending a clear message throughout the members that the projects are valuable project contributions among team members will be remembered rewarded. The Project Manager needs to learn the art of influencing by developing a reputation as an expert, and also suggests a Project Manager to develop good negotiating skills recognize that conflict is a natural side effect of project management. These tactics as suggested can help Project managers in dealing with politics hence would prevent conflict within the team. This article gives a good understanding of politics which generally is neglected by Project managers. Organizational politics is one of the important factors responsible for conflicts in an organization but this factor many times is neglected. Conflict if avoided can lead to difficult situations. . Managers at all levels of an organization should be attentive to enhancing employee perceptions of organizational justice in order to encourage the use of more cooperative styles for organizational conflict management.[10] There needs to be more emphasis on project team relationship as it can be one of the causes of politics and hence can lead to conflicts. Unwillingness to cooperate is one of the major reasons for failed teams leading to conflicts Hence, successful project completion depends to a large extent on members being able to work together effectively.[4] This article helps to draw attention towards the importance of politics provides effective project implementation techniques w hich may help in avoiding conflicts arising from politics. But it does not provide any empirical data proving the theories mentioned. The paper concludes that politics and project management are interlinked a project cannot be run without understanding politics. Politics is not necessarily evil but depends on how it is used that decides its effect. Managers do not understand the importance of politics many times but they need to understand that politics is ubiquitous; that is it operates across organizations functional boundaries.. Successful Project Managers are aware that politics, if used judiciously can have an extraordinary positive impact on the implementation of their projects.. SUMMARY: The journals provide a clear understanding of project, project management, roles responsibilities of a project manager, conflicts unexpected events in an organization the ways in which a Project manager could successfully manage them. All the journals focus on one point which is that a successful Project Manager requires a sound project management practices for any project management system to be effective, a project must be managed by a Project Manager who exhibits high quality managerial attributes knows to handle unanticipated situations in a project life-cycle. The research sponsored by the CII( Construction Industry Institute) in the first paper-Project Quality Project Manager highlights the importance of a quality Project Manager as one of the basic factors required for the success of a project. The paper specifies some suggestions to improve the Project manager effectiveness such as increased pre-appointment training, Establishing a mentor system, careful selection of potential Project Manager etc. The second journal article-Conflict its Management presents a broad analysis of conflict its management. This article stresses on the fact that conflict is inevitable in an organization can be handled by disputants themselves or by third parties such as Project Manager. Again this article stresses on the importance of the managerial qualities required in a Project Manager to handle conflict effectively. It provides suggestions for Project Managers to overcome conflict. These include: Project Manager should not always avoid conflict, should identify the issues carve them down to manageable set etc. Both the journal papers suggests that an effort needs to be made to identify develop key management skills that may be unique to the project management environment. The third journal -Project Managers response to unexpected events opines that projects can face unexpected events studies how Project Managers respond to such events. The article examines some events but found that human behavior issues predominantly led to failure while all other types of events could be managed either successfully or unsuccessfully. It identifies three pillars on which success response was dependent: Response functioning structure(high degree of freedom, rapid decision making implementation etc); good interpersonal relationship( Engagement with stakeholders, communication relationship between people involved) competent people( competence of leader team, behavior including self awareness ability to deal with stressful situations). The fourth journal paper- Understanding the role of politics in project management identifies organizational politics as one of the causes of conflict reveals that successful project management is linked to the ability of a Project Manager to understand its importance to make it work for project success. It states that project politics are interlinked it is up to what Project managers do depends on their ability to effectively manage not only the technical aspect of their job but also the behavioral side as well. It also focuses on the behavioral issues which need to be effectively handled by a Project Manger by understanding the dynamics of conflict process by learning to cultivate appropriate political tactics. It can be summarized that a project is an endeavor undertaken to meet specified goals objectives is usually constrained by time, scope budget. The discipline of planning, organizing managing resources to bring about the successful completion of such goals objectives during a project is known as Project management. A project manager is vital indispensable in any project. It is the Project manager who is accountable for accomplishing the objectives goals during a project life-cycle. The key project manger responsibilities include clear attainable project objectives, building the requisite environment, managing all the constraints of project, managing all unexpected events during a project such as conflicts etc. The quality of Project Manager is critical to achieving project success. Project Managers should emphasize different attributes at different stages of a project to be more effective. A project manager needs to understand that projects are inherently uncertain should be ready to manage them by understanding their importance make them work for project success. Proper skills in dealing with conflict can assist project managers and other organization members to handle and effectively resolve conflicts which can lead to a more productive organization as a whole. Using Project management principles and applying them gives the project manager the ability to establish success measures, incorporate quality principles, resolve conflicts and unexpected events, address future risk before becoming a problem, work within the scope of the project etc. The Project manager must have a combination of above average leadership human relations skills and administrative experience. Project performance is affected by the effective application of project management principles by a project manager. An effective Project manager should be capable of making decisions, communicate actions eliciting the commitment of team members. An effective Project Manager needs to diagnose conflict manage it by various methodologies such as improving communication, encourage joint responsibilities, create new alternatives, instill a co-operative, problem solving attitude between the conflicting groups. Successful project manager understand that project management skills if used judiciously can have an extra-ordinary impact on the successful implementation of their projects. Great successful organizations have always believed in idea generators executors for overall excellence. Project Manager is expected to have both qualities and the ability to handle all events during the course of a project. Effective instrumental leadership abilities initiatives have always lend a Midas touch to the organization. Since the aim of the study to be done is to analyze Project Managers roles and responsibilities and define attributes required in a Project Manager to prevent conflict during a project life cycle, these journals help in supporting the fact that Project Managers are one of the important factors required for project success. These journals define the various conflicts, its causes and explore the characteristics required in a Project manager to overcome unexpected events during a project. This would help in the further study of the current research and help in achieving the objectives of the research.

Saturday, January 18, 2020

A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen Essay

Reading the Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen makes you want to discern what entirely wives can afford to sacrifice for their families just to be good mothers and perfect wives for their husbands. This is the story of a woman who have succumbed to life’s realities which tell us that sometimes being a mother and a wife does not always make a woman complete but may even rob her of her rights as a real person. The first part of the story showed us that despite the lack of affluence, Nora has always been a happy mother and a contented wife for her husband. Such sweet and compassionate her life with her family that we, as readers are lured to think that this is the kind of story that you would never expect it would end up in an uncompromising conclusion and leave us wondering how things have suddenly turned against general expectations. Nora grew up with the luxury of life provided by her father. She is a beautiful and attractive woman but the day she marries and had children she disregard her affinity with the vanities of life as she was deprived of the things she used to have. When her husband quit his job, Nora worked really hard even discreetly to earn money. She buys cheap clothes to dress herself up decently and from her small savings she would buy small gifts for her three children to make her feel she is giving justice for herself and for the people she love. In doing this, Torvald always compare her to her father who knows nothing but spend his money on useless things. Although Nora loved her father so dearly she never dared to go against Torvald’s words when he speaks of her father. The most gracious thing that Nora did in her life was to love her father and her husband dearly although each opposes each other. When Torvald got sick he was forced to go to Italy to seek the proper medical attention with his family. Although Nora’s father was also critically ill she went by to help her husband get through with it. In Italy, life was even harder and Torvald need a large sum of money to go on with his hospitalization. Nora was helpless for they are also desolate. Nowhere to go and tremendously need to save her husband’s life she discreetly borrowed money from Nils Krogstad, a notorious bank employee who is infamous in sealing under the table agreements. Nora agreed to Krogstad’s plan of using her father’s bond and borrowed money from the bank while Nora pay it in installment to Krogstad. Nora’s father is already critically ill so she has to forge his signature or else there will be no money for her husband’s treatment. Apparently all became too complex when Torvald was about to take charge of the bank where Krogstad work and basically Torvald instantly wants to get rid of Krogstad because of his notorious reputation. When Krogstad learned of his impending fate, he talked to Nora to influence her husband so he can remain at the bank. Nora realized the outcome of the scandal in dealing with Krogstad and so tried to persuade her husband but Torvald is really bent on taking out Krogstad and replace him with Christine, Nora’s friend. Krogstad continued to blackmail her and threaten of exposing her to her husband but Nora was helpless. Finally all the anomalies behind Nora’s dealing were revealed by Krogstad through a letter to Torvald. When Torvald discovered of the irregularity that Nora got into, he became so furious he purged her with insulting words telling her as a worthless wife and a useless mother to her children. He threw accusations of his father’s ill habits and again compared him to her. Consequently, he never dared to ask the reason for the forgery. As she was maligned and degraded by her husband, everything snapped in front of her. Suddenly realizing all the guilt and pain she had endured, she suddenly opted for freedom (Ibsen, 2002). Perhaps this is where we can critically analyze how the characters have successfully or failed to play their part to end the story with a happy ending or otherwise end the event in failure. Probably most of us will have mixed inclination on believing Nora’s actions were of righteous deeds or perhaps the other way around. But however we see it, her forfeiture of his father’s signature signifies her love of Torvald because without doing it, she will surely lose her husband. On the other hand, we see a little shortcoming here with her actions. When Krogstad threatened to blackmail her she should have told this to her husband to prevent danger in their relationship as well as of his career. Instead she let things happened and then decided to end her life when Torvald knew all about it. Although this makes us readers to feel upset for Nora’s failures, the pointlessness of her weakness put more pain to her than gain. On the other hand, Nora can still be considered a noble person because the sacrifice she did to save her husband’s life was most dignified. We must face the fact that she only happened to love dearly a husband that she can afford to do such crime. Nora as we see here is the victim in this story not only because Krogstad used her but her feelings as a person was extremely disregarded. In the end she accused Torvald of loving her not as a person but like a ‘doll’ without feelings much like what her father do before. She said that all the while she loved them they did not love her back and never treated her as a person. Nora embodies women who can sacrifice for their families. Unfortunately she can only take too much. She got lost along the way and immersed herself with so much self pity and when she decided to go away she forgot about her children. This is the part which confuses us because leaving her children is somewhat uncalled for even though she would be searching for her freedom. Also, however it may seem, committing suicide as she previously planned is not the right answer to run away from all her anxieties. As with the plot of the story, it is filled with treachery, lies, drama, friendship, adultery and perception of ignorance and ill commitment. An example of treachery here is when Dr. Frank, a great friend of Torvald expresses his desire to Nora and wants to commit an adulterous relationship with her. On the other hand, Catherine, the best friend of Nora also betrayed Nora in a sense that she did not tell Nora that she and Krogstad were previously involved or it would have lightened the situation in the first place. Noticeably, there seemed to be predictability with the plot as well. The characters already knew each other long but did not meet altogether until all were in one event to highlight the drama. This is the usual concept that is generally used among stories when emphasizing the twist of events to highlight the heavy scenes with strong emotions. Nevertheless, the climax of the story make us think that though some of us realized that Nora’s decision to leave Helmer Torvald and her children does not seemed to be logical and heartless for a mother, we maybe able to understand that she is the victim of disrespect, a woman who did everything but was deprived of love and affection. However, this is good book to read for it is full of compassion and delight that normally happens with people in our society. Reference: Ibsen, H. (2002). A Doll’s House: Plain Label Books â€Å"A Doll’s House† by Henrik Ibsen Essay After reading â€Å"A Dolls House† by Henrik Ibsen, I realized that just like life, Noras overt symptoms were simply a byproduct of a problem that lies much deeper than simple financial spontaneity. Torvald, a patronizing, and solely appearance-driven man sets up the relationship for failure from the beginning. The fact that he treats Nora like a child and almost as a toy is not only demeaning to anyone, but it is actually awful that any man could treat a woman that way. I do not believe that Nora is the one to blame for her problems with spending money. However, it is unfortunate that Nora forges a loan paper because she is looking for fulfillment through money. Obviously there is a void in the relationship, true love. Love is something that Torvald should have been giving Nora all along, instead he demeans her. Therefore, Nora looks to money to provide her the happiness and love that should be given to her by her husband. This play appealed to me because I think it is wonderful that Ibsen spoke out so strongly in this play for the support of womens rights. The theme of this play is the unjust sacrificial role of women. In the Victorian era, the man held the majority of power in a relationship, and was deemed with the more important role in society. Women, on the other hand, were expected to be acquiescent and dependent on men in all areas of their lives. I was shocked that women were not legally allowed to sign a legal document, such a personal loan without a man’s signature. It must have been a huge issue for some strong willed women to fall into the position of full dependence on a man. I believe that Nora was one of these strong willed women. In Nora’s case Torvald was a kind man, however it seemed to me that he was always belittling her with subtle, gentle verbal abuse that Nora absorbed like a sponge. Her problem, along with the subtle, degrading comments, was that she was cooped up in such an ordinary life and stuck with a man that did not effectively show his love for her. This caused Nora to fall into the stereotypical role of the dependent woman. However, that is not who she truly was. Nora tolerated these actions as long as there was security for her and her children. Women of this era married mainly for security rather than love. If there was love in a marriage it was a by product of chance and a blessing, not the usual state of affairs between men and women. When Nora finally realizes that Torvald was not a man of honor the need for security and dependence was broken. Nora prays for a â€Å"miracle of miracles† hoping that Torvald will step up and save her from dishonor for the illegal loan she signed for. She prayed that Torvald would take the blame and leave her blameless and spotless. Somehow in all of this mess, we see Nora as an incredibly respectable woman. She only wants Torvald to make the gesture so she can respect and look up to him, to see that he is a man of honor and strength. Instead, she sees that he is a hypocrite and with that the break in their one-sided marriage is complete. Noras subtle gestures of rebellion throughout the play show that a decision is brewing in the back of her mind, and that she is ready for some sort of change. She realizes that who she really is, is a mystery to her. After realizing this, she was determined to solve it. Her newfound determination fueled her to embark on the journey to find out who the women inside of her really was. She knew to only way to do it would be to leave her â€Å"doll house† and go out in the real world and find out who Nora really is. By Nora slamming the door behind her, she closed the door on her old life. She now has the chance to discover who she really is without actually being someones property. The decision to leave her husband and children was shocking, but foreshadowed. She had been subtly rebelling against Torvalds wishes constantly. She eats the macaroons when Torvald says No. This was just one of the many instances where Nora showed that she was getting sick of being told what to do by her master. Nora was not even truly raising her children, she hired Anne Marie for that. Nora simply entertained the children in a superficial relationship. She no longer respected Torvald, and needed a fresh start on a new life; so she slams the door. Finally, the real Nora has a chance to come alive. Sources Used: â€Å"Stages of Drama† By Klaus, Gilbert, and Field Jr. 5th Edition, 2003. Bedford/St. Martin’s. A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen Essay A Doll’s House is the most famous work of Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. It has been staged throughout the world since way back until now, one and a half century later. However, few plays have had a similar impact globally on social norms and conditions (UNESCO, 2008). Ibsen introduces a play that is adequate in all aspects, much as it is intriguing in his time. It is a play of depth, gravity, and social relevance that it extends it’s importance and application even in the present society. This play tackles the life of middle class people in Ibsen’s time and how their lives are heavily affected when they encounter various crises. However, much as it is about families, it highlights the struggles of women and their sacrifices in creating harmony and stability in the home at the expense of their own personal, physical, and emotional well-being. A Doll’s House criticises the traditional roles of men and women in 19th-century marriage (Shapiro, 99). During this era, this was considered quite scandalous in the European countries because of the great value that they put on marriage. This play was met with a lot of criticisms but was eventually accepted as it simulated real-life occurrences that are experienced by a lot of women. The theme dwells highly on the sacrificial role of women in the different classes of society. Since a number of the characters are women with their own stories to tell, the play was at one point or another considered as a feminist play. The theme was highlighted in the play with the introduction of these various women and their circumstances. For instance, the nanny in the play had her own share of sacrifice when she has to leave her own household to be a caretaker in the house of Nora and Torvald. This is an act of love by a mother to provide better means for her own child. Another character who has impacted the play was Mrs. Linde who had to give up Krogstad despite her love for him. This was sacrificial of her happiness because she opted on marrying a richer man as society may have forced her to do. The most influential character and protagonist in the story is Nora, who in her lifetime, experieneced a lot of hardships and sacrifices in pleasing her husband as well as her father. It was a series of hardships for her because of the fact that society dictated Torvald to be the dominant partner and she has to be a slave to his every whim. She was like a puppet on strings that should never fail to beguile, charm and entertain her husband as well as be like a trophy for him. She even has to be deathly afraid of the possibility that he may know of the loan despite the fact that it was for his sake. To quote Nora, â€Å"I have been performing tricks for you, Torvald. That’s how I’ve survived. You wanted it like that. You and Papa have done me a great wrong. It’s because of you I’ve made nothing of my life. † This is somehow a summary of how she was made to feel like a childish, innocent woman, when in fact, she is just as intelligent and capable as they thought she was. The moods of the play ranged from light to heavy as different secrets and stories unfold. This moods are highlighted by focusing on different scenes that contribute to the understanding of the story. For example, the lighter moods such as Torvald calling Nora using affectionate names highlights the theme in a way that it expresses Nora’s dependence on Torvald as well as her helplessness. Another notable aspect in the stage direction of the play is the use of the scene of the porter in the opening and Nora’s and Torvald’s discussion of money. This also puts the spotlight on money being one of the forces that creates the conflict in the play. As the scenes progress, some aspects of the play contribute to the progression of the theme like the scene where Nora still practiced her routine despite her nervousness on the impending confrontation about the loan. This simply shows how she is experiencing extreme anxiety but still refuses to give in to the fear and prefer to still please her husband. This also highlights the title as it is symbolic of the characteristics of dolls. It reiterates the idea that as a doll, Nora should only work on being pleasing to her husband and never grow or improve. Another inclusion, such as Nora eating maccaroons even if Torvald forbids it, is quite satirical but is also symbolic of Nora’s realization that she should take a stand sometimes. â€Å"As to symbolism, [Ibsen] says that life is full of it, and therefore his plays are full of it, though critics insist on discovering all sorts of esoteric meanings in his work of which he is entirely innocent (Metheun, 1991. † As to symbolisms, the use of the christmas tree in the play is very important as it embodies the character of Nora as a decorative element in the house. It reduces to her being just a plaything for Torvald and nothing more. This parallel observation was even highlighted in the second act as the christmas tree was decsribed as being â€Å"dishevelled† which is also the start of Nora’s questions and self instrospection. Another symbolic part of the play is the use of the New Year. Being a festive event, it also is a symbol for newer things and beginnings. For Torvald, it was supposed to be the start of his new post in his job and the end to the loan that Nora is paying. However, the New Year proved to be something more than that. It was a start of conflicts and realizations that the married couple must face as they embark on a challenge on their marriage due to the radical decision that Nora has made. A Doll House is a play that is definitely noteworthy because of it’s timelessness. The scocial relevance that it carries with it encompasses centuries as they are still obervable today. Society is definitely of patriarchal design and tends to be very critical of women and their actuations as well as their rights in the way of life. In the past, this was very much evident in almost a worldwide scale. Today, it is slowly improving as women are now open to doing more things for their self-improvement as the previously did. This play is not only releveant as it showcases the life of women in the 19th century, but it also serves as an inspiration and a mark in the timeline of how women have gone from being dolls in the household to being independent and strong in real life. Works Cited Shapiro, Ann R. â€Å"The slammed door that still reverberates†. in Fisher, Jerilyn; Silber, Ellen S. Women in literature: reading through the lens of gender. Westport, CT: Greenwood. pp. 99–101. ISBN9780313313462. â€Å"Henrik Ibsen: A Doll’s House†. UNESCO Memory of the World Programme. 16 May 2008. Retrieved 14 December 2009. â€Å"A Dolls House† by Henrik Ibsen Essay After reading â€Å"A Dolls House† by Henrik Ibsen, I felt that I had a better grasp of the relationship between men and women in the Victorian era. The man was all- powerful in this time; women were well in the background, subservient and dependent on men in all areas of her life. It was surprising to me that women were not allowed to sign legal documents, such a personal loan without a man’s signature. Total dependency had to be a tough pill to swallow for strong willed women. I am sure that many clever and cunning women were able to manipulate the men in their lives, letting the man believe that they were in full control of the relationship. However the majority of women who were not able to assert themselves as forcefully as I am sure they wished. Men were able to run the household through kind or cruel intentions. In Nora’s case Torvald was a kind man, however it seemed to me that he was always belittling her with subtle, gentle verbal abuse that Nora absorbed like a sponge. Nora tolerated these actions as long as there was security for her and her children. Women of this era married mainly for security rather than love. If there was love in a marriage it was a by product of chance and a blessing, not the usual state of affairs between men and women. When Nora finally realizes that Torvald is not a man of honor the need for security and dependence is broken. Nora prays for a â€Å"miracle of miracles† hoping that Torvald will come to her rescue and be her Knight on a white horse and save her from dishonor for the illegal loan she signed for. She prayed that Torvald would take the blame and leave her blameless and spotless. Even though she states at the same time that she would not let him take the blame for her actions, she wished that he would place his reputation and the line for hers. In this Nora is a remarkable woman. She only wants Torvald to make the gesture so she can respect and look up to him, to see that he is a man of honor and strength. But she sees that he is a hypocrite and with that the break in their one-sided marriage is complete. She realizes that she does  not know who she is but she is determined to take the journey and find out what kind of women she is. She must leave her â€Å"doll house† and go out in the real world and find out what she is made of. I feel that Nora will find that she is a better person than most people that she knows in her sheltered and pampered life. The decision to leave her husband and children was shocking in her day and how the people must have gossiped. Wagging their fingers at her saying â€Å"For shamed, for shamed.† Nora was not even truly raising her children; she had Anne Marie for that task. Nora simply entertained the children in a superficial relationship. She no longer respected Torvald; she did not even know who she was. She had to leave to find Nora, the Nora that never was, so she had to go. A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen Essay Happiness is a state of well-being characterized by emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy. In â€Å"A doll’s house† by Henrick Ibsen, the feelings concerning the home are not mutual. Torvald thinks that they have the ideal home and a perfect, happy life; Nora realizes that their life is far from perfect. Their home is like a playground, it is only all fun and games—there is no real love or care. A home that is like a playground, and not filled with love and care, is not a happy home. From the very beginning, Torvald treated Nora like a baby. Is that my little lark twittering out there? † (5). â€Å"Is it my little squirrel bustling about? † (6). Before all things that Torvald called Nora, he would put the adjective â€Å"little† before it, meaning it in a patronizing manner. He looked down on Nora from the start, but that’s how she thought it was supposed to be. He treated her like a little kid, and did not love her and care for her like she needed to be loved and cared for. Nora says to Mrs. Christine Linde that she was living a happy life. â€Å"The last eight years have been a happy time for me, I can tell you. (82). Nora believed that she was supposed to be treated like a little girl, just as Torvald treated her. She was not aware that she deserved to be treated like an adult and not a little kid. She deserved to be treated with kindness, respect, love, and care. At this point of the story, she has not yet realized how a husband is truly supposed to act. Nora compares their house during the past eight years she has spent with Torvald to a playroom; they had been like little kids just playing around, not a married couple. Our home has been nothing but a playroom†¦That is what our marriage has been, Torvald. † (288/289). Nora now realizes that they have not been living a truly happy life. Their marriage has been just like little kids playing ‘house’; they had been playing a ‘game’ and not truly acting like a married couple should. Nora decided that she wanted a husband who would love her and care for her, not one that just treated her like a little doll. â€Å"It was then it dawned upon me that for eight years I had been living here with a strange man. (302/303). This is when Nora realized that she wanted something better in her life and that Torvald was not right for her. She realized that Torvald was only a stranger, not really her husband. Spouses are supposed to love you with everything they have, care for you and adore you. All Torvald cared about was money; he thought money could buy happiness. Nora knew this was not true and she could not take it anymore, so she stopped considering him her spouse. Nora and Torvald think they have the ideal life, until Nora comes to the realization that Torvald’s life revolves around money and material objects. She realized that Torvald didn’t show her the love and care that he should have. So in order to be happy, she needed to be free from Torvald, so she divorced him. Divorcing him gave her the capability to go find somebody else to marry, and have a home with true love and true happiness. The key to having a happy home is having a home filled with love and care.

Friday, January 10, 2020

Product outsourcing to Far East Enterprises Limited

In management accounting the premise of relevant costing is applied in order to evaluate business decisions. Such costing premise implies that only incremental costs and revenues pertinent to the decision at hand are considered. Past costs, commonly known as sunk costs and/or unaffected costs are irrelevant to the decision-making process. Therefore the calculations computed in Appendix A of this Report abide with the relevant costing principle noted in this paragraph.At face value, the agreed price with FEE of $395 per unit is lower than the total manufacturing costs per unit of $425. However, before rushing into any drastic conclusions it is imperative to consider the relevant costs and revenues. Further more, in this case, a particular time frame ought to be set up, because FEE is requesting a two-year contract with the company. Therefore the relevant costs and revenues have to be computed on a two-year basis.Upon assessment of the incremental costs and revenues on the two year per iod, it is outlined in Appendix A that an Incremental Loss of $8,929,280 will occur if the company appoints FEE as its supplier for this particular product. Thus it is more financially viable to make the product rather than purchase it from a supplier. The reason behind such a loss mainly rests because the buy decision will be unable to affect the general company overheads, in which a substantial portion is allocated to the GPSN Model.

Thursday, January 2, 2020

The Theory Of Evolutionary Theory - 1822 Words

In today’s society, Alabama, Minnesota, Missouri, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Texas require that students be aware of a disclaimer and are encouraged to think critically concerning the aspects of evolutionary theory. Additionally, in Mississippi and Louisiana, educators and students are permitted to discuss critical evidence of the evolutionary theory (Reuters). Since the publication of On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, the Supreme Court of the United States has had numerous, varying, and even contradictory, rulings of the presence of evolution in public schools; however, the teaching of evolutionary theory should be permissible in school due to the multiple intellectual concepts that are intertwined in the theory. Firstly, the evolutionary theory is a fundamental, unifying theory that underlies all life sciences, resulting in the expansion of knowledge that contributes to the understanding of present-day microbiological changes (Kahn). For example, in the nineteenth century, the most prevalent explanation of the origin of microbial organisms was the theory of spontaneous generation. The theory of spontaneous generation proposed that living organisms arose from nonliving matter (Sadava, et al. 67). This belief led to the unpreparedness of scientists and physicians in the understanding of illnesses, which consequently led to the deaths of immeasurable numbers of individuals before the experiments of Louis Pasteur disproved the theory (Kahn).Show MoreRelatedDispositional, Evolutionary And Evolutionary Theory1283 Words   |  6 PagesDispositional, and Evolutionary Theory Nicholas DeRico PSY/405 August 24, 2015 Dispositional, Biological and Evolutionary Theory Abstract There are many theories that attempt to clarify the structures that influence personality, for example dispositional, and Evolutionary theory. 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