Monday, January 27, 2020

An analysis of the three sociological perspectives

An analysis of the three sociological perspectives This paper discusses three approaches that can be taken when studying Sociology. There are many subjects to be studied and discussed in the field of Sociology, and the approach chosen to study a particular subject is called a perspective. There are three different perspectives, and they are functionalist, conflict, and interactionist perspectives. This paper compares and contrasts these different perspectives with one another. Through Analysis, A Compare and Contrast Of the Three Sociological Perspectives: Functionalist, Conflict, and Interactionist When studying in the field of Sociology everyone is going to approach topics in a different manner. No two people are going to have the exact same view on a particular subject. There are however, three major categories in which people might choose to approach topics. The approaches are know as sociological perspectives and are the functionalist, conflict, and interactionist perspectives. These perspectives name different ways in which different people choose to analyze a subject, and how they look at a society as a whole. The following paragraphs compare and contrast the three, and identify major characteristics of each. The functionalist perspective is a sociological approach which emphasizes the way that parts of a society are structure to maintain its stability,(Schaefer Lamm, 1998). This perspective looks at a society in a positive manner and sees it as stable, with all the parts working together. Under the functionalist view every social aspect of a society contributes to the societys survival, and if not, the aspect is not passed to the next generation. There are two people who where mainly involved in the development of the functionalist perspective, they are Emile Durkheim, Talcott Parsons. Durkheim contributed to the functionalist perspective when she was studying religion, and how it was responsible for people feeling solidarity and unity in groups. Parsons was a sociologist from Harvard University who was greatly influenced by Durkheim. In return, he influenced Sociology by dominating the field, with his functionalist views, for four decades (Schaefer Lamm, 1998). When approaching a subject with the functionalist perspective, manifest and latent functions as well as dysfunctions are looked at and studied. A manifest function of an institution is one that is stated and expected. A latent function is one that is unexpected or can show a hidden purpose of an institution, and a dysfunction is a component of a society that can cause instability (Rothman, 1998). These functions and dysfunctions are use in analyzing a society. Functionalist perspective is an approach to studying a society on the macrosociological level. This means that a society is studied on a large scale as a whole. The view of the individual in a functionalist perspective is that people are socially molded, not forced, to perform societal functions. Order in a society, as viewed by a functionalist, is maintained when members of a society cooperated with one another. Functionalists view social change as being predictable and positive. The main idea of functionalist perspective is that of stability (Schaefer Lamm, 1998). The conflict perspective is a sociological approach which assumes that social behavior is best understood in terms of conflict or tension between different groups, (Schaefer Lamm, 1998). In contrast to the functionalist view of stability, conflict sociologist see a society as being in constant struggle. The idea of conflict is not necessarily violent; it could just refer to disagreements that are worked out through a mediator (Platt, 1999). The two main contributors to the formation of the conflict perspective are Karl Marx and W. E. B. Du Bois. Karl Marx explained that conflicts between classes of society are inevitable, since workers will always be exploited as a result of capitalism. It is through the expansion of Marxs work that sociologist now apply conflict theory to all aspects of society. Even though there are parallels between Marxist theories and conflict perspective they are not the same. An important aspect of conflict perspective is that it encourages sociologists to look at a society through the eyes of those in the population who does not influence decision making. Du Bois contributed to the conflict perspective by studying society in reference to blacks and their struggles within society (Schaefer Lamm, 1998). The conflict perspective sees society as being full of tension and struggle between groups. It also, like functionalist, analyzes society on the macrosociological level. As for the individual, they are perceived as being shaped by power and authority. Social order is viewed as being maintained not through cooperation, but through force. And social change is not predictable, but is constantly taking place. The conflict perspectives main idea is that there are competing interests between groups and social inequality exists, therefore there is always conflict of some kind. The interactionist perspective is a sociological approach which generalizes about fundamental or everyday forms of social interaction, (Schaefer Lamm, 1998). Interactionist perspective focuses on the way that small groups act, in order to understand society as a whole. Interactionists study people in their everyday behavior and how they react to their surroundings. Such surroundings may include material things, actions, other people, and symbols. George Herbert Mead is most often credited with founding the interactionist perspective, but Charles Horton Cooley also shared Meads views. Mead was a professor at the University of Chicago, and he focused on the analysis of one-to-one situations and other small groups. He paid particular attention to body language such as a frown or nod, and he also asked the questions of how other group members effected these gestures. His students passed down his views after his death, as a result of hearing his lectures (Schaefer Lamm, 1998). The interactionist view of society is that we influence each others everyday social interactions. In contrast to functionalist and conflict perspectives, the interactionist perspective studies society on a microsociological level. In other words they study on a small scale in order to understand the large scale. Interactionists believe that an individual creates their own social world through his or her interactions, and it is thought that social order is maintained when people share their understanding of everyday behavior. Interactionists say that social change occurs when the positions and communication with one another change. The main idea of an interactionist sociologist is to study nonverbal communication and small groups paying particular attentions to objects and symbols (Schaefer Lamm, 1998). As one can tell from reading these three approaches are very different in the way in which they study sociological issues. They all strive to give meaning to why people do what they do, and neither is better than the other, they just go about reaching the same goal in a different way. Bibliography:

Sunday, January 19, 2020

The Lost Duke of Wyndham Chapter Twenty

Outside the carriage, the atmosphere was considerably less tense. The three men remained on horseback, never quite in a line. Every now and then one of them would increase his pace or fall behind, and one horse would pass another. Perfunctory greetings would be exchanged. Occasionally someone would comment on the weather. Lord Crowland seemed rather interested in the native birds. Thomas didn't say much, but – Jack glanced over at him – good Lord, was he whistling? â€Å"Are you happy?† Jack asked, his voice a bit short. Thomas looked back in surprise. â€Å"Me?† He frowned, thinking about it. â€Å"I suppose I am. It's a rather fine day, don't you think?† â€Å"A fine day,† Jack echoed. â€Å"None of us is trapped in the carriage with that evil old hag,† Crowland announced. â€Å"We should all be happy.† Then he added, â€Å"Pardon,† since the evil old hag was, after all, grandmother to both of his companions. â€Å"Pardons unnecessary on my account,† Thomas said. â€Å"I agree with your assessment completely.† There had to be something significant in this, Jack thought – that their conversation kept returning to how relieved they all were not to be in the dowager's presence. It was damned strange, to tell the truth, and yet, it did make one think†¦ â€Å"Will I have to live with her?† he blurted out. Thomas looked over and grinned. â€Å"The Outer Hebrides, my man, the Outer Hebrides.† â€Å"Why didn't you do it?† Jack demanded. â€Å"Oh, believe me, I will, on the off chance I still possess any power over her tomorrow. And if I don't†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Thomas shrugged. â€Å"I'll need some sort of employment, won't I? I always wished to travel. Perhaps I shall be your scout. I'll find the oldest, coldest place on the island. I shall have a rollicking good time.† â€Å"For God's sake,† Jack swore. â€Å"Stop talking like that.† He did not want this to be preordained. He did not want it to be understood. Thomas ought to be fighting for his place in the world, not blithely handing it over. Because he himself did not want it. He wanted Grace, and he wanted his freedom, and more than anything, right at that very moment, he wanted to be somewhere else. Anywhere else. Thomas gave him a curious look but said nothing more. And neither did Jack. Not when they reached Pollamore, or Cavan town, or even as they rode into Butlersbridge. Night had long since fallen, but Jack knew every storefront, every last signpost and tree. There was the Derragarra Inn, where he'd got himself drunk on his seventeenth birthday. There was the butcher, and the blacksmith, and ah, yes, there was the oatmeal mill, behind which he'd stolen his first kiss. Which meant that in five – no, make that four – more minutes, he would be home. Home. It was a word he had not uttered in years. It had had no meaning. He'd lived in inns and public houses and sometimes under the stars. He'd had his ragtag group of friends, but they drifted in and out of togetherness. They thieved together more by convenience than anything else. All they'd had in common was a shared past in the military, and a willingness to give a portion of their bounty to those who had returned from the war less fortunate than they. Over the years, Jack had given money to men without legs, women without husbands, children without parents. No one ever questioned where he'd got the money. He supposed his bearing and accent were those of a gentleman, and that was enough. People saw what they wanted to see, and when a former officer (who never quite got around to sharing his name) came bearing gifts†¦ No one ever wanted to question it. And through all this, he'd told no one. Who had there been to tell? Grace. Now there was Grace. He smiled. She would approve. Perhaps not of the means, but certainly of the end. The truth was, he'd never taken anything from anyone who hadn't looked as if they could afford it. And he'd always been careful to more thoroughly rob the most annoying of his victims. Such scruples would not have kept him from the gallows, but it had always made him feel a bit better about his chosen profession. He heard a horse draw up next to his, and when he turned, there was Thomas, now keeping pace beside him. â€Å"Is this the road?† he asked quietly. Jack nodded. â€Å"Just around the bend.† â€Å"They are not expecting you, are they?† â€Å"No.† Thomas had far too much tact to question him further, and indeed, he allowed his mount to fall back by half a length, granting Jack his privacy. And then there it was. Cloverhill. Just as he'd remembered it, except maybe the vines had taken over a bit more of the brick facade. The rooms were lit, and the windows shone with warmth. And even though the only sounds were those made by the traveling party, Jack could swear he could hear laughter and merriment seeping out through the walls. Dear God, he'd thought he'd missed it, but this†¦ This was something more. This was an ache, a true, pounding pain in his chest; an empty hole; a sob, forever caught in his throat. This was home. Jack wanted to stop, to take a moment to gaze at the graceful old house, but he heard the carriage drawing closer and knew that he could not keep everyone at bay while he indulged his own nostalgia. The last thing he wanted was for the dowager to barge in ahead of him (which he was quite certain she would do), so he rode up to the entrance, dismounted, and walked up the steps on his own. He closed his eyes and drew a long breath, and then, since he wasn't likely to amass any more courage in the next few minutes, he lifted the brass knocker and brought it down. There was no immediate reply. This was not a surprise. It was late. They were unexpected. The butler might have retired for the night. There were so many reasons they should have got rooms in the village and made their way to Cloverhill in the morning. He didn't want – The door opened. Jack held his hands tightly behind his back. He'd tried leaving them at his sides, but they started to shake. He saw the light of the candle first, and then the man behind it, wrinkled and stooped. â€Å"Master Jack?† Jack swallowed. â€Å"Wimpole,† he said. Good heavens, the old butler must be nearing eighty, but of course his aunt would have kept him on, for as long as he wished to work, which, knowing Wimpole, would be until the day he died. â€Å"We were not expecting you,† Wimpole said. Jack tried for a smile. â€Å"Well, you know how I like a surprise.† â€Å"Come in! Come in! Oh, Master Jack, Mrs. Audley will be so pleased to see you. As will – † Wimpole stopped, peering out the door, his wizened old eyes creasing into a squint. â€Å"I am afraid that I brought a few guests,† Jack explained. The dowager had already been helped down from the carriage, and Grace and Amelia were right behind her. Thomas had grabbed onto his grandmother's arm – hard, from the looks of it – to give Jack a few moments alone, but the dowager was already showing signs of impending outrage. â€Å"Wimpole?† came a feminine voice. â€Å"Who is here at this hour?† Jack stood stiffly, hardly able to breathe. It was his aunt Mary. She sounded exactly the same. It was as if he'd never left†¦ Except it wasn't. If he'd never left, his heart wouldn't be pounding, his mouth wouldn't be dry. And most of all, he wouldn't feel so bloody terrified. Scared spitless at seeing the one person who had loved him his entire life, with her whole heart and without condition. â€Å"Wimpole? I – † She'd rounded the corner and was staring at him like a ghost. â€Å"Jack?† â€Å"In the flesh.† He tried for a jovial tone but couldn't quite manage it, and deep inside, down where he kept his blackest moments, he wanted to cry. Right there, in front of everyone, it was twisting and writhing inside of him, bursting to get out. â€Å"Jack!† she cried out, and she hurled herself forward, throwing her arms around him. â€Å"Oh, Jack. Jack, my dear sweet boy. We've missed you so.† She was covering his face with kisses, like a mother would her son. Like she should have been able to do for Arthur. â€Å"It is good to see you, Aunt Mary,† he said. He pulled her tight then and buried his face in the crook of her neck, because she was his mother, in every way that mattered. And he'd missed her. By God, he'd missed her, and in that moment it did not matter that he'd hurt her in the worst way imaginable. He just wanted to be held. â€Å"Oh, Jack,† she said, smiling through her tears, â€Å"I ought to horsewhip you for staying away so long. Why would you do such a thing? Don't you know how worried we were? How – â€Å" â€Å"Ahem.† Mary stopped and turned, still holding Jack's face in her hands. The dowager had made her way to the front entrance and was standing behind him on the stone steps. â€Å"You must be the aunt,† she said. Mary just stared at her. â€Å"Yes,† she finally replied. â€Å"And you are†¦?† â€Å"Aunt Mary,† Jack said hastily, before the dowager could speak again, â€Å"I am afraid I must introduce you to the dowager Duchess of Wyndham.† Mary let go of him and curtsied, stepping aside as the dowager swept past her. â€Å"The Duchess of Wyndham?† she echoed, looking at Jack with palpable shock. â€Å"Good heavens, Jack, couldn't you have sent notice?† Jack smiled tightly. â€Å"It is better this way, I assure you.† The rest of the traveling party came forward at that moment, and Jack completed the introductions, trying not to notice his aunt going from paler to palest after he identified the Duke of Wyndham and the Earl of Crowland. â€Å"Jack,† she whispered frantically, â€Å"I haven't the rooms. We have nothing grand enough – â€Å" â€Å"Please, Mrs. Audley,† Thomas said with a deferential bow, â€Å"do not put yourself out on my accord. It was unforgivable for us to arrive without notice. I would not expect you to go to any great lengths. Although† – he glanced over at the dowager, who was standing in the hall with a sour look on her face – â€Å"perhaps your finest room for my grandmother. It will be easier for everyone.† â€Å"Of course,† Mary said quickly. â€Å"Please, please, it's chilly. You must all come inside. Jack, I do need to tell you – â€Å" â€Å"Where is your church?† the dowager demanded. â€Å"Our church?† Mary asked, looking to Jack in confusion. â€Å"At this hour?† â€Å"I do not intend to worship,† the dowager snapped. â€Å"I wish to inspect the records.† â€Å"Does Vicar Beveridge still preside?† Jack asked, trying to cut the dowager off. â€Å"Yes, but he will surely be abed. It's half nine, I should think, and he is an early riser. Perhaps in the morning. I – â€Å" â€Å"This is a matter of dynastic importance,† the dowager cut in. â€Å"I don't care if it's after midnight. We – â€Å" â€Å"I care,† Jack cut in, silencing her with an icy expression. â€Å"You are not going to pull the vicar out of bed. You have waited this long. You can bloody well wait until morning.† â€Å"Jack!† Mary gasped. She turned to the dowager. â€Å"I did not raise him to speak this way.† â€Å"No, you didn't,† Jack said, which was the closest he was going to come to an apology while the dowager was staring him down. â€Å"You were his mother's sister, weren't you?† the dowager said. Mary looked a bit baffled at the sudden change of topic. â€Å"I am.† â€Å"Were you present at her wedding?† â€Å"I was not.† Jack turned to her in surprise. â€Å"You weren't?† â€Å"No. I could not attend. I was in confinement.† She gave Jack a rueful look. â€Å"I never told you. It was a stillbirth.† Her face softened. â€Å"Just one of the reasons I was so happy to have you.† â€Å"We shall make for the church in the morning,† the dowager announced, uninterested in Mary's obstetrical history. â€Å"First thing. We shall find the papers and be done with it.† â€Å"The papers?† Mary echoed. â€Å"Proof of the marriage,† the dowager bit off. She looked upon Mary with icy condescension, then dismissed her with a flick of her head, adding, â€Å"Are you daft?† It was a good thing Thomas pulled her back, because Jack would have gone for her throat. â€Å"Louise was not married in the Butlersbridge church,† Mary said. â€Å"She was married at Maguiresbridge. In County Fermanagh, where we grew up.† â€Å"How far is that?† the dowager demanded, trying to yank her arm free of Thomas's grasp. â€Å"Twenty miles, your grace.† The dowager muttered something quite unpleasant. Jack could not make out the exact words, but Mary blanched. She turned to him with an expression nearing alarm. â€Å"Jack? What is this all about? Why do you need proof of your mother's marriage?† He looked at Grace, who was standing a bit behind his aunt. She offered him a tiny nod of encouragement, and he cleared his throat and said, â€Å"My father was her son.† Mary looked over at the dowager in shock. â€Å"Your father†¦John Cavendish, you mean†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Thomas stepped forward. â€Å"May I intercede?† Jack felt exhausted. â€Å"Please do.† â€Å"Mrs. Audley,† Thomas said, with more dignity and collection than Jack could ever have imagined, â€Å"if there is proof of your sister's marriage, then your nephew is the true Duke of Wyndham.† â€Å"The true Duke of – † Mary covered her mouth in shock. â€Å"No. It's not possible. I remember him. Mr. Cavendish. He was – † She waved her arms in the air as if trying to describe him with gestures. Finally, after several attempts at a more verbal explanation, she said, â€Å"He would not have kept such a thing from us.† â€Å"He was not the heir at the time,† Thomas told her, â€Å"and had no reason to believe he would become so.† â€Å"Oh, my heavens. But if Jack is the duke, then you – â€Å" â€Å"Are not,† he finished wryly. â€Å"I am sure you can imagine our eagerness to have this settled.† Mary stared at him in shock. And then at Jack. And then looked as if she very much wanted to sit down. â€Å"I am standing in the hall,† the dowager announced haughtily. â€Å"Don't be rude,† Thomas chided. â€Å"She should have seen to – â€Å" Thomas shifted his grip on her arm and yanked her forward, brushing right past Jack and his aunt. â€Å"Mrs. Audley,† he said, â€Å"we are most grateful for your hospitality. All of us.† Mary nodded gratefully and turned to the butler. â€Å"Wimpole, would you – â€Å" â€Å"Of course, ma'am,† he said, and Jack had to smile as he moved away. No doubt he was rousing the housekeeper to have her prepare the necessary bedrooms. Wimpole had always known what Aunt Mary needed before she'd had to utter the words. â€Å"We shall have rooms readied in no time,† Mary said, turning to Grace and Amelia, who were standing off to the side. â€Å"Would the two of you mind sharing? I don't have – â€Å" â€Å"It is no trouble at all,† Grace said warmly. â€Å"We enjoy each other's company.† â€Å"Oh, thank you,† Mary said, sounding relieved. â€Å"Jack, you shall have to take your old bed in the nursery, and – oh, this is silly, I should not be wasting your time here in the hall. Let us retire to the drawing room, where you may warm yourselves by the fire until your rooms are ready.† She ushered everyone in, but when Jack made to go, she placed her hand on his arm, gently holding him back. â€Å"We missed you,† she said. He swallowed, but the lump in his throat would not dislodge. â€Å"I missed you, too,† he said. He tried to smile. â€Å"Who is home? Edward must have – â€Å" â€Å"Married,† she finished for him. â€Å"Yes. As soon as we were out of mourning for Arthur. And Margaret soon after. They both live close by, Edward just down the lane, Margaret in Belturbet.† â€Å"And Uncle William?† Jack had last seen him at Arthur's funeral. He'd looked older. Older, and tired. And stiff with grief. â€Å"He is well?† Mary was silent, and then an unbearable sorrow filled her eyes. Her lips parted but she did not speak. She did not need to. Jack stared at her in shock. â€Å"No,† he whispered, because it could not be true. He was supposed to have had a chance to say he was sorry. He'd come all the way to Ireland. He wanted to say he was sorry. â€Å"He died, Jack.† Mary blinked several times, her eyes glistening. â€Å"It was two years ago. I didn't know how to find you. You never gave us an address.† Jack turned, taking a few steps toward the rear of the house. If he stayed where he was, someone could see him. Everyone was in the drawing room. If they looked through the doorway, they would see him, struck, ready to cry, maybe ready to scream. â€Å"Jack?† It was Mary, and he could hear her steps moving cautiously toward him. He looked up at the ceiling, taking a shaky, open-mouthed breath. It didn't help, but it was all he could manage. Mary laid her hand on his arm. â€Å"He told me to tell you he loved you.† â€Å"Don't say that.† It was the one thing he couldn't hear. Not just now. â€Å"He did. He told me he knew you would come home. And that he loved you, and you were his son. In his heart, you were his son.† He covered his face with his hands and found himself pressing tight, tighter, as if he could squeeze this all away. Why was he surprised? There was no reason he should be. William was not a young man; he'd been nearly forty when he married Mary. Did he think that life would have stood still in his absence? That no one would have changed, or grown†¦or died? â€Å"I should have come back,† he said. â€Å"I should have – Oh, God, I'm such an idiot.† Mary touched his hand, pulled it gently down and held it. And then she pulled him out of the hall, into the nearest room. His uncle's study. Jack walked over to the desk. It was a hulking, behemoth of a thing, the wood dark and scuffed and smelling like the paper and ink that always lain atop it. But it had never been imposing. Funny, he'd always liked coming in here. It seemed odd, really. He'd been an out of doors sort of boy, always running and racing, and covered in mud. Even now, he hated a room with fewer than two windows. But he had always liked it here. He turned to look at his aunt. She was standing in the middle of the room. She'd closed the door most of the way and set her candle down on a shelf. She turned and looked back at him and said, very softly, â€Å"He knew you loved him.† He shook his head. â€Å"I did not deserve him. Or you.† â€Å"Stop this talk. I won't hear it.† â€Å"Aunt Mary, you know†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He put his fisted hand to his mouth, biting down on his knuckle. The words were there, but they burned in his chest, and it was so damned hard to speak them. â€Å"You know that Arthur would not have gone to France if not for me.† She stared at him in bewilderment, then gasped and said, â€Å"Good heavens, Jack, you do not blame yourself for his death?† â€Å"Of course I do. He went for me. He would never have – â€Å" â€Å"He wanted to join the army. He knew it was that or the clergy, and heaven knows he did not want that. He'd always planned – â€Å" â€Å"No,† Jack cut in, with all the force and anger in his heart. â€Å"He hadn't. Maybe he told you he had, but – â€Å" â€Å"You cannot take responsibility for his death. I will not let you.† â€Å"Aunt Mary – â€Å" â€Å"Stop! Stop it!† The heels of her hands were pressed against her temples, her fingers wrapping up and over her skull. More than anything, she looked as if she were trying to shut him out, to put a stop to whatever it was he was trying to tell her. But it had to be said. It was the only way she would understand. And it would be the first time he'd uttered the words aloud. â€Å"I cannot read.† Three words. That's all it was. Three words. And a lifetime of secrets. Her brow wrinkled, and Jack could not tell – did she not believe him? Or was it simply that she thought she'd misheard? People saw what they expected to see. He'd acted like an educated man, and so that was how she'd seen him. â€Å"I can't read, Aunt Mary. I've never been able to. Arthur was the only one who ever realized.† She shook her head. â€Å"I don't understand. You were in school. You were graduated – â€Å" â€Å"By the skin of my teeth,† Jack cut in, â€Å"and only then, with Arthur's help. Why do you think I had to leave university?† â€Å"Jack†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She looked almost embarrassed. â€Å"We were told you misbehaved. You drank too much, and there was that woman, and – and – that awful prank with the pig, and – Why are you shaking your head?† â€Å"I didn't want to embarrass you.† â€Å"You think that wasn't embarrassing?† â€Å"I could not do the work without Arthur's help,† he explained. â€Å"And he was two years behind me.† â€Å"But we were told – â€Å" â€Å"I'd rather have been dismissed for bad behavior than stupidity,† he said softly. â€Å"You did it all on purpose?† He dipped his chin. â€Å"Oh, my God.† She sank into a chair. â€Å"Why didn't you say something? We could have hired a tutor.† â€Å"It wouldn't have helped.† And then, when she looked up at him in confusion he said, almost helplessly, â€Å"The letters dance. They flip about. I can never tell the difference between a d and a b, unless they are uppercase, and even then I – â€Å" â€Å"You're not stupid,† she cut in, and her voice was sharp. He stared at her. â€Å"You are not stupid. If there is a problem it is with your eyes, not your mind. I know you.† She stood, her movements shaky but determined, and then she touched his cheek with her hand. â€Å"I was there the moment you were born. I was the first to hold you. I have been with you for every scrape, every tumble. I have watched your eyes light, Jack. I have watched you think. â€Å"How clever you must have been,† she said softly, â€Å"to have fooled us all.† â€Å"Arthur helped me all through school,† he said as evenly as he was able. â€Å"I never asked him to. He said he liked – † He swallowed then, because the memory was rising in his throat like a cannonball. â€Å"He said he liked to read aloud.† â€Å"I think he did like that.† A tear began to roll down her cheek. â€Å"He idolized you, Jack.† Jack fought the sobs that were choking his throat. â€Å"I was supposed to protect him.† â€Å"Soldiers die, Jack. Arthur was not the only one. He was merely†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She closed her eyes and turned away, but not so fast that Jack didn't see the flash of pain on her face. â€Å"He was merely the only one who mattered to me,† she whispered. She looked up, straight into his eyes. â€Å"Please, Jack, I don't want to lose two sons.† She held out her arms, and before Jack knew it, he was there, in her embrace. Sobbing. He had not cried for Arthur. Not once. He'd been so full of anger – at the French, at himself – that he had not left room for grief. But now here it was, rushing in. All the sadness, all the times he'd witnessed something amusing and Arthur had not been there to share it with. All the milestones he had celebrated alone. All the milestones Arthur would never celebrate. He cried for all of that. And he cried for himself, for his lost years. He'd been running. Running from himself. And he was tired of it. He wanted to stop. To stay in one place. With Grace. He would not lose her. He did not care what he had to do to ensure their future, but ensure it he would. If Grace said that she could not marry the Duke of Wyndham, then he would not be the Duke of Wyndham. Surely there was some measure of his destiny that was still under his control. â€Å"I need to see to the guests,† Mary whispered, pulling gently away. Jack nodded, wiping the last of his tears from his eyes. â€Å"The dowager†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Good lord, what was there to say about the dowager, except: â€Å"I'm so sorry.† â€Å"She shall have my bedchamber,† Mary said. Normally Jack would have forbidden her to give up her room, but he was tired, and he suspected she was tired, and tonight seemed like the perfect time to put ease before pride. And so he nodded. â€Å"That is very kind of you.† â€Å"I suspect it's something closer to self-preservation.† He smiled at that. â€Å"Aunt Mary?† She'd reached the door, but she stopped with her hand on the knob, turning back around to face him. â€Å"Yes?† â€Å"Miss Eversleigh,† he said. Something lit in his aunt's eyes. Something romantic. â€Å"Yes?† â€Å"I love her.† Mary's entire being seemed to warm and glow. â€Å"I am so happy to hear it.† â€Å"She loves me, too.† â€Å"Even better.† â€Å"Yes,† he murmured, â€Å"it is.† She motioned toward the hall. â€Å"Will you return with me?† Jack knew he should, but the evening's revelations had left him exhausted. And he did not want anyone to see him thus, his eyes still red and raw. â€Å"Would you mind if I remained here?† he asked. â€Å"Of course not.† She smiled wistfully and left the room. Jack turned back toward his uncle's desk, running his fingers slowly along the smooth surface. It was peaceful here, and the Lord knew, he needed a spot of peace. It was going to be a long night. He would not sleep. There was no sense in trying. But he did not want to do anything. He did not want to go anywhere, and most of all, he did not want to think. For this moment†¦for this night†¦he just wanted to be. Grace liked the Audleys' drawing room, she decided. It was quite elegant, decorated in soft tones of burgundy and cream, with two seating areas, a writing desk, and several cozy reading chairs in the corners. Signs of family life were everywhere – from the stack of letters on the desk to the embroidery Mrs. Audley must have abandoned on the sofa when she'd heard Jack at the door. On the mantel sat six miniatures in a row. Grace walked over, pretending to warm her hands by the fire. It was their family, she instantly realized, probably painted fifteen years ago. The first was surely Jack's uncle, and the next Grace recognized as Mrs. Audley. After that was†¦Good heavens, was that Jack? It had to be. How could someone change so little? He looked younger, yes, but everything else was the same – the expression, the sly smile. It nearly took her breath away. The other three miniatures were the Audley children, or so Grace assumed. Two boys and one girl. She dipped her head and said a little prayer when she reached the younger of the boys. Arthur. Jack had loved him. Was that what he was talking about with his aunt? Grace had been the last to enter the drawing room; she'd seen Mrs. Audley pull him gently through another doorway. After a few minutes the butler arrived, announcing that their rooms had been prepared, but Grace loitered near the fireplace. She was not ready to leave this room. She was not sure why. â€Å"Miss Eversleigh.† She looked up. It was Jack's aunt. â€Å"You walk softly, Mrs. Audley,† she said. â€Å"I did not hear you approach.† â€Å"That one is Jack,† Mrs. Audley said, reaching out and removing his miniature from the mantel. â€Å"I recognized him,† Grace murmured. â€Å"Yes, he is much the same. This one is my son Edward. He lives just down the lane. And this is Margaret. She has two daughters of her own now.† Grace looked at Arthur. They both did. â€Å"I am sorry for your loss,† Grace finally said. Mrs. Audley swallowed, but she did not seem to be near tears. â€Å"Thank you.† She turned then, and took Grace's hand in hers. â€Å"Jack is in his uncle's study. At the far end of the hall, on the right. Go to him.† Grace's lips parted. â€Å"Go,† Mrs. Audley said, even more softly than before. Grace felt herself nod, and before she'd had time to consider her actions, she was already in the hall, hurrying down toward the end. To the door on the right. â€Å"Jack?† she said softly, pushing the door open a few inches. He was sitting in a chair, facing the window, but he turned quickly and stood at the sound of her voice. She let herself in and closed the door gently behind her. â€Å"Your aunt said – â€Å" He was right there. Right there in front of her. And then her back was against the door, and he was kissing her, hard, fast, and – dear God – thoroughly. And then he stepped away. She couldn't breathe, she could barely stand, and she knew she could not have put together a sentence if her life had depended on it. Never in her life had she wanted anything as much as she wanted this man. â€Å"Go to bed, Grace.† â€Å"What?† â€Å"I cannot resist you,† he said, his voice soft, haggard, and everything in between. She reached toward him. She could not help it. â€Å"Not in this house,† he whispered. But his eyes burned for her. â€Å"Go,† he said hoarsely. â€Å"Please.† She did. She ran up the stairs, found her room, and crawled between her sheets. But she shivered all night. She shivered and she burned.

Saturday, January 11, 2020

The advantages and disadvantages of a business plan

Entering the world of business is not that easy. When starting a new venture, one should never come unprepared. If you started a new venture without planning anything first, chances are, you will end up going wherever the wind takes you. That is why a business plan is a necessity for someone who is interested in starting a new venture. In the world of business, a business plan is treated like a bible for it lets investors and lenders know about the business you are trying to put up. It also serves as a manual for suppliers and other stakeholders of the business. A business plan may have its advantages but it also have its disadvantages. In this part of the paper, we shall look at the strong and weak points of developing a business plan for a new venture. However, a business plan is supposed to be an advantage to the business that is why the advantages, as expected, outnumber the disadvantages. Advantages One advantage of developing a business plan for a new venture is that it identifies what the consumer really wants. Of course, a business plan is all about making your target market patronize the product or service you are offering in your new business. Before you can make profits, you must first identify your target market and know what they really need or want. This is one important advantage of a business plan especially for those who are new in the business scenario. Once you identify what your target market really wants, you are most probably headed to indentifying the demand for the service or product you intend to offer. Identifying the demand for the product is also very important in launching a new venture because from this, you will know whether the service or product you are to offer is needed by the people. Of course, you cannot just think about your supplies and your suppliers. Those things will come after you determine the demand for your product. Aside from identifying the target market and the demand for the product or service, the advantages of a business plan also include assistance in designing your product that are appealing to the senses of the consumers. Since your purpose in developing a new venture is to make profit, the consumers’ senses are your main target. Designing your product is very important. It includes the packaging of the product and other advertising tools to make the people buy the product. This is also an important aspect of the business plan for it contributes a lot to the success of the business. Of course, if you are developing a â€Å"for-profit† business, making profit and paying debts will have to be included in your business plan. Aside from paying debts, your plan should also include measures on how to generate daily income. In this aspect, a business plan is very helpful because you already have your plans on how to manage the financial aspects of the business (which is one of the most important aspects). If you know exactly the financial path of what you are venturing, you are most likely to succeed in terms of profit. Another advantage of a business plan is that it makes the proprietor identify his competitors. When you have the knowledge about your competitors, you will be able to identify your competitive advantage over the competitor’s firm. Since you are developing a new business, it is important that you know exactly your edge in the business scenario over the others. If you have planned beforehand about your competitive advantage over the competitors, chances are, there will be product differentiation in the market. That is actually a good thing because it lessens competition within simi8lar firms. By analyzing your competitors, you will be able to create strategies that are effective even if there are many competitors in the market. A business plan is also advantageous because it enables us to indentify new product and service areas, and new or potential customers. In business, it is not only important to find the customers for some of them will not be loyal to your firm. It is hard to find new customers when you are just developing a new venture but it is much harder to retain them. The good thing about a business plan is that it helps the owner of the firm to identify potential customers. If it is hard for the owner to retain his customers, it would be very helpful to identify new or potential customers. In that way, at least, you will have your next resort. Lastly, an advantage of a business plan is that it allows the business owner to evaluate his business strategies and if his strategies are giving the desired results. What is good about a business plan is that it enables the owner to assess whether his strategies are effective or not. If he found out that his strategies are not effective enough to make the business succeed, he can immediately formulate new strategies to make the business succeed. As we all know, business strategies are very important, be it human resource, financial, etc. The business plan serves as a test for the formulated strategies and also serves as way to make room for improvement. If the owner finds out that there is something wrong with his first strategies, he will be able to change it right away and save his business from falling apart or incurring losses. Disadvantages Although we mentioned a lot of advantages in making business plans, it also has its drawbacks. If the owner is new in the world of business, he may not have all the business skills that a new venture requires. If he happens to be the one making his business plans, the business plan can be one way of identifying his weaknesses in dealing with business. If the owner is not used to making business plans, people who will look to it will find out the weaknesses of his business skills. Suppliers, investors, and lenders will most likely not to participate in the business when they find out that the person they are dealing with is not that skilled in business. Also, if the other stakeholders of the business find out that the person they are making arrangements with is not as skilled as they thought, they might not trust him with the success of the business. They might even plan to use his weaknesses or his business plan against him since they know that he is not a skillful businessman. Another disadvantage of a business plan is when it is not properly thought of. If the data in a business plan is not properly analyze, it may result to improper marketing decisions which will eventually have a bad effect on the business itself. Although a business plan helps a lot in making the business successful, it may also make the business fail if not done correctly. What makes it hard for a business to succeed is the impulsiveness of the business owners when it comes to decision making. Sometimes, the data in business plans are not analyzed properly that is why decisions are also made incorrectly. If the one who made the business plan is not a professional business consultant or is not really familiar with making a business plan, information can be interpreted incorrectly. The faulty interpretation of information can result to unrealistic financial projections. In a business, financial matters are very important that is why if financial statements are understated or overstated, it could greatly affect the business. If the information in the business plan is interpreted incorrectly, wrong decisions can be made. The owner can also make unrealistic projections about the financial aspects of the business which can cause further problems. This would greatly affect the future of the business. Since the business plan somewhat includes the mission and vision of the business, it would be a great problem if the business plan fails to make correct projections for the firm. If the business owner is not familiar with making business plans, he may opt to hire a business plan consultant. It is very advantageous actually since they offer quality service and they have been making business plans for many successful businesses. The disadvantage is that the service of these consultants is very expensive. Although they offer good service, it would cost you a lot. The money that can be added to your investment in the business will just go to the payment for the business consultant. If the business owner happens to be saving up for his new venture, he can resort to hiring an inexpensive business consultant which is not always good for the business. Sometimes, inexpensive consultants are not as good as the expensive ones. There are also some which uses software that makes business plans. They will just ask the owner of the business certain questions and then enter the information in the software they use. This will eventually lead to improper analysis of data and information in the business plan which will not do the business any good. Assessment of the Biz Air Plan Just by taking a look at the business plan’s executive summary, we can already have an idea that the financial projections are overstated. With only 6 aircrafts, their projected revenues were  £17.4 million. What I am trying to point out here is that what they are trying to build is an airline company and not just a convenient store or a clothing company. There were statements in the executive summary that seem to understate the losses in the first year. They even projected that there would be a 12% improvement in profits in the company’s second year and a long term 16% of sales in the third, fourth, and fifth year. Aside from wrong financial projections, I find the business plan full of assumptions.   For example, in the part where in they conducted customer analysis, they chose to conduct the study during lunchtime and interviewed people who dress like a business person. In other words, they just assumed that if a person is in corporate attire, he or she could be a potential customer since they assumed that he or she is a businessperson. There is also a part in the paper in which it is stated that â€Å"as long as the flights are not delayed, the post experience evaluation should be favourable.† I find this very assuming because it is not only the delay of the flight that affects on whether the customer will or will not like the new airline company. The satisfaction of the customer does not rest solely on the factor that their flight is on time. Factors such as cleanliness, safety, or the friendliness of the staff also affect the satisfaction of the customer. It is also mentioned in the business plan that through satisfying customers (that is in terms of not delaying their flights), they will serve as salesmen for the airline company who will try to suggest the company’s service to other people. I find this a little idealistic for business does not just go that way. Business does not only succeed through word of mouth. When they said that the customers will serve as the salesmen for the airline company, it gave me the impression that they were already assuming that the delay of the flight solely determines customer satisfaction which would later on result to advertising the company. It is very idealistic since they were sort of assuming that all the satisfied customers will endorse their company. Another thing that I found very disturbing about the paper is its being overconfident about the services it offers. Of course it is very important that you have confidence in the business that you are putting up but not to the point that you will sound boasting about your business that has not even tried by the people. You can see this in the part where in they discuss the advertising of the service. They mentioned that they are just going to advertise through newspapers and billboards near airports. I have nothing against that idea, actually. But you don’t have to say that you do not have to advertise in televisions because you are sure that once the news broke, there would be much television publicity that will come out. I think it will seem very unprofessional for those who will take a look at the business plan. Potential investors will have the impression that they are dealing with unprofessional people. Lastly, there are several faulty analysis and incorrect financial projections which can be the main cause of the failure of the business. Reference: 2004. Creating Your Business Plan. [Online]. Available: http://www.nvbdi.org/howto/biz_plan.php.   [29 July 2007] BELLIS, M. 2007. Creating A Marketing Plan for the Independent Inventor. [Online]. Available: http://inventors.about.com/od/licensingmarketing/a/tutor_marketing.htm. [29 July 2007] 2001. Approaches to Writing A Business Plan. [Online]. Available: http://www.caycon.com/plan_options.php. [28

Thursday, January 2, 2020

Business Event Management Assignment - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 11 Words: 3239 Downloads: 6 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Management Essay Type Analytical essay Did you like this example? Business Event Management 1.1 Carry out an identified event and provide the time scale of the completion of all the factors needed for the event. First a preplanned meeting should take place amongst the people in which the agenda should be discussed. How they are going to organize the event. It should be flexible, not rigid . Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Business Event Management Assignment" essay for you Create order Then only the employees will be motivated in completing their task efficiently and effectively. -Acontingency planis a plan devised for an outcome other than in the usual. It is often used forrisk management, when there is an expected risk to occur , ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s always better to keep an alternative available in order to avoid catastrophic consequences. -Everyone should be assigned of their duties and responsibilities. Under which department they have to perform the particular task. An estimation should be made to see when this task is likely to culminate; A deadline should be given so that they try to finish it on time. Everything should be monitored regularly to see whether ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s moving in accordance to the actual plan. If any deviations are there, then corrective action should be taken so that the goal will be achieved efficiently and effectively. Also the environment is so dynamic , changes are taking place at a faster pace , so it will keep us updated and we could meet the changes without any hassle. 1.2 Write appropriate documentation needed for the event. Letters would be needed for this event, probably a formal one, to invite the manager and the boss to grace his presence on the day of the occasion and also to invite the families as well. Memoscould be of great help , they are short for memorandum, a document or other communication. Only the important message which is needed to be communicated to the co workers. Notes also could be of great help. E-mails also is of a very great help of communicating with the people , though some people prefer to use Social networking sites like Facebook. Advertisement is required in order to promote this event, though a lot of cost is involved in it. Agenda is very useful , which outlines the list of the of what is going to take place in the event. Reports are documents which are made only after the event is over, it shows the feedback or the reviews of the people. Feedback should be giving by people so that it could help them to organize an event better next time if there were any limitations in the current plan. Working notes is done as a rough. TheData Protection Act 1998(DPA) is aUnited KingdomAct of Parliamentwhich defines UK law on the processing of data on identifiable living people. It is the main piece of legislation that governs theprotection of personal datain the UK. Although the Act itself does not mentionprivacy, 1.3 Organize the resources to carry out the event. All the types of resources are required for the event. Financial resources like Money, the cash funds, which is obviously to carry out the plan. Encouraging members to look at the various types of costs like the refreshment costs, costs associated with the event, announcement costs, and follow-up activity costs. Three budgetary areas that would include specific lists would be venue costs, projected refreshments costs, and program costs. Human re sources are the greatest assets for any organization. This category focuses on recruitment of members for the event , the member who is providing follow-up should possess certain communication skills, both written and verbal, that may complement the audience. Physical resources like refreshments, the snacks which is needed to be served to the guests. Travel systems, if any guest is travelling from another country to just to make his/her presence on the day of the occasion then a driver should be hired by the people to receive the guest from the airport, then the accommodation, a guest house should ready in order to accommodate the people who are going to stay over for another day or two. 1.4 Perform regular review and evaluations including the methods and resources. Regular reviews are necessary to ensure that everything is being performed smoothly. Everything should be evaluated to meet changes in the dynamic environment.. Monitoring can enhance your high availability envi ronment by warning you about a single point of failure before it can make an application unavailable. Six ways which I followed in Monitoring the Project Outcomes To seek most from monitoring and to avoid a last-minute rush gathering evidences and preparing a report, ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s important to start thinking about monitoring from its start, during the project planning stages. Clear identification of the indicators of the outcome youà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢re going to measure is very essential. As long as Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢m monitoring the right things, and have taken the time to think about the best way to measure them, I donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t need to gather huge quantities of information, or use lots of different methods I made sure that all the tools are ready for collecting information. The task of Monitoring can be forgotten, or can fall between job responsibilities. Thatà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s why ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s very important to know who will be in charge of monitoring. As obvious as it sounds, the person whose collects data should know in which format they should report their findings to. Task 4 4.1Create clear records of communication both internal and external and team meetings. I would invite my guests using the following ways of communication Letters Business letters are used as a source of communication with individuals outside of the office. Recipients consists of the customers, colleagues in other businesses, service providers, professionals who advise the business, government officials and job applicants. Memos Memos are still used in situations where a message is meant to accompany a specific file and in cases where privacy is to be maintained. Both a memo and an email identify the sender and recipient and contain a subject line. The text is formatted in one or more paragraphs. Reports Business reports convey information professionally and usually longer than a letter. Reports cover a variety of topics, such as safety compliance, sales figures, financial data, feasibility studies and marketing plans. They may consist of statistics, charts, graphs, images, case studies and survey results. Agendas Agendas are the documents that give those attending meetings prior notice of what is being discussed. Agendas also give all the relevant details of when and where the meetings take place and who will be attending etc. Normally they have reports attached. Minutes Minutes are the formal record of what was decided at the meeting. They also tell you who all attended. 4.2 Demonstrate good use of information technology where applicable. Internet The Internet is a global of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite (TCP/IP) to serve the users internationally. It is a network of networks that consists of millions of private, public, academic, business, and government networks, of local to global scope, that are linked by a broad array of electronic, wireless, and optical networking technologies. E-Mail Electronic mail, most commonly referred to as email or e-mail is a method of exchanging digital messages from an author to one or more recipients. Modern email operates across the Internet or other computer networks. Some early email systems required that the author and the recipient both be online at the same time, in common with instant messaging. Mobile Phones A mobile phone (also known as a cellular phone, cell phone, and a hand phone) is a phone that can make and receive telephone calls over a radio link while moving around a wide geographic area. It does so by connecting to a cellular network provided by a mobile phone operator, allowing access to the public telephone network. By contrast, a cordless telephone is used only within the short range of a single, private base station. Video Links TV link up of sound pictures for meetings without travel. Application Software Event management software is the generic term for a wide range of software products that are used in the management of professional and academic conferences, trade exhibitions and smaller events such as Continuing Professional Development (CPD) meetings. 4.3 Produce information regularly and on time. The Method of Producing Information Information Management includes acquiring information from various sources and then organizing, retrieving and maintaining that information. For small size events, you can do information management all by yourself. However for big and very big events you will require an information manager. This information manager may have several assistants depending upon the size of the event. 1.Relevant :The information obtained and used should be needed for decision-making. Businesses are often criticized for producing too much information simply because their information systems can do it. 2:Up-to-date: Information needs to be timely if it is to be taken into action. For example, the manager of a large retail business needs daily information on how stores are performing, which products are selling well (or not) so that immediate action can be taken. 3:Accurate: As far as possible, information should be error free (e.g. the figures add up; data is allocated to the correct categories). The users should be informed whenever assumptions or estimates have been used. Accurate information is usually a function of accurate data collection. 4:Meet the needs of the User Users of information have different needs: The managing director doesnt have time to trawl through thick printouts of each weeks production or sales listings he or she wants a summary of the key facts. 5:Easy to use and understand : Information should be clear and specific(e.g. use summaries, charts) .An appropriate medium is required for its communication (e.g. email, printed report, presentation. 6:Worth the cost Often forgotten: Information costs money. Data is costly to collect, analyze and report. Information takes time to read and assimilate. All users should raise a question on the information , whether its worthwhile. 7:Reliable Information should come from authoritative sources: It is good practice to quote the source used whether it be internal or external sources. If estimates or assumptions have been applied, these should be clearly stated and explained. Task 3 3.1 Choose the appropriately sized team who has the knowledge and abilities to fulfill the requirement of the event. There is no I in T-E-A-M. Teams are made up of people with complementary skills, committed to a common purpose and performance goals, and an approach for which they hold themse lves mutually accountable. The team size that is optimum for team performance is a topic much researched and debated. There was a purpose for forming the team, I have a lot of expectations from the team and its members, The roles have been defined clearly that the team members need to play, The amount of cohesiveness and interconnectivity necessary for optimal team performance, and The function, activities, and goals of the team. So, optimum team size is not an easy answer. From experience and research, the optimum team size is 5-7 members. The team size that continues to function effectively is 4-9 members is what I have chosen a maximum of 9 members. 3.2 Demonstrate team-building skills and how to diffuse anger in case that characteristic arises among the members of team. The following are the ways of maintaining TEAM building skills. Establish clear, achievable goals. A team works best if the goals are clearly established. Set a clear plan. Having formed a team for a specific purpose and made that purpose clear, the next step in the process is to ensure that the team is not left to muddle through. Help the team determine what advice, training, assistance, materials, and other resources it may need. Define roles clearly. In the team context, good discussions depend on how well information is shared by its members. Insist that members communicate clearly, listen actively, explore opportunities rather than debate them, and share all information. Encourage team behaviors T-E-A-M means Together Everyone Achieves More, so make sure the climate of your workplace encourages all members to use their skills to ma ke work an even better place to be. Behaviors will include initiating, seeking information, suggesting procedures, clarifying, elaborating, summarizing, compromising, and recognizing the contributions of others. Agree on decision-making procedures. Ultimately, the team has to take decisions, and the way it goes about that will be an indicator of its effectiveness. (Group decision-making considerations are outlined in the e-Book, Problem Solving and Decision-Making.) There should be also be Group Cohesion A bond between the members of the group. United we stand, divided we fall should be their principle in life. Cohesion to work as TEAMWORK is very important because Everyone should be willing to work together towards achieving the same goal. A sense of personal responsibility should arise to the group effort. A feeling of letting the group down when failure occurs. It will lead to satisfaction amongst the members, the group performance will be high and be maintained, and there would be some dynamic changes as well. The following are the ways in how to diffuse anger amongst the members of the team. Fist you need to Calm Down by being quiet and cooling down your anger which may take an hour. Then you need to listen to the problem stated by your member not necessary you need to agree on it. Confirm your understanding by summarizing it and check whether its accurate. Ask your member to listen to your problem and confirm that you have been understood. Identify the points where you already agree , most arguments get dissolved there ony. If you disagree at some point, state it. Consider the alternatives for example by dividing the jobs between them. Make a plan on how to resolve the disagreement. Finally, Celebrate by handshaking for it was just a silly misunderstanding. Criticism can have a negative aspect as well as a positive aspect, we should know how to deal with and that could be by defending ourselves or worse yet to lash back. How to Respond to Criticism? Firstly ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s a form of communication, ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s a way of giving feedback to people on how they feel on what you are doing for them, ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s a good way of learning from your mistakes if commented by them. Secondly it makes your product strong though u might not feel comfortable to listening to the criticism but as result it could gain popularity. Thirdly, It forces your mind to work faster by being objective. Constructive criticism can guide you away from bad practices and towards good ones. Fourthly, you can attain an advantage by the right kind of criticism if you gets customers asking you to provide them the perfect product, you alone are at an advantage in the entire sector and in future your work will get done faster. Fifthly, you should always use positive language though the criticism may blow your mind off. Ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s vitally important on how you respond to the criticism and the language used so ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s better to avoid any type of argument and elicit solutions on how to resolve it by getting in to a discussion. Finally, donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t take the criticism personally, even if you feel that your being unfairly criticized. Donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t react negatively else you will lose all your respect with the client your working with and in the organization as well. Turn the negative into Positive always. 3.3 Show the importance of effective co-ordination and clear communication when liaising with the team. The significance of effective co-ordination and clear communication when liaising with the team. Communication Verbal and Nonverbal, oral and written Communication Verbal communication is the most certain form of communication. Ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s a face to face communication. Nonverbal cues include facial expressions, use of hand motions, body posture and eye movements. Leaders should always strive to match their nonverbal cues to their words; then they would be proved trustworthy. Leader must have proper oral as well as written form communication . Adapting Styles A good leader adapts his style of communication depending on his audience. When speaking to employees, he may need to have a much more directive style than when he is delivering a presentation to the community or speaking to customers. Listening An important aspect of communication is the abi lity to listen. The members should have a good hear and should pay attention to what the speaker is trying to deliver in his speech. Active listening involves focusing only on the speaker and ignoring outside interruptions. Setting an Example Leaders and business managers should realize employees will look to them as a role model of how they should follow a behavioral pattern. Employees tend to imitate the communication style of the leaders. If employees see a leader using an active listening style and empathetic tone with customers, they would exactly do the very same thing. Considerations Effective communication skills do not come naturally for most people. Many people need to practice repeatedly in order to see perfection in their skills. In addition to that, leaders should consider training sessions that will improve their communication skills. With the tool known as 360-degree evaluation, every person in the organization is evaluated by one or more superiors, collea gues and employees. Coordination One of the most exciting tasks for a leader is to achieve a successful coordination within her or his team. Everyone likes to be friendly with each other. Integration and coordination are significant in an organization because they demonstrate the ability of decision makers to direct the employees in the correct path. When managers are not on the same page with one another and fail to implement the strategy, employees lose faith and hope in the managerial abilities of their superiors. For example, if employees raise questions regarding their role toward achieving a company directive and the managers cannot reply to their questions spontaneously because of issues relating to coordination, which creates misunderstanding between managers and employees and the employees rely on their own approaches. 3.4 Plan the actions and resources needed to achieve the success of the event. Task 2 2.1 The main duty is to carry out the event in the best way possible. The target audience has to be identified. Planning and coordination of all aspects before any can be executed is necessary. He or she has to execute the event and ensure that it complies with the local and national safety regulations. Budgets need to be drawn up for the all that is needed and negotiate for low price. Hiring staff and equipment Coordination is required for any event. It binds all the activities in the organization such as production, trade etc. It brings harmony between the management and employees. Several months are needed for planning and coordination and it consists of extensive detail. The choice of entertainment and invitations are dictated. Coordinating a successful event consists of booking location and entertainment months in advance. Addition of the details in the months and weeks leading up to the event. Negotiation Arriving at deals satisfying both the parties. Contract negotiations are based on meeting representing to the venue or any provider of the total business value.The greater the perceived potential revenue, the more leverage you will have to receive better rates and concession. Communication Communicating with the employees regularly about the expectations for their conduct and performance is necessary. Variety of verbal and written communications, includ ing, performance reviews, policies and day-to-day discussions. Documentation as an evidence of what communication has taken in the event can be kept.