Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Frankenstein essay 2 - 672 Words

Frankensteins Monster and Miltons Satan An Essay on Paradise Lost and Frankenstein By Chris Davidson Almost all great works of literature contain allusions to other great works of literature that enhance the meaning of the work. Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein is an excellent example of a major literary work that contains a sustained allusion to another major work. Frankenstein contains many references to Milton’s Paradise Lost, and the two stories are parallel in many aspects. In Shelly’s novel Frankenstein’s monster in often compared to Adam from Milton’s epic work. In fact, the monster himself tells Victor Frankenstein that he sees himself as being very similar to Adam. Like Adam, the monster was, in a sense, perfect at his†¦show more content†¦Rejection of one’s offspring is another theme in Shelly’s novel and is reinforced by comparing the monster to Satan because Satan was one of God’s heavenly children but was ultimately rejected by God. However, Satan and the monster differ in a key aspect: Satan fell with companions. The monster fell alone, and the monster himself brings this fact to the attention of both Victor and the reader, saying that his loneliness was the most loathsome part of his existence, reinforcing the theme that happiness lies in close companions who complete the person. The monster is also similar to Satan in that neither he nor Satan directly attacks his creator in retaliation. Rath er, they both attack those closest to their creators, inflicting more pain than any direct attack could. Satan attacks God’s beloved new creation, man, and the monster attacks Victor’s closest friends and family members. The pain caused by the attacks on these close companions again illustrates the romantic idea that close companions are essential to life and the peace of the individual. Allusions are also made that show that Frankenstein himself is also similar to Adam in Paradise Lost. Like Adam, Frankenstein brings about his own downfall by making a choice to attain knowledge that he should not have. Shelly uses this comparison to bring a very importantShow MoreRelatedLanguage And Literature Courses And Ap U.s. History1281 Words   |  6 PagesI’ve always struggled to break the boundaries entangled within the composition of traditional essays. Between AP Language/Literature courses and AP U.S. History, my writing had become noticeably formulaic; I relied heavily on templates and felt awkward abandoning the traditional five paragraph essay. Although the formulaic way of writing assisted in my capability to critically recognize the difference between opinion and evidence, the patterns were not helpful in developing my organizational skillsRead MoreFrankenstein, by Mary Shelley1078 Words   |  5 PagesMary Shelley’s Frankenstein has undoubtedly withs tood the test of time. Frankenstein’s direct association with fundamental Gothic literature is extremely renowned. However, the novel’s originality is derived from the foundational thematic values found within the relationship (or lack there of) between Victor Frankenstein and the monster he had created, in combination with a fascinatingly captivating plot. Understandably, Frankenstein can often be associated with a multitude of concepts; however,Read More Isolation in Mary Shelleys Frankenstein Essays1399 Words   |  6 PagesIsolation in Mary Shelleys Frankenstein Mary Shelleys novel, Frankenstein, has several themes imbedded in the text. One major theme is of isolation. Many of the characters experience some time of isolation. The decisions and actions of some of these characters are the root cause of their isolation. They make choices that isolate themselves from everyone else. However, other characters are forced into isolation for reasons that are not in their control. The actions of another cause themRead MoreDr. Terry W. Thompson980 Words   |  4 PagesGeorgia Southern University, skillfully analyzes the failed father and son relationships in his essay â€Å"Shelley’s Frankenstein.† Dr. Thompson offers background information on subtleties within the novel, which are not easily associated without the knowledge of historical figures and Greek mythology. He focuses this vast background knowledge on connecting the failed father and son relationship of Victor Frankenstein and the creature. While many would agree that Mary Shelley’s references to historical figuresRead MorePersonal Perception Of Mary Shelley s Frankenstein Essay1136 Words   |  5 PagesJennifer Fruchey Composition 2 Frankenstein Application Essay 12/28/2016 Personal Perception In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein the Creature had a very hard time with finding his identity. The Creature let his peer’s perception turn him into the monster that he appeared to be. The Creature became bitter after being dejected and turned away from human civilization. In this essay I am going to analyze the correlation between the creature and in today’s society. If the treatment of people haveRead MoreA Comparison Of Frankendoodle And Frankenstein1199 Words   |  5 Pagestext â€Å"Frankenstein† Frankenstein is a classic science fiction novel written by Mary Shelley, through the ages, many adaptations have taken the story through various forms of popular culture. SpongeBob Squarepants, a popular children s television show often alludes to classic literature, and makes it entertaining for all ages. While this example is quite comical, it does hold classical elements associated with Frankenstein, but takes a spin on the classic science fiction novel. In this essay I willRead MoreRepresentation of Death through Texts1149 Words   |  5 Pagesfiction. The proposed dissertation shall address some of the different definitions of death through a close examination of three gothic texts taken from the 19th century. The three primary texts this dissertation shall focus on are Mary Shelley’s ‘Frankenstein’, James Malcolm Rymer’s ‘Varney the Vampire: The Feast of Blood’ and Edgar Allen Poe’s ‘The Masque of the Red Death’. Each text represents a different type of text allowing the dissertation to explore these definitions, there common ideas and howRead MoreFrankendoodle And Frankenstein1079 Words   |  5 PagesFrankenstein is a classic science fiction novel written by Mary Shelley, through the ages, many adaptations have taken the story through various forms of popular culture. SpongeBob Squarepants, a popular children s television show often alludes to classic literature, and makes it entertaining for all ages. While this example is quite comical, it does hold classical eleme nts associated with Frankenstein, but takes a spin on the classic science fiction novel. In this essay I will consider the similaritiesRead MoreFrankenstein Analysis Essay1252 Words   |  6 PagesKade Gilbert Mrs. Shelley Wisener ENGL 2321: Frankenstein Analysis Essay 2 October 2017 Mary Shelley’s Journal The human brain while complex, initiating every impulse that controls the body, can be simplified. Simple things such as memories, beliefs, or passions can define the decisions that a person makes. The impulses of humanity may cloud a person’s logic, while each person’s logic, in turn, may affect the impulses of humanity. Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is overflowing with emotionally based decisionsRead MorePsychoanalytic Criticism Of Frankenstein883 Words   |  4 PagesBrittany James Mrs.Shelley Wisener ENGL 2321: Frankenstein Analysis Essay 29 September 2017 Title Citations Unsure to keep Better way to word this? ADD INTROOOO In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein there is a strong factor of Psychoanalytic Criticism, specifically the Oedipus Complex. The Oedipus Complex is derived from a child s need for their parents attention, as they mature they realize they are not the absolute focus of their [parent s] attention (Brizee 1995). In the child s mind

Sunday, December 22, 2019

Jackie Robinson Baseball Team - 2964 Words

After moving to Pasadena, Jackie attended all-african american elementary and middle schools along with his siblings and other minor children. After graduating from Washington Junior High School, he enrolled in John Muir High School. Once attending, his brothers Matthew and Frank helped inspire Jackie to pursue his interest and talent in sports. At Muir Tech, Jackie Robinson played as shortstop and catcher on the school’s baseball team as well as placing a spot in the Pomona baseball all-star team, played as the quarterback on the school football team, played as shooting guard on the basketball team, won awards in the broad jump while he was on the track and field squad, as well as lettered in all four of these sports. Also, in 1936,†¦show more content†¦He grew up in a hard life, with a single mother and 4 brothers all living in poverty, trying to get by. But, despite facing many barriers of poverty, racial discrimination, and prejudice, he became one of the best pla yers for the Brooklyn Dodgers, and broke the racial barriers in major league sports that had been upheld for over 50 years. By doing this, he opened doors for many who could not succeed before. Although he was not revered by all when he was alive, he became a civil rights figure and leader, and became a national hero to us all. Jack Roosevelt Robinson, born on January 31, 1919 in Cairo, Georgia, lived as the youngest of 5 siblings in a family of poor sharecroppers. Mallie Jackson, his mother, raised her five children alone in poverty after Jackie’s father left the picture in 1920, and moved the family to Pasadena, California. She took up many different jobs to try and support her large family by herself, so they would be able to live without many large issues. Jackie’s life as a young child was quite difficult because of his circumstances. Since he had no father to support him and his family, he grew up in a life without much support or many opportunities at all, and this is despite his race. Jackie, himself being african-american, was tormented by the effects of racial segregation and racism. The Jim Crow laws, as well as many other things including the relatively recent banishment of

Saturday, December 14, 2019

Coursework on Alternative Financial Investments Free Essays

string(57) " there is no Capital Gains Tax on the eventual disposal\." Intoduction Alternative Investments We are all familiar with the usual suspects when it comes to investments with ISA’s Unit Trusts, OEICS, Capital Investment Bonds, Investment Trusts, National Savings and General Banking Products being the general fare when it comes to advising our clients. However whilst these products often can and do achieve the desired results there are many alternatives investments available that offer a wider choice and variety which can be used instead of or to complement mainstream products. Lets look at these alternatives and see what benefits they have and of course any drawbacks associated with them. We will write a custom essay sample on Coursework on Alternative Financial Investments or any similar topic only for you Order Now The AIM Market (Alternative Investment Market) â€Å"AIM is the most successful growth market in the world. Since its launch in 1995, over 3,000 companies from across the globe have chosen to join AIM. Powering the companies of tomorrow, AIM continues to help smaller and growing companies raise the capital they need for expansion† (www.londonstockexchange.com/companies-and-advisors/aim.htm 18/02/2011). Aim is the international market for growing companies trading on the London Stock Exchange. Businesses you will find range from new venture capital-backed companies to well established, mature organisations looking to expand into a wider market. Created in 1995 by the London Stock Exchange principally to offer a diverse range of smaller companies the opportunity to sensibly raise capital in a regulated market, hence AIM has developed into a highly flexible public market easily accessible to both investor and company. Aim companies come from 37 sectors, 90 sub-sectors and 26 countries. It has over 250 companies from outside the United Kingdom, with many more joining every year, which is testament to the viability of the AIM market as a place fro the younger international companies wishing to fund expansion and raise their global profile. Aim is an exchange Regulated Market and enjoys a reputation for effective regulation: it offers a secure yet flexible trading environment for both companies and investors. Aim is wholly owned and run by the London Stock Exchange and has three investment indices – the FTSE AIM UK50, FTSE AIM 100 and the FTSE AIM ALL-SHARE Supersector Indices Investors wishing to buy or sell shares in AIM stocks will deal through a stockbroker in a traditional way. However, whilst dealing in the shares in an execution-only basis may be relatively straightforward; those investors who want advice may have to be more selective. There are some brokers with specialist knowledge of AIM stocks and which spend a considerable amount of time researching the AIM market. It clearly makes sense for investors to deal via such brokers so as to take advantage of there expertise. Due to the tax breaks which are currently available, many brokers run specialist portfolios which have been set up with the intention of mitigating Inheritance Tax. (IHT). The shares after being held for at least two years qualify for Business Property Relief and therefore as long as they are held until death after the two year period will be fully exempt from IHT. If the purchaser is married or in a civil partnership and they die prior to the two year period, the shares may be transferred to the spouse or civil partner so that they may retain the shares until their own death so that the two year requirement may be exceeded. Capital Gains Tax (CGT) is payable in respect of sales of AIM stocks and any losses can be set off against losses in the usual way. â€Å"The AIM market should be regarded as higher risk as AIM market shares tend to be relatively illiquid and therefore may be difficult to sell or obtain reliable information as to the value and the risks to which the shares are exposed. A company on AIM can elect to revert to private status, in which case the shares may become impossible to trade or value and the protections offered by AIM will cease to apply† (www.rensburg4ifas.co,uk/ Iht for Ifas v 3.2-07/10 7323) â€Å"Every AIM company is supported, advised and monitored by its own Nominated Adviser (NOMAD). Firms that wish to act as Nomads must undergo stringent checks before they can be authorised to become a London Stock Exchange-approved Nomad for AIM. These Checks ensure the suitability both of Nomads and of the companies they assist to operate as part of AIM, bringing investors increased certainty and security† (http:///www.aimslisting.co.ukindex.php/page/The-Aim-Market 25/02/2011). Venture Capital Trusts â€Å"The Venture Capital Trust scheme started on 6th April 1995. It is designed to encourage individuals to invest directly in a range of small higher-risk trading companies whose shares and securities are not listed on a recognised stock exchange, by investing through Venture Capital Trusts (VCTs). So, if you invest in a VCT, you spread the investment risk over a number of companies† (www.hmrc.gov.uk/guidance/vct.htm 18/02/2011). VCT’s have to be approved by HMRC and once given offers a unique tax break, in that as long as you hold ordinary shares for at least 5 years from the date of purchase 30% income tax relief is payable, therefore a ?200,000 investment held for 5 years, if it had not grown or fallen in value would be valued at ?260,000. In addition there is no liability to Capital Gains Tax on disposal. The benefits to individuals investing in a Venture Capital Trust include not only the opportunity to participate in the growth the unquoted investment portfolio but also to enjoy the valuable tax benefits on an investment of up to ?200,000 in each tax year. This type of investment should be seen as medium to long term and the capital value is not guaranteed. Enterprise Investment Scheme The Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) is designed to help smaller higher-risk trading companies to raise finance by offering a range of tax reliefs to investors who purchase shares in those companies. The EIS is a concession by HMRC whereby an investor can invest between ?500 and ?500,000 in an EIS company in a single tax year and claim the income tax relief at 20%. Furthermore, providing the shares are held for 3 years, then there is no Capital Gains Tax on the eventual disposal. You read "Coursework on Alternative Financial Investments" in category "Essay examples" â€Å"All shares must be paid up in full, in cash, when they are issued. They must be â€Å"full risk† ordinary shares, with no preferential rights to dividends, or to the companies assets in the event of winding up. There must also be no arrangements to protect the investor from the normal risks associated with investing in shares and no arrangements for the shares to be purchased by anyone else after the end of the relevant period† (www.hmrc.gov.uk/guidance/eis.htm 02/02/2011) Investment can be directly into the company or through an EIS Fund. If you invest through an EIS fund, the fund manager will invest on your behalf in a number of qualifying companies. You are still the owner of the shares. Hedge Funds Hedge funds are collective investments that aim to make money whether the market is moving up, down or sideways. Unlike Unit Trusts, Oeics or Investment Trusts, which tend to only grow when shares rise, hedge funds can make money when share prices are falling.They do this using a range of complicated specialist techniques. The most commonly used is going long or short on a share. Most private investors simply go long on a share, buying in the hope that the price will rise.Where an investor goes short, they believe that the equity will fall in value. There are two main ways a hedge fund can do this. The first is by â€Å"shorting† the stock, where the investor â€Å"borrows† a stock to sell it, with the hope that it will decrease in value so they can buy it back at a lower price and keep the difference. For example, if an investor borrows 500 shares of X company at ?10 each, they would then sell those shares for ?5,000. If the price falls to ?8 per share, the investor would buy the shares back for ?4,000, return them to the original owner and make a profit of ?1,000. These funds now reportedly manage over ?750bn of clients’ money and their highly-paid managers can achieve remarkable returns.Hedge funds are not restricted to equities, they will invest in anything that will make a profit, including Foreign currency, Bonds, or Commodities. The return achieved by the fund is likely to be dependent on the skill of the manager rather than the underlying economic conditions and that is why they are so highly paid.At the moment Hedge funds are only available to high wealth individuals who are prepared to invest around ?500,000, or to professional investors, such as Pension Funds or Insurance Companies.If individual investors want exposure to hedge funds, they can purchase shares in the companies that operate the funds.Hedge Funds are regarded as high risk investments as many funds are â€Å"leveraged† which means they borrow money to add to their fund rather than just using investor capital.Because the funds use Derivatives, where they bet against the future value of an asset, rather than purchasing the asset directly, the funds are effectively borrowing money.The result is that gains and losses are magnified, with some making huge profits, but if things go wrong the fund can go bust. The majority of Hedge Funds are domiciled offshore for tax reasons, but the UK based managers are fully regulated by the Financial Services Authority. (FSA).However the FSA does not regulate the funds themselves and if a fund goes bust, investors do not have any recourse to compensation. Commodities â€Å"A physical substance, such as food, grains, metals, which is interchangeable with another product of the same type and which investors will buy or sell usually through futures contracts† (http://www.londonstockexchange.com/focus-on/018-commodities. 07/03/2011) The Commodity Markets are markets were raw or primary products are exchanged. They are traded on regulated commodity exchanges, in which they are bought and sold in standardised contracts. Commodities investing is volatile, promising big gains and capable of big losses. But this volatility can work in your favour in a broad investment portfolio, where a small amount of commodities can offset risks associated with stocks, bonds and cash. Commodities can be an excellent way to diversify your portfolio, especially if you believe that stocks are heading downwards for the next few years. The Commodities traded include: Agricultural Corn, wheat, oats. Livestock and Meat Cattle, Pigs Energy Crude oil, natural gas, heating oil. Precious Metals Gold, platinum,palladium. Industrial Metals Copper, zinc aluminium. Trading is normally via Futures Contracts, which is basically an agreement to buy now, pay and deliver later. In essence, a futures contract is a standardised forward contract in which the buyer and the seller accept the terms in regards to the product, grade , quantity and location and are only free to negotiate the price. Commodities are regulated and authorised by the FSA in the UK and Investing in commodities is normally done through a stockbroker or a commodities broker. Property Property can be a very attractive asset to include in any investment portfolio – especially as it often performs well when stock markets are going through an unstable period. Over the long term, property has been proven to outperform most sectors, so it might be a good bet even when share or bond prices fall. Of course, property markets can still be volatile, as shown by recent events. However, the best property funds will spread their exposure across many property areas. For example a property fund could give you access to the commercial property sector as well. This may include retail premises, office space and warehousing. Property funds remain one of the most practical ways to gain exposure to the property sector, some invest in actual bricks and mortar, while other funds may include shares in property companies or property securities know as real estate investments trusts. (REITS). Investments in funds of this nature are subject to specific risks arising from investment in REITs and property related securities and investors should ensure that they full understand these. REITS A REIT is a company that owns and manages property on behalf of shareholders. A Reit can contain commercial and/or residential property. REITs provide a way for investors to access property assets without having to buy property directly in the UK REITs can apply for â€Å"UK-REIT† status, which exempts the company from corporation tax. It is an investment through buying shares in a listed property company that has elected for REIT status and operates in accordance with REIT regulations. The REIT regulations are intended to ensure the company is primarily engaged in property investment, rather than in development or other non property related activities. Most UK REITs focus on the UK, though a few have European investments. Investor Benefits REITs can be very tax efficient, as the property company pays no corporation or capital gains tax on the profits made from the property investment. As a condition of these tax breaks REITs must pass 90% of their taxable income through to shareholders. As the real estate appreciates in value, the REIT becomes more valuable and the share price may rise. REITs can also offer predictable income streams because of long term lease agreements. Also as REITs trade like stocks, you can get into and out of them with ease. Risks of REITS However as stated earlier there are risks associated with REITs and investors need to approach them with these in mind. Most REITs focus on particular types of commercial development, such as apartments or office buildings. This concentration leaves them vulnerable to a downturn in this particular sector. Investors should examine where the REITs projects are located. A high concentration of development in one community or geographic region may leave it vulnerable to a downturn in that area’s economy. Better to invest in more than one REIT and choose different property sectors, also make sure that they are in different geographic locations. As stated earlier REITS are traded like stock on the major markets and can be purchased via a stockbroker in the normal manner. Fine Art Fine art offers the opportunity for portfolio diversification into an area that has historically provided high returns. Quality works of art have proved to be a remarkable store of value. This is predominantly due to increasing rarity caused by an expanding demand from museums and collectors and dwindling supplies. Art has evolved considerably over the last decade or so. Now building up a portfolio of works of art is not the only way to invest. Dedicated funds have been launched and there are investment advisers specifically geared to help investors with little or no experience of the art market. Far from just being a hedge against inflation art investment is now just one of range of alternative investments that can be used to diversify portfolios. Investing in ART can be done in the traditional manner via Art Dealers or now through an increasing number of specialist fund managers were the funds are structured like private equity investments and investor commitments are drawn down over a period of time to facilitate purchases. Due to the nature of Art works and how they appreciate in value over time they should be seen as a buy and hold investment rather than a buy and sell one. Fine Wine â€Å" What makes fine wine such a good investment is that production of the world’s top vintages are strictly controlled. As supply of the very best wines dries up, the prices of the very best vintages invariably rocket† (http://capitalvintners-px.rtrk.co.uk 14/03/2011) Investing in fine wine is an attractive proposition for many investors, who wish to diversify their investment portfolio. As wine matures, more bottles are consumed and like all things rare and desirable, its valuation will rise. Demand has increase enormously over the past decades,resulting in some extremely good returns. Wine is also an easily transferable asset, as there is an established fine wine market and a thriving auction market. There are no limits to wine investing, however the current prices of top wines are such that one should start investing with at least %,000 to ?10,000. It should be remembered that investment in wine is a long term investment and experience suggests that a minimum five year term would be a reasonable benchmark. Although Fund Managers are beginning to take a keen interest in this market, with wine investment funds now readily available, care should be taken as their investment charges will inevitably eat into any gains made and also they may not have the in-depth knowledge of Fine Wines that a reputable broker has. Perhaps best to use a reputable broker, who will ascertain the exact nature of the fine wine holding you require, taking into account your dealing range, liquidity needs and risk/return requirements. The broker will then obtain on your behalf, the fine wine most suitable for you, either from their suppliers or from their own extensive stock holding. The broker will also organise safe storage and insurance for your wine. It is critical wine is stored and cared for in the correct manner and in order to maintain the very high quality of the product and ensure its longevity, fine wine must be stored in a controlled environment and again reputable brokers will have this facility. Once this has been done you will receive written confirmation of your holding from your broker. Your broker will also attend to your needs for the duration of your holding and will keep you aware of developments in the markets on a monthly basis. When the time comes to sell your holding, your broker will organise this on your behalf. Again it should be remembered that as with all investments returns are not guaranteed and you could incur substantial losses, if the market for Fine Wine falls into decline. Short Answer Questions Question 1. The disadvantages of repaying debts by encashing investments are: Lack of liquidity. No guarantee that you would subsequently save the new found disposable income. No longer have the expertise of the fund managers or the investment asset mix. Less time for subsequent investments to build up. Any new investments would have fresh set-up charges therefore reducing the potential returns May lose valuable tax relief on existing investments that cannot be re-used. Interest rates on debts may be lower than your investment returns. May need to borrow again in the future at higher interest rates and or a shorter repayment term, costing more. May be unable to borrow in future years due lower income or credit crunch. Question 2 Interest Yield: Divide Annual Income by Current Market Price. 7% divided by ?132 x 100 = 5.30. Gross Redemption Yield: Current Price ?132 Minus the Nominal Value ?100 and divide by remaining 3 years to run. Divide this figure by current price and then add to Interest Yield. ?132 – ?100 = ?32 divided by 3 = 10.66 divided by ?132 = 0.08 add to Interest Yield = 5.30 + 0.08 = 5.38. Question 3 Benefits Guaranteed 100% secure: total capital invested is returnable Any winnings are tax free Partial withdrawals from initial investment allowed No regular investment required No fixed investment term. Automatically eligible for monthly prize draw Can win valuable cash prizes Drawbacks Investment is subject to decrease in value due to inflation Savings in interest earning accounts may earn more Chances of winning a larger cash prize are slim No guarantee of a win Minimum and maximum investment required Chances of winning a larger cash prize are slim Money is not instantly accessible Bibliography Websites HMRC Venture Capital Trust. www.hmrc.gov.uk/guidance/vct.htm 18/02/2011 This website provides commanding and very valuable information for advisers and the general public. This proved to be an extremely relevant site for my research, as the site lists all articles produced on specific tax areas and also includes historical information for research thereby providing a one stop shop for all tax related enquiries. The reference to Venture Capital Trusts allowed me to give a factual overview of the investment and also to explain the tax relief available to this type of investment. http:///www.aimslisting.co.ukindex.php/page/The-Aim-Market 25/02/2011. www.hughespartnership.co.uk/enterprise investment scheme 01/03/2011. www.thisismoney.co.uk/investing/article.html 02/03/2011 This is an excellent financial website and helps advisers keep up to date with what’s going on in the world markets. It has a reputation for accuracy and has a specialist team of financial journalists, whose aims are to ensure that readers are accurately informed in financial matters. This makes it a very relevant site for my research as there are regular articles on all aspects of investments including alternative investments and what they have to offer. Its journalists write in a straightforward and understandable manner, which makes it easy to digest what can sometimes be very complicated subject matters. http://www.myifslearning.com 06/03//2011 The ifs School of Finance is a registered charity incorporated by Royal Charter and provides the financial services industry with a skilled and competent workforce. They have been providing financial education for the past 130 years. The website is very informative and provides students with a wealth of information, tailored to helping them progress. An on-line knowledge bank library to assist with studies and understanding is available at the click of a button. In addition the in-house magazine, Financial World, has features, comments and reviews on financial matters relevant to the financial services sector, which enables advisers to constantly keep up to date on financial services matters. www.rensburgsheppards.co.uk/discretionary management solutions 04/03/2011 http://stocks.about.com/od/advancedtrading/a/REIT 07/03/2011 www.ftmandate.com/theartofalternativeinvestment.html 10/13/2011 www.moneyweek.com/investing-in-wine 14/03/2011 http://www.bbr.com/fine-wine/how-to-invest 14/03/2011 Textbooks IFS School of Finance. Financial Planning Principles (2009) Taxbriefs Life Assurance Pension Handbook. 2009/10 Taxbriefs Tax Guide 2009/10 Journals. Financial Adviser, published weekly. Money Week, published weekly. How to cite Coursework on Alternative Financial Investments, Essay examples

Friday, December 6, 2019

Culture and Organization Leadership and Employee

Question: Discuss about the Culture and Organization for Leadership and Employee. Answer: Introduction Virgin Atlantic is one of the leading international airline companies in the world. It is a British corporation that falls under the Virgin Group of companies whose founder is the business tycoon Richard Branson (Schein 2012).Virgin Atlantic was established in the early 1980s as a result of the meeting discussion between Richard Branson and Randolph Fields, whose objective was to create an airline that would operate between the United Kingdom and the United States. Popularly known at that time as one of the prominent personalities in the rock and pop music, Richard Branson vision as leader was to create an opportunity of diversifying his business career(Abdi Sharma 2011). His cultural beliefs, coupled with enthusiasm and characteristic energy guided this business mogul to establish and inaugurate the Virgin Atlantic first flight in 1984. In the early 1980s, the top priority in the airline industry was transportation services and not quality customer services. When Virgin Atlantic ent ered into the aviation sector in 1984, it based its services on satisfying the diverse needs of its clients and therefore, it developed strategies aimed at providing quality services to airline travelers at relatively low costs. Based in Heathrow and Gatwick airports in London, the company operates its flights from Heathrow to New York, Tokyo, Hong Kong, San Francisco, Miami, Boston, Los Angeles, Delhi, Cape Town, and Johannesburg. Moreover, Virgin Atlantic operates its flights from Gatwick to other major cities across the globe such as St. Lucia, Orlando, Barbados, Grenada, Port Harcourt, Las Vegas and Antigua. The company also plans to create other new airline routes in other countries including Cuba and Nigeria. The company has pioneered some innovations in the aviation industry and setting new standards of customer services, which have given it a competitive advantage in this competitive business sector (Russ 2011). This report will particularly evaluate the impact of leadership style (Robert Bransons style) on company culture (Virginia Atlantic) and explain how he played a role in changing the culture and bring innovation. Outline of the theoretical framework selected The theoretical framework chosen for the discussion of the impact of leadership style on organization culture is GLOBE. The term GLOBE is an acronym for Global Leadership and Organizational Behavior Effectiveness. GLOBE project is a study which was conducted by Robert House in 1991(Herbane 2011). This theoretical framework is utilized in the study of the relationship between the societal culture and leadership in a particular business organization using multi-method and multiphase research projects. Hence, the components of the GLOBE framework are relevant to the purpose of the report. This theatrical framework is divided into two main categories which include the cultural dimensions of global leadership and culturally endorsed implicit leadership. The GLOBE framework identified nine dimensions based on which the companies culture depends which are as follows: Uncertainty avoidance- This dimension emphasizes on approaches that the organization utilizes to avoid the unpredictable event that can have a negative impact on its operations (Zhang Bartol 2011). The organizations whose corporate culture is based on uncertainty avoidance always strive to minimize the chances of the occurrences of the unpredictable events such as natural catastrophes such as Hurricane, Tsunami, accident, and outbreak of contiguous diseases. Apart from natural disaster, other unforeseen uncertainties that most of the organizations try to avoid are terrorism, political instability, and global economic crisis (Hartnell, Ou Kinicki 2011). The aviation industry has experienced such challenges which have negatively affected some the aviation industries. For instance, the September 9 terrorist attack in the United States attack leads the crush of o passenger airplanes that lead to the destruction of properties and loss of many lives. Also, the outbreak of Ebola in some A frican countries forced most of the airline companies to suspend some of its airline travels in the affected countries in response to the international airline management body directives. The objective of suspension of airways travels in these countries was a strategy of prevention of the spread of the Ebola virus in another country (Hickson Owen 2015). These incidences led to the financial loss most of the companies in the aviation industry due to the reduction in the number passengers within this particular period. The Virgin Atlantic company has gained some lessons from such experiences and has developed strategies to address such challenges so as to avoid adverse economic crisis that can affect its operations. For instance, the company partners with security and intelligence agencies of various countries, to get crucial information of the security status in the countries in which it operates to avoid potential terrorist attacks(Herbane 2011). Assertiveness- This global leadership dimension is concerned with organizational cultures in which the members of a particular business enterprise experience insistent and aggressive relationships. This category of GLD has split assertiveness into two forms; high and low assertiveness. High assertiveness refers to the ability of the members of the organization to air out their feelings and perceptions towards a particular issue without fear. Individuals with high assertiveness can differ with other another while focusing on such traits as likeability and problem-solving skills (Bell Kozlowski 2012). Citizens from countries such as Singapore, Germany, and China are considered to be of high assertiveness. On the other Koreans, Russians and Brazilians are of low assertiveness. Institutional collectivism- It encourages collective allocation of resources in the organization. Institutional collectivism also lays emphasis on the importance of teamwork in realization of attainment of the goals of the organization. All the departments of the organization work together as a team to ensure that all the operations of the company run smoothly will minimal interruptions and disruptions (Lunenburg 2011). Group collectivism- It concerns with the level of how members of the business organization show superiority and faithfulness to the management. An individual with high in-group collectivism displays high levels of cohesiveness, cooperation, and commitment to the organization. Such people have high levels of job satisfaction and job retention thus they contribute to reduced turnover rates in the company(Alvesson Sveningsson 2015). Future orientation- It is concerned with the extent to which the members of the organization can engage in oriented functions such planning, capitalizing and planning for the future events. The organizations which are future-oriented focus on planning as well as preparing for unpredictable future events. The company develops long-term strategic plans that help them to address the unexpected future challenges and thus avoiding unprecedented losses. Power distance- It focuses on the degree to which the participants of a particulate company acknowledge that the leadership power needs to be distributed equally within the organization. This aspect of GLD leads to the formulation of leadership style that is applied in the administration of a particular organization (Laeequddin 2011). Performance orientation- It is the approach by which performance improvement and excellence is used by means of rewards and other forms of encouragement in society. High performance oriented societies have characteristics of value training, explicit communication and regard formal feedback as very important, whereas the low oriented societies value family relationship and harmony within the environment (Diehl et al. 2014). Gender differentiation- Gender difference is defined as the role of gender differentiation and preference in societal development and goal achievement. Humane orientation- It is related to the degree to which a society rewards individual for being fair and altruistic. Rational for choosing the framework The rationale for choosing the GLOBE theory for this essay is that the researchers for this theory based their study in a wide geographical area and involved many business companies. Therefore, this theory is very relevant to the Virgin Atlantic because it is a multinational corporation handling clients from diverse cultural backgrounds across the globe. Other theories that explain organizational culture include Hofstedes theory and Scheins model. These theories have not been selected for the study because only explains the cultural components of the organization without shading light on the leadership aspect of the organization, whereas the central focus of this essay is to evaluate the impact of leadership style on organizational culture. Hence, Hofstedes model gives little idea about the critical role of Virgin Atlantics leader in building effective organizational culture and achieving organizational goals. On the other hand, Scheins model is not relevant to the Virgin Atlantic be cause it only explains the cultural dimension of the organizations according to strategic goals and philosophies and not according to leadership style. Hence this model is not relevant for the topic content of this essay. Discussion of central topic Richard Branson, the CEO of Virgin Atlantic had a very dynamic leadership style and he is highly renowned for the success of his bran, Virgin. His brand Virgin, covered a variety of business starting from airlines to bridal wear, mobiles phones, pension plans and music. His varied business indicates he became stronger with diversification in business. According to GLOBEs findings, leader effectiveness lies in the societal as well as the organizational context. Hence according to country and society context, the impact of Richard Bransons leadership style can be evaluated according to the GLOBEs nine cultural dimension. It will help to discover his values, beliefs and practices in the creation organization culture (Chhokar et al. 2013). GLOBEs study mainly gave six leadership styles across cultures and the leadership style of Richard Branson will be evaluated according to the nine dimension analysis. Richard Branson had a charismatic and transformational style of leadership. The description of work culture of Virgin Atlantic Company will reveal the influence of Richard Branson behind this culture. The organizational culture of a particular business organization provides a roadmap for the employees, managers and other stakeholders towards the realization of the set goals. It reflects the beliefs and values of a leader in the organization (Hogan Coote, 2014). The vision and mission statement of this British airline corporation reflects its organizational culture and leadership behavior. The aim or Richard Branson was to provide a seamless experience to its clients from booking to disembarking at their respective destinations. Therefore, to achieve this goal, he tried to understand the dynamic needs of the travelers. Another aim of Richard Branson was to provide world class quality innovative services at a fair value for money for the customers from all market segments. He enabled the key stakeholders to enjoy the value of their investments and be more willing to invest and expand the operations of the organizations worldwide. He had put in place strategies that will help it to expand and improve the quality services they offer to the clients. Such strategies include the expansion of the current airline route establishment new routes in the other parties of the world that have not the company has not yet explored (Researchkorner.blogspot.in 2017). One of the reasons for success of Virgin group is that its leader Richard Branson had a clear vision of the brand, its culture and the core mission. As stated by Branson, he regards Virgin as a fun and adventurous brand which offers great value as well as quality. He wanted every employee to at the same page with the brand and follows the same direction. It was also necessary to eliminate any risk in the organization. He also wanted innovative thoughts and ideas for the brand (Urso 2017). Hence this action of Richard Branson reveals the high uncertainty avoidance attribute of the company. Any form of innovation is associated with unpredictable risk and they were prepared for taking this challenge. Therefore, he had performance oriented leadership style and he wished to inspire people around a vision (House et al. 2013). The culture created by Richard Branson also depicts humane orientation that is encouraging altruistic and fair practice at the organization. Branson spends maximum part of his time on non-profit ventures and he is committed to giving through their company. For example the Virgin Mobile Free Fest is held every year in Columbia and the company focus on donations and charitable works. The leader was also focused on safety issues. Airline companies such as Virgin Atlantic are considered as a source of national pride and often take a critical position in regarding a countrys income and employment opportunities. In this regard, the management of this company works around the clock to ensure that the safety of the passengers is given priority. Fatal injuries and deaths arising from flight accidents can adversely affect the brand image and the operations of the organization and therefore, the leader takes safety as the central focus of its activities (Lunenburg 2011). Richard Branson is of the idea that Virgin Atlantic is not simply a group of people, it is a representative of desired goals. He gave an institutional collectivism culture by his motivating style of leadership. In order to get the best out of his people, he tried to become a great listener as well as great motivator. He appreciated the efforts of best people and gave chance to employees to flourish in their role. Hence, the institutional collectivism dimension at Virgin Atlantic was about collective action to provide not just a company to employees but also a lifestyle. Richard Bransons power to motivate employees by his unconventional attitude also led to the rise in individual collectivism work culture. This was also possible also because Branson was clear about what he exactly wanted and he instilled the core vision in all of them who were connected with the organization. He did many meaningful things that motivates employees as well as audience to build their relationship with br and (Urso 2017). Richard displayed the desired assertiveness and aggressiveness required by a brand to grow and prosper. One of his greatest business attribute was that he projected Virgin as a cool brand. Monet is not a measure of success for him, the excitement that the work offers is. Hence, the staffs of virgin do not have competitive salaries but they enjoy being a part of Virgin. Richard wanted to retain employees by the work culture and not by the power of money which other organizations normally do. He was successful in providing a work culture where everyone was proud to be part of the team. He himself had the belief that business should be fun and the desire to win should be necessary. Therefore his adventurous spirits was infectious and he inspired the staffs to deliver their best. The excitement and challenges in the job kept the employees happy and competitive. It also reflected in the sales and profit margin of Virgin (Abubakar 2016). Virgin Atlantic had adhocracy culture meaning its business was driven by innovation and such organization is comfortable even during drastic change period. The innovation was possible because Richard gave the staffs the flexibility required to adapt to new ideas without any hassle. Richard was responsible for giving an organizational culture which was now renowned as the counter cultural enterprise. It had low power distance which means the culture was not dominated by unequal power distribution, everyone was recognized for their role in the company. Richard Branson encouraged feedback from employees all level (Azar Brock 2010). The culture is an example of the ripple effect theory where culture is at the top and the main actions are reinforced by the leader (Ivanov et al. 2014). They have an informal culture were not just the leader but the employee was also accountable for the well-being of the company. This successful culture was built by Richard Branson by means of his entrepren eurial skills and tactical directions (Abubakar 2016). Gender inequality is low in Virgin Atlantic and all were given the option to give their best performance irrespective of gender or job position. Richard Branson had a transformation style of leadership and he paid least emphasis on hierarchy within companies. His adventurous personality reflects in Virgins brand image and organizations culture. He exercised his leadership style in various managements levels within Virgin Atlantic and empowered everyone to contribute towards the goals of the company (Dudovskiy 2017). Performance orientation is highly seen in Virgin Atlantic. The leader was focused in hiring the right people in the job so that they contribute corporate performance. The culture was developed according to constructivist ideology and product, service and style was given by the employees. Richard gave many liberty to employees which helped in increasing the employees loyalty towards the organization. His little attention to hierarchy in the company reveals his participative leadership style. The main components of his leadership style was individual staff consideration, idealized motivation and intellectual stimulation which helped to bring the desired innovation as required according to industry demands. Virgin had an open culture with friendly staffs and this provided encouraging work environment to employees. They always had a high morale and this contributed to success (Abubakar 2016). Richard Branson believed in reputational branding rather than traditional branding which highly reflect future orientation. He gave consumers innovation, reliability , value for money and adventure at work. With the focus on future, he planned many wise marketing strategies such as generating free media instead of focusing on the conventional promotion style. He manages media events in very unpredictive style which media loves and his brand image was automatically displayed throughout the world. He did not expected his people to follow him blindly, he gave them the liberty to think and innovate. Hence, he was influential in promoting talent from within. While other preferred to grow the size of their organization, he kept the company small. It helped to preserve the unique energy and organizational efficiency. He maximized his entrepreneurial spirit more than bureaucratic skill (Dudovskiy 2017). Therefore, his action truly depicts simple living and high thinking to achieve the pinnac le of success. Conclusion The main purpose of this essay was to evaluate the impact of leadership style on Virgin Atlantics culture. The GLOBE framework was chosen for conducting the leadership styles analysis and making of the culture of Virgin Atlantic. This analysis revealed the unconventional and transformative leadership style of Richard Branson. He used his entrepreneurial skills and adventurous spirit to create an informal work culture where every staff was proud to work. The work environment was casual and everyone was friendly. A supportive and motivating work climate was given to employees who inspired them to give their best and move ahead in the direction set by Richard Branson. The constructivism approach was used to build the organization culture and a ripple effect was created to pass on the competitive and adventurous work spirit to all work members. Hence, a leaders role is critical in motivating the team and extracting the desired performance outcome in set time frame. 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