The Tragedy Of The Black Death :: essays research papers fc

Imagine yourself alone on a street corner, coughing up bloody mucous each time you exhale. You are gasping for a full breath of air, but realizing that is not possible, you give up your fight to stay alive. You're thinking, why is this happening to me? That is how the victims of the Black Death felt. The Black Death had many different effects on the people of the Middle Ages. To understand the severity of this tragic epidemic you must realize a few things about the plague. You should know what the Black Death is, the cause of the plague, the symptoms, the different effects it had on the people, and the preventions and cures for the plague. The Black Death, also known as the Black Plague or the Bubonic Plague, which struck in 1349, and again in 1361-62, ravaged all of Europe to the extent of bringing gruesome death to many people of the Middle Ages. The Black Death struck in 1349, and again in 1361-62, but was restricted just to Europe (Rowse 29). It was a combination of bubonic, septicaemic, and pneumonic plague strains (Gottfried xiii) that started in the east and worked its way west, but never left its native home. One of the things that made the plague one of the worst was that there were outbreaks almost every ten years (Rowse 29), but still restricted to Europe. It is thought that one third to one half could have possibly died by the plague (Strayer and Munro 462), with some towns of a death rate of up to 30 or 40 percent (Strayer and Munro 462). Very few who were infected with the plague actually survived more than one month after receiving the disease (Strayer and Munro 462). The Black Death was an incredible event that effecte d everyone on either a physical or emotional level, or both. The Black Death was more terrible, and killed more people than any war in history (Strayer and Munro 462). The plague was so horrible and terrifying that people said it made all other disasters in the Middle Ages seems mild when comparing it to the Black Death (Gies 191). There have been many disputes over what caused the Black Death, but only one is supported with the most evidence. It is thought that on October of 1347, a Genoese fleet made its way into a harbor in northeast Sicily with a crew that had "sickness clinging to their very bones" (Gottfried xiii). The sickness this crew had was not brought by men, but the rats and fleas aboard the ship. The Tragedy Of The Black Death :: essays research papers fc Imagine yourself alone on a street corner, coughing up bloody mucous each time you exhale. You are gasping for a full breath of air, but realizing that is not possible, you give up your fight to stay alive. You're thinking, why is this happening to me? That is how the victims of the Black Death felt. The Black Death had many different effects on the people of the Middle Ages. To understand the severity of this tragic epidemic you must realize a few things about the plague. You should know what the Black Death is, the cause of the plague, the symptoms, the different effects it had on the people, and the preventions and cures for the plague. The Black Death, also known as the Black Plague or the Bubonic Plague, which struck in 1349, and again in 1361-62, ravaged all of Europe to the extent of bringing gruesome death to many people of the Middle Ages. The Black Death struck in 1349, and again in 1361-62, but was restricted just to Europe (Rowse 29). It was a combination of bubonic, septicaemic, and pneumonic plague strains (Gottfried xiii) that started in the east and worked its way west, but never left its native home. One of the things that made the plague one of the worst was that there were outbreaks almost every ten years (Rowse 29), but still restricted to Europe. It is thought that one third to one half could have possibly died by the plague (Strayer and Munro 462), with some towns of a death rate of up to 30 or 40 percent (Strayer and Munro 462). Very few who were infected with the plague actually survived more than one month after receiving the disease (Strayer and Munro 462). The Black Death was an incredible event that effecte d everyone on either a physical or emotional level, or both. The Black Death was more terrible, and killed more people than any war in history (Strayer and Munro 462). The plague was so horrible and terrifying that people said it made all other disasters in the Middle Ages seems mild when comparing it to the Black Death (Gies 191). There have been many disputes over what caused the Black Death, but only one is supported with the most evidence. It is thought that on October of 1347, a Genoese fleet made its way into a harbor in northeast Sicily with a crew that had "sickness clinging to their very bones" (Gottfried xiii). The sickness this crew had was not brought by men, but the rats and fleas aboard the ship.

English as Second Language

Insight Text Guide Ruth Thomas The Rugmaker of Mazar-e-Sharif Najaf Mazari & Robert Hillman  © Insight Publications 2010 Copyright Insight Publications 2009 First published in 2009 by Insight Publications Pty Ltd ABN 57 005 102 983 219 Glenhuntly Road Elsternwick VIC 3185 Australia Tel: +61 3 9523 0044 Fax: +61 3 9523 2044 Email: [email  protected] com. au www. insightpublications. com. u Copying for educational purposes The Australian Copyright Act 1968 (the Act) allows a maximum of one chapter or 10% of this book, whichever is the greater, to be copied by any educational institution for its educational purposes provided that the educational institution (or the body that administers it) has given a remuneration notice to Copyright Agency Limited (CAL) under the Act. For details of the CAL licence for educational institutions contact: Copyright Agency Limited Level 19, 157 Liverpool Street Sydney NSW 2000 Tel: +61 2 9394 7600 Fax: +61 2 9394 7601 Email: [email  protected] com. u Copying for other purposes Except as permitted under the Act (for example, any fair dealing for the purposes of study, research, criticism or review) no part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior written permission. All inquiries should be made to the publisher at the address above. National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication entry: Thomas, Ruth, 1980– Najaf Mazari and Robert Hillman’s The rugmaker of Mazar-e-Sharif : insight text guide / Ruth Thomas. 1st ed. 9781921411038 (pbk. ) Insight text guide. Bibliography.For secondary school age. Mazari, Najaf, 1971– Rugmaker of Mazar-e-Sharif. 325. 2109581 Printed in Australia by Hyde Park Press  © Insight Publications 2010 contents Character map Overview About the author Synopsis Character summaries iv 1 1 2 3 Background & context Genre, structure & language Chapter-by-chapter analysis Characters & relationships Themes, i deas & values Different interpretations Questions & answers Sample answer References & reading 6 11 16 32 40 51 57 65 68  © Insight Publications 2010 iv CHARACT ARACTER MAP Hakima Najaf’s wife, whom he marries when both are 27; stays in Pakistan before joining Najaf in Australia. other of husband and wife admires Maria Najaf and Hakima’s daughter; a baby when she is taken to Pakistan; travels to Australia with Hakima to be reunited with her father. Gorg Ali Mazari Najaf’s eldest brother; killed by a sniper during a battle between the Russians and the mujahedin. brothers father of Abdul Ali Mazari Becomes head of the family after Gorg Ali is killed. respects Najaf Mazari Afghani rugmaker who ? ees con? ict in his homeland and arrives in Australia as a refugee. helps Robin Closest friend in Australia. helps brothers frustrated by Colin Rug dealer; a close friend in Australia.Rosal Ali Mazari Younger, irresponsible brother; killed in a rocket explosion. brothers  © Insight Publications 2010 1 OVERVIEW About the authors Najaf Mazari was born in 1971 in the small village of Shar Shar in northern Afghanistan. At 12 years of age, after his family had moved to the city of Mazar-e-Sharif, Najaf became an apprentice rugmaker – an occupation that suited his propensity for both creativity and hard work. Seeing through his apprenticeship and aspiring to make beautiful rugs gave the young Najaf some respite from the horror of the incessant con? ct around him. In 2001, Najaf ? ed Afghanistan. The Taliban had occupied the north of the country and were carrying out genocide against men in Mazar-e-Sharif. Najaf was captured, tortured and narrowly escaped death before his family paid a people smuggler to convey him out of the country. Najaf reluctantly left his family and his beloved homeland, and embarked on a dangerous journey to Australia. He was detained in the Woomera Detention Centre while his application for refugee status was processed. He then settled in Melbourne, where he opened a rug shop.In 2006, Najaf’s wife and daughter were given permission by the Australian government to join him in Australia. He was granted Australian citizenship in 2007. The Rugmaker of Mazar-e-Sharif is Najaf’s memoir of living with con? ict and of enduring its far-reaching consequences. Melbourne-based ? ction writer and biographer Robert Hillman helps Najaf tell his story. Hillman’s collaboration with Najaf on The Rugmaker of Mazar-e-Sharif continues his literary preoccupation with the hardships and triumphs of ordinary people caught up in war and political unrest.Hillman’s 2007 biography, My Life as a Traitor, tells the story of Zarha Ghahramani, a young Iranian woman who was imprisoned, tortured and persecuted after participating in student protests at Tehran University. Hillman, who met Zarha while he was working as a journalist in Iran, supported her through her settlement as a refugee in Australia. His a rticles about refugees have been published in a number of newspapers and magazines, including The New York Times and The Australian. My Life as a Traitor has been published in the United States and the United Kingdom and was nominated for the 2008 Insight Publications 2010 2 Prime Minister’s Literary Award. Like The Rugmaker of Mazar-e-Sharif, Mazar-e-Sharif My Life as a Traitor contains thoughtful meditations on Zarha’s culture, which ensures that the book provides something more than a grim and shocking portrayal of war and suffering. Hillman’s autobiography, The Boy in the Green Suit (2003), a memoir about his own journey through the Middle East as a teenager, won the 2005 National Biography Prize. The text was praised for its artfulness, evocation of restlessness, humour and optimism. His ? ction has also been widely praised.It includes A Life of Days (1988), The Hour of Disguise (1990), Writing Sparrow Hill (1996) and The Deepest Part of the Lake (2001). An experienced teacher and university lecturer, Hillman also writes educational texts for secondary-school audiences. Synopsis Najaf’s life begins in the small village of Shar Shar in northern Afghanistan, a place of hilly pastures, sunshine, snow, and bright green grass in spring. Najaf works as a shepherd boy, responsible for protecting the family’s ? ock from wolves. Going to school comes second to his shepherding duties.When Najaf is eight his father dies and the family (now headed by Najaf’s much-loved eldest brother, Gorg Ali) moves north to the city of Mazar-e-Sharif. Gorg Ali arranges an apprenticeship for Najaf when he turns 12 and is no longer, within Afghani culture, a boy; he is a young man ready to learn a trade. Najaf is ? rst apprenticed to a blacksmith, but ? nds the work tedious and deeply unsatisfying. He secretly abandons his job to begin an apprenticeship under a master rugmaker. He quickly comes to love rugmaking and his passion for it offers a sanctuary from the war that rages around him.His work, however, does not shield him from the reality of con? ict. War in? icts terrible personal costs on young Najaf. Gorg Ali is gunned down in a battle between Russian and mujahedin soldiers in Shar Shar. Najaf’s younger brother, Rosal Ali, is killed when a mortar shell explodes over the family home in the middle of the night. Najaf is injured in the attack and his apprenticeship jeopardised because the wound to his leg takes many months to heal. Najaf is just 13 when he endures these terrible experiences.  © Insight Publications 2010 3Although he is a civilian and remains staunchly opposed to violence throughout his life, con? ict continues to impact upon Najaf during adulthood. In 1998, the Taliban invade Mazar-e-Sharif. The Taliban massacre men and boys of Najaf’s Hazara clan and then capture and torture any survivors they ? nd. Now married with a baby daughter, Najaf is kidnapped and whipped with cables. Howeve r, to his and his family’s disbelief, he is released. Knowing he will not be so lucky a second time, Najaf escapes Afghanistan, putting his life in the hands of a people smuggler.The dangerous journey takes him through Afghanistan to Pakistan, then on to Indonesia and towards Australia on a condemnable boat. The boat eventually becomes stranded on Ashmore Reef, north of Australia. Najaf, along with other asylum seekers on board, is rescued by the Australian navy and conveyed to Woomera Detention Centre. Here, Najaf endures the ordeal of waiting, his fate resting with immigration of? cials who will decide whether he has valid reason to stay in Australia. After months of detainment, Najaf is granted refugee status. He begins a life in Melbourne and, through hard work and hope, establishes a rug-selling business.More good news comes when Najaf is granted Permanent Residency Status, which not only means he can stay in Australia for good, but also that his wife, Hakima, and daught er, Maria, can move to Australia and join him in Melbourne. Overwhelmed by happiness and appreciation of the seemingly impossible things that have happened, Najaf thanks God for his good fortune and promises to remember and honour those Afghanis who were not able to survive the country’s violent con? icts. Character summaries Najaf Mazari The central character and narrator. The narrator is in his mid 30s when he tells his story.Najaf is a young boy, teenager and young man in the story. He is less than eight years old when working as a shepherd boy in Shar Shar and about 12 when he begins his rugmaking apprenticeship.  © Insight Publications 2010 4 Gorg Ali Najaf’s much admired eldest brother. In keeping with Afghani tradition, Gorg Ali takes over as head of the family when Najaf’s father dies. Gorg Ali is a gentle man who believes that ? ghting is senseless and futile. He works as a tinsmith and a beekeeper. Gorg Ali is killed by a stray bullet when he goes to tend the family beehives near Shar Shar. Abdul Ali Najaf’s second-eldest brother.When Gorg Ali dies, Abdul Ali becomes the head of the family and bears the ? nancial burden that results from the mortar attack on the family’s home. Abdul Ali is more hot-headed than Gorg Ali and subjects Najaf to several blows about the head when he discovers Najaf has secretly quit his job as a blacksmith. Abdul Ali is a butcher. Rosal Ali Najaf’s younger brother. Rosal Ali is hopelessly irresponsible, mischievous and cheeky. He often provokes Najaf’s anger. Najaf, as the older brother, lectures Rosal Ali. Rosal Ali is killed when the Mazaris’ home is destroyed in the mortar attack.Najaf’s mother An important member of the Mazari family. Najaf’s mother has the ? nal say on her son’s marriage plans and rules the inside of the house in partnership with the head of the family. In turn, Najaf is respectful to his mother and often acts protectively towards her. Najaf sees his mother (and the rest of his family) on a number of occasions after leaving Afghanistan, when he undertakes rug-buying trips to Pakistan. Hakima Najaf’s wife. She is the same age as Najaf; they marry at the age of 27. Hakima stays in Pakistan between 2001, when Najaf ? es Afghanistan, and 2006, when she is granted permission by the Australian government to join Najaf in Australia.  © Insight Publications 2010 5 Maria Najaf and Hakima’s daughter. Maria is just a baby when Najaf sends her and Hakima to safety in Pakistan. She is reunited with her father ? ve years later. Robin An Australian woman who becomes Najaf’s closest friend in Australia. She helps Najaf learn English and holds a party to celebrate his achievements in his new home. Colin A Melbourne rug dealer who helps Najaf with his business. He drives Najaf to the airport to be reunited with Hakima and Maria.  © Insight Publications 2010 BACKGROUND & CONTEXT Con? ict in Afgh anistan Najaf’s homeland has a long history of violent and bitter armed con? ict that spans centuries. This is partly due to the region’s geography. As Najaf says, ‘just look at the location of Afghanistan on a map of Asia and the Middle East, with neighbours and near-neighbours like Russia, Pakistan and Iran’ (p. 34). The area has enormous geographical and strategic signi? cance. Foreign powers, from the ancient Macedonians through to the colonial British and communist Russians, have striven to secure territory or allies there, with little regard for the desires of the local people.Anger towards foreign invaders is evident in Najaf’s observation that Afghanistan and Afghanis were ‘supposed to ? t into the political strategies of the powerful’ (p. 35). Afghanis tried to ? ght off invaders, and also fought each other as various tribal and ethnic groups each attempted to stake out their own parcels of territory. In the period from 1973 to 2000, ? ve separate con? icts took place in Afghanistan, including civil wars (armed con? ict between opposing parties within one country) and international wars (armed con? ct between two or more countries). This particularly turbulent period commenced when Mohammad Daoud Khan assumed power in a military coup. Daoud failed to deliver much-needed economic and social reform and was ultimately overthrown in a second coup in 1978. This uprising was led by the Marxist Nur Mohammad Taraki, who implemented a liberal and socialist agenda, replacing religious and traditional laws with secular, Marxist ones. Taraki was soon ousted by Ha? zullah Amin, who was in turn replaced in yet another coup by Babrak Karmal.Najaf recalls that, by the time he was 13, Afghanistan had been ruled by four presidents, all of whom represented the Communist Party (pp. 149–50). Karmal was supported by the Russian government, or controlled by it, as Najaf suggests (p. 11), and continued to implement Marxis t reforms. While many people in the cities either approved of these changes or were ambivalent about them, many traditional and conservative Afghanis in villages and rural areas were bitterly opposed. Opposition groups, known as mujahedin (‘holy Muslim warrior’), began to form. The  © Insight Publications 2010

Bank Julius Baer Case Essay

Before the arrival and leadership of Stuart Adam (â€Å"Adam†), Bank Julius Baer, North America (â€Å"BJB-NA† or the â€Å"Company†), the largest independently-owned European private bank in the United States, faced financial difficulties. By mid-2001, a worldwide market downturn caused a significant decline in Julius Baer Group’s (â€Å"JB† or the â€Å"Parent†) performance. In 2001, JB’s stock price was down by over 40% while the Parent experienced a 39% decline in net profits, 9% increase in operating expenses and an increase of 14% in employee headcount. BJB-NA, the â€Å"crown jewel† of JB, was barely profitable but no one inside the Company knew its true financial condition. JB had always been led by a member of the Baer family until January 2001. Despite significant family ties at JB, BJB-NA did not have a strong leader to drive the company. There was a lack of clear vision or direction for the Company. BJB-NA did not focus on profitability as a measurement of success. The attitude around BJB-NA was more about â€Å"keeping the peace† than creating any conflict or hostility. Even with a passive work environment, employee morale was low. Employees tended to blame other parts of the Company for their problems. The competitive environment in the High Net Individual (â€Å"HNI†) private banking sector increased dramatically during the 1990’s. BJB-NA was a boutique private bank in a business where bulge bracket firms dominated the competitive landscape. As such, the key factors for success in the HNI market were now recognized as differentiation (not cost leadership), improved client relationship management, broad product range and strong client-responsiveness. BJB-NA strived to be a partner organization that differentiated itself from the competition by satisfying the needs of its clients. The existing organization structure consisted of BJB-NA organized into four regionally-based â€Å"teams. † Poor communication existed throughout the Company as the staff didn’t know what was going on and there was little cohesion among units. BJB-NA operated on a â€Å"need to know† basis. Team leaders were not responsible for their own budgets, as it was not known if their teams were profitable or not. To further support the lack of accountability at BJB-NA, the Company did not have a systematic performance valuation system and lacked a compensation system tied to customer growth and returns. Bonuses were virtually guaranteed and all bonus decisions were made by Bank’s top leadership. Most likely, there were employees who â€Å"flew under the radar† if they underperformed since the Company never laid anyone off. Adamà ¢â‚¬â„¢s Changes and Evaluation Adam arrived at BJB-NA and immediately laid out an action plan to turn around the Company. One of Adam’s best early moves was his selection of Denise Downey to head the Segmentation Study Team. Downey was well respected by the employees that she led and was able to thoroughly evaluate the organization and deliver results to the Company and Adam. Based on the Segmentation Study, Adam wanted BJB-NA to really stand-behind its promises to be a partner organization. He encouraged full transparency and a strong focus on measurable results and accountability. Specifically, he focused on the following three initiatives: Refocus the Company strategy: Adam emphasized that BJB-NA shift its focus to Europeans, Asians, Canadians and Latin Americas who live outside the U. S. who had U. S. based asset management needs. By targeting specific geographic and customer segments, it allowed the Company to specifically focus its strategy and resources rather than spread itself too thin to satisfy a larger, diverse customer base. In addition, he asked some longstanding personal clients who were not profitable to close their accounts. Not only did this change the Company’s customer focus, but also, it signaled to employees that Adam had confidence and high expectations for BJB-NA. Establish new performance expectations: Adam developed productivity assumptions that would hold employees more accountable. He established measurable criteria related to book value, relationships and accounts. Previously, Company employees truly did not know their clients. As a result, it was difficult for management to identify top and low performers. Adam’s established criteria that pushed Relationship Managers past their comfort zone. Before Adam took the helm at BJB-NA, almost everyone received bonuses regardless of their performance. Tying a bonus program with a structure performance evaluation system incentivizes those who bring success and growth potential to the Company. Modify the organization structure: Adam slightly altered the structure of BJB-NA by having a client-segment focus within existing geographic areas. As such, the decision making processes were now decentralized to each of the regional teams. Previously, the advisory and product services departments worked with all regions. After Adam took charge, he assigned advisory teams to each of the different regions to further strengthen customer relationships. Recommendations BJB-NA recognizes that its future success hinges on one important factor: its clients. Our consulting firm wants the Company to further expand and impact its clients beyond what Adam has already planned. Our approach is a client-centric strategy that focuses on two key initiatives: (1) Aggressively recruiting top talent to enhance client acquisition and performance (2) Overhauling the compensation scheme and performance measures. Each initiative, accompanied by supporting tactics, will align to elevate the client experience, resulting in deepening wallet share, increasing warm referrals, and building the BJB-NA brand in supreme customer service. I. Recruiting the Right Talent. Recruiting the right people to manage and advise BJB-NA’s clients will be critical to sustaining long-term growth and increasing assets-under-management. Recruiting will align with the Company’s geographic approach to segmentation by adopting three tactics:  · Local talent recruitment – a successful private banker needs an outgoing, service-orientated personality, and the ability to connect with potential and existing clients. In connecting with clients, it becomes mandatory that future private bankers will be recruited from local regions. This strategy will generate bankers who know the local customs and cultures, speak the language, and are involved in the community. As a result, it creates comfort and familiarity for potential clients.  · Recruit from bulge bracket private banks –Company acquisition is not a feasible option at this time. However, employee/talent acquisition is an even better method to help improve the Company. Bulge bracket private banks are typically a part of much larger conglomerates, often weighed down high-level corporate strategies and â€Å"red tape. To attract bulge bracket private bankers, BJB-NA should promote an entrepreneurial environment that offers autonomy and flexibility while still offering resources found at larger firms. Recruit from ultra-boutique private banks – BJB-NA should actively target private bankers from smaller, boutique firms that have larger books, but have a need for a more global reach. Private bank clients are becoming more global, and with that, have a specific need for banks that have an international presence. BJB-NA provides a solution with offices in Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, and the United States. At the same time, by aggressively recruiting boutique bankers, BJB-NA will be able to expand its presence by acquiring the books of these bankers who may have a strong presence in untapped markets within the targeted regions. II. Restructuring Compensation and Performance Measures BJB-NA should introduce a compensation scheme that will not only be more beneficial for keeping clients’ interests first, but also offer higher potential incentives for the Company’s bankers. First and foremost, bankers will be paid based on client portfolio performance. No one will be paid on the basis of commission. While this tactic may seem counter-intuitive in the short-term, especially in the midst of a struggling economy, it acknowledges BJB-NA’s long-term commitment to its clients. Other positive externalities resulting from a new compenstation structure include: differentiation from competition, potential referrals from clients, and attention to BCB-NA’s innovative thinking. In short, BJB-NA’s message is: â€Å"We make money only when our clients make money†. Second, standard annual bonuses will be foregone. Employees would be accountable for their performance and compensated accordingly. BJB-NA will incentivize bankers by the value they add to their clients and related portfolio performances. This compensation structure ultimately rewards bankers who take of their clients and strive to grow their assets under management. Finally, BJB-NA should revise the position title of its company leaders. To accurately reflect the duties of the position, the title †Team Leader† should be changed to â€Å"Managing Director (MD)†. MD’s would have full P&L and people-management responsibilities of his/her respective branch. In addition, MD’s could receive an additional bonus based on the branch’s bottom-line performance. This change will push decision-making down to MD level, promoting entrepreneurship and autonomy. III. Management and Leadership Since Adam decided to resign from his position as the leader of BJB-NA, it is vital for the Board of Directors to select a successor that will be able to implement the changes initiated under Adam’s tenure. As discussed, BJB-NA needs to aggressively put its clients before anything else in its business. The new successor should be an experienced professional who deeply understands the Company’s clients and industry. Taking these requirements into consideration, we recommend that the Board of Directors pick Adam’s successor from a list of internal candidates only. Currently, the firm is in a state of fragility. Employees are stressed and morale is low. With the initial round of layoffs that included six people, any move will be highly scrutinized and may have a long-term impact on the organization. Employees were already caught off guard with Adam’s resignation, especially after he led the restructuring efforts at an off-site meeting that seemed to build positive momentum. To replace Adam’s with an external candidate may put the Company in a state of flux. An external candidate would not have attended the restructuring meetings and participated in the Segmentation Study. He/she may have different views of how the organization should be changed. In addition, the HNI private banking industry is built around relationships. To bring on a new leader who hasn’t built a strong rapport with a majority of the Company’s clients would make the leadership transition a difficult process. One potential internal candidate BJB-NA should consider is Denise Downey. Downey is currently the Head of U. S. Domestic Clients, but more importantly she led the Segmentation Study that evaluated areas of improvement needed at BJB-NA. Employees viewed Downey as a strong, effective leader who always delivers results. As a sign of trust, Adam gave Downey significant autonomy during her time leading the study. Elevating Downey to the C-suite level would be a fairly seamless transition. Downey has significant experience understanding the clientele of BJB-NA since she already leads U. S. client group. With all of the â€Å"client-focused† changes that need to be implemented by Adam, Downey will be best candidate to effectively communicate the steps needed during the transition period. For example, during her time as the Segmentation Study leader, Downey took the initiative to send updates to the entire bank. Alternate Approaches Deviating from a client-centric strategic plan could negatively impact BCB-NA’s future success. Nonetheless, two other alternate approaches were considered. The first approach considered a compensation system where bankers would be paid variable commissions based on fee-based transactions. The variable in commissions would depend on the type of investment vehicles clients would invest in. This viable approach guarantees cash flows from transactions with no dramatic culture change. However, after careful consideration, this alternative was rejected since bankers would be incentivized more by selling a diversity of investment vehicles to clients rather than working for clients’ best interests. The second approach considered but rejected involved an overhaul of the organization structure. After the Segmentation findings, Adam seemed adamant about moving away from the geographic-focused organizational structure of the Company. As such, an alternative approach considered was to eliminate geographic departments and implement an organizational structure focused on client-type. One of the key success factors for companies in the private banking industry is to customize services based on the needs of customers. A BJB-NA client-focused structure based on client characteristics (such as wealth, age, income level) may be more advantageous, especially with raised expectations now required by Adam on bankers’ book of clients. Additionally, within a geographic organization, conflict may occur between local regional management and the executives at corporate. As such, this may hurt the opportunity for knowledge sharing and collaboration, values emphasized by the Baer family. However, as much as a client-focused structure might have its advantages, a geographic organizational structure still is the most effective for BJB-NA. Communication is much more personal in geographic organizational structures. Instead of calling or videoconferencing with olleagues across the globe, it forces employees to sit next to each other to form collaborative teams, values preached by the Baer family. In addition, it allows employees to understand each other’s personalities and work styles. Besides the human capital element, geographic work teams allow BJB-NA to hire leaders familiar with the local business environment, something vital for the relationship-focused private banking industry. Not only will employees understand the client better but the clients will be more comfortable around employees who share similar interests and culture.

The Grapes of Wrath: A Warning to the System

The Grapes of Wrath, author John Steinbeck create s and shifts tone to show the failure of the economic system and how that failure causes people's anger anger to grow inside them, like grapes, growing ripe for harvest. At the beginning of the chapter, the tone is positive. He describes California in the spring, using positive diction such as â€Å"beautiful† and â€Å"full green hills† (Paragraph 1).H e also describes al of the crops, how the tree limbs â€Å"bend gradually under the fruit† because t here is so much of it. Steinbeck makes nature seem perfect; the hills are â€Å"round and soft as break SST† and the men are â€Å"of understanding and knowledge† (paragraphs 2 and 3). He creates a sense o f hope which is only to be destroyed later on in the chapter. In paragraph 5, the fruit begins t o ripen. This is when money is introduced: â€Å"Hell, we can't pick ‘me for that. † Right away, with the nit reduction of money, the tone s hifts from positive to negative.Words such as â€Å"hell† and cool Ours like â€Å"black† and â€Å"red† are used. The reason for this shift in tone IS because the starving pee people are angry because there is an over abundance of food that is just being wasted. Paragraph pH 12 simply says â€Å"And the smell of rot fills the country. † This describes all of the wasted food, the e word â€Å"rot† insinuates that the economic system stinks. Sanchez 2 The last few paragraphs are a warning to the system. In paragraph 13, Steins eek uses parallelism: â€Å"Burn coffee for fuel in the ships [s] laughter the pigs and bury t me† (paragraph 13).He does this to emphasize how this was deliberately being done just so a profit could be made. He writes about how crime â€Å"goes beyond denunciation† (paragraph 14) . People are so desperate for food that they are willing to do anything to get it. Children die b cause â€Å"a profit cannot be take n from an orange. † All of these horrible things lead up to the la SST paragraph of the chapter; the warning to the system. People are trying to fish for potatoes that have just been dumped in the river, but the guards hold them back.They are trying to grab t he dumped oranges, â€Å"but the kerosene is sprayed. † Eventually, the hungry become furious. Food the at they could be eating is being wasted simply because a profit cannot be made from it. Their anger IS growing inside of them like the â€Å"grapes of wrath,† growing ripe for the harvest. The book title itself is used in this chapter. It is used to describe how people's wrath is growing like grapes, â€Å"growing heavy for the vintage. † This indicates that some wing big is going to happen: the harvest.

Money as a motivator Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Money as a motivator - Essay Example That is why the successful organizations specializing in sales especially in direct sales apply maximum efforts to express recognition to the employees for any achievement, big or small. They know that in our overpopulated world the majority of people feel that nobody cares of them, that they are not important. And the recognition is some kind of a confirmation of their importance. Really, those who understand people usually say: "You are an especial person. You are quite another matter". I am sure, that if more companies will pay more attention to expression of gratitude to the employees, and not only to those who are engaged in sales, but also to secretaries and attendants, that will lead to improbable rise of productivity. 2. Feeling of victory. This is one of the best motivators. If you should fell an inclination to something, let will be inclination to victory, to winning. There are millionaires who work for ten - twelve hours a day, making more millions. And this is not because money is necessary for them. They do that for the feeling of pleasure that "victories" brings. Money is not a big stimulus for them: they already have a lot of money. They need that heady feeling which is got with a victory. Jim Rohn writes: "Usually right after my seminar, somebody comes up to me and says: Mr. Rohn, if had one million dollars I would not work even a day in the rest life. That is why God makes so that people, who say such things, never will grow rich. They will pay for that." (Rohn 1996) 3. Family. Some people will make more for their dearest than for themselves. One man set a goal to earn one quarter of a million a year in order to organise a world tour for his family. The people with so deep feeling of love are very happy. 4. Charity. This is the fourth great motivator.When a great steel magnate Andrew Carnegie died the yellow piece of paper was found in his desk On this narrow piece of the paper, of the time of Carnegies' twenties, there was the main goal of his life written by him: " I am going to spend a first half of my life for saving up money. I want to devote the second half of my life to give out all this money". Carnegie was so inspired with this goal that saved up a private means of 450 million dollars (that is equivalent to 4,5 billion dollars now!) and really, in last period of the life he felt pleasure giving out all this money. (Rohn 1996) Speaking about one of the most important elements of working process, employees admit that compensation itself is not a motivator. The quality of work is a motivator that enkindles enthusiasm. In order to obtain the employee's opinion different interrogations are held in different countries of the world. As the results of new interrogation show, the good wages and safety of work is what people pay attention choosing the employer, but if you want to keep the motivation of employees in your case the work will be the key factor holding them in your company. Last interrogation of the international scale carried out by Investors in People (IiP)/NOP in which 1911 respondent from the Great Britain participated, shown that

Employability Portfolio Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Employability Portfolio - Coursework Example For example, I did some marketing activities as a source of extra income to bear my educational expenses and also, to gather some experiences of real life. Additionally, I have engaged myself into some sort of voluntary organization, for example, blood donating organization, schooling for underprivileged slum children, etc, which enriched my managing capacity and practical knowledge. I think, I will be able to relate the both side- internship requirements and my personal attainment. The crucial thing is that I am yet to complete my academic accomplishment and have to go through practical field. For that reason, I need to be coped with applicability of academic theories and knowledge. So, it just a matter of time and practical tasks I will go about. In that way I will be able to fill the gap and will be succeeded to integrate the both. In terms of my academic qualification, I completed my graduation from university of Dhaka around business management. In addition, I am engaged with some organizations as voluntary activists. In this way, I am contended with management of organization. I also did some marketing activities beside my study as an extra source of income to support personal and educational expenses. I intend to relate my marketing experience with practical marketing fields. So, I think, I am best fitted to your required internship personnel. I have just provided my study and work qualification briefly for your sincere consideration. How can I explain else within the certain limitation? Please, feel free to contact me via my e-mail or phone to discuss elaborately. Business and marketing always go hand in hand in today’s commercial world where both are inevitable for the development of any region, country, as well as the whole world. For its unavoidable impact on modern society, it is wiser to be engaged with these, and also be coped with its every minute updates and analysis. Putting a sharp observation to these, I chose to come

Film Analysis and it's Applications Coursework

Film Analysis and it's Applications - Coursework Example Belfort divorces his loyal wife, begins using both drugs and prostitutes and is a fraudster. He commits a number of crimes as he operates his company aggressively often flaunting some existing laws that govern the operation of stock brokerage firms. The film provides an effective criticism of the society by proving the claim that â€Å"power corrupts† as the main character becomes increasingly powerful. The fact that the film is an adaption of a real life story makes it effective in representing the lives of some of the wealthiest people in the first world. Wall Street, for example, is a representation of America’s financial hub. The 0.7-mile street produces hundreds of millionaires on a yearly basis. The film provides the society with a view to the operations of the stockbrokers. This way, the film shows how the individuals generate their wealth. The film provides a systematic and equally effective criticism of the society thereby influencing the cultural values. From the rise and fall of Belfort in the film, the audience understands the importance of humility, respect, ethical business operations and obedience to the