Enabling a Remote Workforce. Essay Example for Free

Enabling a Remote Workforce. Essay Productivity Are employees who telecommute more productive than their traditional office colleagues? 1 Savings What types of savings from a telecommuting program should employers expect? 2 Planning What kind of planning does an organization need to do to properly implement a successful telecommuting program? 2 Eligibility How do managers determine the eligibility of employees for telecommuting? 3 Social Interaction What types of social limitations do remote workers experience? 3 Communication Limitations Are organizations disadvantaged due to communication limitations with remote workers? 4 Management How do managers successfully manage and support remote workers? 5 Technical Issues 5 Network What are the security, bandwidth, and infrastructure implications for the company network to support remote access? 5 Hardware/Software Needs What are the hardware, home infrastructure, and software licensing needs for the remote user? 6 Telecommuting Variations What are alternative solutions or variations for telecommuting programs? 7 Connectivity What are the tools and considerations to accommodate remote network access? 8 Communication How do you allow your employees to communicate electronically and verbally from home? 9 Collaboration What are the tools that foster communication? 9 IT Support What are the options and challenges to providing remote employees with technical support? 10 Cost How much does deploying a remote workforce cost? 10 Conclusion 11 Introduction There are a number of good reasons why companies should consider supporting a remote worker program including an expanded labor pool, reduced traffic congestion costs (late arriving/stressed out employees), improved recruitment and retention of staff, facility cost savings, reduced parking costs, reduced sick leave and improved worker productivity. Conversely, there are some disadvantages that companies should also be aware of including an isolated work force, family turf problems, lack of social interaction with other employees and the fear by remote workers that they will be overlooked for promotions. Companies obviously have a lot to factor in deciding whether or not to implement a telecommuting program. Thus, the goal of this paper is to provide consideration points to many of the common questions facing such companies. The questions and discussion herein are divided into two primary categories: technical and organizational. They are intended to provide more generalized information that decision makers can use to enhance their understanding of telecommuting issues. Organizational Issues Productivity Are employees who telecommute more productive than their traditional office colleagues? In general, remote workers appear to be more productive than traditional office workers. In an October 1995 survey of Fortune 1000 managers, 58% reported increased productivity by employees who telecommuted. Also, according to the State of Californias Telecommuting Pilot Program, companies that implemented a remote work force experienced productivity increases ranging from 10 30%. Further, telecommuters working for American Express produced 43% more business than their office-based counterparts1. Clearly the case can be made that remote workers are indeed more productive. The primary explanation for improved productivity is a quieter work environment, which offers fewer interruptions. Certainly the remote worker also faces interruptions in their daily work, such as family business, neighbors, chores, television, etc. However these interruptions are generally much fewer than those experienced by the traditional office worker. Savings What types of savings from a telecommuting program should employers expect? The biggest savings for companies result from reduced absenteeism costs and reduced real estate costs. Oftentimes when employees need to take care of personal business such as doctor visits, car repair, tending to children, etc. they call in sick for the entire day. However, remote workers can take care of personal business and still accomplish some or most of their work tasks from home. The International Telework Association Council estimates that employees who telecommute can save their employers $10,000 each in reduced absenteeism costs2. According to PC World, telework can cut corporate real estate costs from 25 to 90%, which can result in substantial savings for employers. In fact, ATT saves $25 million per year from employees who are full-time telecommuters3. Many companies who have implemented a successful telecommuting program have instituted hoteling systems in their offices. A hotel is essentially an empty cubicle that is set up with a phone, network connections and basic office supplies that any employee can use, often by making a reservation with an office administrator. Hoteling offers telecommuting employees a place to work in the office when necessary without employers having to provide them with a full-time workspace. Planning What kind of planning does an organization need to do to properly implement a successful telecommuting program? Without doubt one of the most important keys to implementing a successful telecommuting program is proper planning. And since every organization has their unique differences (i.e. size, industry, complexity, culture, locale), there is no single formula for such planning. However, successful telecommuting programs should address the following at a minimum: * Perform an initial assessment * Consider organizational strategy and culture * Consider the role of management * Consider the need for staff input * Determine which staff tasks are most amenable to telecommuting * Consider regulatory compliance and legal issues * Determine technology needs * Prepare a cost-benefit analysis and/or ROI analysis4 Eligibility How do managers determine the eligibility of employees for telecommuting? According to Langhoff, tasks that are most appropriate for telecommuting are jobs where a person works alone, handling information such as reports, proposals, data or research. Writers, salespersons, accountants, programmers, graphic artists, researchers, engineers, architects, public relations professionals all are prime candidates for telecommuting5. In determining eligibility for telecommuting, managers should first consider whether the employees tasks can be performed remotely. Second, an examination of the individuals level of performance should be made (i.e. are they hard working and self-motivated or do they need constant supervision and coaching?). Of course it can be tricky selecting who can and cannot telecommute; therefore companies should be aware of the potential legal implications stemming from employees who wished to work remotely but were turned down. Social Interaction What types of social limitations do remote workers experience? Too often companies only view telecommuting as providing benefits to them and to their employees; however, there remains potential downsides. One potential downside is the lack of social interaction between employees. Employees who work at an office setting spend a considerable amount of their day interacting with other employees. These water-cooler discussions foster a camaraderie that translates into value for companies when the same employees work on projects together or are in need of support from each other. Also, the camaraderie indirectly benefits the company when management is trying to achieve buy-in on various initiatives. Lastly, having close relationships allow employees to maintain a healthy mental balance at work resulting in an overall higher level of morale. Once telecommuting is introduced into the mixed, some or all of those relationships are lost. Analysis of past telecommuting research shows that the most cited problem associated with negative impacts of telecommuting is the feeling of isolation and loss of morale6. Although isolation feelings and loss of morale (and the resulting decrease in a companys value) are difficult metrics to measure, some workable solutions have been devised to combat these negative issues. Other solutions have included limiting telecommuting days and making sure to include telecommuting employees in company events7. Communication Limitations Are organizations disadvantaged due to communication limitations with remote workers? The office environment offers some benefits that telecommuting cannot provide. Most important amongst these benefits is the companys ability to communicate to its employees. Most offices display signs of the companys direct communication whether it is embodied in mission statements, annual goal and targets, or newsletters. Indirectly, the company communicates with corporate color schemes, promotion company clothing, and other branding material such as coffee mugs. All of these communications are omnipresent throughout the corporate office setting and help to build company pride, employee loyalty, and a sense of corporate culture. Employees who tend to work remotely are only exposed slightly to this communication through email, conference calls, and other mailed material. This lack of corporate communication may lead to low motivation, lack of identification with the company, and reduced company loyalty8. The solution to the communication challenge is to ensure that corporate communication includes channels to the remote worker. In fact, companies should recognize that off-site employees need more direct and indirect communication such that employees do not develop those negative feelings. Also, companies should make a concerted effort to limit telecommuting days and to include all telecommuting employees in company events9. Management How do managers successfully manage and support remote workers? Another challenge with telecommuting employees revolves around their direct management. Not only do managers find it much more difficult to monitor the productivity and effectiveness of their telecommuting employee, but they are also challenged by having to change their management style to incorporate the limitations brought about by telecommuting10. Managers who have telecommuting employees are also faced with more potential issues such as family conflicts arising from their employee working from home. These conflicts cross the boundary of work and personal life, and almost always negatively impact productivity. Lastly, it is the role of managers to provide organizational support to the telecommuting employee. With the employee being off-site, the manager is usually limited to email and telephone to support his employee. This limitation further restricts a managers effectiveness and typically utilizes more of a managers time in sorting out support logistic11. Solutions to the managers challenge involve setting up a detailed action plan between manager and telecommuting employee. This action plan should be supplemented with an active communication plan12. Once expectations for both parties are clearly outlined in the action plan, both parties can then communicate progress or support needs more efficiently. Moreover, managers can adapt their management styles to telecommuting employees by setting results-based milestones and orienting tasks into projects such that managers still retain control of certain processes13. Technical Issues Network What are the security, bandwidth, and infrastructure implications for the company network to support remote access? Before considering the strategy to deploying remote access for a company, a survey should be done of the existing network and current remote access configurations. Once a complete analysis of the current configuration and future needs are assessed, then the following issues need to be included in your strategy of preparing and deploying the company network for a remote force: security, bandwidth, and infrastructure.14 Table N1 3 Areas of Security15 Internal Network Usually the most secure of the three, but still should be reviewed for any fallacies. External Network Must secure the PC in the remote location (i.e. firewalls, RSA encryption, etc) to prevent unauthorized access and snooping from the remote location. Remote Worker Least secure, must require security policies to be followed about passwords, where to connect, and who to trust. With more remote workers, there will be an increased demand of bandwidth on the network. Will the remote employees be productive with the current infrastructure that your network can provide? Perhaps considerations for upgrading from16: From To Dial-up (56K) ISDN (128K-256K) ISDN (128K-256K) T1 (up to 1.5M) T1 (up to1.5M) T3 (44.736 Mbps) With the increase demand more infrastructure will be required for allowing an increasing number of remote workers to connect to the corporate network (more servers, security hardware, and routing hardware). Hardware/Software Needs What are the hardware, home infrastructure, and software licensing needs for the remote user? For the employees who travel often, they are usually provided some mobile computing solutions and they have found ways to work from remote locations. However the new generation of employees, the remote worker will work from the comfort of their home. Working from home brings a new set of issues in to play. HARDWARE * Can the employee keep work and personal items separated? * If not, should the company provide additional hardware? * If the company does NOT provide additional hardware, then how much of the employees hardware can be expensed if upgrades are necessary? * The employee may need/require a fax machine, an additional phone line, or other office equipment. SOFTWARE * Software licensing has be clear-cut as far as how many computers can use the same license, however what about home workers? * The companys site licensing may not cover home computers and will require the company to pay extra for these licenses. INFRASTRUCTURE * For someone at home who has a DSL, Cable, or Dial-Up connecting, how much of that should the company pay for? * Support, Support, Support. Who will provide the maintenance and support? * Is the home PC secure? If not, who will provide the hardware/software in order to secure it? Also consider how much of the companys data should be on the personal machine. What happens if the home PC is hacked? Telecommuting Variations What are alternative solutions or variations for telecommuting programs? Outlined in this paper is the most common setup for a company to develop telecommuting options for their employees. However most of these configurations allow the employee to use limited resources over the Internet (access to shared folders, documents and e-mail). Depending on the size, the costs of setting up an infrastructure for telecommuting workforce could be unaffordable. The following are other options available to companies who wish to have a telecommuting workforce. Citrix Remember or heard about the mainframe days? Well, history tends to repeat itself. As more PCs were becoming powerful, we moved away from the mainframe days. However with the Internet, the paradigm of sharing resources has returned and now software applications and operating systems have the enhanced ability to handle more than one user concurrently. Citrix17 allows concurrent remote users access to a single server that will give a separate session for each user. Each user will have access to the same set applications on one machine. This solves the software licensing issues of working from a remote location as well as reduces amount of maintenance of hardware/software for the IT department. Satellite Offices Companies are opening satellite offices to reduce commute times for employees and help alleviate city traffic and parking congestion problems. This will result in reduced land costs since these centers are away from the city where the cost of living is lower.18 Telework centers are similar to a satellite office, but operate by independent parties. Unlike satellite offices, numerous employees use them. Think of these options as outsourcing building/infrastructure issues. Connectivity What are the tools and considerations to accommodate remote network access? In todays information environment, connectivity has become essential for a significant portion of the workplace. Access to email, network resources, server applications, and the Internet is a continual activity for the white-collar professional. At a minimum, companies would be well served to support webmail. In much the same vein as portal email (Hotmail, Yahoo), mail is maintained on the company server. This server is then linked to a website, and employees can gain secure access to the company server via any browser. Once logged in, an individual has the full functionality of their account to compose, receive, store, and delete email without explicitly needing to connect to the company network. However, there will be a resulting lack of security employees need to be encouraged to create and regularly modify complex passwords, and to close public web sessions. That said, the security risk is only to an individual email account; not the company network as a whole. A second logical step for an IT department is to enable Virtual Private Networking (VPN). This will allow employees to connect their remote machines to the company network after establishing an Internet connection through an ISP. This machine then behaves just as a networked office-located computer. For users maintaining both an office and remote computer, this solution requires any desktop applications be maintained on both systems. To avoid this duality, many users will first establish a VPN connection and then emulate their office computer with built-in Windows 2000 and Windows XP remote desktop tools or 3rd party tools such as VNC19. In essence, the remote machine then acts as a terminal or monitor to the office computer, and the user can run the applications found on that machine without any needs for secondary software. The downside to this solution is that emulation is only as good as the connection speed. Communication How do you allow your employees to communicate electronically and verbally from home? Todays telephone solutions for the telecommuter generally consist of providing an office phone with call-forwarding features to an employees business cell phone an often times reimbursed expense. This avoids some of the problems associated with using a home line for a combination of business, personal, and dial-up use. The office system simplifies contacting an individual (Simply dial an extension and press 7 to connect to the forwarded line rather than maintaining a constantly changing set of employee contact information). A home line alternative is a distinctive ring system multiple phone numbers (home, office, fax) use a single line with each producing a unique ring that can be directed to an appropriate voice mail box or machine (PC, fax). A second alternative consists of an off-premise-extension (OPX) or foreign exchange (FX) system. While more expensive, these systems truly mimic the office with a separate home line that is identical to an office extension20. Electronic mail is a requirement for most remote users. IT departments can help support employees using multiple computers to access their email by allowing mail to be retained on the company server rather than downloaded to the individual PC. (As an unrelated benefit, this provides much greater redundancy in the event of a computer hard drive crash). Please see the discussion on web mail for more on remote e-mail use. A less intrusive substitute to phone conversations is instant messaging. While this has potential for both misuse and unproductive use (where conversation is more efficient), this is often times an ideal mechanism for sharing small tidbits of information and is especially valuable for troubleshooting. A more extensive tool would be the newsgroup in combination with a company intranet. Here, employees can develop an extensive knowledge base of processes, questions and answers. Collaboration What are the tools that foster communication? At the lowest end of the technology spectrum, there is the traditional conference call a virtual audio meeting with many parties. In an effort to fight the inherent isolationism of remote workers, the videoconference personalizes the conference call as participants better identify with the visual image than the audio. To implement, however, youll need additional webcam hardware, videoconferencing software and a fast Internet connection. Chat rooms (a variation on the aforementioned instant messaging) are suitable for short discussions or as supplements to a meeting (agenda, minutes, links, data, follow-ups) Web conferencing often includes both videoconferencing and chat room features, but distinguishes itself in that it allows a moderator to emulate his/her desktop to the attendees. Among the forefront of the software leaders in this area is WebEx21. IT Support What are the options and challenges to providing remote employees with technical support? One of the drawbacks to working remotely is the absence of immediate technical support for both trivial and complex hardware and software issues. Given that troubleshooting is often a hands-on activity, solving problems for telecommuters is likely to be frustrating and time-consuming. However IT managers can take a number of steps to reduce downtime. * Standardize the equipment and installation. The more alike your users systems are, the better positioned you will be to reproduce and diagnose problems. * Maintain an inventory of back-up equipment in the same way that a car repair shop offers loaner cars. * Set up remote users so their desktops can be emulated by technical support in this way an IT department can provide step by step demonstrations to fix problems * Maintain an easily accessible FAQ and update it with each new problem and solution Managers may also want to consider outsourcing their technical support requirements. Companies like Voyus22 provide 24 hour help desk support and web-based support applications. Cost How much does deploying a remote workforce cost? The decision that the companies face is how much ownership the company will take for each of the types of telecommuters. For an occasional telecommuter, the employee will more than likely take on the costs. For a heavy telecommuter, the company will probably need to cover the costs to the employee. Telecommuter Type Frequency Implementation Costs Involved Occasional Infrequently Dial-up, Web-based applications Regular Scheduled intervals Remote Connection, 3rd Party Software, Laptop, Firewall, Router. Heavy Frequently to Full Time Provide second computer, VPN connection, ISP costs, other office equipment, maintenance. It is not the technology costs that make or break the telecommuting decision, but its the organizational issues that should benefit the company if deployed properly. Conclusion Telecommuting seems to be the answer to the increased workload versus work/personal life balance issue that many companies are seeking. While there exist many challenges towards implementing a successful telecommuting plan, there also seem to be many practical solutions. The real issue seems to stem from whether a company will change its processes and standards to allow for telecommuting to co-exist with office employees. Such a decision, as this paper has outlined, is not as simple as providing remote employees with an internet connection. Rather, the decision has significant technical and organizational ramifications that need to be well thought out before implementation; otherwise, the company is doomed to make the mistakes of many companies that have haphazardly gone down this path. 1 http://www.langhoff.com/faqs.html 2 http://www.youcanworkfromanywhere.com/infocenter/facts.htm 3 http://www.youcanworkfromanywhere.com/infocenter/facts.htm 4 http://www.tfw.org.uk/teleworking/contents.htm 5 http://www.langhoff.com/faqs.html 6 Pinsonneault, A. (1999). The Impacts of Telecommuting on Organizations and Individuals: A Review of the Literature, Cahier du GreSI, 99(9). 7 Guimaraes, T., and Dallow, P. (1999). Empiracally Testing the Benefits, Problems, and Success Factors for Telecommuting Programs, European Journal of Information Systems, 8, 40-54. 8 Davenport, T.H. and Pearlson, K. (1998). Two Cheers for the Virtual Office, Sloan Management Review, 39(4), 51-65. 9 Guimaraes, T., and Dallow, P. (1999). Empiracally Testing the Benefits, Problems, and Success Factors for Telecommuting Programs, European Journal of Information Systems, 8, 40-54. 10 Kirvan, P. (1995). How to Manage Systems for Remote Workers, Communications News, 33, 67. 11 Kirvan, P. (1995). How to Manage Systems for Remote Workers, Communications News, 33, 67. 12 Guimaraes, T., and Dallow, P. (1999). Empiracally Testing the Benefits, Problems, and Success Factors for Telecommuting Programs, European Journal of Information Systems, 8, 40-54. 13 Davenport, T.H. and Pearlson, K. (1998). Two Cheers for the Virtual Office, Sloan Management Review, 39(4), 51-65. 14 Ascend Communications, 2002, Telecommuting Network Guide: A Resource for Planners, Excutives, and Information Managers, http://users.skynet.be/teletravail/PDF/solut_technique.pdf 15 Jessica L. Hirsch, 2000, Telecommuting: Security Policies and Procedures for the Work-From-Home Workforce, http://www.teleworker.org/articles/telework_security.html 16 Bandwidth Savings, 2003, Services In Detailed, http://www.bandwidthsavings.net/servicesdetail.cfm 17 Citrix.com, 2003, Home Page, http://www.citrix.com 18 Hall, Aric, Bilski, Alicia, Wadman, Scott, 2003, Ways People Telecommute, http://members.tripod.com/~trom/page3.html 19 http://www.uk.research.att.com/vnc 20 Wrobel, Leo A., February 1997, Helpful Hints for MIS Managers Supporting Telecommuters and Nomadic Users -Part I: Voice Communications, http://www.rewireit.com/articles/w0297.pdf 21 http://www.webx.com 22 http://www.pcsupport.com/

Impact of Imperialism on India

Impact of Imperialism on India Throughout history, many nations have implemented imperialism to enforce their will over others for money, protection and civilization. India was no exception. Since its discovery, Europeans were trying get a piece of Indias action. In many cases England was the imperial, or mother country. Since India was put under imperialism, a great deal of things changed, some for the good, mostly though for the bad. Between 1640 and 1949, India was ruled by two periods of imperialism, both of which effected India in a very profound and permanent manner. The first period of European control was between 1740 and 1858. During this period the British East India Company controlled the Indian sub-continent under the guise of economic imperialism, when in fact the manipulation of Indian affairs was much more political than let on. When it was founded in 1600 by Queen Elizabeth I, the East India Companys main purpose was to break into the Indonesian spice trade which was dominated by the Dutch. But after colonizing a post a Madras in 1640, the company was re-chartered to include such rights as coining money and act as government to British subjects at the East India Companys posts. As well, the British government also gave the company the right to make was or peaceful arrangements with powers who were non-Christian. This control expanded with the founding of a port at Bombay in 1668, and the founding of Calcutta in 1690. Then in 1756, a young employee named Robert Clive, who had been named lieutenant-governor in 1755, was sent to take back Calcutta from the Bengal nawab. He accomplished this in January of 1757. Then later that year, Clive lead a group of 950 European and 2,000 Indian soldiers(sepoys) against a group of 50,000 Indians lead by a degenerate nawab at Plassey. The victory of the English forces over the local resistance brought Bengal under the effective political control of the East India Company. Although a puppet nawab was left in control of the area, Clive was granted the right to extract land revenue from most of eastern India. Throughout this whole period, the company slowly found its privileges being revoked, until in 1858, the Sepoy Rebellion, or the Indian Revolution, finally brought an end to the rule of the East India Company in India when it was revealed the cause of the rebellion was the use of beef and pork fat to grease rifle cartridges, which are taboo to the Muslims and Hindus. This Revolution brought the rule of the East India Company to an end. The second period of English imperialism started in August of 1858 when the British monarchy assumed direct control of India from the East India Company. This established a full colonial government, where British officials run the countrys affairs, in India. This is known as colonial imperialism. This period was one of major change in Indian life and culture. While the East India Company tried respect local customs and learn local languages, the colonial government tried to impose British culture on India. . . encouraged the Indian people to abandon their traditions and learn to speak, dress and live like Europeans. This came to a head in 1877, when Queen Victoria was recognized as the Empress of India. The colonial government felt it was their duty to civilize the people of India, feeling I am a little bit better than you, therefore my presence is necessary. This all began to end in 1885 with the formation of the Indian National Congress, made up of middle-class Indians who were kno wn as the congress. This congress campaigned for free education for both sexes, more Indian representation in government, and other reforms. But then in the early 1900s, nationalists began to reject British rule and petition for its end in India by boycotting British goods and publishing books which restored peoples pride in Indias ancient heritage. The nationalist leader, Mohandas Gandhi, is perhaps best known for his method of passive resistance to help the struggle of India. Then finally in 1949, the partitioning of the British controlled lands into the independent countries of Pakistan and India brought an end to English rule in the Indian subcontinent. Throughout the rule of the British in India, the effect of the colonial and economic imperialism impacted the sub-continent in the form of many economic and social changes. On the economic side, many Indian goods were sold overseas by the East India Company, but the government of England saw India as a large base for British goods, as well as a source of raw materials. This lead to British officials discouraging Indian industry, as well as encouraging the production of export crops rather than food crops. In this way cotton was produced in India, processed in England, and thin sold back to the Indians. This change in food supplies killed millions of Indians from famine in the 1800s. Then when the British government took direct control, the construction of railways, canals, and roads, especially the opening of the Suez canal in 1869 opened the interior of India for trade throughout Europe and Asia. With the construction of the telegraph lines in India, exports from India jumped tremen dously. However, all of the profit went to the colonialists, plunging most Indians into poverty. The social changes included the introduction of health care and hospitals, which, while curing diseases and improving the general health of Indians, created such a tremendous population explosion that famine resulted in some regions. As well, the creation of British educated professionals and business people created a new upper-class in India changing the rule of class in India forever. All of these changes, while under the guise of helping the natives, only served to help the colonists and leave the Indians feeling inferior, as though Indians are only hewers of wood, and drawers of water All of these changes in Indian culture and economy forever changed the destiny of the Land of India. While many changes may have been good in retrospect, they were only meant to help the colonizing British. Overall, the colonization of India had nothing but a negative effect on its people and culture. Perhaps one day people will realize that imposing one culture on another is not only wrong, but it is destructive to the natural course of a countrys history.

WWF as a Business Essay -- WWF Wrestling Entertainment Essays

WWF as a Business Since 1890, professional wrestling has garnered the attention of the public. However, no one has capitalized on this sport’s entertainment value more than the World Wrestling Federation and Vince McMahon Jr. Vince McMahon Jr. acquired the WWF from his father Vice McMahon Sr. in 1982. Vince McMahon Jr.’s succession brought along freshness, flare, success, and much controversy to the world of professional wrestling. Before McMahon’s takeover of his father’s company, professional wrestling had various territories across the country in which each was headed by a â€Å"little lord.† These people in charge followed a gentleman’s agreement in which no takeovers of different territories were allowed. McMahon, however, broke this mold and took over all the markets by signing wrestlers to lucrative contracts, creating a â€Å"rock show† type of venue, and occupying prime television slots. The WWF began to enjoy much success as it took advantage of the cable network USA Network and delved into pay-per-view events. This period of time for the WWF was somewhat monopolistic because of a lack of competition in the industry. After a failing attempt to buy some of the WWF’s stock, Ted Turner, owner of the TBS Network, sought to get into the wrestling business for himself. Ted Turner created the World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and brought direct competition to the WWF. The WCW challenged the WWF’s success in every way, including its Monday night showcase and its use of headlining characters. Competition amongst the two wrestling corporations was brought to a head with a fight over WWF superstar, Bret â€Å"The Hitman† Hart. Pressing Issues The WWF is in a constant battle against time and the audience’s ever-changing wants and desires causing consistent reinvention. During early years of wrestling it was clear wrestling had no identity. Wrestlers would travel from region to region fighting in promoted venues, the sport slowly began to gain popularity but quickly lost steam during the Radio and TV age where popularity shifted to sports like boxing, baseball, and football. During this time Vince McMahon Sr. would begin the first of many reinventions of the sport. Changes included starting a full scale wrestling federation (WWF) and the inception of a championship which wrestlers would compete for. Along with having to always change the image ... ...Recommended Response In order to maintain a competitive advantage, McMahon must come up with new, innovative ideas to make his wrestlers famous. McMahon has a reputation of consistently changing characters from good to evil and vice versa. By doing so, McMahon is confusing his WWF audience, whom are flocking to the WCW and their favorite characters. The WCW’s tactic of utilizing old WWF characters in their wrestling matches is overshadowing the tactics of McMahon. Creating new characters and maintaining their images will generate a new audience to the WWF. To effectively compete with the WCW, McMahon and the WWF should consider investing in a broadcasting network of their own. By doing this, the WWF will be able to expand their media coverage and compete with Turner, who already owns his own network. Another way to compete with the WCW is to refrain from using controversial issues in the wrestling matches. Conveying controversial views limits the audience that is usually generated by the WWF. As a last alternative, the WWF should consider merging with the WCW. Through merging, McMahon will be able to keep his pride and not risk completely loosing the family business.

A Case of Murder by Vernon Scannel is a poem which deals with a very Es

A Case of Murder by Vernon Scannel is a poem which deals with a very unusual topic; the murder of a cat by a nine year old boy. The poet brings the poem alive by using different writing techniques e.g. line lengths. â€Å"A Case of murder† by Vernon Scannel Critical response to literature by Gregor Baird â€Å"A Case of Murder† by â€Å"Vernon Scannel† is a poem which deals with a very unusual topic; the murder of a cat by a nine year old boy. The poet brings the poem alive by using different writing techniques e.g. line lengths, no rhyme or pattern this holds my attention more and stops the rhyme merge into one tone. He also uses writing techniques such as Repetition, Figurative language, structure & rhyme. In the poem the boy has been left with a cat in a basement flat and the cat is just sitting buzzing away. This really annoys the boy and the hatred that has gathered up in the boy. This results in the boy hitting the cat then prodding the cat then crushing the cat in between the door. In result to this the boy cries and decides to get a shovel from the cupboard under the stairs and he shovels the cat into the cupboard under the stairs. Although the cat is dead he thinks the cat is growing in the cupboard and the cupboard is going to split. The boy in the poem is very annoyed about the cat â€Å"He hated that cat; he watched it sit a buzzing machine of soft black stuff† because the cat gets all the attention and he is left out, therefore the boy is jealous of the cat. From the poem it tells us that the boy is insecure with his parents â€Å"He was only nine, not old enough to be left alone in a basement flat† because they left a nine-year-old alone with a cat in a basement flat with no one. This also tells us that h... ...re isn’t something the poet wants to commit to in this poem. It doesn’t have an order of regular size in each stanza a variety of length of lines. Unclear pattern allows us to see the change in the boy’s emotions. The theme of this poem is all to do with guilt, which has been mentioned in the essay. Hate is the main emotion between boy and cat, conscience a thing, which the boy does have, power that has been swapped from cat to boy and anger which has built up in the boy. In conclusion to this critical response to literature I have 1covered the techniques in the poem, the emotions, the situation between the boy and the cat and the very unusual topic. It has been described how the poet brings the unusual poem alive for us. We have discussed the character and how he changed during the main incident and in depth about the emotion and feeling of the boy.

Rolling Stones Essays -- Music

To a college student, or even to a professor, putting a time frame for the Rolling Stones is a task which requires envisioning a world before every memory one has ever made. â€Å"Timeless† would be an appropriate adjective, but â€Å"the 1950s† serves just as well. The band did not start as its line-up consists of today. Hardly, if any, bands have ever started like that. The Rolling Stones started as a small teen band named, â€Å"Little Boy Blue and the Blue Boys†, with Mick Jagger singing and Keith Richards playing guitar. The music they played was all covers; they played songs which came from the musicians which they enjoyed. At this time, there were not any new movements arising which were primarily British. In this post-World War II era, the biggest new genres emerging were jazz, country/western, and R&B (rhythm and bass). With these being primarily American genres, many adults in Britain did not want their children listening to this unfamiliar new music. H owever, the Rolling Stones were always a group attracted to the idea of rebellion. Such influential figures were Buddy Holly, Muddy Waters, and St.-Louis native Chuck Berry. One thing the Rolling Stones were always known for, their stage act, started in 1962. As â€Å"Little Boy Blue and the Blue Boys† became â€Å"The Rollin’ Stones†, Mick Jagger, the front man of the group, slowly gained confidence. Stephen Davis in his 40-year span of the Rolling Stones entitled, â€Å"Old gods almost dead. The 40-Year Odyssey of the Rolling Stones†, describes Mick’s act as: â€Å"tossing his hair, rolling his eyes, dipping his shoulders, suggestive hand gestures, tight little spins, acting out the risquà © lyrics with is eyes and especially his lips† (Davis 24). Eventually the shows in packed 400-person clubs would end ... ...off for years. First Jagger disproved of Richards’ drug use in the 70s. Then in the 80s Richards disproved of Jagger’s leadership. Ever since the early 90s it has been strictly business-work between the two, until finally 2004, when they worked on their latest album, A Bigger Bang. Richards explains, â€Å"We were tight together, good some good stuff working. There was less of the moodiness†¦I mean, if you work with a guy for forty-odd years, it’s not all going to be plain sailing, is it? You’ve got to go through the [tough times]; it’s like a marriage† (Richards 536). The two have shared a similar love of music since the age of 8, and now, both in their late 60s, the two return to this love of music to move past the wounds formed 3 decades ago. This power of music, above all else, proves that what this band stands for spans more than just 4 decades- it is timeless.

High School and Movie Rudy Essay

The movie Rudy is about a person named Rudy who wants to play football for the Notre-Dame Irish. Rudy has been told his entire life that he wasn’t good enough, he was too small and that his goals will never come true. He dreams of playing on the team but since his marks aren’t high enough his teacher didn’t let him apply for the school. There are three main aspects about Rudy that helps him get into Notre-Dame and its football team, his decision making, goal setting and values. Rudy’s decisions were well thought out, letting him work his way into Notre-Dame. After Rudy graduated from high school he went to work at a mill with his father. In an accident at a mill his best friend Pete died in an explosion and after this explosion he went to a priest. The priest told him that his marks need to be very good for him to get into Notre-Dame and suggested that he go to Holy Cross till he can get his marks up high enough. When he started studying at Holy Cross he met someone who was willing to be his tutor. From him he found out Rudy suffered from dyslexia, a learning disorder which made it hard for him to recognize and comprehend written words. Finally after 3 semesters Rudy got into Notre-Dame and was accepted into the football team because of how he played, giving it his all and trying harder than most. Rudy didn’t get dressed to play in a football game for about 2 years, then finally all the other players appealed on his behalf to the coach and he was finally got to play a game. Near the end of the game the players started to chant â€Å"Rudy† because he wasn’t able to get dressed for the game

Management and Chemical Engineering Essay

I have completed my Bachelors of Technology in Chemical Engineering at Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, India (IITG). I am seeking a position in your organization in order to enhance my skills and practical experience, while being resourceful and innovative. I have worked hard in my undergraduate studies, striking a balance between compulsory courses like Fluid Mechanics, Process Equipment Design, Process Control and Instrumentation, Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics, related wet lab courses and supervised research under the guidance of Dr Chandan Das (Associate Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering, IITG) & Dr AK Golder (Associate Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering, IITG). My Bachelor Thesis Project was on Biosorption of heavy metals to purify industrial effluents under the guidance of Dr. Chandan Das (Associate Professor, Dept. of Chemical Eng., IITG) and Dr. AK Golder (Associate Professor, Dept. of Chemical Engineering, IITG). When I look back now, I realize the role of an inspiring mentor in a student’s life. Dr. Das and Dr. Gloder gave me a whole new direction to explore my research skills and the interest in reading research articles while doing my undergraduate courses in mainstream Chemical Engineering. After graduation I joined Jindal Steel and Power Ltd as a Project Engineer where I practiced what I learnt during my educational life. Post completion of one year, I joined SPI Pvt. Ltd. As an Assistant Manager. I choose this as apart from technical skills, I also wanted to gain a good understanding about the business processes and its various elements. While working there my interest became more focused towards managerial skills. It was there where I decided to go for my higher education in Masters in Management as managerial knowledge via a reputed and esteemed university will help me to learn a wider scope of business management skills which was missing in my technical career. In my education thus far, I have been actively involved in sports and co-curricular activities including making manual robot, organized Rock-o-Phonix for three consecutive years (2008, 2009 & 2010) and represented IIT-Guwahati in Inter IIT sports meet in Football which has helped me to develop upon simplicity in approach, patience, team work, confidence, loyalty, ability to manage loads of stress and adaptability. To work using the in-hand knowledge and indigenous creativity simultaneously is my biggest asset. Education I believe is not just excelling in courses that we take and cracking their exams but a continuous process of development and self-realization. Not just asking â€Å"what to do† or â€Å"how to do† but â€Å"who am i† and â€Å"what is my purpose† too. My long term career goals are to become socially responsible individual and to get the dream job of working in the field of interest. If given the opportunity of pursuing the graduate study in field of management I would be getting involved in a project that will help me grow intellectually and professionally and result in useful outcomes.