Auditing Case Study

Auditing Case Study Introduction Auditing is the process of examining the financial statements of an organization, correcting errors, and eliminating possible cases of fraud. The auditing process is a core activity that enables a company to control its internal activities in an efficient manner. Through auditing, most companies are able to achieve their business goals and objectives (Wang Tuttle 2009).Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Auditing Case Study specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Several critics have risen concerning the auditing process. While some businesspersons find it worthwhile to invest in the auditing exercise, some find the auditing exercise unworthy. In this case, we have the XYZ Ltd Company; a pharmaceutical manufacturing company that was formed because of the splitting of the parent company, ABC Ltd. XYZ Ltd is the smaller of the two newly formed companies and the previous sales manager of the parent company is the M anaging Director. The managing director does not find it worthwhile for the small company to carry out yearend audits. According to him, yearend auditing is an unnecessary exercise that will only increase the expenses of the company without necessarily adding value to the business. This paper will give a stringent analysis of the newly formed XYZ Company and determine if indeed there is a need to carry out yearend auditing. The paper will also give a detailed discussion of the pros and cons of appointing the same auditors of the parent company to audit XYZ Ltd. Lastly the paper will give an overview of the audit rotation exercise, its advantages and disadvantages. From the discussions, the paper will give decisive conclusions and recommendations that would enable the XYZ Company’s managers to make a worthwhile decision concerning the auditing process. Overview of the newly formed XYZ Company As indicated, XYZ Ltd Company formulated because of the splitting of the parent compa ny. According to the previous descriptions, XYZ Ltd Company is a private limited company that is not legally obliged to have an audit (Hodgdon et al. 2009).Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This is because the company Act only obliges state owned companies and public limited companies to have audited financial records, whereas, the smaller companies voluntarily choose to have auditors examining their financial statements. However, although having an audit is not a mandatory requirement for XYZ Ltd, the auditing exercise would add some tangible value to the company. Value of auditing to XYZ Ltd Detection and prevention of fraud Fraud is a practice that can make businesses to undergo some massive losses. It is noteworthy that a small company like XYZ has a small operating capital that could diminish drastically if not well managed. Fraud cases such as skimmed payment s from customers, cash theft, improper handling of petty cash and misuse of the company’s credit cards are some of the practices that can lead to total failure of a company. It is quite expensive for a small business like XYZ Ltd to create an internal audit department, however, the company can create a system that checks and controls the financial operations and the company employees. An informal internal audit process would somewhat reduce fraud cases resulting from personal interests (Chi Huang 2011). It is noteworthy that the parent company would have split due to extreme cases of fraud. Prevention of fraud through an informal audit exercise would enable the small XYZ Company to prosper and grow into a big multinational company and even surpass the projected turnover of  £2.8 million in the first year of trading. It is important for the company to create a program that would help in monitoring employees and enforce strict rules regarding any employee who is found guilty of committing fraud cases. The establishment of an internal audit would facilitate the above-mentioned practices though a persistent analysis of the company’s operations. Testing and monitoring of internal controls An Informal internal audit calls for recurrent analysis of the operations within a company. The habitual analysis enables the company’s operations to occur smoothly, where, the employees are kept on toes to offer the best of services. A small company like XYZ Ltd can employ auditors who would design, modify, and control the internal activities of the company. Though auditing, the company is able to streamline its activities in a manner that would enable it to achieve its goals and objectives (Holm Zaman 2012). Essentially, XYZ Ltd is a profit making company that would aim at generating the maximum profits possible.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Auditing Case Study specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn Mo re The auditing exercise would enable the company to keep track of its revenue and expenditure and the gross profits made during a particular financial year. Any form of misappropriation of resources is tracked, where; all the involved stakeholders are made answerable of their actions. Monitoring the company’s compliance with the company policies All companies have policies that guide then in their daily operations. In addition to the informal internal exercise, XYZ Ltd Company can employ a formal internal audit policy that works towards ensuring the company eliminates all actions that would expose it to massive losses. A company may have a policy that extends credit to its customers to prevent losses. An auditing exercise will determine if indeed the company adheres to the policy. Moreover, the auditors will be able to carry out a cost benefit analysis of the credit policy and determine if it is a worthwhile practice. The reports from the auditors will help the decis ion makers to determine new policies that would work if enforced and identify the old policies to eliminate from the company practices (Deis Giroux 2006). An operational audit would examine the financial statements of a business to ensure the business complies with the policies of obtaining maximum efficiency from all business operations. Monitoring the company’s compliance with the government regulations The worst thing that can happen to a small business like XYZ Ltd is facing the adverse consequences of failing to adhere to government regulations. An operational audit exercise plays a great role in advising the business managers of all the applicable government regulations (Bon Kim Yi 2009). It is though an auditing process that a business would know the legal procedures of tax avoidance. Moreover, the government has strict employment laws that companies ought to follow. The auditing exercise would advise the management team accordingly on when it should recruit new empl oyees, when to promote or when to fire an incompetent employee. The auditors would advise the management team of the actions that attract fines as well as the procedures to obtain and comply with government regulations.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The exercise of appointing an auditor The exercise of appointing an auditor may seem very simple, but it is associated with a lot of dilemma. The XYZ Company formed because of the splitting of the parent company. There is no clear reason as to why the parent company decided to separate the pharmaceutical and optical divisions; however, it would be due to mismanagement reasons. Whatsoever the reason, appointing the same auditors as those of the parent company to audit XYZ Ltd Company is associated with several advantages and disadvantages. Advantages of appointing the same auditors Massive experience and expertise As indicated, the auditors have audited the financial records for the parent company for the past ten years. This is a clear indication that the auditors did some marvelous work that sustained the growth and expansion of the parent company (Jackson, Moldrich Roebuck 2010). There is a high probability that the parent company had grown too big such that the managers decided to split it for easy management. The success of the parent company is attributed to the massive experience and the excellent work of the auditors. Similarly, XYZ Ltd Company can appoint the same experienced auditors to audit their financial records. Appointing the same auditors would be an assurance that the newly formed company would grow and last for the next 10 years or more. XYZ Ltd Company will greatly benefit from the quality services from the expertise of the auditors. Affordability and efficiency of the auditing services It is evident that a small business like XYZ Ltd will find it very expensive to obtain new auditors to audit their financial books (Kaplan Mauldin 2010). The auditors of the parent company may have some compassion with the small company and charge the company some affordable rates for the auditing exercise. Moreover, the auditors who are already familiar with the financial records of the parent company will give an effective allocation of the amount set asi de for the auditing expense to ensure that the company does not run at a loss. Smooth flow of activities Bringing in a new set of auditors would somewhat bring in disruptions. If XYZ Ltd Company appoints the same auditors as the parent company, the auditors will put up with the small company easily. In fact, maintaining the same auditors would enhance their morale to improve their quality of services in the subsequent audits (David Thomas 2013). The relationship between the auditors and the company would strengthen, and this would make the auditors to work hard to ensure their auditing work brings in some mutual benefit to all the company stakeholders. Disadvantages of appointing the same auditors Possibility of recurring previous mistakes From a business point of view, an esteemed company cannot decide to separate its operations for any good reasons. There is a very high probability that the company decided to do so because it began experiencing some massive losses because of vagu e auditing processes. If truly this is the reason behind the splitting of the company, it means that the auditors played a critical role in bringing down the parent company. Therefore appointing the same auditors will pose the way to recurring the previous mistakes. In the end, the XYZ Ltd Company would also face the same problem and it may end up collapsing. Lack of the point of comparison and evaluation It is always advisable for companies to evaluate and compare the services offered by a particular company stakeholder. If XYZ Ltd Company uses the same auditors as the parent company, it may not be able to evaluate the efficiency of the services. While the auditors may appear to offer quality services, it would be worthwhile to have a change that would formulate a point of comparison. Probably, the new auditors would reveal fraud cases that the usual auditors would not depict. In essence, appointing the same auditors as those of the parent company will blindfold the XYZ Company and it may not be able to gauge the quality of the auditing services (Kramer et al. 2011). Audit rotation The exercise of changing auditors has often raised eyebrows amongst businesspeople. While some businesspersons regard audit rotation as a worthwhile practice, some of them regard the exercise as unworthy as it only encourages businesses to doubt the competence of auditors. Despite the different perceptions, audit rotation is associated with various advantages and disadvantages. Advantages of audit rotation Increased perfection It is evident that there is no perfect human being; therefore, a different set of eyes on a company’s financial record would detect an error that the preceding auditors could not detect. In fact, for publicly held companies, audit rotation is done every five years, and private limited companies can employ the same practice to obtain quality audit services. The exercise helps in identifying and eliminating intentional and non-intentional errors (Daniels Booker 2011). Companies that embrace audit rotation will be at a safe position, as they would provide clear records of their financial statements to the bank and to the funders. Decreased fraud and increased impartiality Some auditors within a given audit firm may collaborate with the financial managers of a given company to â€Å"steal† from the company. Audit rotation plays a significant role in ending such cases because not all auditors would comply with such evil deals. The shortened period of auditing will not allow audit firms to create close relationships with the management, an action that may have a negative impact on the performance of the auditors. Audit rotation enhances the provision of impartial services by audit firms as they are obligated to rotate the auditors within the firm (Chi et al. 2009). In essence, the audit rotation exercise plays a critical role in increasing impartiality for all the stakeholders of the company. Disadvantages of audit rotation Dis ruption of the company’s activities It is evident that audit rotation, especially if it involves changing the auditing firm would have adverse consequences on the company’s activities. Different audit firms will come up with different advisories to the management team and the company’s activities may be disrupted from one time to another (Bates et al. 2012). Moreover, audit rotation does not allow the development of a long-term relationship between the company and the auditors, which is very important for the delivery of efficient services. Destroyed reputation of the company Some companies have had a tendency of frequently changing the auditing firms. The practice of changing audit firms too often would depict a negative picture of the firm. Investors would shy away from such firms, as they would perceive them as incompetent because they only do â€Å"auditor shopping† and expect better results instead of working of their performance. In essence, audit r otation would bring out misconceptions about a profit making organization like XYZ Ltd Company. Increased risk of audit failure It is evident that every time a new audit firm is appointed to carry out the auditing exercise, the firm requires some time to comprehend the company’s books of accounts. The audit firm fully understands the rules of the game of how to audit the firms accounting books when its term is almost over. The administrative will have to invest time to evaluate the subsequent audit firm and the whole exercise is not only expensive, but it also increases the chances of failure of the auditing exercise by the new audit firm (Daugherty et al. 2013). Conclusions From the discussions, it is evident that auditing is a very essential exercise in any organization. Auditing enables companies to have a clear outlay of the company’s activities. Though auditing, a company can easily depict fraud cases and address them accordingly. From the discussions, it is evide nt that the decision on whether to maintain auditors or to employ an audit rotation depends on their performance. If, for example, the auditors of the parent company, ABC Ltd Company, were not competent, the newly formed XYZ Ltd Company may need to appoint a new auditor to audit the financial books. Secondly, if the new set of auditors do not display their competence after a couple of years, an audit rotation will be essential (Peecher, Schwartz Solomon 2011). In essence, every decision made is associated with advantages and disadvantages. The company managers are obliged to make decisive decisions about the auditing process. There should be strong reasons behind any form of changes in the auditing process. Both the internal and external auditors have a great role in maintaining efficient and reliable financial reports. The auditors should be in a position to give a detailed explanation of every figure that appears in the financial records. The directing managers should only take t he role of the overseers who should only come in whenever there are suspicions of fraud cases. All scandals relating to the books of accounts are handled in a professional manner without downsizing the involved stakeholders. References Bates, HL, Waldrup, BE, Jaeger, DG Shea, V 2012, ‘Issues with mandatory audit firm rotation’, Journal of Business and Accounting, vol. 5, no. 1, pp. 70-75. Bon Kim, J, Yi, CH 2009, ‘Does auditor designation by the regulatory authority improve audit quality? Evidence from Korea’, Journal of Accounting and Public Policy, vol. 28, no. 3, pp. 207-230. Chi, W Huang, H 2011, ‘Discretionary accruals, audit-firm tenure and audit-partner tenure: empirical evidence from Taiwan’, Journal of Contemporary Accounting Economics, vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 65-92. Chi, W, Huang, H, Liao, Y, Xie, H 2009, Mandatory audit partner rotation, audit quality, and market perception: evidence from Taiwan, Contemporary Accounting Research, vol . 26, no. 2, pp. 359-391. Daniels, W Booker, Q 2011, ‘The effects of audit firm rotation on perceived auditor independence and audit quality’, Research in Accounting Regulation, vol. 23, no. 1, pp. 78-82. Daugherty, B, Dickins, D, Hatfield, R, Higgs, J 2013, Mandatory audit partner rotation: perceptions of audit quality consequences, Current Issues in Auditing, vol.7, no.1, pp. 30-35. David SJ Thomas, EV 2013, ‘Audit firm rotation and audit quality: evidence from academic research’, Accounting Research Journal, vol. 26, no.1, pp.75-84. Deis, DR, Giroux, G 2006, ‘The effect of auditor changes on audit fees, audit hours, and audit quality’, Journal of Accounting and Public Policy, vol. 15, no. 1, pp. 55-76. Hodgdon, C, Tondkar, RH, Adhikari, A Harless DW 2009, ‘Compliance with international financial reporting standards and auditor choice: new evidence on the importance of the statutory audit’, The International Journal of Accoun ting, vol. 44, no.1, pp. 33-55. Holm, C Zaman M 2012, ‘Regulating audit quality: restoring trust and legitimacy’, Accounting Forum, vol. 36, no. 1, pp. 51-61. Jackson, AB, Moldrich, M Roebuck, P 2010, ‘Mandatory audit firm rotation and audit quality’, Managerial Auditing Journal, vol. 23, no. 5, pp. 420-437. Kaplan, SE Mauldin EG 2010, ‘Auditor rotation and the appearance of independence: evidence from non-professional investors’, Journal of Accounting and Public Policy, vol. 27, no. 2, pp. 177–192. Kramer, ST, Georgakopoulos, G, Sotiropoulos, N Vasileiou, KZ 2011, ‘Audit firm rotation, audit firm tenure and earnings conservatism’, International Journal of Business and Management, vol. 6, no. 8, pp. 44-57. Peecher, ME, Schwartz, R Solomon, R 2011, ‘It is all about audit quality: perspectives on strategic-systems auditing’, Accounting, Organizations and Society, vol. 32, no. 5, pp. 463-485. Wang, KJ Tuttle, BM 2009, ‘The impact of auditor rotation on auditor-client negotiation’, Accounting, Organizations and Society, vol. 34, no. 2, pp. 222–243.

The Secret Universe of Bret Easton Ellis Novels

The Secret Universe of Bret Easton Ellis Novels The term â€Å"shared universe† is usually found in speculative stories, like the epic connections Stephen King has been quietly building by linking all of his novels and many of his shorter works together, or the way H.P. Lovecraft’s Cthulhu Mythos continues to be the setting for new stories by various authors. Shared universes are exciting because they add a dimension of epicness that can’t be achieved in a single story and open up opportunities for the author to play around with their own creation by cross-referencing events and characters outside a single narrative.   It’s much rarer to find that sort of meta-textual cross-referencing in non-speculative literature, though. Complicating matters is the fact that the most successful shared universes are built slowly, often without the author’s conscious plan. There’s little doubt, for example, that Stephen King had no idea he was creating a shared universe for the first two or three decades of his career. This led to some fairly incredible retcons in later books as he tried to make everything fit. But this slow revelation is also one of the chief pleasures of a literary canon - that moment in novel three when you start to see the connections is electric. You suddenly realize the author has been putting clues and puzzle pieces in front of you all along. Bret Easton Ellis Novels One of the most unexpected and complex shared literary universes can be found in a very unlikely place: the works of author Bret Easton Ellis. He is a divisive writer. For some people, his name is associated only with his most notorious novel American Psycho and the film adaptation it inspired. Christian Bale played the title role in the film. When American Psycho was published in 1991, the critical reaction was mixed. To put it lightly, the distasteful violence combined with the litany of name-checked designer labels led some to pronounce the novel grotesque. Chances are if you’ve read only one Ellis novel, it’s American Psycho. You may be unaware of the incredibly complex and detailed shared universe Ellis has spun over the course of seven books and 30 years. Camden College The seven books that comprise the Ellisverse are: Less Than ZeroThe Rules of AttractionAmerican PsychoThe InformersGlamoramaLunar ParkImperial Bedrooms These six novels and one short story collection can be considered in some ways as one huge story, sharing many settings, characters, and a general sense that life is a banal nightmare populated by demons who prey on each other. If you read Ellis’ books in order, the realization that everything is connected creeps up on you because Ellis often refers to characters in oblique ways without using their names. The eye of the Ellisverse is fictional Camden College, based on Bennington College, which Ellis attended. Many of the characters in Ellis’ books went to Camden, a college that seems to specialize in drug abuse, sexual shenanigans, and emotional breakdowns rather than any sort of useful major. The Camden connection is often the key to figuring out who characters are referencing when using nicknames like â€Å"the guy from L.A.† or â€Å"Rest in Peace.† The Batemans The other key to the Ellisverse is the Batemans, Patrick and Sean. Patrick, of course, is the probably delusional, possibly murderous serial killer from American Psycho, and Sean is his younger brother. Patrick makes his first appearance in The Rules of Attraction, Ellis’ second novel, which is also Sean’s first reference. While Patrick is depicted in that novel as a pretty distasteful person, there’s no indication that he is (or imagines himself to be) a violent serial killer. What isn’t in any doubt is his mutual hatred for his brother Sean. Patrick then appears, or is referred to, in Glamorama and Lunar Park, becoming increasingly ghost-like and seemingly imaginary. Sean is the main character of Rules of Attraction and also appears in American Psycho, The Informers, and Glamorama. Sean isn’t as violently disturbed as his older brother (whom he hates right back) but he’s also not exactly a nice guy. He lives with a healthy dose of self-loat hing, and attempts suicide several times. Both Bateman boys attend Camden College. Connections in the First Five Books Each novel in the Ellisverse connects to every other one. In Less Than Zero, Ellis’ first novel, we’re introduced to Clay, who has come home from Camden College to Los Angeles. Also featured in the book are his girlfriend Blair, childhood friend Julian, and drug dealer acquaintance Rip. Clay is in The Rules of Attraction, Ellis’ second novel, narrating a chapter anonymously as â€Å"the guy from L.A.† Several verbal tics make him easy to identify. Rip, the drug dealer, is also referred to in The Rules of Attraction in a note placed on Clay’s door saying â€Å"Rest in Peace† called. Rip is Clay’s drug dealer. In The Rules of Attraction, Sean and Patrick Bateman both make appearances. Sean is in love with a girl named Lauren and spends time with a bisexual man named Paul who once dated Lauren and is now obsessed with Sean. According to Paul, he and Sean have a passionate affair, but Sean never once mentions having sex with Paul. Lauren is heartbroken over her ex-boyfriend Victor. American Psycho is dominated by Patrick Bateman, of course, who is either engaged in an epic spree of horrifying violence or suffering a complete mental breakdown, depending on your interpretation of the events. His brother Sean appears, as do Victor and Paul. We also meet Tim, a ​co-worker of Patrick’s, and Donald Kimball, the police detective investigating Patrick’s â€Å"crimes.† The Informers is a series of connected short stories. Sean Bateman returns, as do Tim, Julian, and Blair, and a few other minor characters from the prior three novels. In Glamorama, Patrick Bateman shows up for about three lines, with â€Å"weird stains† on the lapel of his suit in what might be a hint that he really is a psycho killer. The main character is Victor from The Rules of Attraction, and several other characters appear, including Lauren and Sean Bateman. So far, so good. Ellis clearly imagines a world in which all of these terrible people exist. Its a world where time passes and people graduate from school, embark on careers, join terrorist groups, and deal with strange vampires (seriously, read The Informers). With the next two books in the Ellisverse, things get really strange. Lunar Park and Imperial Bedrooms Before we go further, let’s jump back to American Psycho and Glamorama, and a minor character who appears in both: Allison Poole. She actually appears as a character in Jay McInerney’s novel Story of My Life, two years before American Psycho. Allison Poole is based on the real-life Rielle Hunter (who you might recall as the woman who brought down John Edwards’ political career). Patrick Bateman murders (?) Poole in American Psycho, linking Ellis’ fictional universe to McInerney’s in what might be the most audacious bit of shared universing in literary history. Poole then shows up again in Glamorama, perfectly alive, giving credence to the theory that Patrick Bateman doesn’t actually kill anyone and is just, you know, crazy. Ellis’ next book was Lunar Park, and this is where the Ellisverse either goes completely nuts or edges into genius, depending on who you ask. Taking a cue from Stephen King, the man character of Lunar Park is Bret Easton Ellis - or at least, a fictional version of himself. The book is styled as a memoir, and the early chapters describing Ellis’ rise to fame and the first five books are reasonably accurate and realistic. Then the character of Ellis meets an actress and gets married and the story takes a sharp turn into the fictional. What makes this fascinating is that characters from Ellis’ novels turn up in Lunar Park as supposedly real people - including Patrick Bateman and the detective who investigates him in American Psycho, Donald Kimball, and possibly Clay (as there is a character named Clayton who resembles Clay in many ways). Jay McInerney also turns up as a character, making this a delirious land-grab when it comes to shared universes, as Ellis now mo re or less claims most of reality as part of his fictional universe. Even more strange, the possibility that some of these people only exist in the fictional Ellis’ fevered imagination is given a lot of traction. So who’s actually there? It might not be possible to know for sure. And then Ellis gets subtler and yet crazier with Imperial Bedrooms. This book is billed as a sequel to Less Than Zero, and features the returning cast of that novel: Clay, Blair, Julian, and Rip, et al. However, Ellis strongly implies in Imperial Bedrooms that the Clay telling the story isn’t the same person as the Clay who narrated Less Than Zero. The implication is that the original Clay was a fictional version of the real Clay. It’s kind of head-spinning and again demonstrates how Ellis is basically erasing the distinction between a fictional universe and the one we all actually live in. Combined with the question of who actually exists in-universe, and the uncertainty in some of the books as to what actually occurs as opposed to what’s imagined, the Ellisverse starts to become extremely trippy and hallucinatory - on purpose. What Ellis is doing is kind of spectacular. Essentially, the events of his novels and stories are presented as real, or as real as anything in the â€Å"real† world. If Stephen King has his hands full linking all of his fictional works together into a shared universe, Ellis is trying to link everything to his fictional universe of sociopaths, drug addicts, and haunted celebrities. It just might be the most ambitious literary experiment ever undertaken. Sources Birch, Helen. Book Review / American psycho-drama: The informers - Bret Easton Ellis: Picador, pounds 9.99. Independent, October 30, 1994. Elder, Richard. Flopsy, Mopsy, Paul, Sean and Lauren: The Rules of Attraction by Bret Easton Ellis. Los Angeles Times, September 13, 1987. Jordison, Sam. Guardian book club: Bret Easton Elliss American Psycho. The Guardian, July 14, 2010. Kakutani, Michiko. Books of the Times; The Young and Ugly. The New York Times, June 8, 1985. Mendelsohn, Daniel. Lesser Than Zero. The New York Times, January 24, 1999. Scott, A. O. Lunar Park: Hero and Heroin. The New York Times, August 14, 2005. Wynn, Gary. Rielle Hunter on Her Relationship With John Edwards Today, Their Life With Their Daughter Quinn. Suzan Clarke, ABC News, July 22, 2016.

Phd proposal Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Phd proposal - Dissertation Example There is enough scope for both qualitative and quantitative analyses on the topic. Academic research can help to explore the existing ideas and find out new implications. This research proposal, therefore, includes review of the relevant literature that inspired the selection of the topic. The proposal also focuses on the theory to which the research will relate, the methodology supposed to be used and original contribution to knowledge by the research. Research Question Leadership and management: Can transactional leadership theory add new dimensions to the future leadership practices? Research Objectives 1. Explore the concepts of transactional leadership theory. 2. Compare transformational and transactional leadership theories. 3. Find out innovative implications and methods for organisational learning and knowledge management 4. Combine the concepts of the theory with the futuristic idea of empowering leadership. 5. Find out innovative ways to apply the theory in today’s g lobal business environment with the help of case studies and academic research. Review of the Literature Transactional leadership theory has the potential to develop innovative models in the context of modern and future management practices. Some principal concepts entailed in the theory are: 1. People can perform optimally when the commands are clear and definite. 2. A justifiable system of punishment and reward motivates the workers. 3. Monitoring the subordinates is an imperative so that the business expectations are fulfilled. 4. Obedience should be ensured among the subordinates. (Bass, 1985) For a while, this sort of theoretical approach may appear to be based on the older conventions and beliefs. However, re-emergence of this theory in the sphere of modern management research can be observed in the works of Harman and Bitz (2008). According to them, studies considering knowledge management (which is critical in today’s information based global business environment) and leadership as rational variables are limited. Future practitioners may consider exploring the concepts of transactional leadership theory and its dimensions in relation to knowledge management. In this context, it must be mentioned that all leaders exhibit both transformational and transactional leadership attributes which can amply help in knowledge transfer, sharing and creation (Harman and Bitz, 2008). â€Å"Some observers view transactional leadership as the poorer version of transformational leadership, noting that the latter has a more noble or moral drive.† (Andrews, Connell and Wescott, 2010). However, this view can be strongly dismissed because â€Å"Where transactional leaders foster societies that are open and focused on public value creation, and where learning is accommodated by progressive authorizing mechanisms, agents will have space to explore new beliefs, pursue good struggles, experiment with latent abilities, and ultimately generate change that benefits others (even if there is no transformational leader appealing to higher ideals).† (Andrews, Connell and Wescott, 2010) Experimental and quasi-experimental studies conducted by Avolio and his associates show that researches on path-goal model and transactiona

Interpersonal Communication Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Interpersonal Communication - Article Example The writer, Chris Zervas, states that, the area of constructive criticism can be problematic as "We say things we don't mean or recipients hear more than was meant." (1) Therefore, often during constructive criticism in a potentially sensitive area such as the workplace, direct channels of interpersonal communication are not functioning correctly. The sender is communicating the wrong message, using inadequate phrasing and wrong information whilst the other participant receives a distorted or exaggerated message. The receiver subconsciously picks up another message from indirect channels of interpersonal communication. These indirect channels may include the tone of voice of the sender or his body language. The receiver may suspect that the sender has hidden motivations, revealed by these uncontrolled actions. The receiver also may react defensively as he or she may feel that their position within the work team is threatened. Chris Zervas uses his management insight to implement "ski llful communication" which "can make these situations far less volatile."(2) Zervas states that the important connotation of the senders message should make the receiver feel respected and valued, which is the converse of how criticism generally makes people feel.

After Reading The Road Not Taken Essay Example for Free

After Reading The Road Not Taken Essay Introduction Within works of literature, often times the most valuable part of the work is not that which is readily apparent after a quick reading of the work; the true gems to be found within literature are those which are only discovered after a thorough study of the work and a deep consideration of what the author is really trying to convey to a reader, or perhaps conclusions that readers can draw on their own through the use of their imagination and interpretation. With all of this in mind, Robert Frost’s The Road Not Taken will be the focus of this research. Why This Work was Chosen There are several reasons why this work was chosen as the focus of the research; first, even when the work is quickly read and taken just at face value, as was earlier discussed, the words flow beautifully and make the mind of the reader travel, just as the narrator of the work seems to do. When Frost uses such adjectives as â€Å"yellow†, â€Å"grassy† and the like, one feels peaceful and calm. On the other hand, just as this work reveals certain elements to the reader from the first reading, closer review and consideration drives the imagination of the reader to create other reactions and conclusions about the work, and perhaps that is the best thing that any work can do-to inspire the reader to a higher level of thought, emotion and belief. With all of this in mind, it is now possible to discuss reactions to Frost’s work which makes all of these points much clearer. Reactions to the Work Simply put, the first reaction that came about through a study of The Road Not Taken is one of excitement for the limitless opportunities open to human beings as indicated by Frost. When Frost wrote: â€Å"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference† (Frost, 1930, p. 131), what he appears to be saying is that by taking on those challenges and directions in life that other cannot or will not take on in fact can strengthen the individual and give them a deeper and more meaningful life. Additionally, this work has also come across as a highly inspirational one, as it tells the reader that they can be or do anything they choose- representation of the ultimate level of freedom. Conclusion As this research moves toward its conclusion, there are a few key points that deserve repeating. First, this research has shown that through the talents of skilled authors, words can in fact be put into sentences and phrases which transport the reader to another place and state of emotion. In this way, people are able to be enhanced and changed by reading, and experiencing, given works of literature. Second, while many works are captivating and enlightening from the first reading of them, the more and more that they are read and more deeply studied, there are new attributes which come to the surface. Third, and perhaps most importantly, literature proves that the human experience is not something which reaches a certain level or age and is considered complete; rather, it is a constantly changing and ongoing phenomenon which is enriched through things such as literature which expand the mind, broaden the imagination, and soothe the soul of readers. These conclusions came to mind as a result of studying The Road Not Taken and only prove, once again, that choosing this work to research was an excellent idea. References Frost, R. (1930). Collected Poems of Robert Frost. New York: Henry Holt.

Allegory for War in Battle of the Ants by David Thoreau Essay example -

Allegory for War in "Battle of the Ants" by David Thoreau The reading journal that I chose was "Battle of the Ants" by David Thoreau. I chose this essay because I felt that it was a strongly written piece about a somewhat interesting topic. When I first read it I was taken aback by its seemingly uninteresting nature of topic, but after I read it a couple more times I began to see its true beauty. The story is about government and war and depicted by ants battling to the death. "The legions of Myrmidons covered all the hills and vales in my wood-yard, and the ground was already strewn with all the dead and dying, both the red and the black," the ants represent humans struggling for freedom and power. There are two types of ants: the red ones who represent the rebellious soldiers fightin...

Plato, Aristotle, and Moses

â€Å"Households, cities, countries, and nations have enjoyed great happiness when a single individual has taken heed of the Good and Beautiful. Such people not only liberate themselves; they fill those they meet with a free mind. † Philo of Alexandria Athens, via Socrates, Plato and Aristotle, and Jerusalem through the Hebrew Scriptures, refer to two general and fundamental ways of life: the life of free inquiry on the one hand, the life of obedience to God’s law on the other.As discussed in class, the fact that most do not read the Hebrew Scriptures as a politically philosophical text, they are overlooking some fundamental political principles that are similar and complimentary to the Greeks. The book of Genesis to the end of the book of Kings is not only revelation in the form of a narrative, but can be seen as a work of reason, and political philosophy. Plato and Aristotle are certainly accepted as political philosophers, while the Patriarchs are not (widely) regard ed as such. Because of this, I shall use the Pentateuch as my basis to discuss my assertion.Given the constraints of this paper, a short reflection on our assigned readings for class, and my limited knowledge of both the Hebrew Scriptures and Greek philosophy, I do not pretend for this to be sophisticated, beyond a thoughtful meditation. With a few exceptions, I shall utilize Moses’ life as the pathway through this illustration. Genesis seems a fitting place to begin. The expulsion from the Garden of Eden was the first â€Å"exodus. † In Genesis, humanity as a whole, and in Exodus, the Hebrews through their transformation into the Israelites, began a trek.They each see a perilous journey ahead as they begin fumbling toward a dimly seen goal. God, Moses, and Socrates all want what is best for His/his people. The people would rather not have it, â€Å"And they said to each other, ‘We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt. ’† A seemingly universa l and consistent source of political strife, what the people want vs. what the ruler thinks is good for them. Plato’s presentation of Socrates is generally in the form of the â€Å"dialectic†. The dialectic between God and his creation is expressed frequently throughout the Scriptures.It seems much more often towards the beginning, waning through the prophets (later, waxing until the final culmination of the â€Å"dialectic† with the condemnation and crucifixion of God the Son). Adam and Eve’s questioning by the Father: â€Å"Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, â€Å"Where are you? † He answered, â€Å"I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid. And he said, â€Å"Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from? † The man said, â€Å"The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it. † Then the Lord God said to the woman, â€Å"What is this you have done? † The woman said, â€Å"The serpent deceived me, and I ate. † Cain’s interrogation for the murder of his brother (Am I my brother’s keeper? ), Abraham’s bargaining with God over the destruction of Sodom â€Å"Will you sweep away the innocent with the guilty? Suppose there were 50 innocent people in the city? , and Moses’ unenthusiastic response to God’s command to be the standard bearer to â€Å"let His people go! † At this point in Moses’ life, he has developed a tripartite identity: a Hebrew origin, an Egyptian upbringing, and after his â€Å"exile† in Midian, he has a married and fairly sedentary lifestyle. Moses does not want to be the leader of the Hebrews out of Egypt. Like the â€Å"philos ophers† in the Republic, they do not wish to rule the multitude, they must be compelled to rule. God compels Moses, through the burning bush, to â€Å"carry his cross†. When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, â€Å"Moses! Moses! †Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ But Moses said to God, â€Å"Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt? † And God said, â€Å"I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain. Moses said to God, â€Å"Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name? Then what shall I tell them? † God said to Moses, â€Å"I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you. ’† The transformation that Moses underg oes, having seen â€Å"the face of God† at the burning bush is similar to Plato’s â€Å"Analogy of the Cave†. He emerges with a mission, a calling that is to consume his life; leading the people to truth and justice. Bringing them forth from the darkness of Egypt into the light of Canaan. Like the man who returns to the cave having seen the light, Moses’ trustablitiy is doubted many times.Moses was rejected by â€Å"his people† many times. First, by the Hebrews as he attempted to help them by killing the overseer, sending him into exile. Secondly, by the Egyptians for siding with the slaves. Thirdly, by the Israelites during his attempt to lead them safely to the Promised Land. Like the Israelites, the Athenians did not understand, or refused to accept, the teachings of Socrates, which were intended to renew private and public morality; leading to is eventual condemnation and a nightcap of hemlock. Following the death of Socrates, many of his stude nts fled.Plato returned in an attempt to continue transformation of society and to redeem his â€Å"time†, he also failed. Moses hesitantly heads back to Egypt, to engage in his fruitless negotiation with the Pharaoh; fruitless in part due to the Lord’s â€Å"hardening of his heart†. The ultimate plague set upon the Egyptians is the Angel of Death’s reaping of the first born of each household who does not possess the mark above their doorway. This was not a simple sweeping away of children, intent on causing anguish amongst the citizens, in an attempt to incite them against the Pharaoh (that seems to have been just a bonus).It was a direct assault on the socio-political fabric of society: primogeniture upended, filial duties confused, and the vanishing of an entire generation. The Athenians feared something somewhat less immediately disruptive, the corruption of a few well-placed â€Å"youths†. Socrates’ actions were, they feared, going to d estabilize Athenian society, similar to a malignancy, growing and spreading, infecting the very marrow. Moses, Plato, and Aristotle believed that there was no distinction between morality and politics.If one cannot restore order to his soul, Plato reasoned, than there can be no order in society. Just as the God of the Pentateuch understood when he gave Moses the Ten Commandments. The Decalogue presents a mix of the ordering of one’s soul (mostly the first 4) and the ordering of society in the last 6. The Greeks knew that the liberation of the soul ought to be the chief object of individuals on earth. Cleansing the soul frees humanity from the false loves and degrading appetites so that man(and women)may conform to the nomos, or the law. The nomos, not human beings, is the measure of all things.Moses was not the liberator, God was. Socrates was not the liberator- truth was. Moses and Socrates were attempting to lead the people towards liberation because they were compelled to because of the Truth. Moses and Socrates were not politicians, generals, or just â€Å"leaders†. The possessed a vision, they sought righteousness (in different ways), and pursuers of truth and virtue. Thrasymachos’ â€Å"legal positivistic† view, that objective justice does not exist for rulers, they lay down the laws with the exclusive concern for their own advantage.Plato’s refutation of this view is followed by Aristotle’s argument that even â€Å"great-souled† men are not immune to from the destructive passions associated with the spirited parts of the soul. We see in the account of David, â€Å"A man after God’s own heart†, that even he is not free from temptation or pride. Moses is not allowed to enter the Promised Land, many surmise it is because out of anger and impatience, struck a rock to produce water, instead he should have followed God’s instructions and simply spoke to the rock. While others suggest that i t is his, again out of anger, breaking of the Ten Commandments.Not acting virtuously according to Aristotle’s golden mean, Moses freely chooses to act rashly out of anger, and cowardly, by refusing to allow his rebuke of the Israelites to be sufficient. Moses shows himself, in these incidents, to be lacking in virtue. Because of his â€Å"situational virtuousness† he is punished by God. In the Book of Samuel, the people of Israel clamor for a king to rule over them. Samuel approaches God with this request. The Lord, far from being a â€Å"democrat†, eventually relents: â€Å"Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king.As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you. Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will claim as his rights. â⠂¬  Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people who were asking him for a king. He said, â€Å"This is what the king who will reign over you will claim as his rights: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots.Some he will assign to be commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants. He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants. Your male and female servants and the best of your cattle and donkeys he will take for his own use.He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves. When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, but the Lord will not answer you in that day. † Socrates, via Plato, describes the decay of the healthy city. Its decay is brought about by the emancipation of the desire for unnecessary things, i. e. , for things that are not necessary for the well being or health of the body. Thus the luxurious or feverish city emerges, the city characterized by the striving for the unlimited acquisition of wealth.Once can expect that in such a city the individuals will no longer exercise the single art for which each is meant by nature but any art or combination of the arts which is most lucrative, or that there will no longer be a strict correspondence between service and reward: hence there will be dissatisfaction and conflicts and therefore need for government which will restore justice. There will certainly be need for additional territory and hence there will be war, war of aggression. Those who clamored to Samuel for a â€Å"king† other than the King who brought them out of slavery should have read the Greeks.The story of Solomon’s rise is one of wisdom, peace, fulfillment and beauty. The decent of Solomon is one of war, oppression overindulgence, idolatry, and misery. Solomon traded away a part of Israel's land, while annexing other’s cities (requiring him amass chariots and horsemen), enslaved the Canaanites, accumulated large amounts of gold and sliver, had relations with Egypt, married foreign women although Moses forbade it because â€Å"they would turn their hearts away from the Lord† and eventually began to worship their idols.All of this eventually ending in the destruction of Israel, leaving Judah for the â€Å"sake of David and Jerusalem†. Because of the blessing Solomon began with, and the glory he reached at his pinnacle, his fall was a much more tragic one. The Ten Commandments, and Justice define the problem associated with living in society. Their statement, however does not solve it. God g ives the laws to create an ideal society, Socrates gives the vision of the ideal city.It has been painfully demonstrated, not just through the accounts of Moses, Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, but the entirety of human history, that this ideal is seemingly impossible to attain. The political philosophy expressed in the early Biblical narrative, through Revelation, the Greeks will come to understand (or at lease address) through Reason. The establishment of a government (either temporal or divine), the dangers of government, the relationship between the individual to the leader/state (and the leader’s responsibilities), forms of government, and the eventual decline of the state.