Hannahs Ice Creeam free essay sample

Background Information Ike Telloni always wanted to start his own business; he completed a Commerce program at the University of Ottawa and later moved on to work for the Waterloo Ice Cream Company. Ike worked at the company as a sales representative and then a regional marketing director but after working there for ten years he wanted to find a job where he could be close to family. So he bought a business that was for sale in Elgin Beach’s main street called Hannah’s Ice Cream. This forty year business was an icon in the town, everyone loved it and reason for that was because of how Hannah (the owner) treated her employees, she made sure they were happy at work and listened to what they had to say. However once the business had landed in the hands of Ike things started to go downhill, revenues and profits were down and the employee turnover was very high. We will write a custom essay sample on Hannahs Ice Creeam or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This was because the employees did not work well under Ike’s management method; they found him to be very unfriendly and hard to work for. Being overwhelmed with all the work Ike promoted Nafeeza Shafie, an employee of five years to assistant manager. Hearing about the competition Ike was facing with the new ice cream shop opening up he approached Nafeeza and asked her to create a marketing plan to win over the town on Canada Day. Nafeeza worked hard and did as she was told and created a whole campaign to get the attention of the community, she had asked Ike to submit the advertisement to the newspaper but he forgot and as a result Hannah’s Ice Cream had nothing to do for the Canada Day celebration letting down the community. Step 1 – Identify and Define the Problem The problem in this situation was Ike’s management style, he did not know how to treat his employees and motivate them. This was evident when he yelled at his workers because he thought that was the only way they would learn, and loudly criticized their work by calling them names, and to make it worse Ike cancelled the employee bonus programs such as the weekly improvement meetings, picnics and etc. which less motivated the workers to put in extra effort. Another problem Ike had was the fact that he worked at home more than at the actual business and because of this he didn’t know what was going on and he didn’t have a good relationship with the employees. Also the other ice cream shop opening up in town will cause competition which could be a create problem in the future profits as well as steal Nafeeza the assistant manager. All of these problems resulted in the greatest one of all which was the loss of profits and revenue. Step 2 – Generate and Evaluate Alternative Courses of Action One way to deal with the situation at hand would be to sell the business by doing this Ike will receive some money that he could use however he would not get the total amount he paid for because the business is not as profitable as it was before. However by selling it does mean Ike would no longer have to deal with any more management issues, but it does show him as giving up and not giving his all. Another drawback of this plan is not only does Ike loose his dream of having his own business but he also will have no other source of income or employment which means he would have to start looking for a new job. Another course of action that can be taken is Ike can change his management style this will make the employees work harder and be more respectful toward Ike and if the workers are treated right they will be happy which means they will be more productive and that could cause the business to create a greater profit. An issue that arises from this solution is first Ike must realize that the way he is treating the employees is not correct. Even after he has realized it might be hard for him to change his personality, it could take a lot of time and effort, which Ike has to be willing to put in. One last solution to this problem could be to give more responsibility to Nafeeza by promoting her to manager, this could work because she has been working at Hannah’s Ice Cream for five years and it was said that the other employees respect her and enjoy working with her. Therefore if the employees are comfortable with whom they are working for they will perform better and that will result in the business running better. However some disadvantages of this solution are Ike might not feel comfortable giving up his position as manager to someone younger than him, also it would cost more money for the business because Nafeeza’s salary would have to increase because she at a higher position with more responsibility. Step 3 – Decide on a Preferred Course of Action The best solution to this problem would have to be for Ike to change his style of management. He will have to work on being more kind and friendly to the employees and make sure he listens to what they have to say. By Ike doing all this it will make the employees a lot happier which will result in them being more productive and efficient at work and they will want to give it their best because soon realize that their boss is putting in an effort to make it a good workplace for them. This will be effective because as mentioned it was Hannah’s kindness towards the employees that made then work hard and attract customers, therefore if Ike can work on his management style there is no doubt that Hannah’s Ice Cream can get back on his feet and be better than ever. This is definitively an optimizing decision because after researching and evaluating all the other solutions this seems to be the one that has the most potential that can have the greatest impact on the business with low costs and with a low time period. Step 4 – Implement the Decision Once the best solution has been made a method must be made on how to get it into action. To get this solution working Ike should talk to Nafeeza and apologize to her for his irresponsible behaviour of not getting the advertisement to the newspaper and letting all her hard work go to waste. After that he should talk to her about how they could work together to change his management style. Ike should always ask Nafeeza her thoughts on how to get the business going again and ask her to help solve the problem because after she is the assistant manager. It will also be idea for Ike and Nafeeza to work on creating another marketing campaign to make up for that last one which did not occur on Canada Day. Next thing Ike should do is call a meeting with all his employees and apologize for his very rude behaviour and let them know that he will be returning all the employee programs such as picnics, extra pay and employee meetings. Also he should let them know about how he is going to work on getting more profits and as well as ask them for their opinion on how the business can increase their revenues. Some things Ike can do personally to improve his management style is he could take a course at a local university or collage on management so he could better enhance his understanding and improve his skills. Ike should also work on spending more time at the business rather than at home, so that he builds a better relationship with the employees also so that he is more aware of what is going on in the business. One last thing Ike could do is work on a reward system for his employees so that they are motivated to work hard. Step 5 – Evaluate Results This step is used to see if the chosen solution is achieving the desired results and solving the problem. To make sure the results are achieved for this problem Ike must enrol himself in a management course to improve his management system and continue to hold the employee meetings about two to three meetings a month to discuss on how to improve and make better working conditions. Ike should also continue to have reward system for his employees so that they are motivated which could be selecting an employee of the month. Another important action Ike needs to do is create the new marketing campaign with Nafeeza so that they can start attracting customers. If the employees are working hard and profits are high Ike should reward them by hosting a picnic for the employees and their families. If these actions are continued by Ike and the employees in a few months the profits and revenue should start to increase and Hannah’s Ice Cream will be as profitable as it was before.

Fight Club Masculinity Essay Example

Fight Club Masculinity Essay Example Fight Club Masculinity Paper Fight Club Masculinity Paper Essay Topic: Fight Club Novel Chuck Palahniuk’s Fight Club is the story of a man struggling to find himself. The main character, a nameless narrator, is clearly unhappy with his life. He obsessively fakes diseases and attends support group sessions as a way to deal with his hopelessness. Obsessive behaviors often lead to unfavorable events if they are interrupted (Lizardo). Just as it seems the support groups have brought him to a form of equilibrium, they are interrupted by a fellow faker. His inability to treat his restlessness by attending these support groups drives the narrator to shocking extremes. As the text continues, it becomes obvious that the narrator’s true struggle lies within his efforts to find a form of masculinity that best suits him. Many men in today’s society are in search of what it means to be a man (Connell). The many definitions for masculinity create an abundance of confusion for an individual searching for its meaning (Franklin). Palahniuk uses the two most prominent characters in Fight Club to demonstrate males in pursuit of the ideal form of masculinity. This paper will discuss how he deconstructs their efforts using the four themes of masculinity. The commonly cited gender-role model states that there are four major masculine themes that men struggle to maintain. The first theme is â€Å"No Sissy Stuff† (Kahn). This theme encourages men to distance themselves from femininity, any type of heterosexism toward gay men, and to avoid showing any emotion. It is also demonstrated by men who simply don’t do what women do. Men who follow this theme reject anything that is perceived as threatening to masculinity (Brubaker). â€Å"Be a Big Wheel† establishes the second theme. This theme suggests that masculinity is the dominance and power over others. : Wealth, status, and physical space are some examples of how this form of masculinity is exerted onto others. Men who are unable to achieve the Big Wheel status are often left feeling powerless and discouraged (Kahn). The third theme is called â€Å"The Sturdy Oak. † This theme involves men who need to be independent and self reliant. They, like an oak tree, must remain unaffected by weather and conditions (Kahn). This includes having control over their emotions. Men relating to this theme must always be seen as reliable. Men who embody this these usually distance themselves from others and have difficulty maintaining meaningful relationships (Brubaker). The final theme is â€Å"Give’em Hell. † Men who model this theme feel the need to be courageous risk-takers (Brubaker). Followers of this theme do so in a variety of ways. Some resort to violence at the risk to themselves and others, while many use a form of perseverance to align themselves with this masculine ideal. Men following this theme will do almost anything to ensure their belief of masculinity is met (Kahn). It is difficult, if not impossible, for a man to achieve all four forms of masculinity; however, it does not stop men from trying (Brubaker). The men in Fight Club use these four forms of masculinity to measure their identities as males (Kahn). Most men are in pursuit of a concept known as hegemonic masculinity. Hegemonic masculinity is the form of masculinity that society believes most strongly (Lusher, Dean, and Robins). Given these four forms of masculinity, we know that society does not support one superior form of masculinity above others (Kahn). Therefore, men who attempt to achieve hegemonic masculinity are unable to do so. The characters in Fight Club, like men in our society, are in the pursuit of hegemonic masculinity. The following characters will demonstrate some of the struggles during their pursuit. Narrator The most prominent character in Fight Club is the narrator. By keeping the narrator an unnamed character, Palahniuk allows the audience to participate in the creation of the character’s identity. It is important to recognize that the reader’s perceptions also play a role when identifying the masculine traits the narrator is trying to display. As the reader progresses through the text, the narrator changes his beliefs, values, behaviors, and attitudes several times. It becomes obvious that the narrator has changed his theme of masculinity at least three times throughout the text. These changes in his identity surface as a direct result from his pursuit of hegemonic masculinity. In order to effectively monitor the narrators movement from one masculine theme to the next, moving through the text in chronological order of events will be most efficient. That is, even though the first chapter of the book is describing the ending, the narrator’s first theme of masculinity is portrayed in chapter two. Chapter two is when Palahniuk begins to describe the narrator’s first theme of masculinity. In chapter two, the narrator is attending a support group called Remaining Men Together. This support group is the only thing that provides comfort for the narrator as he suffers from insomnia. Remaining Men Together is a support group for men with testicular cancer. At the beginning of this chapter, his actions are almost anti-masculine as he interacts with his fellow members. He is literally pretending to have no balls, which are usually used as a man’s most prominent display of masculinity (Boon, and Alexander). He also shows deep emotion by crying into the breasts of his fellow male member, Bob. The narrator quickly changes his behavior when he discovers a young woman, Marla, watching him at Remaining Men Together. After two years of being able to cry and express himself at this support group, the narrator is interrupted. He is unable to cry with Marla watching. He immediately establishes the â€Å"Be a Big Wheel† theme of masculinity in order to preserve his spot at the support group. Her arms squeezed tight against her sides, and my lips pressed against her ear, I’ll say, Marla, you big fake, you get out. † â€Å"The next time we meet, I’ll say, Marla, I can’t sleep with you here. I need this. Get out. † The narrator is trying to exert his dominance and power over Marla in order to obtain his right to be at Remaining Men Together. As the novel moves on, the narrator is very discouraged and begins to suffer from his insomnia once again. The â€Å"Be a Big Wheel† theme states that men who are unable to achieve the â€Å"Big Wheel† status are often left feeling powerless and discouraged (Kahn). This would hold true for the narrator. His inability to stop Marla from attending the support groups leads to negotiations that ultimately do not satisfy his need for relief. He is forced to find another way to treat his insomnia. Just as all hope seems lost, the narrator meets Tyler Durden and asks him to â€Å"deliver him from being perfect and complete† (Palahniuk). At first, Tyler and his philosophies help the narrator find another release for his suffering. Together they invent Fight Club. During this period of the book, the narrator begins to follow the â€Å"Give’em Hell† masculine theme. The narrator attends multiple Fight Club meetings and begins to stray away from the support groups he used to attend. At Fight Club, he directly models the â€Å"Give’em Hell† theme by resorting to violence at the risk to himself and others in order to display his masculinity (Kahn, Brubaker). During the hours of Fight Club, he and his fellow members become different people and present their masculinities in ways they never have. Who guys are in Fight Club is not who they are in the real world. Even if you told the kid in the copy center that he had a good fight, you wouldn’t be talking to the same man. † Shortly after its invention, the narrator’s behaviors shown at Fight Club begin to carry over to his day to day life. The narrator’s transformation to the â€Å"Give’em Hell† theme is complete. Just as the narrator begins to feel happy and content, Tyler hits an extreme, so the narrator no longer feels comfortable participating. Tyler invented another group outside of Fight Club called Project Mayhem. When Project Mayhem takes a turn for the worst, the narrator switches his masculine theme, yet again, to stop Tyler. As Tyler and Project Mayhem take a turn for the worst, the narrator becomes suspicious. Then, without any warning, Tyler disappears. While Tyler is absent, the narrator investigates Project Mayhem and searches for answers about Tyler Durden. During his expedition, he takes on the â€Å"Sturdy Oak† masculine theme. He is acting upon his own free will for the first time since he met Tyler. He will do what he must in order to find Tyler and stop Project Mayhem. The narrator’s acts of independency and control over his emotions mirror the â€Å"Be a Sturdy Oak† theme (Kahn). As the narrator gets closer to finding the truth about Tyler, Tyler presents himself. At this moment, the narrator discovers that, all along, Tyler has been a figment of his imagination. The narrator is schizophrenic. Ordinarily, this discovery would yield a great deal of emotion. The narrator, however, remains the â€Å"Sturdy Oak† and tries to analyze the situation without emotion and take control. â€Å" This is a dream. Tyler is a projection. He’s a dis- associative personality disorder. A psychogenic fugue state. Tyler Durden is my hallucination. † The narrator ends the film using the â€Å"Sturdy Oak† theme. In order to stop Project Mayhem, he took control of his emotions. He acted independently of Tyler, and shot himself in order to kill Tyler. This act ultimately ended his struggle for hegemonic masculinity because the narrator has in essence has chosen to be the â€Å"Sturdy Oak. † As the narrator progresses through each of these themes, he is in a constant battle to find hegemonic masculinity. The gender-role model of masculinity states that no man is likely to achieve all four masculine themes (Kahn). The narrator, however, comes dangerously close to achieving all four themes. Palahniuk created an extremely complex character by allowing the unnamed narrator to change his masculine identity several times throughout the text. Tyler Tyler is created by the narrator to fill a void in the narrator’s life. The narrator’s dissatisfaction with every aspect of his personality is somehow contrasted by Tyler’s. As the narrator and Tyler interact, the narrator begins to mirror Tyler’s behaviors and philosophies. It seems the narrator created his own mentor. During Fight Club, Tyler taught the narrator how to be a man. Over time, he also showed the narrator what kind of man he did not want to become. Palahniuk’s creation of Tyler’s character is far less complex than the narrator. Unlike the narrator, Tyler remains steady and consistent with one of the four themes of masculinity. Everything he does can be considered risk-taking behavior; and he definitely uses violence to ensure his belief of masculinity is met. Tyler models the â€Å"Give’em Hell† theme of masculinity for the entire text (Kahn). Starting with the creation of Fight Club, Tyler believes all of the narrator’s problems can be solved by â€Å"hitting rock bottom† (Palahniuk). â€Å"Only through destroying myself can I discover the great power of my spirit. † â€Å"We really won’t die. This isn’t really death, we’ll be legend. We won’t grow old. Tyler’s belief in destruction throughout the entire book is how he demonstrates his masculinity. He completes, what he thinks are, courageous acts to ensure his belief of masculinity is met. This also demonstrates the â€Å"Give’em Hell† theme of masculinity (Brubaker). In contrast, the narrator was unable to exert any form of masculinity into his life until he created Tyler’s influence. After the invention of Fight Club, the narrator continued to learn how to be the man he wanted to be. This is shown when the narrator and his fellow Fight Club members seem to be satisfied with their masculinity. After Project Mayhem starts, however, the narrator becomes agitated and acts out in defiance toward Tyler’s version of the â€Å"Give’em Hell† form of masculinity. Tyler begins to step outside of the parameters of this theme and the narrator is noticeably uncomfortable. In the narrator’s eyes, Tyler makes the transition from the perfect man- â€Å"I love everything about Tyler Durden, his courage and his smarts. His nerve. Tyler if funny and charming and forceful and independent, and men look up to him and expect him to change their world. Tyler is capable and free, and I am not. † to insane and out of control- It has to be big, Picture this: you on top of the world’s tallest building, the whole building taken over by Project Mayhem. Smoke rolling out the windows. Desks falling into the crowds on the street. A real opera of a death, that’s what you’re going to get. † The narrator is then seen as the protagonist, trying to eliminate Tyler, the antagonist, and his drastic actions. In the end, the narrator shoots himself hoping the bullet will result in Tyler’s death, and ultimately the death of Tyler’s new form of masculinity. Ironically, the narrator once wanted this form of masculinity for himself. It is in this moment, when Tyler is eliminated, the narrator has found the theme that, to him, best demonstrates hegemonic masculinity. Even though Tyler’s character becomes an extremest, his core values that drive his behavior are still set within the parameters of the â€Å"Give’em Hell† theme of masculinity. All the way through the text until his eventual â€Å"death†, he remains a violent risk-taker who will do anything to ensure his alignment to this masculine theme. His behavior, although unorthodox, was a form of the â€Å"Give’em Hell† theme (Kahn). Conclusion Chuck Palahniuk’s Fight Club is a story about a man struggling to find himself. He used the narrator and Tyler in this story to demonstrate the pursuit of hegemonic masculinity. Palahniuk wasn’t glorifying violence, sex, consumerism, or even masculinity itself. He was giving the reader a critique of the steps men are willing to take in order to obtain societies’ preferred theme of masculinity. Palahniuk uses Tyler’s character to state the following: â€Å"We don’t have a great war in our generation, or a great depression, but we do, we have a great war of the spirit. We have a great revolution against the culture. The great depression is our lives. We have a spiritual depression. We have to show these men and women freedom by enslaving them, and show them courage by frightening them. † Through this passage, Palahniuk is describing why, in our society, men have such a hard time defining themselves and claiming a form of masculinity. The narrator’s struggle throughout his journey to â€Å"masculine-enlightenment† is shared by many males in society. Men are able to relate to both the schizophrenic narrator and Tyler. Chuck Palahniuk’s Fight Club shows society through an extreme and entertaining story, something that occurs on a daily basis and surrounds us all.

Business accounting Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Business accounting - Assignment Example Whole Foods Market, Inc.’s current ratio will not allow them to take more debt as compared to previous years. Although, Whole Foods Market, Inc. has made short-term investments but still there is no significant impact on the current ratio. The overall condition of current ratio reveals the fact that the current ratio which is not pretty stable and healthy as compared to the industry practice. Quick Ratio: Whole Foods Market, Inc. quick ratio is lower than the industry average. The reason behind this is the improper working capital management which makes the quick ratio more tentative in the last three years. The overall signal of Whole Foods Market, Inc. liquidity is not good and it sends a negative signal towards the debt holders and also on the debt market. Moreover, the liquidity crunch problem makes the performance of Whole Foods Market, Inc. slightly vulnerable. Debt to Equity: Dependency on debt financing is not a bad habit but it has consequences if you rely on more. Whole Foods Market, Inc. debt to equity ratio is lower in comparison with the previous year. The factors of business volume, Inc.rement in sales, fulfilment to pay the suppliers and acquisitions of fixed asset. Due to the expansion in business, Whole Foods Market, Inc. has plenty of financial obligations, most of which has been acquired through debt. In 2008, Whole Foods Market, Inc. reliance more on debt financing as compare to the previous years. Interest Coverage Ratio (TIE): This ratio suggests the fact that TIE ratio is higher in comparison with the industry because of company entertain its business with high proportion of debt financing. Although the company’s management runs business successfully and this is shown in the EBIT which suggest that the Company is keep improving in the EBIT year by year. In comparison with the ability of paying interest expense is fine in comparison with he industry