Destruction and Failure of a Generation in Fitzgerald’s...

The Great Gatsby and the Destruction of a Generation The beauty and splendor of Gatsbys parties masks the decay and corruption that lay at the heart of the Roaring Twenties. The society of the Jazz Age, as observed by Fitzgerald, is morally bankrupt, and thus continually plagued by a crisis of character. Jay Gatsby, though he struggles to be a part of this world, remains unalterably an outsider. His life is a grand irony, in that it is a caricature of Twenties-style ostentation: his closet overflows with custom-made shirts; his lawn teems with the right people, all engaged in the serious work of absolute triviality; his mannerisms (his false British accent, his old-boy friendliness) are laughably affected. Despite all this,†¦show more content†¦Despite these admirable qualities, he dies alone, drunk, and betrayed. Through Dan Cody, Fitzgerald suggests that 1920s society manipulates its visionaries, milks them for their hard-earned money, and then, promptly forgets them. This formula is reiterated through the story of Gatsby. A child growing up in a nameless town in the middle of Minnesota, Gatsby dreams of the impossible and makes the impossible a reality. He begins this grand undertaking in an endearingly methodical way: he makes a list of General Resolves: Study electricity, baseball, practice elocution and how to attain it. . . Less than two decades later, he is one of the richest men in New York. Gatsby, too, is exploited by the very society of which he longs to become a part. At his own parties, Girls were swooning backward playfully into mens arms, even into groups, knowing that someone would arrest their falls - - - but no one swooned backward on Gatsby, and no French bob touched Gatsbys shoulder, and no singing quartets were formed with Gatsbys head for a link. His home was full of the Leeches, Blackbucks, Ferets and Klipspringers or at least it was while the champagne was flowing, at Gatsbys expense. When he dies, no one attends his fune ral: Gatsby dies alone, and only a handful of people mourn hisShow MoreRelatedThe Great Gatsby and the American Dream1442 Words   |  6 Pagesimpossible to reach, like F. Scott Fitzgerald. Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby examines the Jazz-Age generations search for the elusive American Dream of wealth and happiness and scrutinizes the consequences of that generations adherence to false values. In the years following World War one, many American writers, known as the Lost Generation, were disillusioned with American society and they rejected the values of American materialism. The generation was lost in the sense that they believed itsRead MoreFitzgerald Explores the Jefferson ´s Ideal of ‘The Pursuit of Happiness’ in The Great Gatsby2090 Words   |  9 Pagesoriginally inserted into the Declaration of Independence by Thomas Jefferson and is a clear and overriding concern in The Great Gatsby. In the 1920s, when the novel is set, America was experiencing a newfound level of prosperity; the economy was booming and the possibility of gaining wealth became an achievable reality. As a result, the pursuit of happiness in The Great Gatsby is far from the founding fathers’ initial intentions and instead, in this new context, Fitzgerald demonstrates the confusionRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald1210 Words   |  5 PagesThe Great Gatsby, as th e iconic book of the 1920s. In the novel, F. Scott Fitzgerald used setting, symbol and character to convey his critique of American society. The symbol of green light, detailed description of the party at Gatsby s house and the character of Myrtle all serve to show that in the modern society, Americans tend to have less mortality, and be more careless and materialistic. Many young Americans witnessed death and massive destruction during WW1, or the Great War.Read MoreEssay about The Great Gatsby the American Dream4402 Words   |  18 PagesThe Great Gatsby and the American Dream The Great Gatsby is an interesting and thought-provoking novel by the American writer F. Scott Fitzgerald that sets to explore important and complex social themes such as the hollowness of the upper class and the characteristics and decline of the American Dream during the prosperous years preceding the Great Depression. The Great Gatsby is presented at the surface as a thwarted love story between a man, Jay Gatsby, and a woman, Daisy Buchanan. However, theRead MoreThe Disillusionment of American Dream in Great Gatsby and Tender Is the Night19485 Words   |  78 PagesThe disillusionment of American dream in the Great Gatsby and Tender is the night Chapter I Introduction F. Scott Fitzgerald is the spokesman of the Jazz Age and is also one of the greatest novelists in the 20th century. His novels mainly deal with the theme of the disillusionment of the American dream of the self-made young men in the 20th century. In this thesis, Fitzgerald’s two most important novels The Great Gatsby(2003) and Tender is the Night(2005) are analyzed. Both these two novelsRead MoreJay Gatsby s American Dream2866 Words   |  12 PagesLauren Sizemore ENGL 204-1 Dr. Peterman October 15, 2014 Research Paper Draft #3 Jay Gatsby’s American Dream Ever since its publication in April 1925, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel â€Å"The Great Gatsby† has become one of the most criticized, cited, and analytical pieces of fiction in American literature history. It is a great representation of an era known as the Jazz Age when anything and everything was possible, or at least that is what people thought. Fitzgerald provides the reader with an insightRead MoreShort Summary of the Great Gatsby11203 Words   |  45 PagesStar-Spangled Banner (after whom Fitzgerald was named), his mothers family was, in Fitzgeralds own words, straight 1850 potato-famine Irish. As a result of this contrast, he was exceedingly ambivalent about the notion of the American dream: for him, it was at once vulgar and dazzlingly promising. It need scarcely be noted that such fascinated ambivalence is itself typically American. Like the central character of The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald had an intensely romantic imagination; he once called it a heightenedRead More Mythology and Archetypes in Harper Lees To Kill a Mockingbird2536 Words   |  11 Pagesall the various approaches to criticism, the Mythological/Archetypal achieves the greatest impact over the entire literary scope, because the themes and patterns unearthed apply universally to all works, yielding results that can be applied to a great many texts. This is because the very nature of the Mythological/Archetypal approach is the exploration of the canon for widespread and pervading symbols, plots, and characters. These are all greatly extant in Harper Lees classic novel To Kill a

P4 Describe Sources of Internal and External Finance for a...

Report to: Head of Finance Report From: Monaj Gurung Date: 23rd October 2012 Title: sources of internal and external finance for Waitrose Source of Finance All business needs money in order to operate properly. Finance simply means the management of some amounts of money. And source of finance is generally the place where money comes from. Example Waitrose gets money by selling their products to the customers and hence customers are the different classes Internal and External source of finance. Internal Sources: Internal source are usually from inside of the business organisation which are often preferable to any organisation as they will usually be cheaper and perhaps easier to arrange. However, the potential of arranging large†¦show more content†¦According to Rod Gammon a personal assistance in Waitrose, he said Waitrose gains lots of profit through Sales and without sales Waitrose, can be in financial crisis. Hence this will give them access to some capital, even though they are then burdened with annual leasing costs. Sales are a good way to raise financial from substances that is no longer needed. But even though there is some disadvantage for business. Some businesses are unlikely to have profit from the substances that they sell and can be slow method of raising finance for organisation. 4) Capital from Profits: Once a business starts to run properly it may be able to invest its money that came for their profit. This means that even bigger profit can be ma de in upcoming days. The amount of profit in Waitrose depends on how much profit the owners want to keep for themselves against how much they wants the business to expand. External Sources: External sources of finance are generally from outside the business. It involves business owing money to outside individuals or institutions. There are a number of different external sources that can be used to fund a business. 1. Banks: Banks are the most commonly used external source of finance. Waitrose do depends upon Banks as a part of External source. Sometimes they can be in loss but however they do need to pay their employees, rent, electrical and gases bills, etc. Hence they can take loan form the Bank and pay it later. AsShow MoreRelatedDescribe Sources of Internal and External Finance for a Selected Business, Unit 2 P41424 Words   |  6 PagesDescribe sources of internal and external finance for a selected business For a business to run successfully on a daily basis it needs finances. Success comes when a business expands, reinvests and uses human recourses to run. Bentalls need money to run their business effectively and successfully. It needs finance for its daily running of the business for example, paying staff wages, paying bills for electricity and rent, paying taxes on time and ordering stock regularly. For a long term goal, BentallsRead MoreUnit 2 P4830 Words   |  4 PagesUNIT:2 P4 P4: Describe sources of internal and external finance for a selected business. Introduction: In this particular task of the unit I will describe the internal and external finance sources for a particular selected business. In this task I will use the same company as I did before in the previous part of the unit. The name of the company is : Media Markt. In this task we will get to know where money actually comes from to actually create such a big company which is well known of itsRead MoreGfsgsdf Hshsdfshfd Sdhgw1479 Words   |  6 PagesCambridge TECHNICALS OCR LEVEL 3 CAMBRIDGE TECHNICAL CERTIFICATE/DIPLOMA IN IT BUSINESS RESOURCES D/502/5409 LEVEL 3 UNIT 30 GUIDED LEARNING HOURS: 60 UNIT CREDIT VALUE: 10 BUSINESS RESOURCES D/502/5409 LEVEL 3 UNIT 30 PURPOSE OF THE UNIT The unit looks at how a range of resources including human, physical, technological and financial resources are used and managed within business. This unit will help the learner to have an understanding of how human resources are managed and ofRead MoreBtec Level 3 Business Business Enviroment Essay725 Words   |  3 PagesUnit 2: Business Resources – Assessment activity front sheet This front sheet must be completed by the learner (where appropriate and included with the work submitted for assessment Learner name: | Assessor name: | Date Issued: | Hand in date: | Date submitted: | Qualification :BTEC Level 3 National Business | Unit 2 – Assignment 1Business Consultancy | Criteria Reference | To achieve the criteria the evidence must show that the learner is able to: | Taskno | CriteriaAchieved | DateRead MoreUnit 21450 Words   |  6 PagesAssignment brief | Unit number and title | Unit 2 – Business Resources | Qualification | BTEC Level 3 Certificate, Subsidiary Diploma amp; Diploma in Business | Start date | September 2010 | Deadline | December 2010 | Assessor | L.McNeill | CRITERIA COVERED | | | P4, P5, P6, P7, M3, M4, D2 D3. | | | | | Assignment title | The Role of Financial Resources | Purpose: The aim of this unit is to develop learner knowledge of the range of human, physical, technological andfinancialRead MoreP1- bUSINESS UNIT 22223 Words   |  9 Pages Wrotham School BTEC Task Sheet Front Cover Name of Centre: Wrotham School Title of Course: BTEC National Subsidiary Diploma in Business Studies Unit Number and Title: Unit 2: Business Resources Name of assessors: Mr Williams Mr Toher Deadline for completion: Statement of Context: At the core of every organization are the human, physical, technological and financial resources that enable it to function. In this unit you learn the importance organizations placeRead More2014 15 Assignment4484 Words   |  18 Pagesnumber and title L3 BTEC National Diploma in Business (Marketing) UNIT 1: The Business Environment Assignment title Working at Business Review In this assessment you will have opportunities to provide evidence against the following criteria. Indicate the page numbers where the evidence can be found. Criteria reference To achieve the criteria the evidence must show that the student is able to: Task no. Page numbers P1 Describe the types of business, purpose and ownership of two contrasting businessesRead MoreAssignment Help1995 Words   |  8 Pages | |1.1,1.2,1.3,2.1, | | |Outcome 1: Explore the sources of finance |2.2,2.3,2.4,3.1, | | |available to a business |3.2,3.3,4.1,4.2,4.3 | | | | Read MoreAssignment Help2001 Words   |  9 Pages | |1.1,1.2,1.3,2.1, | | |Outcome 1: Explore the sources of finance |2.2,2.3,2.4,3.1, | | |available to a business |3.2,3.3,4.1,4.2,4.3 | | | | Read MoreBusiness Resources1984 Words   |  8 Pagesbusiness resuirces BTEC Nationals – Unit: 2 Business Resources Assessor: Sam Ramsay | Internally Verified By: Michele Carman | Criteria Achieved | | Comments Against Target Grade: | | Assignment 1 | P1, P2, M2 | | Assignment 2 | P3, M1 | | Assignment 3 | P4, P6, M4, D3, D1 | | Important ResubmissionWhen you resubmit your assignment, you MUST ensure that YOUR CHANGES are shown in red. Failure to do this is likely to result in your work being missed and your original grade standing

The President Speech on BP Oil Spill Free Essay Example, 500 words

ï » ¿The President Speech on BP Oil Spill President Obama’s introduces his speech by greeting his audience and gives a brief view of the state of the United States as it faces numerous challenges. The president then goes directly to introduce the core of the matter which is the BP oil disaster. THE PRESIDENT: Good evening. As we speak, our nation faces a multitude of challenges. At home, our top priority is to recover and rebuild from a recession that has touched the lives of nearly every American. Abroad, our brave men and women in uniform are taking the fight to al Qaeda wherever it exists. And tonight, I’ve returned from a trip to the Gulf Coast to speak with you about the battle we’re waging against an oil spill that is assaulting our shores and our citizens. (Whitehouse, par 1). The president, in the second and succeeding paragraphs - which form the partition, delves deeper into the subject of his speech. He states that on 20th April, the Gulf coast BP oil spill occurred. This was as a result of digging oil deep in the sea and the carelessness of the BP Oil Company. We will write a custom essay sample on The President Speech on BP Oil Spill or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/page

Kiss Of The Spider Women By Manuel Puig - 1397 Words

The novel Kiss of the Spider Women by Manuel Puig charts the interactions between two men: Molina and Valentin who share a cell in an Argentine prison. Molina who is perceived as the maternal figure is a charismatic homosexual man convicted for the corruption of a minor, while Valentin who is perceived as a masculine figure is a man convicted of being part of a revolutionary. Puig uses the setting of the prison as an experimental space which allows him to explore the extent to which pleasure of both the maternal and the body impacts the interactions and creates conflict between two individuals who carry opposing social and political ideals. Moreover, pleasure is of interest because it deconstructs the power dynamics established within society. In doing so, Puig uses pleasure to ultimately argues how power is on a spectrum and thus not rigid in nature. Puig uses the pleasure of the maternal which is derived from the action of both giving and receiving to deconstruct authoritarianism i n the world outside of the cell. The novel begins with the act of giving which is illustrated through Molina’s narration of the panther woman film. At the end of the narration Molina questions Valentin, â€Å"Do you like it [the narration]?† which Valentin responds to by saying, â€Å"Yes†¦ I’ve become attached to the characters†¦I get attached to anything that reminds me of her† (Puig 41-42). This dialog implies that the narrations have begun to nourish Valentin becauseShow MoreRelatedThemes and Motifs in the Kiss of the Spiderwoman777 Words   |  4 PagesManuel Puig uses many recurring themes and motifs to convey his views and opinions on many highly political, and also controversial, matters, from his attitude towards Marxism, and his belief that people should be free to express themselves as well as being tolerant of others’ views, to his homosexuality being reflected in one of the two main characters. Themes: †¢ Tolerating each other’s and other people’s views: Molina and Valentin obviously have contrasting views on sexuality and politicsRead MoreAnalyzing Social Roles as Constructs Pertinent to Sex1100 Words   |  5 PagesPertinent to Sex. In Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew as well as Manuel Puig’s Kiss of the Spider Woman the characters feel conflict between society’s rules and their more private desires. They are forced to perform social roles that are in a more private respect artificial. This pertains mostly to social roles that define sexuality. Elizabethan ideas of social roles were inextricably bound with gender. The social role of women, especially in courting and marriage arrangements was strictly a business

The Strengths and Weakness of the key Methods of concepts of Usability Free Essays

string(42) " effect in the experience of interaction\." The method used in any form of media analysis is crucial to the outcome of the particular piece of research. This can be applied to any scientifically based source of analysis. This also includes the social sciences. We will write a custom essay sample on The Strengths and Weakness of the key Methods of concepts of Usability or any similar topic only for you Order Now In relation to the study of computer systems, this also applies as computer systems are ultimately utilised by human agents. This has meant that the human-computer interaction inherent to computer systems are now undeniably twinned with the social sciences and humanities. Therefore, the relationship between methodologies and outcomes also applies to any analysis based upon computer use and development. For this essay, the particular concept based upon human-computer interfacing to be scrutinised was that of usability. Like most other concepts in the human sciences, the concept of usability has its own particular methodological components and tools. The particular methodological tools relating to usability chosen for this analysis were the qualitative measurements used in focus groups, interview techniques and the concept of usability itself. As usability is essentially a cognitively focused concept then the data used in the analysis of usability is primarily qualitative. This means that to measure usability, feedback is usually qualified in terms of empirical rather than positivist data as it is based upon experience. This is why the empirical methods of the focus group and interview technique that pertain to the social sciences are used and were to be addressed in this essay. The main conceptual components of usability were outlined by its forefather Jacob Neilson, who stated that a heuristic analysis of interactive experiences could be judged on the basis of their success to ascertain as to whether a computer system was good or bad. This means that we must first of all look at the strengths and weaknesses of usability before we critique them. However, we must also identify the components before we begin the analysis. As we have already suggested, usability is not a quantitative term relating to any fixed data outcome. This means that to identify the key conceptual components in the analysis of usability, we must clearly define what they are. Further, Neilson also states that the key components of usability are essential to any analysis. It is from this overview of the concept of usability that we will turn to an analysis highlighting its strengths and weaknesses in methodological approach. The Strengths and Weaknesses of the Key Methods and Concepts of Usability It is clear that there is a relationship between computer systems and the construction of human social systems. The computer is become an essential component in advanced technological cultures. In many ways it has become the dominant tool of communication now that it has implemented the formerly distinct mediums of television and text. In relation to the computer as a social medium, it is its interactive nature that separates it from other mediums. This can be seen as being realised as early as the 1970s, in an age before interactive communication had actualised. For example, the notion of the hypertext put forward by seminal thinker and post modern philosopher Jean Baudrillard highlights the way in which interactivity constructs not only social relations with each other, but also the sensual relationship that we have individually with the computer interface. In one crucial extract, Baudrillard states that the relationship with the interface is one: ‘Based on contact, a sensory mimicry and a tactile mysticism, basically ecology in its entirety, comes to be grafted on to this universe of operational simulation, multi-stimulation and multi response. ’ (Baudrillard, 1976, p. 9) It is from the realisation in the extract that contemporary theorists and experts in the field of human-computer relations have developed the concept of usability. This is essentially the yardstick by which the connectivity between the computer system and human cognitive functioning can be devised and then measured in terms of its success. In essence, it is part of the interactive feedback produced by the human through their experience that determines whether the interactive process in any particular experience is successful or not. This measurement can therefore be referred to as its usability. Basing his approach on this philosophical realisation, Jacob Neilson devised a way in which this interactive process could be qualitatively measured. This includes the methodologies associated with empirically based social science, including focus groups and interview techniques. To utilise these factors in the potential success, or successful construction of web design, Neilson outlined ten primary factors. These were developed as part of a heuristic system. These factors include: ‘1. Visibility of system status, 2. Match between system and the real world, 3. User control and freedom, 4. Consistency and standards, 5. Error prevention, 6. Recognition rather than recall, 7. Flexibility and efficiency of use, 8. Aesthetic and minimalist design, 9. Help users recognize, diagnose, and recover from errors, 10. Help and documentation’ (Neilson, 1994) By developing a system based upon these key factors, Neilson created a rigid conceptual model for successful user-face design, implementing the functional principles of human contact with the computer interface. This heuristic formulation has had success in both developing web design and measuring the interactivity of the design. For instance, it‘s methodology has been found to be able to identify ‘major usability problems’ (CHFCS, 1992). Further, by implementing this measuring tool based upon empirical feedback, such as in the case of the focus group and interview technique, the success of identifying and treating any problems in the functioning of a problematic web site have a ‘higher probability of being found in a heuristic evaluation’ (CHFCS, 1992). The strength of using such methodologies is that they arrive at experience driven results that indicate problems relating to cognition. Further, this allows the problems associated with web design to be identified in relation to usability when utilised in terms of feedback. Essentially, the qualitative data can be measured in relation to the themes indicated by Neilson that have a known cognitive effect in the experience of interaction. You read "The Strengths and Weakness of the key Methods of concepts of Usability" in category "Papers" This is further exemplified in the rationale on Neilson’s own web site devoted to the heuristic analysis of computer systems. The site follows the principles of the design, whilst explaining the way in which to utilise the principles of usability. The extent to which Neilson demonstrates the use of these principles and validates the evidence that can be used is revealed in a number of examples that have achieved success through usability. This is highlighted in the extract which states that: ‘Rapid Application Development (RAD) processes such as Agile, Scrum, and the like, simultaneously pose an opportunity and a threat to achieving a quality user experience. It all depends on how it’s handled. The standard methodologies as described in books don’t work in practice, if you care about the usability of your products. But small modifications work wonders’ (Useit. com, 2009) This notion of adaptability is another strength of the methodology as it recognises the need for human feedback in a thematic and conceptual format. Furthermore, it reveals the diverse nature in which feedback can be drawn before being applied to the core conditions laid out in the heuristic principles. Rather than using quantitative data or rigid data referring to hypotheses, the data is given in a thematic sense highlighting the individual’s experience with the site and the cognitive problems that may have occurred in the process. The key heuristic principles then allow for problem identification and adjustments made in a bid to enhance the experience of usability. In essence, the measurements are set for a versatile analysis of computer systems in relation to interactivity. This can utilise a wide range of empirical and qualitative methodologies. However, the methodologies will not simply address the likes and dislikes of the individuals, but also relate their experience to the cognitive disparity between human and computer. Contrastingly, the weaknesses in this approach and its methodologies can be seen in a return to the philosophical underpinnings of usability and the significance of the immersive experience. Rather than there being any problem with the methodologies used in relation to the heuristic principles, it is in the conceptual basis of usability itself that we see the greatest amount of criticism being applied. This is primarily because the notion of usability is founded upon one key principle indicated by Baudrillard at the rejection of the other. Essentially, although Neilson outlines interactivity and marries this to the concept of human cognition with a degree of success, it is conceptually focused upon functioning. That is to say, that the immersion of the user experience is only measured in terms of how the interface functions and its success in that outcome. Further, this success is only relative to the user’s cognitive functioning. By basing his principles and outcomes on cognitive functioning, he denies any aesthetic or intellectual action made by the user in relation to the experience. For example, the lack of aesthetic design can be evidenced in relation to his own web site. This is because it takes a functional approach at the expense of any aesthetic. However, the aesthetic experience to functioning can not be overlooked in the experience of the user. The irony here is that while Neilson may be dismissing aesthetics in his design, his consumers i. e. the users of his site are nevertheless subject to an aesthetic experience. While being functional in terms of usability, the site is aesthetically detrimental to the experience of the user. In this sense, it would appear that Neilson is simply rejecting the role and significance of aesthetic experience from the experience of interfacing. The other major criticism of usability and the methodologies that it utilises is in relation to the extent of interactivity that the heuristic principles allow for. Essentially, with such a simple form of processing information, then the role of interactivity is lost in the experience. That is to say that the computer system is simply conforming to the will of the user rather than engaging with them. This denies the validity of the interactive process to some degree in terms of immersion. For example, Sherry Tuckle denotes the significance of interactivity in the construct of the self. Essentially, she suggests that the chances of immersion within the web site are better increased by a degree of socialised feedback that can be sensually registered in terms of another intelligent entity, rather than coded responses (Turkle, 1997). The suggestion here is that the more diverse the computer can respond in terms of immediate sensual feedback, the greater the chances of immersion become. In relation to designs based upon a purely functioning information source, the experience becomes that of an entity wishing to ascertain information as if the computer itself. This is quite a contrast to the actual human experience that is found in the process of interaction. With this notion of seeking information we can see another criticism. Rather than being subject to the experience of a user world based upon multi-stimulus, the user is driven by a purpose to collect information through a cognitively mutual function. While this perhaps serves well as the provision of a service based upon receiving or extracting information, it denies the process of immersion and interactivity that may instil or insight a relationship between the user and the web site. This oversight is highlighted well in Neilson’s claims that ‘evolution did not intend humans to navigate in 3D space’ (Molich Neilson, 1990). What is indicative of oversight in this idea is that humans already inhabit a 3D space in the real world. Essentially, the notion of the interactive experience is one that negates the actual experience. This means that the experiences being utilised by the methodologies are overlooked and reinterpreted to arrive at the web sites success in providing a service based upon function. This emphasises Neilson’s dualistic belief that there is a cyber-reality based upon function and a real-reality that bears no relation. This is contradictory in that it goes against the principles of hyper-reality outlined by Baudrillard and many other theorists and critics who highlight the way in which computer systems interact to create a virtual world based upon our own real world. Conclusion We can see from this essay that Neilson’s notion of usability is immensely significant in relation to the computer medium and how it is used. It has a good and practical methodological component borrowed from the social sciences, based upon the cognitive relationship between humans and computers. It is a good approach that utilises experience and addresses the cognitive relationship between user and web site. However, at a more intricate level, it rejects the aesthetic experience from the design that constitutes much of the potential for immersion. In this, it rejects or denies the very essence of any engaged human experience and replaces it with outcomes. Further, it supports the notion of a dualism between that of user reality and actual reality, which denies any notion of virtual reality. Essentially, the experience of the interactive process is supported by usability in its utilisation of the methodologies of the social sciences, yet denies it in its reduction of the user experience to that of a static functionally directed process based upon stimulus and response. Although it has borrowed from Baudrillard and hypertext to great effect, it has negated the principles of a multi-faceted aesthetic activity and denied much of the sensual and tactile experience that immersion involves. Bibliography Baudrillard, J. , (1976) Symbolic Exchange and Death Taken from: The Order of Simulacra (1993) London: Sage. Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. , (1992) Finding usability problems through heuristic evaluation Monterey, California, United States, p. 373 – 380 Molich, R, Nielsen, J. , (1990) Improving a human-computer dialogue, Communications of the ACM, v. 33 n. 3, p. 338-348 Nielsen, J. (1994). Heuristic evaluation. In Nielsen, J. , and Mack, R. L. (Eds. ), Usability Inspection Methods, John Wiley Sons, New York, NY. Turkle, S. , (1994) Constructions and Reconstructions of Self in Virtual Reality: Playing in the MUDs. † Mind, Culture, and Activity: An International Journal 1, no. 3 : 158-167. Useit. com (2009) Taken from: www. useit. com. How to cite The Strengths and Weakness of the key Methods of concepts of Usability, Papers

Impact of Climate Change on Electricity-Free-Samples for Students

Question: Discuss about the Impact of Climate Change on Electricity Demand and Supply. Answer: Research Aim This research thus aims to determine the electricity forecast and the demand of electricity in different weather condition. Research objectives To find out the change in electricity consumption depending on the changing weather To identify the impact of the changing weather on the electricity consumption To recommend some effective strategies for accurate electricity forecasting Research Questions What is the change in electricity consumption depending on the changing weather? What are the impacts of the changing weather on the electricity consumption? Short literature review Introduction The prime objective of the research is to evaluate the impact of climate change on electricity demand and supply. Gans et al. (2013) stated that in the demand of the electricity is measured through the units of consumption by the people of a nation. In this literature review, proper data and research previously made on the similar research topic is highlighted. The following session shows that in which season the electricity consumption or the demand of the electricity is high. The process used for forecasting the material is also discussed in the following literature. Literature review However, the process of measuring the demands changed from conventional time to the contemporary period. In conventional time, electricity feedback is taken for analyzing the demand of the electricity. Electricity feedback was carried out mostly by psychologists and questionnaire containing set of questions is given to the consumers based on which the evaluation of the electricity consumption is evaluated (Auffhammer Mansur, 2014). Son and Kim (2017) depicted that direct and indirect feedback method is used, where assigned electricity staffs did self-meter-reading, assessing unit numbers in direct displays, keypad meters, meter reading in presence of energy adviser. On the other hand, in the process of indirect feedback, raw data processed by the utility and sent out to customers is taken into consideration. These feedbacks comprises of the data of high among of electricity by the nations consumers, electricity readings along with historical feedback, detailed annual or quarterly en ergy reports and disaggregated feedbacks (Moshovel et al., 2015). It is said that electricity use varies with the weather as depending on the weather and humidity the demand for the less or more electricity consumption depends. There are majorly three sectors that consume electricity- residential, commercial and industrial (Eia.gov., 2017). Image 1: Electric Power Monthly Consumption (Source: Eia.gov., 2017) It is also found that residential people shows much variation in their electricity consumption as there is a peak in demand of electricity mainly in summer and winter. The prime reason is that people have air-conditioners in their homes and they need power for AC in summer and heaters in winter that on the other hand also consumes electricity (Auffhammer and Wolfram, 2014). There is a less variation of electricity use for commercial sectors through it is found that demands in summer increases compared to the winter season. Lastly, in industrial sector the variation of the electricity needs is more flat with slight increase during the summer. Taken for incident, the household people and it is found that in winter and fall, the consumption of electricity is higher compared to other seasons that are- spring and summer in United States of America (Sexton, 2015). Non-renewable source of energy are used in all these cases. Moreover, during the fall, the electricity consumption is high in case of summer and fall but the consumption of renewable energy sources like geo-thermal, solar and biomass is low throughout the year. Thus, it can be stated that the highest amount of energy consumption is during the winter season. Image 2: Electricity consumption in U.S. throughout the year (Source: Sexton, 2015) Cooling versus Heating Electricity is used for heating to a very limited extent and is fueled by oil and gas; however, other aspects like refrigerators, washing machines and lighting, electricity are used (De Felice et al., 2013The above figure shows is relevant example of the concept of cooling and heating. Temperature should be associated with a rising electricity demand if it is intended to find the association between electricity consumption and summer temperatures. This result can be better understood in nations with higher base temperatures. The primary reason for this aspect is that climate discomfort should be convex in temperature levels and the process if known as cooling effect. On the other hand, the reduction in fuel consumption for heating purposes is known as heating process. It is also said by Dahl et al. (2017) that higher temperatures in spring and fall having more impact compared with the winter season. Moreover, gas and oil products are used for heating and thus it is expected that dema nds for these energy needs does not possess a positive relationship with average temperature levels (Da Silva et al., 2014). Thus, it can be said that the impact of the temperature of climate on the gas and oil products demands can be predicted but there is an increase in energy demand when the temperature is very low and when the temperature is very high. Non-linearity of the energy demand - temperature relationship It is mentioned earlier that energy demand may have affect in a non-linear way. De Felice et al. (2015) stated in the research work that the non-linearity may arise due to the different usage of different fuels, geographical differences and seasonal variations. Important variables that can be considered that address the research aims and objectives are- seasonal temperatures and cold-and-hot country. Bossavy et al. (2013) portrays the evidence of the importance of geographic variability as cooling and heating effect are felt in hot and colder regions respectively. In addition to that, cooling should occur during the summer, whereas heating depends on the duration of the cold season. Another aspect that can be considered is that temperature increases at the beginning and at the end of the cold season and thus, due to this season change, people avoid using heating systems. Image 3: Relationships between Energy Demand and Temperature Levels (Source: Bossavy et al., 2013) Furthermore, if the research can be made in-depth to the hours in a day for every season, different graphs have been obtained. However, in the cases, it has been found that at midnight the consumption of the electricity is low compared to other hours of the day. It is found that in winter season, the energy consumption is lower people do not use any electricity gadgets but during the day time, the consumption of electricity due to the use of other appliances like refrigerators, television, music systems are high (Hong et al., 2014). The electricity demand in the winter is high in Qubec and thus government in such nations helps them to limit the spike in demand. Image 4: Electricity consumption curve during a day in winter season (Source: Hong et al., 2014) However, in summer, the electricity consumption is high in all the hours compared to winter but in comparison with the summer season the electricity consumption at midnight is less for not using the home appliances. Image 5: Electricity consumption curve during a day in summer season (Source: Hong et al., 2014) The scenario, for the spring and fall curve illustrates that the energy consumption is greater in the day time compared to that of the midnight. However, in this case, consistency in energy consumption can be seen and thus, forecasting the unit of electricity consumed can be forecasted easily. Image 6: Electricity consumption curve during a day in spring and fall season (Source: Hong et al., 2014) Techniques for forecasting the electricity demands There are several techniques that help in determining the electricity forecasting- modeling techniques, projecting peak demand from energy, incorporating load management and conversation measures and determining capacity needs from demand forecasts (Alessandrini et al., 2015). However, Trotter et al. (2016) stated that the electricity forecasting affects due to several factors- economic activity, interruptible customers called upon, price of compelling fuel and weather. Usually, three different methods are used in forecasting- time series, econometric and end use (Hong et al., 2014). In the time series forecasting, conception trends is analyzed and can be furthermore categorized in three divisions- liner trend, polynomial trend and logarithmic trend. In all these trends, forecasting the demand of electricity is easy and it can be expected that the consumer demands will also follow the same unit of electricity as per as the developed line or unit of electricity consumed by consumer of that nation. In some cases weather ensembles are used so that demand in electricity can be utilized. In some cases, nonhomogeneous exponential model is used even through there is a gap between the forecasted electricity consumption results and actual consumption of the electricity. Xu et al. (2014) stated that electricity consumption forecasting is usually divided into two categories: short-term and mid/long-term. Experts also evaluate the estimation of GDP, price and GDP per capita elasticity in order to assess the non-domestic and domestic electricity consumption (Xu et al., 2014). In this case, example of Asia country can be taken into consideration. India being the large South Asian developing country and witnessed high increase in GDP and the co untry also suffers from energy shortage due to current lag. The mode developed in the research paper developed by Xu et al. (2014) shows the difference between the actual and the estimated forecasted electricity consumption graph. Image 7: Indias electricity consumption curve and respective comparison among different forecasting results (Source: Xu et al., 2014) Research plan The research project is estimated to be completed within 3 month. The topic selected for the research is already done in the first month. The topic that is selected for the research is impact of climate change on electricity demand and supply. The data that is selected for the research is only secondary data and it needs 4 weeks of time that is from week-1 to week-4. Moreover, framing of the research layout and formulation of the literature review is intended to complete in the 3rd and 4th week together. The data sources selected to develop literature review is different electricity distribution companys websites and government sites. In the next two months that is week 5 and 6, formation of the research plan and selection of appropriate research techniques is completed. The 7th and 8th week is taken for extracting relevant data from the selected data sources. The content of the sources are associated with the selected research topic. The analysis and conclusion drawn from the data c ollection and the research made on the selected topic is intended for the week 9 and 10. Lastly, the formulation of the rough draft and submission of the final project is made on 11th and 12th month. Proposed method of analysis Mackey and Gass (2015) stated that methods of analysis illustrate the research methodology for accomplishing the research project. The aim of the research is to investigate the impact of climate change on electricity demand and supply. Thus, in order to conduct a successful research, interpretivism research philosophy, deductive research approach and descriptive research purpose is utilized in the research. The data that are collected is secondary and analyzed through qualitative data analysis method. The data that are collected illustrate the change of demand in electricity based on the deferent weather and climate. This will help to forecast the electricity consumption of a particular nation. The sources that are selected for data collection are from websites of electricity distribution companies and government websites. The data are collected based on the outcome from the secondary research is then aligned with the research aims and objectives in order to obtain the research outco me. Reference List Alessandrini, S., Delle Monache, L., Sperati, S., Cervone, G. (2015). An analog ensemble for short-term probabilistic solar power forecast. Applied energy, 157, 95-110. Ang, B. W., Wang, H., Ma, X. (2017). Climatic influence on electricity consumption: The case of Singapore and Hong Kong. Energy, 127, 534-543. Auffhammer, M., Wolfram, C. D. (2014). Powering up China: Income distributions and residential electricity consumption. The American Economic Review, 104(5), 575-580. Auffhammer, M., Hsiang, S. M., Schlenker, W., Sobel, A. (2013). Using weather data and climate model output in economic analyses of climate change. Review of Environmental Economics and Policy, 7(2), 181-198. Bossavy, A., Girard, R., Kariniotakis, G. (2013). Forecasting ramps of wind power production with numerical weather prediction ensembles. Wind Energy, 16(1), 51-63. Da Silva, P. G., Ilic, D., Karnouskos, S. (2014). The impact of smart grid prosumer grouping on forecasting accuracy and its benefits for local electricity market trading. IEEE Transactions on Smart Grid, 5(1), 402-410. Dahl, M., Brun, A., Andresen, G. B. (2017). Using ensemble weather predictions in district heating operation and load forecasting. Applied Energy, 193, 455-465. De Felice, M., Alessandri, A., Ruti, P. M. (2013). Electricity demand forecasting over Italy: Potential benefits using numerical weather prediction models. Electric Power Systems Research, 104, 71-79. Eia.gov. (2017). U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). [online] Available at: https://www.eia.gov/ [Accessed 22 Aug. 2017]. Gans, W., Alberini, A., Longo, A. (2013). Smart meter devices and the effect of feedback on residential electricity consumption: Evidence from a natural experiment in Northern Ireland. Energy Economics, 36, 729-743. Hong, T., Pinson, P., Fan, S., Zareipour, H., Troccoli, A., Hyndman, R. J. (2016). Probabilistic energy forecasting: Global energy forecasting competition 2014 and beyond. Mackey, A., Gass, S. M. (2015). Second language research: Methodology and design. Routledge. Moshvel, J., Kairies, K. P., Magnor, D., Leuthold, M., Bost, M., Ghrs, S., ... Sauer, D. U. (2015). Analysis of the maximal possible grid relief from PV-peak-power impacts by using storage systems for increased self-consumption. Applied Energy, 137, 567-575. Sexton, S. (2015). Automatic bill payment and salience effects: Evidence from electricity consumption. Review of Economics and Statistics, 97(2), 229-241. Son, H., Kim, C. (2017). Short-term forecasting of electricity demand for the residential sector using weather and social variables. Resources, conservation and recycling, 123, 200-207. Trotter, I. M., Bolkesj, T. F., Fres, J. G., Hollanda, L. (2016). Climate change and electricity demand in Brazil: A stochastic approach. Energy, 102, 596-604. Xu, X., Niu, D., Meng, M., Shi, H. (2014). Yearly electricity consumption forecasting using a nonhomogeneous exponential model optimized by PSO algorithm. Applied Mathematics Information Sciences, 8(3), 1063.

The Journal of Nepalese Business Studies free essay sample

The Journal of Nepalese Business Studies The Journal of Nepalese Business Studies Vol. III No. 1 Dec. 2006 Application of Management Control System in Nepalese Commercial Banks Saroj Rijal ABSTRACT This paper attempts to examine the application of management control system in Nepalese commercial banks. The Nepalese commercial banking sector is very competitive. The commercial banks are competing mainly in service and many of them adapting differentiation strategy. The priority of the majority of commercial banks is customer retention. Commercial banks are encouraging employees to upgrade their knowledge and skill. The working environment is also congenial in Nepalese commercial banks and the informal organization and communication system also gradually exist in some of the commercial banks of Nepal. However, the future research needs to examine the relationship between management control system and effectiveness of the commercial banks of Nepal. Key words: commercial bank, management control system IN NEPAL, DURING 1990S AND later many organizations faced major changes in competitive business environment. Before 1990s organizations such as those operating in the airlines, utilities, and financial sectors were either government owned monopolies or operated in a highly regulated and non-competitive environment. These organizations were not subject to any great pressure to improve the quality and efficiency of their operations or by eliminating services that were making losses. Some public enterprises were getting direct subsidies from government for equalizing their operational losses. Privatization of some of the government owned enterprises and deregulation in early 1990s changed the competitive environment in Nepalese business environment. Large number of joint venture commercial banks and development banks were established and the process is being continued. Commercial banks play significant role in the economic development in the nation. In Nepal 19 commercial banks are in operation and providing services to the business and industries through long-term and short-term loans and facilitating business for foreign exchange and remittance via national and international network. The development of banking system in Nepal was emerged after the liberalization and free market concept. In the beginning of 1980s, private commercial banks came into operation in collaboration with foreign banks. It took pace after 1990s and number of financial institutions has been increased. All the newly established commercial banks tired to operate efficiently and effectively resulting high competition in Nepalese banking industry. In this connection, the service operation of commercial banks has become more important for the number of reasons: ? Competition in financial markets has intensified with the entry of new joint venture and domestic banks, and other financial intermediaries. ? The cost of operating the bank branches has been increased with the need of better quality service. ? Increased in Non Performing Assets and 92 Application of Management Control System in Nepalese Commercial Banks Increased in liquidity position Today and more precisely in future, companies, organizations and other decision making entities whether profit making or not, will face major management challenges. Irrespective of whether the main goal of the organization is to make profit or not, it becomes necessary to institute a mechanism in those entities to control the activities of managers so that they remain on track of the proper routes as established by management. In order to keep activities of the organization in track a management control system is essential. Control in the broad sense of the term relates both organizational structure (Chandler 1962) and informal process (Cyert and March 1963). Management control system a logical integration of techniques to gather and use information to make planning and control decision, to motivate employees behavior, and to evaluate performance (Horngren, Sundem and Stratton 2002). It is the process by which managers assure that resources are used effectively and efficiently in the accomplishment of the organizations objectives in other words control using both financial and non-financial objectives. It is specifically concerned with the process by which managers influence other members of the rganization to implement the organizational strategies (Govindarajan and Anthony 2001). It involves number of activities: ? Planning what the organization should do ? Coordinating the activities of several parts of the organization ? Communicating information ? Evaluating information In coping with the competitive forces, there are three potentially successful generic strategic approaches to outperforming other firms in an industry; overall cost leadership, differentiation and focus (Porter 1998). A control system is a set of formal and informal systems that designed to asset management in steering the organization towards the achievement of its purpose by bringing unity out of the diverse efforts of subunits and individuals (Marciallo and Kirby 1994). The formal system and informal system are independent but they are highly interrelated, indistinguishable, subdivision of control system. Formal system makes possible the delegation of authority. Formal documentation of structure, policies, and procedures assist members of the organization in performing their duties (Wu 2003). An effective set of formal control includes three major mechanism-operational plans, performance measurement systems, and feedback mechanism (Stewart, 2002) Operational plans: Operational plans include the firms annual master budget and related supporting work plans. They provide the linkage between senior managements strategic plans and the day-to-day organizational activities of each employee. Performance Measurement: Performance measurement systems compile and report the result of the collective work activities on periodic basis. An effective performance measurement system presents both financial results and operating data on a responsibility basis. Feedback Mechanism: Feedback mechanism reports the variances between actual and planned performance. The variance is communicated to mangers and others within the organization periodically through various interim reports. Informal system requires management a mindset that differs from that required for formal controls. Informally refers to the flexibility to deal with any action beyond the documentary discipline and regulation. In this ? 93 The Journal of Nepalese Business Studies respect formally leads to a pattern of defined behaviors whereas informally leads to a pattern of interacting roles between two systems (Marciall and Kirby 1994). The informal control system consists of five components: Informal Control Process: Under certain conditions and uncertainty, management will try to gather more and accurate information from the dynamic environment and adapt organizational goal. All these goal-directed actions are based on the experience and skill of management. Infrastructure: Infrastructure includes personal contacts and network. A personal contact is a model of communication within the organization that acts an efficient method to exchange ideas and information between different levels of the organization Management Style and Culture: Management and culture represent the dominant way that the top management and whole organization have chosen to conduct their work. Informal Rewards: Informal rewards are status oriented. Individual employees are rewarded not only in financial terms. The informal rewards are important because it encourages employees to carryout their job efficiently Coordination and Integration: Coordination and integration is considered as interpersonal relationship, which can be changed and adapted to meet the needs of the organization members. Informal communication helps deeper discussion of sensitive issues in a softer and flexible environment. The reward system is not so much the money; it is also the friendship and working relationship (Wo 2003). The quality of work life is having work environment where an employees activities become more important (DeCenzo and Robbins 1996). It means implementing procedure that makes the work less routine and more rewarding for the employees. These procedures include autonomy, recognition, belongingness, progress and development, and external rewards. The importance of management control system has been increased significantly in recent years (Kald, Nilson Rapp 2002). One indication of this growing importance is the impact of balance scorecard. The balance scorecard is a management system (not only measurement system) that enables organization to clarify their vision and strategy and translate them into action. The balance scorecard suggests that management views the organization from four perspectives, and to develop metrics, collect data and analyze it relative to each of these perspectives: 1. The learning and growth perspective 2. The business process perspective 3. The customer perspective and 4. Financial perspective The four perspective of the scorecard permit a balance between ? Short term and long term objectives ? External measures for shareholders and customers and internal measures of critical business process, innovation, and learning and growth ? Outcomes designed and the performance drives of those outcomes ? Hard objectives measures and softer, more subjective measures In recent years a new financial theory-Economic Value Added (EVA) has been developed for the measurement of financial performance of a company (Stern Stewart 1993). 94 Application of Management Control System in Nepalese Commercial Banks EVA is both a measure of value and also measure of performance. The value of a business depends on investors expectation about the future profits of the enterprise. Stock prices track EVA far more closely than they track earning per share or return on equity. A sustained increase in EVA will bring an increase in the market value of the company. EVA is changing the way managers run their business. When business decisions are aligned with the interest of the shareholders, it is only a matter of time before these efforts are reflected in a higher stock price (Durant Micheal 1998). 1. Problem Identification Banking industry is high-risk business but not necessarily high profit industry. It is quite difficult to manage risk and return in banking industry. The internal management system in some of the commercial banks of Nepal is inebriated from traditional management system of government. The pyramid shape organizational structure of some banks caused adverse effect in their business development. In any institution human resources, which is not listed in balance sheet but very important intangible assets? Modern economy entered into information age. Competitive business environment in banking industry also caused lateral movement of human resources. The traditional management theory could not completely fit the operational environment in banking business in Nepal. In this context, this paper attempts to find some hints from the well-developed theory to get some new ideas. To sum up, the major issues discussed in this paper are as follows: ? Competitive situation in Nepalese banking sector ? What kind of management control system do the Nepalese commercial banks apply? ? How the performance is evaluated? ? What reward system the commercial banks have been adopting? ? How commercial banks are encouraging their employees to learn new skill and knowledge? 2. Data and Methodology The paper is based on both primary and secondary data. Primary data have been collected from the structured questionnaire developed for branch manager and employees of different commercial banks at different branches. The responses were received from the 26 managers and 76 supporting employees of 13 commercial banks. Secondary data have been collected from the website of Nepal Stock Exchange Limited, Nepal Rastra Bank, and concerned commercial banks. The data, collected from various source have been analyzed using statistical tools and with the support of previously developed theory. 3. Results Competitive Environment in Nepalese Commercial Banking Sector: The degree of competition in Nepalese commercial banking sector is very high. The majority (76. percent) managers of the branches of the commercial banks of Nepal feel intense competition. The commercial banks of Nepal are competing mainly on service followed by the cost and other factors respectively. 95 The Journal of Nepalese Business Studies Generic Strategy of Nepalese Commercial Banks: The generic strategy of Nepalese commercial banks has been divided for two main areas of business: deposit and lending. The different branches of the same c ommercial banks at the different geographical location are adapting different strategy. Around fifty two percent branches of commercial banks are concentrating on differentiation strategy and 47. 4 percent are following focus strategy to attract the depositors. In case of lending, majority of branches (52. 6 percent) of such banks are adapting differentiation strategy followed by focus (42. 1 percent) and cost leadership (5. 3 percent). Services Offered by Nepalese Commercial Banks: Nepalese commercial banks have been offering number of services to their customers. The services are ranging from 3 to more than 25. The majority of such branches of commercial banks (42. percent) are offering more than 21 products. Similarly, 15. 4 percent and 30. 8 percent of such braches of commercial banks are offering 16-20 and 5-10 services respectively. Only few (11. 5 percent) are offering 1-5 services to their customers. In order to compete in highly competitive environment, these banks are continuously introducing new services through their branches established at different places in the country. Majority (76. 9 percent) of such commercial banks are introducing 3-4 services every year, and only 11. 5 percent of such braches of the commercial banks are offering 5-6 and 6-7 services every year. Marketing of New Services: Twenty-three percent branches of the commercial banks of Nepal promote their products/service very aggressively. Similarly, 30. 8 percent and 46. 2 percent branches promote/advertise their new services aggressively and normally respectively. The majority of the commercial banks branches are concentrating in maintaining (retaining) customers and only 28 percent of such branches are competing for customer acquisition. Target Setting Practice: All the commercial banks of Nepal set target for their branches for the purpose of planning and controlling the activities. In majority (96. 2 percent) of the branches the target is fixed in terms of number of clients, amount of deposit, and the amount of lending. Only in few (3. 8 percent) braches the target is fixed in other terms. Concerning to individual level, 83. 3% employees responded their banks set target for them and only 16. 7% responded they dont get any target for their performance. Out of the individuals who think their bank set target for them, 95. 4% feel the target is clearly communicated to them and only 4. 6% feel that the target is not clearly communicated to them. Performance Measurement: All commercial banks compare actual performance with predetermined target of their braches frequently. Coming to the individual level, 65. 4 percent respondents feel their actual performance is compared with predetermined target and remaining do not know whether their actual performance is compared with standard or not. The managers of different commercial banks still desire to evaluate the performance of their banks and branches on the basis of net profit margin (Table 1). After net profit margin they tend to support ROE, ROI, EVA and others (including the degree of NPA) respectively. 6 Application of Management Control System in Nepalese Commercial Banks Table 1: Performance Evaluation Criteria in Nepalese Commercial Banks Criteria Return on Investment Net Profit Margin Return on Equity Economic Value Added Others 1 4 4 2 3 0 13 2 3 5 4 1 0 13 3 2 2 7 2 0 13 4 4 2 0 7 0 13 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total 13 13 13 13 13 Weight Value 32 28 31 39 65 1 Mean Value 2. 46 2. 15 2. 38 3. 00 5. 00 Rank 3 1 2 4 5 Reward System: Employees in any organization work for reward, and most important reward is money, but individual expect more than wages or salary from their employees (DeCenzo and Robbins 1988). In Nepalese commercial banking sector, salary/benefit/promotion is mostly determined by performance followed by education, experience, relationship, and other factors respectively. Table 2: Employees Response to Factors Affecting Salary and Benefit Criteria Performance Experience Relation Education and Training Others 1 30 3 0 4 2 39 2 6 15 2 16 0 39 3 1 19 3 15 1 39 4 0 2 17 4 16 39 5 2 0 17 0 20 39 Total 39 39 39 39 39 Weight Value 55 98 166 97 169 Mean Value 1. 41 2. 51 4. 26 2. 49 4. 33 Rank 1 3 4 2 5 Regarding additional benefit for better performance (performance higher than the standard), 53. 8 percent responded they get additional benefit for better performance. Seventeen percent respondents say they dont get any additional benefit for better performance and 28. 2 percent did not provide any comment on this dimension. Majority of commercial banks are providing bonus to their employees out of profit. The amount of bonus is based on the amount of salary the employees are getting. It indicates that the bonus is not based on the outstanding performance of an employee or a group of employees. Encouragement to employees to learn new skills: At present all commercial banks are encouraging their employees to discharge better performance and enhance educational qualification and attain trainings. It is supported by the response provided by managers and employees of such commercial banks in Table 3 and Table 4 respectively. Table 3: Managers Response Relating to Factors Affecting Employees Benefit and Compensation Criteria Number of Years in Job Training Related to Job 1 3 0 2 4 0 3 5 7 4 0 9 5 4 0 Total 16 16 Weight Value 46 57 Mean Value 2. 88 3. 56 Rank 3 4 7 The Journal of Nepalese Business Studies Educational Qualification Performance Relationship 4 9 0 16 5 7 0 16 4 0 0 16 3 0 4 16 0 0 12 16 16 16 16 38 23 76 2. 38 1. 44 4. 75 2 1 5 Table 4 Employees Response Relating to Factors Affecting Employees Benefit and Compensation Criteria Performance Experience Relation Education and Training Others 1 30 3 0 4 2 39 2 6 15 2 16 0 39 3 1 19 3 15 1 39 4 0 2 17 4 16 39 5 2 0 17 0 2 0 39 Total 39 39 39 39 39 Weight Value 55 98 166 97 169 Mean Value 1. 41 2. 51 4. 26 2. 49 4. 33 Rank 1 3 4 2 5 The majority of employees (77. percent) working in Nepalese commercial banks responded that they generally get leave/deputation sanctioned from their bank to attain training related to their job. It also supports that the commercial banks are encouraging employees to learn new skill and knowledge. Cooperation and Communication: Majority of the employees (96. 2 percent) working in Nepalese commercial banks feel they get complete cooperation from their coworkers. It indicates the working environment is very conducive in Nepalese commercial banks to discharge better performance. The majority of Nepalese commercial banks are organizing some sort of recreational activities for their employees. Those who responded that their bank organize recreational activities, 71 percent says they talk about the official job during the time with the executive/boss other than their immediate supervisor. It indicates employees use informal organization/time to communicate the official matter with their seniors. 4. Conclusion The Nepalese commercial banking sector is very competitive. The commercial banks are competing mainly in service in order to put in competitive position, majority of the branches of commercial banks have been adapting differentiation strategy. The response shows that different branches of the similar bank have adapted different strategy and few of the banks have followed more than one strategy at the same time. Majority of commercial banks are offering more than 21 services to their customers through different branches established at different geographical location. Most of the commercial banks (76. percent) are introducing 3-4 services in a year. When new services are offered 53. 8 percent of them promote aggressively. The priority of the majority of Nepalese commercial banks is to retain customers whereas 28 percent of them are concentrating on customer acquisition. All the commercial banks are applying the concept of management control system by setting target for their branch and at individual and comparing it with actual performance. The target for a branch is fixed in terms of number of clients, amount of deposit and lending. Target is also fixed for the majority of the individuals. Around eighty-three percent 98 Application of Management Control System in Nepalese Commercial Banks employees responded that they get target for their performance and it is clearly communicated to them. The target of branches and individual level is frequently monitored. The manager of the different branches of the different commercial banks desire to evaluate the performance of the branch on the basis of traditional tools like NIM, ROE, and ROI. Regarding individual level, 65. percent employees, of those commercial banks think that their performance compared with predetermined standard. Around eighteen percent employees do not know whether their performance is evaluated or not, and 3. 8 percent responded feel their performance is not compared with the standard. According to employees response, their financial and non financial benefit is based on performance followed by education and training and experience respectively. But the yearly bonus is based on the percentage of salary they are getting.