How Would You Value a Firm That You Were Trying To Purchase Research Paper

How Would You Value a Firm That You Were Trying To Purchase - Research Paper Example Holton and Bates 2009, elucidates that there are a number of methods through which a potential purchaser of a particular firm may apply in an effort to realize the value of that firm. The methods may include: Free Cash Flow Methods, Asset-Based Methods, Option-Based Valuation method, and the method of using Comparables, These tools or methods of valuations would in return assist the potential purchaser of the firm to analyze and make an informed purchasing choice. Discussion To begin with, the asset-based method can be efficiently used be an intending purchaser to value a give firm. This method reveals the book value of a firm’s equity. In simpler terms, the asset based method shows the asset value of a firm or a company, less the debts of the firm. According to Strauss, 2011, a potential purchaser of a firm may find this method of valuation helpful since a company’s equity is all that a firm can be left with in an instance where it suddenly halt its selling its product s or making money. This equity may be current assets, shareholders equity, and cash as tangible things, as well as brand name and management as intangible qualities. The shortcomings of this method however is that there are some hidden assets that cannot be revealed. This may happen in instances where a piece of a firm land was purchased years ago and the value of that land has been kept as it was despite the appreciation that has dramatically taken place. Another method may be used to value a firm is by using comparables. This method is one of the most common means through which a company valuation is done by simply using the earnings that a company gets. The earnings of a firm sometimes referred to as the net profit or net income can be said to be the amount of money that a firm is left with after it has paid all its bills or debts. In most cases, earning of a firm is measured according to the earnings per share. Earnings per share can be calculated by dividing the amount of earni ng a firm reports by the outstanding number of shares the firm has. Even though this method may be helpful to an individual intending to purchase a given firm, it falls short of other aspects of valuing a firm such as the firm assets which are an importance aspect of valuation in any business (Mayo 2010) Further, free cash flow method may be used in an attempt to value the worth of a given firm. Even though most of the individual investors are not conversant with cash flow, this method is commonly used for valuation of both private and public firms especially by the bankers. Cash flow can be described as the company’s earnings before taxes, interest amortization and depreciation. This method may however be ineffective in valuing a firm worth and the actual business earnings since the taxes and other costs are not subtracted from the general earning. Taxes payable by a given firm may vary depending on the laws governing taxation in a particular financial year and even though t he earnings of a given firm may be hefty the amount of taxes may be large thus the secondary costs or company’s profits may be uncertain. Finally, a person may opt to use the option based method to value the worth of a firm before purchasing that firm. There are several other techniques of firm valuation as aforementioned

Planet of the Apes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Planet of the Apes - Essay Example The film appeared five years later. The 60’s... On the one hand they were the years of recognition of the many immutable truths concerning freedom, conscience and human personality; that was the time of various anti-war movements, time when national, sexual and racial minorities started the fight for their freedom and rights; time of The Beatles, hippies; time when everywhere - in politics, economy, culture – everyone has felt the fresh breeze of changes. On the other hand, the Cold War, tense situation in Vietnam and Cuba, fingers of the leaders of the great powers on nuclear buttons... Time of the first steps in space exploration, when adults dreamed of the immense cosmos and all the kids wanted to become astronauts. The smile of Gagarin and the American flag in Neil Armstrong’s hands became the subject of peoples’ love and the apparent evidence of human omnipotence. This film is the essence of the 60’s: angry sarcasm and post-apocalyptic fiction; fight with restrictions, limitations, complexes and old authorities; space theme and prophecy of an imminent catastrophe, which will destroy human civilization. 1968 has forever changed the history of cinema. It was the year of 2001: A Space Odyssey by Stanley Kubrick, War and Peace by Sergei Bondarchuk, Once Upon a Time in the West by Sergio Leone, Night of the Living Dead, George Romero, Rosemary’s Baby by Roman Polanski, Teorema Pier Paolo Pasolini and many others. The brilliant sci-fi picture of Franklin Schaffner came out the same year. The film, like all the above mentioned, influenced both the development of cinema in general and science fiction in particular. Now, more than 40 years after release, the film is becoming more and more prophetic. It up-ended the concept of the future progress of mankind. Schaffner’s film is not a total adaptation of the cult novel, but without a doubt, includes the main essence and meaning of socio-political satire of the author. It showed that human beings can’t overcome their animal instincts, their folly, â€Å"human nature† that pushes them to extermination of their own kind in brutal wars. We do not follow the path of evolution. A new-fashioned computer, cell phone, stylish outfit and even a red Ferrari will not make a human being a man, as makeup and Wu shoes will not make a human being a woman. Computers, inventions, machines are not civilization. They are the products of civilization. Civilization is a development of daily living that comes from the human brain, mind, heart and soul. The film shows that man in his development stuck in the Middle Ages. Not even in the times of ancient Greeks, who surpassed modern humans in spiritual development, but namely in the middle, dark ages. The Renaissance, it seems, was only a flash of light, when a man became aware that he was living wrong, but did not manage to keep on the right road and hit a loop road that leads to permanent self-destruction . The storyline is built around astronauts who get to an uncharted planet after an emergency landing of their spaceship. Initially, it seemed to them lifeless, but it was only at first glance. Soon, they find themselves in a strange, surreal world in which human beings, like slaves or wild animals, sit in cages of intelligent, talking apes. This makes one of them, Taylor, start a search for truth and answer many questions about the planet they landed. The film, masked as a science fiction one, in

What is coaching? learning specific skills

What is coaching? learning specific skills Coaching is about learning specific skills, to improve performance or to prepare for advancement. To an outsider, coaching situations may look similar. All are based on an ongoing, confidential, one-on-one relationship between coach and learner. Yet each teaching situation can be quite diverse and some of these distinctions are important to recognise, if only to foster informed choice by everyone involved. Therefore this essay defines and explores key distinguishing features amongst coaching. Furthermore taking account of these factors, this essay will discuss and suggests different coaching roles. Any instructional strategy should be based on learning theory because without an understanding of how athletes learn, one cannot expect to achieve intended learning goals (Griffin et al, 2005). The use of student and athlete has been used interchangeable throughout this essay to reflect its meaning. So focusing on this I will look from a behaviourist perspective on how people learn best an d what certain influences can facilitate learning, by briefly discussing the place of feedback will identify influential factors this can make to a pupils education and overall learning experience. Watkins and Mortimer define pedagogy as ‘any conscious activity by one person designed to enhance learning in another (1999; 3). With coaching being recently reconceptualised as a pedagogy (Cassidy et al., 2004), it is imperative for a coach/teachers to ensure learners are facilitating in their learning, so rather than just teaching a certain skill, they also teach when this skill should be used. By being a coach, in other words, implies being a ‘certain kind of teacher (Hacking, 1986; Gee, 2001), but exactly what such being entails remains covered in uncertainty (Richardson, 2002). The role for the coach or teacher has been very directive, instructional or prescriptive (Cassidy et al. 2004, Kidman, 2001). For instance, the coach or teacher deciding when and how athletes/students should perform specified skills or movements. This has led to the coach being regarded as the sole source of knowledge, transmitting this in a unidirectional way with learners having a passive ro le in the learning process (Potrac and Cassidy 2006). Furthermore, this occupies a position of centrality and influence in the sporting environment (Cushion et al. 2006, Smith and Smoll 2007). Therefore, Lyles (2002) research suggests there is a strong belief that the quality of coaching is one of the most important environmental factors in determining performance improvement with success. Signifying not only the behaviour of the coach being an influential socialising agent but might also impact on performance, learning, and a range of many other psycho-social outcomes. Coaches and teachers can be implicitly or explicitly, by their beliefs about learning. By practicing and behaving according to their own beliefs, directly impacting on how the coachs role is perceived and enacted within the coaching process, such as tradition of the sport taught, socialisation experiences etc. Research suggests knowledge and practice, remains largely based on experiences and the interpretation of those experiences (Cushion, Armour, and Jones 2003; Cushion 2006; Gilbert and Trudel 2006). This however, is regardless of the implementation and availability of education programmes and courses. Furthermore, Douge and Hastie (1993) believe that the accumulating years of involvement doesnt necessarily guarantee that an agent will become an effective coach. Chelladurai also expands suggests that â€Å"future research could focus on generating items based on the experiences and insights of both coaches and athletes† (1990; 340). Indicating that there is no single behavi our, role or approach that is either a defining or essential component to an athletes/students centeredness (Popkewitz, 1998; Cain, 1989). In fact, the amount that a coach feels compelled to act in a single way; the more likely they are to impose limits on their athletes because their own behaviour is constrained (Daniels 2001, Cain 1989) not only implementing interventions but could interfere with coaching preparations. There are many different ‘building blocks which aid coaches in the effectiveness of their coaching and improve their coaching practice, although there are a number of reflective cycles to assist coaches, Gibbs (1988) offers a model of coaching effectiveness ideal for the beginner coach involving the following six elements: 1) Description Describe as a matter of fact just what happened during your critical incident or chosen episode for reflection. 2) Feelings What were you thinking and feeling at the time? 3) Evaluation List points or tell the story about what was GOOD and what was BAD about the experience. 4) Analysis What sense can you make out of the situation. What does it mean? 5) Conclusion What else could you have done? What should you perhaps not have done? 6) Action Plan If it arose again, what would you do differently? How will you adapt your practice in the light of this new understanding? This framework is an ideal excellent starting point for coaches/teachers in their investigations of the coaching process itself, not only this but Bandura states People not only gain understanding through reflection, they evaluate and alter their own thinking (1986; 62) enticing coaches to un-earth their theory in use, inevitably extending learning in both coach and athletes. Paradoxically focusing on this, coaches and teachers have varied roles to consider, whereby they can aid the need for the following specific knowledge and skills: Interpersonal skills. Communicating and establishing trusting relationships with whom they are trying to change their practices. Coaches must be able to observe accurately and provide appropriate feedback. Content knowledge. Having an understanding of their subject matter, this includes how knowledge of a discipline is developed through curricula and learning materials. Experience with others coaches at the different level indicates that a certain level of content-area expertise is necessary to be a subject area coach. However, expertise also may create tension when coaches are labelled experts. Most important is for a coach to establish a collaborative, reflective relationship. Pedagogical knowledge. To lead, coaches need to understand how students and athletes learn, including knowledge of the tasks, questioning strategies, and structures that can help students/athletes develop their own ideas. Knowledge of the curriculum. Familiarity with the structures and experiences offered by a curriculum is important, including understanding the fundamental ideas behind a curriculum and how those ideas connect across different ability levels. Awareness of coaching resources. Aware of specific knowledge of professional development materials, literature, and resources that can be used to support development of subject or pedagogical knowledge and better understanding how to teach. Knowledge of the practice of coaching. Coaching strategies and structures, such as how to use pre and post observations or on-the-spot coaching; the role of questioning and effective strategies; how to use resources of teaching practice (curriculum materials, student work, scripts of classroom dialogue, etc.); and the pros and cons of demonstration lessons and coaching sessions. All specify a requirement of the coach/teacher, however, athletes have been shown to have different preferences and different responses to coach behaviour (Reiman, 2007) and in complex social and interpersonal settings, individual differences are sure to play an important role (Smith and Smoll, 2007). However, not all people are the same, nor are circumstances and contexts, and consequently a one size fits all approach will not work for all learners and in all situations (Amorose, 2007). Moreover, Jonassen (1999; 235) suggests possible ideas â€Å"by starting the learners with the tasks they know how to perform and gradually add task difficulty until they are able to perform† therefore facilitates learning in both coach and learner encouraging decision making roles. There are four components which influence: the coach, the athlete, knowledge and the learning environment. Focusing on these statements further and the literature researched indicate many influential factors one in particular being feedback which the following section discusses. Indeed, all coaching is based upon some theory about how we learn with behaviourism strongly informs coaching, resulting in an instructional approach that emphasises the use of feedback and rewarding behaviour. Feedback from coaches is an essential aspect of learning. Whereby coaches use feedback to encourage pupils to respond to their own learning by discovering where they are now in relation to where they would like to be, and to determine how to do better next time (Hargreaves, 2005). Fundamentally feedback can be used as a tool to support and enhance learning (Ofsted, 2008) in both education and coaching practice. More recently, it has become the source of heated debates and has seen a dramatic increase in the amount of literature relating to feedback and in particular operant conditioning approach (Skinner, 1958) which is based on the well established principles of individual learning that behaviour is a function of its consequences. Although some citations are dated in this section however; it is still relevant today as there are many expectations and implications which are placed on coaches and teachers to provide meaningful support and feedback to enhance learning. Its believed by Smoll and Smith (1989) that coaches must have extensive task knowledge so that they can issue proper instruction about desired behaviours and reinforce individuals when they do well. However, findings by Komaki et al (1989) illustrate the need for consistency in verbal reinforcement and feedback to initiate an increase in the frequency of desirable behaviours and decrease the frequency of undesirable behaviours. Thus, according to Mayer (1983) can elaborate and expand on learners knowledge, building on existing cognitive schema (Mayer, 1983), this can be reinforced by way of feedback. There are, however further expectations placed on teachers. Piagets work is concerned with the expansion of knowledge and understanding, with ways in which new information is dealt with by learners. However, Pritchard (2009) has identified concern in the amount of time coaches have available to give sufficient feedback, more so with coaching and teaching in groups rather than one on one. Although Boud (1999) suggests that when pupils take responsibility of their own learning this will allow them to deepen their understanding.   Not only does insufficient time have implications but a message (feedback) can also have the potential to be misinterpreted. It is generally accepted that certain feedback might be taken personally by pupils, and lead to defensiveness and loss in confidence. ‘We judge too much and too powerfully, not realising the extent to which pupils experience our power over them (Boud, 1999; 43). Self-esteem, it is believed, is affected by receiving negative or unexpected feedback. Research by Young (2000) suggests, however, considerations should be made from the opposite perspective: it is the students level of self-esteem that affects the messages they receive—both positive and negative. Those with low self-esteem tend to view all feedback as a judgement of ability, whilst those with high self-esteem do not. Indicating certain implications which could severe interpersonal problems Certainly, teachers and coaches if they are truly person centered should be continually open to learning and how their athletes/students learn and achieve effectively as shown throughout this essay, however there are so many areas and this essay has only covered a few. It might be valuable that by creating the best possible atmosphere for learning and performance, coaches and teachers can and would be less concerned about a certain coaching style or behaviour and more concerned about whether whatever they do impairs or facilitates learning. In this sense, receptivity, flexibility and differentiated responses in coaches and teachers are likely to maximize the outcome (Cain, 1989). In reality, the teacher or coach has a role to play in identifying and addressing certain problems and assisting, deconstruct knowledge relating to aspects of sporting performance (Potrac and Cassidy, 2006). Finally, this then provides the learner with the personal and informational resources for learning (C ain 1989), giving a unique opportunity to make significant changes in a person life. The purpose of this paper is to provide a reflection and example of such a structured session using an approach whereby learners work out solutions to tactical problems themselves with the coach facilitating their learning. In the UK there are thousands of individuals who are qualified coaches because of the availability of coaching courses. However, research into coaching have shown that coaching courses only act as a starting point, with coaches in Jones et al.s (2004) review points to the fact that the immensity of learning actually occurs through experience. Thus this alone does not guarantee capability this is elaborated in these words: ‘It is not enough just to do, and neither is it enough just to think †¦ Learning from experience must involve linking the doing and the thinking Gibbs (1988; 9). The process of reflection is linked between doing and thinking (Martens, 1997; Gibbs, 1988) moreover, Bandura believes People not only gain understanding through reflection, they evaluate and alter their own thinking (1986; 62). Reflection has its origins in Schà ¶ns (1983) work, where he defined a reflective conversation as the following cycle: appreciation; experimentation and evaluation. Later, other reflective models were put forward. Johns (1995) model consists of 26 questions that the coach must ask themselves, whereas Gibbs (1988) model consists of six. This reflection will use the Gibbs model to reflect upon a situation that arose during one of my coaching practices. The basis for this is because its uncomplicated and allows a beginner coach like myself to follow, whereas Johns tends to be more complex decision-making (Johns, 1995). Before moving on to the process of reflection, its important to note that this paper will take a pedagogical approach. Watkins and Mortimer describe pedagogy as ‘any conscious activity by one person designed to improve learning in another (1999; 3). With coaching being recently reconceptualised as a pedagogy (Cassidy et al., 2004), it is important for coaches to ensure learners are facilitating in their learning, so rather than just coaching a certain method, they also teach when this skill should be applied. Therefore, I will reflect upon a coaching experience of my own, using Gibbs (1988) model, to access whether learners were given the possibility to progress in their learning. Description I decided to coach a basketball session, focusing on shooting techniques and positioning. The games for understanding (TGfU) approach (Bunker and Thorpe, 1982) was used opposed to the more traditional coaching/teaching model. Teachers in the traditional model teach skills first and tactics later. As Light and Fawns (2003) have articulated, ‘knowing the game is to play it and demonstrate knowledge-in-action (Schà ¶n , 1983). Advocates of the TGfU model endorse tactics first, while skills are introduced afterwards (Bradley, 2004; Turner et al, 2001). So basically, what to do comes before how to do it. A mini game was introduced at the beginning of the session along with a brief explanation of certain rules required to give shape to the game and determine the variety of tactics and skills required for a successful performance. The session was going well with players participating with enthusiasm by contributing to certain questions then furthering their decisions. However, after a while I ran out of certain ideas for further progressions. Feelings Having sensed with apprehension that some learners were getting uninterested and even slowed down and eventually stopped playing. Research has suggested this is because players can lack challenges and so therefore their intrinsic motivation to participate decreases (Ryan Deci, 2000). Conversely feeling the pressure to make a change or how to put in challenges to be successful in their performance, dismay started to set in as I didnt have a further plan. Evaluation The TGfU approach was effective in increasing enthusiasm because it was fun. This was backed up by Griffin et al (1995) who said that the TGfU approach may be more enjoyable for players than traditional technique drills; are, and so theyre more motivated to participate. Also, by probing the players to answer questions about faults in their technique, I was also facilitating the development of players critical thinking and decision-making skills; two important cognitive skills (Kirk and MacPhail, 2002). However, when the session started to become less interesting I was unable to make certain changes due to a lack of experience of different activities. There was also concerned in stopping and re-starting the game as research also suggested that learners feel this interrupt the flow of the game (Lieberman, 2008). Analysis Id realised that in the early stages learners were going through a learning process. The game allowed them to obtain physical skills and techniques, whilst the questions and communication with peers facilitated their cognitive development (Kirk MacPhail, 2002). However, being unable to enforce new activities the learners learning process began to even out. This is believed to be because of a lack of challenge denting their motivation to continue (Ryan Deci, 2000), thus decreasing or stopping participation would further the opportunity to learn. Conclusion I felt I had developed well through this session but was always looking at ways to improve through listening, reading and reflection. Thinking over my lesson, Id realised that there were certain ‘blind spots in my coaching.   Although the tasks enabled the players to learn, success by progressing further questioning enabled decision-making skills and communicating with each other to solve meticulous problems. Therefore, incorporating a cognitive based learning approach; where learners were required to solve realistic problems (Dolmans et al., 2005). In relation, structured scenarios where players would need to decide whether it was best to shoot, which pass to use and dribbling techniques and enticing communication amongst their team to score or win. It was also vital that learners understood why they were carrying out and practising certain drills. If players understand why they were doing something, their motivation to change their practice in order to improve their skills and team play could then be improved. Therefore encouraging players to question and communicate the varying drills and by asking what it is going to be useful; for what reason. Action Plan Games have an essential cognitive dimension that has been to some extent limited by the traditional coaching/teaching model (Light, 2002; Light and Fawns, 2001). The TGfU approach utilises open ended questioning however it is believed to be more time-consuming in the early stages and errors are likely to be a plenty (Kroll, 2004; Prawat, 1992) but giving learners greater ownership of decision-making process would enable them to think for themselves in a game that is largely based on making appropriate decisions. Therefore, when planning future sessions I will account for various problems that may arise and the activities that Ill put into practice to solve them (e.g. how and when to modify the games, when to stop play and question, when to bring players out of the game for individual questioning etc.) Finally the issue being the use of open ended questioning with learners. Such questioning would also enable students to make a cognitive leap, particularly when teaching invasion game s trategies (Butler, 1997). To conclude, the process of reflection has allowed me to notice that my session had both positive and negative aspects. The positive aspect was that the TGfU approach was effective and enjoyable (Griffin et al., 1995), but the negative aspect was after a while, my session became tedious. Gibbs (1988) model also made me question why certain things happened, with me putting this down to challenges for the learners. Finally, Gibbs model really assisted me in thinking what I could do in the future. After reading Schempp et al.s (2006) literature on certain planning, I realise that I could create certain plans for the different problems that can arise during teaching.

Computers in the Classroom :: Teaching Education Essays

Computers in the Classroom Computers are everywhere in the world today. Everywhere that you turn you are going to see some form of a computer. Computers are found in every work place and are used by many different people. It is very important these days that everyone learns the basics for using a computer because most jobs or professions will require some computer knowledge in order to be qualified for many positions. The profession I am looking to get into is the teaching profession. I am hoping to teach business classes at the high school level and that is why I am majoring in education and business at Lake Superior State University. Computers have a very important role in teaching and in business. Some business people will tell you that the computer is the single most important business tool. Without the Internet or spread sheets, the business world as we know it today would be very different. Although computers have an enormous role in business what I would like to discuss is the impact of computers on Teaching. About all full-time regular public school teachers report that they now have access to computers and the Internet and it has become a normal part of classroom activity in most places. Computers are very useful tools for teachers and they could change the way classes are taught in the future. There is no need to worry, I am not hinting that there will be some sort of computer programmed robot teaching kindergarten, but I am referring to the great benefits of computers in the classroom. The amount of information accessible is amazing and can really assist the teacher with lessons and such. Also computer programs like word processors and spread sheets are very helpful to the students; not to mention the positive effects some educational games have on children. These games which are played on computers are every teachers dream; they make learning fun and enjoyable for the student. One problem which arises when considering computers in the classroom is that many teachers did not grow up with the technology of today and are not fully capable of operating a computer and therefore steer away from them. According to a new survey released by the Education Department's National Center for Education Statistics, teachers with more than 32 hours of professional development are twice as likely to use computers as are teachers with no such training.

Organizational Behavior Essay

The presented situation deserves particular attention as in a Project Manager’s situation I am faced with a large number of problems. The team members are not getting along, there are numerous disagreements, costs are going up and component quality is not up to the mark. All these problems need to be addressed. Since the team members all belong to different backgrounds, they are bound to have communication issues. First it is important to resolve the conflicts arising due to communication barriers (Lloyd 2005). The team members need to sit together and decide on a common language that all of them can communicate in. Conflicts may arise due to differences in cultural and generational backgrounds and therefore it is essential to address these issues in meetings with all employees allowed to face each other (Lemay & Schwamberger 2007). Also, they may be restricted to use their own language during work as this may give other members the feeling that they are being talked about. The next step is to set goals and objectives and prioritize work accordingly. It is my duty as the project manager to delegate tasks. Although employee autonomy is given emphasis in Theory Y which assumes that an employee will work if he is committed, in this case Theory X needs to be applied. Theory X which assumes that an individual dislikes responsibility and needs to be controlled and directed to work comes into play in this situation (ACCEL Team). In the goal setting process, I have to set milestones that need to be completed within a given period of time. The tasks are prioritized with the team’s consent so that there are not further arguments over the prioritization and completion of each milestone. Instead of allowing all team members to individually set their priorities, priorities have to be set with the consent of the entire team. The Total Quality Manager and Operation Manager need to sit together and set quality standards that need to be met. As a Project Manager, I need to oversee that the Total Quality Manager clearly explains to the Operation Manager the quality standards that need to be followed to avoid further increase in time delays and cost. The Operation Manager needs to be specific about the quality of the required components and therefore quality standards need to be documented to avoid any confusion. Only if these steps are taken, will the quality issue be successfully resolved. In order to inculcate a punctual attitude in the team members and discipline them, positive reinforcement can be used (Williams 2002). Disciplining employees is essential in order to keep performance at high levels (Imundo 1985). Instead of punishing employees for coming in late or missing meetings, incentives can be designed to reward employees for their positive work attitude. Rewards can be monetary or non-monetary. Non-monetary awards such as the ‘Most Organized Employee’, ‘Most Punctual’, and ‘Employee of the Month ’or‘Best Performance can be introduced. This will help in heightening the morale of the team members (Bruce 2007). These awards can be given after the completion of the project. Although these may just be titles given to high achievers, the purpose is to make them feel rewarded for their work (Nelson, 2005). Monetary rewards can also be given on the same basis. According to the Extrinsic Motivation Theory, individuals do things for which there are tangible rewards. Therefore, with their personal interests involved, employees will strive to work harder and improve their performance (Podmoroff 2005). Another solution to punctuality issues is flexible working hours (Tynan). This will allow employees to work according to their convenience while enjoying their work and achieving their set targets. Moreover to ensure all team members are effectively participating in meetings and giving in their ideas and opinions, a friendly environment needs to be created (eHow Legal Editor). It becomes my responsibility to ensure that my team members are comfortable with the working environment and can pool in their view. I need to clarify that their views will not be used against them and will be respected and considered by the team. This sense of confidence needs to be inculcated to allow free flow of information within the team and between the team and the management. The main reason behind escalating costs and time delay is the internal issues of the team. These issues need to be dealt with strictly (Draffen 2007). Once these issues are resolved the project will automatically fall into place. The escalating costs are mainly due to disagreements over the right design of the components. Once a standardized design is agreed upon by the Operations Manager, Total Quality Manager and the team there will be no further costs of redesigning. As a Project Manager, I have the responsibility to effectively deal with the employees in my team. Understanding human behavior and building team confidence are the fundamentals of a strong working team (Heller 1999). I need to learn what motivates each individual to work. Accordingly each individual should be rewarded for his hard work. It is a good practice to frequently appreciate the work being done and thank the team members for their contribution (About. om). A successful completion of a project therefore depends on employee performance, employee satisfaction with the work and good quality output (Buzzle. com). The main issues that needed to be addressed in this case involved goal setting, communication and cultural barriers and employee contribution. Therefore once I have addressed these issues and communicated with my team members to clarify all differences and misconceptions that they may have about the management or other team members, the project will be delivered successfully.

The Body Is a Temple

The body is a temple, a saying in the bible that most know even if they have never read the bible. It is a statement that most have taken into account though and lived by religiously; no pun intended. During interviews, an average, or generalized ideal body could be found within what each candidate had to say about themselves and others. This ideal body was identified to be a â€Å"fit† body, but the definitions of fit were somewhat construed. Most people interviewed saw their body as fit, but wanted more change to their body.Others were content with their bodies; they knew they could change for better, but the change was something that was not important because they were set with the bodies they had. What is most important is the fact that the definition of fit can be interchangeable and for different reasons. One definition was recognized as the disciplined lifestyle of becoming toned and exercised within a gym or some other environment; this body type was more ‘enhanc ed’ looking and more appealing to the majority of society.The other definition described a body that could get through a day without being uncomfortable and could handle most physical activity, but this body type was of those that did not go to the gym every day and did not exercise often. What could be concluded was the fact that both parties that represented each definition wanted change to their body regardless of how they looked. Over the last few weeks, observations were made of how people carried their bodies around on a daily basis.Women wear their makeup, flashy clothes, and seem to put how their bodies look on a pedestal. What this means is that the ideal body type for them is almost unobtainable. Men on the other hand though did not care as much about their outer appearance, but more on what their body shape looked like. One interviewee for example, whose name is William, had a toned body, but still did not see himself as looking good enough. Majority of people woul d agree in saying that his body type was ideal and that he was good looking enough, but to him, he saw that he needed more change. I like my body, but I do not like it enough, I need more muscle in order to be satisfied in how I look†, these were the words of William; they reflect a self-conscious side to his personality. Since he does not see what others see, he wishes to keep growing through his workouts until he has reached a peak where he can be happy. His wardrobe did not reflect this self-conscious side though; he tries to dress nicely, but does not mind what he wears everyday. In other words, he does not always dress to mpress, but rather wishes to impress with his body shape and physique. Other men interviewed, also agreed that the physique was the most important part to their overall image. Benjamin said, â€Å"I have always been a small guy and this has bugged me, I have always wondered if I was good enough for girls because I was not as ripped or as big as other gu ys out there. † Benjamin seems to be a confident guy, but this underlying worry did bother him enough to start working out every single day at the Recreational Center.His fashion consisted of jeans everyday and a sweatshirt; he has gauges in his ears and does not go clean-shaven most times. This observation seems to solidify that men do not care about their outer appearance, but more what is underneath. The Recreational Center seems to be a hot spot for men to be found because they want to tone their bodies over anything else in order to feel desirable. Fashion, makeup, and the outer facade that women put on seems to be the priority of a woman’s conscience, if these components are not pristine, then it seemed as if most women were not satisfied.The women interviewed unanimously agreed without hearing others’ opinions that fashion was important to their success in feeling comfortable with themselves, but because their bodies would ‘never’ fit the bill . Even if they had a good body type, there was still something that was not good enough about them, but the opposite gender would disagree. This is why fashion for women is key; the makeup they wear and their perfect outfits cover up the blemishes they feel they have underneath the outer-layers. When it comes to girls and how they dress on campus you can see a stereotypical set of fashion appear per season.When it comes to fall time, Yoga pants are a must. During interviews, most women asked said they wore Yoga pants because they were comfy, but it can be inferred that it also is because it outlines the woman’s body more and women want to show off when they can. Fall fashion also consists of different articles of clothing, but this seems to be the most worn article. Women want to attract men in whatever ways they can, and since the body is the first thing that is judged, the most bodacious of clothing is worn. Such was also seen on Halloween night, scandalous costumes were wo rn to make seen what types of bodies girls had.Even if girls were not in shape they still tried to look as ‘naughty’ as possible. This was confusing because it really scuffed the respect that women should receive for their hard work to achieve such fit bodies because they were lowering themselves to such a desperate level to impress the guys around campus. Seeing this behavior strikes up the point that women do feel that their bodies are important, but it seems random amongst women. Some like their bodies, but majority feel they have not achieved the perfect body when in fact they have.Discipline is seen in the women because of all the effort that is put into their outer appearance, their bodies are important, but compared to men it is not what matters most to them. â€Å"I spend almost an hour to two hours sometimes to prepare my makeup and hair before I go to class or go out on the weekends. † Words from Lex which were surprising to hear because it does not tak e much time at all for a man to get ready for the day. She also said, â€Å"My body is never good enough, I need to lose a lot of weight before I can feel good-looking enough for guys out there. This was also surprising to hear because Lex is a good-looking woman and does not look unfit at all. After hearing what each woman had to say it was obvious that being perfect was something they all strived for, but felt like they could never achieve it. There are too many ‘perfect’ people in the world that they look up to and it demeans their success when they really are perfect in many ways. Idolization is more than likely a major cause for people getting their bodies to look the way they do. Celebrities, models, gym junkies, and more all create an image that for some is impossible to reach.But one group that does not need these sorts of images is the people of the Nacirema. A bizarre bunch of men and females, but what they lack is what makes them succeed their own sort of pe rfect or ideal body. The Nacirema go through tortuous processes in order to achieve what they think is the ideal body. This society believes that the body is ugly and its natural tendency is to debility and decay (Horace Miner). Achieving an ideal body all starts with the shrines and charms they use for different parts of their body.Shrine walls are built within the houses and many charms and potions are kept in these shrines (Horace Miner). There are an abundance of charms and what can be inferred is that keeping these charms helps to reassure that they are still serving their purpose even after they are used up. The practice of using these charms is only a minor step in ridding the body of impurities; a temple where medicine men take members of society is the final step to purification. Bodies are put to the test as grueling activities such as drilling out teeth take place and are filled with random assortments of herbs that supposedly prevent decay.People that enter the temple ma y not come out because death is certainly possible. Each person’s body is pushed to the extreme, but it is only to prove that they hold the power to be perfect. Something this extreme is not needed in societies around the world, but for the Nacirema people it is necessity. They supersede other cultures because they do not idolize a certain body type and after the rituals have been performed, they know inside that they are worthy of the body they have and to be a part of the people in their society.If cultures such as the one seen at Washington State University could appreciate this sort of lifestyle and not hold celebrities and models at such a high status, then the world would see many more confident people with bodies that they would be proud of. It is part of life to try and obtain a body that majority sees as fit, but seeing how everyone interviewed needed something different to happen with their body in order to feel confident, it is almost as if this sort of peace of mi nd will never occur.Life today is filled with people battling self-confidence issues. The image of an ideal body is not obtainable because people do not want to see the beauty they behold already. Women wear a mask to cover what they think is ugly, and men hit the gym more than they need to just to achieve a rock hard body that is unnecessary. If more were to hold the values of the Nacirema on a lessened level and boost their self esteem through different acts, then society today could see a much different and possibly brighter mentality that would be shared amongst many.Fashion is an amazing thing and can be appreciated for its many artsy and beautiful additions to how the body looks, but when it becomes only a tool to cover up the inner beauty of the body because of false self-accusations, it cannot be looked at as something spectacular. The body is a temple, how one adorns it, treats it, and appreciates it, is completely up to the person that lives within the body; but when other s influence how one’s temple is treated and decorated, that temple can be considered desecrated. Every persons’ body should be respected and loved for what it is because only the thoughts that one creates are important.