Coke vs Pepsi strategy Essay Example for Free

Coke vs Pepsi strategy Essay Coke v. Pepsi – 5 Forces Analysis Industry concentrate produces High intensity (depends on price/advertising cost/ high number of substitutes(low calorie drinks/no carb drinks/ not carbonated drinks like orange juice) Pepsi products /Coke products New Entrants (barriers/rivalry) High Intensity-Brand recognition dominant market/ patents on style and colors Network relationships high cost of entry established such as distribution, warehouse, bottlers, and shelf-location high marketing costs Coke dominance on international market makes it hard for Pepsi to enter international markets where Coke is dominant (Mexico) Suppliers (Bargaining Power of Supplier) Medium intensity- Coke and Pepsi can and do renegotiate contracts with bottlers on prices, marketing, distribution territories, and etc. High intensity- for new entrants because the bottlers determine price of product (price takers), shelf- place is determined by retailer and less price discount control. There is a small number of important suppliers since Coke and Pepsi supported suppliers to buy other smaller suppliers to keep up with their needs. Buyers (Bargaining Power of Buyers) High Intensity- due to the high number of substitutes, health concerns, and few key buyers (fountain outlets/vending machines) E.g.) Coke and Pepsi battled for the right to sign a contract with fast food restaurants like Burger King. Substitutes ( threat of substitutes) Medium Intensity- high number of substitutes(low calorie drinks/no carb drinks/ not carbonated drinks like Orange juice /ice tea/ flavored water/etc. Low intensity – competition among other pop drink because it’s based on brand recognition.

Understanding the context of the bible

Understanding the context of the bible Understanding the context of the bible Introduction Although the bible is a superb story-book, full of exciting tales well told, But it is more than just a collection of stories. Tthere is one big story told by the whole collection of individual stories. The centre of it is God, and all what he did in this world and for human race.[1] The bible was written by people in order to be understood by people, but there are some hindrances that makes difficult for it to be understood in its original meaning,[2] this is a demands when you interpret it you must consider the importance of historical, geographical and cultural context for effective preaching? Because if you miss Gods meaning you are no longer had? Gods word because you have to know what it says, understands what it mean, for this reason it must be interpreted in order to get a meaning, because this creates a gap in our understanding the original meaning of scriptures. The only way to get everything right on it is to consider its historical, geographical and cultural context.[3] So in this essay we will look the land of the bible geographical constitute the arena in which God chose uniquely to speak and act?[4] Because Gods revelation touches specific times and places. Geographically account begins in the so-called Ancient Near East or the present-day Middle East.[5] This essay will explain the importance of understanding the geographical context of the bible for effective preaching, because the purpose of preaching is for people to get the meaning of the bible. It is very much important to understand the bible passage in its historical context looking to the authors views. And place of writing also the reason for writing who were the readers political economic social religious legal ethically all will help in understanding the meaning of the passage, particular purpose and occasion. Culture is what people believe what they say, what they do, wear, eat make or practice with different customs would that cultural practice have the same significance today if not is there a timeless principle that could be practised today but in a different way? Geographical it is very important to consider that the bible was written in a different land in this way it will be easy to interpret it correctly. In stressing the necessity of determining the original meaning of the bible, John Chrysostom, also called the Golden Mouth He maintained that the bible is the infallible word of God and his exegesis was both spiritual and practical.[6] The sixty-six books of the Old and New Testament are clear infallible revelation of Gods will and His salvation. The Bible is the Word of God, and alone is the standard which all teaching and experience must be tested (2Tim. 3:15, 17; Ps. 119:105; Prov. 30:5, 6; Isa. 8:20; John 17:17; 2Thess. 3:14; Heb. 4:12). 1. Historical meaning The historical context provides us with the author, date, original audience, purpose, theme, and other important information about historical or background setting of the book, Scripture is an authentic, reliable record of history and Gods acts in history. It provides the normative theological interpretation of those acts. The supernatural acts re ­vealed in Scripture are historically true. For example, chapters 1-11 of Genesis are a factual account of historical events. The Antioch exegetes pose historical questions. They say the word in a passage of scripture must be understood and interpreted historically, that is, in terms of their ordinary meaning.[7] According to Augustine in Alexandrian and Antioch and methods, this means that to him each biblical text has literal (that is, historical) and figurative (that, is Spiritual) meaning. The most important thing, in short, in hermeneutical skill depends upon (1) ones knowing the bibles use of language properly and precisely, as well as distinguishing and representing to oneself the historical circumstances of a biblical discourse; (2) ones being able to speak today of these matters in such a way as the changed times and circumstances of our fellow human demand.[8] 1.1Interpret the bible in view of historical It is important that each and every verse or passage of scripture to be interpreted in its historical, in historical setting we consider firstly the author Walter Kaiser, JR says Interpreters often can understand authors better than they understand themselves. The promise that this saying appears to hold is that there is a stratum of thought, an inner form of the work (Dilthey), which in the creative process bypassed the authors consciousness, but is now left for the interpreter to uncover.[9] But for Schleiermacher, his technical and psychological interpretation (Ernestis subtilitas explicandi) involved the additional step of personally assimilating the subject by determining or attempting to reconstruct the mental process of the author-an altogether impossible task. We notice three divisions of the bible as well as in the New Testament is that in each case there are a number of distant of development in the formation of the Scriptures. There is original historical event in which the revelation is attested to or spoken of, then a period oral tradition, a period of fragmentary accounts, and finally books and collections of books as we have them today. Thus the meaning of a text always goes beyond what its author intended, and the true sense is an unending process which is never exhausted or captured by an infinite line of interpreters! So, as we read the bible, we need to keep asking ourselves; what did the author intend to convey by this? What is he actually asserting? What will his original hearers have understood him to have meant? As we attempt to transport ourselves back into the authors mind and times, and to listen to his words as if we were among his first readers, we shall need particularly to consider the situation, the style and the language in which [10] 1.1.1 The date of writing If we are to understand the text it is important to know the times in which he wrote. On the other side to know something of the conditions in which these books were written is to better understand the text itself.[11] A list of significant biblical dates to provide a framework for the flow of biblical History, The Patriarchal Era (1800-1290), Exodus and the Period of the Judges (1290-1050), Early Israelite Monarchy (1050-750), Assyrian Dominance (750-640 BC), The Rise of Babylon and Exile (640-538), the Persian Period and Return (538-323), the Greek Wars/Maccabean Period (323-63), the Rise of Rome (63-3)Chart of the reigns of kings of the United Monarchy and the Divided Kingdoms of Israel and Judah to the fall of Jerusalem (1050 586 BC), colours coded to show good and bad kings, as well as those deposed or assassinated.[12] 1.1.2 Place of writing Its context in scripture is the place where it is found. So each text must be understood both its historical and its scriptural background. Like the first testimony to the revelation of God was often given long before the written document this where Jacob called the place where God appear to him Bethel[13] Gen28:17) 1.1.3 Reason for writing Who wrote it and to whom? In what circumstances, for what reason it is the situation in which it was written. 1.1.4 Readers Although it was given to those who lived in an ancient Near Eastern/Mediterra ­nean context, the Bible transcends its cultural backgrounds to serve as Gods Word for all cultural, racial, and situational contexts in all ages.[14] 1.1.5 Political The bible gives relatively little direction on specific political and legal models. As a result Christianity is (or should be) politically non-partisan in the sense that no particular political system or philosophy can be truly defined as biblical or Christian. The bibles focus is on the ethical and spiritual relationships which inform the individuals of any given society.[15] Therefore individual Christians are free to choose and endorse political and legal systems (or parts of) which promote justice and good governance, so that people everywhere have their God-given dignity respected. As part of these two key political outcomes should be of special interest to Christians: First, (1 Tim 2) calls Christians to pray for (and support) government which allows people to hear the good news about Jesus Christ: I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone 2for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Saviour, who wants all men to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth. Second, while love of neighbour is a universal command (Matt 22:37-40; Luke 10:25-37; Rom 13:8-10) the bible has particular concern for the needy and marginalized. Neglect of these groups is frequently a reason for Gods judgment upon the ancient nation of Israel. For instance the prophet Zechariah delivered this message of condemnation: Thus says the Lord of hosts: Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another; do not oppress the widow, the orphan, the alien, or the poor; and do not devise evil in your hearts against one another [11] But they refused to listen [12] Therefore great wrath came from the Lord of hosts. (Zechariah 7:9 -12) 1.1.6 Social What are the various reconstructions of the specific context to which your text is addressed or in which it has been written? (The story behind the text) What alternate reconstructions have been suggested? E.g., the different theories about Pauls opponents in Galatians[16] or, the identification of large parts of Deuteronomy with the scroll found in the Temple as described in 2 Kings. (Note: Reconstructing a specific context is more difficult for the Pentateuch than for a prophetic book like Jeremiahor a letter of Paul where the specific situation is clearer.) 1.1.7 Religious Like circumcision of the Jewish nation (Gen 34:14-17, 22) and the term uncircumcised for the Gentiles Galm2:7-8; Col3:11. These are the historical religion of the bible that needs to be understood and interpreted in their context, so that the message of the bible will give a meaning to people.[17] 1.1.8 Legal An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth (Exodus 21:23-25)John 19:10-11Do you refuse to speak to me? Pilate said. Dont you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you? Jesus answered; you would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above.The eye for an eye principle can be seen as a legal application of the golden rule (Matt 7:12): Do to others what you would have them do to you. Both principles assume that we humans are equal and should treat each other in an equal and fair manner. If we harm another fellow human we at the same time admit that according to the spirit of these principles that others (i.e. the state governed by law) can do the If a woman has intercourse before marriage (Deut 22:20-21).Same to us.For the Lord is a God of retribution; he will repay in full. Jer 51:56) 1.1.9 Ethical Many of the major problems in our time have to do with morals. In public life we have witnessed a breakdown of ethical standards. What is right? What is wrong? If the Bible gives an accurate description of Moses views, then by modern standards some of his commands might amount to calls for murder, war crimes or slavery. For instance, according to Numbers 31:15-18, he called for the massacre of boys and the enslavement of female children to Israelite veterans of the Midian war (kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known man by lying with him. But all the little girls among the women, that have not known a man by lying with him, keep alive for you). It is important to note, however, that such ethical dilemmas can be cited without an adequate understanding of the historical context. In contrast, believers in the accuracy of the Bible can use assumptions to discourage exploration. But religions opponents can also discourage further exploration by making debatable assumptions about a text, classifying the intent of the text as immoral, and thereby dismissing the text as unreliable. In the above example some readers may infer an implied equality between slavery under Mosaic Law and slavery as understood in the New World. The political context of rights (individual v the state) doesnt appear to capture the bibles emphasis on responsibility. Despite these limitations, human rights have proven an extremely useful way to protect the dignity, freedom and equality of individuals. Equality is sometimes controversial but the bible underlines the inherent equality of all people in several ways: Every person is made in the image of God.[18] (Gen 1:27) All are sinners and equally in need of redemption (Rom 3:19-26, esp. there is no distinction) Hierarchies based on social rank, ethnic background and gender are counter to the gospel (Gal 3:28; James 2:1-10) In fact, God frequently favours people who are regarded as lesser in the eyes of people: But the LORD said to Samuel, Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for the LORD does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart. (1 Samuel 16:7) 2. Geographical The bible was written in a different land, it is impossible to understand the meaning of the bible without some knowledge of its geographical setting, and the story of the bible touches specific times and places. Geographically, the account begins in the so-called Ancient Near East or present-day Middle East. It includes the area known today as Iraq, Iran, Turkey, Jordan, Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt.[19] It is important to understand that the whole bible takes place in a rough rectangle of land five hundred miles from north to south and one thousand miles from east to west. Yet the very mention of geography especially bible geography, is enough to switch some people off. Some people who have no taste for geography if the bible gives a list o Kings of Israel and Judah in their chronological order. May ask rather impatiently why God did not reveal himself in a rather remote geographical context, so that we have to struggle to understand the context, so that we have to struggle before we can grasp the revelation?[20] God want to deal with us in our situation of time and place, as he dealt with the biblical characters in theirs. To understand his ways, we must understand this, we must know something of both where and when it all happened thats the importance of understanding and interpreting the bible in its geographical context, we must be able to visualise it. Consider the land of the bible including terrain, topography, weather, transportation, distance, cities, and agriculture, the land of the bible was highly with mountains, desert and seas, rivers, plains and coastline, Luke 10:30-37Jesus story of a good Samaritan this road made travellers to be vulnerable to robbers they could easily hide in the rocky place we see the valuable geographical context for the meaning of the story, preaching or giving the meaning of the passage it needs an understanding of the context in which the authors was writing on. Geographical context Consider the land of the bible including terrain, topography, weather, transportation, distance, cities, and agriculture, the land of the bible was highly with mountains, desert and seas, rivers, plains and coastline, Luke 10:30-37) Jesus story of a good Samaritan this road made travellers to be vulnerable to robbers they could easily hide in the rocky place we see the valuable geographical context for the meaning of the story, preaching or giving the meaning of the passage it needs an understanding of the context in which the authors was writing on. 3. Cultural settings It is very important that the bible to be interpretation including its cultural institutions and terms, and to make them into normative teaching on a par with any other in- junction of Scripture. Consider the culture in which author lived in order to understand what he meant. Culture is valuable only if the culture is in the passage. For instance Jesus conversation with the woman in the well is culturally significant because the bible says Jews had no dealings with Samaritans John 4:9) Contrast of ancient tribal cultures concern with community and communal ways of thinking with modern individualism, and its implications for understanding Scripture. A paper dealing with the Israelite appropriation of metaphors, symbols, and conceptual categories from the pool of ancient Middle Eastern culture, noting both the similarities and differences, and the implications both for understanding the OT, as well as for addressing the modern conflict of science and religion, to further complicate thi ngs, the original authors, while writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, wrote in their own personal style using illustrations relating to their particular culture and history. Distinguishing between Scripture that is cultural relative and that which is relative for all times can sometimes be very difficult.[21] Theres not enough space here to deal with it adequately, but generally, to find the timeless principles, look to the Bibles core message (those messages that stay consistent across many cultures), the inherently moral or immoral items, and the items that are expressly accepted or forbidden (those which the Scriptures merely acknowledge). Guidelines for determining whether a passage is culturally bound or applicable today: What was the purpose of the cultural practice or teaching? Would that cultural practice have the same significance today but in a different way? Assume every teaching or practice of scripture is applicable today unless-but Mark 2:18-21 every cultural practice and tradition must be measured against the teaching of Gods word. Culture is what people believe say do wear eat make practice and how they think or process information[22]. Since God revelation was given in particular cultural setting and the social customs which from the background of some biblical instruction are entirely foreign to those of our day. Are we then rejecting the teachings because are culturally dated? It is better to accept the biblical instruction itself as permanently binding, but to translate it into contemporary cultural terms. John Stott mentions one of the more difficult examples which caused a tension between the permanently valid and culturally dated concerns the status, behaviour and dress of women. More especially when Paul addresses the church in Corinth the veiling of women, head covering when prophesying, here Stott says we must find other social customs which express a womans acceptance of the authority which God has given to man.[23] Consider the culture in which the author lived in order to understand what he meant. Culture is valuable only if the culture is in the passage. For instance Jesus conversation with the woman in the well is culturally significant because the bible says Jews had no dealings with Samaritans John 4:9).Contrast of ancient tribal cultures concern with community and communal ways of thinking with modern individualism, and its implications for understanding Scripture. Conclusion This essay describes the bible as superb story-book, full of exciting tales well told. It shows it as more than just a collection of stories but what is centred one big story which told by the whole collection of individual stories. The centre of it is God, and all what he did in this world and for human race.Since God revelation was given in particular cultural setting and the social customs which from the background of some biblical instruction are entirely foreign to those of our day Bibliography Burden, J.J., E.E, Deist., Biblical Studies (Honours) Biblical exposition (South Africa: University of Pretoria, 1992) Kaiser. Walter Jr., Toward An Exegetical Theology (Michigan: Baker book house, 1987) Stott, R.W John., Understanding The Bible (London: Scripture union, 1973) Schroeder, David., Learning to Know the Bible (Pennsylvania: Faith and life press, 1967) Towns, R.L Elmer., Bible Answers for almost all your questions (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, Inc, 2003) William, H.Green., General Introduction to the Old Testament (Michigan: Baker book House, 1980) Gorder, P.R., The Old Testament Present (Michigan: Radio Bible Class 1982) Kaiser, Otto., Introduction to the Old Testament (Great Britain: , 1973) Drane,John., Introduction the Old Testament (England: Lion Publishing, 1987) Dyer, Charles., Eugene, Merrill., Old Testament Survey (Nashville: Word Publishing,2001) Purkiser, W.T Exploing The Old Testament (Kansas City: Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City, 1940) John Macquarrie., James Childress., A New Dictionary of Christian Ethics(London:SCM,1993) Harris, Marvin., Cultural Anthropology (New York: Harper Row, Publishers,1987) [1] Alexandra,Pat,.David Alexandra .,Zondervan Handbook To The Bible(Michigan: Lion publishing,1999),p.18 [2] Burden, Deist., Biblical Studies (Honours) Biblical Exposition,p.3 [3] Burden, Deist., Biblical Studies(Honours) Biblical exposition ,p.4 [4] Stott., Understanding The Bible (London: Scripture union,1973 ),p.35 [5] Stott., Understanding The Bible (London: Scripture union,1973 ),p.37 [6] Burden, Deist., Biblical Studies(Honours) Biblical exposition (South Africa: University of Pretoria,1992),p.4 [7] Burden., Deist., Biblical studies (Honours) Biblical exposition,p.3 [8] Walter,C.Kaiser Jr., Toward An Exegetical Theology (Michigan: Baker book house,1987) ,p.27 [9] Kaiser Jr., Toward An Exegetical Theology,p.35 [10] John, R.W, Stott., Understanding The Bible,p.225 [11] David, Schroeder., Learning To Know The Bible (Pennsylvania: Faith and life press, 1967),p.84 [12] American Academy of Religion,1955 [13] David, Schroeder., Learning To Know The Bible,p.39 [15]John,Macquarrie., James Childress., A New Dictionary of Christian Ethics(London:SCM,1993),p.484 [16]William, Hendriksen., Galatians Ephesians(Edinbuburgh:The banner of truth,1999),P.22 [17] Elmer, R. L. Towns., Bible Answers for almost all your questions (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, inc,2003),p.8 [18] Dyer, Charles., Eugene, Merrill., Old Testament Survey (Nashville: Word Publishing,2001) ,p.7 [19] David, Schroeder., Learning To Know The Bible (Pennsylvania: Faith and life press, 1967),p.17 [20] John, R.W, Stott., Understanding The Bible,p.33 [21] Harris, Marvin., Cultural Anthropolog ( New York: Harper Row,Publishers,1987),P.46 [22] Harris, Marvin., Cultural Anthropology,P.47 [23] John, R.W, Stott., Understanding The Bible (London: Scripture union,1973 ),p,229

Emirates Airlines And Fly Dubai Management Essay

Emirates Airlines And Fly Dubai Management Essay The below report is based on two airlines in the United Arab Emirates and they are Emirates Airlines which was established in the year 1985 and up to now is one of the best airlines worldwide flying to over 124 destinations by operating the latest airbuses also providing and offering the best services to its customers and Fly Dubai an upcoming low-cost airline established in 2008 operating about 51 destinations with a fleet size of 23 by giving the travel solution to the customers who wish to travel abroad for cheap fare with no additional services. The report shows an analysis of the two organizational structures on how emirates has a Tall, hierarchical organizational structure in comparison to that Fly Dubai has a flat structure with very few key people and others in same par. It further extends to the understanding of the relationship of the organization structure and its culture, the different approaches of management and leadership styles on how Tim Clark CEO of Emirates and Ghaith Al Ghaith CEO of Fly Dubai lead their organization and the effectiveness of the style they follow. The two companies practice of the classical approach to management is also analysed and an evaluation on the different approaches to management. The task two which is the presentation is based on the understanding of ways of using motivational theories within the two organizations and the mechanisms for developing effective teamwork. Introduction The below report is an analysis of the two airlines, that is Emirates Airlines and Fly Dubai. It focuses on the organizational structure and the behaviour of individuals and groups within two organizations. As a trainee management consultant of emirates airlines I have managed to get information regarding the structure of the organization, the cultural behaviour of the employees of the organization and also the behavioural problems and how they are solved. in the report we identify two main characters in the two Airlines and analyse how the different styles of leadership have helped to guide the subordinates and to help the growth of the organization The assignment covers a presentation which will be presented to the assessor on the due date. Task One 1.1 Structure and culture analysis An organization is a structure through which individuals and groups cooperate systematically to conduct business. With the comparison and contrasting of the two companies which is Emirates Airlines and Fly Dubai we can analyse the structure and culture of the two organizations to get a better understanding on the relationship between the organizational structure and culture. Emirates is Airline that was established in October 1985, since the beginning up until now there are very distinctive growths that have taken place and as of now Emirates is an award winning airline flying to over 124 destinations across the 6 continents by operating over 177 aircrafts and employing over 55000 employees that speak different languages. Emirates have diversified into related industries and sectors, including airport services, engineering, hospitality services, catering, and tour operator operations. Fly Dubai was established in July 2008 by the Government of Dubai and was supported by Emirates at the beginning stage Fly Dubai commenced operations on the 1 June 2009 and up to now they are flying to around 51 destinations with a fleet size of 23 aircrafts. Fly Dubai is an airline mainly based on web sales I.e. It is mainly a web based airline where not much of interaction happens between the airline personals and the customers. Even though it is a budget airline it has a very high since 2009 to now they have a significant growth within the industry. Organizational Structure of Emirates Airlines. The organizational structure of emirates is a very tall, rather hierarchical structure hence the structure starts with Chairman, Vice presidents, Executive secretaries, Divisional VP , Senior VP, Regional managers, Area managers, Department heads and Supervisors below that the staff reporting upwards. The structure presented below contains the main people as well as the structure of the organization more in to the passenger sales executive management until the operational level managers Organizational Structure of Fly Dubai The Chairman of Fly Dubai and emirates Airlines are the same however it is two different organizations managed by a totally different management with few heads and the rest of them in the same par. In analysing the two structures it is clear that Emirates Airlines has a Tall organizational structure as the organization is a large global organization hence the more the company grows the levels of management will rise which will make the structure of the organization tall (hierarchical). When a company has a Tall organizational structure there are various advantages. In a tall structure we can observe a very close supervisory control because of the hierarchical structure involved and also it is a more authoritative structure as the consequences, the roles and responsibilities are clearly defined. The other good thing about this structure is that the responsible person is accountable to higher authorities therefor mistakes are less as well as considered decisions will be made at all times. However sometimes it may be disadvantageous towards the side of the employees as the level of motivation may stand somewhat lower which will in return affect the company also another major disad vantage is that the tall structure creates a huge communication barrier with the top management, middle level managers as well as the lower level manager. Emirates group is a large group with many managerial levels. There are many departments involved various tasks, from the departments serving the customers needs to the engineering department as well as the catering departments and also many more. However each of them are managed by a department head and reported upwards to the middle level and so on to the top management . Emirates airlines is not fully based online like Fly Dubai, there is a major role played by the staff in different stations hence regional managers, area managers, department managers and supervisors are appointed. In the case of Fly Dubai the management is limited and also it is still a new airline that was established about 3 years ago. In analysing Fly Dubai it is clear that the airline has a flat organizational structure as there are only few key people to manage as mentioned above. However there are few directors as well as airport officers appointed to make sure the operations run smoothly. In flat structure have only few management levels where each level controls and managers a large area. The advantage of this structure is that there is a greater communication with the employee and employer and also easy decision making as less people to discuss with but sometimes it may be based on a one persons ideas which can be disadvantageous. It becomes unfavourable in as the key people have to solve all problems of employees and in the organization and also the Lack of layers may reduce opportunities for high level strategic management. 1.2 Evaluation of how the structure of each company supports its culture and how this relationship affects the business. The culture is based on how the business is done. Mainly the belief, norms, customs, values and ideas of the employees within the organization is what it is built upon. A cultural environment should always motivate the employees of the organization to give out their best towards the enhancement of the business performance. The culture of Emirates Airlines is a more quality and service oriented and also has a very forward -looking culture that takes into consideration the customers requirements and makes sure the customer is given out the best at all times whereas in Fly Dubai it is more of power culture, which is all decisions are centralized around one key individual, there isnt much of an interaction with the customer and the airline employees. Emirates has a more role oriented culture where the entire organizational structure has a role to play in order to make sure each of the flights departs on time with all booked customers with to all required facilities. All employees as well as the top management are responsible for every action taken. The Tall structure of emirates works in a favourable manner in the process of decision making as many different ideas can be obtained by the multicultural set of managers as well as the employees. When working according to a vision, having different ideas, having different values will lead to the conducting of business in an ethical way and in return it will enhance the performance of the employees and motivate them to perform well to give out the best. In the case of Fly Dubai, the airline has a more task oriented culture as the main is to make sure the maximum amount of customers are on the flight and also they have only limited intervention with customers hence the customers welfare is not really considered. However each companys culture differs depending on the top management and the employees behaviour patterns. Fly Dubai has few key people and out of which the Owner of the airline is the same as emirates but the cultures of both organizations are completely different. One which is Emirates Airlines, a customer service oriented airline that servers customers to the best by offering various different comforts and additional benefits in order to and make the customer feel good, to satisfy the customer for the price paid and also to retain customers for the long run. The other is Fly Dubai which is a budget airline in Dubai for customers seeking a travel solution for the cheaper fares, in this airline the customers are not given a dditional benefits the culture they impose is that anything is money even the food on board should be bought even the basic baggage allowance is also charged for separately but they give out good deals for customers with less budget. However there are some similarities in the cultural aspects of both airlines, that is both airlines are innovative, they are full of people with new ideas and experiences both airlines have a very friendly background. They also have created a challenging culture. Emirates manly have three main intentions of how to behave in the organization in order to achieve the ultimate goals and objectives of the company. Challenge Conviction Here the employees and managers are influenced by the culture of the organization which all employees should adapt to and that is to accept any challenging situation that come your way. For that the employees should be Curious, Brave, Imaginative Pioneering, Innovative, Ambitious If the organizational structure supports the company culture there will be good improvement in the business performance and also it will motivate the employees in many ways as then they have a clear idea on what is expected and how the organization works. Anticipate and Exceed Customer Expectations This is another way that the customer oriented and service oriented culture can be brought out. For this the staff has to act accordingly with the help of the management. Cosmopolitan, Visionary, Empathetic Human, Intelligent, Hi-tech Have a Can-Do Attitude the attitude has been created among the employees that anything is possible. The organization has a very positive culture hence all employees are motivated by it to work to the best of the ability. 1.3 What each company does in order to identify and solve employee behavioural problems In each company there are problems that are unique to the employees job role accordingly these problems must be identified by the supervisor and should be communicated to the management and make sure decisions have been made to make these problems minimal. In Emirates airlines the main control point is Dubai however each station in different countries has their own problems, sometimes it may be common problems. Taking into consideration Emirates Colombo station, they identify problems by having meetings weekly to discuss issues that have arisen during the week, and solutions are given for these problems by discussing with the relevant management. The employees attitude towards work is also important. Some employees have issues in performance on time for his problem deadlines should be given in order to make sure the job is done on time. Another problem is that if there is a job that needs to be completed the staff will wait till the supervisor instructs them to do so where as they should be advised to make sure no work is in pending status. Some of the key problems that might be common in an organization Unethical behaviour- this can be described in many different actions of employees Theft to disclosure of confidential information to the misrepresentation of products and services, These types of issues are serious as information is conveyed incorrectly and also there may be financial losses for the company. There are agreements that have been signed in order to make sure of the honesty of the employees continues in the future.. Time Management the other problem is on timely performance. When a reservation is made and it is not issued on time the customer will be lost. Employees and time spent for personal matters should be clearly communicated so that employees know whether or not they can answer text messages and personal emails during work time. Employees also need to manage their time wisely when it comes to rest and lunch breaks as well as getting to work on time. If an employee is not managing that time wisely, the company ultimately loses. Fly Dubai is an Airline that directly deals with the customers online through a website. The customers do not have contact with the employees or management but there are a set of employees and managers who work behind the scene. In this case also the above discussed problems will arise hence the with good communication, supervisory and also identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the employees it will help the management to solve the employee behavioural problems amicably. 2.1 Effectiveness of the leadership styles Leadership is the glue that holds all elements in a team together. Good leadership has the ability to transform and inspire both individuals and groups. Emirates airline being one of the leading airlines in the world has many people behind its success and out them Tim Clark as the CEO has a prominent role played in order to manage the organization with the guidance of the chairman His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum. In analysing Tim Clarks leadership patterns we can identify that he has the qualities of an Autocratic, where he has to command to the management below in a situation where an instant decision has to be taken and Democratic when in a situation that he has to communicate with the rest of the structure to make important decisions. He also has qualities of a dynamic leader, a person who looks as each situation in a different way and adapts to the chargers. As a leader he is quick thinker and a wise decision maker. Tim Clark is a leader who is full of innovative ideas, integrity, dedication, openness and magnanimity. Whatever he does is done with great passion and love for the company and the employees. He is a CEO who makes sure that all employees are treated well. Many new ideas and innovations have been initiated from him; eg the idea of re-launching the brand to hello tomorrow and making it a lifestyle brand, solving some issues related to the A380 aircraft order. He is a person who is not hesitant when it comes to taking risk. He does not follow any traditional ways of doing business but a man with a business mind, who will lead the employees to be easily motivated by the changing world, innovation and upcoming business opportunities that will enhance the business growth and bring success to organization as a whole. (article Group world ) In analysing the leadership styles of Ghaith Al Ghaith the CEO of Fly Dubai, it is clear that he is a very democratic leader; decisions are made by taking ideas from other managers. Within a short time period fly Dubai has succeeded in capturing the market looking for travel solutions. Ghaith Al Ghaith is a very innovative thinker, a leader driven by the vision to be a low-cost and reliable link to key destinations around the globe. Over all a very understanding, brave, challenge accepting and a leader who is believes that nothing is impossible Over the course of my career I have realized the secret to success is team work, attention to detail, dedication and tenacity to go the extra mile. Learning this from the early stages of my career has stood me in good stead for where I am today (article [onlineHYPERLINK ../../../../../Pending/Other/article [online] http://www.ttgmena.com/Interview-with-Ghaith-Al-Ghaith/] http://www.ttgmena.com/Interview-with-Ghaith-Al-Ghaith/ 23/0812 ) 2.2 How do the two companies practice the classical approach to management? Management in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively. There are different approaches to management, Classical approach to management is mainly concerned with increasing the efficiency of workers organizations based on management practice which were and outcome of careful observation. In Emirates the y focus on a worldwide standard that is if any customer calls any contact centre in the world they will be handled in the exact same way as all other station mainly some of the things are done in the idea of one best way to do the job but when situations are unique then the approach differs. In emirates they identify the employees capability of doing each job that is been assigned to them and on that they develop a standard method of performance for each job, the employees are given standard educational training in Dubai on the system and the how to handle the customers as well as the introduction and background of emirates as a group. They also evaluate on how the employees perform their job and if there is an improvement and an enhancement in business practice. In return for good performance and motivational purposes the employees are appreciated and rewarded. Fly Dubai uses the classical management approach only in the decision making process where they emphasise on the purpose of providing the travel solution .Since Fly Dubai is based on web sales the management uses classical approach in a very minimal way however the idea they impose is that the best way of doing business is through the web since they are a new airline and young to the industry they are trying their best to grow as much as they could. 2.3 Evaluation of different approaches to management used by the two organizations Both organizations follow two or more management approaches as some of them change depending on the situation, when we say Classical approach is emphasises on the organizations formal structure, technical requirements and set of principles and in both companies we can see the formal structure and also the principles on how everything is done. There is a rule for everything and a standard way that things are done. Eg- forecasting and planning looking into the future and drawing up action plans organizing building up the material and human structure of the undertaking commanding maintaining activity amount personnel coordinating unifying and harmonizing activity and effort controlling ensuring that things conform to rules and instructions The Human Resource perspective to management suggested that jobs should be designed to meet higher levels needs by allowing workers to use their full potential. In the Human relation point Emirates uses tack tics like Better treatment, need for recognition, better salaries and bonuses, promotions and recognition to the employees to the level that it is needed so that they are easily motivated to do the job in a more positive sense. The employees social welfare is looked in to at all times, there is high job security as well as medical benefits. In Fly Dubai they treat all employees equally and opportunities are given to everyone, the employees ideas and new innovations are taken in to consideration. The people working under fly Dubai is motivated by the secure working environment, profit share salary and other benefits. They also make sure that the employees are problem free from any aspect at all times as if any personal problem it will affect the performance of the employee. The contingency approach to management is an extension of the humanistic perspective which is based on the idea that in an organization there is no one best way in the management process (planning, organizing, leading, and controlling) to successfully resolve any tailored circumstances; because organizations, people and situations vary and change over time. Thus, the right thing to do depends on a complex variety of critical environmental and internal contingencies. In the airline industry many things depend on the customer needs and wants hence many situations differ from one customer to another so depending on the kind of issue the solution will be based and this approach is common in both airlines. Conclusion We can conclude saying that Emirates airlines and Fly Dubai two distinctive airlines as Emirates is a conventional airline and the other is a low- cost carrier. However in the analysis on the organizational structures we identified that Emirates has a Tall structure where there is a large number of employees in the managerial level appointed and given the responsibilities of certain areas and Fly Dubai has a flat structure with few key people. The report consists of behavioural problems within the organization and the solutions and also the leadership styles of the CEOs of both organizations. Based on the last few analyses we are able to understand the different approaches to management.

Socialism in George Orwell’s Animal Farm :: Animal Farm Essays

"Animal Farm" by George Orwell is a novel based on the lives of a society of animals living on Animal Farm. Although the title of the book suggests the book is merely about animals, the story is a much more in depth analysis of the human nature and behavior. The animals are used as puppets to illustrate how humans operate, how propaganda was used by early powerful leaders such as Stalin, and the effect this type of leadership had on the behavior of the people. Before reading this fable, I was in many views antagonistic with Orwell’s beliefs of human nature. Orwell believed that although socialism is an ideal, it could never be successfully adopted due to uncontrollable sins of human nature. For example, although Napoleon, the main character, seems at first to be a good leader, he is eventually overcome by greed and soon becomes power-hungry. Orwell’s idea contradicted my understanding of human nature at the time because I was raised with the belief that when a person has good qualities at start, it will continue to be in that manner. Orwell shows us how, if only animals became aware of their strength, we should have no power over them, and that men exploit animals in much the same way as the rich exploit the proletariat. The novel again challenged me. I had different opinions on the behavior of the high class. This brought to me that there are different members of the high class and they differ in their philosophy. There are those members of the high class that help the lower class and those that exploit the lower class in all ways possible. George Orwell does not take view against Socialism but rather against Stalin’s interpretation of the Socialist ideas. In fact Orwell is an advocate of Socialism. One's belief that Socialism could work cannot exist without also believing one major assumption about human nature that we are all capable of perfection. Orwell’s views again contradict my own because I have thought that the possibilities of being perfect are almost impossible.

Comparing Seamus Heaney’s Digging and Eavan Borland’s In Search of a Nation :: Comparison Compare Contrast Essays

Comparing Seamus Heaney’s Digging and Eavan Borland’s In Search of a Nation   Ã‚  Ã‚   Seamus Heaney’s â€Å"Digging† and Eavan Borland’s â€Å"In Search of a Nation† focus on issues involving identity.   Boland’s essay reveals an individual uncertain in her personality, sexuality, and nationality while Heaney’s poem depicts a man who recognizes his family’s lineage of field laborers yet chooses the pen over the shovel. The benefit of reading the two works vis-a-vis reveals how Ireland has influenced their lives.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Heaney’s use of â€Å"digging† provides different metaphorical images.   For example, as Heaney sits at the window he hears:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   †¦a clean rasping sound   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   When the spade sinks in to gravelly ground:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   My father, digging. I look down  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   5   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Till his straining rump among the flowerbeds   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Bends low, comes up twenty years away   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Stooping in rhythm through potato drills   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Where he was digging (3). Heaney emphasizes the aspect of time claiming that his father has been laboring for twenty years. He implies that during the twenty years a shift took place from the potato drills to flowerbeds.   The shift represents the possible retirement of his father from fieldwork to something more recreational, e.g. gardening, and hints at mortality.   The image of a flowerbed invokes a flower arrangement for a gravesite. The imagery coupled with the use of past tense indicates that his father has passed away.   Ã‚  Ã‚   In addition to the aspect of time the fact that he is listening to his father dig suggests a sense of oral tradition that has been passed on to him.   Heaney describes his father as being â€Å"Just like his old man† linking himself to his own grandfather (3). Though he has not actively participated in his father’s laboring Heaney would have been able to hear the stories of working in the potato fields.   As a result Heaney has learned the historical 1importance of the previous generation. Boland relates well with Heaney in terms of a tradition that in her case is more literary than oral.   In her teen years after reading the poem â€Å"The Fool† by Padraic Pearse she unearths deeply seeded emotions of Irish patriotism:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   What I see is the way a poem about nationhood has suddenly included me†¦ The   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   inclusion is not by address or invocation but by a sweeping and self-proposing act of   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   language that speaks to all the longings I have for grandiloquence and certainty (53).

Bmw Films

Decision Problem The primary issue faced by Jim McDowell is what to do for his next marketing campaign. He will need to decide what direction BMW will take in order to stay current in the target market and position the brand as the leader in the luxury car industry. A sub issue that Jim is facing is that in order for BMW to stand out compare to the competition, it must be at the forefront of the marketing trend. There is always pressure on innovative marketing campaigns as a bad campaign can lead to severe damage in the company image and reputation. Decision Alternatives There are a number of alternatives that Jim faces when deciding in what direction to move with the BMW marketing campaign. Develop more short films and build a big series out of it. Develop a full length movie for the theatres Do nothing to the existing campaign and move on to develop a new campaign To continue to use the existing BMW films plus developing a new campaign Creating new films on the heels of the original films plus developing a new campaign Develop a full length movie plus developing a new campaign In order to decide the best alternative it is important to look at some key decision criteria. In this case the important factors would be: delivery time, risk, cost, competitive advantage, ease of implementation. Analysis of Industry In the luxury car segment, BMW and Mercedes have stand strong against the strong competition from Japan like Acura, Lexus, Infiniti. In year 2001, BMW is second best luxury car seller, just behind Lexus amount the other ten major luxury brands. However, BMW only ranked 8th in media expenditures, which again proved the great success on their innovative campaign. In terms of customer loyalty, luxury brand customers do tend to stay among the top brands and are very loyal. There are always customers who switch from BMW to Mercedes or the other way around. Since BMW has the competitive advantage of a younger clientele, it is very important for BMW to create marketing campaign to young adult so they can look forward to own a BMW when they can afford one. Analysis of Company Evaluation of Alternatives Alternative #1, 2, and 3 should only be considered as a short term alternative that can achieve quick beneficial results with no long term prospects because all the alternatives evolve around the same film concept, which eventually will wear out and target audience will not be interested in it anymore. Alternative #4 takes into account with BMW’s long term goal, to be the leader in the industry with innovative campaigns. However, developing a new concept takes time and research before implementation, therefore some immediate alternatives needs to be done before the new campaign kicks in. Alternative #5, 6, or 7 will achieve that goal. Alternative #5 Introduce the BMW films to new markets that may have missed the online films during the campaign period will enable BMW to entice an entirely new segment. By showing the films throughother mediums, BMW will be able to reach a wider audience plus raising the brand awareness. Since this campaign is so successful and unique, BMW can also produce DVD and make itas a collectible item. This alternative is easy to implement, low cost to run, low risk as the campaign is already running with huge success with good reputation. However, other companies may copy the idea and there is a chance that BMW will lose its competitive advantage as the films are getting overly exposed to the original audiences that BMW targeted during the initial campaign period. Therefore, developing another campaign while this is running is necessary in order to achieve BMW’s long term marketing goal. Alternative #6 The other option would be to follow up with another series of films on the heels of the original films. BMW would want to keep the number of films low to try and blend them into the successful original films and not to market them as another series of short films. This alternative will require some time to prepare, and the cost will be much higher in comparison to Alternative #5, which will make it harder as BMW will need more resources in creating a new campaign at the same time. It is easy to implement as all the ground works are in place from the previous films. However, this alternative will have a higher risk than other options due to the high anticipation of BMW to produce high quality films. If any of the film receives negative feedbacks, BMW will risk losing out on the campaign inwhole, plus the reputation of the series. BMW will still keep its competitive advantage with this alternative as they are still the one who leads the marketing trend. Alternative #7 Creating a full length movie can be the next big campaignfor BMW. It is a new approach and will make the brand stand out of all others. The target audience is also much wider in comparison to the initial campaign. It will take a long time to implement, and not as easy as short films because a full length film is more complicated in terms of plot and production. The cost will also go veryhigh that may use up all of BMW’s resources in marketing. It is a two sided sword because if BMW is not placed enough in the film there is no difference in doing product placement in the James Bond movie series; meanwhile if BMW is overly exposed in the film it may create negative feedbacks as it will look like an hour long commercial. The interest level of audience will also be much lower in watching a long commercial than a short film. Decision Criteria Chart Here is the chart for the best 3 alternatives: (X? low score, XXX? high score) Recommendation Based on the analysis above it is evident that the appropriate course of action is to utilize the existing movies in the short term while developing a new full scale marketing plan in the background. By utilizing the existing films BMW will be able to quickly get to market films that they have already completed. They will ride the coat tails of the internet marketing, however by introducing the films to another target markets, BMW will hopefully build on the impact created by the original films. There is relatively low risk to this model because BMW has already invested in the films and by using different mediums to convey their message it is likely that an entirely new market segment will appreciate the films as the original audience did. Although the potential payback may not as great as some off the wall innovative idea, the concept behind releasing the films to a different audience should allow more time and resources to develop another new campaign. If there are enough resources, BMW can also consider creating 1 or 2 more films to avoid losing the competitive advantage toward the target audience. Bmw Films Decision Problem The primary issue faced by Jim McDowell is what to do for his next marketing campaign. He will need to decide what direction BMW will take in order to stay current in the target market and position the brand as the leader in the luxury car industry. A sub issue that Jim is facing is that in order for BMW to stand out compare to the competition, it must be at the forefront of the marketing trend. There is always pressure on innovative marketing campaigns as a bad campaign can lead to severe damage in the company image and reputation. Decision Alternatives There are a number of alternatives that Jim faces when deciding in what direction to move with the BMW marketing campaign. Develop more short films and build a big series out of it. Develop a full length movie for the theatres Do nothing to the existing campaign and move on to develop a new campaign To continue to use the existing BMW films plus developing a new campaign Creating new films on the heels of the original films plus developing a new campaign Develop a full length movie plus developing a new campaign In order to decide the best alternative it is important to look at some key decision criteria. In this case the important factors would be: delivery time, risk, cost, competitive advantage, ease of implementation. Analysis of Industry In the luxury car segment, BMW and Mercedes have stand strong against the strong competition from Japan like Acura, Lexus, Infiniti. In year 2001, BMW is second best luxury car seller, just behind Lexus amount the other ten major luxury brands. However, BMW only ranked 8th in media expenditures, which again proved the great success on their innovative campaign. In terms of customer loyalty, luxury brand customers do tend to stay among the top brands and are very loyal. There are always customers who switch from BMW to Mercedes or the other way around. Since BMW has the competitive advantage of a younger clientele, it is very important for BMW to create marketing campaign to young adult so they can look forward to own a BMW when they can afford one. Analysis of Company Evaluation of Alternatives Alternative #1, 2, and 3 should only be considered as a short term alternative that can achieve quick beneficial results with no long term prospects because all the alternatives evolve around the same film concept, which eventually will wear out and target audience will not be interested in it anymore. Alternative #4 takes into account with BMW’s long term goal, to be the leader in the industry with innovative campaigns. However, developing a new concept takes time and research before implementation, therefore some immediate alternatives needs to be done before the new campaign kicks in. Alternative #5, 6, or 7 will achieve that goal. Alternative #5 Introduce the BMW films to new markets that may have missed the online films during the campaign period will enable BMW to entice an entirely new segment. By showing the films throughother mediums, BMW will be able to reach a wider audience plus raising the brand awareness. Since this campaign is so successful and unique, BMW can also produce DVD and make itas a collectible item. This alternative is easy to implement, low cost to run, low risk as the campaign is already running with huge success with good reputation. However, other companies may copy the idea and there is a chance that BMW will lose its competitive advantage as the films are getting overly exposed to the original audiences that BMW targeted during the initial campaign period. Therefore, developing another campaign while this is running is necessary in order to achieve BMW’s long term marketing goal. Alternative #6 The other option would be to follow up with another series of films on the heels of the original films. BMW would want to keep the number of films low to try and blend them into the successful original films and not to market them as another series of short films. This alternative will require some time to prepare, and the cost will be much higher in comparison to Alternative #5, which will make it harder as BMW will need more resources in creating a new campaign at the same time. It is easy to implement as all the ground works are in place from the previous films. However, this alternative will have a higher risk than other options due to the high anticipation of BMW to produce high quality films. If any of the film receives negative feedbacks, BMW will risk losing out on the campaign inwhole, plus the reputation of the series. BMW will still keep its competitive advantage with this alternative as they are still the one who leads the marketing trend. Alternative #7 Creating a full length movie can be the next big campaignfor BMW. It is a new approach and will make the brand stand out of all others. The target audience is also much wider in comparison to the initial campaign. It will take a long time to implement, and not as easy as short films because a full length film is more complicated in terms of plot and production. The cost will also go veryhigh that may use up all of BMW’s resources in marketing. It is a two sided sword because if BMW is not placed enough in the film there is no difference in doing product placement in the James Bond movie series; meanwhile if BMW is overly exposed in the film it may create negative feedbacks as it will look like an hour long commercial. The interest level of audience will also be much lower in watching a long commercial than a short film. Decision Criteria Chart Here is the chart for the best 3 alternatives: (X? low score, XXX? high score) Recommendation Based on the analysis above it is evident that the appropriate course of action is to utilize the existing movies in the short term while developing a new full scale marketing plan in the background. By utilizing the existing films BMW will be able to quickly get to market films that they have already completed. They will ride the coat tails of the internet marketing, however by introducing the films to another target markets, BMW will hopefully build on the impact created by the original films. There is relatively low risk to this model because BMW has already invested in the films and by using different mediums to convey their message it is likely that an entirely new market segment will appreciate the films as the original audience did. Although the potential payback may not as great as some off the wall innovative idea, the concept behind releasing the films to a different audience should allow more time and resources to develop another new campaign. If there are enough resources, BMW can also consider creating 1 or 2 more films to avoid losing the competitive advantage toward the target audience.

Foundation of Christian Thought Applied Essay

If I were to sum up what I have learned from this course it would be focused on Faith and a new understanding of the Bible. Faith is not just part of religion but every aspect of our everyday lives, and is fascinatingly carried through the Bible from the beginning to the end. It began with the Creation, and continued throughout the Fall, Redemption, and Consummation of Christ. It is the foundation of the Christian perspective and what leads God’s people to salvation and good works. Our modern world is so corrosive to faith that Jesus Christ asked, â€Å"When the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth? (Luke 18:8). He is there to give his people the gift of faith and to help them to grow in living faith that will last forever. â€Å"In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. † (Genesis 1:1) In Genesis 1 we are presented with the beginning of a divine drama that can only be examined and understood from the standpoint of faith. How long did it take? How did it happen, exactly? No one can answer these questions definitively. In fact, these mysteries are not the focus of the creation story. The purpose, rather, is for moral and spiritual revelation. God was very pleased with his creation. Six times throughout the process of creating, God stops, observes his handiwork and says, â€Å"It was very good. † This is a great example of being a part of God’s creation. Even when I feel unworthy of his pleasure, I have to remember that God made me and is pleased with me. In verse 26, God says, â€Å"Let us make man in our image, in our likeness †¦ † On the seventh day, God rested. I often wondered if God needed to put in a day of rest for us to follow. I could not imagine God, who can do anything, being tired, but apparently he considered it important. Rest is often an unfamiliar concept in today’s busy, fast-paced world. It seems to have become socially unacceptable to take an entire day to rest, yet God knew that there would need to be a time of reenergizing. I thought a good example of this could be when Jesus, spent time alone away from the crowds. This shows that as human beings we need to rest and renew our bodies, souls, and spirits. The Creation story clearly shows that God truly enjoyed himself as he created his masterpiece. As noted previously, he stopped six times to enjoy his accomplishments. If God can stop to enjoy his handiwork, why is it so hard in today’s society to stop and truly take time to feel good about our achievements? Whether it is a job, hobby, or ministry service, if the work is pleasing to God then it should also bring pleasure to the person. When God created man and woman, Adam and Eve, he gave them many beautiful plants and trees to enjoy for food. But He also gave them one tree from which they were not to eat. This was the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. God’s command to them was that if they ate from that tree they would die. In The Fall of Adam and Eve The Bible says that the Devil entered into a serpent and tempted Eve (Genesis 3:1). He got Eve to doubt God’s Word. Satan told her that God knew that Eve would become enlightened and possess the same knowledge as God had if she ate from the fruit of the tree. This is much like Satan’s temptation within society today. There is constant temptation lurking over peoples whispering that there is no need for God. This is proven by all the violence, lying, murder, war, hatred, and disobedience of the 10 Commandments. The fruit was beautiful and Satan was cunning. Eve fell to the temptation and took the fruit from the forbidden tree. Finding it delicious she took it to Adam. As soon as Adam tasted the forbidden fruit, their lives, and that of all future humanity, changed. They immediately knew they had done wrong. They disobeyed God and would be punished. I can completely relate to this feeling of conscience. It is amazing when I do something wrong, and know that it is wrong, how it sits in the pit of my stomach and eats away at me until I make it right. I believe that that is how it is for people with conscience. That is the soul’s way of notifying an individual that what they are about to do, are doing, or have done is not right in the eyes of God. When God came to visit Adam and Eve in Eden, they tried to cover their nakedness with fig leaves. Their nakedness was something they had never even noticed before. When they heard God coming they tried to hide from Him. Of course God is all knowing. He was not looking for them because He didn’t know where they were, but because he wanted to give Adam and Eve a chance to return to Him and acknowledge their sin. God spoke with Adam, Eve and the serpent. Each one had a specific punishment from God. Adam was told that his work would be hard and become toilsome (Genesis 3:17-19). The woman would bear children with great pain (Genesis 3:16). The serpent was given the punishment of crawling on the ground and that he would be cursed more than any other creature (Genesis 3:14). God told Adam and Eve in the beginning that they would die on the day they ate from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. One death was immediate; this was that they were spiritually separated from God. However, their physical bodies continued to live, but they would not live forever as God apparently intended. They would become old, sick and die. All three (Adam, Eve and the serpent) were put out of the guard and the curse came not only on them but on the whole world. They no longer had a personal communion with God. This is where faith really has to come into play for me. It is hard to take this all in with no proof, and yet part of me says is that not what faith is, giving one’s total self to God in body, mind, and spirit. I have to be able to trust in Him wholly. This is where I need to truly work on â€Å"letting go and letting God†. After the Fall there was Redemption. â€Å"Redemption is being set free from slavery to one’s own sinful nature, slavery to the pressures of the culture which is under the spirit of this present evil age, and slavery to principalities, powers, and spiritual wickedness in the high places. † When Cain became angry that the offering he had brought to the Lord did not have the same response as the offering of his brother Abel, God spoke directly to him warning him (Gen 4:6-7) that †¦ sin is crouching at the door; its desire is for you, but you must master it’ What I feel this is saying is that sin is almost like a wild animal, waiting at the door of Cain’s life, and that it needs to be tamed and mastered. In comparison to society for all generation, this is something that is yet to be mastered. The same is true today as it was all those years ago; when an individual finds them self in a situation where they get angry because one person has more than they do, the normal reaction is to plot to ‘put down’ the other. On some occasions this even leads to murder. There is a freedom of choice in every sin committed. Even though human beings have the resources to take authority over sin; we often choose to submit our will to it and become its slave. ‘If you yield yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are the slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness’ (Rom 6:16). As Christians, we have a belief system and a life that is based upon even some laws and regulations that are Biblical. Even people who have never read the Bible and do not therefore know what God has said; have a ‘morality’ that they like to think that they live up to, but often fall short. I feel that Paul says it best in Romans 3:23 ‘†¦ all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God’ and that in Rom 3:9‘†¦ we are all under the power of sin. ’ As a human being, our greatest problem is not that we are living in captivity but that we will not accept that we are in captivity. Human beings need to face up to the reality of their dilemma and not to rely upon any false hopes or ideals. Some people rely on doing good in hopes that somehow their good deeds may outweigh the evil they do, but all such arguments are lacking in a recognition of individual human responsibility, and lacking in a dependence upon the work of Christ. The dilemma, then, is not just that we subject to the bondage of sin, but that it is necessary to acknowledge it before Christ who is able to minister redemption. Jesus died on the cross for us. The penalty of sin, under the Law, is both spiritual and physical death. Jesus took that death upon Himself, paying the price for our freedom. Jesus gave His life. Mark 10:45 says ‘†¦ the Son of man came†¦ to give His life as a ransom for many’. Jesus had nothing else to give us but Himself. He is both our ransom and our Redeemer and, more than this, redemption is only found in Him even though we may try and find it elsewhere and in different people who now exist or who have existed throughout history (Rom 3:23-24, Acts 4:12). Because Christ has fulfilled the requirements of the Law by taking the penalty upon Himself, we can be free to look forward to the day of our death because our sin has been dealt with. Although Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice for his people, it is still an ongoing task trying to figure out why individuals still behave as they do. The early chapters of Genesis helps to explain why individuals behave as they do, and to understand how we should act so as to please God. The subject of Paul’s teaching in Ephesians 5:21-33 is that of submission in the context of marriage. Paul’s instructions here create a head-on collision with the beliefs and practices of our culture. Paul’s instructions are written off as the ranting of an ancient male chauvinist. It is one thing for the unbelieving world to reject Paul’s instructions; it is quite another for Christians to do so. Many Christians refuse to take Paul’s words seriously; even some of those who profess to take the Scriptures at face value, try to â€Å"tip toe† past certain passages in order to avoid the stigma of professing and practicing its teaching. Some individuals claim that they have not taken Paul’s words seriously out of ignorance. Unknowingly, they believe Paul’s teaching to be a mere reflection of his culture, and not a timeless teaching, independent of the culture of that day, and of our own. I believe most Christians fail to understand the responsibilities of Christian husbands and wives in the light of the biblical basis which underlies and necessitates them. For example, The Lord’s Supper is one of the two ordinances our Lord has given to His church in this age. As Christians we are to regularly remember the Lord’s death at communion and the New Testament church devoted itself to a regular observance of it. What if someone were to suggest that this was merely an ancient celebration, applicable and meaningful only to the saints of days gone by, instead of preserving this ancient ceremony, they tell us, let us do something more meaningful, more enjoyable, and more relevant to our culture. What if they suggest having an ice cream and pie supper? Would our unsaved friends be more likely to attend? Would people find it more beneficial? As Christians we must be able to stand up for our faith and explain that we cannot set aside that which our Lord has instituted and which His church has continued to practice, from New Testament days onward. We should also point out that the bread and the wine of communion are symbols, symbols of our Lord’s sacrificial death for sinners. If we were to change these symbols radically, we could not do so without modifying the symbolism. Chocolate syrup might taste delicious on vanilla ice cream, but it would hardly replace the wine as the symbol for Christ’s shed blood. Like communion, marriage is a divine institution. Christian marriage has certain commitments, obligations and duties which are symbolic. The roles which God has given to a Christian husband and his wife are intended to symbolize and represent a greater, more fundamental reality. While marriage is temporal, the reality which is symbolizes is eternal; and thus we cannot understand the importance of the duties of the husband or the wife without grasping the reality which Christian marriage is to symbolically communicate. This fundamental reality which underlies and explains the attitudes and conduct of a man and his wife in marriage is the relationship of Jesus Christ to His church. This relationship was not understood clearly in Old Testament times; even Paul found it to be a mystery. The symbolism of marriage can only be understood in the light of the substance on which a Christian marriage is based: the mystery of Christ’s relationship to His church. Out of all the messages in the Bible, the view of consummation and marriage is what I struggle with the most. In Genesis chapter 2, God created Adam. Adam was given the task of naming all of the animals God had made. As they passed by two by two it became apparent that every male animal had its female counterpart. Adam was conspicuous as the only creature without a corresponding mate. I believe that by this means God created a yearning in Adam for a mate of his own. God provided her, but she was not like any other creature, in that she was not made from the dust of the earth; she was created instead from Adam’s flesh and bones. God created the woman as Adam’s partner, fashioning her to correspond to him in every way. God then brought the woman to Adam, and presented her to him as his wife. Adam joyfully responded, â€Å"This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man† (Genesis 2:23). As creation’s first husband and wife, Adam and Eve symbolized by the marriage the unity of Christ and His church which would be achieved at the cross of Calvary, centuries later. While reading Ephesians, Paul says â€Å"Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body. But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything. † As I read on Paul explains in verse 23 how our Lord is the Head of His church, He is the â€Å"Savior of the body†. I understood this to mean that, the headship of Christ is evident in the salvation which He accomplished at Calvary. (Ephesians 5:21-33) In the early chapters of Ephesians, Paul spoke much more about our salvation in Christ, but he laid the foundation for Christ as the head of His church as its Consummation by teaching that all of history is being divinely directed toward the goal of â€Å"summing up all things in Christ† (Ephesians 1:10). In Genesis 2:24 Moses instructs us that when a man and a woman come together in marriage, the man is to leave his mother and father and to unite his wife, to become one flesh. While there may be practical benefits to a man leaving his parents and bonding to his wife, Moses does not bother to mention them. His words indicate that there is one fundamental reason. The Bible says that the fundamental and primary union evident in the marriage of Adam and Eve is to be reflected in every subsequent marriage, to symbolize the union of Christ and His church. Because God created Adam from the dust of the ground and Eve from Adam’s flesh and bone; they began as one flesh through the creation of Eve. This union was also to become evident in their sexual union and in the bearing of children, but the first marriage on earth began with only one relationship, a man and his wife. This husband-wife relationship, Moses indicated, is the primary one, and the parent-child relationship is secondary. When President Obama announced he now supports same-sex marriage, he cited his Christian faith. â€Å"The thing at root that we think about is, not only Christ sacrificing himself on our behalf, but it’s also the Golden Rule, you know; treat others the way you would want to be treated,† he said in his interview with ABC News. I think when Christians at large talk about gay marriage, they are missing the point. The point is not that gay people want to take away other people’s right to get married. The whole struggle is really centered around the desire to be allowed in, to be able to participate in this ritualistic display of how much love the human heart can hold. It is about the basic right to choose who you want to spend forever with, and to have that celebrated by family and friends. Freedom of religion is a great thing, but since when did our ability to choose how or what we worship translate into our ability to dictate to others that they must conform to our chosen lifestyle, and that they must obey the rules of our personal faith? I find it rather alarming just how many laws are drifting to the top of legislation, laws that propose the outright imposition of one section of one religion’s believers on the entirety of the population. What is even more alarming to me is how many Christians seem completely okay with this blatant show of force. It is true that we are allowed to believe whatever we want to believe in. It is also true that we are able to express those beliefs freely. Just as the human heart has the capacity to hold so much love, it seems to have the ability to brim full of just as much hate. When we disregard the claims of others to rights do we fully enjoy ourselves, simply because we adopt a â€Å"normative† sexual preference? That is when we find that we are no better than all the people we have learned about in history classes in school who denied the rights they enjoyed to those who were not in the majority with them. It is not about whether or not it is right or wrong to be gay. What matters is when Christians begin to be okay with forcing someone else to follow the scripture, when it may not be something they are ready for or interested in. If Christians want to claim the freedom to speak our religion, and to choose our opinions, we cannot do so while denying others that same right. Christians come out in droves to protest whenever they feel their right to be a Christian is being threatened. I believe that if the Christian community were at large to have one of their basic civil rights legislated against, voted against by non-Christians, there would be a wave of outrage like this country has never seen. With a marriage license comes so many other benefits such as; taxes, home ownership, joint bank accounts, insurance policies, the decision to take a partner off life support, and being allowed in their hospital room after surgery. These are the kind of things that piece of paper can grant, and they are the kinds of things we take for granted. I believe that everyone deserves to be with someone who will cherish them as much as God cherishes us. God made man and woman in his image. We are told to love our neighbor as ourselves, and sometimes in the words of John Lennon, maybe â€Å"All you need is Love†.