...In the novel Fifth Business by Robertson Davies, Davies uses Fifth Business to show that every character in a novel is significant in their own way, no matter the impact they make. Dunstan Ramsay, lives an ordinary life, with events occurring around him that are extravagant. In each event he plays an essential role, but he never directly causes anything. Fifth Business is defined as “the one who knows the secret of the hero’s birth, or [the one] who comes to the assistance of the heroine when she thinks all is lost… or may even be the cause of somebodies death if that’s part of the plot” (Davies 218). Davies uses a variety of riveting plot points in Dunstan’s journey of life to portray him as Fifth Business, this can be seen through the lives...
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...Learning to be a Christian Leader in Today’s World. There is more to running a Christian based business than hanging a Cross in your window. Gerald J. Zalecki Bluffton University Whether it is in business or our own personal life we all will face struggles in the choices we make. Many times we know the right thing to do but do the opposite because the outcome is more to our liking. It takes more than talking the good talk to really impress and change the world around us. We all need to let our actions and deeds speak the loudest for how we think. The common business ideology is growth and success often mean more then integrity, but what about the Christian in business? For a Christian to succeed in business they need to do more than push their beliefs on others, it means a style of doing business in your community. As we began our look at what it took to be a Christian in the business world we needed to first look at what God wanted from us. Looking into what God wants us to do and how he wants us to treat each other is as simple as opening the Bible. As I read the Sermon on the Mount, in Mathew 5, I heard how God wants us to treat each other fairly and nicely. We are not to make a show of the good things we do we are supposed to just do them. Again in Mathew 6:3 we read, “When you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.” In other words do not do good deeds for rewards do them because it is right. Too often we get caught up in...
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...picturesque home, lined with a white picket fence and loving family. While there are some unethical ways of attaining the dream, society deems hard work, honesty and determination as the equation for achieving the American dream. Arthur Miller’s play Death of a Salesman, depicts the Loman family, and their quest towards accomplishing the American dream. Willy Loman’s idea of success consists of being physically attractive and well liked by others. Willy’s definition is superficial because it solely pays attention to how others perceive him and does not focus on family values and honesty. From the time Willy’s sons, Happy and Biff, were young, he consistently taught them the key to success is to be well liked, respected, and known by all. He believes that if he has the kind personality that everyone wants to be around, it will lead to all the monetary wealth that he and his family would ever need. Willy never emphasizes the need for studying, which is why Biff never receives a scholarship. He howls to Bernard to, “Stop being a pest!” when he is trying to convince Biff to study for his regents exams. Willy stresses how, “The man who makes an appearance in the business world, the man who creates a personal interest, is the man who gets ahead. Be liked and you will never want.” Unfortunately, Willy was never able to make an appearance in the business world and spent the rest of his life wanting. His inability to become well liked is responsible for Willy’s shortcomings. Willy was never able...
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...in: / Nationality: Malaysia | Robert Kuok is a Malaysian billionaire and business tycoon who is currently the richest man in both Malaysia and Southeast Asia, with an estimated wealth of 17 billion dollars. He owns multiple companies in numerous fields of business—from sugar mills to food products, from farms and plantations to hotels and resorts. He is most known for owning the world-class Shangri-La Hotels, a chain of hotel-resorts that now runs over 60 hotels worldwide in cities like Tokyo, Dubai, Manila, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, Vancouver, and Paris. THE RICHEST MAN IN MALAYSIA AND SOUTHEAST ASIA Robert is also called the “Sugar King of Asia” for having 80 percent of the Malaysian sugar production, which accounts for ten percent of the total world production, under his control. Robert’s amazing story of rising up from poverty and becoming Southeast Asia’s richest person has become a shining inspiration for a lot of people. Robert is a firm believer of hard work, diligence, and a broad set of thinking. He believes that these traits allow a person to achieve their goals, and enable them to properly set the course of their life. Robert has a deep root in Buddhist and Communist beliefs, in helping others and how everyone has an equal opportunity of succeeding, but is hindered by so much corruption—not just in politics, but a corruption of the entire system of life itself. In his interviews, Robert often cites his mother and his brother as his influences, stating: “Otherwise, probably I would...
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...used to be in our life, but for different circumstances in our separated life, they are not part of it anymore. The main issue is about trust and how this can break really strong relationships, where based on the definition of ‘being willing to depend on the behavior of others and accept a certain vulnerability, assuming that others will not betray us’, so when that ‘other’ person betray you, you are in front of a disloyal person that you cannot rely on him or her. What concepts did you choose to ilustrate the issue you have chosen? The main concepts that we chose and the main reasons were: * Trust We used this concept because they were friends, and Nicolas didn’t have the money to started the business, so their friend trust in all the effort that he put in developed the business and they put more money or their pockets to pay the part of Nicolas. * Fear We used the term Fear, because George worked for more than 2 years to get that money and he felt fear to loss that amount of money, that he worked so hard to get it. * Intuition This concept it used because George had an intuition about that something was missing in the business plan, that was only because he didn’t know all the process that Nicolas follow, George always had been a person that need all in control. * Empathy This concept we used in the situation were George and Rodrigo put the money for Nicolas, they understood that Nicolas didn’t have the money, so they put on his place and with an...
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...Jimmy Valentine was a criminal that broke into safes. Jimmy figured that was wrong after ten months of a four year sentence. Jimmy Valentine decided to change his name to Ralph D. Spencer for a new identity. He soon started a shoe-store business to earn money. After when he gets married to the banker’s daughter, Annabel, he will sell out and move west. Jimmy did change his life because he wanted to live a moral life, by being more responsible, and made sacrifices. Jimmy wanted to change his life because he changed his name to Ralph D. Spencer. Jimmy changed his name so he can possibly look for a location to go into business. Jimmy Valentine is showing one of four core values, responsibility. Jimmy wants to start a new job with his new identity. Ralph D. Spencer (Jimmy) got into a shoe business by his new look, “The clerk was impressed by the clothes and manner of Jimmy himself…” (page 3 paragraph 5). Jimmy prospered in his new life by making good choices. For an example, he soon opened a shoe-store and made a good run of trade. Jimmy Valentine wanted to change his life with a new identity, thus making good choices and by being more responsible....
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...RESEARCH & IDEAS Applying Business Theories to Your Life Published: June 4, 2012 Author: Carmen Nobel Scholarly economic theory applies to more than just business. The same causal mechanisms that drive big corporations to success can be just as effective in driving our personal lives, says Professor Clayton M. Christensen. Key concepts include: • In evaluating major life decisions, it's helpful to employ a tool called discovery-driven planning, which essentially boils down to a single question: What assumptions must prove true for this plan to work? • Incentives are not the same things as motivators. • Marginal thinking can be dangerous. It's safer to decide early on that you'll stay true to your commitments 100 percent the time, rather than assess the risk of every "just this once" possibility that comes along. Intel Corp. and the Pentagon, for example. In 2011, Thinkers50 named him the world's most influential business thinker. At the same time, he has held major leadership positions in his church, and he's never taken a business meeting on a Sunday because his faith encourages its members to keep the Sabbath Day holy. He sees no dichotomy. "You know, it's a travesty that somehow our society has gotten to a point where people have the view that science and academia are inconsistent with a spiritual life, and the belief that there we've been put here for a purpose," he says. "The reality is that the only reason you're interested in either of these things is that you're interested...
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...The Role of Life Insurance in Financial Plan Life insurance can be an integral part of financial plan for future and the futures of loved ones. Selling life insurance should always be set in that situation, where it is a very important part of a person's total financial picture. One way to sell insurance in this manner is to set it against competing products as superior to them in value over time. In many cases for the ideal life insurance client, the promise of future financial support for his or her family after death is a powerful selling point. Life insurance as a role for total coverage tool against death when there is no financial planning in place is also ideal in that, given a large enough death benefit, a person's house, bills, funeral and children's educations will be paid for in full. This is a primary motivating factor particularly for younger clients who are just married and just beginning to build a life together. Emphasis on their age and relative health being to their advantage at such an early stage in life is also a useful way of showing how life insurance is a key product to have. The major roles for life insurance to play in a proper financial plan are assets assurance, leaving a legacy, family future financial support and protecting own business. Life Insurance may able to help the insurers protect their assets. Insurers may have real and personal property that they would not want to go to ruin after they pass away. With a life insurance policy, insurer...
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...attitude towards life which will be noticeable in their ability to do hard work, interact socially, and even the way he thinks as he walks the path into manhood. In Arthur Miller’s 1949 play “Death of a Salesman”, the main character and father Willy Loman refuses to accept the fact that what he thinks to be the key to success in the business world has sculpted his two sons, Hap and Biff, into a pair of liars and thieves. Charley says something to Willy that pretty much sums up his whole life; he asks him, "When the hell are you going to grow up?" (Miller 1256) Willy spends his entire life in an illusion. He sees himself as a great man that is popular and successful. Willy behaves like a child. Willy is like a reckless kid with high ideals and high hopes. Children always have high hopes for their future. Willy dreams of moving to Alaska where he could work with his hands and be a real man which adds to his many fantasy “what if” moments saying that if he would have just done “A” instead of “B”, he would be a rich and successful business man like everyone else (Miller 1258). Willy truly believes that to be a success in the world all you need is to be physically superior and to be liked by everyone. The downside to this way of thinking is that he doesn’t put in the work or have the drive advance in the business world because all Willy is concerned about is having people know his name and not focusing on why people know his name. Biff wastes his life being a thief and...
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...American dream, it reflects American dream in some certain ways from an ordinary person—a salesman and his family. Hope is the most important factor in the dream through out the whole play. Hope, in most cases, is the greatest thing in the world which brings people happiness, courage and power. On the other, hope can sometimes be the worst thing which destroy a person’s life, just like our main character—Willy, in the play “Death of a salesman”. The temporary hope that Biff gives to Willy and also Willy puts all his expectations into—big business, successful businessman for Biff, these all finally destroy Willy’s life and make his whole life become a tragedy. The profession of the main character—Willy, a salesman is by no means a coincidence for Arthur Miller. Salesman is the most representative job for trading in hope, they always transfer hope from today to tomorrow, they struggle in a possibility, in that uncertain hope that tomorrow will be better, tomorrow I will sell more, then I can make a fortune, I can make a big deal. But there is always a gap between reality and dream. Actually in the play, Willy knows that he can never be a successful salesman, can never make a big deal, can never start a business at his age anymore, but he just refused to acknowledge that, so he puts all his hope and expectations on his son—Biff, one of his two sons which he is proud of, hoping that he can make his dream come true, start a business as he expected and be a successful salesman. Biff is...
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...Out 11 2.3. He Creates Something That Everybody Who Works For Him Is Really Proud Of 11 2.4. Be a Good Leader 12 2.5. Be Visible 12 2.6. Be Calculative 12 3. Success in Other Businesses 13 4. Conclusion: 14 Executive Summary: Sir Richard Branson, one of the Britain’s richest men, born on July 18, 1950 in England, left school at the age of 17 because of his unrecognized dyslexia made teacher assume that he will “either go to prison or become a millionaire”. Richard Branson, one of the outstanding business personalities of our time, is a risk taker who has never allowed setbacks to block his road to success. He points himself as independent, stubborn, cunning, a team player, affectionate, irreverent towards authority and competitive. Branson consider his business and personal life as seamless event. His point is-in life as in business all risk should be calculated ones. He first started with venture Student magazine which he thought it’s much more a creative enterprise rather than money making one. And at that time, it became huge success. Above all, he always tries to create something to proud of. Later, his business exploits, which have stamped the Virgin brand on...
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...Your Authentic Leadership by Bill George, Peter Sims, Andrew N. McLean, and Diana Mayer COPYRIGHT © 2007 HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL PUBLISHING CORPORATION. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. During the past 50 years, leadership scholars have conducted more than 1,000 studies in an attempt to determine the definitive styles, characteristics, or personality traits of great leaders. None of these studies has produced a clear profile of the ideal leader. Thank goodness. If scholars had produced a cookie-cutter leadership style, individuals would be forever trying to imitate it. They would make themselves into personae, not people, and others would see through them immediately. No one can be authentic by trying to imitate someone else. You can learn from others’ experiences, but there is no way you can be successful when you are trying to be like them. People trust you when you are genuine and authentic, not a replica of someone else. Amgen CEO and president Kevin Sharer, who gained priceless experience working as Jack Welch’s assistant in the 1980s, saw the downside of GE’s cult of personality in those days. “Everyone wanted to be like Jack,” he explains. “Leadership has many voices. You need to be who you are, not try to emulate somebody else.” Over the past five years, people have developed a deep distrust of leaders. It is increasingly evident that we need a new kind of business leader in the twenty-first century. In...
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...Recipes for Success 5 Introduction 5 Richard Branson 5 Tony Hsieh 7 What led to their Success 9 Introduction 9 Richard Branson 9 Tony Hsieh 10 Challenges 11 Introduction 11 Richard Branson 11 Tony Hsieh 12 What struck me most 13 Introduction 13 Richard Branson 13 Tony Hsieh 13 Compare and Contrast 14 Introduction 14 Richard Branson 14 Tony Hsieh 15 Executive Summary This paper aims to present and discuss both Richard Branson and Tony Hsieh on their business ventures, characteristics, and endeavours both inside and outside the business world, it will focus mainly on their successes and the trials and tribulations that came with it; including my own personal reflection and juxtaposition of myself and both Richard Branson and Tony Hsieh. Richard Branson was born on July 18, 1950 in Surrey England, all throughout his childhood he struggled in school dropped out at the age of 16. This decision ultimately led to the creation of Virgin records. His entrepreneurial ventures and...
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...these inalienable rights - life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.' (Thomas Jefferson, 1776). This 'dream' consists of a genuine and determined belief that in America, all things are possible to all men, regardless of birth or wealth; if you work hard enough you will achieve anything. However, Miller believes that people have been 'ultimately misguided' and Miller's play, Death of a Salesman, is a moving destruction of the whole myth. The origins of the American Dream seem to have been rooted in the pioneering mentality of the 18th and 19th century immigrants, most of whom came to America because of a promise of a new and better life. In particular, the opportunity to own one's land. But land 'ran out' and so cities developed and massive variations arose in wealth, which meant that this 'American Dream' changed from being a potential reality, into being a dream, like the name implies. Most of Miller's plays are directly or indirectly about the American Dream, because ultimately this dream wasn't going to succeed as lots of people wished. Death of a Salesman written in 1949, is a moving destruction of the whole myth. To be hard working, honest and have ambition were the ways of the American Dream. This lead to success, wealth and in due time - power. But this dream for everyone developed, and encouraged greed, selfish behavior, pride and rivalry between one another. Willy Loman was 'caught-up' in this American Dream. It causes business to develop in the world. Capitalism...
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...Erio Zucchet Mrs. Zakowski ENG 3U1-07 Monday, May 30, 2011 Fifth Business: Origin, Nature and Burden of Guilt In Robertson Davies’s Fifth Business, the concept of guilt is an important component in the development of many major characters within the novel. Guilt is defined as a feeling of responsibility for some offense or crime. Throughout the novel, Robertson Davies utilizes the motif of guilt in order to express the feelings of certain characters. He also employs the logic behind their decision-making. The concept of guilt influences many characters, especially in the lives of Percy Staunton, Paul Dempster, and Dunstable Ramsay. The way in which these characters cope with the guilt they have combined in their lives, is also an essential part in their rebirths. In Robertson Davies’s Fifth Business, the concept of guilt directly influences the events, characterizations, decisions, and transformations of Percy Staunton, Dunstable Ramsay and Paul Dempster. The element of guilt proves to be properly portrayed through the description of Percy Staunton. Percy Staunton is an important figure in emphasizing the importance of guilt within the novel. It is also a prime example in showing how guilt influences a person’s decision-making process. During the first stages of the book, guilt is introduced when Percy throws a snowball at Dunny, which ends up hitting Mrs. Dempster. This shows the reader the moral...
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