Aspects of Connected Speeech one page, Terminology-Analysis 2 pages Research Paper

Aspects of Connected Speeech one page, Terminology-Analysis 2 pages - Research Paper Example The noun with the third most repetition is ‘ways’ which appears 15 times, being 5.7% of the total noun count. The total number of nouns is comprised of 88 different terms. There are a total of 97 adjectives comprised of 43 different terms found within this text which represents 15% of the entire text. The three adjectives showing most use are ‘cultural’ which was repeated 14 times, ‘social’ which was repeated 8 times, and ‘linguistic’ with a repetition of 7. A total of 38 verbs are evident within this same text, representing only 5.9% of the total word count; these 38 verbs included 25 different terms with the most widely used verb being ‘to speak’ (speak/is spoken). As would be expected within a text discussing language and culture the most often replicated utterances were in reference to the topic and included ‘language’ and ‘culture’ (nouns), ‘cultural’ and ‘linguistic’ (adjectives), and the verb ‘to speak’. A total number of 385 words make up this text (policy on climate change) which includes 70 nouns, accounting for 18% of the text. Within the score of 70 nouns there are 48 different terms, with the most often used nouns being ‘greenhouse gas’, ‘atmosphere’, and ‘warming’ which were all used 4 times. A particular occurrence in this text is the use of chemical terms such as ‘GtC’ and ‘GtCO2 ’. A total number of 583 words make up this formal text comprised of 140 different terms which make up 24.5% of the total text. The word ‘shall’ appears 28 times and although not in reality a term it is frequently used in such legal documents. Another feature is the use of ‘thereof’ and ‘herein’ which are also evident in legal documents such as this, together with a few other formal/legal terms such as the verbs ‘vested’ and ‘chuse’, and phrases such as ‘term of

Small business report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Small business report - Essay Example The results will be concluded and then recommendations will be provided based on the problems identified in the analysis stage. There is no one single, consistent definition of small business that is widely accepted. Therefore, there are different definitions for different sectors and regions. It is the objective nature of the business that defines the small business. In 1971, the Bolton Committee put down the two separate definition of small business with respect to economic and statistics. The economic definition stated that the small business is one that is relatively small share in the market, true owners run the place with no management structure and were independent. Whereas the statistical definition stated that the definition varied across the sectors. It said that manufacturing and construction were defined by the number of employees, retailing and services by turnover and road transport by number of vehicles. For example: A manufacturing businesses is considered small if it employs less than 200 employees (Storey, 1994). This perspective stated by Wynarczyk et al. said that the small firms will be different from the larger firms with respect to three important dimensions: uncertainty, innovation and evolution. The definition did not take a good pace in the minds of the researchers (Storey, 1994). Another definition of small businesses is laid down by the European Commission. They developed a new term ‘small and medium enterprises’ to define small businesses. This definition is invariant irrespective of the sector and region and uses only one variable, employee, to define the term. It stated that: The Bolton Committee definition faced severe criticism on several grounds. And therefore, the definition put forward by the European Commission supersedes all the other definitions and is most commonly used these days. The research suggested that most economists use their definitions of small business which they deem

The attitudes towards Essay Example for Free

The attitudes towards Essay Essay title: Consider, with particular reference to Far from the madding crowd, the attitudes towards relationships between men and women conveyed in these texts reveal any marked changes in attitude? Comparison Social/Historical/Cultural contexts I have read and studied the relationships between men and women in the 18th and 20th century. There are six relationships investigated, taken from two short stories and a novel; Far from the madding crowd, a novel by Thomas Hardy Tickets please, a short story by D. H Lawrence Seeing a beauty queen home, a short story by Bill Naughton. Four of the relationships involved: Bathsheba and Gaberial Oak Bathsheba and Francis Troy Bathsheba and Farmer Boldwood These relationships are taken from the novel Far from the madding crowd. Another one of the relationships involves, Maggie and Rudy This relationship was taken from the short story Seeing a beauty queen home. The last relationship involves, John Thomas and Annie Walker These were taken from the short story Tickets please. Many of the characters share a lot of similarities and differences in the way they act and influence the relationships. For instance Bathsheba, John Thomas and Rudy are shown to be quite extremely proud, confident and vain this is shown by the author and foreseen by some of the other characters. She simply observed herself as a fair product of nature in the feminine kind, Her thoughts seeming to glide into far -off though likely dramas in which men would play a part-vistas of probable triumphs-the smiles being of a phase suggesting that hearts were imagined as lost and won. Far from the madding crowd (pg 13) This shows Bathsheba as being very vain and aware of her looks. I feel that Bathsheba and john Thomas both use their attractiveness to gain what they desire, where as Rudy uses his charms more than his looks. In the relationship involving Bathsheba and Gaberial Oak, Bathsheba instantly hypnotizes Oak with her overwhelming beauty but Oak is aware of Bathshebas ability to break hearts. Bathsheba is neither physically nor sexually attracted to Oak, he feels hurt and thinks her vain. By playing with Oaks emotions Bathsheba gains the upper hand in the relationship, she also uses this strategy in the relationship between Farmer Boldwood and herself. I felt that when Bathsheba thought herself clever by playing with Oak and Boxwoods emotions as thought they were toys, she showed her self to be a cold and insensitive person. In Tickets please John Thomas does something very similar to Annie in the way that he toys with her emotions but he also uses her for his physical needs. This insensitive act leaves Annie feeling very distraught and desperately seeking revenge. The difference in these two relationships lies between the personalities of Annie and Gaberial Oak. Annie seems to be the weaker person as she needs to get her revenge and Oak although hurt moves on with his life but they both still posses feelings for John Thomas and Oak. Rudy and Farmer Boldwood are similar characters, as they used the women to improve their status. Boldwood had not noticed Bathsheba before she sent him a valentine, when he saw the look on mens faces when he enquired about her as though she was a catalogue item; he grew to like her more. I think this was because he thought all these other men obviously like and desire her but she sent her valentine to me. So, he immediately wanted her for his own. Without knowing how Boldwood would react or knowing much about his character she sent the valentine, she thought it a harmless prank but he thought it love. Rudy does the same because he felt that because Maggie was a beauty queen if he spent the night with her this would earn him that little extra respect. Although at first Maggie seems taken by this idea the joke is soon on Rudy when Maggie throws him out for being to sly and cocky. For Bathsheba it is not so easy as Boldwood soon becomes overly obsessive it is interesting to see how Bathsheba reacts to Boldwoods sudden change in character as she probably couldnt of just thrown him out like Maggie through Rudy out as the times are different and so is the class. Bathsheba had to deal with Farmer Boldwood quiet formerly; although Bathsheba has the upper hand on the relationship Boldwood has a kind of emotional control over Bathsheba because she just cannot give him a straight answer. I think she cannot give him a straight answer because he bullies her by using his possessiveness and his need to have her. If a feeling possessed him at all, it ruled him; a feeling not mastering him was entirely latent. Stagnant or rapid, it was never slow. He was always hit mortally, or he was missed Far from the madding crowd (pg 138) I felt that the relationship involving Sergeant Troy and Bathsheba was not Based on love in Troys be have but based on the spur on the moment and the fact that she had money, for if it was based on love Troy would have never left Bathsheba nor would he have said such hurtful things to her. For a man who says that does not love at all. This woman is more to me dead as she is, than ever you were, or are, or can be. If Satan had not tempted me with that face of yours, and those cursed coquetries, I should have married her Far from the madding crowd (pg 334) But, if Troy loved Annie so much wouldnt he have forgiven her for the stupid mistake that she made and married her either the next day or the same day. Instead he just left her because he was not man enough to swallow his pride. In this relationship the attraction was physical and although Bathsheba may have thought that she loved Troy deeply, the love she felt for Troy could not compare to the love that she had always felt but never expressed or thought about or even knew was there for Gaberial Oak. In my view, Bill Naughton was trying to say think about what you do before you do it and also think about the other person, dont just assume you know how the person will react. Otherwise this could be easily turned around and you could be made to look the fool. Thomas Hardy implies you should not base a relationship on transient and superficial aspects on looks. Also that people may not always fall for the person who is going to provide a stable relationship but they may fall for the person who is physically attractive who will not provide a stable relationship. For instance I think Thomas hardy chose the name Gaberial Oak as he was a true friend to Bathsheba and looked out for her like a guardian angel (the angel Gaberial) and the name Oak implies that he is solid and is strong. D. H Lawrence is trying to say that we dont choose whom we decide to fall in love with but one should not destroy a relationship because one gets cold feet. Some of the cultural and social differences between the 18th and 20th centuries reside not only in the relationships described in the three pieces of literature but also in the way they are written about. For example physical love is expressed more openly in the 20th century in Tickets please john Thomas holds Annie publicly. Also in seeing a Beauty Queen Home Rudy and Maggie are seen leaving together and this strongly suggests that they are going to have sexual relations.

Karl Marx: The Structure-Agency Problem

Karl Marx: The Structure-Agency Problem A hugely influential revolutionary thinker and philosopher, Marx did not live to see his ideas carried out in his own lifetime, but his writings formed the theoretical base for modern international communism. Karl Marx (1818-1883), was a German economist, philosopher, and revolutionist whose writings form the basis of the body of ideas known as Marxism. One of Marxs most important intellectual influences was the philosophy of George Friedrich Hegel (1770-1831). Hegels signature concept was that of the dialectic, a word that originally referred to the process of logical argumentation and refutation. Hegels influence on Marx is evident in Marxs belief that history is evolving through a series of conflicts in a predictable, unavoidable direction. Hegel also influenced Marx in his characterization of the modern age. Marxs theory, which he called historical materialism is based on Hegels. Hegel claims that history occurs through a dialectic, or clash, of opposing forces. Hegel was a philo sophical idealist who believed that we live in a world of appearances, and true reality is an ideal. Marx accepted this notion of the dialectic, but rejected Hegels idealism because he did not accept that the material world hides from us. With the aid of Friedrich Engels (1820-1895) he produced much of the theory of modern Socialism and Communism. Marxism is the political philosophy and practice derived from the work of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. Marxism holds at its core a critical analysis of capitalism and a theory of social change. The powerful and innovative methods of analysis introduced by Marx have been very influential in a broad range of disciplines. The economic and political theories of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels that hold that human actions and institutions are economically determined and that class struggle is needed to create historical change and that capitalism will ultimately be superseded by communism. A Marxists thought is based on this daily practice, a philosophy called dialectics Thus, Marxism is both a theory and a practice. The theories of Marxism are sometimes called dialectical materialism; theory is based on a particular set of conditions that are always finite, and thus, any theory is necessarily limited. To test the validity of theory, Marxists rely on practice as the criteria of truth. Using such a methodology Marx and Engels examined history, which lead them to elaborate theories of the class struggle, the basis of social relations through economics, and the form of society that could follow capitalism. The bourgeoisie or capitalists are the owners of capital, purchasing and exploiting labour power, using the surplus value from employment of this labour power to accumulate or expand their capital. The proletariat are owners of labour power (the ability to work), and mere owners of labour power, with no resources other than the ability to work with their hands, bodies, and minds. Marx studied the differences arising between the bourgeoisie and proletariat. The bourgeoisie are interested mainly in developing a capitalist society, using advanced methods of production. The bourgeoisie are the capitalist who own the factories, the product made in the factories and controlled all the trade. The Proletariats have gained nothing in society but the thrill of their own labour. The proletariats feel that they are treated poorly from bourgeoisies; they receive only enough in life to survive and have no chance of achieving a higher, class status. The proletariats helped to improve production in society, which developed Capitalism and helped it to grow faster. The proletariats were not getting the wages they deserve for the labour that was accomplished. Marx wanted the proletariats to stand up to the bourgeoisie and cause a class conflict. The distribution of political power is determined by power over production (i.e., capital). Capital confers political power, which the bourgeois class uses to legitimatize and protect their property and consequent social relations. Class relations are political, and in the mature capitalist society, the states business is that of the bourgeoisie. Moreover, the intellectual basis of state rule, the ideas justifying the use of state power and its distribution, are those of the ruling class. The intellectual-social culture is merely a superstructure resting on the relation of production, on ownership of the means of production. Marx used the term mode of production to refer to the specific organization of economic production in a given socie ty. A mode of production includes the means of production used by a given society, such as factories and other facilities, machines, and raw materials. It also includes labour and the organization of the labour force. The term relation of production refers to the relationship between those who own the means of production (the capitalists or bourgeoisie) and those who do not (the workers or the proletariat). According to Marx, history evolves through the interaction between the mode of production and the relations of production. The mode of production constantly evolves toward a realization of its fullest productive capacity, but this evolution creates antagonisms between the classes of people defined by the relations of production-owners and workers. Capitalism is a mode of production based on private ownership of the means of production. Capitalists produce commodities for the exchange market and to stay competitive must extract as much labour from the workers as possible at the lowest possible cost. The economic interest of the capitalist is to pay the worker as little as possible, in fact just enough to keep the workers alive and productive. The workers, in turn, come to understand that their economic interest lies in preventing the capitalist from exploiting them in this way. As this example shows, the social relations of production are inherently antagonistic, giving rise to a class struggle that Marx believes will lead to the overthrow of capitalism by the proletariat. The proletariat will replace the capitalist mode of production with a mode of production based on the collective ownership of the means of production, which is called Communism. Marx describes how the worker under a capitalist mode of production becomes estra nged from himself, from his work, and from other workers. Drawing on Hegel, Marx argues that labour is central to a human beings self-conception and sense of well-being. By working on and transforming objective matter into sustenance and objects of use-value, human beings meet the needs of existence. Labour is as much an act of personal creation and a projection of ones identity as it is a means of survival. However, capitalism, the system of private ownership of the means of production, deprives human beings of this essential source of self-worth and identity. The worker approaches work only as a means of survival and derives none of the other personal satisfactions of work because the products of his labour do not belong to him. These products are instead expropriated by capitalists and sold for profit. In capitalism, the worker, who is alienated or estranged from the products he creates, is also estranged from the process of production, which he regards only as a means of surviva l. Estranged from the production process, the worker is therefore also estranged from his or her own humanity, since the transformation of nature into useful objects is one of the fundamental facets of the human condition. The worker is thus alienated from his or her species being, from what it is to be human. Finally, the capitalist mode of production alienates human beings from other human beings. Deprived of the satisfaction that comes with owning the product of ones labour, the worker regards the capitalist as external and hostile. The alienation of the worker from his work and of the worker from capitalists forms the basis of the antagonistic social relationship that will eventually lead to the overthrow of capitalism. The labour theory of value states that the value of a commodity is determined by the amount of labour that went into producing it. Marx defines a commodity as an external object that satisfies wants or needs and distinguishes between two different kinds of value that can be attributed to it. Commodities have a use-value that consists of their capacity to satisfy such wants and needs. For the purposes of economic exchange, they have an exchange-value, their value in relation to other commodities on the market, which is measured in terms of money. Marx asserts that in order to determine the relative worth of extremely different commodities with different use-values, exchange-value, or monetary value, must be measurable in terms of a property common to all such commodities. The only thing that all commodities have in common is that they are a product of labour. Therefore, the value of a commodity in a market represents the amount of labour that went into its production. The labour theor y is important in Marxs work not because it gives special insight into the nature of prices but because it forms the foundation of Marxs notion of exploitation. In the simplest form of exchange, people produce commodities and sell them so that they can buy other commodities to satisfy their own needs and wants. For Marx, the enterprise is the nucleus of class war both capital and labour are united by certain latent interests which, being contradictory, places them on the opposite sides of a conflict relation. Classes are conflict groups under conditions of absence of mobility, superimposition of authority, property, and general social status, superimposition of industrial and political conflict, and absence of effective conflict regulation. For Marx alienation is a physical and psychological condition which arises out of the conditions of modern work. Since the worker does not own what he produces, since he lives as an extension of the machine, since he hates what he does, then the worker does not own his own life, he is in a basic sense simply a human machine. He exists to himself as an alien object; the reality of capitalism for Marx is that it is not free. For Marx the connections between the theory of capitalism and the conditions of modern life are all too clear. Marx believed society was an evolving struggle. He believed Capitalism was an evolving structure. However, unlike Adam Smith, Marx did not believe this evolution was always smooth, nor did he believe it evolved for the best. In fact Marx, predicted the collapse of Capitalism. Marx placed great value on economic forces for explaining social structures. Marx examined society and argued that the wealth of capitalists was based on paying labour less than their true labour value (underpaid labour). This difference between the true labour value and the wages paid led to the accumulation of money capital. Workers were abused and disenfranchised. As capitalism developed, Marx predicted, workers would become increasingly alienated and seek to overthrow the capitalist class. Growth was not guaranteed but could become volatile leading to periods of economic slump. Marxists certainly point to the Great Depression of a vindication of how capitalism can fail.

Cloning: A Good Thing Essay -- Science Genetics DNA Clone Essays

Cloning: A Good Thing A growing controversy in the world today is cloning. One stance is that cloning and cloning research should be banned altogether. Another position is in support of no restrictions of cloning and that scientists should be able to test on animals if they deem it necessary. Many other views are squeezed into different gray areas on the topic. It would be beneficial to explore the methods, benefits, moral and ethical conflicts involved with human cloning to fully understand the pros of cloning. The methods of human cloning and the research that accompanies them can provide a great deal of benefits. The benefits of human cloning include important medical breakthroughs, reproduction, and morality issues. Animals and plants could be cloned to produce lifesaving medicines through the research obtained on the way to human cloning. Human cloning research could cure many incurable diseases. â€Å"Medical breakthroughs from cloning research could cure cancer and heart attacks, lead to organs for organ transplants, and a revolution in cosmetic surgery. A balding man could have grafts made of his own hair and have it transplanted onto his scalp† (Human Cloning Foundation). Human cloning technology could allow children to lead better lives than their parents did, because of medical breakthroughs. Cloning could lead to the fountain of youth. It could allow reproduction of organs so people could transplant organs and never die. Infertile couples co...

Fichtes Subjective Idealism Essay -- Philosophy Essays

Fichte's Subjective Idealism With a dramatic dialectic style, Fichte expounds his subjective idealism which seriously undermines claims of an external world and which ultimately borders on solipsism. Beginning with the question of Free Will, Fichte concludes that there is none before engaging a mysterious Spirit in a philosophical dialogue over the nature of Fichte's knowledge. In the end, Fichte curses the Spirit for revealing the grim truth: "all reality is transformed into a fabulous dream, without there being any life the dream is about, without there being a mind that dreams." Following the same path of reasoning as the dialogue, the Spirit begins by asking Fichte how he knows of external objects. In answering that the knowledge of external object arrives as a result of direct, immediate sense perception, Fichte concedes that he possesses no direct consciousness of outside objects, but only of himself. "In all perception you only perceive yourself," since perception is merely the conscious recognition of observation statements such as 'I see' ... Fichte's Subjective Idealism Essay -- Philosophy Essays Fichte's Subjective Idealism With a dramatic dialectic style, Fichte expounds his subjective idealism which seriously undermines claims of an external world and which ultimately borders on solipsism. Beginning with the question of Free Will, Fichte concludes that there is none before engaging a mysterious Spirit in a philosophical dialogue over the nature of Fichte's knowledge. In the end, Fichte curses the Spirit for revealing the grim truth: "all reality is transformed into a fabulous dream, without there being any life the dream is about, without there being a mind that dreams." Following the same path of reasoning as the dialogue, the Spirit begins by asking Fichte how he knows of external objects. In answering that the knowledge of external object arrives as a result of direct, immediate sense perception, Fichte concedes that he possesses no direct consciousness of outside objects, but only of himself. "In all perception you only perceive yourself," since perception is merely the conscious recognition of observation statements such as 'I see' ...

Discussing Business and Communications

When someone mentions the word communication, one†s thoughts turn to a newspaper, the radio, television, or another more common means of mass-type communication. One does not usually make the connection between communication and other institutions such as business. Good business, however, goes hand in hand with good communication. Good managers and professionals realize that the ability to communicate is not a silly frill; it†s a necessity that helps all accomplish their work (Murphy 2). Therefore the question is often posed: Are these problems of poor communications that face managers and professionals becoming more and more critical? The evidence suggests the answer to be yes- these problems are serious and are growing more and more serious everyday. John O. Morris, a Management Communications Consultant consolidates this problem into a single statement called the Morris Maxim. It states that â€Å"Communications problems grow much faster in any organization than the organization itself grows† (Morris 3). This maxim emphasizes the need for better communication in organizations such as big business through the implication of what would happen if that organization did not fix it†s structure to better handle increasing communication needs. However, before dealing with a solution to the problem of communication in business, (frequently dubbed business speak) it is important to understand how big business operates. Big business was created in the mid-1800†³s to organize corporations such as the railroad, oil and steel industries. At that time, the only other organizations that had a similar size and structure were the Roman Catholic Church and the United States Army. These organizations are extremely authoritative in nature, and use a system of hierarchical communication. This translates into a business organization/communication style which is basically condescending in nature and is based primarily on status . Business speak is often straight, to the point, and beneficial to the individual speaking first, and to others second. This shows its hierarchical origins in that very often, the speaker is one who will use one or more power strategies, mostly the perception that someone can inflict negative consequences. Other issues in business communications include lack of responsibility in the upper ranks of the hierarchy, lack of training in good communications for the majority of employees, and lack of honest, direct conversation between business and it†s customers. These problems need to be fixed for a business to truly succeed, and can be fixed if managers and high-ranking officials take the initiative and implement a few simple and straightforward techniques into their business styles. Current problems facing business communications deal mainly with the apparent lack of functional inter-level communication. That is, communication employees as well as customers can understand. One of the main reasons behind this lack of understandable communication is that there are some many ways to avoid good communication and maintain the status quo for the short term. These mostly pertain to issues brought to a company from outside sources. These include letters of complaint, inquiries from government bodies such as the Federal Trade Commission, and published evaluations (i. e. editorials, product reviews). Instead of addressing these issues head-on and dealing with them, companies are more likely to dodge responsibility. There are 2 main ways to dodge accountability: denial and evasion of responsibility (Benoit, 90). In using denial, a corporation or employee refuses any wrong-doing, and usually transfers blame to another company or employee, often one that is lower on the â€Å"corporate ladder†. This is similar to evasion of responsibility, which often names scapegoats. In addition to that, evasion tactics often claim that any wrong-doing was an accident, or that the intentions behind their actions were good. These tactics allow for excuses to be made and for responsibility to be forgotten. Lastly, some companies will refuse to accept any wrongdoing, and simply fix the problem. This was the case when Tylenol was accused of allowing their merchandise to be tampered by not putting a safety seal on their product†s bottle. This prompted Tylenol†s executives to start sealing their bottles, but they never accepted responsibility for not sealing them in the first place (Benoit 92). This is just one example of a company distancing itself from blame. In order for there to be good communication, corporations must begin accepting responsibility for their actions, and begin making sound business decisions based on what the customer wants and needs. This would be most advantageously served with clear communication between a company and it†s customers. On the whole, communications between companies and customers are based on a â€Å"need to know† basis. There are exceptions to this rule, however. One company has done an increasingly good job in maintaining good communications lines with it†s customers. Intel, Inc. s a computer micro-processor firm that controls over 90% of the computer chip-set industry (Yahoo Tech Headlines). In their annual report, Intel†s top executives announced the creation of a â€Å"sort of R&D lab and strategic think tank to the industry† in which â€Å"we (will) work with PC makers, software developers and PC users to understand their future needs and wishes, and work intensely with industry leaders to develop products or specifications that meet those needs†. In doing so, Intel has opened a direct link to it†s customers, allowing for direct customer impact on some of Intel†s management and directional decisions. However, even the most open and direct company is not without it†s business speak. The following was taken from the same annual report, under the heading â€Å"Taking responsibility for our own growth†: We know we can't wait for growth to come to us. We are responsible for our own future and work to make it as successful as possible by removing roadblocks to PC platform growth, developing preference for the Intel Inside(R) brand among PC users and supporting emerging PC markets around the world. Together, these strategies build value for our stockholders, which is, after all, our most important goal. While this may look like a positive, non-aggressive statement, one finds a different meaning when looking at it from a business speak point of view. The most obvious example of business speak is the phrase â€Å"removing roadblocks to PC platform growth†. Basically stated, Intel wants to buyout or take-over any companies that might stand in the way of allowing Intel to control the industry. If Intel were to come right out and say this, there would be massive investigations from government and consumer groups that would plague Intel for years. Therefore, by tailoring what they tell their customers and stockholders, they are dodging a bullet and enforcing a hierarchical position over it†s customers and stockholders. However, customers are not the only one†s often left in the dark on business decisions. Sometimes, even high ranking officials are not consulted and are left to adapt to a change they had no say in. Such was the case with James Bennett, CEO of Picadilly Cafeterias, Inc. In 1986, then chief financial officer Bennett sat in a meeting and listened as Picadilly†s CEO announced plans to change the recipes of some of their most popular items. These changes were to be unannounced and were never tested or approved internally. There was no communication between the CEO and the company. James Bennett quit later that week and Picadilly†s sales plummeted from $11 a share to $6 (Forbes, 63). In 1992, Bennett was back in action, this time as CEO. He began a comprehensive overhaul that brought back the â€Å"good home cooking† that was the Picadilly tradition. â€Å"I†m just going back to ways that have always worked† (Forbes, 63). Those ways included clear communication between customer and company, as well as between employer and employee. That difference has translated into profit: shares in Picadilly are now worth $14 a piece (Forbes 64). He proved that a business can not be run on a spreadsheet alone. Knowledge in the area of communication, even if at the most elementary level is one of the key factors in a successful employment history. In a survey of 13,586 of its college graduates, General Electric Company found that the great majority of its employees cited written and verbal communication as the college training that had contributed most to their success in business (Zelko 7). It for this reason that many colleges have reported an increase in enrollment in communications classes. In addition to college courses, companies are now beginning to take the initiative and teach their current employees communications skills. This in-service of sorts can be accomplished very efficiently if a few guidelines are met. These include the establishment of an informal and permissive climate, the establishment of the value and importance of the training, and general across-the-board participation- that is, contributions to the group from all of it†s members (Zelko, 8). These guidelines ensure that the environment will be right to help educate the employee that is not versed in communication. This training can be a catalyst in the growth of a business, as well as helping to create a work-friendly environment that encourages productivity (Murphy 9). The American Management Association calls the ability to communicate a â€Å"vital skill of management†, and declare that â€Å"progressive companies now recognize (this ability)†. It is important to improve not only downward communication , but upward communication as well. Values of good downward communication include the ability to help a manager†s authority to be accepted, an evocation of cooperation that helps to solve problems, and a general expression of a more friendly atmosphere that builds morale everywhere (Murphy 281). Values of enhanced upward communication include the ability to forewarn top management of employees† reaction to policies, clarification of directives, and ability to offer valuable ideas to supervisors (Murphy 281). These values can help improve business exponentially, mostly due to the combined efforts of employees and their supervisors. When upward and downward communication has been established, the major problems dealing with communications in business will be eliminated. The hierarchy that is big business will become less prominent, and the business will function much better. A basic analogy that sums up hierarchical structure in business is this- when times are rough, a car that uses both the front and rear tires to move will make out better than a car that uses just the front wheels. Business should be considered a vehicle that has four-wheel drive, not a vehicle with front-wheel drive. In conclusion, communicating in business is one of the leading restraints that a corporation has to deal with in it†s advancement up the ladder of success. However, if a business chooses to hone it†s ability to communicate and increase the level of productivity due to the sharing of ideas all across the corporate ladder, employee and consumer alike will share the increase in quality of a business products, be it computer microprocessors, or cafeteria food. In short, good communication makes good business.