Islamic Banking

[pic] ISLAMIC BANKING: IS IT REALLY â€Å"ISLAMIC†? By: Omar Mustafa Ansari & Faizan Ahmed Memon Is it really Islamic? †¦. In this era of development and growth in Islamic finance and banking, this is a question being raised at every forum by various quarters. All those who raise this question, are undoubtedly well-wishers of Islam, Islamic economic system and Muslim Ummah. Accordingly, while we celebrate the achievements of Islamic banking on one hand, we should not be ignoring the issues and objections being raised by such quarters in order to ensure that we lay the foundations of this industry on strong, straight and acceptable-to-all footings. Objectives Of Islamic Banking Before discussing various objections raised on the present day Islamic banking, we should first try to understand the objectives of Islamic banking, which are as follows: 1. To provide Shariah compliant and prudent banking opportunities; hence providing an opportunity to Muslims to do their banking transactions – a Halal way: In other words, this is just an effort to avoid Riba and other prohibited elements from commercial and banking transactions, in order to ensure that we do â€Å"Nothing-Haram†; and 2. Achieving the goals and objectives of an Islamic economic system. We all can agree that, given the circumstances, the Islamic banking industry is making all efforts to ensure the first objective, while the second objective, although no-less important, is not the prime objective of current-day Islamic banking. History Of Islamic Banking Modern banking system was introduced in Muslim countries at a time when they were politically and economically slave to the western world. The main banks of the western world established their branches and subsidiaries in the Muslim countries and territories to fulfill requirements of foreign business. The Muslim community generally avoided the foreign banks for religious reasons but with the passage of time, it became more and more difficult to engage in trade and other activities without making use of commercial banks. Even then, a large number of Muslims, confined their involvement to transaction activities such as current account or hundred percent cash margin letter of credits. Borrowings from commercial banks or placement the access funds and saving accounts were strictly avoided by practicing Muslims in order to keep away from dealing in interest which is prohibited by Islam. With the passage of time, however, due to increase in cross-border transactions and other socio-economic forces demanding more involvement in national economic and financial activities, avoiding the interaction with the banks became impossible. Local banks were established in Muslim countries (including the names like Muslim Commercial Bank) on the same lines as the interest-based foreign banks and they began to expand within the country bringing the banking system to more and more people. Governments, businesses and individuals began to transact business with the banks, with or without liking it. This state of affairs drew the attention and concern of Muslim intellectuals which gave emergence to the contemporary Islamic banking. By the midst of the last century, many Muslim countries started their efforts to adopt the Islamic economic and banking systems. Many scholars, economist and experienced bankers came with different solutions to initiate the Islamic banking. Those experiences paved the route for modern Islamic banking. Nowadays Islamic financial institutions (IFIs) are spread all over the world including European countries and the United States. In particular these have their significant presence in Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, other GCC countries, Malaysia, Sudan and Iran. Who Raise The Questions? Islamic banking is a weak industry†¦. In respect of resources, in respect of knowledge-bases, in respect of trained-knowledgeable-sincere human resources, in respect of availability of commercial options, in respect of state support, as well as, society support, in respect of sincerity of stake-holders and WHAT NOT. With such adverse footings, unfortunately, it really has certain weaknesses which are not only targeted by the enemies, but, are more severally and forcefully attacked by the FRIENDS. As a consequence, the Islamic banking and finance is facing disagreements from various quarters including certain â€Å"revolutionary† Islamic movements, certain â€Å"rigid† and â€Å"hard-core† religious scholars, and â€Å"idealistic† and â€Å"utopian† Islamic economists (without any disrespect to them all). Can Banking Ever Be Really Islamic? The first question is raised mostly by those who either do not have any knowledge about banking, or those who have the courage to evaluate the banking systems from its evolution to its objectives. They feel that the banking per-se is against the very basic concepts of Islam. They feel that just like the fact that there can not be any â€Å"Halal pork† or â€Å"Islamic prostitution†, there can be no â€Å"Halal banking†. This viewpoint is supported by the fact that, particularly in Pakistan, we have already faced a complete disaster in the name of interest-free banking and so-called IFIs particularly including Modarabas. The argument, as to whether Islamic banking is really Islamic, has two different facets. The first one is that whatever is being performed in the name of Islamic banking is apparently quite similar to the operations of a conventional financial institution hence creates doubts in people’s mind, as to on what grounds we can call it Islamic? So they feel that it is merely a change in name and documents and in fact, it is nothing different from conventional banking. The second facet of this question is more important nd deals with the socio-economic factors associated with the overall Islamic financial system. Due to significance of these objections, we will discuss these two issues before looking for other arguments. Merely A Change In Name And Documents The most common and most discussed argument against contemporary Islamic banking is that there is â€Å"NO DIFFERENCE AT ALL† between the conventional banking and Islamic banking and this is merely a change of name and doc uments. The second argument, which is in-fact a derivative of the first argument, is that even in Islamic banking, the most common products being used e. g. Murabaha, Musawwama, Salam, Istisna, diminishing Musharaka and Ijara Muntahia Bittamleek are on fixed return basis. Even the Musharaka and Modaraba based products are engineered in a way that the profits are â€Å"virtually-fixed†. One should realize the fact that unless we can distinguish an Islamic bank from a conventional bank, it would be difficult for any of us to rely on the same. Particularly, it is observed that they try to make sure that their product is similar to the conventional products in all respects, even if for that purpose they have to incorporate a few provisions in these products which are not considered to be good or a few of them are considered Makrooh. In addition, their endeavors are focused towards minimization of their risk through every possible option and accordingly, the essence of Islamic finance which is based on risk taking is killed. We can note that most IFIs market their products on the models very much similar to those used by the conventional banks. As an example, an Ijara Muntahia Bittamleek transaction introduced by an IFI might be very similar to a finance lease transaction offered by a conventional leasing company, except for a difference of Takaful / insurance cost which in Islamic mode is to be borne by the lessee and accordingly, the same is built-in the rentals. The basic reason behind this similarity is to ensure three objectives. The first one, which is more important one, is to provide an â€Å"even playing ground† to the IFIs in order to ensure their survival in the overall banking system. The second one, is that even by IFIs, it has to be ensured that their shareholders and depositors get some return and preferably a return equivalent to those of conventional banks. And the third reason is to avoid arbitrage amongst Islamic and conventional financial systems which may be exploited by a few big-guns to get the benefit of the pricing difference between the two parallel financial systems. For such reason, time value of money concept is used for performance measurement and pricing of financial products. Most importantly, it should be kept in mind that in some areas Haram and Halal have a very small difference. For an example, only saying the name of Allah Almighty on an animal at the time of slaughter makes it Halal and permissible while by not saying that name we make it Haram or by just a few words of acceptance in Nikah, in presence of a few persons, a man and woman become Halal for each other. Similarly, if a transaction can be engineered in a way that the same becomes Shariah compliant, then we should not conclude that the same is Haram only due to its resemblance with the interest based financing. It is also pertinent to note that since the Islamic financial services sector is in its infancy phase, as compared to the conventional banking, we unfortunately have to follow the conventional system in the pattern of financial products and are still not in a position to invent absolutely new financial services. During the last few centuries, the conventional banking system has well read the human needs and psychology and has invented a considerable number of financial products and accordingly, it is not simple to just invent a new financial tool just for the purpose of inventing one. For example, if they have running finance and overdraft as a financing tool, we have invented an alternate to the same in form of Istijrar with Murabaha or Musharaka based running finance model. Similarly, if they use finance leases as a financing tool, we have converted the same in a Shariah compliant form in form of Ijara Muntahia Bittamleek or in form of Diminishing Musharaka. These are only two examples, but the tally is practically very high and for each interest based financial product except for those explicitly Haram, more than one alternates have been engineered. The objective of this discussion was just to emphasize that merely an amortization schedule similar to the one offered by a conventional bank, is not a basis for declaring a Halal product to be Haram. If just a pricing model or just the similarity of a cash-flow model makes the transaction Haram, what you will say regarding a conventional loan offered at a price much higher or much lower than the market prevailing rates for which the pricing model and the cash-flow model are not similar to those generally applied in the industry. Does anybody think that such dissimilarity will make it Halal? Accordingly, from Shariah principles it is rightly concluded that it is the substance of a transaction what makes it Halal or Haram and not a pricing model used to price the transaction or the cash-flow model used for the payments and repayments in monetary terms. Socio-Economic Effects Of Islamic Banking And Finance Second most significant argument from such group, predominantly by certain Islamic economists and certain Islamic revolutionary movements, is about the socio-economic factors of Islamic banking. They feel that since Islamic banking is also based on profit motive and in present form, it generally works on â€Å"virtually-fixed† return basis; hence the same cannot attribute anything-positive towards the socio-economic changes that Islam desires. This is a crucial question and, we believe that, every conscious Muslim will concur with the concerns of those who raise the same, although the conclusions derived by different people might vary. Nobody can argue that virtually-fixed return based banking, although being Shariah compliant, is not what has been desired by Islam as a complete way of living. In addition, the current-day Islamic banking is emphasizing more on consumer finance as compared to financing to SME sector, agricultural sector, and more importantly, on the micro-finance; hence, it is not contributing enough towards the â€Å"just and equitable monetary system† that Islam needs. Having due regard for these arguments, may we remind you that that the Islamic economic system is not something that can work in isolation of the geo-political and legislative system, as well as, and more importantly the society’s behavior towards the injunctions of Islamic Shariah in personal and collective matters. Accordingly, one can easily imagine that in an economy whereby most of the businessmen are not honest in fairly presenting the financial statements of their businesses, how difficult it is to introduce a profit and loss sharing based financial solution. Similarly, in most of the cases payment of Zakat and Sadaqat depends on the individual and particularly, in view of the gigantic volume of the black economy in the country, what can be expected even if a good system for Zakat and Ushr is introduced? It needs to be emphasized that only the change in banking system is not a solution to the overall revolution of economic system unless other facets of Islamic economic system, as well as, Islamic social system are not implemented simultaneously. Accordingly, the complete transition of economy to an Islamic economic system can be performed, when and only when, the overall consensus of the society is developed towards practical application of Shariah in all the facets of human life, particularly including the governmental, political and legislative structures. Despite such an unsatisfactory and rather discouraging attitude of the society towards application of Islamic Shariah, it should be noted that such a situation do not relieve a Muslim from the applicability of Shariah principles, but rather increases his responsibilities in the way that it becomes his duty not only to try to abide by all applicable Shariah requirements in his personal capacity but also to put his endeavors towards improvement in such system. Consequently, in case the Islamic banking, in your opinion, is not contributing enough towards betterment of society, you cannot blame the same alone. The responsibilities of the Muslim Ummah as a whole (or of the State) can not be expected to be borne by a single sector only, which, at this point of time is in its infancy stages. Is It Heela Banking? This is a general discussion at various forums that contemporary Islamic banking is based on Heelas. From Shariah perspective, a Heela is an option utilized to disobey the divine guidance through engineering the circumstances and playing with the facts and intentions. Having an insight into the industry, one can not disagree with this argument to certain extent, as it has been observed in a number of cases that in-fact, certain transactions are practically applied on this basis. Having said that; this argument should, however, not be used to blame the entire industry. We should acknowledge that the foundations of the industry have been built using the pillars which are directly derived from the Holy Quran, Sunnah and Fiqh. It is worth-noting that mostly, a Heela is applied in the â€Å"execution of a transaction† rather than â€Å"designing of a transaction†. In other words, we can safely conclude that application of Heelas in Islamic banking is not a weakness in the theories of Islamic banking, but actually is a matter of misuse / misinterpretation of basic Shariah guidance in respect of various Shariah compliant financial transactions. Accordingly, it needs to be emphasized that in order to support the growth of Islamic banking and finance on right footings, we need to strengthen the Shariah compliance mechanism for the industry. In addition, in the longer run, we need to eliminate the Islamic financial products which have the potential of misuse. Use Of Interest-Rate As Benchmark; Is It Halal? Critics, including scholars, as well as, economists, strongly condemn that most of IFIs while providing financing by way of any of the â€Å"Halal† transactions, determine their profit rate on the basis of the current interest-rate benchmarks prevailing in the conventional money market. Scholars are of the view that by applying these benchmarks, the Islamic banking industry makes their transactions â€Å"similar† to interest-based transactions and as a consequence, these transactions become doubtful from Shariah point-of-view. Economists feel further issues and that and are of he view that this thing makes these financial institutions a part of the prevailing capitalistic economic systems, hence this sort of transactions are absolutely not desirable by Islam. Here it would be worthwhile to have a look on the arguments by the Islamic banking for better understanding of the pricing issue. They generally give examples like; s uppose you enter into a supermarket in UK and see that the pork, the beef and the Halal beef are all being sold for GBP 2 per kg. Do you think that this similarity of price or the fact that these products are being sold under the same roof renders the Halal beef as Haram? Or for example; in the same superstore you note that they are using the same balance for weighing these three types of meat. Do you think that using the same balance will render the Halal beef, as Haram? If not, then we should better understand the principle that it is the substance and legal form of the transaction that makes it Halal or Haram and not its pricing, rate or the cash-flow model or the institution, or even the environment that offers such transaction. This issue, however, needs to be addressed by the government, as well as, the market players. A strong Islamic inter-bank market will InshaAllah provide us opportunities to develop our own benchmarks for Islamic banking operations. Dealing of Islamic Banks with Conventional Banks Another strong argument against Islamic banking is against dealing with conventional banks. These dealings are of two types i. e. sharing of services and commercial transactions. As far as services are concerned, where the Islamic Banks are facilitating the foreign businesses of their customer or helping out their customers to transfer the money from safe channels. For these services, the remuneration or expense of Islamic banks is service charges which are allowed by Shariah jurists, although they recommend that such interaction should be avoided wherever IFIs are available. The second argument which is much strong is regarding the commercial transactions with conventional financial institutions. These transactions generally relate to the treasury side of the Bank whereby either the IFIs place their excess liquidity with the conventional banks or obtain financings from them to meet their own liquidity requirements. For placement of funds with conventional banks most of Islamic banks in Pakistan are using the product of Commodity Murabaha or they invest in certain â€Å"Halal assets† of the conventional financial institutions. On the other hand, they normally obtain financings from the conventional banks on the basis of profit and loss sharing, although the profit rates are once again â€Å"virtually-fixed†. Although, most of the Shariah scholars have allowed these transactions duly considering the Shariah requirements, however, nobody can argue that it is a must to avoid all such transactions. For this purpose, however, we need to strengthen the Islamic inter-bank market and to provide further liquidity management options to the IFIs particularly, in form of strong Shariah-compliant government securities and a stable capital market with plenty of Halal investment options available. All dealings with conventional financial institutions should remain limited to the necessities which reach the extremes of compulsion. Cost Of Being A Muslim Those who have bad memories of dealing with Islamic banks are in front-line of critics with this remark. People feel that there are serious doubts on the honesty and integrity of IFIs. They feel that these Banks are using the name of Islam to earn a few bucks more as compared to the conventional banks or rather they are exploiting the faith of Muslims by charging them, the â€Å"cost of being a Muslim†. On the financing side, they charge higher than conventional banks. In other words, internal rate of return on Islamic financial products is higher than the conventional products. On the contrary, it is observed that on the deposit sides they pay less as compared to the conventional banks. In addition, it is generally observed that the expected rates, as well as, the actual rates of return offered by these financial institutions are fairly equivalent to (generally slightly less than) the rates being offered by conventional financial institutions. A justification against the first argument is that since IFIs are subject to the commodity risk, asset destruction and holding risks and the price risk, as well as their relevant costs e. g. Takaful expenses, in addition to the risks and costs that a bank faces, they are justified in their demand i. e. higher internal rate of return. Nevertheless, financial experts have generally felt that even if these factors are considered, the pricing by these Banks is on the higher side. On the other side, in a profit and loss based model, it is agreeable that they assign weightage to different types of deposits in a manner that the total return on investment and financing pools is allocated amongst various depositors and the Bank (working as a partner). Even then, it is generally noted that IFIs are paying less than the market. We can only hope that in near future, with increasing competition in the Islamic banking industry, this effect will minimize because of market-forces except to the extent of pricing against actual additional risk elements. Marketing Approach Of IFIs Another valid argument is about the marketing approach being used by these financial institutions, which adversely effects the public reliance on this mode. People raising objections on the marketing approach of IFIs have two grounds for the same. The first one is the general marketing approach being applied by the a few IFIs which include advertisement and other publicity materials including involvement of women and traditional marketing and advertisement styles for promotion of â€Å"Islamic† banking business. Second ground is the marketing strategy in which sometimes it is felt that false statements are made for promotional purposes. An example of the same is the claim by a leading Islamic bank that all its day to day activities are monitored by its Shariah Advisor. Just imagine, if it is humanly possible, that a part time Shariah Advisor can look after all day to day activities of a full fledged bank with a number of branches even located at other cities. Another example is the claim by an Islamic mutual fund that it is the first one of its kind in the country, whereas another fund was operating in the country for around one year earlier to subscription for such mutual fund. They Don’t Look Like Islamic Once you enter into a glittering branch or office of an IFI, generally you do not feel any difference with a conventional bank. This issue is raised particularly by the blend of people who feel that once they enter into such location, it should look like a sacred place instead of a commercial office. You generally feel that they have over-spent on the furniture, interior-decoration and publicity stuff, which apparently, is against the injunctions of Islam. This impression is further strengthened when you see the overall environment, the dealing style of personnel and most significantly, you feel (in most of the cases) that there are ladies working for the organization without Hijab or even â€Å"appropriate attire† (in line with the dress-code of a Muslim woman as defined by Shariah). Although a few â€Å"moderate-enlightened† Muslims will not like this objection at all, nevertheless, it should be kept in mind that a common Muslim cannot digest â€Å"Islamic† banking while he feels that other factors of business are not really Islamic. We can’t argue with these objections as these have due weightage in them and the management of IFIs should take these objections seriously. However, we should keep in mind that the prime objective of Islamic finance, is to ensure that â€Å"financial† matters are dealt with in line with Islamic Shariah. In other words, environment does not make anything Haram. Needless to mention, from Shariah perspective, you can always buy a Halal product from a store where everything else is Haram although the same needs to be avoided if other options are available. Islamic Bankers – Don’t Know Islamic Banking This argument, once again, has key significance from the perspective of the overall control environment of these banks with regard to the applicability of Shariah principles. Particularly, it is astonishing when you deal with an Islamic banker, who knows very little about Islamic banking, but unfortunately, this is not very uncommon. The prime cause behind this issue is the fact that most of the IFIs have hired the conventional bankers and generally no or very little consideration is awarded to ensure that they are well conversant with the Shariah requirements with regard to the modes of finance being used by these Banks. Similarly, the IFIs do not spend enough on their resource-building for Shariah compliance and training of their staff, in comparison to what they spend for marketing. Having experience of training â€Å"Islamic Bankers†, as well as, performing Shariah compliance reviews, we may safely conclude that, this objection is not without substance. This accordingly, is a strongest need that the IFIs should allocate more and more resources for staff training and Shariah compliance. Monopoly Of Shariah Advisors Another objection is regarding the appointment of Shariah Boards and Shariah Advisors. People have largely noted and discussed at various forums that the major contribution in this field in Pakistan is limited to a very small group of jurists most of whom relate to a single family and their pupils (a single religious university). Besides this, another question is also being raised that generally the honorariums, consultancy fee and other benefits being offered to such jurists by the IFIs in Pakistan, as well as, abroad are quite high and this may jeopardize their independence. In addition, it is felt that they are the only ones who are whole and sole responsible for Shariah compliance. They approve the products, they review the transactions and in the end; they perform Shariah audit themselves, which is, however, an indicative of a conflict of interest (without any doubt on their personal independence and integrity). Most of the people conversant with the business and operations of Islamic finance do not agree with this observation, because the contribution of these people to the industry as a whole is remarkable and they deserve even more than that based on their contribution and efforts in the promotion of this industry. The general concept that a â€Å"Moulvi† should be paid the minimum for his life, is not justifiable. If you are getting benefits from their efforts, their knowledge and skills, then they should be justifiably rewarded. Having said that, it is always agreeable that it is the right time that contributions from jurist from other schools of thought should also be sought and they should necessarily be provided opportunities to enter into the field. For this purpose, it is a good proposition from the State Bank that a jurist should not be allowed to hold more than one remunerative position as a Shariah Advisor or member of a Shariah Board. This will ensure that fresh blood gets an option to enter into the field which will eventually improve the overall Shariah compliance in the field, as well as, will help these institutions to innovate fresh products. IFIs Use Conventional Insurance A valid objection; can’t argue with that. It was a real issue that according to the legal requirements, as well as, derived from real â€Å"compulsion†, the banks were required to obtain insurance coverage from conventional insurance companies and this practice was allowed by the Shariah Advisors to the extent of compulsion only. This situation, Alhamdolillah has changed after introduction of Islamic mode of insurance (Takaful) in Pakistani market. Unfortunately, there are a still IFIs who have not yet switched to Takaful while to-date three Takaful companies and a family Takaful company have commenced operations in Pakistan and now this lame excuse of compulsion can not be exercised anymore. Now it’s high time that the State Bank and the Shariah Advisors should take strong steps to ensure that no business is iven by the IFIs to any conventional insurance company either in respect of owned assets, or against assets held under security. Should We Still Prefer Islamic Banking? As a conclusion to this debate, we may say that we are required by our religion to implement a complete Islamic way of living in our individual and collective lives and the society and the government as well. The Islamic banking and financial system is a part of such system and is not construed to be applicable in isolation while o ther laws and customs repugnant to the Shariah requirements are still in force. However, for the sake of our own benefits, in order to avoid interest by ourselves and providing interest-free opportunities to our brothers and sisters in Islam, we should promote and support the Islamic banking and finance in the country with all our possible efforts and endeavors. We should not try to pull legs of an infant who is just trying to take his first step towards a long journey to go. However, we should try to ensure that he commences his journey on the right way, with strong footings. Such Islamic banking, may not be termed as perfect, but can provide us with a shelter from interest based transactions for the time being, and might support us in augmenting a truly Islamic financial system, and more appropriately said, will serve as an experiment for the time when we will really be in a position to the implement the complete Islamic way of living in our beloved country. May Allah Almighty bestow us his blessings and enable us to evolve a complete system of life in accordance with the principles of life provided by the Holy Quran and the Holy Prophet (SAAWS). May Allah accept our efforts and forgive us for our mistakes in this field in our individual capacities, as well as, as a society. About Omar & Faizan: Omar is a Chartered Accountant by profession, and is presently working as Partner – Islamic Financial Services Group with Ford Rhodes Sidat Hyder & Co. (A member firm of Ernst & Young Global Limited). Omar enjoys vast experience in audit, Shariah compliance and providing related services to Islamic finance industry in Pakistan. He is author of a Book on Islamic finance namely â€Å"Managing Finances – A Shariah Compliant Way†. Faizan holds experience in the field of Shariah audits and product development. In past, he has worked with a leading Islamic bank as Shariah Coordinator and Shariah Auditor. Presently, he is working with Ford Rhodes Sidat Hyder & Co. as Manager – Islamic Financial Services. [pic][pic]

Pozzo & Lucky’s Relationship

During the two character’s appearance in act 1 we learn a lot about both characters through the relationship they have with each other. While Lucky’s lack of speech under Pozzo’s domain makes it difficult to identify his personality, we can still infer a lot about him. ‘Pig’, ‘hog’ and ‘swine’. All abusive vocatives thrown at Lucky by Pozzo. An instant indication that the relationship between these two characters is far from friendly, and makes the relationship between Vladimir and Estragon seem certainly pleasant. It is clear that Lucky acts as a type of servant to Pozzo and this is clarified when he attempts to describe their relationship in the quote â€Å"He wants to mollify me, so that I'll give up the idea of parting with him†. It is instantly clear that Pozzo’s character is extremely arrogant. He lords over the others, and he is decisive, powerful, and confident. When his character is introduced he refers to the other two as human, but as inferior beings; then he condescendingly acknowledges that there is a human likeness, even though the â€Å"likeness is an imperfect one.† This image reinforces his authoritarian god-like stance. Pozzo's superiority is also seen in the manner in which he eats the chicken, and then casts the bones to Lucky with an air of complete omnipotence. Yet there are several quotes after he becomes acquainted with Vladamir and Estragon for example â€Å"I'd very much like to sit down† and referring to them as ‘gentlemen’ which suggest that, due to his long and lonely journey, he seeks the approval of them both and to be, as he quotes ‘old friends’. This provides the audience with a hint that despite has vast knowledge he is lacking somet hing which he cannot gain from Lucky which is a companion. Together the two characters represent the antithesis of each other. From one man who seems to be incapable of not contributing his input to someone who barely speaks a word. An inexhaustible amount of polarities can be applied to their relationship. However, Beckett has left a lot of information unsaid; Pozzo tells us that his profound knowledge was taught to him through none other than Lucky himself, whether this is simply a metaphorical term is undetermined however this does hint to the audience that perhaps the two characters were once not so dissimilar. Further enigma is created through pozzo exclamation that Lucky has become insufferable: â€Å"I can't bear it . . . any longer . . . the way he goes on . . . you've no idea†. This leaves the audience alienated in terms of context, we are unaware of Lucky even speaking let alone driving someone to such an extent. This could also be seen as a malicious side to Pozzo’s character as he could potentially be lying as he sees Estragon and Vladimir warming to Lucky and is envious of that. Read also Intro to Public Relations Notes Similarities can be seen between Pozzo ; Lucky’s relationship in comparison to Vladimir ; Estragon’s, in a sense that, the two relationships have an element of irascibility. Vladimir and Estragon fail to agree on things and often find themselves in disputes, yet they are still bound by each other and depend on one another. This is, in many ways mirrored in Pozzo and Lucky’s relationship, although there is a much bigger gap in terms of authority. Despite this, the two still depend on each other and are even bound by a rope which could be representative of an umbilical cord which brings about references to religion, life and other common themes within the play. To conclude, the relationship that Pozzo and Lucky have is very significant in the play and when the tables are turned in act 2 with Pozzo losing his sight we learn a lot more about the two characters than in their introduction in act 1. The master and the servant have little in common but are bound to each other much like our main characters Vladimir and Estragon.

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Changes in Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Changes in Management - Assignment Example e way of functionality of an organization, the management process comprises five significant functions that encompass coordinating, directing, staffing, planning and organizing. With the dramatic change in the current competitive business world and the process through which different organizations belonging to diverse industry operate, it can be stated that the management functions play a decisive part at large. However, with respect to the aforesaid scenario, it can be affirmed that the process through which company recruits its employee i.e. the function of staffing would experience the most dramatic change out of the above stated management functions. This can be justified with reference to the fact that there exists the prevalence of extreme business market competition in this present day context making this particular management function to be changed in the next decade (Tripathi 3-7). On the other hand, the management task or the function of ‘directing’ would have least change as the function is basically related with the process of motivating, leading and directing the employees of various organizations making the organizations more result-oriented (Tripathi

Employer's Duty of Care and Issues of Compensation Assignment

Employer's Duty of Care and Issues of Compensation - Assignment Example If the instructions are not stated clearly, the employee may act in good faith to fulfill a particular duty of obedience. This should be done in a manner that is reasonable especially considering the existing circumstances at that particular moment. Jake has been employed on a contract basis as certified auto mechanic at the Rally motors. This therefore means that Jake may perform any job assigned to him by his employer provided the job is reasonable. Even as Jake performs the job assigned to him, he is aware of what is expected of him by the federal or state regulations. Basing on the movie, one can comfortably say that Jake’s actions are within his scope of employment. The current job of oil change is, most likely, not what Jake expected as he entered into an employment agreement with Herman. Instead it is a promotional offer invented by Herman to attract more customers as he says that as the customers’ cars are being serviced, the customers get a chance to check out the new car models. So Jake may argue that as far as what is expected of him in terms of standards is concerned, his actions are within his scope of employment (Goss, 2004). It may be argued that every employee has an obligation to perform his duties as directed by his employer. Such arguments may be as a result shortsightedness in terms of the potential impacts it may have on the business in the future. In this case, for example, customers expect a fully serviced vehicle from the service department especially if the service personnel like Jake are certified. So, it is Jake’s responsibility to do thorough service work on the customers’ vehicles and this includes checking and where possible servicing the tires, brakes and transmission as would be expected of a certified auto mechanic (Murolo & Chitty, 2001). This ensures that the vehicle is safe for driving by the customer. If a vehicle from the service centre gets involved in an accident and the resultant victim, be it the customer or another third party, sues the service company, the company might be forced to compensate for the loss or damage incurred. This might destroy the company’s reputation and also bring the competencies of the auto mechanics involved, like Jake, into question. Another perspective would be for Jake to identify if there is something wrong with any part of the vehicle that might pose a safety risk and make it his duty to inform the customer and recommend for him/her the necessary or appropriate repairs to be made. If the extra work Jake is doing on the customers’ vehicles is not paid for and therefore does not generate any further income for his employer, then it would appear that he is violating his duty obedience. This can be clearly seen when Herman tells him that his work is to change the oil but not to fix other parts of the vehicle, an action that finally results into overcrowding of the customers’ vehicles. Considering these two perspectives, the question whether or not Jake acted within the scope of his employment becomes complicated and hence one that can only be satisfactorily handled by a jury. Question 2: Explain whether or not Herman

Operations Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 9

Operations Management - Essay Example The manner of creating these goods and services is the purview of operations management. As a field of endeavour, operations management â€Å"deals with the design and management of products, processes, services, and supply chains. It considers the acquisition, development, and utilization of resources that firms need to deliver the goods and services their clients want.† (MIT Sloan School of Management, 2009) It may be said that the operations function is the heart and soul of business. It is that organizational activity which actually gives birth to the good or service which is the reason for the firm’s existence. The operations manager stands at the helm of the operations department, and plans, organizes, directs and controls its performance. He determines, in line with the organization’s overall goals, the strategic, tactical, and operational activities undertaken. Strategic issues involve the implementation of long-term goals of the corporation, and are usually decided upon by the corporation’s board of directors, or the owner or proprietor of the small firm. Issues decided by the operations manager that are within the scope of strategic management are those that yield decisions of a relatively permanent nature, and usually require substantial capital outlay. They include determining the size of the manufacturing plants or the capacity of the equipment, as well as their location, deciding which telecommunications networks to have installed, and designing technology supply chains. Should the operations manager make a mistake in planning and implementing strategic issues, it would profoundly compromise the company’s survival. The operations manager also deals with tactical issues the operations manager. These decisions involve the relatively medium-term prospects of the business, and while not as far-ranging as strategic issues, could also entail a substantial loss for the

Argue in support of the statement that the English constitution was Essay

Argue in support of the statement that the English constitution was first written in 1647, during the Putney debates - Essay Example Looking back into more immediate history, the growth of representative democracy can ultimately traces its roots to the way in which constitutions and other such binding restrictions have defined the role and relationship that a government must play towards its citizens/stakeholders.1 As a function of this particular understanding, the following analysis will be concentric upon engaging the reader with an understanding and discussion for how the Putney Debates served as a formative and historical precedent for the way in which the constrained power of the state was understood and affected. Such an understanding evolves to engage the reader with the understanding that the English constitution was in fact first written during these debates. Beyond merely engaging the reader with a further understanding of the historical importance of the debates, it is the hope of this author that such a discussion can further underscore a level of historical understanding and key trends that culminate d in a more realistic understanding of the manner through which subject and governed should interact with one another. The Putney Debates were unlikely to be considered as a formulary of a Constitution at the time in which they were held. However, in retrospect, the issues that the individual were wrestling with could only be understood in terms of the way in which a defining document, set of rules, and/or Constitution could address the contentious issues at hand. The core arguments that were taking place between the â€Å"radicals† and the monarchists was with respect to the role of the individual and the way in which such an individual should have a level of power and determinism with respect to the state. Naturally, this very question has been one which has contributed greatly to the way in which governments have interacted with their people since

Innovation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 4

Innovation - Essay Example However, it is one thing to require a certain technology and another to implement it in an organisation. Introduction of new technologies is quite challenging for managers irrespective of the size of an organisation. New technologies require the management to arrange for extensive training, which results in resistance from some quarters. As a manager one will be required to first understand how to manage change since the process is stressful and, most often than not, change creates tension in the workplace (Rogers, 2003). This paper aims at using technological determinism to inform a manager when introducing surveillance technology in the workplace. Attitude is a critical aspect in the introduction of any kind of technology in the workplace. Employers nowadays are heavily relying on workplace surveillance technologies to assess various issues. Surveillance in this context will include, but not limited to, video monitoring, tracking as well as phone and computer use. Introduction of any technology in the workplace results into some form of transition. It is, therefore, critical for a manager to consult employees through one-on-one interactions or a survey depending on the size of the organisation. Consultations aim at pinpointing problematic areas and concerns which ultimately eases transition to the new technology. In the process of consultations, it is essential for the management to clearly elaborate on the positive differences that the new technology will bring not only to the employees but also the organisation at large (Bijker and Law, 1995). It is, nevertheless, vital to consider the human factor before launching of this surveillance technology. The society, and in this case the employees, will always have certain expectations from this new technology. Employees have previously worked without this new technology and hence need assurances

Customer behavior summary about social media Essay

Customer behavior summary about social media - Essay Example We will therefore focus on these level of needs and how marketers can use them to their advantage. First are the physiological needs which are basically biological needs such as food, water, oxygen and shelter. Of all the needs, the physiological needs are the most important and basic and therefore, they should be satisfied first. In the social network sphere, the marketers can satisfy the customers’ physiological needs by finding out the information concerning nutrition and medicine of their existing and potential customers. The second level is composed of the safety or security needs which become active only after the physiological needs have been met. Whereas adults have usually little awareness of their safety needs apart from periods of emergency, children usually show signs of insecurity thereby prompting the need to be safe. Individuals can use social networks to update their status and inform security firms such as police and other authority of any insecurity or emergency. By doing this, the individuals’ safety needs are met appropriately. Thirdly, the needs of Love, affection and belongingness enables individuals to overcome the feelings of isolation and loneliness. These needs therefore comprises of both showing and receiving love and affection from others which one to have a sense of belonging. Through social networks such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, people are able to share love by commenting on statuses, liking pictures and even engaging in online dating. This actions reduces or eliminates the feeling of loneliness and alienation thus enabling them to attain the needs of love, affection and belongingness. Comparatively, after the first three needs have been met, an individual develops the needs for esteem which involve self-esteem and esteem for others. In this segment, an individual tends to have a high level of self-respect and therefore desires to have respect from others too. Through the social networking

Introductory Speech Essay Example for Free

Introductory Speech Essay Introduction: Someone once said; a picture paints a thousand words. To me that’s a hundred percent true. I started photography when I was at a young age, around twelve. I carried my camera everywhere I went to capture every memory, every scenery that was around me in one simple photo. I love the fact that with film, you’re stuck with the photo on paper, whereas with digital you can delete it and lose it forever. Here are some reasons why I brought in my film camera, not only does it describe my passion for photography, but the lenses I look through can capture my life in a click. Thesis: I think my film camera reveal a lot about me – not only my everyday activities and hobbies, but the events that happen through my life. Body: Preview: If you look closely at the camera, you can tell how old it is and how much it has been used. 1. I am a creative person a. I take pictures of anything, from landscapes, to random objects lying around on the ground – in which I create something out of it. b. I’m into art, not only do I take photographs, but when I do I tend to paint them to enlarge them. Transition: The interior of my camera can tell you a lot about what I do with the roll of film, but when developed, they also can provide clues to who I am and where I have been. 1. I love to be outdoors, and with family a. As for taking pictures of friends and families, people pass away, they change, and when Im in school I know Ill probably never see them again so I like to have the memories. i. I only get to see family once a year, and capturing the rare moments we have together is what makes the moments seem to last forever. b. The film inside (when present and developed) also provides a lot of photos that capture my life outside. i. I enjoy going camping, I spend my majority of the time out walking and enjoying the colors and surroundings of the outdoors. ii. I personally enjoy taking pictures of scenery because I like to capture nature before its destroyed but also because its always changing. Conclusion: So you can see my camera captures the creative side of me. It has been a witness to my everyday adventures and the many journeys. You could learn a lot about me by looking at the photographs I have taken. When Im behind my camera, I sometimes feel like Im looking at the world through someone elses eyes.

Continuum of Care University of Phoenix Essay Example for Free

Continuum of Care University of Phoenix Essay Long-term Care is only one piece of continuum care. Most Americans try to stay home as long as they can. People love to try and keep their independence as long as they can. Many elderly Americans are able to stay home as long as they can due to family members help and home health care aide. Most elderly people can no longer take care of themselves mentally and physically. This is when Long-term care continuum benefits the patient. The long-term care continuum consists of nursing home care and assisted living care. The first step in the continuum of care is Independent living. Elderly patients are placed in supportive housing or home based healthcare. If the patient is unsuccessful with supportive housing, we must move to the next step. The next step is providing in home care. In home care is less expensive than long term care. The cost of care for this service depends on the level of care and the hours of service the patient needs. The patient’s last choice should be long term care. Most elderly patients use Medicare or Medicaid for long term care payment. Medicare only applies to the patient’s long-term care if the patient is immediately following a hospital stay. Medicare only cover short term provider prescribed home health care for speech therapy, skilled nursing, occupational and medical social services. Medicare also covers up to 100 days of nursing home care. We are fighting today for a longer duration for long term care. The federal government should allow elderly patients more time in long term care facilities. I believe this would cut the cost of emergency room visits and hospital admittance in seniors.

Concepts of Operations Management to the Fast Food Industry

Concepts of Operations Management to the Fast Food Industry INTRODUCTION: The ability of every organisation to make profit and sustain in this competitive world revolves around its competency to perform its operations accurately. Hence although the term Operations Management seems to be recently evolved. It has oriented with the industrial revolution itsef. In a lay mans language, operations management is the effective and efficient running of the various resources within an organization. The work below looks at the various theoretical concepts of operations management and how these are applied in the practical from in the various industries. It looks the interrelation between operations management and strategic objectives of an organisation. It can be rightly said that if these two concepts have to merge appropriately for a company to survive and make profit. OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT:   Operations management can be explained as providing the finest service at the lowest possible prices. This objective can only be achieved if each and every operation within the organisation is managed optimally. The various operations within an organisation that needs to be managed are  financial operations, capital management and human resource management. The legitimate and accurate management of these valuable resources results in successful operations management according to Stevenson 1993, Operations Management can be described as follows management of systems and processes that create good sand/or provide services(  Ã‚  as cited in J.Bicheno and B.Elliot,1977,p9). A more detailed definition of operations management is given by J.Bicheno and B.Elliot 1997, a field study that focuses on the effective planning, scheduling, use and control of a manufacturing or service organisation through the study of concepts from design engineering, industrial engineering, management infor mation systems, quality management, production management, accounting and other functions as they affect the operations. (J.Bicheno and B.Elliot,1977,p9).According to Mahadevan, Operations Management is a systematic approach to address all the issues pertaining to the transformation process that converts some inputs  Ã‚  into output that are useful and could fetch revenue for the organisation.(B.Mahadevan,2007,p5).Thus a detailed study of both the definitions states that Operations management is concerned with the accurate management of the various operation within any kind of organisation so as to maximise results by minimum use of resources. Thus for any organisation to perform successfully, it is mandatory to strictly monitor the smooth functioning of the various operations within the organisation. Thus in brief the role of operations management is to  transform the input into output in an  efficiently  manner.   Following are some of the benefits of effective operations management: Improves the productivity of the organization.    Minimizes the cost of the organizations.   Ã‚  Helps in forecasting the various trends within the market.   Ã‚  Avoids duplication of work.   Ã‚  Helps in intelligent use of resources.   Ã‚  Guides the company to provide excellent services and products.   Ã‚  Helps in developing solutions for the various problems faced by the organization. (B.Mahadevan,2007,p6,7) (C.Vidler, 2001, p7). INTRODUCTION TO MCDONALDS Every organisation that exists in the market has a goal set that has to be achieved by it within a given frame of time. These are goals can also be called as strategic objectives. Each organisation before entering the competitive market sets its strategic objectives and also develops a strategy to achieve the same. The organisation that is being studied is a famous chain of Fast Food Restaurants, McDonalds Corporation US. Its an organisation that started in 1940s by two brothers Dick and Mac McDonald. They stared a small restaurant in California in 1940s.Another personality that completely changed the fate of this organisation is Ray Krocs. A combined effort of all these three entrepreneurs resulted in an organisation which is one of the leading fast food  restaurants. (web-1) .Some of the objectives of McDonalds Restaurant is To cater good quality food to the customers in an environment that is benevolent and  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  enjoyable. To keep their shareholders happy by providing good returns to them consistently. Their aim is to serve food at a faster pace which has value for money and impeccable taste and quality. They are also aim in perform their corporate social responsibilities in an effective manner. They are also doing their duties by being an eco friendly organization. A look at the  various strategic objectives it can be concluded that McDonalds has set up a defined set of objectives. They also have developed various strategies to achieve these objectives. The three features that the organisation concentrates on are quality, speed and satisfying customers. The  restaurant  has carried out many training programmes for the crew members so as to achieve the best customer service. They also focus on the  ambience  of the  restaurant  and put a lot of effort to maintain it. They also have special kids section in some restaurants so that the children and parents can have a quality time at one place. Cleanliness is not only maintained within the restaurant areas around the restaurant also cleaned up on a regular basis. They also perform corporate social duties judiciously. They support a  charity which helps the old people. McDonalds has also stopped using plastic bags and promotes the use of paper bags. They also propagate the idea of re cycling. There are many operations within the organisations. The main operations within McDonalds are  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Procurement of raw materials and machinery  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Production and Quality Maintenance  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Pricing  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Advertising and Marketing  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Customer Service  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Corporate Social Responsibilities Procurement of raw materials and machinery: The main strategies used by McDonald have to maintain the inventory is JIT, Just in Time. According to Modem, JIT can be defined as a production system to produce a kind of unit needed, at the time needed and in the quantities needed (W.Jedlicka, 2009). The idea behind this is to reduce the cost of inventory management. This also helps in providing fresh food to the customers. This stragey is successful since the mangers in the restaurants do a daily stock count at the end of the day to keep a track of the avaiable things and things that have to be ordered. This also helps to double check the sales that are performed by the restaurant. Another strategy that is used by the restaurant is the First in First out (FIFO). According to this startegy the make it a point to sell product that have arrived earlier first and then the latter ones. The whole stock management process is designed in such a manner that this principle of Just in Time and First in First Out is strictly followed. Production and Quality Maintenance: In this phase the raw materials used are converted into finished products that are presented to the customers. This is a very important step. The kitchen crew is trained to produce the products by following a standard protocol. Every product that is created in the McDonalds kitchen has to follow the protocol so as to maintain the standard and quality of the products. Handling the production bin is a very important task. Every item that is produced has a certain shelf life after which it is declared to be unfit for consumption. Hence the food items are produced sloley on the basis of demands. During the busy hours there is always a manger on the production bin who manages the bin. It is only during this period that food is created a little in excess based on the expected crowd of customers. This is a strategy used by the restaurant to avoid long ques and to provide fresh food at a faster pace. Another measure that is taken by the company is the use of labels. Every ingredient with the kitchen has a label on it. This label states the time by which this product should be used and when the product should be discarded. Such a system helps in maintain the quality of the food served. The company also has the program of Mystery Shopper. In this program a member from the companys head office visits the individual restaurants as a regular customer to check the various aspects. This visit not only checks the quality of the food, it also checks the service provided to the customers, cleanliness within the  restaurant  and the overall experience in the restaurant. Thus we can see that effort is done by the individual restaurant and the company as well to maintain high standards in terms of quality of food. Pricing: The fact that McDonalds was making a good profit even during the time of recession is a clear reflection of the fact that they have a well developed pricing  strategy. They are one of the few restaurants that have a very well established 1 £ menu as well. This pound menu not only includes only one item it has a mix of all products that can be bought. Thus it is not only cheap but also provides variety for the customers to choose from. Even the  regular meals are priced rightly. Hence the customers do not hesitate. Thus in short one can surely say that dining at McDonalds is not a good experience that is not too heavy on the pockets.   Advertising and Marketing: McDonalds uses many channels of advertising like print media, bill boards, television advertisements and also sponsorship. Any new product that enters the menu is well advertised and marketed by the company. They create a great amount of awareness of the product that is being launched. Thus  attracting  the customers to their outlets.  Ã‚  Vouchers are also provided to the customers. It has been noticed that this startegy of providing vouchers is one of the major attraction for the customers. They also have promotional activities. Some of the promotional activities that are done by the restaurant are providing Coca-Coal glasses with every purchase of a large meal. They also play the game of monopoly in this every product that is sold to the customer has a sticker which may either be a part of the monopoly game or will be a coupon for a free product from their menu. Another marketing strategy that is used by the company is the use of loyalty cards. This helps in compelling their customers to come back to the same place. They also use the strategy of innovation. In this there will  able a particular range of new products that will be  available  for stipulated period of time. Once this time period is over they will have a new  product that  takes it place. Hence there is something new every time a customer walks- in. This helps in retaining the customers. Customer Service: This operation forms the base of the organisation. The aim of the company is to make the experience at the restaurant a unique one. This is only possible by providing excellent customer service. The company trains the newly recruited employees for providing excellent customer service. The crew members are asked to be sensitive to the needs of the customers. Although they have a protocol to treat the customers the employees are given the liberty to act according to the need of the  situation. Especially in the case of senior employees and mothers.  Ã‚  The company strongly believes that only if a customer is comfortable at the restaurant will they come back. Hence all measure is taken by the store employees to make sure that the customers are  completely  satisfied when they leave. They also have crew training programmes on a regular basis to upgrade the service and to develop new skills. Regular meetings are conducted to deal with any issues that are faced by the employees. T he company also promotes the crew members to take part in the various programmes that are conducted by the company. Thus motivating the employees. The company does annual appraisal in terms of salary as well as position based on the employees performance.   Corporate Social Responsibilities: According to P.Kotler and N.Lee, Corporate social responsibility is a commitment to improve community well-being through discretionary business practices and contributions of corporate resources (P.Kotler and N.Lee, 2005). Thus it can be seen that CSR has to be a way of functioning of every business that  exists. This function has to be implemented in every activity within the business. McDonalds officially absorbed this function into their operation in 2007; it was at this time that they developed a Sustainable Supply Steering Committee (SSSC).this committee was responsible to keep a check on the supply chain activities within the organisation. The company adopted the  Three Es into their supply chain. These are Ethical Responsibility, Environmental Responsibility and Economic Responsibility. The idea behind adopting these were to make sure that all the operation carried out within the organisation follow a ethical pattern  Ã‚  (Web 2). The company has also developed a Global Advisory Council (GAC) in 2004 that provide advice as to how  create a menu that provides healthy nutrition and a balanced-diet to the customers. (Web-3) Thus we see that every operation within the organisation from the procurement of raw materials to the disposition of corporate social responsibilities is performed diligently by the organisation. A smooth co -ordination between this function is the secret to the success of the organisation. This individual operation has to be controlled in an effective manner for the overall stable performance of the organisation. QUALITY, RESOURCE AND TOOLS MANGEMENT: The word quality has different meanings based on individual perceptions. For some quality of product or service means. The nutrition value or standard of the product or service for some others quality is that the product or service should meet their requirements  satisfactorily. In some other cases quality means value for the money that has been spent. Hence there is no definite way in which quality can be described. However an official  definition  of Quality has been given by International Organization for Standardization ISO 2000, the extent to which a group of intrinsic features (physical, sensorial, behavioural, temporal, ergonomic, functional, etc) satisfies the requirements, where requirement means need or expectation which may be explicit, generally implicit or binding.  Ã‚  (A.Illy and R.Viani, 2005).Another pragmatic definition of quality is given by Harrington 1990, Meeting or exceeding customer expectations at a cost that represents value to them. (A.Illy and R.Vi ani, 2005). In any company quality of the product and service is based on resources, tools and systems used by the company. McDonalds serves beef patties, these patties are made from cows that are corn -feed  in the U.S and some of these are also imported from Australia and New -Zealand. These patties are instantly frozen to maintain the freshness and quality. This process of freezing is known as Individual Quick Freezing developed by Herb Lotman. Herb Lotman is the founder of the Keystones Company, which is one of the major suppliers of McDonalds. The French fries are cooked in Canola Oil which provide 0 gram of Trans Fats. Salads that are served at the restaurant are freshly prepared in the restaurant as per the request of the customer. No preservatives are used in the salads that are served in the  restaurant. Most of the fountain drinks that are served at the restaurant are regularly monitored to maintain optimum quality. All milk based drinks are well pasteurised and mainta in high standards and quality. McDonalds coffee which is very famous is obtained from Brazil, Gutaemala and Costa Rica. The equipment that is used in the McDonalds Kitchen is Grills, Microwave, Shake Machines and many more. The grills are standardised to cook a particular meat, so they automatically set the time for cooking the meat. These grills are cleaned on a regular basis at the end of the day with strong solvents to ensure its cleanliness. The shake machines and the fountain drinks machines are regularly cleaned to ensure quality of the drinks. The fries are cooked in the frying vat at high temperatures. The quality of the oil is checked regularly to maintain the quality of the food. TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT AN ANSWER TO ALL QUALITY ISSUES: The perfect way to imbibe quality as a part of the organisational culture is by adopting the principles of Total Quality Management. According to A.Rawlins, Total Quality Management is a way of managing to improve effectiveness, flexibility and competitiveness of an organisation as a whole. (R.A.Rawlins, 2008 p19). This concept of TQM proposes that quality is not a term that should be confined to the end product or service. Quality has to become a part and parcel of every operation within the organisation, thus making it an obligatory to maintain the same at every step. According to G.K.Kanji and M.Asher TQM can become a part of the organisation if its principles and concepts are applied accurately. They have given four principles of TQM and eight core concepts  for TQM.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Principles  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Core Concepts   Ã‚  I.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Delight the customer:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Customer Satisfaction, Internal Customers are real   II.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Management by Fact:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  All work is process, Measurement   III.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  People-based Management: Team work, People make quality   IV.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Continuous Improvement: Continuous improvement cycle, Prevention. If all the areas mentioned in the above diagram are well managed this will result excellent functioning of the organisation. In which quality is maintained at every step hence there will not be any quality related issue. (G.K.Kanji and  M.Asher, 1996, p1). Advantages of Total Quality Management: 1)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Helps the organization to concentrate of the market trends. 2)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Inculcate a culture of quality in every aspect of the organization from top to bottom. 3)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Regularly assess all the process within the organization to eliminate outdated processes. 4)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To  continuously  develop new strategies for the company to achieve the changing strategic objectives of the organization. 5)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To work as a team and have problem solving attitude. 6)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To keep the goal and achievements of the organization well communicate d at every level. 7)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To always involve in a continues development programmed.   (R.A.Rawlins ,2008,p20,21). SCOPE OF IMPROVEMENT: No organisation a be sated as perfect because there is room for improvement. An organisation that always updates or modified itself according to the need of the market is always successful. Carrying out a SWOT analysis is the best possible way to identify the weak links within an organisation. There is a lot of speculation on the companys role in providing nutritional food. As obesity is one of the major health issues in the current scenario. The company will have to reinforce as to how they are contributing to the society by providing food of the top most quality. It has been noticed that McDonalds faces the problem of high rates of attrition. This is a serious threat for the company as it is based on customer service. The reason this becomes a major issue is because it become an additional cost. As well the can also affect the companys sales and overall image. An unpleasant experience in the restaurant can be a major disaster. This can result in bad or negative marketing for the or ganisation. Another issue that is faced by the company is the health issue. The effect of this high turnover ratio on the organisation is as follows: 1)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  High  financial  cost in terms of training the employee every time. 2)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Lack of trained employees can result in downfall of the organization. 3)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Reduced productivity and interruptions in the workflow 4)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Loss of expert professionals. 5)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Loss of business opportunities as the company is overwhelmed by the internal issues. 6)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Administrative issues within the organization. 7)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Loss of job satisfaction of the other employees and insecurities among the employees. (P.P.Phillips, 2002) RECOMMENDATIONS: The major issue in McDonalds as mentioned earlier is the high rate of attrition. Below are some of the points that would help in retaining the employees. Another problem that is faced by the organisation is a health issue. Ø  Ã‚  Peers Reviews is one of the strongest methods that can be used for employee retention. Ø  Ã‚  Fostering trust and respect and reducing management employee conflicts by regular meetings.(J.A.Carsen, 2002). Ø  Ã‚  Doing timely performance appraisals. Ø  Ã‚  Continuous motivation to be done- by rewarding at achievements. Ø  Ã‚  Recognition given to good work. Ø  Ã‚  Regular meetings to solve any grievances. Ø  Ã‚  Training the employees accurately. Ø  Ã‚  Job rotation should be practiced avidly so as to increase employee knowledge and enrich his experience. Many a times there have been cases were the organisation has been blamed for being responsible for health issues like obesity. Although the organisation makes use of healthy food ingredients there are such speculations. The best way to deal with this is to market the right and more explicit information on their products. This not only allows the customers to have a clear picture but make healthy choices while ordering. They can also get their food certified by authorities in the health and food section. Such an attempt will only help to clarify these false allegations. Last but not the least a customer survey should be done to identify their opinion and bring about changes within the organisation in a manner which is helpful to the company and the customers. Such an effort on the part of the organisation will strengthen their relation with their customers. CONCLUSION: Quality can be defined as anything that has value for the money and energy spent on it. It is not a onetime attempt to set up a good system in action and then never bother about it. Every organisation should maintain its quality standards not for good sale and profit, but must develop quality as a culture within the organisation. This culture of quality has to be passed down into every process within the organisation. It is only then a company will never face failures in achieving its goals  and objectives.   REFRENCES: 1)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Web 1:  http://www.aboutmcdonalds.com/mcd/our_company/mcd_history.html 2)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Web2:  http://www.aboutmcdonalds.com/mcd/csr/about/sustainable_supply.html 3)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Web3:  http://www.aboutmcdonalds.com/mcd/csr/about/nutrition___wellbeing.html 4) J.Bicheno and B.Elliot (1997), Operations Management: an active learning approach, Blackwell Publishers Ltd, UK, p9 5)  Ã‚  B.Mahadevan(2007),Operations Management Theory and Practice,Dorling Kindersley(India) Pvt Ltd, India,p5 6)  Ã‚  C.Vidler(2001),Operations Management, Heinemann Educational Publishers, Oxford. 7)  Ã‚  W.Jedlicka(2009), Packaging Sustainability, John Wiley Sons Inc, USA,p303 8) P.Kotler and N.Lee(2005), Corporate Social Responsibility, John Wiley Sons Inc, USA,p3 9) A.Illy R.Viani(2005), Espresso Coffee: The Science Of Quality( 2nd  edn), Elsevier Academic Press, UK,p2 10)Web4:  http://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en/food/food_quality/see_what_we_are_made_of/your_questions_answered/fresh_produce.html 11)  Ã‚  P.P Philips(2002), Retaining Your Best Employees, American Society For Training and Development,USA,p2 12) J.A.Carsen(2002), HR How to Employee Retention, CCH Knowledge Point, USA. 13) G.K.Kanji and M.Asher(1998), 100 Methods For Total Quality Management,Sage Publication Ltd, London, p1-2

What Christians Believe About The Death Of Jesus :: Papers

What Christians Believe About The Death Of Jesus Different denominations are all united in their belief of the death of Jesus. As a result of Jesus' death on the cross, he redeemed humanity. Through its sinful behaviour the human race had effectively sold itself to Satan, but Jesus had to pay the necessary price to buy it back. Christians believed that when God sent his only son, Jesus Christ to die on the cross, he saved us all from sin and reunited with God. Therefore, Jesus is seen to Christians as a ransom, which was paid in order for the world to be at atonement with God once again. Jesus was sinless, and was God incarnate as well as man, and so his death was able to redeem mankind. We are once again reminded of Jesus' sacrifice in order to be reconciled with God, when he is referred to as the second Adam, as he corrected the fall of mankind (Adam & Eve). Christians also argue that the death of Jesus was inevitable; he had to die, for humanity couldn't be redeemed without him being sacrificed. The bible teaches us this. It teaches us that God is merciful, but he is also just, so our sins have to be paid for. The Crucifix holds symbolism for Roman Catholics as well as Protestants. Roman Catholics see it as a symbol of Jesus death, therefore having a crucifix with Jesus on. Protestants however, see it as a symbol of Jesus' resurrection therefore having a plain crucifix. Jesus if often referred to as 'The lamb of God'. This can be compared with the Old Testament (Exodus) where an innocent lamb would be sacrificed each year at Passover. Jewish people did this, as they believed that by shedding the blood of an innocent lamb and painting it upon their doors, they would be spared by the angel of death. Jesus is like the lamb that is sacrificed in order to spare the Jews lives. An example of this today can be found at mass where the congregation

Glass Menagerie :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Laura and Her Ways   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Laura is a woman who has reached the body of a full adult, but she has yet to gain the brain and thought process of an adult. Laura is a woman that lives in her own dream world, and is not motivated by what is going on in the real world. She is a woman that fails to grow mentally as she does physically.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Laura is very shy around people, especially around strangers or someone she likes such as Jim. Jim is a friend of Laura’s brother who is invited to dinner one night. Laura had a crush on him in high school, but she is still shy around him. When Jim talks to Laura during the night he is at dinner she does not fully respond to Jim’s friendly questions and his gentle talk, rather she replies slowly and does not fully respond. Laura says that â€Å"I know, but I did, and I-â€Å" (608), then Jim has to finish where Laura left off by saying, â€Å"you mean you were shy with people (609).† Laura said that wanted Jim’s autograph in High School because he was in a play called The Pirates of Penzance but didn’t get it because â€Å"you were always surrounded by your own friends so much that I never had a chance.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Laura lives in her dream world all day and feels that what she does is important. Laura responds to Jim questioning about what she has done since High School by saying â€Å"My glass collection takes a good deal of time...(610)† Laura feels as if the glass animals that she has are real, â€Å"he stays on the shelf with some horses...and they all seem to get together (611).†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Laura is very concerned about others opinion about her. The reason that she drops out of High School is that she had a brace and felt that it was very loud and everyone heard it. Jim tells her that he didn’t â€Å"hear any clumping† and Laura responds by saying, â€Å"it sounded like thunder.

Casella wines ? Export success :: essays research papers

1.Identify its international markets   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  US and North America identified o  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Distribution network – 44 states. o  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Size – initially estimated 20-30 thousand cartons to 100 thousand cartons, reality was 20 to 200 thousand. o  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Annual sales $3 million.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  UK o  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Some regional supermarkets hoping to expand to majors.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Mainland Europe o  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Some beginning sales. 2.Describe and analyse the reason for its international expansion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Increase sales/find new markets – domestic market oversupplied   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Minimise competitive risk   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Economies of scale   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Cushioning economic cycle   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Comparative advantage o  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  High cost of labour and land in US. 3.Explaing the influences on this business in the global market Political Tensions between free trade and protection   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Globalisation seeing removal of barriers   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Eg. Quotas, tariffs, subsidies – statistics   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Exports of wine have increased from 3% of sales to 52% of sales in 2002. this equals $2.3 billion dollars or 414 million litres   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  US greatest source of export growth   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Australia’s export policy has led to major reforms in the Australian wine industry   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬ËœRationalisation of wine production’ leading to overall efficiency giving them cost advantages over their competitors and reshaping of distribution lines.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  4th largest wine exported in the world with 5% of global market International organisations and treaties   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1994 Uruguay multilateral agreement (WTO)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Agreement to reduce protection on agricultural products (wines/grapes) by 36% by 2000   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  UK has the largest export market of wine Trade agreements   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  US and Australia have strong trade relations and trade agreements War in the Middle East Weak economic conditions Social Consumer tastes   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Global markets have been increasingly integrated   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Growing demand for mass market, high quality wines and a recognisable brand   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Marketing of wines ‘other benefits’ has increased consumption globally   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Strong economic growth period sees wine viewed as a luxury good, something consumers buy when they feel conditions are good as their incomes are increasing. Also at this particular price range fluctuations do not vary with economic conditions   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Strong market for Australian markets taking off in the US Financial   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Currency fluctuations   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Weak Australian dollar has helped making Yellow Tail a better taste at $7 and a lower price than its Californian counterparts which are hobbled by high cost of land and labour   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Currency fluctuations would have to get way about 70 cents for Casella to be unprofitable without a price change Legal   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  None mentioned 4.Explain the strategies used by the business to achieve its target markets

Mergers and Acquisitions: American Airlines Merges With Rival US Airways Essay

Successful corporations in business are always seeking different ways to improve their position in their respective areas of operation. Mergers and acquisitions have been proven to be a way to do just that. A merger is simply defined as two companies joining to make a new company, whereas an acquisition occurs when one company outright purchases another company. Mergers and Acquisitions are considered as the important growth strategy for companies to satisfy the increasing demands of various stakeholders (Krishnamurti and Vishwanath, 2010). Why Merge? AMR Corporation, the parent company of American Airlines, announced plans to merge with US Airways Group in February, 2013. This came after the corporation had previously filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in November 2011. (Isidore, Chris) The resulting merger created the largest airliner in the world. The companies officially formed the new American Airlines Group Inc. on December 9, 2013. (Air Transport World, Jan 2014) Doug Parker, previously the CEO of US Airways, and now CEO of the new American, stated: â€Å"We are taking the best of both US Airways and American Airlines to create a formidable competitor, better positioned to deliver for all of our stake holders. We look forward to integrating our companies quickly and efficiently so the significant benefits of the merger can be realized.† (Air Transport World, Jan 2014) That statement proves that the merger was formed for two reasons: money, and power. Both companies were losing in the passenger air transportation field to other companies that had recently merged. Merging would allow both companies to expand their resources and add routes and terminals together that were previously reserved to each individually prior to the combination. US Airways brings  access to smaller US cities, whereas American Airlines has a large presence internationally, particularly London and Latin America (What the American Airlines/US Airways Merger Will Mean for You, 2013). American Airlines showed the want and need for money after it almost collapsed in bankruptcy. The merger of the two corporations was an example of a horizontal integration. This is defined by Investopedia.com as a merger or acquisition of additional business activities on the same level of the value chain in similar or different industries, and can be achieved by internal or external expansion. The airline industry has changed drastically over the past decade with mergers of almost every major airline: Delta & Northwest; United & Continental; and Southwest & AirTran. These mergers created a new landscape in which the tables were tilted against both US Airways and American Airlines. It was a necessity that the two join forces in order to stay be competitive and stay afloat against the other recently formed mega-airlines. Those mergers also created an opportunity for revenue growth in the ticket pricing arena. The price of a domestic round-trip ticket prices has climbed nearly 15% since 2009 due to inflation. The merger will give American and US Airways the ability to increase fares with the addition of both companies pre-existing routes and terminals. What were the significant effects of the merger? In order to be a success, a merger must provide all parties involved some significant increase in benefit. This merger is not exempt from that statement. Dailyfinance.com (2013) states that a key reason for the merger between American and US Airways is to link both airlines’ networks, creating a system on par with Delta Air Lines and United. The combination of the two results in more than 6,700 daily flights to 336 destinations in 56 countries. This network will allow passengers to fly around the world without the need to make the often exhausting connections that they were subjected to pre-merger. The merger also created an instant increase in stock prices. Shares of the combined company rose 2.7%. This in itself is a good start for a company in the post-bankruptcy period. The restructuring and merging will repay AMR’s creditors with interest and give its unions and common holders a large share of equity in the new company. (Susan Carey & Jack Nicas, 2013) Resulting Organizational Structure of the Post-Merger  Company By combining two previously fully operational companies, the organizational structure will be more complex, at the least, than it was before. As a result of the merger, American Airlines Group, Inc. now has combined workforce of 110,000 people along-side a fleet of 1,511 aircraft (Bohemer, 2013). Organizing such a large workforce creates a challenge that requires a leader capable of handling that task. The company is now lead by Chief Executive Officer W. Douglas Parker, the former CEO and chairman of US Airways. Parker has proven leadership ability, presiding over the merger of US Airways and America West Airlines in 2005. He also oversaw the company during a time of record revenue growth and increased profit margins. Outgoing CEO Tom Horton was in that position from 2011 through 2013, leading the company through the merger before handing the reins over to Parker. Parker appears to have an edge on leading and team building, having going through an airline merger previously. His ability to increase profit and company wealth makes him the obvious choice to lead the new corporation. Although the merger has become final, the two companies will still operate as separate entities for the foreseeable future. This will allow the companies more time to put together the large structure and make proper decisions to ensure for smooth operations in the future. They benefit from not being the first airlines of their sizes to make this transition, as the mergers of Delta and Northwest and United and Continental have sort of created a path of what needs to be done in order to be a successful merger. The structure combined employees from both airlines, which builds unity and shows that the company is committed to moving forward together, not just to come in and take over. This is a good technique that more companies should adopt. Along with the physical structure change of the new American Airlines Group, there will also be changes that affect the consumers. Frequent Flyer miles will be able to be used interchangeably with either American Airlines or US Airways flights. Customers will be allowed to accrue mileage from either airlines. AA.com (n.d.) lists several benefits that AAdvantage members will be afforded with US Airlines, and vice versa. There are also gate changes that affect customers and employees, as seen with the closing of US Airways Pittsburgh Terminal. In an interview with the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, Spokesman Todd Lehmacher said â€Å"US Airways says most of the 600 employees at the Pittsburgh center will be given the option to  relocate to Texas, though it acknowledged it doesn’t expect all of them to do so. Those who chose not to go will be given a severance package.†(Mutzabaugh, 2014) Having lived in the Pittsburgh area for years, actually within a few miles of the airport, I know that the pullback will greatly affect the local economy. Human Resources Management Practices Anytime you combine two separate companies into one, there will be differences to iron out. Corporate culture will undoubtedly be one of the many Human resource challenges that the merger will have to overcome. Organizational cultural differences have been negatively associated with various accounting measures and stock market value following domestic M&As. (Webber & Drori, 2011) Being that the companies have similar duties and responsibilities, it should not be too difficult to work through these issues. There may be past practices at each company that will have to be adjusted in order to make the transition smooth. Merging also presented the opportunity to increase employee pay and benefits packages, which would be in line with the other large airlines. With the expected increased revenue, there would be more funds to share amongst the employees and shareholders. In behind the scenes meetings, Parker secretly negotiated deals with American’s three main unions, creating †Å"provisional contracts† that would give American’s workers far better pay and work rules. (Tully, 2013) These negotiations gave the union’s reason to buy into and promote the merger. Conclusion While the merger between these two airline giants did not go without hiccup, they were in a better position to make the transition due to a need to by American Airlines and a want to by US Airways. American appears to be the winner of the merger by coming out of bankruptcy, maintaining their company, and expanding their routes and terminals. The merger was finalized on December 9, 2013 References Krishnamurti, C., & Vishwanath, S. R. (2010). Mergers, Acquisitions, and Corporate Restructuring. South Asian Journal of Management, 17(2), 169-171. American Airlines, US Airways close merger to create world’s largest airline. (2014). Air Transport World, 51(1), 8. Boehmer, J. (2013). Merger Planning Underway As American, US Airways Embark On Long Journey. Business Travel News, 30(7), 28. What the American Airlines/US Airways Merger Will Mean For You. (2013, November 12). Daily Finance. Retrieved from http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/12/12/us-airways-american-airlines-merger-consumer-impact American Airlines, US Airways Complete Merger (2013.). The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved from http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/ W. Douglas Parker. (n.d.). US Airways. Retrieved from http://www.usairways.com/EN-US/ABOUTUS/PRESSROOM/BIOS/PARKER.HTML Weber, Y., & Drori, I. (2011). Integrating Organizational and Human Behavior Perspectives on Mergers and Acquisitions. International Studies of Management & Organization, 41(3), 76-95. Tully, S. (2013, March 18). Inside the World’s Biggest Airline Merger. Fortune, 167, 169.

A Tale of Two Cities Humor Essay

brain in A Tale of devil CitiesThis novel is fill up with humor only if one dead reckoning that catches attention as humorous is in Chapter one of the blink of an eye Book, Jerry Cruncher is the most crotchety character in the book and in this smashicular guesswork he yells at his married woman for praying against her. This is anomalous because it is so ridiculous especially the instruction monster depicts it. Mr.Cruncher wa kes up to perplex his wife praying and yells twice that she is at it agin (Dickens 56), so he continues to stroke a pulpy eruption at her.Mrs.Cruncher only responds subsequently he addresses her again, she explains that she was not praying against him moreover for him. This full diorama is abruptly ridiculous because she was just be a peaceful wife but her hubby assumes she is praying for him to be unsuccessful. He has no express to back up his kick insofar continues to believe it. This fit in any case queer terrible sexism on the part of Jerry Cruncher.Humor in A Tale of Two CitiesThis novel is alter with humor but one place setting that catches attention as humorous is in Chapter one of the Second Book, Jerry Cruncher is the most uncommon character in the book and in this particular scene he yells at his wife for praying against her. This is comical because it is so absurd especially the way Dickens depicts it. Mr.Cruncher wa kes up to find his wife praying and yells twice that she is at it agin (Dickens 56), so he continues to throw a muddy boot at her. Mrs.Cruncher only responds after he addresses her again, she explains that she was not praying against him but for him.This entire scene is utterly ridiculous because she was just being a peaceful wife but her husband assumes she is praying for him to be unsuccessful. He has no evidence to back up his accusation yet continues to believe it. This scene also display terrible sexism on the part of Jerry Cruncher.Humor in A Tale of Two CitiesThis novel is fi lled with humor but one scene that catches attention as humorous is in Chapter one of the Second Book, Jerry Cruncher is the most comical character in the book and in this particular scene he yells at hiswife for praying against her. This is comical because it is so absurd especially the way Dickens depicts it. Mr.Cruncher wa kes up to find his wife praying and yells twice that she is at it agin (Dickens 56), so he continues to throw a muddy boot at her. Mrs.Cruncher only responds after he addresses her again, she explains that she was not praying against him but for him. This entire scene is utterly ridiculous because she was just being a peaceful wife but her husband assumes she is praying for him to be unsuccessful. He has no evidence to back up his accusation yet continues to believe it. This scene also display terrible sexism on the part of Jerry Cruncher.