English Communicative Grammar Essay Example for Free

English Communicative Grammar Essay 1. The following passage has not been edited. There is one error in each line. Write the incorrect word and the correction in your answer sheet against the correct question number. Remember to underline the word you have supplied. Incorrect Correct Often these days we hear and speak of the conquered (eg.) conquered conquest in nature, ‘the taming of a river’, ‘the war against insects’ (a) _________ _________ and so on. Often these phrases being used without consciously (b) _________ _________ attaching any value to them, but they have an underlying attitude of hostile towards Nature and Nature’s (c) _________ _________ creatures, a viewpoint which seeming to assume (d) _________ _________ Nature as an enemy that needs to being vanquished. (e) _________ _________ Alternatively, Nature is seen merely as the ‘resource’ to be(f) _________ _________ ‘exploited’. 2. Read the following conversation and complete the paragraph. Write the answers in your answer sheet against the correct blank numbers. One morning while reading the paper, Raj told his wife (a). His wife, Rita, said that she thought (b).. . Raj replied that (c).. as the cashier had run away with Rs 5 million. 3. Complete the headlines by choosing the correct answers from the options given below: a) Drive against Liquor Mafia launched The police ______________________ engaged in smuggling of liquor to the state. b) China develops medical robot A polytechnic university in China ______________________ that can conduct surgeries. 4. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow by choosing the correct options. All pity choked with custom of fell deeds: And Caesar’s spirit, ranging for revenge, With Ate by his side come hot from hell Shall in these confines with a monarch’s voice Cry ‘Havoc’, and let slip the dogs of war; 1.Who is speaking these lines and when? a) Brutus at Caesar’s funeral b) Cassius at Caesar’s funeral c) Antony before Caesar’s body d) Antony to the Roman mob 2.How shall Caesar appear and what for? a) as a ghost to take revenge b) as a ghost with Ate to take revenge c) as a ghost to announce doomsday d) as a ghost to destroy humanity 3.Ate’ in Greek mythology is the a) goddess of revenge b) goddess of death c) goddess of destruction d) goddess of deception. 5. Answer the following questions briefly: ( 20-25 words)(1 Â ½ x 3 = 4 Â ½ Marks) i. Antony was indeed an excellent orator who ignited the spirit of revenge in the minds of the Roman people. Describe how he moulded the minds of the Roman people and turned them against the conspirators. ii. How is Brutus successful in taking Caesar to the Senate inspite of Calpurnia’s efforts to the contrary? iii. Write a note on the famous words ‘Et tu Brute!’ spoken by Caesar. 6. Though both Brutus and Antony address the public of Rome before Caesar’s funeral, there is a basic difference between the two. Bring out this contrast. Your answer should not exceed 75 words. (6 Marks)

The Motivation Of The Journey Themes

The Motivation Of The Journey Themes In literature the theme of a journey is a common one but the motivation for the journey changes considerably. The goal of each journey was directly influenced by the values of the specific time period and location in which the pieces were written. These pieces include The Odyssey by Homer, The Inferno by Dante, Candide by Voltaire, and A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle. Each of these works of literature have their own concept of a journey but are similar in that they all share a driving force to complete their own specific quests. In The Odyssey by Homer we see two journeys. The main journey is Odysseuss journey home, back to his civilization. We also see Telemachus journey to find his fathers whereabouts. In Odysseuss journey we see many obstacles that get in his way including gods which was a big part of Greek culture. Greek gods are considered to be human-like because of their inability to be perfect and because of this the gods are not always well respected by the humans. One of the gods who tried to prevent him from completing his journey was Poseidon. Poseidon sought revenge on Odysseus because Odysseus had blinded the Cyclopes which were one of Poseidons sons. In return Poseidon shipwrecks Odysseus and he ends up on Phaeacia. Odysseus will do what is necessary to get back to his polis. The ultimate goal for a Greek is to achieve fame and glory through his polis. I would have had my rites and the Achaians given me glory. Now it is by a dismal death that I must be taken (Homer, 306-312). If this fame and glory is not achieved they believed that life was a waste. The city in which he ruled was called Ithaca. The polis in which he ruled in Ithaca believed that Odysseus was dead because he had not returned home in such a long time. The only true believers were his wife Penelope and son Telemachus. Telemachus saw that the suitors were disloyal to his father Odysseus by eating all his food and trying to take his mother as a wife and because of this he went on his own journey to find someone who had visual evidence of his death. On this journey he found no such evidence of death but he was starting to lose hope of his fathers return. We see that both Odysseus and Telemachus believe that civilization is the motiva ting force for their journeys. In Telemachus case, he wants to bring back the truth to his polis about Odysseus. In Odysseus case, he wants to return to his polis for fame and glory which is the greatest achievement possible. In The Inferno by Dante we see a completely different journey. Instead of a journey for fame and glory through your polis we see a journey through hell to prove there is one God. Dante was born in Florence, Italy in 1265 in the Medieval era where Christianity was the dominate religion in that location at the time. In Christianity there is the idea of heaven and hell. In Christianity when you die you are judged based on your life by God and you are either sent to heaven where the good people go or hell where the bad people go. In this book Dante is allowed by God to enter hell alive to write about what he sees and who he meets. During this journey he is accompanied by Virgil who is his guide through hell because hell is where he resides. His journey is also stopped by obstacles, but since it was willed by God to make this journey no obstacle could stop him for long. Once the people in hell knew they were protected by God they would tell Dante anything he wanted to know. When Dante journey lead him to the wall of the city of Dis; he was stopped by demons that would not let him pass. The abyss of the rest of hell was behind this gate and he needed to get passed. An angel from heaven was sent to open the gate for Dante and Virgil. The demons could not reject anything from heaven because they feared heaven. Through me the way into the suffering city, through me the way to the eternal pain, through me the way that runs among the lost. Justice urged on my high artificer; my maker was divine authority, the highest wisdom, and the primal love. Before me nothing but eternal things abandon every hope, who enter hereà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦(Dante, 1-11). This journey was meant to show that there is one God that is very powerful even am ongst the most evil and even Satan himself. Dante on his journey saw symbolic retribution which is when the punishment fits the crime and this was used to show that the sins committed on earth is the same sin you will commit in hell for all eternity. Hell is separated into 9 different circles with 1 being the best circle and 9 being the worst circle in terms of the punishment. Depending on the sin the person committed; they would be sent to that corresponding circle. For example, if you are a priest and you commit a sin such as you trade the grace and favor of the church for money you would be sent to the 3rd bolge in the 8th circle and you would be known a simonist. Their punishment is a reverse baptism where they are hung upside down in holes and are baptized in fire not in water. This is also an example of symbolic retribution. In Dantes journey we see a difference in motivation between the Odysseys journeys in that, a strive for fame and glory is not seen and polis is not even mentioned. His journey was used to communicate a fear for one God and also show the consequences of the wrong doings on earth. According to Dante, the worst sins you commit on earth you will pay for in hell. In the next piece of literature, Candide by Voltaire, we follow the main character Candide on a long journey for the girl that he loves Cunà ©gonde. He is banished from his home for kissing Cunà ©gonde who is of a higher social ranking then himself. Because of his banishment he embarks on a long journey of hardship. He remembers Dr. Pangloss teachings as a kid a uses his philosophy throughout his journey. Dr. Pangloss always would tell him that they live in the best world and everything in this world is for the best. After a couple of years with the army he escapes to Lisbon because he was ill-treated. In Lisbon he finds his lost love Cunà ©gonde with two men who want her. Candide kills the two men and he now escapes on a journey with Cunà ©gonde. But this journey with Cunà ©gonde did not last long because he was wanted for the killings of the two men. Candide had to flee and he told Cunà ©gonde to stay in Buenos Aires until his return. Candide and his servant Cacambo come across the lost city of gold known as El Dorado. Here they find kids playing with an abundance of gold as if gold was meaningless to them. In El Dorado there was so much gold that they played with it instead of cherishing it. El Dorado represents the conclusion of a perfect journey but for Candide this wasnt the case. This was not perfect because Cunà ©gonde was not with him and he never forgot about his promise that he would come back for her. So he took a large quantity of gold and went back to look for her. Since Candide cannot return because he is wanted; he instructs his servant Cacambo to go get Cunà ©gonde and bring her to Venice Italy where they could reunite. Candide arrives to Venice late and he has to search for Cacambo who was nowhere to be found. Eventually he finds Cacambo and again they embark on another journey to Turkey because that is supposedly where Cunà ©gonde now stays. Sure enough there long journey comes to an end when they meet in Turkey. Candide lost his love for Cunà ©gonde because she became ugly and fat but he still married her because of her social status. They end up buying a small farm that they must tend to regularly. Candide journey was all for nothing. In his journey he had the opportunity to stay in the perfect world of El Dorado where there was plenty of food an riches but instead he decided to pursue Cunà ©gonde. Cunà ©gonde was once the perfection in his life but by the end she became imperfect. His journey has put him through many obstacles but in the end he was happy with the farm although he must work for food and his wife is not what he wanted. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦for if you had not been kicked out of a magnificent castle for love of Miss Cunà ©gonde: if you had not been put into the Inquisition: if you had not walked over America: if you had not stabbà ©d the Baron: if you had not lost all your sheep from the fine country of El Dorado: you would not be here eating preserved citrons and pistachio-nuts. All that is very well, answered Candide, but let us cultivate our garden. (Voltaire, 30.29-31). In the end, his journey was to find the perfect place where Candide was satisfied with his life and he eventually did this at the end of his long journey for Cunà ©gonde. In the last piece of literature, A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle, two journeys also take place; the journey of why the crime was committed and the journey to find the criminal. One of the main characters is Sherlock Holmes who is a private detective not affiliated with the authorities helps people find the truth about a particular situation that is considered unsolvable. Sherlock Holmes uses the reality of the situation as well as common sense to solve the issues he is presented with. The first journey of why the crime was committed starts off when John Ferrier and young Lucy are rescued by Brigham Young and the Mormons. The Mormons agreed to take them if they converted to the Mormon religion which meant they had to follow the Mormons rules. John Ferrier and young Lucy had to agree to this or they would die in the desert. As time went on they settled with the Mormons and followed their traditions of their religion but they were still Christian at heart. According to Mormon law young Lucy who is John Ferriers adopted daughter must marry a Mormon boy but Lucy loved another boy named Jefferson Hope who is a hunter but is not Mormon. John Ferrier was forced to make a choice or flee away from the Mormon settlement. With the help of Lucys love Jefferson Hope they try to run away from the Mormons. They eventually get caught and John Ferrier gets murdered, Lucy gets seized, and Jefferson Hope was not there to witness this so he gets spared. Therefore, Jefferson Hope, seeking revenge, finds out the names and whereabouts of the Mormons who killed John and Lucy. He finds out that Drebber and Stangerson are the ones responsible for this so he goes on a journey hunting for them. Jefferson Hope eventually finds both of them and kills them. Jefferson Hope killed Drebber by poison and Stangerson by stabbing him to death. It became a coincidence that Sherlock Holmes was put on this case to find the killer. Eventually with the cunningness of Sherlock Holmes, Jefferson Hope gets caught for his wrong doings and he confesses everything and why he killed them. These journeys of killing for revenge and finding the killer worked hand in hand perfectly because both show a journey of truth. Ive done my work now, and I dont care how soon I go, but I should like to leave some account of the business behind me. I dont want to be remembered as a common cut-throat. (Doyle, 77). We first begin with Sherlock Holmes doing his usual investigation and we as the reader wants the killer to be caught. After we see the killers journey unfold, we feel sympathetic towards the killer because we know what he has been through. After we see his journey we are lead back to the capturing of the killer and the reader is left to wonder if killing was the correct route to take. To conclude, the motivation for journeys between these four pieces of literature change throughout the time periods. In The Odyssey by Homer the motivation for the journey during Greek times was to achieve fame and glory through their polis. This is proven by Odysseus overcoming obstacles throughout the epic. In The Inferno by Dante the motivation for his journey during the Medieval period was to show that there is one God that is very powerful and God should be feared because of symbolic retribution as well as loved because he makes the ultimate decision after death. In Candide by Voltaire the motivation of the journey in the Era of Enlightenment was to find the perfect place where you could be satisfied with life even if hard work and a long journey are involved. Lastly, in A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle the motivation of the journey for the Age of Empiricism is to find your own truth but there are always consequences in truth.

Accenture Is A Global Management Consulting Commerce Essay

Accenture Is A Global Management Consulting Commerce Essay Accenture is a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company, with approximately 2,59,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries. Combining unparalleled experience, comprehensive capabilities across all industries and business functions, and extensive research on the worlds most successful companies, Accenture collaborates with clients to help them become high-performance businesses and governments. Accenture originated as the business and technology consulting division of accounting firm  Andersen Consulting in 1953. Its first project was to automate payroll processing and manufacturing at General Electronics Appliance Park in Kentucky. Since then, it has been consistently expanding. In 2001 Andersen Consulting adopted its current name, Accenture. The word Accenture is derived from Accent on the future. Accenture felt that the name should represent its will to be a global consulting leader and high performer, and also intended that the name should not be offensive in any country in which Accenture operates. Accentures high performance business strategy builds on its proficiency in consulting, technology and outsourcing to improve its clients performance. Using its technology capabilities and industrial knowledge, it identifies new business and technology trends and develops solutions to help clients around the world enter new markets, increase revenues in existing market, improve operational performance and deliver their products and services more effectively and efficiently. Organizational structure: Accenture follows a Matrix Organizational structure. All the employees are given certain basic trainings (known as Green Field Training) based on their previous skills set. People with similar skills are pooled and allocated to work projects based on their suitability. Every project has 2 managers: A project manager and a functional manager. The authority of the functional manager flows vertically downwards and the authority of the project manager flows sideward. Hence, each functional worker usually reports to the functional heads, but does not normally work directly under their supervision. Instead, the worker is controlled by a project manager. This way, each worker has two superiors, who will jointly ensure the progress of the project. Most of the projects in Accenture follow Strong Matrix i.e. most of the authorities lie with the project manager. The project manager has a full time role,  controls the project budget  and he has full time project management administrative staff under him. The functional head may be more interested in developing the most exiting products or technologies, whereas the project manager is more concerned with keeping deadlines and controlling project costs. Leadership style: There is no fixed leadership style in Accenture and it varies from project to project based on the project manager. My project managers leadership style can be best described as Participative. Even though he didnt have much technical knowledge, he used to take all the critical decisions by gathering inputs from the employees working under him and coagulate all the information to reach a final conclusion. This made the group members feel more engaged in the process which made them more motivated and creative. Culture: Accenture has a unique culture in which every new employee is given a KT (Knowledge Transfer) Session by his team members (irrespective of his designation). This session includes an overview on the working style of the project, all the technical details that are supposed to be known by the new member. After this process, the new member is asked to shadow the existing members of the same designation for 1 week during which, he is only supposed to sit, observe and understand the work performed by the existing employees. After the end of 1 week, the new employee is asked to give a Reverse KT which includes a presentation on his learnings during the week in front of a few senior members of the organization. Reverse KT is a measure to determine the grasping power of the employee which helps the manager in deciding the sub-team to which he should be allocated. Also, there is a culture of celebrating all the festivals by wearing traditional clothes and getting sweets from home. Since there is a lot of regional diversity in the company, this helps in gaining knowledge of each others cultures. The whole team sits together for lunch on festive occasions and enjoys the sweets. Accenture has a quarterly awards ceremony in which a few of the best performing employees in the project are given awards (such as Tiger of the Quarter, Shining star of the quarter). They are given certain CP points as rewards which can be used to shop online (1CP point = Rs. 10). This increases the passion, zeal in employees to outperform their peers and win the award resulting in a more dedicated lot of employees. Team Building initiatives: One of Accentures core values is to attract, develop and retain the best talents for their business and foster a collaborative and mutually supportive environment for them. Hence, they give a lot of focus on team building activities. Accenture organizes inter project competitions such as cricket matches, cultural competitions (singing, dance, battle of bands etc.) every month which binds the project co-workers together and increases their interaction. Cricket matches give the project co-workers a sense of unity and improves teamwork amongst co-workers. Accenture also allocates quarterly budgets for group dinners where the whole team is taken out for dinner by the project manager. The budget depends on the performance of the team. Hence, this is another motivational factor for the team to work harder and improve their performance. Also, every team members birthday is celebrated in the office cafeteria with a cake cutting ceremony during which the whole team is present. This improves the team dynamics and keeps the employee enthused. Politics: Power and politics go hand in hand. The same was the case in Accenture. Office politics such as favoritism, groupism existed in Accenture. Individuals used to make use of the power assigned to them for the purpose of obtaining advantages beyond their legitimate authority. On occasions, team leads used to recommend those employees for quarterly rewards with whom they had a good repo irrespective of the work being performed by them. Innovation / Creativity initiatives: There are certain SIMs (Service Improvement initiatives) which can be raised by an employee to add in his creative ideas and innovations. These SIMs follow a specific procedure where they are validated by the functional manager first by checking the feasibility of the idea and the procedure on how to implement it in the existing environment. After testing, they are moved forward to the project manager. Upon attaining his approval, it is passed to the Senior Executive who informs the clients about the innovation. After all the required approvals are taken, the team is asked alter the system by adding the creative idea to the existing environment. Even though this is a time consuming process, it is more methodical and takes into account all the drawbacks and negative impacts of the creative initiative on the existing system. Critique on the current internal scenario / internal environment including people practices: The biggest problem faced by the employees of Accenture is the allocation of projects. Even though there are Accenture Delivery Centers spread out across 7 cities all over India, people are not given their preferred city. A person opting for Delhi might be given Chennai and vice versa. As a result, people have to live away from their hometown which decreases the EQ level as well as results in an additional cost of living which the employee has to bear. Therefore, the satisfaction level of the employees reduces which results in a reduction in their efficiency or even a company switch. Suggestions and recommendations to make the organization a Futuristic or Visionary Firm of Endearment or Conscious Capitalistic organization: Accenture has come a long way since its separation from Arthur Anderson in 2000 to evolve into a mega external service provider with its roots in various industries, regions around the world. Accenture has many opportunities to gain market leadership in various countries which can be done via small/medium sized acquisitions. This will help the company expand it capabilities, service, presence worldwide. Accenture should expand and recruit more people from developing country (like India, Philippines, China) which provide low-cost development and support  to local client-facing personnel in a given domestic market. This will result in a more hardworking set of employees at cheaper costs. Also, the cost of setting up delivery centers in those countries will also be cheaper than the developed countries like UK, USA. To be highly competitive, external service providers such as Accenture should possess strong global capabilities to manage clients and engagements worldwide. Hence, Accenture should plan to increase its low cost work force. Also, the firm should change its project allocation system and focus more on the preferred cities of the employees. Being with their families will keep the employees satisfied. It would also reduce the reallocation charges and brokerage charges that the company usually pays when reallocating an employee to a city which is not his preferred one.

Trepanation, Spirituality and Loneliness :: Biology Essays Research Papers

The search for a "higher level of consciousness" is one that seems to be as old as consciousness itself. Practices such as the ritualistic or religious consumption of peyote, ayahuasca, psilocybe mushrooms or other such naturally-occuring hallucinogenic drugs, self-deprivation and transcendental meditation are just a few of the countless ways in which mankind has sought to expand the limits of human experience; these practices are still a mainstay in many modern countercultures. They are also very well-known and documented practices. There exists, however, a radical surgical procedure, as old as the aforementioned practices but far less notorious in the general public, which purports to result in the same sort of enlightenment: trepanation, also known as trephination. (Be prepared: likely, the primary reason that trepanation has not received so much attention from popular culture is that it is far more extreme than the other methods mentioned above.) What is trepanation? Strictly speaking, it is the practice of drilling, scraping or in any other way creating a small hole in the skull down to, but not through, the dura mater, or the thick, tough membrane that contains the brain. Archeological evidence tells us that it was performed by ancient cultures on every continent; the oldest trepanned skulls that have currently been found date as far back as 3000 B.C (approximately). In almost all cases, the evidence points to the trepanation having been performed with skill and a great deal of precision - it was clearly a procedure that had ritualistic import. (1) What purpose could this operation possibly serve? In early documented incarnations, trepanation existed as a cure for mental illness - it was believed that mental illnesses were the result of demons living within the skull, and thus a hole was made in the skull through which these demons could escape. The more modern perspective on trepanation as a means of expanding consciousness was started in by Bart Hughes when his text "The Mechanism of Brainbloodvolume ('BBV')" was published in 1962. (1) Bart Hughes' theory can be summed up as follows: "...as we mature and age our skulls harden, restricting blood flow to the capillaries of the brain....children, especially babies with their "soft spot", had a clearer outlook on the world because their brains were free to receive more cerebral blood volume than...our adult brains with hermetically-sealed skulls." (1) There are many ways to increase brainbloodvolume (the self-explanatory term coined by Hughes, hereafter referred to as BBV) tempor arily, such as standing on one's head, quickly moving from a hot to a cold bath, or the consumption of psychedelic drugs; however, according to Hughes trepanation is the only way to increase BBV permanently.

The Rooms From Life to Death :: essays research papers

In Edgar Allan Poe's short story, "The Masque of the Red Death", Poe use many symbols to interpret the many different theme's. One of the themes is that you cannot escape death which Poe proves in this story to be true. Each of the rooms that Poe uses in the story represents a certain kind of mood, emotion or coincidences in life. Poe's story takes place in seven connected but carefully separated rooms. This reminds the reader of the past significance of the number seven. The history of the world was thought to consist of seven ages, just as an individual's life had seven stages. The ancient world had seven wonders; universities divided learning into seven subjects; there were seven deadly sins with seven corresponding cardinal virtues. Therefore, an allegorical reading of this story suggests that the seven rooms represent the seven stages of one's life, from birth to death, through which the prince pursues a figure masked as a victim of the Red Death, only to die himself in the final chamber of eternal night. The easternmost room is decorated in blue, with blue stained-glass windows. The next room is purple with the same stained-glass window pattern. The rooms continue westward, according to this design, in the following color arrangement: green, orange, white, and violet. The seventh room is black, with red windows. The rooms of the palace, lined up in a series that represents the stages of life. Poe makes it a point to arrange the rooms running from east to west. This progression is symbolically significant because it represents the life cycle of a day. The sun rises in the east and sets in the west, with night symbolizing death. What transforms this set of symbols into an allegory, is the further symbolic treatment of the twenty-four hour life cycle. This translates to the realm of human beings. This progression from east to west, performed by both Prospero and the mysterious guest, symbolizes the human journey from birth to death. Poe crafts the last ,black room as the ominous endpoint, the room the guests fear just as they fear death.

Writing Dissertation Proposal

How to Write your Dissertation Proposal There are certain requirements on how to structure and write your dissertation proposal , including the chapters, number of sources, research development, and literature review. When you first get your dissertation proposal details from your professor, you might be confused on where to start. Below, you will find an easy to follow guide by our site experts on how to develop ideas, do your research, and write the chapters of your proposal. While the general guide will help you through the process, you should always consult with your tutor or support staff if you are unsure about something. What is a Dissertation Proposal? A dissertation proposal is the first step on your long journey of completing your dissertation: once the proposal is accepted, the hard work begins, and you will need to deliver the completed dissertation in a given timescale. A dissertation proposal is there to show your tutors what you would like to cover in your final paper, and present your knowledge of the topic you have chosen for your dissertation. A dissertation proposal is also your aid to plan the research of your final paper. Tips on Writing Your Dissertation Your dissertation proposal is important because it helps communicate your plan for the dissertation and show your research to your university. It has to be submitted within a given deadline, and needs to be the foundation of your final dissertation. You must get your dissertation proposal accepted by your university before you start working on the final dissertation. Handing this paper in on time will help you get feedback on your topic, sources, and get your final dissertation right. Always wait for feedback and criticism from your tutor before you start writing the final paper. You need to remember that structure of a research proposal is particular to this format, and it should not be structured as an essay or research paper. It needs to highlight the gap in current research and show your competence in the subject area you want to write your final dissertation in. In this paper, you will not need to prove a thesis, or answer research questions, bu t have to develop them and get them approved by your tutor. The research proposal needs to show the structure of your argument, fit it in the current research literature, show how you are approaching your future research, and provide a detailed methodology structure. It is important that you justify your choice of topic and show how it will contribute towards the knowledge of researchers and industry players in your research area. Eight Steps of Writing Your Dissertation Proposal Develop topics that interest you and investigate them. Make sure that there is enough data, literature, and information available on the subject for you to write your dissertation on. Choose your topic based on your interest, previous research, and suggestions from your tutor. If you have regular meetings and consultations with your professor, you can present multiple research areas and get one approved before you would start writing your dissertation proposal. Ask specific questions about your dissertation proposal structure. Every college and university have their own specific formatting and structure guides, and getting to know them early will save you a lot of time and effort. Start researching the literature. Make sure that you develop a list of sources and obtain copies of related journals and books before you write your dissertation proposal. You might find that some books have limited availability, or you need an academic journal subscription to obtain them. Develop your main ideas based on the literature you researched. This might be the time when you narrow down your topic to a more specific area, and create your ideas. For example, if you chose the topic of â€Å"employee satisfaction†, you might want to research only financial firms that have more than 500 employees. Check that your topic is unique. Once you have your main ideas developed, it is important to make sure that your research will be unique, and provide new information for other researchers in your field. Develop your research questions and purpose. Once you have clarified the research questions and purpose, you have to talk to your supervisor to make sure they approve your dissertation topic. Develop your dissertation proposal. Write an outline and get it approved before you would submit this to your tutor. Make sure that your selected methodology is feasible and clear. Your Dissertation Proposal Outline The main parts of your dissertation proposal outline need to include the information that you want to cover in the following chapters: Introduction Literature review Methodology Conclusion What to Include In Your Dissertation Proposal? Apart from the above main chapters, it is also important to have a time chart or dissertation proposal timeline, providing a schedule of the work you are planning to complete. In the Introduction chapter, you need to include the introduction of the study, organisation of the research, problem statement, research objective, and the outline of the dissertation research proposal. In the Literature Review, you need an introduction, the main literature review, summary, and the fully developed research question. In the Methodology chapter, you will have to state your research philosophy, research approach, and research strategy. Further, you need to show your data collection and analysis plan, followed by information on access, reliability, validity, ethical issues, and research limitations. The conclusion needs to summarise the topic and the current literature, as well as the justification of undertaking the research. Your time chart has to show the important steps and their proposed completion date. Need Help with Your Dissertation Proposal? If you don’t know where to start writing your dissertation proposal, or need to clarify the structure, you need to contact your tutor or supervisor first. Every institution has unique requirements for dissertation proposal structure. If you find it hard to select a topic that will be approved by your tutor, you can always get in touch with the experienced academic writers at our site for help. Related Articles: How to Write a Dissertation Proposal How to Structure a Dissertation Research Proposal Dissertation Proposal Help

Kyocera Case Study

B CASE ANALYSIS Kyocera Corporation Preface According to the footnotes on the initial page of this case study, it was written by Nancy Rothbard of the Harvard Business School for the purpose of discussion rather than for analyzing the handling of an administrative problem. The format is generalized and it gives a broad spectrum of information from which a student can extract pieces relevant to his or her area of study for a specific class. Since this case analysis is for a class in Strategic Cost Management, the main area of interest for this paper will be in the area of â€Å"cost management†.However, given the broad spectrum of information, the analysis is not limited only to cost management facts and issues, but also includes information that that is relative to other management topics. Rather than looking for a group of existing administrative problems, the focus is strategic in nature and addresses issues that could be problems in the future based on the status of the com pany at the time the case was written. The analysis includes information for the time period covered in the case study with a few references to Kyocera in the period of time after this case was written and up to the present.Introduction Kyocera Corporation was founded in Japan in 1959 as the Kyoto Ceramic Company. , Ltd. by Dr. Kazuo Inamori and seven colleagues. With Dr. Inamori providing strategic direction, the company grew from a small niche market player to an international conglomerate in a relatively short period of time. Within 30 years Kyocera was a world-class leader in their core product (electronics packaging) market. In addition, through mergers and creation of new business units Kyocera was able to successfully diversify into other areas of technical expertise.Seven product groups accounted for ninety-nine percent of Kyocera Corporation’s sales of approximately $2. 7 billion in 1990. (The additional 1% of sales was simply labeled â€Å"other† in the case study documentation. ) The products are divided among 80 companies in different geographical locations. The firm differentiated itself from competitors by providing world-class customer service. After establishing itself in a core product line and market, the firm was in a position to take the risk of entering additional markets, with additional products added to the mix. You can read also Thin Film Solar CellKyocera had a unique management system based on work cells called â€Å"amoebas† and a somewhat unique corporate philosophy and culture based on Dr. Inamori’s personal beliefs. The leaders of the company were very dedicated to the corporate philosophy and placed high value on making sure all newcomers were indoctrinated and accepted the corporate culture as well. The management philosophy, international business parameters, diversified product lines, corporate culture, and continued growth all have their challenges for the company. Some of these challenges are in the area of costing.Close examination reveals that there are both strengths and weaknesses in the way these business characteristics are handled by Kyocera. Corporate Profile/Background Key Personnel: †¢ Dr. Kazuo Inamori – Founder and architect of the firm’s business strategy. Dr. Inamori was a powerful force in the development and growth of the corporat ion. Without his leadership the company would likely not have grown as fast or been as diversified as it became by its thirtieth (30th) year in existence. †¢ Seven unnamed colleagues of Dr. Inamori who founded the company with him. They provided upfront capital, labor, and personal sacrifice to get the company started and on solid ground. Although these men had vision, they were no match for Dr. Inamori’s foresight, enthusiasm, and philosophical predisposition for success. †¢ Kinju Anjo (Vice Chairman) and Kensuke Itoh (Kyocera President) who stood in for Dr. Inamori when he could not be present at meetings. Kyocera’s Product Groups: Kyocera’s management referred to themselves as a high-tech solutions provider. This was because of the company’s focus on meeting the customer’s needs for specialized components.The list of products below is a testament to that high-tech solutions label. †¢ Electronic Components – The electronic c omponents product group provided discreet electronic components to industries that manufacture consumer electronics and to manufacturers who provided specialized products with stringent specifications to governments and industry. Chip capacitors, chip resistors, Hybrid IC’s, and quartz oscillators. In addition, thermal print-heads were included within the electronics components group. Most of these items are low-price, high-volume products. Semiconductor Parts – The semiconductor parts product group provided the substrates and components typically used in the more expensive integrated circuit packaging. These are used in expensive machinery that is used in industrial, military or other heavy duty applications where stringent specifications are desired. †¢ Electronic Equipment – The Electronic Equipment group manufactured and distributed communications and I/T (information technology) equipment in the form of computer peripherals, video conferencing systems, and memory for sale to manufacturers of computers and consumer electronics. Optical Instruments – The Optical Instruments product group made single-lens reflex cameras, 8 mm video camcorders, and compact cameras. †¢ Consumer Related Products – The Consumer Related Products group manufactured and sold jewelry, cutting tools, solar cells, dental and orthopedic implants, and ceramic knives. †¢ Industrial Ceramics – The Industrial Ceramics products group made pump and valve parts, semiconductor fabrications, Fiber-optic and optical communications equipment, and automotive parts. Ceramics Materials for Electronics – The Ceramic Materials for Electronics product group manufactured very specialized components for electronic systems. Glass for color TV’s, precision resistors, and thermal print-heads. Also ceramic substrates for specialized IC components were a product in this group. Management System: The management system at the Kyocera Corpora tion is very unique. It’s uniqueness is a result of the management ignoring standard management structure in other companies and developing a system to address problems that have been witnessed at other companies. i. e. runaway corporate bureaucracy. ) There were some inherent problems in the Kyocera management systems that manifested themselves as the company grew. (These are listed in the analysis section of this report. ) However, it is not likely that these problems would have merited scrapping the whole corporate structure, but implementation of minor changes could help improve profitability. The components of the management system are as follows: †¢ Amoebas – These components are profit centers with and average of 30 members.One official leader/motivator and very little or no other formal structure. The amoebas rated performance on a basis of hourly efficiency per month. This was calculate by dividing net profit before labor and taxes by the total labor hour s. †¢ Hans – These are smaller working groups that are under the Amoebas and do not have responsibilities as a profit center. †¢ Upper Management Reporting Structure – The upper management in each company or division would attend a series of meetings designed to update from the top down and provide status information from the bottom up. Company or Division Level Reporting Structure – The very top managers from each company or division would go to Kyoto or later Tokyo to update the headquarters level management personnel on the status of projects in their respective organizations. Corporate Philosophy/Culture †¢ Dr. Inamori’s Beliefs – The beliefs that are important in this analysis are the ones that were imported into the corporate philosophy and had the potential to affect the profitability or effectiveness of the company. For example, Dr.Inamori’s belief that a person should never give up when pursuing answers to technical p roblems is certainly admirable. However, when a project becomes unprofitable, it is sometimes wise to make a decision to cut the losses. Wisdom is the key to knowing when to give up. Dr. Inamori’s belief in Respect for the Divine and Love People serves as a motivational backdrop to the culture at Kyocera and has helped to make the company a success. (There is much more to cover on Inamori’s influence and it will be covered in the sections to follow. †¢ Centralized Management – Kyocera’s management system was very centralized in 1990 and the company was outgrowing the usefulness of such a system. With 80 companies and countless divisions, the old way of management meetings for reporting purposes was becoming unproductive and unmanageable. †¢ Problem Resolution – Problem resolution for transfer pricing and other issues was handled through the management system. No â€Å"final decisions† were forced on any organization, but the organi zations were expected to negotiated and solve problems among themselves.The problem was escalated up the chain of command until it reached Inamori himself. The information presented above and additional information in the the case study itself provide enough background for a person to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the corporation. Using this information one can do an analysis and make recommendations for improvement. Important Characteristics of the Kyocera Corporation The characteristics of the Kyocera Corporation listed below are important to the analysis of possible issues facing the company now and in the future. Continuous Growth – As Kyocera continues to grow issues will surface that are a result of the size and complexity of the corporation. The entire organization will no longer be able to report progress in management meeting the same way it has been done for the last 60 or so years. The reporting matrix will need to be re-vamped to allow more responsibilit y at the division or company management level with ultimate accountability for quarterly profits at that level as well. Also, costing and transfer pricing issues need to be handled as a team between organizations.Too much autonomy can be as detrimental to the organization as too little. A balance of power and decision making needs to be tempered with a team approach to making each company or division as profitable as possible. †¢ Diversification – One characteristic that is a result of Dr. Inamori’s risk taking philosophy is the diversification in the product line. The products are high-tech enough to be a good fit in the company, but different enough that the different divisions and companies that make up Kyocera don’t end up competing against one another in a way that is detrimental to the company as a whole. Kyocera is an International Corporation – Cost is a good reason why this is an important characteristic of the company. Being international a llows Kyocera to take advantage of labor savings associated with manufacturing in some countries, while selling products in countries that will bring in the most profit. Being international also gives Kyocera access to markets in differing countries without as many distribution headaches as other manufacturers. †¢ Minimization of Corporate Bureaucracy – Kyocera focuses on minimizing bureaucracy.This eliminates costs associated with red and gives the Amoebas the flexibility to manufacture at the lowest cost. †¢ Measurement System – The measurement system is good in some respects and bad in others. Production targets are set internally by the same group that is attempting to make its goal a reality. This is a concern due to the lack of standardization and potential for poor targeting. †¢ Never Give Up Mentality – Dr. Inamori’s â€Å"never give up† philosophy is both a strength and a weakness.It is good for sharpening the focus of work groups, but at the same time could encourage unwise decision-making. Strategic Cost Concerns – Early in it’s existence, Kyocera was focused on keeping sales, general, and administrative expenses below industry standards. However, the management reporting practice and philosophy, as well as lack of standardization of costing methods within divisions or companies may work against the company in the area of cost. – Retraining costs with the frequent break-up of Amoebas is a concern. Purchasing parts at market prices on the open market that are also made by Kyocera-owned companies is a problem. – The cost of monthly reporting meetings is minor, but may be a growing expense across the board (for all divisions and companies) as the organization grows. Kyocera’s Inherent Strengths Quality of Leadership: Kyocera had strong leader in Dr. Inamori. His philosophical outlook and decision making abilities set the tone for success at the company.This type of lea dership cannot be taught, but is inherent in an individual. Technical Expertise: The company’s technical expertise is due to their focus on individuality and specialization. This helps the company in the area of new product development. Diversified Product Line: The products are high-tech enough to be a good fit in the company, but different enough that the different divisions and companies that make up Kyocera don’t end up competing against one another in a way that is detrimental to the company as a whole.Reputation: Kyocera’s reputation for quality and getting the job done will help them retain earned market share. Tenacity: Tenacious competitors in business always fair better than those who give up easily. The spirit of tenacity at Kyocera earns them the respect of their customers Working Environment Positive Attitudes: The positive environment at Kyocera helps retain expertise with employee retention and it fosters a non-threatening creative environment. Au tonomy: The autonomy of the Amoebas fosters creativity and lack of bureaucracy costs.International Status: Being international allows Kyocera to take advantage of labor savings associated with manufacturing in some countries, while selling products in countries that will bring in the most profit. Being international also gives Kyocera access to markets in differing countries without as many distribution headaches as other manufacturers. Areas of Weakness Some Elements of the Corporate Structure Centralized Management: The corporation is getting too large to maintain the current management reporting structure.The complexity will slow decision-making and be costly. Autonomy: Retraining costs with the frequent break-up of Amoebas is a concern. Product Overlap among Companies or Divisions: Repetitiveness in product lines is costly due to the repetitive support structures. Measurement System: Top-down setting of goals for Amoebas would be more appropriate. This would ensure some standard ization among expectations placed on workers. Transfer-pricing: Kyocera to Kyocera pricing should be lower than open market-prices.This would help sister organizations be more competitive. Additional Analysis Threats from New Competitors: Kyocera will have to be aware of new competitors at all times in the high-tech marketplace. Each division or company in the corporation must be aware of who the players are in their market. It would hard for any one niche player to become threat to Kyocera as a whole since they are very diversified. Rivalry among competitors: Kyocera must be careful to make sure this does not take place within its own corporate umbrella.There is no immediate rivalry of outside competitors that is obvious in this case. Substitute Products: Kyocera does a good job of battling this by taking on tasks that nobody else wants or has the tenacity to tackle. Suppliers Power: In many cases this firm is their own supplier. It is unfortunate that sister divisions or companies do not work closer together and become a powerhouse together. Buyer or Customer Power: Ditto the comments above. Also the buyers from outside have their purchasing power/threat to Kyocera limited by Kyocera’s diversification.Value Creation: Inbound and outbound logistics are strengths in Kyocera due to their international presence. They provide their own marketing channel through salaried sales professionals and have the product base to support using outside channels when possible. Advertising, pricing, etc. are handled by the individual divisions and companies. Service activities fall in the other column that makes up 1% of sales on the product organization list. This column does provide value to the customers and the company to the tune of $27 million. Current and Future OpportunitiesRe-alignment of the reporting structure: By re-aligning the reporting structure Kyocera can save cost and improve communications in the corporation. High-Tech changes in the Macroenvironment: New opportunities to be first in the area of communications are coming available with the internet, cable, and wireless communications areas. Transfer-pricing changes: Kyocera to Kyocera pricing should be lower than open market-prices. This would help sister organizations be more competitive. Expense Reduction: Administrative costs could be reduced by realigning the reporting structure.Product Overlap among Companies or Divisions: By combining operations for overlapping product lines Kyocera can save support costs. Potential Threats Current High-Tech changes in the Macroenvironment: Technological change does not stand still. New communications products and technologies make old ones obsolete every day. Corporate Growth: Communications and repetitive costs may become issues. Repetitive organizations as a result of mergers and acquisitions should be analyzed and handled appropriately. This may mean dismantling some organizations to save money.Action Items to be considered Change the M anagement Reporting Structure: The management reporting structure change could improve communications and help reduce administrative expenses Combine Support Operations for Different Companies in the Same Product Group: Repetitive support structures cost money. By combining support operations expenses could be reduced. Establish new corporate transfer-pricing guidelines. Corporate Guidelines for transfer-pricing could help make some of the business units more competitive.Reduce the autonomy of the Amoebas: Amoebas do not need to be doing their own costing and profit or production target setting. Recommendations Establish new corporate transfer-pricing guidelines base on sound judgement and principles: Focus on competitiveness and provide special pricing to sister business units to help make them more competitive. Focus on cost reduction in the administrative expense area: Implement conference calling, eliminate as much travel as possible, and combine support operations for multiple units to produce cost savings.Reduce the autonomy of the Amoebas: The amoeba level is too low on the management structure to make decisions on production targets and profitability. Move costing up to a higher level and allow input on production and profit targets from the amoebas, but put accountability at the next level of management up. Bibliography Kyocera Corporation, Nancy Rothbard, Harvard Business School, Publishing Division. 1991. Document #9-491-078,. Revisioned July 1993.