Importance of self analysis and continuous self development Essay

Importance of self analysis and continuous self development - Essay Example Analysts argue that individuals are bound to have flaws in their personalities; a factor that may cause a lot of predicaments in their lines of work. It is worse still, when individuals notice the possibility of hitches and not make any efforts to improve on their weaknesses. In line to this argument, therefore, it is important that self-analysis and self-development be regarded as the best paraphernalia towards successful business operations by managers. According to Colbert and Bono (2005, pp.200), self-analysis is a methodology that an individual undertakes in an endeavor to understand their own individualities, emotions and conducts. Through self-analysis, individuals are able to weigh their weakness, avoid culpabilities that may emanate from their weaknesses, as are able to handle them. On the other hand, it is only through, self-analysis that, individuals can utilize their strengths to the maximum. Continuous self- development Self-development is a term used to refer to the str ategies applied by managers to remain relevant in various occupations. Rees and Porter (2008, pp.274) argue that, continuous self-development is a process of search for answers and feedback, as well as, setting goals that are directed towards coming up with purposes of development of individuals. Self-development is self-directed and requires the individual to be dynamic in order, to grasp concepts that relate to their line of duty. Future manager with self – analysis and continuous self – development According to Meyer (2001, pp.7) self-analysis allows managers establish the roots of their weaknesses whilst in their jobs. Upon detection of managers’ quandaries, managers are able to devise the best measures, in an attempt to find the best solutions to their problems. Analysts argue that, it is through self-analysis that individuals are able to fit in various settings and interact with fellow workmates. If individuals have no self-identity, it automatically becom es an uphill task trying to establish a rapport between them and the other workmates. It is also through self-analysis that, individuals have total control of their actions. In this way, managers are able to access all forms of feedback form fellow workmates, and then devise a working plan on time. Managers acquire strength from self-analysis. Gold and Mumford (2004, pp.148) argue that, through self-awareness, managers are made aware of their weak points, work on the weaknesses, consequently, gain strength to run the organization. In the course of working, learning cannot be alienated form the venture. Most managers do not realize their potential and capabilities unless they undergo a series of self-analysis. Once managers go through a series of self-analysis, managers are in a better position to handle tough situations in their organizations by devising the best work plans to self-predicaments. In essence, self-analysis, allows managers have more strength to handle tough situations that may occur in the future. Self-analysis allows managers familiarize themselves with their work places and discern the sections that need modifications (Rothstein, 2010 pp.35). Upon familiarization, managers take up the responsibility of ensuring that employees are conversant with the goals and objectives of the organization. Communication on the goals of the organization is not possible if the managers are aware of their strengths and weaknesses. In this context, therefore, self analysis is credited to an establishment of professional rapport between managers and employees. In turn, the mission of the company can be easily interpreted and

Research Methods Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Research Methods - Assignment Example The study below details a research conducted on a number of stock exchange items with graphical representation of their performance in price changes and volumes to aid indicate to the investors different items on the various counters and stock markets. Analyzing the stock market requires the application of technical skills that one may need for close monitoring the movements of a stock on daily basis to capture all the changes and use them to make investment decisions or advice the different stakeholders about the stock. Looking at the historic data of a security allows one to better understand its behavior and therefore make it easier to predict the next movement in prices. The prediction may never prove 100% unless if one predicted that the market will move up, come back down and eventually stagnate at one time. It is therefore vital to follow up on the daily movements of a stock in order to present a relatively close prediction of the price movements and the volumes traded. The percentage change of a stock aids in understanding the volatility of the stock, which plays a major role in comparing with a benchmark period, or stock. Looking at the volumes that a stock is able to trade in a day reflects the momentum of the market, which displays the actual movement of the stock within a specified period and hence dictating the efficient nature of the market (Singal, 2006, p.1). These may reflect a week, a day, a month or on yearly basis. The analysis below is based on the stock prices and considered on volumes traded on a weekly basis for different indices over a period of a year each and the detailed explanation of their meaning to an investor. Download the weekly data of the index for the calendar year 2009 and make a time plot of the data. Comment on the variability of the index looking at the plot. Report the standard deviation

Management Practices Traditional vs Modern Innovative

Management Practices Traditional vs Modern Innovative In last many years, few management accounting innovations has been developed. Managers have to make decision on a daily basis as well make decisions regarding the future and how to survive and grow in an energetic market place with ever growing uncertain circumstances. Traditional or modern management accounting system give relevant information to all levels of management, financial and other information to make decisions about planning, control of operations and identifying opportunities to add value. The modern management accounting practice are typically different from that of traditional management accounting as they enable managers to make sound decisions to minimize cost as well in the same time add value to the products and services by improving the quality of products, which is required by the customers, and reduce waste. In addition, the modern management accounting systems allow the organisation as whole to develop the innovative capacity of the organisation and flexibility so that it can continually change and improve performance financially as well in its non financial areas of performance. Traditional vs. Modern Innovative Traditional will focus on cost control and, in particular, what is recognized as variance analysis and which involves evaluating forecast outcomes with real outcomes for example for costs such as materials and labour. The types of activity, therefore, that management accountants have traditionally involved themselves with include: †¢ Cost analysis †¢ Cost control †¢ Budget preparation †¢ Budgetary control processes †¢ Cost/benefit analysis †¢ Investment appraisal. More modern, innovative approaches include initiatives such as: †¢ Business process re-engineering: This is about rethinking and re-designing business processes as a means of reducing costs and improving delivery †¢ Zero-based budgeting: re-thinking budgets in a way that engage justifying and prioritising all items of expenditure †¢ Activity-based management: looking at what actually causes costs to be incurred, and being better able to forecast and control costs †¢ Life cycle costing: considering a products costs over its entire life cycle (rather than just, for example, the initial building costs) †¢ Total quality management: the process of continuous quality improvement †¢ beyond budgeting: a challenge to traditional budgeting techniques via the use of more flexible and wide ranging processes †¢ Balanced scorecards: the use of key performance indicators within four different perspectives financial, customer, internal business process and learning/growth. Non financial performance measurement approached gained momentum as a result of dissatisfaction with the traditional techniques such as balance sheets and income statement, as technology increasing and increasing global competition, companies able to recognize better their fault and might to improve their existing capabilities and create new ones the most successful of these being Economic Value Added (EVA). Initially Return on Investment (ROI) was used to enhancement the intuition and insight of managers. It was used to send down the goal for division managers to meet from corporate office. Since managers reward and endorsement prospects depended on the ability to meet targets, these core managers has a strong incentive to adjust their information accordingly. Some businesses have built accounting teaching modules for their managers that help them recognize the detailed information they get. Management accountants have a vital responsibility in preparing and distributing training materials. Nowadays multifaceted managerial surroundings technical functions, particularly accounting, need to become more than suppliers of information. They must turn into a kind of an educating where managers can obtain training. So far in numerous organizations, accountants are too hectic to turn out to be instructors and internal reward systems likely depress such performances. As the range of management accounting messages enlarge to contain non-financial presentation indicators, management accountants get an additional challenge. Many managers have complexities visualizing the cause and result relationships that connect cost drivers to financial returns. Yet this is the key information needed to manage value, and education is regularly required to help managers recognize improved the reason and result relations that cause shareholder value. Increasing functional area means that managers are ever more detached from shareholder values. Many managers are powerfully devoted to the association without being dedicated to the financial aim that drives it. Management accountants have a responsibility to take part in instilling financial control and assigning financial values to non-financial managers. One technique is to need operating managers (rather than accountants) to systematically organize and present the financial study of their industry unit. At the similar occasion that the management accounting role must pay great amount of attention to the efficiency of its inner infrastructure processes, other demands are occurring. There is rising pressure to decrease on the whole cost of the finance function as a fraction of revenues. There are gradually more time consuming demands for more comprehensive external reporting. While these final goals are vital and must be achieved, setting the precedence there only boost the risk that internal accounting communications will be unsuccessful to get their objectives and that management accounting system modify will be further postponed. Conclusion As discussed above, the modern  management  accounting  relevant to modern organizational  management  issues as well rectify and reform the   traditional management   accounting  practices  to make decisions and specialized decisions based on relevant financial and non-financial information depending on the nature of activities, size, external circumstances and market conditions, customer profiles, organizational human resource issues, structural issues. Even the modern  management  accounting  is not additional but can be entirely different. As well, some are more appropriate to various organizations and some are not, given the internal  management  practices, size of organizations, top management  support, human resource  practices. Organizational structural issues, employee motivational factors, centralization decentralization issues. In other words, before considering implementing modern  management  accounting practices  the  management  must have a feasibility study considering the above issues and evaluate the cost and benefit of the systems in financial and non-financial terms. Otherwise the benefits are applied  without through evaluation and commitment by top  management, therefore the benefits of these  practices will not be realized fully. If carefully considered based on enough facts and not on emotions, then the modern  management  accounting  with other strategies will certainly help ful for  management  to make sound decisions and therefore contribute to the success of the organization than the  traditional  management accounting  practices.

Analysis of The Moose Essay -- Elizabeth Bishop The Moose Essays

Analysis of The Moose Elizabeth Bishop's "The Moose" is a narrative poem of 168 lines. Its twenty-eight six-line stanzas are not rigidly structured. Lines vary in length from four to eight syllables, but those of five or six syllables predominate. The pattern of stresses is lax enough almost to blur the distinction between verse and prose; the rhythm is that of a low-keyed speaking voice hovering over the descriptive details. The eyewitness account is meticulous and restrained. The poem concerns a bus traveling to Boston through the landscape and towns of New Brunswick. While driving through the woods, the bus stops because a moose has wandered onto the road. The appearance of the animal interrupts the peaceful hum of elderly passengers' voices. Their talk—resignedly revolving itself round such topics as recurrent human failure, sickness, and death—is silenced by the unexpected advent of the beast, which redirects their thoughts and imparts a "sweet sensation of joy" to their quite ordinary, provincial lives. The poem is launched by a protracted introduction during which the speaker indulges in descriptions of landscape and local color, deferring until the fifth stanza the substantive statement regarding what is happening to whom: "a bus journeys west." This initial postponement and the leisurely accumulation of apparently trivial but realistic detail contribute to the atmospheric build-up heralding the unique occurrence of the journey. That event will take place as late as the middle of the twenty-second stanza, in the last third of the text. It is only in retrospect that one realizes the full import of that happening, and it is only with the last line of the final stanza that the reader gains the necessary distance to grasp entirely the functional role of the earlier descriptive parts. Now the reader will be ready to tackle the poem again in order to notice and drink in its subtle nuances. Bishop's artistry will lie plain, particularly her capacity to impart life to a rather unnerving redundancy of objects and to project a lofty poetic vision from a humble, prosaic incident. Forms and Devices Description and narrative are the chief modes of this poem. Nevertheless, at critical moments the actual utterance of the anonymous characters is invited in ("Yes, sir,/ all the way to Boston"). The binder of these varied procedures is the speak... ...such a dialogue by mocking the hooting of owls. To his delight, the birds responded in kind. In between the mystic silences, nature"'"s deeper secret motions flooded the boy's heart and soul. For the British Romantic, such a communion with nature could still be available to a few elected spirits whose purity and innocence had already marked them for intense experiences and an early death. Hollander also noted a connection between Robert Frost's poem "The Most of It" and "The Moose." Frost had his male protagonist proudly call out to nature for something more than the "copy speech" that the Winander Boy had elicited from his owls. His wish for "counter-love, original response" was finally granted by the sheer chance appearance of a powerful buck that, lordlike, tore his way through tarn and wilderness without bothering at all to acknowledge the presence of the human intruder. By contrast, Bishop's female moose has the curiosity to approach the trespassing bus in order to look it over and assess it in her mute, nonaggressive way. Finally, it is the bus that, pressed for time, leaves the spot—her territory—while the moose remains on the moonlit macadam road without budging.

Children Behavior Worse Than 10 Years Ago Essay

Children Behavior Worse Than 10 Years Ago It is evident that child behavior today is worse than ten years ago. There is a tendency for children today to be more aggressive than ever before. The media is extensive with reports of children doing drugs and exhibiting violent behavior. Girls are indulging in premarital and/or unprotected sex at an early age (The consequence has been increased rate in illegal abortions-some of which have resulted in deaths). At such an early age as 15 girls are sexually active. In essence children are less disciplined today than they were ten years ago. There are number of reasons for the decline in children’s discipline, but one of them stands out, and it might even be at the heart of all the others: laxity on the part of parents. Parental laxity has swung open the floodgates harmful factors which have in effect compromised children’s sense of morality and discipline. By reneging on their responsibilities, parents have denigrated the significance of the family as the source of primary socialization (Schultz, 2012). Sociologists profess that behavior is learnt through a process known as socialization (Schultz, 2012). Primary socialization, as differentiated from secondary socialization, occurs during the formative years of a child (Schultz, 2012). It takes place through the child observing and learning from those around him. Through this process a child is taught the type of behavior which elicits approval or disapproval from the people around them, usually the immediate family members (Schultz, 2012). It is therefore important that at an early age a child observes and learns the right things, preferably from their family members (Richardson, n.d). Unfortunately, parents have not been there to accomplish this process (Schultz, 2012). More over, the institution of the family in the US has been under siege (Schultz, 2012). Children are being brought up in broken families; or they are forced to go through the agonies of living apart from either of their parents (Schultz, 2012). In sum, parents have not been there to give their children the attention and guidance they need. Parents have not prepared their children on how to deal with the manner in which society today has been questioning authority. True, at the heart of this is a clarion call for â€Å"personal independence† which has become rampant in the public domain (Children, n.d). And yes, as experts assert, these behaviors are, in part, a â€Å"reflection of our own changing view of authority and authority figures† (Children, n.d.). Indeed, the manner in  which people have questioned the motives of the lawyers, bankers, politicians has been so unprecedented when compared to the way parents did ten or so years ago (Children, n.d). The Generation Y needs to be taught on how to be â€Å"Generation Why?† without being disrespectful (Children, n.d). The schools, on which parents have entrusted the responsibility of nurturing their children, have done nothing but to sharpen the children’s intellectual acumen (Schultz, 2012). The schools have not been very good at shaping the children’s moral character. The teachers assume that children are taught such things as table manners, good neighborhood at their respective homes (Schultz, 2012). Indeed, children’s bad behavior has made teaching such an arduous job (Schultz, 2012). Most teachers agree that â€Å"the number of problem children has increased in recent decades, and the problems are showing up in increasingly younger children, making teaching a tougher job† (Schultz, 2012). The children are not learning well; they are inappropriate language and are not following direction (Schultz, 2012). Instead of schools nurturing the behaviors of children they have been telling parents to â€Å"talk to [their] child[ren] every day †¦ Encourage [their] child [ren] to tell [them] if they have had any issues with other children† (Schultz, 2012). Even as the parents have taken a backseat in matters concerning the upbringing of their children, the media has rushed in to fill this vacuum. Today, most young people have, as their role models, movie superstars, rappers, divas and many other media personalities (The Australian Psychology Society, n.d.). Children adore this people, and would do or say just anything as these people do (The Australian Psychology Society, n.d). Most of these media content are violent or sexually explicit (The Australian Psychology Society, n.d.). The problem is that even if these people really cared about the impact their activities have on children there is nothing much they can do-they are out to make money (The Australian Psychology Society, n.d). Most movies today are rife with violent and sexual overtones (The Australian Psychology Society, n.d). Violent media has been known to have adverse effects on child behavior (The Australian Psychology Society, n.d; Center on Media and Child Health). Prolonged exposure to violent television is one of the factors which results into children displaying aggressive behavior-this is the case for both the short-term and long-term (The Australian Psychological Society, n.d). Indeed, some children do  develop an appetite for viewing violent material (The Australian Psychological Society, n.d; Center on Media and Child Health, 2005; Richardson, n.d).Movie creators have argued, and rightly so, that their work is to tell things as they are: to reflect reality. It is not their work to inspire young people, or create work pieces that are less harmful to them. However, the general cause of this problem is parental laxity. Thus, there is a need for parents to recoup their lost glory as the keepers of discipline and children’s mentors. The parents’ roles of disciplining and mentoring children can, and should, never be delegated to any other person. Indeed, recent attempts by parents to delegate these obligations to schools have been nothing but disastrous. As a result children today are worse than they were ten years ago. By reneging on their responsibilities parents have exposed their children to a number of whimsical factors, some of which have been explicitly risky. Parental negligence has, first and foremost, had a lasting the effect on the institution of the family as the source of primary socialization. For long, immediate members of the family have been instrumental in the socialization process of a child as he or she grows up. This, unfortunately, is no longer the case as this role has been given to the schools, and where the schools have not been effective, the media has filled the vacuum. Most children today seek inspiration not from their parents but such media personalities as popular athletes, pop idols such as rappers, politicians and divas. Unfortunately, most media personalities are not very keen on being role models for children but on make a living. The schools on the other end have not done better. While most parents entrust their children’s upbringing on the schools, the schools have tended to throw the burden back to the parents. The schools have insisted that their overarching objective is not to mold children’s character but to help them attain high test scores and get good grades. Finally, there have been no efforts by the parents, or even the society, to remind the children that, as much as it is adorable to attain some personal independence, this is not possible without the involvement of their parents and the society at large. Center on Media and Child Health. (2005). The Effects of Electronic Media on Children Ages Zero to Six: A History of Research. Retrieved from http://www.kff.org/entmedia/upload/the-effects-of-electronic-media-on-childre

Business Model Comparison Essay

The transportation and logistics industry is a six hundred and seventy billion dollar a year industry according to SJ Consulting Group. A logistics company helps transport people, cargo, and merchandise, by land, or sea. It consists of many channels of transportation, which include freight trains, cargo ships, and planes. Logistics and transportation companies are an important part of everyday business and life. The need of exports and imports on an international scale can only happen through a transportation company. If a family decides to move cross-country or over seas, it is planned through a transportations company. What has made the difference in most popular logistics companies is the difference in their business models and what logistic purpose they are here to meet. Locally we have two carriers that are an everyday household name; lets understand the difference if any in there set up, and business matrix. When people think of transportation delivery services there are two na mes that come to mind and that is UPS and FedEx. These two brands are leaders and competitors in the transportation industry and have built a sustainable competitive advantage. When looking at these companies they seem to operate in the same manner, but there are differences that separate them in business. Business Model Forms Business model for FedEx is something that has shown to have controversy within the industry. FedEx currently uses the contractor base business model. This is where each employee is basically a contractor for FedEx. FedEx is largely credited with having pioneered the â€Å"independent contractor† work model in the logistics industry. Under this system, workers function as self-employed drivers with their own routes, covering the costs of their own trucks, gasoline, uniforms and so forth. While corporations claim the contractor system gives drivers flexibility and strong incentives as â€Å"small businesses,† critics say it’s simply a way to shift the costs of employment onto workers and avoid payroll taxes and workers’-compensation costs. (  Reagan Appointee ‘Unravels FedEx’s Business Model’ In Court Ruling) United Parcel Service (UPS) has been in business for 66 years longer than FedEx. Its longevity gives the company seniority in delivery services over FedEx. When looking at UPS you can see their ability to partner with businesses throughout the years across the globe being their key source in transporting their products. â€Å"For a global book wholesaler, green business is good business. When the company wanted to reduce the amount of paper it used in its supply chain, it turned to long-time provider UPS to find the answer. UPS developed the world’s first paperless solution for generating international shipping documentation digitally, which not only helped the company meet its environmental goals but also improved the wholesaler’s order accuracy while saving time and money (â€Å"There Is Huge Competitive Advantage in Logistics†, 2010). † Staying innovative is UPS’ competitive advantage. FedEx is a business that operates with over 300,000 employees and has managed to grow this big in less than half a century. With its recent approach towards bettering the environment with using eco-friendly products throughout the company FedEx is showing a care for the world as a competitive advantage. They are using equipment that produces less pollution along with staff that strategically planned shorter routes to minimize equipment use. The products used to ship products, such as boxes; envelopes and FedEx office store supplies are recycled and reused. Advantages and Disadvantages Two companies like Fed Ex and UPS are the biggest type of ownership in business. They are both publicly traded companies and have a huge part on the stock market. Let’s take a look at some advantages and disadvantages of this type of ownership. Going public is an expensive, time-consuming process. A corporation must put its affairs in order and prepare reports and disclosures that comply with U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission regulations concerning initial public offerings. Taking your company public increases the potential liability of the company and its officers and directors for mismanagement. By law, a public corporation has an obligation  to its shareholders to maximize shareholder profits and disclose operational information. The capital of a public company is generally raised from the public. People belonging to all walks of life throughout the country can buy shares, which are priced at low levels. The liability of members of a public company is limited. They have to face limited risk. The shares of a public company are freely transferable. This makes investment in the shares liquid and an investor is not bound to remain with the company. There is unlimited scope for growth and expansion of business. New shares can be used to raise additional capital. Experts can be employed to manage the increasing business activities. Conclusion Longevity and innovation is definitely the name of the game in any type of business model. Both FedEx and UPS have met their match in the logistics industry. FedEx gives a more liberal way of business by giving the drivers a small business set up, and UPS is looking to stay a few steps ahead of the game with trends like being environmental friendly, saving natural resources, cutting costs, and using technology to make logistics run more efficiently. Combined parcel carriers like FedEx and UPS are growing vigorously because of solid matrix models and the need of their existence. It is imperative in the scope of businesses that its components are solid, smooth sailing, and always one step ahead of the game. References A Better Future. (1995-2012). Retrieved from http://earthsmart.van.fedex.com/ This is a hanging indent. To keep the Reagan Appointee ‘Unravels FedEx’s Business Model’ In Court Ruling) There is Huge Competitive Advantage in Logistics. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.ogilvy.com/News/Press-Releases/September-2010-New-UPS-Campaign.aspx U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission: Going Public http://www.preservearticles.com/2012022823825/what-are-the-advantages-of-a-public-company.html