A key issue that was faced by the New Testament Church Essay Example for Free

A key issue that was faced by the New Testament Church Essay Examine a key issue that was faced by the New Testament Church (Prostitution). Could these arguments used in the first century be used by the Church of today for this problem? Prostitution is the performance of sexual acts solely for the purpose of material gain. Persons prostitute themselves when they grant favours to others in exchange for money, gifts or other payments and in so doing; use their bodies as commodities. In legal terms, the word prostitute refers only to those who engage overtly in such sexual-economic transactions, usually for a specific sum of money. Prostitutes may be of either sex, but throughout history, the majority have been women, reflecting both the traditional socio-economic dependence of women and the tendency to exploit female sexuality. Although prostitution has often been characterised as the worlds oldest profession, the concept of women as property, which prevailed in most centuries until the end of the nineteenth century, meant that the profits of the profession most often ended up in the hands of the men who controlled it. Men have traditionally been characterised as procurers and customers, but during the latter half of the twentieth century, they are increasingly being identified as prostitutes themselves, who generally serve male customers and sometimes impersonate women. The Torah (Law) had little to say on the subject of secular prostitution. It prohibited parents from dedicating their children as sacred prostitutes, but there is nothing to tell us whether its authors would have objected equally to the ideas of a master making his slave-woman a secular prostitute or even a father doing so with his daughter. There are two references to secular prostitution in the Old Testament, which offer any details as to how it was regarded. In both cases, an unmarried women is understood to have chosen this course of action on her own and thereby brought disgrace on her father. In one passage, a priests daughter who plays the harlot is condemned to be burned for having profaned her father (Leviticus 21:9). One may think that she is part of her fathers household, either as not yet married or as a divorced or widowed woman. Her activity threatens the state of purity vital to the household, since its food comes largely from the altar of the temple. In Deuteronomy (22:13-21) a man charges that his wife was not found to be a virgin on her wedding night. If this were true, she would be stoned for having played the harlot in her fathers house. In other words, she has engaged in sexual intercourse when she ought to have been guarding her virginity carefully in order to be a suitable bride. In the process, she has exposed her father to shame of having misrepresented her state in negotiating her marriage. It is not clear from the passage that she actually receives payment for her services; the point seems to be, rather, that she has deprived her father and her prospective husband of their rights in her. What was wrong with prostitution, from the perspective of ancient Israel, was not so much the giving or receiving of payment for sexual intercourse as it was the removal of sexual intercourse from the framework of property and hierarchy which normally contained it and ensured that it was placed at the service of the family. Such an interpretation is made explicit in a more extensive critique of prostitution found in Proverbs. After warning the reader against the wiles of the loose woman, the author contrasts the positive ideal of possessing a wife with a negative prospect of wasting ones resources on a courtesan (Proverbs 5:15-23). Having said that, one cannot treat wisdom literature as if it were the same genre as legislation. It is clear that Proverbs agrees with the Torah in understanding prostitution, as violation to Gods will, not merely as something to be avoided for prudential reasons. Still, the justification offered for the prohibition is intrusive as to the ethical framework in which the prohibition itself belonged. Prostitution was wrong because it stood outside the normal patriarchal system in which the male head of the household owned one or more women as sexual partners. As such, it threatened the interests of the family. The man might feel that he had received full value for his expense, but the family gained nothing at all from his patronising of the prostitute. His action, therefore was a betrayal of his responsibilities, since he existed not to gratify his own desires but to maintain and enhance the fortunes of his fathers house. What the Torah and Proverbs agree upon then is the condemnation of those who place personal gratification ahead of family duty. The Torah condemns the unmarried woman who prefers sexual pleasure above her obligations as a good daughter of the household who must preserve her marriageability, which is, indeed the familys investment in her. Proverbs condemns the man who spends family resources on private pleasure. He should marry a woman and be content with the sexual pleasure he receives from her. Proverbs was concerned to make the prostitute sound as unscrupulous and unattractive as possible. The Torah was speaking to the woman who was trying to behave as an unattached individual in pursuit of pleasure while still remaining under the protection of her father. According to the Torah, prostitution, though a slightly less serious crime than adultery, was wrong insofar as it represented the triumph of individual gratification over against the principle of subordination to the family. The matter of prostitution receives very little attention from the Gospel writers, but it appears in a significant pronouncement of Jesus. The tax collectors and the prostitutes, he said, were entering the Kingdom of God ahead of respectable religious leaders (chief priests and elders) because they believed the preaching of John the Baptist (Matt 21:23-32). Since John preached repentance (Matt 3:2) one may suspect that prostitutes ceased to be such when they came to believe the message. It proves difficult, however, to be certain. The tax collectors presumably did not cease to be tax collectors (In Luke 19:1-10, the tax collector Zacchaeus, upon his conversion, gave half of his property to the poor and made amends to those he has defrauded). A prostitute would have found it singularly difficult to emerge from her low place in the community. We know little about them in Jewish times. In the contemporary Gentile world, however, most of them were slaves, who could not legally abandon their status. Even free prostitutes, if poor, would have had only the most limited of options, since they would not have been acceptable as wives. Our own presuppositions, then, may perhaps dictate whether we think of these women as giving up prostitution or not. Luke 7:36-50 sees Jesus anointed by a public sinner. While she is not labelled as a prostitute, it is one conclusion that could be possibly said about her. Jesus accepts her intentions, contrasts them favourably with those of her host, the Pharisee, and finally says, Her sins, many as they are, are forgiven because she has loved much (7:47). This does not tell us what Jesus preferred prostitutes to do, but it does suggest that he did not make grace conditional on prostitutes escaping her place in society. The most significant thing is that Jesus held them up to the religious leadership as a model of repentance for them to follow, thus implying that the respectable are not unlike the prostitutes in respect to sin. Since Jesus held them up as a religious example, we may guess that although he took prostitution to be ethically wrong, he followed the example of Proverbs in appointing blame to the man who visited the prostitute more than to the prostitute herself. Paul has little to say about sexual ethics in his main doctrinal statement, the Epistle to the Romans, except the forceful identification of sexual immorality with humanities alienation from God (Romans 1:24-27). However, in his letters to the other churches he is forced to address the topic because of the behaviour of certain individuals in those churches, particularly at Corinth. The Christians at Corinth produced highly divergent interpretations of what the Gospel demanded in the way of sexual ethics, ranging from libertinism to a complete rejection of both marriage and sexual intercourse. It is probable that the libertine party at Corinth had adopted slogans such as All things are permitted and Food is for the belly and the belly for food (implying that sexual intercourse is as uncomplicated an expression of natural desire as eating is). Paul argues that the body of a Christian belongs to Christ. Therefore, all sexual expression, then, must take Christs ownership into account. Sex with a prostitute might seem to establish no relationship at all beyond the brief one required for the sanctification of desire. Paul claims that every sexual act between man and woman established a union of flesh, like that of marriage. In other words, the prostitute and the man, who has used her, actually belong to each other for the duration of their sexual intercourse, though not beyond. In Pauls own terminology, the relationship thus established is one body; but in the terminology of Genesis, it is a relationship of one flesh. Paul insisted that the man who had intercourse with the prostitute was not unchanged by that act. However, it was destructive of ones spirit; the relation to Christ and to God: Every sin that a person commits is outside the body, but the man who uses harlots is sinning against his own body. (1 Corinthians 18-20) It is evident that where Proverbs discourages a man from using prostitutes because he belonged to his family, Paul discouraged it because he belonged to God. The body, the person as a whole, is the spirits temple, into which other forms of worship must not be introduced. One might well ask, then, whether the implication of this line of reasoning is not, finally, to forbid sexual intercourse altogether.1 From whichever interpretation or opinion one adopts, as a Christian, or more to the point, as human beings, it should be understood that the use of prostitutes or the actual act of prostitution is both morally and ethically wrong. It is a sin against God, in that it undervalues the gift of love, through intercourse, given to us by God, and moreover, it shows a lack of respect for the body and minds of others. BIBLIOGRAPHY Cave, S The Christian Way, Nisbet and Company Limited, 1963 Countryman, L.W Dirt, Greed and Sex, Fortress Press, 1988 Hays, R.B The Moral Vision of the New Testament, Harper Collins Publishers, 1996 Manson, T.W Ethics and the Gospel, SCM Press Limited, 1960 1 Countryman, L Dirt, Greed and Sex p205

Women, Beauty and Self-Esteem Essay -- Body Image & Self Esteem

Ambrose Bierce (1958) once wrote, â€Å"To men a man is but a mind. Who cares what face he carries or what he wears? But woman’s body is the woman.† Despite the societal changes achieved since Bierce’s time, his statement remains true. Since the height of the feminist movement in the early 1970s, women have spent more money than ever before on products and treatments designed to make them beautiful. Cosmetic sales have increased annually to reach $18 billion in 1987 (â€Å"Ignoring the economy. . . ,† 1989), sales of women’s clothing averaged $103 billion per month in 1990 (personal communication, U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, 1992), dieting has become a $30-billion-per-year industry (Stoffel, 1989), and women spent $1.2 billion on cosmetic surgery in 1990 (personal communication, American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons, 1992). The importance of beauty has apparently increased even as women are reaching for personal freedoms and economic rights undreamed of by our grandmothers. The emphasis on beauty may be a way to hold onto a feminine image while shedding feminine roles. Attractiveness is prerequisite for femininity but not for masculinity (Freedman, 1986). The word beauty always refers to the female body. Attractive male bodies are described as â€Å"handsome,† a word derived from â€Å"hand† that refers as much to action as appearance (Freedman, 1986). Qualities of achieve ­ment and strength accompany the term handsome, such attributes are rarely employed in the description of attractive women and certainly do not accom ­pany the term beauty, which refers only to a decorative quality. Men are instru ­mental, women are ornamental. Beauty is a most elusive commodity. Ideas of what is beautiful vary across cultures and change ... .... Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 10, 129-38. Stoffel, Jennifer. (1989, November 26). What’s new in weight control: A market mushrooms as motivations change. New York Times, p. C17. Thompson, J. Kevin. (1986, April). Larger than life. Psychology Today, pp. 41-44. Walker, Alice. (1990). Beauty: When the other dancer is the self. In Evelyn C. White (Ed.), The black women’s health book: Speaking for ourselves (pp. 280-87). Seattle: Seal Press. Walster, Elaine, Aronson, Vera, Abrahams, Darcy, & Rottman, Leon. (1966). Importance of physical attractiveness in dating behavior. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 4, 508-16. Wernick, Mark, & Manaster, Guy J. (1984). Age and the perception of age and attractiveness. Gerontologist, 24, 408-14. Williams, Juanita H. (1985). Psychology of women: Behavior in a biosocial context. New York: Norton.

Case Study-Barclays

BARCLAYS: MATT BARRETT’S JOURNEY – WINNING HEARTS AND MINDS I. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS, CASE INTRODUCTION AND KEY POINTS Introduction The case covers the introduction of Matt Barrett as CEO of Barclays and the changes he introduced to the organization to maintain its competitive position within the retail financial services industry. In an increasingly competitive environment, Barclays is losing ground due to its lack of data-driven actions and small global presence. The case outlines the actions taken by Barrett to transform some of the key characteristics of Barclays’ corporate structure, and concludes by presenting the challenge he will face in getting management buy-in in order to implement his vision. The key challenges that Barclays faces include: market consolidation, the emergence of the Euro and European Central Bank, increased reliance on IT and web-based platforms, and the rigidity of its own corporate structure. II. EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT ANALYSIS Summarize the external environment, including conditions in the general, industry, and competitor environments. a. The General Environment Definition: The general environment is focused on the future and can be analyzed by considering the STEEP framework: Social/demographic, Technological, Economic, Environmental/geographic and Political/legal/governmental factors at play. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Social/Demographic Technological Economic Environmental/Geographic Political/Legal/Governmental Discussion Question 1: Perform a STEEP analysis to understand the general environment facing Barclays. How will Barclays be affected by external factors? In particular, what will the effect of globalization be in terms of threats and opportunities? Social/Demographic Segment ? English is becoming increasingly the world-wide language of business offering Anglophone Barclays opportunities to expand into international markets with reduced language barriers. BARCLAYS |1 BARCLAYS: MATT BARRETT’S JOURNEY – WINNING HEARTS AND MINDS Technological: ? ? ? Increased world-wide reliance on IT and the emergence of web-based solutions in 2000 will elevate Barclays’ need to diversify portfolio offerings. Barclays’ must update its â€Å"woefully inadequate† Management Information Systems (MIS) and begin to automate labor intensive processes to reduce costs. In order to enter new markets to increase revenues and satisfy institutional investors, Barclays must invest in increased technology capabilities. Economic: ? ? ? Robust economic environment due to tech boom will increase liquidity in the marketplace. As a result, acquisitions will be more costly than in a down economy. However this will also cause capital to be more accessible. Market trends towards consolidation will pressure Barclays to regain its industry leadership position through acquisition. Globalization and world economy flattening will require Barclays to become a global company expanding its offerings beyond its current UK focus. Environmental/Geographic: ? Geographic borders and distances between countries are shrinking with increased technology and a globalized economy. This will both require and facilitate Barclays’ global presence. Political/Legal/Governmental: ? ? Emergence of the Euro and strengthening of the EU will reduce FX exposure for the European markets and stabilize European economies. European Central Bank will control interest rates in Europe making Barclays more vulnerable to its decisions (versus the decentralized banks prior to the Euro emergence). With an ever increasing number of banks operating across both political and geographic borders, Barclays must expand its reach beyond the UK to remain competitive and avoid a potential takeover. In doing this, Barclays must consider a set of threats and opportunities that are involved with operating outside the UK: Threats 1. Operating a multinational corporation involves managing across multiple cultures, languages, and economic environments – Barclays’ organizational structure must be flexible enough to adapt to these. . Low brand recognition internationally would make competition against local institutions costly. BARCLAYS |2 BARCLAYS: MATT BARRETT’S JOURNEY – WINNING HEARTS AND MINDS 3. Relocation abroad requires high infrastructure costs. 4. Locating Barclays’ and its customers’ assets across multiple currencies exposes both to fluctuations in exchange rates. 5. Failed expansion into foreign market might damage brand image and alienate n ew customers. Opportunities 1. Increased global reach and brand presence. 2. Diversified risk. 3. Possibility to create new revenue streams through new customer acquisition. 4. Gain first mover advantage in emerging markets. 5. Increases attractiveness of Barclays to multinational corporations. b. The Industry Environment Definition: An industry is a group of firms producing products that are close substitutes. In the course of competition, these firms influence one another. Typically, industries include a rich mixture of competitive strategies that companies use to pursue above-average returns. In part, these strategies are chosen because of the influence of an industry’s characteristics. Compared with the general environment, the industry environment often has a more direct effect on the firm’s strategic competitiveness and above-average returns. The industry environment is the set of factors that directly influences a firm and its competitive actions and competitive responses. Porter’s 5 Forces Model is a powerful tool for understanding the dynamics amongst the five key factors that determine an industry’s level of rivalry and profit potential. [Outlined below, High=H; Medium=M; Low=L] 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Threat of New Entrants (or barriers to entry) Supplier Power Threat of Product Substitutes Buyer Power Intensity of Rivalry Discussion Question 2: Use Porter’s Five Forces Model to analyze the retail financial services industry in the UK. Given this analysis, is the industry attractive or unattractive? The below Porter’s 5 forces analysis shows that the retail financial services industry in the UK is a potentially attractive industry due to low threat of new entrants, supplier power, and substitutes. On the other hand, medium buyer power and high rivalry within the industry could inhibit return possibilities. Threat of New Entrants (or barriers to entry): Low ? ? High infrastructure costs Barclays has high brand recognition within the UK, less so in its other markets BARCLAYS |3 BARCLAYS: MATT BARRETT’S JOURNEY – WINNING HEARTS AND MINDS ? ? Regulatory and security issues make market entry complicated for smaller players NOTE: Mergers of existing banks, if considered ‘new entrants’, must be addressed given the consolidation trend existing in the market. Smaller regional banks could pull customers away from Barclays if they were to merge and offer more extensive services but retain local roots and connections. Supplier Power: Low ? Switching costs among IT suppliers low in a fragmented industry Threat of Product Substitutes: Low ? Traditional, paper based, systems have become outdated and are no longer feasible. Asset management advice is preferred by customers over DIY Buyer Power: Medium ? ? Price sensitivity of retail consumer (major revenue stream for Barclays) relatively high compared to that of corporate client Switching costs of retail consumer (major revenue stream for Barclays) relatively high compared to those of corporate client Intensity of Rivalry: High ? ? Customer loyalty and brand recognition make switching of banking provider less likely Large number of competitors within the retail banking space NOTE: Competition within the industry is based on both price and services The Competitor Environment c. Definition: The competitor environment is the final subject of analysis required to gain a full understanding of the company's external environment. A competitor analysis focuse s on each company against which a firm directly competes and involves gathering and interpreting information about its competitors. Competitive rivalry is the ongoing set of competitive actions and responses that occur among firms as they maneuver for an advantageous market position. Especially in highly competitive industries, companies constantly jockey for advantage as they launch strategic actions and respond or react to rivals’ moves. It is important to understand competitive rivalry because it influences a firm’s ability to gain and sustain competitive advantages. 3 I’s Framework Leveraging the 3 I’s framework provides a thorough overview by grouping competitors into three buckets: immediate competition, impending competition, invisible competition. BARCLAYS |4 BARCLAYS: MATT BARRETT’S JOURNEY – WINNING HEARTS AND MINDS 1. Immediate Competition: Immediate competitors to Barclays are considered to be the major financial institutions located in the UK such as Lloyds TSB and RBS. These institutions are gaining increasing presence over Barclays due to their lower cost structures and improved efficiencies. 2. Impending Competition: Impending competitors to Barclays include international financial services firms such as Credit Suisse First Boston, and smaller firms operating in one of Barclays’ business categories such as investment advisory firms (Zoete Bevan, Wells Fargo Nikko). . Invisible Competition: Barclays’ invisible competitors include smaller UK based businesses that focus solely on a product offered by one of Barclays’ divisions, such as smaller mortgage lending businesses (Woolwich). III. INTERNAL COMPANY ANALYSIS Summarize internal company factors including: capabilities and weaknesses, value chain activities, strategy, and financial situation. a. Outline the company's internal capabilities and weaknesses. Definition: Capabilities exist when resources have been integrated to achieve a specific set of tasks and are frequently developed within a specific functional area. In addition to identifying the company's opportunities and threats from the external environment, another important objective of the situation analysis is to evaluate strengths and weaknesses as input for developing the company's strategies. Discussion Question 3: What are the main capabilities of Barclays? Does Barclays have a core competence? Barclays’ main capabilities include retail financial services and corporate banking within the UK. The company’s core competencies (i. e. trengths relative to competitors that give it a competitive edge) include: a strong brand presence within the UK, a strong domestic franchise, new innovative leadership under Matt Barrett, and outstanding (276%) market cap growth from 1995-2000. BARCLAYS |5 BARCLAYS: MATT BARRETT’S JOURNEY – WINNING HEARTS AND MINDS Discussion Question 4: Create a SWOT analysis to understand Barclays’ strengths and weaknesses. Does Barclays have a sustainable competitive advantage in the re tail financial services industry? If so, what is the source? Strengths 1. Strong brand presence within UK 2. 76% growth in market cap from 19952000 3. Strong domestic franchise 4. Strong new leadership with strategic vision (Matt Barrett) Opportunities 1. Opportunity to expand into global markets (Barclays Global Investors only 2% of business) 2. Ability to strengthen existing brand presence within Europe (10% of sales and profits) 3. Streamline cost sharing among business units (HR, IT, Finance, etc. ) Weaknesses 1. Cost to income ratio significantly higher than competition (business units operate as silos) 2. Narrow focus (61% of revenue from RFS, capital division focused on debt products) 3. Limited global presence (80% of profits from UK) Threats 1. Management reluctance to embrace new strategies, demoralized staff 2. Competitors have lower cost advantage 3. Stronger global presence of international competitors 4. Dissatisfied institutional investors 5. Inadequate IT systems can inhibit growth Barclays’ competitive advantage includes its: strong presence within the UK market both in terms of locations and brand recognition, strong innovative leadership, and international presence. Barclays’ business strategy has focused on growth within the UK and has not invested enough capital into international expansion. In a globalizing economy with rising multinational financial corporations, the lack of a strong international presence is something that could significantly hurt Barclays in the long-term, and even turn it into a takeover target as institutional investors continue to lose faith in the company. b. Conduct a Value Chain analysis to identify value-creating activities. Definition: By exploiting its core competencies, a competitive firm creates value for its customers. Value is measured by a product’s performance characteristics and by its attributes for which customers are willing to pay. Companies with a competitive advantage offer value to BARCLAYS |6 BARCLAYS: MATT BARRETT’S JOURNEY – WINNING HEARTS AND MINDS customers that is superior to the value competitors can provide. Value is created by innovatively bundling and leveraging resources and capabilities. A value chain analysis provides information relative to primary (inbound/outbound logistics, operations, marketing & sales, and service) and secondary (firm infrastructure, human resources mgmt, technological developments and procurement) activities. A value chain representation of Barclays’ primary and support activities is presented in the diagram below. This information can be used to establish a business strategy which targets select activities to create a sustainable competitive advantage. Primary Activities ? ? ? ? Inbound/Outbound Logistics: N/A Operations: o Strong focus on Retail Financial Services (RFS), account for 61% of revenue o Sold cash, equities, and corporate finance businesses to focus on debt products Service: N/A Marketing and Sales: o Strong focus on UK market and low global presence o Reliance on UK brand recognition Support Activities ? ? ? HR Management: o Executive committee not performing as decision making team o Higher than average staff expenses put heavy strain on cost structure Technology Development: o Management Information Services (MIS) system is outdated and inadequate Firm Infrastructure: BARCLAYS |7 BARCLAYS: MATT BARRETT’S JOURNEY – WINNING HEARTS AND MINDS o Divisions operating as silos (each has own HR, IT, etc. ) o Lack of data driven decision making processes o Introduction of the Euro and the European Central Bank affect Barclays’ exposure to foreign exchange as well as interest rate changes both for the company itself and its clients Procurement: N/A Discussion Question 5: Which components of Barclays’ value chain have made the company successful thus far? What changes to Barclays’ organizational structure and focus are necessary for Barclays to remain competitive? Barclays has become a major player in the banking industry through strong brand presence within the UK, earning it one out of every five personal customers, and a clear focus on Retail Financial Services (RFS). However, both its UK presence and RFS focus have failed to provide a sustainable competitive advantage for the company. In order to remain competitive within the banking industry, Barclays must examine and redesign various components of its value chain including: 1. Focus on Retail Financial Services: a. Barclays must expand its focus beyond RFS by creating new product offerings for corporate customers and further expanding internationally to give newly acquired corporate customers global access. 2. Outdated and inadequate MIS system: a. In order to manage its internal functions efficiently, Barclays must adopt technological innovations and update its MIS system. 3. Lack of data driven decision making: a. In order to compete in an industry driven by statistics and analytics, Barclays must emphasize data driven decisions throughout its corporate structure. 4. Fragmented core divisions: a. Operating fragmented core divisions such as HR and Finance creates additional costs as well as bureaucracy and inefficiencies. Barclays must consolidate these shared services. BARCLAYS |8 BARCLAYS: MATT BARRETT’S JOURNEY – WINNING HEARTS AND MINDS c. Financial Analysis Definition: Financial analysis is used to assess the viability, stability and profitability of a company or operating division. The analysis is done using quantitative historical performance found in the financial reporting documents (Balance Sheet, Income Statement, and Statement of Cash Flows). The goal of the analysis is to understand a company’s financial health through its profitability, solvency, liquidity, and stability. Given the financial information provided in the case, it is clear that Barclays is lagging behind its competitors in cost control measures, and has allowed both PP&E and Staff Expenses to rise above its competitors’ average. Operating expenses as % of income In addition, an analysis of the company’s divisions and their respective earnings contribution reveals that Barclays heavily relies on its Retail Financial Services division for a large portion of its earnings; this suggests that diversification might be needed. NOTE: Further analysis into the average contribution of each revenue stream for other players in the industry is needed before diversification can be e ntirely justified. BARCLAYS |9 BARCLAYS: MATT BARRETT’S JOURNEY – WINNING HEARTS AND MINDS IV. STRATEGY FORMULATIO N Summarize Barclays’ strategic position as it relates to its current strategy and the components thereof. a. Summarize Barclays’ current strategy. Barclays’ current strategic objective is to drive profits by consolidating internal functions and expanding its international presence. The company is a major player in the UK financial services and retail banking industry but has lost ground internationally despite rapidly rising market capitalization. Fragmented internal divisions and a lack of aggressive expansion have brought up the need for extensive managerial and structural changes to the firm. This prompted the hiring of a new CEO, Matt Barrett, who established a series of restructuring goals for Barclays to remain competitive. b. Strategic Analysis Definition: Conduct an analysis of Barclays’ business strategy by using the 4 P’s Framework. The 4 P’s Framework is used to understand a company’s strategy based on its Position (Mission, Values, and Vision), Priorities, Payments (what it will spend its money on to reach those priorities), and Performance (how it will measure success). By completing the framework, we can analyze a company’s current, future, or recommended priorities as well as set forth a path in order to achieve goals and measure accomplishments. Use the 4 P’s Framework to analyze the firm’s past/current/future strategy. 1. Position a. Mission: To provide innovative products, excellent careers, positive community contributions B A R C L A Y S | 10 BARCLAYS: MATT BARRETT’S JOURNEY – WINNING HEARTS AND MINDS b. Values: Fact based decisions, customer service, and value maximizing strategy c. Vision: To be one of the most admired financial service organizations in the world 2. Priorities: 1. Develop cross-group synergies to lower costs and improve efficiency 2. Expand reach of Barclays brand abroad through strategic alliances/acquisitions 3. Continue to diversify existing business portfolio 3. Payments: 1. Invest in adequate IT systems 2. Invest in human capital initiatives to align incentives and boost morale 3. Invest in marketing and strategic alliances/acquisitions in underserved regions/segments 4. Performance: 1. Shareholder returns vs. peer institutions 2. Customer and revenue growth (double profits in four years) 3. Increased profit due to lower costs and increased efficiency (reduce costs by ? 1bn) Discuss possible recommendations that Barclays could follow going forward to improve the performance of the company. Determine the decision criteria and also analyze the pros and cons of each recommendation. In order to remain competitive within the marketplace, Barclays must: 1. i. ii. iii. 2. i. ii. 3. i. ii. iii. Develop cross-group synergies to lower costs and improve efficiency by: Rebuilding core infrastructure to consolidate HR, IT, and Finance groups across individual divisions Reducing costs by 18% (? bn) Realigning incentives to reward value-add decisions; Expand Barclays brand abroad though: Increased brand presence in Europe to enter top 5 ranking Strengthening of the brand in US and Africa; Continue diversifying the existing business portfolio by: Expanding Barclays product and service portfolio to strengthen weak or underrepresented areas to serve affluent/high net worth segments Decrea sing reliance on Retail Financial Services by strengthening Barclays Capital and Barclays Global Investors divisions Entering new markets by acquiring major players (e. g. Woolwich). B A R C L A Y S | 11 BARCLAYS: MATT BARRETT’S JOURNEY – WINNING HEARTS AND MINDS Question Reduce staff expenses Option / Hypothesis Reduce labor costs by increasing automation Decision Criteria ? Cost/Benefit analysis ? Effect on employee morale ? Technology capabilities ? Revenue growth ? Barriers to entry ? Effect on current resources ? Revenue Pros †¢ Long term cost reduction †¢ Streamlining of processes †¢ More control over information flow and analysis †¢ Does not cannibalize existing revenue streams †¢ Increase global reach and brand presence †¢ Diversifies risk †¢ Existing customer loyalty and brand presence †¢ No need for customer acquisition Cons †¢ High up-front cost †¢ Lengthy implementation period †¢ Technology risk †¢ Negative effect on employee morale †¢ High cost †¢ High risk and FX exposure †¢ No trial period †¢ Culture clashes, integration logistics †¢ Might stretch resources too thin †¢ Requires investment in infrastructure and human capital †¢ Requires new expertise Diversify target markets Increase revenue through new market entry with current product suite Diversify product offerings Increase equity and investment banking focus of Barclay Capital division growth ? Barriers to entry ? Effect on current resources B A R C L A Y S | 12

The American Civil War - 1303 Words

The American Civil War began on April 12, 1861, and ended on May 9, 1865. There were over 600,000 casualties from this war. Slavery was the main issue at the beginning of the war. The war occurred after Southern slave states broke away and formed the Confederate States of America. Many young Northern and Southern boys served in the Civil War. Anywhere from 250,000 to 420,000 boys may have fought in the Civil War. After the fall of Fort Sumter, President Abraham Lincoln issued a call for seventy-five thousand volunteers. Many children joined the army because they were either runaways, orphans, or they wanted to fight beside their brothers and fathers. Most boys from the North did not join the army because they wanted to get rid of slavery. One boy’s comment was, â€Å"I do not know anything about it, whether it is a good thing or a bad thing and when talk gets around to it I say very little† (Murphy 8). Many Northern boys joined because they wanted to put the South in its place. Northern boys also wanted to escape the boring routine of farm life. Most boys from the South joined the army to take part in an adventure, and they wanted to fight the Yankees. The Southern boys also wanted to defend their homes from the invading army. One Southern boy said, â€Å"I would rather die than become a slave to the North† (Murphy 8). The North and the South had recruitment rules that banned boys under the age of eighteen from joining the army. Statistics vary on the subject, butShow MoreRelatedAmerican War And The American Civil War1551 Words   |  7 Pageswhich then caused the Southern states of America to decide to leave the American Union and create their own Southern Confederacy. This tore our nation apart. The American Civil War had begun and the very people that were once neighbors had each other’s blood on their hands. Many American lives had been lost. The American lives lost in the Civil War even exceeded the number of American lives lost during World War I and World War II. We were divided. The North wanted to reunite with the southern statesRead MoreThe War Of The American Civil War1376 Words   |  6 PagesThe American Civil War was arguably the most important war in the history of the country. The War of Independence may have allowed American to become its’ own country, but the Civi l War resulted in something even more important than that, the end of slavery in the southern states. All of the issues that caused the Civil war were based around slavery, such as states’ rights that involved how slavery would be handled in each state, and trying to preserve the Union since the south seceded from the northRead MoreThe American Civil War1296 Words   |  6 Pages The American Civil War, also known as the State’s War, was a conflict that arose mostly from the issue of slavery, but deep down was due to economic differences between the North and the South. The South seceded from the North and created their own self-government due to their belief in the lack of state’s rights versus the federal government and what they saw as a weakness in the Articles of Confederation. While the Confederacy of the United States depended on slave labor for their economy in regardsRead MoreThe War Of The American Civil War1618 Words   |  7 Pages A Civil War is a battle between the same citizens in a country. The American Civil War was fought from 1861 to 1865 to determine the independence for the Confederacy or the survival of the Union. By the time Abraham Lincoln was elected president in 1861, in the mist of 34 states, the constant disagreement caused seven Southern slave states to their independence from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America. The Confederacy, generally known as the South, grew to include elevenRead MoreThe American Civil War1418 Words   |  6 PagesGuns fired, smoke lingering in the air, people dying. The American Civil War had a huge impact on the United States. Two compromises took place before the start of the Civil War. These compromises include the Missouri Compromise and the Compromise of 1850. The Missouri Compromise dealt with the crisis in 1819 over Missouri entering the Union as a slave state. The compromise was â€Å"the first major crisis over slavery, and it shattered a tacit ag reement between the two regions that had been in placeRead MoreThe War Of The American Civil War1324 Words   |  6 PagesThere were many events that led to the cause of one of America’s most devastating war, the American Civil War. The American Civil War was an unfortunate war that cost more than the lives of six hundred thousand people. Events such as the Missouri Compromise, Kansas Nebraska Act, Dred Scott Decision, and the Election of Abraham Lincoln resulted in the four yearlong battles between the Northern and Southern states due to social and economic differences on the idea of slavery. In the 19th century,Read MoreThe War Of The American Civil War Essay1472 Words   |  6 PagesThe American Civil War lasted from April 12, 1861 to May 9, 1865. It was the bloodiest war in American history, killing approximately 620,000 soldiers in total. The War was fought and won by the North, ensuring that all the United States would stay united and slavery would be illegal in The United States. However, history is one of the most complicated things in the world. It’s also one of the most important things in the world because history is what made the present possible. Historians have debatedRead MoreThe War Of The American Civil War960 Words   |  4 Pagesslavery even if it meant war caused peace in this nation. Slavery was the vital cause of the American Civil War. The north and the south both had their differences on how to run the country. People in the North believed in unity and that slavery should not exist because â€Å"all men are created equally.† On the o ther hand, the South believed in continuing slavery. People tried to talk it out and come to a middle ground after both sides compromising, however that didn’t work and caused war. Ideological differencesRead MoreThe War Of The American Civil War856 Words   |  4 PagesSlavery may have been established as the catalyst of the American Civil War, but the beginning of the dispute began in the time of the Revolution with a weak decentralized government under the Articles of Confederation. Later gained momentum as territorial expansion set Americans against each other on debating whether the new states should be slave states or free states, it questioned the power of the Federal government regarding state rights, and brought about instability in the unity of the UnitedRead MoreThe War Of The American Civil War1439 Words   |  6 PagesWhen the American Civil War began in the spring of 1861, those flocking to enlistment stations in states both north and south chiefly defined the ir cause as one of preservation. From Maine to Minnesota, young men joined up to preserve the Union. From Virginia to Texas, their future foes on the battlefield enlisted to preserve a social order, a social order at its core built on the institution of slavery and racial superiority . Secession had not been framed by prominent Southerners like Robert Toombs

Strong Report Card Comments for Language Arts

A comment on a report card is meant to provide additional information about the students progress and level of achievement. It should give the parent or guardian a clear picture of what the student has accomplished, as well as what he or she has to work on in the future. It can sometimes be hard to think of a unique comment to write on each students report card. To help you find the right words, use this compiled list of language arts report card comments. Positive Comments Use the following phrases to make positive comments regarding students’ progress in language arts. Reading Reads eagerly during silent timeMakes good use of our classroom libraryUses text and pictures to predict and confirmElects to read or look at books during free timeTakes home books from our classroom libraryCompares books to others by the same authorIs choosing suitably challenging reading materialHas a good attitude about booksReads with expressionChooses suitably challenging reading materialReads at (__) grade levelHas good reading comprehension and decoding skillsHas read __ chapter books so far this quarterIt is refreshing to see that __ enjoys reading in his/her free time Writing Chooses to write during classroom free timeShares his/her written work with the whole classWrites legiblyIs a creative writerHas a refreshing sense of voice, clarity, and styleHandwriting is very legible/a joy to readIs very successful in note-takingWorks to make his/her handwriting legibleHas many interesting story ideasHas well-developed characters in his/her storiesWorks on his/her editing processIs writing on a variety of topicsIs writing in a variety of styles: friendly letter, factual reports, imaginative retelling, poetry, fictionOrganizes his/her writing wellApplies skills to all written workPuts a great deal of time and effort into his/her writingMakes an effort to make his/her handwriting legible Analytical Skills Analyzes characters actionsAnalyzes story plotsCompares and contrasts similar and dissimilar ideasSelf-correctsAsks thought-provoking questionsUses imaginationStrives to be accurateExplains himself/herself clearlyDeduces meaning from information givenCompares and contrasts similar and dissimilar thingsIs competent using the dictionaryIs learning to do independent research Grammar and Vocabulary Recognizes high-frequency wordsUses approximations for spelling, which is very appropriate at this timeUses beginning and ending sounds to identify wordsSpells many difficult wordsHas a strong command of the English languageUses correct grammarIs developing a fine vocabularyUses expansive vocabulary Verbal Skills Is a major contributor at our brainstorming sessionsProduces oral reports that demonstrate knowledge and research skillsSpeaks very well before classContributes at our brainstorming sessionsListens as well as shares during classroom discussions and presentationsCommunicates with accuracyRetells stories in the correct sequenceIs eager to speak in front of a groupIs a good audience as well as presenter during our presentation time Other Is rapidly mastering the fundamental skillsShows increasing confidence and competence in...Is showing good growth in...Has shown an increased interest in...Is trying hard and continues to make steady progress in...Is making progress in all areas, especially in...Strongest work is in the area of...Has turned in extra-credit work Needs Improvement On those occasions when you need to convey less-than-positive information on a report card, use the following phrases. Note that you can easily convert comments from both groups into positive or encouraging ones. Reading Does not use our classroom libraryDoes not choose books or writing as an activity for free timeShows some attention to print, but mostly makes up meanings from picturesHas trouble sitting while listening to a storyDoesn’t seem to enjoy books or stories to readI would like to see __ read for 20 minutes each day at homeStill making many reversals of letters, words, and phrasesHesitant to read stories to the classStruggles with reading comprehensionHas difficulty understanding what he/she readsNeeds to choose books at his/her own reading levelIs choosing books that are too difficult/simple for his/her levelNeeds to take his/her time and think about what he/she readsSkims quickly through books without attention to detailIs unable to retell a story with much accuracy Writing Unwilling to rewrite or make changes in written workDoes not edit work carefullySpeech development may be hindering correct spellingI would like to see __ check his/her writing more carefully before handing assignments inNeeds to work on creating stories that are realisticOften forgets capital letters and punctuationHis/her stories lack a clear beginning, middle, and endHas difficulty getting his/her thoughts on paperNeeds to add more detail to his/her workHandwriting indicates that student is inclined to hurryCould improve his/her written papers with more attention to detailWritten work lacks description/detail/varied vocabulary Analytical Skills Cannot predict story outcomes with confidenceIs not making use of a dictionary or resource booksIs not using our classroom library Grammar and Vocabulary Has difficulty with high-frequency wordsHas a limited vocabularyLacks sight vocabularyNeeds to build his/her reading vocabularyHas difficulty using reading strategies to decode new wordsNeeds to focus on rules of grammarReluctant to use approximation with word spelling, wants to be correct Participation/Other Reluctant to speak in front of the group or whole classHas trouble sitting while listening to a storyHas difficulty focusing on the assignment at-hand during __ workshopGets discouraged when...Wants to talk instead of listening to others share their ideasI would like to see ___ participate more in more independent...Is easily discouraged when...Is hesitant to...

`` Because I Could Not Stop For Death `` - 880 Words

Death is an aspect of life that everyone becomes acquainted with sooner or later. The poem, â€Å"Because I Could Not Stop for Death,† by Emily Dickinson, is seen as a reflection of the passing of time in one s life while living. No one knows when it is their time to die, and we live everyday as if tomorrow it promised. Dickinson is saying that since we as humans tend to live on the expectation for tomorrow, we don t think about the end of our life or when it will be. That time will stand still when, and only when, life draws to a close, yet it will no longer matter. Dickinson starts the first stanza of the poem with, â€Å"Because I could not stop for Death – He kindly stopped for me† (807). Clearly she was not ready to go, death simply took her by surprise and brought her busy life to a halt. This could be seen as a beautiful way to take on death because death is usually said in such a morbid tone and the fact she associated â€Å"kindly† with death makes it beautiful. The second line says, â€Å"The Carriage held but just Ourselves – and Immortality† (Dickinson 807). The author emphasizes Carriage, Ourselves, and Immortality. Dickinson seems to be talking about her own death chariot and by immortality, she believes her death is not the end, but rather as a step to eternal life. She continues in the second stanza with, â€Å"We slowly drove – He knew no haste and I had put away my labor and my leisure too† (Dickinson 807). Dickson explains how death did not rush her, she simply stopped livingShow MoreRelatedBecause I Could Not Stop for Death1444 Words   |  6 PagesBecause I could not stop for Death In Emily Dickinsons poem Because I could not stop for Death the main theme seems to be the acceptance of Death. Emily gives reference to the theme by using death in the first line. The poem is unique and interesting because she presents Death in a different way by referring to it as an escort taking her on a journey towards eternity rather than making it seem like something frightening. Each stanza of the poem breaks down the journey through the stagesRead More`` Because I Could Not Stop For Death ``1229 Words   |  5 PagesEveryone will die one day. It is a true, but unpleasant fact. Since death is therefore universal, it is easy to understand why a theme of death occurs so often in films and literature. Poetry is no exception to this trend. Poetry is filled with references to death or dying, as death is one of the most significant human conditions. A number of poets in particular have used death frequently in their writing. Emily Dickinson and Dylan Thomas are two of those poe ts. Emily Dickinson was born in 1830 andRead More`` Because I Could Not Stop For Death ``1354 Words   |  6 PagesBecause I could not stop for Death is one of the most puzzling poems Emily Dickinson wrote. â€Å"Scholars who stress these subversive qualities note that this poet appropriated conventional language, images, and themes and twisted them, disrupting their usual meaning.† (Dunlap, 2) In this poem, she describes death in hindsight. She commentates the experience play by play, chronicling her actions and vision from the time he arrived to pick her up in his carriage to her final resting place. In theRead More`` Because I Could Not Stop For Death ``876 Words   |  4 Pages We cannot leave death of death can â€Å"Because I could not stop for Death† by Emily Dickinson has written in 1863. Emily Dickinson was born in 1830-86, she is one of the greatest poets in American literature. Dickinson wrote love poems which it indicates strong attachment because of this it s difficult to know if does poems where subjects of her feelings or just part of her poetic imagination. The different tension that comes from her work is due to the cause of not accepting orthodox religion, â€Å"theRead MoreBecause I Could Not Stop for Death700 Words   |  3 PagesRead over Because I Could Not Stop for Death by Emily Dickinson. 1. List as many examples of metaphors and similes as possible. The carriage, in stanza 1, is a metaphor for a hearse. When they â€Å"passed the setting sun† (12) it implies that she has finally died. When they â€Å"paused before a house that seemed / A swelling of the ground† (17-18), the word house is a metaphor for grave. 2. Explain the personification. In Emily Dickinsons poem, â€Å"Because I Could Not Stop for Death†, death is personifiedRead MoreBecause I Could Not Stop For Death1886 Words   |  8 PagesEvery major religion has an answer to what is expect in death. However, contrary to major religious beliefs the reality is that no one knows when death will come or exactly what death entails - because those that die cannot communicate with the living. This is precisely the issue that Emily Dickinson tackles in her poem â€Å"Because I Could Not Stop for Death†. The speaker begins by offering a sanguine outlook in the eyes of death, however, the speaker eventually rejects her initial optimism. DickinsonRead MoreAnalysis Of Because I Could Not Stop For Death963 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"Because I Could Not Stop For Death,† and â€Å"The Bustle in a House† are two poems by Emily Dickinson that portray death in very different ways. â€Å" Because I Could Not Stop For Death† is written from the perspective of a woman who has recently died about her eternal journey with a kind Death. â€Å"The Bustle in a House,† on the other hand, is about how one reacts to the death of a loved one. Through these two poems, Dickinson employs literary devices such as personification and metaphor to portray two differentRead MoreAnalysis Of `` Because I Could Not Stop For Death ``870 Words   |  4 PagesThemes of death all ring loud and clear in Dickinson’s â€Å"Because I could not stop for Death†, Donne’s â€Å"Death, be not proud†, and Cherry’s â€Å"Alzheimer’s†. The poems are not explicitly about the act of dying, but death is personified or even foreshadowed in the work. Each piece has a different tone when referencing Death. Two of the poems reference Death by name, the last poem doesn’t specifically speak about dying or death per se, but based on the title, â€Å"Alzheimer’s†, it is clear that death is imm inentRead MoreAnalysis of Because I Could Not Stop for Death2013 Words   |  9 PagesAnalysis of Because I Could Not Stop for Death The poets of the nineteenth century wrote on a variety of topics. One often used topic is that of death. The theme of death has been approached in many different ways. Emily Dickinson is one of the numerous poets who uses death as the subject of several of her poems. In her poem Because I Could Not Stop for Death, death is portrayed as a gentleman who comes to give the speaker a ride to eternity. Throughout the poem, Dickinson develops herRead MoreBecause I Could Not Stop For Death Literary Analysis918 Words   |  4 Pagesand a positive subject, death, on the other hand, has numerous definitions between each person. Some people consider death to be morbid, horrifying, and a negative thing, whereas others celebrate death and believe that their soul will live forever. Each of the countless observations of life and death are portrayed in diverse types of literature. One contributor and writer of such literature includes Emily Dickinson. In her poems â€Å"Because I Could Not Stop for Death† and â€Å"I Felt a Funeral in My Brain†

Review Of Literature Employee Performance Measurement

Question: Discuss about theReview Of Literaturefor Employee Performance Measurement. Answer: Introduction Performance measurement is a complex area for business leaders. Organizations need to measure the performance of their employees, and using this, decide on their career path and fair compensation. In a typical organization, the performance measurement is an annual activity. Employees are assessed on their performance, usually using written forms and lengthy discussions between leaders and the employees. These appraisals are conducted in batches, and take a long time to complete, taking, as in the case of Deloitte, millions of hours every year. Deloitte has come up with a new method of performance measurement that does not look at past performance as the basis of employee performance and future prospects. It has also decided that batched appraisals are not as representative as they should be, if they were to be done as performance happens. Due to this, and the need for employers to constantly align their employees performance to the overall strategy of the organization, which involves examining employees performance in terms of expected future performance, rather than historical data. In this, the authors determine that a drastic change in appraisal is needed, which will be more objective. Current objectivity tests are highly dependent on the rater, sometimes as much as 62%. This should therefore be changed to reflect more on other aspects of an employee. Secondly, performance measurement should be geared towards the need to have employees utilizing their strengths, by focusing on their skills. In terms of performance, the organization needs to have a standard and fair way that helps in defining and recognizing performance. Change The assertions above by Buckingham and Goodall (2016) on performance are also echoed by Watts and McNair-Connolly (2012), who believes that organizations should measure performance depending on their specific circumstances. Generalized performance measures that only happen periodically, and long after the performance has been delivered, are unlikely to give a true measure of the employees ability. Watts and McNair-Connolly chronicle changes in performance management and measurement, using such instruments such as a balanced scorecard, key performance indices, and the application of smart objectives. However, Watts contends that these measures are all meant to measure past performance, and use it as an indicator of what to expect. This is what Buckingham and Goodall (2016) had argued against, saying that historical performance is hardly dependable in showing how well employees will perform in future situations, when their roles are aligned to more closely match organizational objectiv es. Ratings and Objectivity Mughal, Akram and Ali, (2014) have also explored the weaknesses associated with ratings and forms of performance measurement in organizations, in their case focusing on the Alfalah Bank. According to their analysis, the bank has been enjoying low motivation of its employees. This demoralization has been linked strongly to the performance measurements that the organization employs. The performance management system is such that it does not provide for a proper reward system, meaning that highly performing individuals feel that their performance goes unrewarded. Performance measurement issues are widespread in the banking sector, as they are in other services industries. This problem is in part brought about by the insistence on employees appraisals to be done by their managers, meaning that the objectivity of the report on appraisal is severely compromised. For instance, if an employee enjoys good relations with the manager, their report is likely to be favorable. If, on the other han d, relations are not so positive, the employee may suffer a negative appraisal, and potentially derail their career. At the same time, ratings are too simplistic, as Buckingham and Goodall (2016) show, meaning that they may fail to capture some key performance areas. Strengths Orientation Dobre (2013) is also an advocate of organizations that try to utilize employees strengths, seeing it as a major source of motivation for employees. Dobre adopts Theory Y by McGregor to describe this importance. The theory sees a pleasant work environment where employees welfare is well taken care of, and in which their goals are well aligned with those of the organization. Productivity levels are likely to be high and turnover low when the organization enables them to do what they are best at. This is best seen when the employees feel that the organization actually values them, and believes they can be self motivated and self directed in pursuing goals the organization cares about. In short, motivated people work hard to achieve their own goals. When this is well aligned with organizational goals, the organizations performance is more likely to be achieved. Talent dependent companies such as Deloitte are more likely to see the sense in applying this approach. Definition, Recognition and Compensation of High Performance According to Buckingham and Goodall (2016), there is a strong correlation between compensation and high performance, especially when such compensation is in recognition of exemplary performance and the value an organization places on the employee. Compensation does not only involve monetary rewards, but indirect compensation as well. This involves things such as paid holidays and other perks. Companies need to come up with a clear and simple method of measuring performance, and accurately correlating it to compensation. This way, it will be clear that better performance will automatically lead to higher reward, and such an employee will be valued by the organization (Hameed, 2014). References Buckingham, M. Goodall, A., 2016. Reinventing Performance Management. Harvard Business Review, 1, 1-14. Dobre, O., 2013. Employee motivation and or ganizational performance . Review of Applied Socio-Economic Research, 5(1), 53-60. Hameed, A, 2014. Impact ofCompensation on Employee Performance (Empirical Evidence from Banking Sector of Pakistan). International Journal of Business and Social Science, 5(2), 302-309. Mughal, F, Akram, F, Ali, S, 2014. Implementation and Effectiveness of Performance Management System in Alfalah Bank. Journal of Public Administration and Governance , 4(4), Published online. Watts, T. McNair-Connolly, C., 2012. New performance measurement and management control systems. Journal of Applied Accounting Research, 13 (3), 226-241.