Acquisition Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Acquisition Analysis - Essay Example Such factors as internal and external market environment as well as Adobe priorities were examined, and it was found that acquisition is profitable for both companies. The three templates were designed to analyze broad, specific and other issues necessary to evaluate the risk and profitability of the project. It was supposed that the company IAP will invest about $ 1000000 from internal cash funds. Financial analysis proves that fact that the rate of return will be high if IAP invests $ 1,000000. Such calculations as WACC, risk assessment, CAPM, foreign currency translation effect, cash flow analysis have been madeThe initial assessment of markets conditions involves screening foreign markets to discover the potential of different countries. This process includes consideration of rates of growth of economies, new developments such as opening up of markets in developing and emergent economies, technical changes that are creating new opportunities to sell and identification of long-ter m economic and demographic factors that are altering demand patterns.With the globalization of the world economy, companies like IAP Company Limited are growing by merger and acquisition in a bid to expand operations and remain competitive. The complexity of such transactions often makes it difficult to assess all risk exposures and liabilities, and requires the skills of a specialist advisor. Four main types of assessment for companies considering acquisition beyond their national borders should be undertaken: political and legal conditions, economic conditions, cultural conditions, competitive conditions. USA-based company Adobe operates in the stable political situation, which has high rates of economic growth. Acquisition policy is undoubtedly the most radical growth strategy open to management in that it represents a deliberate attempt to change the nature of the business. Acquisition policy can be classified into backward, forward and horizontal integration. Acquisition policy occurs when the new business is related in some way to the old one. (Zolkiewski, 1994). Template 1: IAP Company Limited will be reluctant to enter countries that have high political risks unless the potential returns are high or when countries with high political risk are providers of raw material that are in short supply. When the overall market is growing or can be induced to grow, it may be relatively easy for companies with a small market share, or even new entrants, to gain share. This is because the absolute level of sales of the established companies may still be growing; and indeed, in some instances, those companies may be unable or unwilling to meet the new demand. Import penetration into some industries can be traced back to the early 1990s, when companies were unable to supply the peak demand occurring during booms and their customers had to seek alternative sources overseas (Benito, Gripsrund, 1992). Once established with overseas suppliers, many UK users were reluctant to revert to UK sourcing. When the boom was over, the importers held on to their market share. The size of the investment required by a business wishing to enter industry will be an important determinant of the extent new entrants. Acquisition with Adobe allows IAP Company Limited to subject to a complex regulate framework whereas others are less so. Still, even if it is possible to predict the needs of customer there are some threats and new opportunities, which should be taken into consideration. American administrative and legal environment is very favourable for acquisition with Adobe. There are no specific regulations governing the goals and structures of the industry, there is

Examining The Application Package Of Accounting Software Information Technology Essay

Examining The Application Package Of Accounting Software Information Technology Essay It is a widely researched topic to motivate small businesses to adopt IT. There is little research focused specially on the motivating factors for adopting computerized accounting systems (CAS) in small organization, though there is much study on the overall adoption of IT. However, small business accounting software is an essential sub-set of overall small business IT research. Accounting software was the biggest application package used and the powerful factor behind the IT hardware acquisition decision. To look into the motivating factors for adopting accounting software, it would be practical to first review the more comprehensive literature on overall IT adoption. Hence, this literature review begins with a discussion of the studies of general IT adoption and then reviews studies particularly focused on accounting software adoption. 2.1 FACTORS FOR ADOPTION OF IT Thong (1999), Harrison, Mykytyn and Riemenschneider (1997), Cragg and King (1993), Moore and Benbasat (1991) and Treadgold (1990), who have made research about small business IT adoption, have now identified a variety of motivating factors. Thong (1999) attempted to strengthen the myriad of IT adoption research by developing an integrated model of information systems adoption. This model is a useful framework in reviewing the variables that impact on a small business owners decision to adopt IT. Thong classified the factors into four elements: Characteristics of the organization; Characteristics of the management; Characteristics of the technological innovation; and 4. Characteristics of the business environment. 2.2 Characteristics of the Organization The characteristics of the organization are variables that manipulate the decision whether to adopt IT or not. Organizational characteristics for instance: employees level of IT knowledge, business location, information-intensity, business size and industry sector has been evaluated in preceding research studies of Fink (1999); Burgess (1998); Wenzler (1996); Attewell (1992); Yap (1990); and Delone (1988). In general, the greater the sales turnover are determined by the larger the number of employees and the more information-intensive the industry, thus the more likely a small business will adopt IT innovation .In addition, Thong (1999) states that small businesses tend to suffer resource poverty in terms of financial competence, offered time and IT skilled staff to facilitate innovation adoption. As a result, Attewell (1992) adds that resource poverty raises the obstacle to innovation adoption in small business. 2.2.1 Information Intensity Yap (1990) quoted in Thong (1999), that businesses have different information-processing needs in different sectors. Those in more information-intensive sectors are more likely to adopt IT than those in less information-intensive sectors. Further, (Porter and Millar, 1985) have reported that greater uses of IT in businesses are due to greater information intensity. Therefore, greater information intensity will lead the holder or supervisor of small business to perceive IT as a most important competitive device and as a result increase the probability and complexity of applying computer software. 2.2.2 Business Size Dewar and Dutton (1983) and Moch and Morse (1977) quoted in Thong (1999), point out that the technological innovation literature has found that larger businesses have more capital and infrastructure to facilitate to adopt computerized accounting system. However, Ein-Dor and Segev (1978), specify that small and medium businesses face considerably more barriers, among others, a lack of internal information system expertise, restricted monetary resources and as such are less likely to adopt information systems than large businesses. Supplementary literature Alpar and Reeves (1990) quoted in Thong (1999) disagree that, even among small businesses, the larger the business, the more able it is able to employ people with specialized skills, for example, knowledge of information systems. Hence, there is a greater opportunity to move from manual system and adopt the computerized one. 2.2.3 Industry SEcTOR Some particular industries are more suited to computerized record keeping than others are discussed by some researchers. These findings are partly supported by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) 1999-2000 report, Business Use of Information Technology. The maximum use of computers was in businesses in the material goods, business services, electricity, gas and water supply industries. At the same time, the minimum computer use was in the private and other services like housing, cafes, restaurants, transport, storage, retail trade and construction. Therefore, it is more suitable to implement a CAS in industries in which there are more trading dealings and transaction processing so that to facilitate day-to-day running of the business. 2.3 Characteristics of Management Thong (1999) points out that in large businesses, group teams are usually involved in the IT decision-making process. However, this is in distinction to small businesses where the owner-manager is generally the IT decision maker. Therefore, Rizzoni (1991) indicates that in small businesses, the characteristics of the owner-manager are vital in determining the businesss approach to IT. Thong (1999) emphasized that the three major characteristics of owner- manager which are important to IT adoption are: Level of IT education and accounting knowledge. Computer self-efficacy, and Innovativeness. 2.3.1 Level of IT Education and Accounting KNOWLEDGE In view of the fact that managers have miniature knowledge about accounting or seeing as they do not know how to prepare accounts and financial statements, they generally prefer to contract out their accounting work to public accounting firms. In addition, in several countries and in several businesses, managers neither considered the accounting subject by any means nor the accounting subject in the secondary level or tertiary level. Accordingly, Lees (1987), DeLone (1988) and Neidleman (1979) quoted in Thong (1999), specify that the possessors are not alert of the significance and the usefulness of accounting information over and above the advantages of using computers to make effortless accounting works. Thus, it still exists an unwillingness to apply computer software for the reason that business process outsourcing decreases the lack of accounting perceptive of owners. Consequently, there would be a larger possibility to implement a CAS, if managers have been educated about the a ccounting knowledge or if they could be learned about the advantages of computer know-how to produce rapid and precise accounting information. 2.3.2 Computer self-efficacy Self-efficacy is the belief that one has the capability to perform a particular behavior that is extending the social cognitive theory. Compeau and Higgins (1995) described computer self-efficacy as a judgement of ones capability to use a computer. Delone (1988) and Raymond (1988) state that small businesses owners or managers who have commenced computer training and possess computer self-efficacy are more liable to implement IT. The key leader for innovation is the owner-manager and small businesses often cannot afford the luxury of experts to guide them towards the innovation adoption and diffusion process. Thus, it is important for the owner-manager to have computer self-efficacy. It is posited here that, to the degree that the owner-manager feels comfortable and confident with the information technology, here construed as the owner-managers computer self-efficacy, innovative information technology will be adopted. On the other hand, Gableand Raman (1992) discovered that managers in quite a lot of firms are less alarmed or have no idea of the probable remuneration resulting from the use of computers in accounting as they do not possess computer knowledge. Hence, managers would be willing to adopt such computer technology to process accounting data and produce appropriate and consistent financial reports on time, if they could be learnt about the favourable effects resulting by adopting accounting software package. 2.3.3 INNOVATIVENESS Innovation is defined as a change made in the traditional way of doing things. In this framework, innovation means the development of altering the way of preparing financial reports from manual system to accept accounting software package as a device for recording and processing accounting transactions and financial reports. Thong (1999) states that the owner-manager is the one who is in charge for the running of the company in small and medium businesses. As a result, the characteristics of owner-manager are essential in determining the innovation attitude given that they are the main decision maker. Kirton (1976) quoted in Thong (1999), contends that everyone is located on a continuum ranging from an ability to do things better to an ability to do things differently. The owner-manager will seek solutions that have already been tried and understood, if the latter is not a modernizer. In contrast, Kirton, (1984) indicates that the owner or manager who wants to innovate will favour so lutions that have not been attempted and are thus hazardous. However, Thong (1999) suggests that there is not anything that other associates of the business can do to use computers for accounting works if the owner-manager has not the willpower to innovate. 2.4 Characteristics of the Technological Innovation The decision to implement Information Technology is dependent on the characteristics of the technological innovation itself as they are also a vital determinant. Rogers (1983) defined diffusion as the process by which an innovation is communicated through certain channels overtime among the members of a social systems. Rogers uses the terms technology and innovation synonymously, but explains that technology is a design for instrumental action that reduces the uncertainty in the cause-effect relationships involved in a desired outcome. There are five, potentially relevant, characteristics of innovation noted by Rogers (1983) which are potentially valuable in explaining the results of our research. Complexity: how difficult technological innovation is perceived as easy or difficult to understand and use; Compatibility: how technological innovation must be consistent with the existing values, past experiences and needs of potential adopters, for instance producing quick reports as efficiently and effectively; Relative advantage: how much technological innovation must be perceived as better or worse to be compared to its predecessor system; Trialability: is the degree to which an innovation may be experimented with by potential users on a limited basis; Observability: how much time it takes for the results of technological innovation to become visible and maximize profit. It has been noticed, over the past decade that the initiation of powerful, economical microcomputers jointly with available accounting software, have enhanced and raised the barriers to IT modernization. Thong (1999) confirms that, this has shown the way to a boost in the adoption of IT in the accounting field of small businesses. 2.5 Characteristics of the Business Environment Business environment encompasses all those factors that affect a companys operations, and includes customers, competitors, stakeholders, suppliers, industry trends (accounting firm and accountants), regulations, other government activities, social and economic factors and technological development. 2.5.1 ACCOUNTING firm Oran (1988) and Shannon (1986) indicate that many small business owner-managers are not alert of the extra services supplied by accountants. Additionally, until a problem does not arise, owner-manager will not discuss with accountants (Holmes 1987). Moreover, ASCPA (1992) and Breen et al. (1994) maintained in their research that an external accountant used up much of his time on an act in accordance with accounting practice and accounting standards, thus he can help a business to acquire and put into practice the accounting software in the business accounting cycle. Gorton (1999) found that businesses that were recently start-up were more liable to move toward an external accountant for suggestion than more grown-up organizations. Also, Wenzler (1996) states that accountants are exceptionally placed to provide accounting software advice and support to their clients. Such proposal shows to be efficient and effective for businesses to opt for accounting software. There are close relationships between small and medium business owners and accountant, seeing as quite a few small and medium businesses contract out their operation transaction recording and reporting to external accounting firms. In addition, Davis (1997) noted that small and medium businesses depend a lot on accounting firms as their most faithful business advisors. Accounting firms have more acquaintance about their clients and their clients business. They know what their objectives are, and can put forward approaches to help in attaining those objectives. For this reason, as recommended by Yap et al. (1992), accounting firms can considerably influence CAS adoption among small and medium businesses and besides their participation may also contribute to the achievement of computerized accounting implementation. Nevertheless, to reduce errors and put a stop to fraud, it is essential for accountants to be aware of the impact of making use of of computers on the accounting procedures and controls that are premeditated. Moreover, computers cannot replace the opinion and insight of educated accountants but the computerized accounting software can facilitate the tasks by automating much of the everyday bookkeeping processes in the manual accounting systems (e.g. posting, trial balance preparation). Furthermore, computer software allows the accountant to spotlight more on how to proceed with the accounting entries and techniques on financial reports. Last but not least, more of the accountants hard work can be paying attention on supporting management in considering the impact of financing, investing and operating decisions on financial statements and other measures of performance by utilizing accounting software. 2.5.2 Competition Ives Learmonth (1984) and Link Bozeman (1991) quoted in Thong (1999) confirmed that it is usually assumed that competition will enhance the possibility of innovation adoption. Ettlie (1983) and Ettlie Bridges (1982) quoted in Thong (1999) also point that competition leads to environmental insecurity and increases both the need for and the rate of innovation adoption. Porter and Millar (1985) advise that, businesses will be able to compete in three ways by adopting IT: IT can create competitive advantage by reducing costs or increasing differentiation. IT can change the industry structure and, in doing so, change the rules of competition. IT generates new businesses by creating derived demands from new products, often within existing operations of the business. 2.5.3 External Agents Small businesss customers were a considerable reason for implementing IT, more than the pressure of competitors suggested by Wenzler (1996). Luckily, Public Practice Accountants are in a superior position to provide systems analysis, design, implementation, and support advice to their clients as many small businesses are in lack of resources to adopt CAS. Furthermore, the introduction of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) was an external influence on small business owner-managers decisions to adopt a CAS. Many small businesses would have taken advantage of Government incentives to help with the transition costs of the GST. Many small businesses computerized their accounting systems following the introduction of the GST because accounting for the GST using manual records proved to be too complicated (Lief 2000). Since the introduction of the GST, it has been shown that many small businesses agree that the costs involved were usually: offset by better record-keeping and resultant better business management. The general consensus was that the move to computerized records was very positive for the small business sector overall. 2.6 BARRIERS FOR ADOPTION OF IT Computerized accounting implies that the only thing that employees do is inputting and recording transactions into the computer, which then processes the other steps of the accounting cycle automatically or by a request. Davis and Olson (1985) defined Information System adoption as using computer hardware and software applications to support operations, management, and decision making in the business. In this study, computerized accounting is defined as using computer software applications to support accounting operations. However, many small businesses are cautious about the effect computer may have in their firm. When a CAS is installed, if there is a bad option of hardware or software, or insufficient planning, this may lead to obscurity and may have severe long-term consequences. Some reasons constantly mentioned in literature to explain why small firms that had not yet adopted IT, identified the three main barriers to IT acquisition. 2.6.1 Lack of computer skills and knowledge Stanworth and Gray (1992) and Marlow (1998) reported that drains on time and money characterize important limitations. Computer technology infuses businesses both large and small; the need for employees with adequate IT knowledge is serious. There are two achievable solutions to this dilemma. Firstly, it is the employment of devoted IT staff. However, this is can be outer the budget of the small association and is expensive. Secondly, IT training is another choice. Conversely, this also appears to be costly. The courses for small firms, professional practices where clients are to be paid on a time basis, time used up when undertaking training is considered by many owner-managers to be a loss of income as all these have proved to be expensive. Accordingly, many small and medium enterprises struggle forward with what knowledge exists inside the organization. The small body of study emphasizing upon the outcome of training in small firms is contradictory. Delone (1988), investigation of vital process factors, stated that the level of computer training was not connected with IT success (measured as the impact of IT on the organization and computer use). On the other hand, Montazemi (1988) stated that there is a favourable relationship between levels of training and measures of the impact of IT. Where workers were disappointed with the levels of training available, he noticed their computer literacy, end-user fulfillment and approval of IT was poorer than their better-trained counterparts. In addition, Igbaria et al. (1997) accounted that training also is useful for small organizations. Their research demonstrates training to be definitely related with the apparent effectiveness of IT and to use it without difficulty. On the basis of their conclusions, Igbaria et al. declare that individuals with no sufficient training are liable to face troubles while using the system. Since they are struggling, they may in fact consider that the system is too rigid to utilize and that the performance remunerations of practice are offset by the hard work of employing it and finally become hesitant to adopt the technology, thus defeating the purpose of establishing the new technology. 2.6.2 Lack of Time Niederman et al.(1991) and Galliers et al.(1994) state that analysis carry out in large businesses have constantly revealed information systems (IS) planning to be one of the top priorities of information systems and business managers for time management. However, Fidler et al.(1993) and Dou- kidis et al, (1994) report that existing study puts forward that small organizations are fading to pursue the model set by their larger counterparts and remain, in terms of modern management practice, in the dark ages. Whilst it is recognized by Malone (1985) and Cragg (1990) that the official planning techniques of large businesses are not essentially suitable for small businesses as investigation recommends that small firms that have adopted more formal planning systems come across lesser IS problems. Regardless of such results, Cragg and King (1993) report finding `few formal planning and control activities associated with the computer, or for that matter, with the business as a whole. Where planning does take place it has a tendency to be assumed on an unexpected, problem basis; only an action of the owner-manager; informal, periodic and closed; and prejudiced seriously by advice from external sources with less skills and experience than the owner-manager. While Doukidis et al. (1996) suggests, although IT is generally linked with a systematic approach to management and decision-making and its introduction requires careful planning, much small business management performance is based on short-term, informal, ad hoc lines. Furthermore, McMahon (2001) study mentioned that it really develops management in small firms and frees up time by using a computerized record keeping system. However, John Breen and Nick Sciulli (2002) initiated that business operators are probable to have complexity finding time to put into operation a CAS as they lack the time to examine and or implement a computer software package. For that reason, it may have a positive effect on the business taken as a whole and may facilitate to find the time to adopt CAS, if owner-managers could have the required management and financial skills. Besides, Proudlock et al (1999) research observed that some businesses owners did not have enough time to locate and acquire particular accounting software that satisfy their business necessities, and they did not have time to set up the accounting software and to record the routine business dealings. This is why they did not adopt Information Technology in the financial accounting system. 2.6.3 financial resources Iacovou et al. (1995) finds that small and medium enterprises need a constant supply of sufficient financial resources for a flourishing adoption of CAS. The financial resources are looked-for to face the installation costs, maintenance, and other current expenses that might crop up during the whole course of the system operation. However, Iacovou et al. (2005), Quayle (2002) and Riquelme (2002) added that not all small and medium enterprises have enough financial resources needed to support the adoption of CAS and as such financial limitation becomes the barrier to CAS. Head (2000) confirmed that: ..small business cries poor when it comes to buying computers. This shows that it is very costly and difficult when shifting from manual system to computerized system. Also, due to costly investment, many small business managers were unwilling to use computer software in the accounting system as mentioned by Head (2000) research study. However, Doukidis et al. (1994) and Proudlock et al. (1998) state that consultant assistance comes at an elevated price, often too high for the small business. Consequently, many small organization owners prefer to obtain advice from neighbouring firms and support firms as well as less formal sources of advice such as immediate family, friends and acquaintances, who basically have little or no understanding of the business. In the same way, Delone (1988) and Gable (1991) affirmed that IT consultants may not always be the reply. Although they are familiar with the application of IT in business, they hardly ever are aware of the specific needs of individual businesses in the same depth as the owner-manager. 2.7 Conclusion This overview of past research studies has clearly demonstrated the criteria which influenced the factors for the adoption of information technology in the accounting profession for some small and medium businesses. Nevertheless, these past studies have lifted a debatable issue in the literature. Consequently, no contrasts are made between businesses that use a computerized accounting system. This assessment would be practical in the reasons for using or not using computerized records, over and above what factors would persuade more businesses to adopt IT irrespective of their dimensions. Moreover, according to the literature, all of the above characteristics influence the owner or managers decision to implement IT in the accounting field to a varying extent depending on the economy and industry in which the business operates. .

Of Mice and Men and Steinbeck’s Life Essay -- Biography Biographies Es

Of Mice and Men and Steinbeck’s Life      Ã‚   "If an author does not have at least one great popular success, he or she may well be ignored by the media, but if he or she is constantly popular, then the critics become suspicious of the writer's serious intentions" (Benson Introduction). What do critics from the literary world have to say about Steinbeck's writings? Critics have much to say, both positive and negative. What link exists between Steinbeck and his writings? Perhaps the most noteworthy biographical link between Steinbeck and his writings is that he was born and came to maturity in the Salinas Valley. In this area of California, bounded on the north and south by the Pajaro and Jolon valleys on the west and east by the Pacific Ocean and the Gabilan Mountains, Steinbeck found the materials for his fiction (Tedlock 3). John Steinbeck's agricultural upbringing in the California area vibrantly shines through in the settings and story lines of the majority of his works.    John Ernst Steinbeck was born in Salinas, California, on February 27, 1902. His father's family, originally called Grossteinbeck, had come from Wuppertal, about twenty miles east of the German city of Dà ¼sseldorf. During summers he worked as a hired hand on nearby ranches, "nourishing" his impression of the California countryside and its people (Lisca 32). He made occasional exciting trips to San Francisco with his family and more frequent trips to the Monterey peninsula (Fontenrose 2). In 1918, he became ill with pneumonia and almost died, but he was able to recover. After graduating from Salinas High School in 1919, Steinbeck enrolled at Stanford University, taking courses in English and Marine Science (Bloom 11). He was always an excellent stude... ...he knowledge he gained and the images he conceived of California in his writings.    Works Cited Benson, Jackson J. The Short Novels of John Steinbeck. North Carolina: Duke University Press, 1990. Bloom, Harold. John Steinbeck. Pennsylvania: Chelsea House Publishers, 1999. Davis, Robert Murray. Steinbeck: A Collection of Critical Essays. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1972. Fontenrose, Joseph. John Steinbeck: An Introduction and Interpretation. New York: Barnes & Noble, 1964. French, Warren. John Steinbeck's Fiction Revisited. New York: Twayne Publishers, 1994. Lisca, Peter. The Wide World of John Steinbeck. New Jersey: Rutgers University Press, 1958. Steinbeck, John. Of Mice and Men. New York: Penguin Books USA Incorporated, 1978. Tedlock, E.W. Steinbeck and His Critics. Albuquerque: The University of New Mexico Press, 1957.   

Advantage of Taking a Stress Management Class Essay

Unfortunately, stress is a very normal part of everyday life for most of us. Stress can both be positive and negative. Leaving negative stress to chance, you will encounter serious health problems. Although stress is commonplace, it is far from healthy. Stress management professionals in the industry will recommend stress management classes as a means to better health and wellbeing. Stress management classes are available through employers and health care professionals. These sessions will help you to identify the factors that are causing the stress and help you make good lifestyle choices to reduce stress in the future. The larger companies are realizing that assisting employees to cope with stress will not only result in better health and emotional wellness for the staff; it will also improve the bottom line as well. These stress management classes are offered in multiple formats; from formal lectures by authorities in the field, to weekly training sessions that teach skills like meditation and biofeedback. Studies of these seminars show a marked improvement in employees’ stress symptoms after eight weeks of training. Less stress means higher production for employers, so it becomes a win-win situation for many companies. Individual Stress Management Classes There is several ways to access stress management classes for everyone. Do not think that stay at home mom doesn’t have stress. There are other opportunities for stress management classes. A good resource to begin with is your primary care provider. You can also check books and websites for information regarding stress management classes. Advantages of taking a class are that you will learn to spot the sources of your stress in order to take control of them more effectively. Stress management classes will teach you coping skills such as relaxation techniques and exercises specifically targeted at tension. You will also have the chance to meet others who are facing similar hurdles in their own lives, and build a support network with others who are sharing like burdens. Negative stress can take away your emotional wellbeing and at the same time contribute to general poor health. Therefore, stress management classes can help you identify the source of your stress, learn how to gain control over them, and educate you to reduce your stress symptoms. When feeling the results of constant stress, contact your nearest health provider to find out about a stress management class for you. Many people don’t think about stress management unless they’re already on the verge of burnout. With our busy lives, it doesn’t always seem obviously important to take on the practice of stress management before a worn-out body or an overly taxed psyche force the issue. However, developing healthy stress relieving habits really do pay off in the long run. Not only does a regular stress management practice stave off the negative effects of stress, but it can also bring positive outcomes like increased productivity, better health and more happiness in general. The following are some reasons why: †¢ Your Health: Excessive stress really can lead to poor health outcomes, from relatively minor things like headaches and digestion problems in the short run to major conditions like heart disease, high blood pressure and stroke after years of unmanaged stress. (Here’s a more complete list of stress related health problems, and a more detailed description of how stress affects your health.) †¢ Your Looks: Many stress relievers can also make you healthier and even more attractive. For example, taking care of your body by getting enough sleep can make you more productive and healthier, and can help you better manage stress, as well as staving off dark circles under the eyes and a poor complexion. Also, eating right can keep your blood sugar levels even, keeping your emotions in check and making you more resilient to stress, as well as helping you stay in your ‘skinny jeans’ or favorite tee-shirts from college. Getting regular exercise can help you blow off steam when you’re frustrated and keep your body fit and toned. †¢ Increased Productivity: Simply put, when you’re not stressed, you can be more productive because you’re more focused. Therefore, it really pays to keep stress to a minimum. Certain stress relief habits naturally make you more productive. Power napping, for example, can help you catch up on sleep and be more focused and productive, making less sleep stretch further. Being organized can also help you save time and money in the long run, reducing stress and helping you to be more productive in virtually every area of your life. Even limiting caffeine can help, improving your sleep and helping you feel less stressed at the end of the day. Finally, having the right attitude is actually a habit that can be learned. Being an optimist can benefit you in many areas of your life, helping you let failures roll off your back and actually enabling you to achieve more! (Think you’re already an optimist? You may be surprised. Take this quiz to find out for sure, and dis cover the secrets of optimistic thinking.) †¢ Your Happiness: Some stress relief practices just bring more joy. If you want to enjoy life more, you’ll want to adopt some of these stress relievers, and the fun will come more easily. Caring for pets, enjoying music, dancing while you clean, working more laughter into your life, maintaining a supportive circle of friends, and even having sex are all fun activities that double as great stress relievers for various reasons. Read more about them and how they can help you, and remind yourself that you’re never too busy to include these activities in your lifestyle—they’re stress management techniques! †¢ Your Stress Levels—Of Course!: The desire to avoid walking around feeling stressed-out is, in itself, a good reason to bone up on stress management. Certain general techniques that primarily just relieve stress (rather than serving some secondary function) are more than worth adopting because, when you’re less stressed, you enjoy life more. Some of the best stress management techniques available include , and good old [link url=/od/breathingexercises/ht/breathing_ex.htm]breathing exercises. Read more about the benefits of each, and choose a few to try, and you won’t have to let stress sap you of energy, productivity and enjoyment of life again! Putting in the effort to learn effective strategies for stress relief and low-stress living will pay off in the long run. Because of this, stress management is among the most important subjects to learn! Ideally, stress management needs to begin when we’re young so that we don’t have battered, scarred trunks when we reach mid life and beyond. But, the reality is, most of us never consider stress as damaging †¦until we’ve been reacting to it for a long time. The good news about our amazing bodies is that once we identify the stressors and make some definite life style changes, we can often reverse a lot of the damage. Sort of like being able to get some wood filler, apply it to the nicks on the tree trunk, then sand it down to recreate a smooth finish on your trunk. Stress management can really promote better health. What are some of the benefits of stress reduction? 1. Better immune function 2. Less illnesses and physical complaints 3. More energy 4. Feeling more relaxed 5. Sleeping better 6. Better digestion 7. Calmer mood 8. More focused, more positive 9.   Case Example: Elaine A housewife named Elaine suffered from dreadful panic attacks. She would be in a state of great agitation. She was sure she was having a heart attack, terrified she would die, despite the fact that she had no heart disease and was just 45 years old. Twice she rushed to the emergency room for help. She was suffering acute chest pain, sweating profusely and nauseated. Her heart was pounding, her breathing was shallow and rapid, her hands shook and she had diarrhoea. Real symptoms. The emergency room medics examined her carefully and told her she was reacting to stress and suggested she see her family doctor. Her family doctor checked Elaine over, sent her for a series of tests to rule out disease and prescribed . . . exercise. Whenever she felt acute anxiety symptoms, she was to jog or run or get on her exercise bike until the attack passed. His notion was that to get rid of the bad chemicals, it was imperative to replace them with good chemicals. After a few weeks of doing that †¦it worked. She was able to control the panic and anxiety with exercise. With a lot of practice, she also learned to do relaxation techniques and deep breathing so that Elaine can take control of anxiety whenever she feels over-whelmed at times when she’s unable to exercise. No pills or magic, just using the body and mind to cure itself. Case example 2 Allen was a firefighter for many years. When he had been to a fire, he would come back to the fire station all keyed up and be unable to relax. The adrenalin he needed to fight the fire was still pumping – hours after he was out of the â€Å"fight† mode. The â€Å"tiger† was gone yet seeing flames destroy people’s property bothered him emotionally. When people were hurt or died in the fires, he was even more keyed up and anxious. He felt sad. Soon he had high blood pressure and was prescribed medication. Realizing he had to take action, try to reverse what he was feeling, he started running on the tread milling once he got back from a fire. His family had a history of heart disease, he was determined not to sick. He gets on the treadmill for 30 – 45 minutes while watching TV or listening to relaxing music. He also learned to meditate which took weeks to master. He does tai chi several days weekly. Within just 4 month his blood pressure was under control and he was able to come off the medication. He actively changed his bad stress chemicals to good stress chemicals. A Stress Management Seminar for understanding and Coping with Stress The length of a stress management seminar may vary from several days to some being only half a day. The stress management seminar may be presented by experts ranging from psychologists to scientist and professionals from other diverse fields. With the promise of change and challenge in our growing markets a stress management seminar may provide some answers for people to try and cope with the growing strain put on their lives. Stress may be a life threatening factor for one man and a life enhancing one for another. The stress management seminar can prove to be pivotal in comprehending many apparently paradoxical observations and realize that the difference between negative and positive stress may lie in the perception and handling of stress as well as how best to cope with it. What vital information can be learnt at a Stress Management Seminar? Just some of the keynote presentations that are dealt with at a stress management seminar; †¢ Self-assessment of stress â€Å"triggers† †¢ Four factors of stress mediation †¢ The power of re-frame and focus †¢ The productive and proper use of W.I.I.F.M strategy. †¢ How to do more with less †¢ Circles of destiny †¢ How to master an action grid †¢ Network strength and organizational alignment. Of course, there are many different stress management seminars available and one should choose a seminar that helps participants in identifying the causes of stress as well as enable them to have effective tools to avoid as well as reduce and manage stress, both on and off the job. Some stress management seminars would include written individual as well as group exercises, group discussions and group activities as well as business simulations to make the learning process more effective. Different themes that are presented at the stress management seminar may include; †¢ getting the most from one’s work †¢ Knowing how stress drains the value from one’s life †¢ Nature as well as causes and effects of stress †¢ An attendee’s personal stress profile †¢ Rational as well as irrational thinking and behavior †¢ Effects of positive as well as negative thinking and much, much more. The kind of people who would normally attend a stress management seminar may include executive team members, managers or employees of different persuasion. Some stress management seminars may be customized for group or even firm requirements. Many seminars have also been changed to suit the skills level the company.

Analysis of Macbeth Essay

Shakespeare uses vivid and powerful forms of imagery to let the audience visualize the setting. Lady Macbeth is portrayed as a strong woman who is attracted to power and would do anything to be in control; she is anything but an elegant and sensitive woman. After the bloodshed begins, however, Lady Macbeth falls an easy prey to insanity and guilt. Her soliloquy (5.1.24-30) shows her decline into madness when she says,â€Å"out damned spot†¦Ã¢â‚¬  There are many examples of visual and aural imagery throughout the play. The murder of Duncan is indicated by the clanging of a bell and the knocking at the gate. Though they are not described in the text, the stage directions are enough to build up the tension. The knocking occurs between each line that is spoken in a rhythmic regularity. There is a great emphasis on the knocking because it startles Macbeth and Lady Macbeth as they quickly try and cover up their involvement in the murder. To add to the intensity, the fact that the entire scene (2.2) takes place at night builds up the suspense as the darkness is used to bring up peculiar components like cruelty and the supernatural. Darkness as a thematic tool is instantly used by Shakespeare in the opening of the play. The three witches enter in â€Å"thunder and lightning† which sets the mood of the play, which becomes Shakespeare’s habitual way of introducing the witches into a scene. Introducing the supernatural and the witches to the audience at the beginning, intensifies the significance of their role. The audience can now ascertain that even when the witches do not appear directly in a scene, the progression of the plot will revolve around their prophecies. Shakespeare reminds us of the gloominess of the play by creating uncertainty in Lady Macbeth’s expectant wait for her husband, which soon becomes nervousness and excitement as he arrives. Animal imagery, a frequent motif, in this case, the shrieking of the owl is considered as an indication that â€Å"He is about it .† The owl, like a raven, is considered an ill omen; an omen of death and represents nature’s ‘messenger-’â€Å"the fatal bellman.† This line appears to minimize the enormity of Duncan’s murder and seems that Lady Macbeth is blaming the bellman. Blood is another motif throughout the play. The language used to describe Macbeth’s anguished state is extraordinarily effective in terms of imagery and detail. When Macbeth looks at his hands and thinks they are a â€Å"sorry sight† and his hand â€Å"will rather the multitudinous seas incarnadine, making the green one red† (2.2.58). Shakespeare uses personification to manipulate Macbeth’s bloody hands as witnesses to the murder when Lady Macbeth urges him to â€Å"wash this filthy witness from your hands† (2.2.50). ‘Themes are fundamental ideas explored in literary work.’ In my chosen extract, there are no specific lines that show the various themes in the play. However, the link between cruelty and masculinity is one of the first themes introduced to the audience. The murder of Duncan is the first in Macbeth’s long line of killings. It soon becomes evident to us that Lady Macbeth provides the brains and the willpower behind Macbeth’s actions. Her behavior proves that women can be as ambitious as men, as she herself wishes to be â€Å"unsexed† (1.5.40); to become more masculine than feminine. Even so, she depends on the manipulation of others, rather than using violence herself. Macbeth asks her to â€Å"bring forth men children only† (1.7.73) and she says nothing to challenge this statement. The hired murderers were also persuaded to kill Banquo by being questioned about their manhood. These acts prove that both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth associate courage or strength with violence; they think alike. The witches’ predictions also spark Macbeth’s need to continue the bloodshed as he is blinded by his overconfidence in them. When Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are first introduced, they appear to have a very strong and caring relationship that seems to be based on trust (Macbeth tells her about the three witches in his letter). However, as Macbeth’s lust for remaining King grows, the audience knows that one murder always leads to another. Because of this, his relationship with Lady Macbeth weakens and is not able to flourish. We notice that whenever they are together in a scene, they are either pretending to be innocent or planning yet another murder. The scene after the murder of Duncan, consists of a range of language techniques. The first clever part of this scene is Shakespeare’s use of a technique known as Elision. It does not allow the readers to witness the actual murder of Duncan. This is an age old tradition used by the Greek tragedians Sophocles and Aeschylus, to allow the reader’s mind to decide on the enormity of an unseen event, in this case; the murder. This diverts the audiences’ attention to the reactions caused by the murder and not the murder itself. Shakespeare uses specific words that have an impact on the reader’s mind. â€Å"It was the owl that shriek’d† (2.2.3) is a very effective sentence. Shakespeare could have substituted this word for anything that meant ‘to scream’ and it would not have had the same effect. This is because the word ‘shrieked’ not only contains plosive consonants (K & D), but also implies a high-pitched, piercing sound of terror or pain, contributing to the strength of the sentence and the recurring motif of death or blood. The order of the sentences used by Shakespeare, or the syntax, is simply changed by varying sentence length and rearranging the order of the words for effectual sentences. A variety of techniques such as ellipses and antithesis’ are frequently used by Shakespeare throughout the play. The antithesis, in this case, is Lady Macbeth. Shakespeare emphasizes her courage to admit to herself that â€Å"what hath quench’d them, hath given me fire†- which shows that she has been drinking too. Lady Macbeth: Did not you speak? Macbeth: When Lady Macbeth: Now. Macbeth: As I descended? Lady Macbeth: Ay. Macbeth: Hark! This piece of text, taken after the murder, shows how Shakespeare uses monosyllabic words to build up the tension and intensity of Lady Macbeth and Macbeth’s staccato-dialogue conversation. Shakespeare also uses a traditional kind of verse known as the Iambic Pentameter (unrhymed). It consists of a ten-syllable line with an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed one (â€Å"da DUM†). The majority of this play alternates between prose and blank verse. Blank verse resembles prose in that the last word of each sentence does not rhyme, however, there are the occasional rhyming couplets: â€Å"Hear it not, Duncan, for it is a knell†Ã¢â‚¬ ¨Ã¢â‚¬Å"That summons thee to heaven or to hell† †¨ The utilization of the iambic pentameter, gives the lines a certain rhythm, making them easier to remember when producing a play. However Shakespeare sometimes uses a style of writing called prose. Prose is a piece of written or spoken language in its ordinary form without a rhythmical pattern or any metrical structure. An example of prose can be seen from lines seventeen and onwards. The sentence structure is short, simple and smart. Sentences like â€Å"Ay† and â€Å"When?† show that the conversation between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth is fast-paced and confirms that they are nervous. Lady Macbeth: A foolish thought, to say a sorry sight Macbeth: There’s one did laugh in’s sleep, and one cried ‘Murder!’ This piece of text shows that Macbeth is affected by the murder. Shakespeare conveys this to the audience by changing the subject abruptly. Verse is much too regular and orderly for expressing madness or is simply not the natural way to speak. In my chosen extract, there are not many examples of verse as the murder has already taken place. Macbeth is in a state of shock and regret, therefore, prose seems appropriate to convey this feeling to the readers and audience. In conclusion, I believe that this scene was the most crucial part of the entire play. Shakespeare manages to build up the tension and increase it until after the murder. Shakespeare’s use of language, equivocation and tragic irony merge to build up the suspense and keep the audience on the edge of their seats. His use of personification and imagery create realistic and very believable characters, which are crucial for a successful play.