Saturday, August 22, 2020

True love in Hamlet Essay Example For Students

Genuine romance in Hamlet Essay Something is spoiled in the territory of Denmark, (1.4.89) Marcellus so shrewdly expressed not knowing the exactness behind his words. Different discourse traded all through the play discretely summed up occasions that occurred. Horatio demonstrated this moment that he expressed Of lustful, grisly, and unnatural acts, of inadvertent decisions, easygoing butchers, of passings put on by clever and forcd cause, and in this consequence, purposes mixed up falln on th creators heads. (5.2.381-5)These statements could undoubtedly identify with various occasions that occurred over the span of the play, in any case, none of them are additionally fascinating then the topic of genuine affection. The words genuine affection don't incorporate Hamlet and Ophelia; be that as it may, Gertrude and Claudius. Numerous perusers of Hamlet accept that Gertrude and Claudius were frantically enamored with out really examining the idea of their marriage. Most contentions on this point are exclusively based around one misread and disregarded entry. The phantom plainly articulated Ay, that depraved, that defile monster, (1.5.42) at the same time, what did the soul really mean? To understand what the phantom implied by these words, the sentence should be separated. Single word explicitly assumes a huge job in how the connection among Claudius and Gertrude is deciphered. The word contaminate has numerous definitions; fake, undermined by intermixture, to misrepresent, to make tainted or sub-par, or to degenerate. On the off chance that these definitions are applied to the qualities of Claudius (to whom the phantom was alluding to), or, with the impact Claudius has on Gertrude; it is effectively comprehended why such a large number of are erroneously lead to expect that Claudius and Gertrude were participating in a depraved relationship, this is brought about by absence of assessment. The single word defile opens endless entryways left to be explored. Questions emerge that could change ones point of view toward the whole play. For example, Did Gertrude think about Claudius intends to kill old Hamlet?; What did Gertrude gain by defacing Claudius?; What did Claudius need to pick up by damaging Gertrude?; Were they personally included before old Hamlets passing? lastly, were Claudius and Gertrude in love?As to the topic of climate or not Gertrude thought about the planned homicide of old Hamlet, the appropriate response is no. There are uncountable models that demonstrate this to be a bogus supposition. During the mouse trap, a presentation acted by the players, a scene that delineates a ruler conversing with his sovereign about death, the player sovereign discusses again and again her undying affection for the lord: In second spouse let me be accursd! None marry the second however who killd the first. (3.2.179-80) Another prime model would be the point at which she expressed; A second time I kill my significant other dead, when second spouse kisses me in bed. (3.2.184-5) Hamlet not long after went to his mom and asked Madam, how like you this play? (3.2.229) The woman doth fight excessively, methinks, (3.2.230) the sovereign answered suggesting that she thought the player sovereign made void guarantees. Had the Gertrude thought about Claudius intends to kill old Hamlet, clearly she would have recognized what the play was about and she would have showcased the manner in which Claudius did when he required the lights after he at long last acknowledged what was happening. Additionally, after the play, Hamlet had a gathering with his mom, during their discussion, Hamlet discovered that somebody was taking cover behind the arras, he murdered this individual and minutes after the fact found it was Polonius. In a trade of words among Hamlet and Gertrude, we see that Gertrude is stunned at the notice of old Hamlets murder:Queen: O, what a rash and ble eding deed is this!Hamlet: A wicked deed! Nearly as awful, great mother, as murder a ruler, and marrywith his sibling. .ueedb1d4338d4b5e3464bef11dcf98ff8 , .ueedb1d4338d4b5e3464bef11dcf98ff8 .postImageUrl , .ueedb1d4338d4b5e3464bef11dcf98ff8 .focused content territory { min-tallness: 80px; position: relative; } .ueedb1d4338d4b5e3464bef11dcf98ff8 , .ueedb1d4338d4b5e3464bef11dcf98ff8:hover , .ueedb1d4338d4b5e3464bef11dcf98ff8:visited , .ueedb1d4338d4b5e3464bef11dcf98ff8:active { border:0!important; } .ueedb1d4338d4b5e3464bef11dcf98ff8 .clearfix:after { content: ; show: table; clear: both; } .ueedb1d4338d4b5e3464bef11dcf98ff8 { show: square; progress: foundation shading 250ms; webkit-progress: foundation shading 250ms; width: 100%; obscurity: 1; progress: mistiness 250ms; webkit-progress: darkness 250ms; foundation shading: #95A5A6; } .ueedb1d4338d4b5e3464bef11dcf98ff8:active , .ueedb1d4338d4b5e3464bef11dcf98ff8:hover { murkiness: 1; progress: haziness 250ms; webkit-progress: obscurity 250ms; foundation shading: #2C3E50; } .ueedb1d4338d4b5e3464bef11dcf98ff8 .focused content zone { width: 100%; position: relative; } .ueedb1d4338d4b5e3464bef11dcf98ff8 .ctaText { fringe base: 0 strong #fff; shading: #2980B9; text dimension: 16px; textual style weight: intense; edge: 0; cushioning: 0; content design: underline; } .ueedb1d4338d4b5e3464bef11dcf98ff8 .postTitle { shading: #FFFFFF; text dimension: 16px; text style weight: 600; edge: 0; cushioning: 0; width: 100%; } .ueedb1d4338d4b5e3464bef11dcf98ff8 .ctaButton { foundation shading: #7F8C8D!important; shading: #2980B9; outskirt: none; fringe range: 3px; box-shadow: none; text dimension: 14px; textual style weight: striking; line-stature: 26px; moz-outskirt span: 3px; content adjust: focus; content beautification: none; content shadow: none; width: 80px; min-tallness: 80px; foundation: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/modules/intelly-related-posts/resources/pictures/basic arrow.png)no-rehash; position: total; right: 0; top: 0; } .ueedb1d4338d4b5e3464bef11dcf98ff8:hover .ctaButton { foundation shading: #34495E!important; } .ueedb1d433 8d4b5e3464bef11dcf98ff8 .focused content { show: table; tallness: 80px; cushioning left: 18px; top: 0; } .ueedb1d4338d4b5e3464bef11dcf98ff8-content { show: table-cell; edge: 0; cushioning: 0; cushioning right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-adjust: center; width: 100%; } .ueedb1d4338d4b5e3464bef11dcf98ff8:after { content: ; show: square; clear: both; } READ: How Technology Has Changed Our Lives EssayQueen: As execute a king!Hamlet: Ay, woman, it was my assertion. Gertrude depicts a shallow, egotistical lady. On numerous events Gertrude validates this point. She will in general be worried about different people groups musings of her and how she is seen in their eyes. Since she didn't mull over old Hamlets passing, she was surprised to discover that he was dead. When she got updates on his downfall, she momentarily started to consider what might befall her in the event that she not, at this point held the seat. Legitimately, Hamlet ought to have assumed his dads position at the regal seat, if this had been thus, Gertrude would have lost a sufficient measure of intensity in Denmark. Without a doubt, she would consistently be known as a sovereign for the rest of here life, however she would never again be considered at the highest point of illustrious procedures. This origination startled her exceedingly. Since Claudius graphed the fate of old Hamlet, it can tentatively be resolved that he would have known Gertrudes response to the news, when she was over the underlying stun. He started to entice Gertrude and put mistaken thoughts into her head of how she would to be sure become an overlooked Queen. Claudius likewise gave her ways she could stay in the seat of state, she could remarry. Who preferable to remarry over himself is all the more then likely the defense he moved toward her with. Gertrude, similar to Claudius, would have successfully hold the seat. Claudius was a force eager and envious man. He was desirous of his siblings position in Denmark and got merciless in the odyssey to get what his sibling had. He himself expressed this while petitioning God for his offenses, I am still possessd of those impacts for which I did murther: my crown, mine own desire, and my queen.(3.2.53-5) It is conceivable to perceive what Claudius needed to pick up by wedding Gertrude, he didnt love her, he needed his withdrew siblings assets. The word defile, which so frequently distorts an undying relationship among Gertrude and Claudius, is just referenced once all through the sum of the play. Gertrudes sins are talked about on various events. In act III scene IV, a quarrel among Hamlet and his mom permits Hamlet to show her numerous transgressions makes marriage promises as bogus as dicers pledges/You can't call it love, for at your age the prime in the blood is manageable. (3.4.44:68) Not once all through their whole discourse does Hamlet notice anything about his mom submitting infidelity. There is one unmistakable case when Claudius and Gertrudes love is put being investigated. During the fencing match, Gertrude got the cup which obliged poison put into the cup by Claudius. Gertrude, don't drink. (5.2.290) These were the main words Claudius addressed keep his caring spouse from biting the dust before his eyes. To the crowd he spoke, It is the poisned cup, it is past the point of no return. (5.2.292) This announcement alone demonstrated that Claudius cherished the seat and the force joined by it all the more then he adored Gertrude. Utilizing this guide to demonstrate that Claudius and Gertrude were not in adoration can be noted as an uneven contention. Claudius demonstrated to the crowd that he didn't adore Gertrude, in any case, the inquiry as to climate or not Gertrude cherished Claudius despite everything stays hesitant. It very well may be inferred that Claudius conviction ruined Gertrude and made her into a fake figure, in Hamlets eyes all things considered. In the start of the play, Hamlet was very love toward his mom. As the play advanced, Hamlet turned out to be increasingly severe and sharp with her. Hamlet didnt accept that his mom and Claudius were infatuated, he didnt appear to mind, he was progressively keen on protecting his dads respect. .u32f2f54168b662947c64d429f50397d0 , .u32f2f54168b662947c64d429f50397d0 .postImageUrl , .u32f2f54168b662947c64d429f50397d0 .focused content zone { min-stature: 80px; position: relative; } .u32f2f54168b662947c64d429f50397d0 , .u32f2f54168b6629

Thursday, July 16, 2020

Initiatives at the Commonwealth Bank Australia Example

Initiatives at the Commonwealth Bank Australia Example Initiatives at the Commonwealth Bank Australia â€" Essay Example > ?Initiatives at the Commonwealth Bank Australia The commonwealth bank Australia is one of the largest and most versatile financial institutions in Australia. It has been in operation since 1912. It currently boosts of over 1000 branches plus an equally large distribution of ATMs. The bank offers a number of customer-tailored services and solutions key among tem being a number of affordable mortgage options and foreign funds transfer services. Contemporary Issue: diversity within workplace and women in leadership positions/work life balance From the above I would seek to answer a number of questions through interviews and surveys. Questions to management 1. Is there a policy that guides gender issues in the office 2. If yes, how is this policy applicable on issues to do with women leadership 3. How does the management help the employees especially women mange their work and their families 4. Are there any special treatments accorded to women just because of their gender 5. Is there a policy that guides how the bank treats the diversity issue in the workplace? 6. How diverse are the organisations employees. Which category of people form the largest block in the organisation 7. How does diversity in the workplace impact on the general performance of the organisation 8. What does the organisation aim to achieve through each category of people in the organisation. 9. Are all employees responding positively to organizational policies on both women in leadership and diversity issues? Survey questions to staff 1. Do they believe in having women in leadership positions 2. If yes why? If no why 3. How diverse are they in terms of race gender, age and culture 4. Does their diversity affect the organisation positively or negatively? 5. Are there people in the organization who discriminate against others racially 6. What has the organisation done to them 7. Are there organisational interventions to ensure that diversity in the workplace is upheld and respected 8. Are there official disciplinary rules that guard against xenophobia and racialism 9. How do women in leadership differ from their male counterparts in terms of management style. General information In of the programs aimed at encouraging diversity, the Commonwealth Bank Australia has set up a special intranet site specifically targeting women above the age of 55. The program aims at encouraging such women to make better choices in life and thus ensure they continue to be good at whatever they do. The program aims at demonstrate their respect for diverse factors of age, knowledge and background. This program has been largely successful. In fact in the year 2012 the company won the Catalyst award for its initiative on gender diversity. This demonstrates how well the program has been received. On this basis we can also say their approach has actually worked for the organisation. Reference Catalyst, (2012), Catalyst Honors Initiatives at Commonwealth Bank of Australia and Sodexo with the 2012 Catalyst Award: Catalyst to celebrate 50 years of advancing women in the workplace. Available at http: //www. catalyst. org/press-release/200/catalyst-honors-initiatives-at-commonwealth-bank-of-australia-and-sodexo-with-the-2012-catalyst-award, 6 February 2012 Common Wealth Bank, (2012). Our Company. Available at http: //www. commbank. com. au/about-us/our-company/our-approach-to-diversity/ 6 February 2012

Thursday, May 21, 2020

Biography Of Eugene ONeill Essay example - 1514 Words

BIOGRAPHY OF EUGENE O’ NEILL Eugene Gladstone O’Neill was born in a New York City hotel room on 16th October, 1888,he son of famous actor James O’Neill and Ella O’Neill, spent the first seven years of his life touring with his father’s theater company. These years introduced O’Neill to the world of theater and the difficulties of maintaining artistic integrity. His father, once a well-known Shakespearean, had taken a role in a lesser play for its sizable salary. Family life was unstable. ONeills mother frequently accompanied her husband on tour and, although they had a long-standing summer home, Monte Cristo Cottage in New London, Connecticut, the family was constantly on the move. O’Neill spent the next seven years of his life†¦show more content†¦Eugene went on an unsuccessful gold prospecting expedition to Hondurasin and, over the next few years, largely supported by his father, lived in a variety of places, including, when in a state of destitution, Buenos Aires. In Buenos Aires he tried a succession of jobs..In 1912, living in a New York flophouse, he attempted suicide with veronal. In December, tuberculosis having been diagnosed, he entered Gaylord Sanatorium, where he stayed for five month. O’Neill returned to his parents’ home. It was there among the turmoil of a despondent father and a morphine-addicted mother, he became an emotionally turbulent person characterized by drunken sprees that was one reason that he decided to become a playwright. During his recuperation, ONeill read voraciously. His reading ranged across the whole Western dramatic canon, but he devoted special attention to Ibsen, Wedekind, and above all, Stri ndberg He began to write in earnest, working on one-acts, full-length plays, and poetry. In 1916, Eugene ONeill became involved with the people who would found the Provincetown Players. The Provincetown Players became vital to the start of ONeills career. The relationship was perfect: ONeill got a venue for his plays, and gained valuable experience watching his plays actedShow MoreRelatedEugene ONeill and the Influence of Relgion of His Work1878 Words   |  8 Pageswill give a brief family history of Eugene and where their faith lies as well as look at the effect religion had on him throughout his life and, of course, on all of his work. Eugene’s father, James O’Neill, and his mother, Mary Ellen Quinlan (known as Ella) had two very different backgrounds. James grew up Irish Catholic and came over to the States with his family to escape the famine (Black pgs. 1-2) while Ella had a very wealthy and stable household. Eugene also had to older siblings, Jamie andRead More Biography of Eugene ONeil Essay1847 Words   |  8 PagesBiography of Eugene ONeil Eugene Oneill Through poverty and fame, An artist or nothing(Miller p6), was the motto of a man named Eugene ONeill, who wrote from his soul in an attempt to find salvation. In the year 1888, the Barrett House hotel in Time Square, New York saw the birth of a man who would be called the greatest American playwright. His father James, was an actor, and was famous across the United Sates for his role in the popular play Monte Cristo. Eugenes mother was a beautifulRead MoreEvolution or Revolution - Recurring ideas in Ibsen, ONeill and Shepard3024 Words   |  13 Pagesconventions in the dramas of Ibsen, ONeill and Shepard. Throughout the history of drama, playwrights have appropriated the ideas of their predecessors for their own use, sometimes building on them and making the idea their own. American drama is no exception. American drama has its roots firmly entrenched in modern European drama, this is illustrated through the influence of Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen on American playwright Eugene ONeill. ONeill once wrote, quot;Not long ago I readRead MoreA Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams672 Words   |  3 PagesDramas of the twentieth century defied the norm of dull plays and exchanged them for conflicted characters, racy scenes, and curse words. Eugene O’Neill is seen as the innovator of the exciting and fresh new themes, who began the way deep plays were written in 1924. But, perhaps one of the most controversial plays—and maybe the greatest known of the era—is Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire, a tale of one woman’s destruction due t o Southern society’s changing moral values. The destructionRead MoreMexican Born Dancer And Choreographer Jose Limon1542 Words   |  7 PagesAccording to the website Biography, â€Å"Mexican-born dancer and choreographer Josà © Limà ³n is recognized as an important figure in the American modern dance movement of the 1930s-1960s† (Biography). Jose Limon is one of the Ballet dancer sand choreographers in the 1930s. Even though he is considered to be a Ballet dancer, Limon is well-known for performing and choreographing a great amount of Modern Dance piece. Jose Limon is significant to me because he is the first Modern Dance choreographer I knowRead MoreA Brief Biography of Charlie Chaplin Essay example1906 Words   |  8 Pages Charlie had many affairs with women at his young adult life because of the popularity he gained. He gained attention from many girls because of his fame, from his comedy shorts he made. But there was one who stayed with him and in June 1943, O’Neill married him a month after she turned 18. The 35 year old age gap was already a problem and her father also strongly disapproved of her wanting to become an actress. Her father also didnt want to marry so early and felt that Charlie was a joke thatRead MoreA Brief Look at Charles Chaplin2102 Words   |  8 Pagesafter she turned 18. The 35 year old age gap was already a problem and her father also strongly disapproved of her want to become an actress. They had eight children together; Geraldine Chaplin, Michael Chaplin, Josephine Chaplin, Victoria Chaplin, Eugene Anthony Chaplin, Jane Cecil Chaplin, Annette Emily Chaplin, Christopher Chaplin. O’Neill’s parents both divorced too when she was just four years old, and wa s raised by her mother just like Charlie was. Most of her marriage with Charlie Chaplin wasRead MoreArthur Millers Influence On American Theater1984 Words   |  8 PagesMillers early years, his father was a successful business owner providing a luxury life for his family. Due to the start of the great depression in the late 1920’s, his business collapsed and this had a big impact on Millers life. Centola stats in a biography, â€Å"This sudden collapse of the familiar world was a crucial experience in Miller’s life, and he would later frequently draw on the tensions that were created by that severe economic crisis in his writings† (Centola). After high school miller willRead MoreBelonging Essay4112 Words   |  17 Pagestexts. Waverley Library database Log on to the database Literature Resource Centre - HSC English Syllabus via the Waverley library home page either though the internet in the library or at home using your library card. This database includes biographies, bibliographies and critical analyses of HSC English Syllabus authors. 2 Prescribed texts - do not choose from this area. These are the prescribed texts for Belonging. It has been strongly suggested that when you are choosing a related textRead MoreHistory5499 Words   |  22 Pagesconnections to Europe. Chronologically, the artists of the Harlem Renaissance coexisted with the white writers of what F. Scott Fitzgerald labeled the Jazz Age. In this period of modernism, writers like Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, T. S. Eliot, Eugene O’Neill, Edna St. Vincent Millay, and Hart Crane adopted the dictum ‘‘make it new,’’ and worked to separate contemporary American literature from the stultifying inï ¬â€šuence of late-nineteenth-century American culture. The primary example of the Victorian

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Why Cap And Trade Is A Better Solution - 857 Words

Andrew Moylan, a conservative who advocates free market and limited government, has argued that carbon tax is the less complex and better guarantee solution to carbon reduction; however, the main purpose of this paper is to rebut his argument and to present why Cap-and-Trade is a better solution compare to other solution in controlling variables, ensuring social justice and last expanding global regulation on carbon dioxide. In which how cap and trade can reduce carbon emission and save the earth from climate change becomes the fundamental question. Consisting passion on the environment more than economy, I construct my point of view base on a belief that all human beings feel connected to the environment and take responsibilities in regulating themselves, thus this paper reflects a macro level perspective. My central assumptions are that first, that the government or agency have already figured out the target setting in which encourages emission reduction but stimulates technologica l innovation. Secondly, the trading systems between corporations are transparent and honest. Last, I am also assuming that there can only be one solution to carbon reduction. As a result of dumping unlimited amounts of carbon pollution into the atmosphere, we have exceed planetary boundary, thus the government should immediately regulate and monitor carbon emission in order to prevent growing consequences of climate change. Through concepts such as technological hubris and Jevon’s paradox, I willShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Carbon Taxes Versus Cap And Trade1328 Words   |  6 Pageshave previously turned to solutions surrounding cap and trade or carbon tax legislation. However, with every solution, whether it be cap and trade, or carbon taxes, comes pros and cons. Those who favor cap and trade value its long term environmental promises, economic incentives (allowances and allowance auctions), and efficiency. On the other hand, those appreciate carbon taxes because of their si mplicity, promising tax revenue, and market certainty. Fans of cap and trade and carbon taxes, like DavidRead MoreEssay on Carbon Tax vs. Cap and Trade1290 Words   |  6 Pagesthe atmosphere include: subsidies of alternative energy, cap and trade, carbon taxes, and command and control regulation. We will examine and compare the effectiveness of two of these methods: The carbon cap and trade system, and carbon taxation. The popular solutions both propose placing a price on Carbon Dioxide, in hopes that it would cause households and industries to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Government enacted solutions are probably the most effective ways to reduce carbonRead MoreThe Issue Of Climate Change1082 Words   |  5 Pagescatastrophe. The solution should be to use a global cap and trade system per capita which would compensate poor nations for damages that rich nations would cause. Climate change has been brought about by wealthy nations spewing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere more than their population ever justified. Now the poor and third world countries want reparations for the damage done to their atmosphere while leaving them using less than their fair share of the atmospheric sink. The solution that would workRead MoreRenewable Energy Is Important For Our Environment1610 Words   |  7 Pagesindividuals with clean sources of energy and it reduces the impact that it will have on the environment (Why is renewable energy important?) Second, if we use renewable energy then we will have energy for future generations, such as our children and our grandchildren because renewable energy will never run out we will always have it, unlike other sources of energy that will eventually run out (Why is renewable energy important?). Third, renewable energy sources are important for the world’s economyRead MoreCap and Trade: One Solution to Climate Change Essay3918 Words   |  16 PagesCap and Trade: One Solution to Climate Change The threat of climate change in recent years is recognized as a real and potentially catastrophic threat to the health and welfare of our planet, as industrialized nations continue to run their economies by burning carbon into the atmosphere. Recently, it has taken on a larger role in our national media, the public, and the government, as the effects of anthropogenic climate change become more evident. In the United States, for example, the year 2007Read MoreA Brief Note On Cap And Trade System1945 Words   |  8 PagesCap and Trade â€Å"A carbon cap and trade system has long been rumored to be in the offing at the federal level as a way to both reduce emissions and raise revenue for transit, and transportation, investment. That said, few truly understand how the proposed system works and how it might impact their community† (An Introduction to Cap-and-Trade Programs). To better understand what is cap and trade, we have to know why we need to have this system. A long time ago, cap and trade use to be known asRead MoreGovernment Policies And The Targets Of The Policy1530 Words   |  7 Pagesrenewable energy and energy saving technologies (c2es.org). Describe why the environmental issues are either a) important, b) amenable to policy intervention, or c) some balance of the two. Climate change is an important issue because it is vital to the future of the world. Rising levels of greenhouse gases are causing the world to surpass the planetary boundary of climate change. According to the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, â€Å"Rising greenhouse gases are already increasing the risks fromRead MoreWhy A National Carbon Cap And Trade Program Is Missing?1756 Words   |  8 Pages Kun Lou Why a National Carbon Cap-and-Trade Program is Missing? Cap-and-trade is a system designed to reduce emissions. Once a cap of certain emissions is set, companies are allowed to sell their unused portion to ones who exceed the cap. The feature of cap-and-trade is that instead of commanding companies how to reduce their emissions, it simply imposes a cap on emissions1. A company makes it own decision on how to use it allowanceRead MorePrada Ipo or Not Essay1490 Words   |  6 PagesProblem: Prada requires a significant amount of capital both to re-finance debt that is maturing in the next six to twelve months and to finance its intended growth into the Asian (especially Chinese) markets Alternative Solutions: #1) IPO: (Initial Public Offering) Cons: High tax and pricing We received little demand from our (retail) clients for the (Prada) shares. It might be the 12.5 percent tax that scared them away and the pricing itself was expensive when it comparedRead MoreCharacteristics Of A Free Market Economy1548 Words   |  7 PagesPareto optimality, where individuals cannot become more well off others becoming worse off (Hill, 2006). Also, there would be defined legal ownership of all resources and access to free perfect information. There are a number of reasons why market failure in agriculture occurs. One of the reasons is imperfect competition such as monopsony where there are a large number of sellers but only a single buyer. Due to the high buying power of supermarkets such as Tesco, farmer profits can be

How Does IEKA Approach Operations Management Free Essays

string(52) " in understanding the requirement of its customers\." The main purpose of this paper is to focus on the how IKEA Company approached its operation management. Particularly, it covers the following: how the company establish and manage customer requirements, secondly how does these customers requirements used for the company’s product and services, then, third covers the operational systems and processes it used in its operation, fourth consists of capacity planning, process layout, and product services/scheduling, inventory and projects were managed in the organization. And, lastly is on why and how monitoring and evaluation of operation were carried out by the company. We will write a custom essay sample on How Does IEKA Approach Operations Management? or any similar topic only for you Order Now This paper also provides empirical findings and application of relevant theories that will help readers to really understand how the company operates and what relevant theories it applies. Introduction In most companies these days whether it is local or multinational companies, they are always faced with big challenges. Challenges those are sometimes insurmountable to overcome like continuing to be innovative or problems related to cost. These are two of the most common challenges that company continuously faced, but these problems may also be overcome only if the company operates in a way that it focus mainly in its main strength and at the same time focusing on the right market, where they would know that they have the advantage. In this paper with IKEA Company as the main focus, it will give us exactly how typical multinational companies manage to operates. It will include such processes like customer requirements, operations management, monitoring projects and other theories and processes applied in actual operation. This paper also provides some important empirical findings that will help to support the theories and actual strategies applied by the company. Historical Background of IKEA Company. It was not so long after the company founder INGVAR KAMPRAD born in 1926 and just 17 years later after that year, where at a very young age when INGVAR registered the first IKEA Company and this was in July 28, 1943. Actually, the name of the company IKEA stands for (Ingvar Kamprad Elmtaryd Agunnaryd). Couple of years later, the company had its first advertisement through a local newspaper, and then through aggressiveness in the business, Ingvar launched its first fine and modern line of furniture in 1948. Followed by launching of IKEA’s catalogue and first furniture showroom in Sweden in 1951 and 1953 respectively. Four years later, the true concept of the company’s creation of well designed furniture at a very low price started in 1955 and three years later it was the world’s first IKEA store opened. From those early years the company started to grow and number of co-workers and that started to be seen by the company in 1958 and a year after that was the introduction of the company’s self assembly furniture. But, since the company want to make sure that they offered not only low price items, they started to find ways on how quality will be implemented. That is why by 1961, the company started to implement quality testing in all its products. Then the company sees opportunity to expand and by 1963, the company launched their first IKEA store outside Sweden and this is in Norway. Then from their on the company started to grow and stores outside increases and it was first penetrated in the European region. And by the company reaching the 90’s, the company became design oriented which is needed in order to compete, but still the main concept and vision of the company to lower the price and at the same time quality is not out of the plan and it continuously been the advantage of the company. Like in 1997 specifically was the year for children, where the company has developed numerous products for kids and still innovative design continuous to work for the company. And by 2003, through its donations has helped a Swedish hospital to build â€Å"The Kaprad House† which primarily facilitates for cancer patients. How does the organization establish customer requirements? Establishing customer requirements maybe is one of the most important factors for success for any company in the world and whether it is local or multinational business. The main reason is that it mainly focuses on how a company develops the right product. It may very simple to say that it may only be about how the company interviews or provide questionnaires or even conducting surveys just to know the important and appropriate requirement of the customers. The IKEA Concept, 2007. But, actually it is more than that and it takes a lot of effort in performing such activity. That is also the problem with come companies, they would think that establishing customer requirement is easy as like asking them when they visit the shops, stores or even sometimes paying some formal visits does not answers all these and in fact there are customers that would only accomplish survey forms out of persistence by some crews or managers of the shops. And the problem started as when the company started to rely on these requirements and apply some strategies on it, seeing it as the real problem and from there irrelevant solutions were applied and that only adds problem or worsen the problem of the company. In theory, it is said that establishing customer needs or requirements are mainly the job of the marketing department of the company and these group also knows that requirements of customers may come from different aspects in the business. Like one of the aspect is that requirements may come from the attitude of the customer towards the product which is shaped by the experienced by the product itself, like take for instance a product that is known for ore than 2 decades and the customers are well used to it, this means that the attitude of the customers towards that product and the years of experience of the product itself plays a big factor in understanding the requirement of its customers. You read "How Does IEKA Approach Operations Management?" in category "Papers" Secondly it can also be brought about by the opinions or claims of other customers, which is sometimes can also help the company in understanding the need of their customers, but this can only be applicable to products or services that were introduced positively at first, because there are some new or old products that are not well recognized and these products on the other hand are obviously hard to analyzed its customer needs. But there are some more aggressive ways on how to deal with customer requirements and this is through direct selling, these type of business has the greater advantage against the others most of the time. The reason is that they directly work with the customers and the business units are the ones asking what they need and from there, the direct seller provides what best fit to their needs. Lastly is that company relies on advertising, this happens when the company introduce new product to the market or sometimes before they introduce to the market by just letting them aware of the product that will be soon launched. From the result of public acceptance based from the popularity ratings of the advertisement, the company would then based it and later used it as a basis for customer requirement. But the latter is sometimes dangerous and drastic because sometimes the company maybe mislead on the popularity of the advertisement which sometimes does not reflect on the actual sales of the product. Other theory that needs to be well followed in order to accomplish better requirement gathering is that company must understand that there are three important factors that need to be considered in establishing requirement of customers and these are in the form of questions: †¢Who buys the product? †¢What they actually buy? And most importantly, how they buy? And these three questions can also directly address the important concern of customer satisfaction. Like in terms of who buys it, this pertains to the type of customer that would possibly and those who will definitely buy the product. For customers that will definitely buy the product, there should be a separate strategy that will be applied to them like may be giving them some small perks like through discounts maybe eno ugh since these customers are considered the loyal ones. While for those customers that are potential and have the probability of buying the product, strategy may be more aggressive like giving them discounts or even focusing on designs or even giving additional perks for buyers may also be used to strategize new and potential customers. Secondly, focusing on what the customers actually buy is one question that companies must look into in establishing requirements. In this question, the main focus is on closely understanding what the customers really like; these can be brought about by latest trends or specific needs for specific type of customers. For most company’s the latter seems to be easily been addressed by companies as they can easily study such requirements, but what is hard for companies to anticipate are the trends that may come and for companies they only compete by who among them can be the first one to introduce that trend to the market. But sometimes these does not give any assurance on them, what makes it more lasting impact is on how the company the company provide not only just the trend but also quality and in terms of price in order for customers to really appreciate the product itself. Lastly in terms of how they buy, this pertains to how accessible and availability of the product t the customers. This is also been a big factor in establishing requirements because there are times that products have the best quality and the price is within the budget, but due to availability of stocks and availability to the customers, it became a driving force for customer not to buy the product and instead they would settle to change their preference and that becomes the problem of some companies. This means that consistencies is always a challenge as well, companies should always remember that if they offer such quality and sure to be a hit product for their customers, it does not stop there and the company itself should be prepared and be able to be up for the challenge to produce as many products as it can in order to address the demand for the product or services that they offer. That is why it is also important to address customer requirements because it also helps in understanding its target customer. 2 For IKEA, a company that in everyday they operate, understanding and establishing customer requirement is essential. Establishing Customer needs, n. d. The reason mainly is that they provide products that should always look into the needs of their different types of customers. But, even though the needs may come differently and uniquely, depending either on designs, price or even space or combination of both or all of the products. As the main vision of the company mainly focuses on how to provide better life for its customers and this is through their two main company objective and that is to provide as much as possible wide variety of products to choose from and at the same time prices that are low that surely they can afford. As based from its main vision, it obviously follows that the company’s main concept is to really provide low prices home furnishing products. This concept started when INGVAR KAMPRAD an entrepreneur from Smaland province in southern part of Sweden had an innovative idea in mind. As an entrepreneur he found out that in order to be successful in the business, he saw that most people live simple and they live their life frugally and they really work hard. This only shows that people would only buy things that are important on them and majority of the people would consider buying not so luxurious and high price things. That is why from that observation, he made an impression that in order to satisfy these highly hard working customers to buy the products and be able to compete well in the market. That is why from that observation, he made an impression that in order to satisfy these highly hard working customers to buy the products and be able to compete well in the market. Then, what he did was an approach to find ways on how to provide not only quality products but also providing them with a lot of choices and most specially the price is low, which customers will surely find way to fit on their budget and that is until now the trademark of the company that is why they became popular anywhere they operate in the world. That is why with this technique or strategy that was applied by the company since the time when the company actually started. These were also the effective strategy that the company applied and has been a very effective way. This is true in fact even up to now that companies must understand that the need of the customer should still be satisfied and in order to do this there should be well consideration not only on the basic functionality of the product but also taking into consideration on the price and quality of the product. 3 This only shows that the company from the beginning knows what it takes to be in the business and how they can actually address the concerns and requirements of their customers. And from this concept by its founder and entire workforce that are working for the company, it was easy for the company to just innovate and be flexible on the different needs of their customers since the foundation were well established. And since the company were jointly managed by group of owners around the world, they also kept in mind that the way they operates like specifically how they establish requirements must be in line with the global concept and practice of the company which is still starts with products that are not only quality but also sold in a very low price. That is why for any additional requirements like in terms of additional functionality designs and even in terms of price are mainly comes from the actual conversation and interaction by the customers themselves through the store co-workers. Even the actual store arrangement and presentation becomes a focal point in establishing customer requirements. How are customer requirements translated into products/services? It is true that establishing customer requirement does not stop there and what the company needs to do is to translate these requirements into actual product or services. For most companies these has also become a major problem, maybe not just because of the problem that some companies may established the wrong requirements or it is just company’s translate the required products or services wrongfully. 3 The IKEA Concept, 2007. Most specially customers these days are very intelligent and they easily shift their preference and what makes it difficult these days is that there are a lot of products to choose from and one wrong move can give a lot of impact for the business and that is something that company’s must look into closely. There are actually many theories that can be applied in carefully and effectively translating customer requirements into products or services, But among the many theories, there is one important theory that focuses on how products are being planned before it actually delivers to the customers and this is what is being called as product planning framework. In this model or framework it shows that for companies to be successful in converting requirements into products or services. In this approach it also tackles the over-all company strategy that should also be included in the actual development of the product and not just the requirement alone. Because there are instances that the company over-prioritize on the certain aspect in the product planning where in fact it does not only need to separately prioritize but also have to manage how the different factors relate to one another. Needs, 2004) In it shows that it is not only the detailed requirement alone is important, instead it should be well collaborated with the other factors or aspects of product planning. And it all starts with understanding first the company strategy; these should be the starting point and then it follows by three collaborative processes which include competitive business environment, which involves a careful understanding on how the company understand the way it should perform in order to be competitive and not just develop a product or service that only performs the basic requirement of the customers instead it should be developed to address competitiveness, secondly in the group of process after understanding the main corporate strategy is the market dynamics, at this point company’s must also look into the different trends and market situations which may also become a major factor in the business. Companies must look into the way market is moving and sensitivity towards these aspect gives a lot of leverage for the company even by the time of planning in the development of the product. Then, the third and last part of the three collaborative processes is de velopment capabilities; this includes the identification of the company’s capabilities of developing the actual product. This situation also a big impact for some companies because there are companies that even though they already identified and studied the market dynamics and the competitive business environment, eventually they found out that they have no capability or capacity to do it, so what they need to do is to just focus on planning to develop some products that are within their capacity to developed. These three processes are also considered as market opportunity filter. Architecture and long –term roadmap come next, which focuses mainly on how the product can be developed product policy and goals which is very important in terms of establishing long-term success of the product. There are also other factors that it really focuses like corporate or division value added, core technology applied and other aspect that mainly focuses on the long-term success of the product. Detailed user requirements or product definition comes next, where at this point, these only includes the detailed understanding of users needs and all the information that it supports which includes the things that were presented above, like information regarding what customers wants, who actually buy the product and how they buy it. This information will then be used for establishing a business case which will mainly use in providing a study that will be use to support the feasibility of the product development and lastly is the process of execution, which involves the actual generation of the product or services. But this may be applicable and useful to some products or services that are well established in the industry or companies that already has its name and just continuous to explore for new opportunities. The reason is that there are many failures that may be encountered by companies who are introducing new product in the market. One of the most common reason is that since they don’t have establish customer awareness and their data are sometimes not reliable and just follows current market trends. It shows that there are also some important factors that need to be carefully addressed by new companies or companies introducing new product lines in the market. These also show that there are many cases that can contribute the ineffectiveness of translating customer requirements into product or service development. 4 For IKEA, in terms of translating customer requirements into products and services, it has always been the main focus of the company and this is perform by the company through what the company called as IKEA’s Main Range. As most companies would also envy how the company operates and how they still provide low price products even though there are a lot of economic problems that are happening. But, the main reason why the company continues to survived and still keep up with quality and price is though its what they called as IKEA Range. IKEA range refers to the formula on how the business operates and it all starts with its main concept of producing low price products plus their effective production method that continuously been the priority which gives big boost for the company since it is the major cost centered activities of the company and lastly but definitely not the least is with the innovative ideas and minds of their people that up to now becomes a major concern driving force in the success of the company as well. But basically there are four basic factors how the IKEA range actually performs and translates customer requirements and these includes: profile, design, functionality and the strategy they do for lowering the price of its product. In terms of profile, the company continues to target the fundamental activities in every home such as eating, sleeping, storing items and socializing but the company always makes sure that their products based on these basic activities they always have to consider the l imited budget and space of most of its customers. In other words, the company always strives to provide a product that first satisfies 4 Driving Product Development with Customer Needs, 2004 the basic needs of their customers based on the standard activities in everyone’s homes and then consider the tight budget and limited space of homes of the customers. In terms of design, just like in the profile, designers of the company are always task to provide innovative ideas that comprises of new and innovative designs and at the same time address low cost production cost, which may result to low price for their customers. Even though this is a big challenge for designers, still they manage to produce products that are not only stylish but also at low cost to produced and sell. These are two of the main secret of the company, they always find better ways on how they can lower the production cost through better designs, because for them is they will still produce better design with low production cost, they can leverage against the competition and that gives both benefit for the company and most specially for their customers. In terms of functionality, the companies always look into beyond the basic functionality of its products. It constantly seeks value to its products, and with that it also implements strict quality assurance, in order for their customers not to say that their products are not just low price and style but also durable. This only shows that the functionality of products through quality is an essential part of IKEA’s business and this should not compromise cost. In terms of low price products, the company has implemented this strategy by providing a wide range of choices. With the many choices that they offered, there will definitely be a choice of the customers that is fit for their budget and not just a fit in the space they have in their homes. The company does not compete on a per item basis, they compete in terms of prices through selections and wide range of designs and functionality of products that they offered and this is an added advantage of the company. And as how the company perform its actual way of translating customer requirements into actual product development or services and as based on the concept that were presented earlier, it clearly stated that there are clear evidence that IKEA stick with its corporate strategy to offer products that are not only affordable but also has quality. This known requirements where further enhanced by innovative design by their designers that still carefully addresses the needs of the customers. What operational systems and processes are in place to satisfy the Product/service requirements of customers? It is true that there are different processes or systems that need to be implemented by company in order to institutionalize the way on how the company satisfies product or services requirements. Because there are times where other company apply different ways on how they manage requirements and these results to inconsistencies in the information that the company generates. And in order for these very essential requirements not going to waste, company’s should create a well defined process on how not only keep it but more importantly satisfy these requirements through implementation of the right processes and systems. For IKEA, the main idea for the company is to really see on how the store nationwide performs the business and these are again based from the company’s IKEA range. In the presented process by the company IKEA above, it uniquely showed that the company again mainly focuses on satisfying customer requirements through finding any possible ways on how they can offer only the best and well designed products which is mainly the start and end of its processes. The first one as being the standard designs of the products that ere studied by the company and the last one as the added inspirational designs, which mainly focuses however on the innovative ideas that comes only from their senior designers, but what is important here is that these designers stills looks into the main global strategy of the company. While the one that separates the first and last activities in the process is with regards to finding the best production method that has also become the secret key for success of the company. This is because through these well designed production method, it gives the company enough leverage in applying cost for its products. And all these three main processes is equivalent to IKEAS Unique process in satisfying customer needs. In fact there is even some strategy that the company implemented in the design of its stores globally that also added to the company’s success globally. To add on their very unique and very effective concept in operating the business, the company stores around the world operates in a way that inspire all its customer on the real life look of the rooms and homes, this is in order for them to really see the real look of the products once it’s installed. With big space stores that the company offers from its customers, and actually encourage taking their time and letting them feel comfortable within the store. Letting the customers actually sit, lie down, open and close drawers in their products, it adds more value for their customers since they can actually feel, see and hold on the products. Added to that is the assigned workers that is always ready to assist the guest if they need additional information, most specially some technical details. With the 9,500 different designs and products to choose from, it definitely provides an excellent travel experience and that gives customers a big possibility that there is always a product that’s right for them, either in terms of budget or in terms of space. 5 In fact there are also proofs that a show that these process has become an effective way on how the company continuously grows not only in terms of sales or revenues but also in terms of stores and visitors that visited every store it operates in the world. First, in terms of sales there was a consistent increase in sales from the time the company started up to 2007, which means that no matter what and how big economic issues that comes in the global economy, IKEA still manage to perform well and with its unique process in satisfying the needs of the customer, sales are always increasing. In terms of number of visitors that visited the stores worldwide, it also shows that number also increases which means that customer awareness is improving and this also improves the company’s global sales. And with its 200 stores around the world and more than 450 million visitors annually. This only shows that the company’s stores and its products are well recognized. And the company where very aggressive in expanding its business globally, in order to serve its clients better. With these figures that were presented, it only proves that the company with its unique process of satisfying the needs of their customers, it shows that they continually become very effective and most of their customers are really satisfied about the process and how they are being given the right attention by the company as a whole. Particularly in terms of the increasing number of visitors and the continuous huge increase in sales of the company. How are capacity planning, process layout, product/service scheduling, Inventory, and projects, managed in the organization? In order for any company performs not only based from the company’s current needs but also the future and included to those are some unexpected requirements, capacity planning is definitely important. Actually in theory there are three main steps for capacity planning, and these are: (1) company needs to determine service level requirements, (2) the company must analyze current capacity, and lastly, (3) company must plan for the future. For most cases that problem usually is in the second and third. It is because of the reason that most companies usually understand what are the things that they need to do, but the problem is that either they know that they are not capable of performing their assignments but keeps on getting some just for the greediness of getting some just to increase revenues or sometimes there are companies that really doesn’t know what their capacity are, and what happen is that when they actually perform the actual projects then they found out that they are short in resources. Also, there are issues that comes in the third step, where most companies both understand their projects and effectively knows their capacity but still failed due to lack of anticipations or not being ready to instant demand in the market and this eventually resulted to failure as well. 6 In terms of process layout, process scheduling, inventory and managing project in the organization, there are only two ways that can mainly classified a company and these are either centralized or decentralized process. Centralized process arises when processes from the different branch or stores of one global company follows the same global process and actually performs the process consistently. While the decentralize process involves an autonomy for each branch to perform their own process, but still follows the top main process. This can also be 6 How to do Capacity Planning, 2007. known today as matrix type of organization. For IKEA it actually performs centralize and decentralize way of operation or the company called it as for-profit and non-profit way of operation. Even though it was originated in Sweden, the company operated in a very unique approach, since it’s main operation is subdivided into two parts: (1)non-profit, and (2) for profit operations, where the latter or the main INGKA Foundation is located in Leiden in the Netherlands. Or in other way of representing it, the company structure may be look into as two different parts and these are: mainly operations and the other one is franchising. Just to segregate the two, majority of the operations which covers management of the majority of its stores worldwide, design and production factories of furniture as well as the purchasing of supplies are done and centrally managed by the INGKA Holdings, which is among the 36 countries it operates it manages the 235 stores worldwide while around 30 remaining stores are managed by the different franchises outside the INGKA Holdings. Also, the INGKA Holdings is not also owned by a single owner or company instead it is owned by Stitching INGKA Foundation which was established by its owner, Kamprad in 1982 and that started the strategy of the company to have applied the company for non-profit organization. This non-profit organization is managed by five members where INGKVAR as Chairman and included as members is his wide and lawyers. With its tax avoidance strategy in 2004, the company profit is taxed and at the same time for the owners, Kamprad and his family cannot get profits directly instead they do collect a portion of its sales from the franchising agreement between them and their partners. But even with these very unique and sometimes classified as complex way of operation by the company, the over-all company that still manages the overall process is again handled by the INGKA Holdings, like in terms of capacity planning, process improvements and others are still in the authority and supervision of the holdings. This only means that even though the company is owned by everal owners in the different countries, still in terms of the over-all operations and processes, the mother company which is the INGKA Holdings is the one manages it. Explain why and how monitoring and evaluation of operations are carried out As based from the discussion that were presented above regarding how the company globally operates, it only shows that obviously the way the company monitors are also manage by the main company and that is the INGKA Holdings, but for franchisee’s they primarily have the authority to manage their own branch but they need to follow the global IKEA process which is mandated by the Holdings. Even in monitoring the way on how the company’s foundation is also doing is also managed centrally. But, even though this was a strategy that were applied by the company and even though it creates complexity to some since every stores may be under the INGKA Holdings or being managed as franchised, the company as a whole still has provided a well deserve recognition that it deserves to be commended as a company that provides importance to the environment and world change. This is through INGKA’s Foundations, with its focus on innovative interior design and architecture has been recognized as the world’s largest charitable institution with a net worth of $33 billion, beating the well known and richest couple in the world Bill and Melinda Gates. But, even though the foundation net worth is huge, it does not reflect the real amount it actually gives or donates unlike its counterpart. This was proven as report in 2005 shows that the company not only focuses in its own home country Sweden, specifically the Lund Institute of Technology with an amount donated of $1. 7 million. This is far low against the donations that Gates Family has given which reaches a huge amount of $1. 5 billion in the same year. Even though the company has been in the forefront of many projects for a cause like the following: (1) A Euro for every toy sold in 2006 for UNICEF which accumulates to 1. 75 million Euros. (2) In the 2005 Tsunami, KEA Australia agreed to match dollar for dollar co-workers donations and donated all sales of the IKEA Blue Bag to the cause. 3) Pakistan Earthquake in 2006, IKEA gave 120,000 blankets. (4) Lastly, it provided furniture for more than 100,000 bridge schools for both India and Liberia. 7 Summary In this paper, it shows that IKEA even though the way it operates seem to be complex and difficult to understand, still the company performs its operation effectively . This is mainly brought about by their unique way of establishing and at the same time satisfying customer needs. With the company’s main focus on developing products that are not only with quality and most of all products that are low in price and added to that the wide variety of designs to choose from has made the company a best choice for customers worldwide. This has also been an effective drive for the company success, because internally, they always focus on how they can think of developing effective production method and highly innovative designs and that gives them better leverage against their competitors worldwide that even franchisers finds complex doing business, still they were enticed with the continuous increase in growth sales of the firm. Recommendations As based from the study there are only two main recommendations that should be focus by the company in order to strengthen the success of the company. First, it is more on establishing a more concrete and straightforward global operations and the second is for the company to increase its support for the charity since that was the main purpose of being a foundation since there was a tremendous criticism that even though that the INGKA Foundation has a huge net worth. How to cite How Does IEKA Approach Operations Management?, Papers

Saturday, April 25, 2020

The Loss Of Innocence Essays (1131 words) - , Term Papers

The Loss Of Innocence Tired, hungry and wanting to go home The Loss of innocence Orientation, introduction, moving in classes, fraternity exams midterm finals, all flying by with the roar of drag car screaming past you on the side. That is how this past semester has felt like. So far everything has been a blur, tunnel visioned towards the end that is now wider as I start to comprehend all of the emotions and information from this past semester. Sitting here in front of my computer finishing on of the last essays I will write this semester about the thing that I have done this semester. Tired, hungry and wanting to go home have been the reoccurring themes so far in my college career. At the outset of college, orientation, I was not so thrilled. Number one because Mason likes most everyone else was my second choice. I had hope to get into UVA but I knew my grade point average went to *censored* my senior year and it wasnt going to happen. So here I am sitting I the theater in the basement of Johnson Center listening to some old guy, whose brown suede jacket and bright pink shirt are making me dizzy, go on and on about the honor code. Dont cheat, gees thats a new concept. The night finished up with some cheesy get to know you class dance and sleeping in the dorms at Wilson. Ah the smell of stagnant air that had not been circulated in four months. Combine that with a super soft sinking mattress and one can image the kind of sleep I got. It made staying home and working at Wal-Mart looking more and more like a wise career move. Move in day. Hot, lines of people and once again hot. As I sat there in traffic fanning my self I could see the air before me blur from the invisible rising heat off of the asphalt. A sense of relief washes over me though when I find that I am to be living in the new dorms. Three gorgeous sorority girls, who help carry my stuff to my room, greet me the minute I get out of the car. I get in meet my room mated whom appears to be, and as I would soon find out, to be a pretty normal guy. My parents leave after what seems of hours of kissing and hugging and I am on my own. The sun goes down and along with it my childhood. The rising tide of adulthood Monday morning comes around and so does first day of classes. Not so bad in fact hey seemed damned easy, college was going to be a piece of cake. The first weekend came along and with it the start of what I would learn to become known as Rush. All the fraternities through these awesome parties over the course of the next few weekend in the hoe of getting us freshmen to pledge. The one I finally settled on, Phi Kappa Theta, made fraternity life seem like heaven. They were first with grades, mandatory study times, and every one of their parties I left with an alcoholics smile on my face and hot girl on my arm. What guys could pass up an opportunity for something like that. And besides I knew what fraternities were all about I had watch Animal House hundreds of times. Have you ever been in the top of a bunk bed and fallen out? Well that is what it is like pledging for a fraternity. You go from being treated like a king by the Brothers to become slaves overnight. And while I never did anything against my morals some things did get on my nerves, such as the first time I got called out for a pack of cigarettes in the middle of the night the day before I had a seven thirty class. Events on the weekdays will go till four in the morning, which is what will really test your nerves. But it was all worth it, in so many ways. While some of the stuff seemed ridiculous and repetitive it did several good things. It gave me the closest group of friends, my pledge brothers.