Dynamic Leadership and Self Perceptions †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Dynamic Leadership and Self Perceptions. Answer: Reflect on your own leadership journey to date and identify key events, people and experiences that have contributed to your leadership development and self-perceptions I am associated with a business organization in the post of assistant team leader in logistic sector of The Iconic. After completing my masters in business administration in marketing, I got the direct opportunity for becoming assistant team lead of The Iconic. At the initial stage, I had to face innumerable difficulties in making an effective rapport with my team members due to communication barrier, cultural barrier, psychological barrier and religious barrier. While maintaining any kind of group discussion with my team members I failed to make individual interaction due to the lack of language flexibility. However, after facing innumerable difficulties for becoming an efficient business leader I have decided to raise the issue with my assistant team lead regarding the workplace hazards I have faced at that time. My assistant manager along my operation head left immense contribution for developing my skill and competency level of leadership. People belonging to different geographical markets and psychological backgrounds are intimately associated within the service process. The role of an efficient business leader is to show equal priority and response to the people of different geographical backgrounds and attitudes (Dumdum, Lowe and Avolio 2013). I was not efficient enough to treat every single members of my team with equal respect and dignity. However, both my assistant manager and operation head decided to provide me a training and development session with the help of which I was successful to improve my communication skill as well as professional skill. My assistant managers helped me to understand on how to overcome sudden crisis happened at the workplace due to the lack of team performance. Increase self-awareness by completing a personality or leadership styles assessment As per the feedback collected from my assistant manager, I got to know that I have the lack of effective communication skill, body language and personality. In this kind of situation, I have faced innumerable difficulties in leading a team properly and motivating the team members towards the providing good services. However, as per the instruction of my senior managers I gave numerous assessments on my leadership style as well as on my personality evaluation for analyzing my drawbacks. After giving an online assessment on leadership style, I have identified my mistakes and weak points. I need to make a change for career progression and performance development. After evaluating the marks of personality and leadership styles assessment I got to know that I as a leader cannot take appropriate decision within stipulated time. This particular nature of mine affects the performance level of employees immensely. In addition, being a person of introvert I do not have the capability to make an effective interpersonal communication with the employees who face challenges in performing well at the workplace. Employees are from various cultural backgrounds and attitudes. Therefore, their culture and religious aspects became a major hindrance in making an effective interaction (Bhatti et al. 2012). However, the leadership assessment has indicated that I am not very much flexible to overcome the sudden crisis happened at the workplace due to the lack of confidence. As a result, I used to show a rude approach to my team members at the time of crisis. Consequently, I was facing challenges in maintaining an effective rapport with my team members. This is one of the most effective reasons of providing poor performance on behalf of the employees. However, after identifying my mistakes I have decided to rectify those drawbacks by receiving trainings and suggestion from my senior managers. Obtain feedback from a fellow student on your leadership journey and current challenges I have obtained effective feedback from my fellow student about the style of my leadership. The response collected from the fellow indicates that I as a leader is amalgamated with both good qualities as well as bad qualities. The good qualities within me include patience level, nice mode of temperament, willingness to overcome my drawback, quick learning capability, active listening skill and so many (Ramchunder and Martins 2014). As per the opinion of this specific fellow, I do not feel hesitated in rectifying my mistake even from the junior member. At the same time, I have the willingness to learn new strategies and policies from my senior in order to enhance my professional skill and competency. At the same time, the student has provided innumerable negative feedback on me as well. Due to these negative competencies, I have to face innumerable challenges for leading a particular team properly. According to that specific individual, I do not have flexible body language in maintaini ng an effective interaction with my team members. As a result, team members do not feel comfortable to share their problems with me at the workplace. This kind of barrier has left major negative impact in providing effective services for reaching the business goal. On the other hand, the fellow has mentioned that I should give my team members motivational speech so that employees like to show their courageous attitude for performing well towards the services. Provide mentoring and feedback on leadership to a fellow student on his/her leadership journey and challenges After getting an in-depth learning process about the quality of an efficient leader, I would like to provide effective feedback on the leadership quality of my fellow student. I have observed that this particular individual is possessed with good communication skill with the help of which this individual can make an effective interaction with every individual team members in order to know their challenges facing at the workplace. However, this very specific study has focused to make an in-depth overview about the importance of becoming an efficient leader in order to run a team towards reaching the peak of success. I have also observed that this particular student fellow by utilizing the extrovert nature can provide constant motivation to the employees. As a result, people belonging to different geographical backgrounds can show their courageous attitudes for performing well towards the service process. It is undeniable at the same time that this specific person as a team leader is p ossessed with some of the major drawbacks as well (Onorato 2013). The student fellow due to the impatient nature tends to lose the temperament frequently. As a result, the individual intends to scold up the team members due to the lack of effective performance (Shafie, Baghersalimi and Barghi 2013). In this kind of situation, the employees feel extreme level of de-motivation for performing well at the workplace. The business organization has to face innumerable difficulties in increasing their revenue growth due to the lack of effective employee performance. I have also observed that this student fellow faces challenges in providing equal response and dignity to the students of different geographical markets as well as religious backgrounds. Therefore, a biasness approach is created among the team members as well. This particular factor becomes a matter of challenges for becoming an efficient leader for a particular business organization. Identify the influences of national and organizational cultures on your perceptions of effective leadership Organizational culture is possessed with the values, beliefs and ethics that a particular company tends to maintain for running their entire process of business successfully. It is undeniable that organizational culture is possessed with major negative impact on the overall progress and effectiveness of leadership style (Ruggieri and Abbate 2013). I have observed that maintaining diversity at the workplace of The Iconic is one of the most effective cultures that the business experts focus to follow at their workplace. While maintaining the e-commerce business process organizational managers intend to provide equal priority and response to the people of different geographical boundaries and attitudes. The human resource managers are concerned about the skill and competency of an individual rather than focusing on the cultural and religious backgrounds (Sahaya 2012). However, after being appointed in the post of business leader I have intended to follow the same trend of my organizatio nal culture. I as a business leader have decided to be unbiased towards the team members. An individual team member cannot become my major priority. Therefore, I should maintain a flexible rapport with the every team member of my team equally. In addition, as per the cultural ethics of my organization an individual employee facing challenges at the workplace should be interacted effectively so that this specific individual do not get de-motivated in performing well towards the services (Lutz Allen, Smith and Da Silva 2013). Following the same trend, I as an assistant team lead of my organization intend to make interpersonal communication with my team members at the end of every week. This particular face-to-face interaction helps me immensely in improving my leadership quality. Therefore, based on the organizational culture and ethics I have reformed my leadership style and strategies as well. Develop and apply communication skills for relationship building and mentoring across cultures, functions and disciplines As already stated I have linguistic barrier due to which employees of different geographical backgrounds and culture cannot make an effective communication with me. As a business leader, I should enhance my skill and competency in communication skill so that my team members do not face any kind of difficulties in interacting with me. However, the ways I can develop my communication skill for relationship building and mentoring across cultures, functions and disciplines include as follows: Receiving a training and development session: The senior manager can arrange an effective training and development session for me in order to render multilingual flexibility. As a result, people belonging to various cultural and religious backgrounds would be able to make an effective interaction with me. I would be able to understand their personal issues faced at the workplace. However, an effective communication skill would help me in maintaining an effective rapport with my team members. Conducting group communication and sharing views and thoughts regarding the business goal: Conducting group communication and sharing views and thoughts regarding the business goal can help me immensely in enhancing my communication skill for becoming an efficient leader (Ojokuku, Odetayo and Sajuyigbe 2012). In a particular group communication, all the team members of my team would like to attend undoubtedly. Therefore, I would be able to get a scope in making an effective interaction with every individual team member. Therefore, I would not get the scope to keep silent. Whenever I will start in exchanging views and ideas automatically, the communication skill would be increased. Enhancing the listening skill of different news channels In order to become a good communicator I as a business leader would have to be a good listener first. Therefore, I need to enhance my listening skill as well so that I can listen the difficulties of employees faced at the workplace. After identifying the problems faced by the employees, I as an efficient leader would be able to provide effective solution for resolving the problems. Apply knowledge from the theories and models of effective leadership to interpret and understand your reflections and feedback In order to become an efficient leader I have followed effective theories and conceptual framework at the workplace so that employees get motivation in providing effective services towards reaching the business goal. According to me, situational theory and trait theory both are very much significant in giving a constant motivation to the existing employees. Trait theory believes that every team members while service for the organization is possessed with different cultural and behavioral traits (Herrmann and Felfe 2014). Therefore, as a team leader I should not judge the competency level of an individual based on their specific traits and features. However, I have observed that employees can be motivated in achieving the business goal based on their individual traits and features. At the same time, situational theory implies that leader as per different situation coming at the workplace should have the capability of changing business strategies and policies. Based on the organization al performance or crisis the business leaders have to change their leadership style. As a result, the leaders can handle different situation in their own way (Antonakis and House 2013). By maintaining an effective rapport with the employees, the leaders can use transformational leadership style for going with the rhythmic flow of business. References: Andrews, D.R., Richard, D.C., Robinson, P., Celano, P. and Hallaron, J., 2012. The influence of staff nurse perception of leadership style on satisfaction with leadership: A cross-sectional survey of pediatric nurses.International journal of nursing studies,49(9), pp.1103-1111. Antonakis, J. and House, R.J., 2013. The full-range leadership theory: The way forward. InTransformational and Charismatic Leadership: The Road Ahead 10th Anniversary Edition(pp. 3-33). Emerald Group Publishing Limited. Bhatti, N., Maitlo, G.M., Shaikh, N., Hashmi, M.A. and Shaikh, F.M., 2012. The impact of autocratic and democratic leadership style on job satisfaction.International Business Research,5(2), p.192. Chi, H.K., Lan, C.H. and Dorjgotov, B., 2012. The moderating effect of transformational leadership onknowledge management and organizational effectiveness.Social Behavior and Personality: an international journal,40(6), pp.1015-1023. Dumdum, U.R., Lowe, K.B. and Avolio, B.J., 2013. A meta-analysis of transformational and transactional leadership correlates of effectiveness and satisfaction: An update and extension. InTransformational and Charismatic Leadership: The Road Ahead 10th Anniversary Edition(pp. 39-70). Emerald Group Publishing Limited. Herrmann, D. and Felfe, J., 2014. Effects of leadership style, creativity technique and personal initiative on employee creativity.British Journal of Management,25(2), pp.209-227. Lam, C.S. and O'Higgins, E.R., 2012. Enhancing employee outcomes: The interrelated influences of managers' emotional intelligence and leadership style.Leadership and Organization Development Journal,33(2), pp.149-174. Lutz Allen, S., Smith, J.E. and Da Silva, N., 2013. Leadership style in relation to organizational change and organizational creativity: Perceptions from nonprofit organizational members.Nonprofit Management and Leadership,24(1), pp.23-42. Nanjundeswaraswamy, T.S. and Swamy, D.R., 2014. Leadership styles.Advances in management,7(2), p.57. Ojokuku, R.M., Odetayo, T.A. and Sajuyigbe, A.S., 2012. Impact of leadership style on organizational performance: a case study of Nigerian banks.American Journal of Business and Management,1(4), pp.202-207. Onorato, M., 2013. Transformational leadership style in the educational sector: An empirical study of corporate managers and educational leaders.Academy of Educational Leadership Journal,17(1), p.33. Ramchunder, Y. and Martins, N., 2014. The role of self-efficacy, emotional intelligence and leadership style as attributes of leadership effectiveness.SA Journal of Industrial Psychology,40(1), pp.01-11. Renko, M., El Tarabishy, A., Carsrud, A.L. and Brnnback, M., 2015. Understanding and measuring entrepreneurial leadership style.Journal of Small Business Management,53(1), pp.54-74. Ruggieri, S. and Abbate, C.S., 2013. Leadership style, self-sacrifice, and team identification.Social Behavior and Personality: an international journal,41(7), pp.1171-1178. Sahaya, N., 2012. A learning organization as a mediator of leadership style and firms financial performance.International Journal of Business and Management,7(14), p.96. Shafie, B., Baghersalimi, S. and Barghi, V., 2013. The relationship between leadership style and employee performance: Case study of real estate registration organization of Tehran Province.Singaporean Journal of Business, Economics and Management Studies,2(5), pp.21-29.

Procrastination

Procrastination-the act or habits of putting things off till the end out of laziness Essay Procrastination-the act or habits of putting things off till the end out of lazinessà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Almost every student knows this dreaded word. They know if picked up, disaster happens with a sharp decline in school marks. But what they dont realize is that procrastinating can actually benefit you in school. It can make you work harder, faster, and more efficiently on school assignments. Even life skills in the real world can be created from procrastinating. Helps you work harder, faster, and more efficiently, you say? Yes, thats exactly what I said. It sounds like an impossible thing, however if youre like me or any other sensible person that wants a fairly good mark on the next assignment, procrastinating can help you. When you are wanting to strive for that better mark and the bad habit hits you hard, you think its a bad combination but waste no more time thinking about it. Just let the time pass by. While your friends are working hard on it, go play, and do the things you like but still allow enough time to complete the assignment. When time comes to do it, it should be cramming time to get it done to the best of your ability. It actually helps you, because it gives that need of drive to actually still maintain a good mark on it. And what about efficiency? Thats easy, when you have your daily homework piled on to your assignment, the need to get the assignment done kicks in. You will feel less of a need to do other things that you normally do, and cut down on the breaks, including the old rest up and watch TV. one. Also essential life skills in the real world become developed through procrastinating. In the busy world of work, everyone knows that that boss of yours will always set impossible deadlines. And the knowing of having to get it done perfectly and fast is always on the employers mind. When already experienced through procrastinating, you will already know the field of trying to cram a lot of work into a very little time frame. And the planning and setting could be done in your sleep. Procrastination can honestly boast you to higher levels of achievement. It makes you nervous and deadlines will be hanging from your head. It helps set a planning stage for you, and makes you aware of the other tasks also the complete including the assignment. The management of time will also be used. Time managing of what to do first and last including dividing the assignment into steps, or knowing what to do to get the best result in little time is very handy in the feature. This habit is not so dreaded as to be. I feel that procrastinating isnt all that bad, and actually benefits you. Like I said, it gives the best result in little time. With that little time, a lot of other subcategories start getting developed, including efficiency, working harder or faster, etc. Though procrastinating isnt the best option to use when trying to complete a homework assignment, the bad rep about it isnt all that appreciative. I have to admit; starting early is the best way to get a good mark on an assignment in school. But I strongly disagree to anyone, procrastinating is a bad thing. It creates a lot of useful skills for the near future, and should be used ever so often.

West Lake Home Furnishings Ltd. free essay sample

West Lake Home Furnishings Ltd. Written Analysis and Communication II Instructor Submitted by Section- D 2/08/2008 Date: May 30, 2007 To: Charles Bowman, CEO, West Lake Home Furnishings Ltd. , Ontario, Toronto. From Subject: Advice on whether to accept the offer of reducing the price of signature product to $29. 99 for a year. This report is a summary and analysis of current situation on West Lake Home Furnishings Ltd. (WLHFL) The analysis is based upon the basic objective of economics that is profit maximization. Based upon the present trend of consumer income and preference it is recommended that WLHFL should accept the offer to reduce the unit retail price to $29. 99. As a student of WIMWI, I thank you for providing opportunity to learn about the situation at WLHFL. This has taught me a lot. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Whether to accept the proposal of one of the retailers, to reduce the price to $29. 99 by WLHFL, thereby boosting the sales, has to be evaluated on the basic objective of economics of a firm. We will write a custom essay sample on West Lake Home Furnishings Ltd. or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The main objective of the firm is to maximize the profit. In order to attain this at retail price of $29. 9, quantity of sales should increase to a substantial level. The present situation at Canada, higher disposable income with Boomer population and reduced price leads to higher demand of quantity are in favour of higher quantity of sales. The proposal ensures the required quantity of sales. Hence, accepting the proposal is recommended. Word Count: 107 Table of content SITUATION ANALYSIS.. 1 THE PROBLEM STATEMENT†¦. OPTIONS 2 CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION 3 EVALUATION OF OPTIONS.. 3 RECOMMENDATION. 6 ACTION PLAN.. EXHIBIT-1†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. i EXHIBIT-2†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã ¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. ii EXHIBIT-3†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. ii EXHIBIT-4†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. iii SITUATION ANALYSIS Outlook of Lighting and light fixtures industry in Canada The market for Lighting and light fixtures in Canada is quiet competitive. There is large number of firms having small market share. Hence, this market can be considered as a Monopolistic competition. Product differentiation enables West Lake Home Furnishings Ltd. WLHFL) to compete with other firms in three areas: product quality, price and marketing. Price plays a major role To have an impact on price, most of the firms have outsourced production to Asia, especially China. There are two new entrants in 2006, implies that still in the market there is scope for earning. Price plays a major role. It is reflected by average prices for home furnishing items had fallen down during 2002 to 2006 but sales had grown at 6. 1% of compounded average growth rate. Consumers in Canada Consumers in Canada are at the Esteem and Aesthetic needs level (see Exhibit 1). Due to which purchases from large â€Å"big-box† retailers get patronized. This makes large retailers in a strategically important position for the manufacturer like WLHFL. Significant trend which is at advantage for the industry is the Baby Boomer; they are now having higher disposable income and demand for home furnishings. Exhibit 2 suggests that Boomers’ earning will peak in 2015 for the Early Boomers (born from 1945 to 1954) at $90,000 per household, and in 2025 for the Late Boomers (born from 1955 through 1964) at $106,000. Present situation of WLHFL Sales Boost Considering the proposal of one of the top three wholesale customers, Sales boost is obvious as WLHFL will get the prominent shelf space. But we need to trade off between boosting sales and reducing retail price of signature product for all businesses. Objective of the firm The main objective should be maximising the profit. To maximize the profit, WLHFL should set a price and quantity where the marginal revenue equals the marginal cost . The exhibit 3 shows the graph for the output and price in long run for a firm in Monopolistic competition. Major hindrance The major hindrance in the cost increments are higher inventory to the tune of $1. 6 million, increase up to 20% in Sales, General, Administrative expenses (SGAE) and increase up to 150% in Shipping and Warehouse. Problem Statement Whether WLHFL should accept the proposal of reducing the retail price of a signature line of decorative lamps from $69. 99 to $29. 99 for a period of one year? Options 1. Accept the proposal to reduce the retail price to $29. 99. 2. Reject the proposal to reduce the retail price to $29. 99. Criteria for Evaluation 1. Profit maximization of WLHFL This is the primary criterion as the implications on the behaviour of the WLHFL can be reasonably accurate and avoid unnecessary analytical implications. 2. Effect on Large Chain Retailer’s relationship After evaluating the primary criterion, evaluating this criterion will have a long term effect on business of WLHFL. 3. Effect on Cash flows of WLHFL for the year 2007 This is a crucial criterion but can be considered only after evaluating the Retailers’ response to the change in unit retail sale price. Evaluation of Options 1. Accept the proposal to reduce the retail price to $29. 9. 1. Profit maximization of WLHFL As shown in the exhibit 3, to attain the profit maximization marginal revenue should be equal to marginal cost. Though, due to lack of complete information about the total demand in Canada for lighting and light fixtures, most of the calculations are approximated. The scenario I suggests that there is considerable increase in the net earnings and hence profit maximization is achieved. 2. Effect on Large chain Retailer’s relationship By accepting the offer, the Retailer who has proposed the offer will continue to do business with us. Consumers generally prefer large retail chains to purchase Home furnishing products, this move will ensure that we remain in the business with good size of market share. The reduced price information to other retailers as well as the consumer will reach in no time. And hence WLHFL will be forced to reduce the retail price not only for the wholesalers but also for consumers, who purchase at retail store and/or via internet. This in turn will have strong positive impact on Cash flow. 3. Effect on Cash flow of WLHFL for the year 2007 Looking at exhibit 4, the cash flow of the company with accepting the offer can result in two scenarios. One, in which the business grows as anticipated and second business grows at reduced anticipated rate. These are shown as Scenario I and Scenario II respectively. It has been observed that Scenario II leads to loss. But, there is an incentive to consider the Scenario I. The high disposable income with Boomer population and reduction in price increases demand for the product ensures that Scenario I is more probable than II. 2. Reject the offer to reduce the retail price t $29. 99. . Profit maximization of WLHFL By rejecting the offer, at present production level of WLHFL is not at the profit maximisation level. That is still there is a possibility of selling more products and maximising profit. There are two new entrants in 2006 which are specifically focusing on this opportunity. Rather than, they grab the opportunity, WLHFL should grab the opportunity. 1. Effect on Large chain Re tailer’s relationship Retailer who made the proposal will be reluctant to provide better shelf space and so do the other retailers, as the volumes provided by WLHFL are not high. Due to this, there is less possibility of reaching to the consumer’s mind. Hence, there is not anticipation of growth in sale in long term. Even there is a possibility that the retailer can purchase directly from Chinese manufacturer which can be availed at cheaper price. Opportunity cost is high, and hence rejection to offer is not recommended. 3. Effect on cash flow of WLHFL for the year 2007 If the WLHFL grows at average 10%, then there is positive cash flow. As retailers will not offer the better shelf space, it is difficult to attain. Also, due to new entrants and/or retailers themselves purchases directly from Chinese manufacturer will force to reduce the price. At this production level, reduction in price means negative cash flow. Recommendation Evaluating the options suggests accepting the proposal of reducing the retail price of a signature line of decorative lamps from $69. 99 to $29. 99 for a period of one year. Action Plan †¢Communicate to the retailer about the acceptance of offer. †¢Communicate to the other retailers about the reduction in price and negotiate on gaining better shelf space, lesser margin and more volume. Keep the working capital ready, to manage the high inventory level. †¢Prepare a projected production quantity and arrange the resources accordingly. Word count: 1098 Exhibit 1: Different stages in need hierarchy. Adapted from Maslow’s Hierarchy Needs. Exhibit 2: Boomers have earned more at every age than prior generations Source: http://www. mckinsey. com/mgi/publicat ions/Impact_Aging_Baby_Boomers/slideshow/ slideshow_2. asp Exhibit 3: Output and Price in the Long run for Monopolistic Competition. Source: Cowell, F A. (Dec. 2004). Microeconomics: Principle and analysis. London school of economics. Exhibit 4: Projected Cash Flow with various Scenario Projected Scenario for year 2007 2006Scenario IScenario IIScenario III Unit sale price of signature product$69. 99$29. 99$29. 99$69. 99 Per unit COGS$30$20$20$30 Sales1 Wholesale8,000,0001665711593005248800000 Store3,000,000750000045000003300000 Internet200,000500000300000220000 COGS27,057,000993879699387967,762,700 Gross Margin41430001471831941617274557300 As a % of Sales36. 99%59. 69%29. 51%36. 99% Sales, General, Adminstrative Expenses3,000,000360000036000003,300,000 Shipping and Warehouse830,00020750002075000913,000 Operating Income313,0009,043,319-1,513,273344,300 Income Tax109,5503,165,1620120,505 Net earnings203,4505,878,157-1,513,273223,795 Scenario IAccept the offer and business grows as anticipated in the proposal Unit sale from Retailor with proposal is 5 times the 2006 values Unit sale from other two retailers is 2. 5 times the 2006 values Retail store revenue growth is 2. 5 times the 2006 values Internet sale is 2. 5 times SGAEincrease by 20% SWincrease by 150% Scenario IIAccept the offer and business grows at reduced rate than anticipated in the proposal Unit sale from Retailor with proposal is 2. times the 2006 values Unit sale from other two retailers is 1. 5 times the 2006 values Retail store revenue growth is 1. 5 times the 2006 values Internet sale is 1. 5 times SGAEIncrease by 20% SW increase by 150% Scenario IIIRejection of offer, 10% growth in Sales and COGS remains the same SGAEIncrease by 10% SW Increase by 10% Assumptions: 1Average unit retail sale price is as Unit sale pric e of signature product 2Due assumption 2, average unit cost has been considered as per unit COGS. Source: West Lake Home Furnishings Ltd. Annual Reports (disguised)

As For Me and My House essays

As For Me and My House essays "As For Me and My House" is a very complex novel by Sinclair Ross. The novel is told to the reader as journal recordings of Mrs. Bentley. The main character consist in the journal are Mrs. Bentley's husband Philip, a school teacher Paul, choir girl in church Judith and abandon child Steve. Because the story is told as a journal, so everything is in a view through Mrs. Bentley's eyes and is in her point of view. The setting of the story is in a small town Horizon located in the Canadian prairies. The novel opens the Bentleys arrival to Horizon. This is the fourth small town to which Philip has been moved. Being a Minister was not easy, they have to face the community's stereotypes. The things they do would be monitor by the towns people, that is why the Bentley would put on a false font to give the town's people an impression that they are traditional Christians or the image that the people wants to see. Although the relationship between Mrs. Bentley and Philip has grown into merely a roommate relationship, they would show little love towards one another. I argued that Mrs. Bentley usage of false fronts towards Philip has saved their marriage. The Bentley has been married for twelfth years. In her journal Mrs. Bentley recalls that how Philip became a minister. After Philip's graduation, he married a music student, who was Mrs. Bentley, but unfortunately Philip was force to work for the United Church as a minister because of the expenses incurred with the birth of the stillborn child and also the debts has piled up. Although Philip's dream was to become an artist, he is now trapped himself in the small town he was trying to escape from. The life in the small town and their own hypocrisy has driven the Bentleys apart. In Mrs. Bentley's diary you can see how Philip's feel towards his job and towards Mrs. Bentley "After all, could the pebbles of his disbelief do and real harm to and institution like the church"(25). Mrs. Bentley and ...

Challenges and Impacts of Tobacco Use on Employers Research Paper

Challenges and Impacts of Tobacco Use on Employers - Research Paper Example It is believed that smoking in organizations is generally a very bad thing to do, the reason being that a lot of passive inhaling is done on the part of the people who are actually not anywhere close to the usage of tobacco. This creates upheaval amongst such people and they start detesting the very fact that they are being let down by the smoker community that exists within an organization. One should believe that smoking within organizational realms creates rifts. It makes the employees disillusioned with the fact that they are being treated in a very sordid manner. The smokers must not be allowed to let it be, as they need to be taken to consider what they are doing for the sake of the organization in essence and the negativity that they are inflicting upon other employees (Timmins 1989). The reason for understanding this phenomenon is that smoking in offices is generally not a very viable exercise and could succumb into different kinds of fights, rage attacks and so on. The peopl e who usually smoke at such dispositions are either unaware of the harmful effects that they are causing to the office environment or are very prone to what usually happens once they smoke in an organization. ... The arguments which are raised by different quarters include the fact that smoking is a very private affair and one must not comment on something to this effect at all. This is a pretty debatable point since smoking in organizations means negativities attached for one and all. And there are no areas of respite. The arguments thus generally center on the premise of harmful instigation which could be caused for the worsening sake of the employees at large (Devries 2009). In essence, smoking in business realms is fatal for the lives of one and all. It is an element of disaster as far as cordiality and oneness amongst people is concerned. It makes them feel awkward and helpless, all at the same time. Thus smoking in organizations paints a very gloomy picture of how things actually shape up in the long run. It is essentially intolerable to have an employee in one’s close proximity who is a die-hard chain smoker and who would be unwilling to give up on this bad habit. This employee would be criticized for his acts and at times, taunts would also make the rounds of his personality. On the flip side of the discussion, majority of the employees believe that the smokers within the office place are not at all less productive than any other employees who do not indulge in tobacco usage. This is because the employees who smoke usually sleep less and can be awake for longer periods of time. However they would smoke time and again when they are within the reins of an organization. Their direction seems straying, but they would not be misdirected by any stretch of the imagination. Some research studies have shown that smokers give in more

Nazi Leadership Pictured in the Black Book Term Paper

Nazi Leadership Pictured in the Black Book - Term Paper Example In the time of its release, it indeed was the most expensive Dutch film that ever existed as well as the most commercially successful film in the Netherlands. The film stands out more realistic depiction of some history. It has been used to offer the conventional wisdom that the Dutch and the resistance were the heroes while the Germans with the Dutch sympathizers were eventually the villains. Additionally, the film acts as a magnificent cross in the business and art. It has been such an entertaining film that appeals the audience from the professors down to the shop assistants which remains worthwhile for many years. During the final years of the World War II, a beautiful woman singer Rachel Stein finds refuge with the Tsjempkema family in the rural part of the Holland. She waits out the war just like any other Jew in Europe as a popular and a wealthy singer. Separated from the family with some moment away from being captured by the Gestapo, her temporary house is destroyed by the Allied bomber in fire by a German fighter where she is left in the arms of Michel Huisman-Rob a very sympathetic boy who promises Rachel’s safety in the period. The following morning Rob helps Rachel to her contact in the town helping that she will be assisted in finding her family to escape across in the liberated territory (Harris 123). On arrival at home, Mr. Smaal with the wife Diana Dobbleman who is a compassionate lawyer having worked secretly in helping the Jews to escape from Holland, reluctantly arranges that Rachel joins the family and crosses the enemy lines in the allied territory, marking her name i n a little leather notebook. In the period of the dangerous crossing, the German troops ambushed the boat whereby the Nazi kills the boat passengers ruthlessly but Rachel narrowly escapes jumping overboard in a river.

Importance Of Contextual Theology In And Of Africa

Importance Of Contextual Theology In And Of Africa The subject of contextual theology in Africa is of current interest as it flows into the contextual theology of Africa in the wider world through its links with, and affect on the growth of, Pentecostalism within and beyond its borders, due to globalisation. As both of these areas of contextual theology in Africa and of Africa have their positive and negative aspects, I wish to ask the question, What lessons can we learn from understanding the impact of setting and the history of contextual theology in and of Africa which can guide other establishing theological contexts, particularly of the Emergent Church and LGBTQI contexts, regardless of geographical location. The enormity of the subject requires that the scope of this essay be limited to consideration of Christology only, and in that I will particularly consider the work of Kwame Bediako (Bediako 2004), and compare other models of contextual theology (Bevans Schreiter 2002). The debates in Christology, its historical emergence in the early the church and in the African contexts, help us again recognise the implications for ministry to mind and body with fresh understanding of Christ as God and as Man, and how these various aspects relate to our praxis and theological method. This is no less important for understanding the dialogue with Islam as it is for understanding the impact on the historical divide between modern emerging contexts in Western and Non-Western cultures (other than Africa). I will also consider the positive benefits of globalisation and its positive effects on transmission of content and the sharing of method to the possible benefit of the whole church, made possible through dialogues with non-traditional settings and approaches that are emerging using the grass roots approach advocated in African contexts. In this I will consider some alternative modern Christologys from the LGBTQI context and draw some comparisons. I hope to suggest a n embryonic model for contextual theology which I shall call the Incarnational Model of Contextual Theology. African Christology on the cusp Globalisation Past and Present. Global impacts through empires whether they are Persian, Roman, or Colonial are outdone in speed and reach by the modern means of communications and travel, yet there remains many places that are still not enriched, and remain disconnected and controlled and limited by the theological context they have both inherited and developed. This is possibly because in poorer areas there are still the problems of translation and transmission, as well as exposure to other views, which are not facilitated or enabled by situational and resource poverty. In this, the grass roots are still dependant on a third party bringing them the corpus of knowledge; in that respect, they have in some ways simply exchanged their overlords without changing their situation. This means that they still lack independence. Thus, the positive benefits of globalisation remain to be fully exploited and could provide an appropriate vehicle for transmitting the lessons of contextual theology in and of Africa to other geog raphical regions and into non-academic grass-roots settings beyond its normal reaches, as well as allowing these areas to have free unhindered exchange with other groups. Without this, the theology in and of Africa will become in-bred and undeveloped. Comparison between Western and Southern Contexts of Christianity à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ½Lothar Schreiner defines Contextual Theology as: Contextual theology is theology predicated with reference to its context. Contextuality, then, means relation to the substance and nature of the context, which goes beyond merely the literary setting to include geographic, linguistic, social, political, cultural, and ideological factors. Contextual theology is faith-knowledge on the basis of both the biblical revelation and the contemporary reference. (Schreiner, in (Fahlbusch et al. 1999) In considering Christology in the Western and Southern contexts, represented by Northern European and North American contexts on one hand, and the African contexts on the other, there is a distinction which Tennent refers to as Theology from Below in Africa which integrates the work and person of Christ with the human situation and experience, compared to the more philosophical upper-side theology of the early church which has continued in the Western tradition. (Tennent 2007) However, Tennent does not give consideration to the current evangelical modernist approach to theology it adopted in engaging with post-Enlightenment challenges, which has an effect on openness to considering alternative methods in the first instance, let alone the conclusions one can draw from these methods. This has an effect on dialogue within the African contexts, especially where there are still some remnants of colonial influence, but more so in transitioning to a contextual theology of Africa in the Afri can Diaspora, the uncritical adoption of modern evangelicalism would stifle dialogue and raise contention in both academic and grass-roots settings of Western Theology. This is as important for inter-faith dialogue as it is for inter-contextual dialogue. (Musk 2008) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ½George Evers alludes to the recognition that African context exists in reality as a plurality of contexts, and notes that there is a desire for independent African theology, despite its theological roots in Christian History represented by the great North African theologians of antiquity, Tertullian, Cyrian and Augustine. (Evers in Fahlbusch et al. 1999) Bediako parallels the methods of early Hellenistic writers within the church, and how they approached the enculturation of the gospel within a peri-Christian Graeco-Roman context, with that of the modern approaches of African Christologys dealing with both their own pre-Christian past, as well as their adoptive history imported by colonial missionaries. In this he illustrates for example the use of Hellenistic terms such as logos and the transition to the use of kyrios in the early church and compares this to grass roots references to Christ as Ancestor (among others) anticipating a transition in time to other terminologies. (Bediako 2004, p.63) Tennent points to the work of Jaroslav Pelikan who shows that each epoch of the church has had a prominent image of Christ, which collectively builds our modern day Christology. Thus, he lists a Jewish Messiah, a Gentile Lord Jesus, a post-Constantinian King of Kings, the Universal Man of the renaissance, a war-time Prince of Peace, and moder n day liberator. Tennent rightly points out that these historical reflections can not dictate a moratorium on future Christologys (Tennent 2007, p.110). It is vital that we recognise that every context has the right to not just write in the margins of the depositum fidei, but must write in the corpus, adding their parts of the Christological puzzle. This is true for African contexts, as it is for any other, including the emerging and LGBTQI contexts. Therefore, the task of integrating Christian faith with authentic African identity becomes a central theme in the emergence of African Christology. (Tennent 2007, p.115) In throwing off the Great Chain of Being (Lovejoy 1990, p.59) African contexts offer an authentic and hopefully empathetic voice to emerging and alternative contexts held captive by the chains of others. But the message and methods need to spread beyond its borders, and out of its centres of academia to be of immediate benefit both locally and globally. Who do People say I am? Various pre-Christian references to Christ that have arisen from African Traditional Religions are explored by Bediako, as well as by Stinton, who also provides useful survey data for her conclusions (Stinton 2004, p.47) and by Tennent (Tennent 2007, p.105). Between them, they highlight several images of Christ that arise from the grassroots African Christologys listed below: Table 1: Images of Christ in African Christology Master of Initiation Healer Ancestor Loved one Chief Liberator Lord of the Spirits Host and Giver of Hospitality Christ as Ancestor is particularly well expounded by Bediako (Bediako 2004, p.25) and Tennent (Tennent 2007, p.122) and provides an interesting point of contention which ultimately demonstrates the pan-cultural relevance of Christ, as well as the immutability of His work, playing to the holistic approach of African Christology which integrates the person and work of Christ. Bediako struggles to link this to Western/Hellenistic parallel, and overlooks the concept of elder brother [a parallel concept within Ancestor] which can be found in the titles of Christ in Greek/Hellenistic thought, such as firstborn (Gk. Prototokos  [1]  ) which does not refer to first-to-be-born but rather the pre-eminent heir, or else only-begotten (Gk. Monogenes  [2]  ) that is the unique-one, especially when prefigured as Wisdom. Both these Western/Hellenistic images of Christ provide parallels of unique source, and therefore ultimate ancestor. There is also a clear parallel to ancestor as mediator a nd Christ as mediator par excellence. Similarly, in Christ as Healer, there is a potential over-lap of experience between African and LGBTQI contexts in their shared experience of HIV/AIDS. In my own experience, working as a trainer in healthcare in Transkei, East Cape, RSA among the Xhosa people of Masameni, we worked with Church leaders, tribal leaders, and local practitioners of African Traditional Religions (ATR) who carried out ritual-circumcision, and local healthcare volunteers. We were able to get them to adopt the use of a disposable scalpel and suggested this was a commemorative gift to the individual to mark their rite of passage. These scalpels were made available via local health partners free of charge. In this approach we were able to guard against transmission of infection while honouring their traditional religion. Alas, this message has not penetrated the wider community. (Meel 2005) Nonetheless, in the group we worked with, the notion of Christ the healer working through the body of Christ, his people, was embraced as a wonderful image and inspiration, which even the practitioners of ATR were able to support. In his essay, Ezekiel understands AIDS; AIDS understands Ezekiel LGBTQI writer Jim Mitulski speaks of his own journey with HIV/AIDS and parallels Ezekiel vision of the valley of dry bones with Christs unifying role in creation. (Mitulski in Goss M. West 2000a, p.155) For him, and for the people in the African continent living with HIV/AIDS, understanding Christ as healer and consummator unifier of faith enables difficult journeys through sickness, and perhaps towards death, to be based on a solid foundation of faith in Christ. There is no sophistry in this journey. There is no sugar coating. Nonetheless, Christ is central to the journey both as a fellow pilgrim and also as the object of pilgrimage. But, even when the bodies are dead and buried, there is a role for Christ unifying the body again from dry bones. This parallels Christologys of Christ in African where Christ i s Lord of the Spirits and/or Christ as Chief. Applied Contextualisation Relocating Christological themes again in and from the African context relies on careful contextualisation. Various theologians have used disparate methods and approaches. Both Sanneh Bediako place heavy emphasis on the use of African languages; this places them at one extreme of those who support the translational model of contextual theology. If humanity is the receptor of language as they contend, then culture should be both dictionary and thesaurus. Thus, to extend that metaphor, the Christological puzzle must be a polyglottal interlinear. What both writers go on to show is that the importance lies not just in linguistic equivalence, but in a cross-mapping of cultural domains of thought. Sannehs vernacular is balanced by Bediakos use of grassroots images such as Christ as Ancestor and Christ as Healer, with the latter author drawing close to an anthropological method. While Bediako insists that we ought to speak positively of oral, spontaneous, implicit or grass roots theology, as theology which comes from where the faith lives, in life-situation of the community of faith, he stops short of an anthropological model by stressing that alternative religions are not the source and do not shape Christian affirmations. (Bediako 2004, p.17) Yet, in this quotation I see great resonance with the approaches with LQBTQI communities to do likewise and allow the theology and Christology to come from where faith lives. The translational model presupposes a supra-contextual unchanging message, while a purely anthropological model uses the personal and communal encounter as its starting point, and in method, allows the grass-roots to self define. On this matter, Donovan here makes a clear distinction between the gospel as revelation and the communal response to this revelation as religion, and thus recognises the immutability of the gospel as well as stressing the importance of seeking the authentic commonality from within the context in all its richness. This parallels the who do you say I am approach from within LGBTQI contexts. (Bohache 2008) and would not differ much from other approaches employing reading against the scriptures as a hermeneutical tool. (G. O. West Shomanah 2000, p.250; G. West 1996) I have not found any Christological examples of this within Queer Christologys, but in essence, the reading-against approach is employed by Koch in employing a non-typical approach to hermeneutics, though it is not applied to Christology. (Stone 2001, p.169) We should note here that within African contexts there is a potential dichotomy between what is demanded for a context in and of Africa, and that which is granted or permitted by that context to other external contexts. Thus, it is sad to see the African church being so vociferous in the debate about homosexuality; a simple methodological analysis should surely grant other contexts the same privilege as was claimed and rightly demanded by African theologians in their quest for liberation. That is, for the gospel to be authentic, the gospel must operate from within the context. This is a major tenet on which I propose an Incarnational model of contextual theology; that is, Christs incarnation was the ultimate step of identification and required a transition into the human context but went beyond that in fully identifying with the marginalised of society in the face of religious opposition. The model therefore, in this respect, imitates that objective. In principle what I propose is a modified synthetic model, in as far as I recognise the importance of several models; Bediakos translational approach enables sympathy with Donovans anthropological approach. A liberationist approach would possibly go further in allowing the praxis within community to inform our Christology, but I am not aware of any such models emanating from the African context. Nonetheless, I disagree with Newbiggins Counter-Cultural model in as far as I disagree with the assumptions behind the use of the gospel. Like Donovan, I see it as immutable, and therefore while I agree with Newbiggins analysis that everything should be subject to the gospel, I disagree that the gospel should be seen as a tool for refutation and rejection of local context. There is no threat from syncretism when you view God and the Gospel as immutable, and when you merely use the notions within other contexts to continue to resolve the Christological puzzle. Bediako, in drawing short of a fu ll anthropological model, sides with Newbiggin in seeing the gospel as a refutation and rejecting tool. However, emerging from modern western contexts are post-evangelicals who are rejecting the modernist method adopted by post-enlightenment Christians as they engaged with opponents of their time. This approach was embedded into the western theology imported into the African context. This modernist approach is still evident in the post-colonial echoes as the remnant of adoptive history present in various contexts in Africa, and as it has survived in Western contexts also, it parallels with the contexts of Africa found in Pentecostalism in the west. Relationship, Re-appropriation and Redemption The Jewish atheist Buber has contributed to philosophy with his understanding the I-thou versus I-thee framework. Part of this work expounds the notion of deepening understanding of I-thee relationships (interpersonal, interfaith, inter-group) which comes from a deeper understanding of the I-thou relations (cosmic.) and vice versa (Buber 2004) One of the global problems the church faces in all contexts is the gap between academic theology and grass roots theology, and a lack of exchange between the two. Not only do different groups exist in silos, but there is a gap between academic and grass roots within silos. Thus, when cross-talk between the silos takes places, it is usually only at the academic level, and does not penetrate to the grass-roots. The Christological puzzle demands that the gospel be found within all contexts and that each contributes their own piece to the puzzle. However, each silo considers its own received knowledge as universal and normative. Thus we need to learn several lessons in considering Christologys in and of Africa. First that the gospel has nothing to fear from experimentation intended to unearth Christ from within the context. All the various models of contextual theology should be permitted. Secondly, we should allow each context to self-define in order to obtain both an authentic and relevant message which also has current rather than historical application. Thirdly, language and poverty are real obstacles to dissembling walls between academic and grass roots theology and are a major contributing factor to the failure in positive effects of globalisation. Despite non-textual approaches in some contexts, there needs to be greater dialogue between the silos including non-traditional groups from outside the normal scope of research, and also greater exchanges within silos between academic and grass-roots. I would include here post-modern and non-traditional groups such as the LGBTQIA groups. The Incarnational model therefore suggests that there should be not only a top-down and bottom up commun ication within silos, but there has to be communication between silos at all levels that is both practical and pragmatic, but also respectful. Conclusion The methods and models employed in various contexts in and of Africa provide a strong methodological foundation for other contexts seeking to discover Christ in their contexts and thus incarnate their spirituality in their setting. There is a lack of intra-contextual and inter-contextual dialogue connecting academia and grass-root settings both in Africa and in Western theologies. I propose that by adopting a post-evangelical approach, which engages with postmodernism, a foundation of empathy with alternative groups and settings would be facilitated. This avoids the certainty trap which inevitably locks groups in a head-to-head confrontational stance as they seek to defend their position rather than discover the truth. Instead, it is possible that the groups align side-by-side on the journey. In this, the Incarnational Model of Contextual Theology post-modernises the Synthetic model with a refining-redeeming gospel to mirror culture rather than refute and reject it. But it finds its deepest meaning in the lives of the groups discovering its depth, and therefore incorporates a deeply spiritual and deeply practical element of praxis. The final aspect of this incarnational model alludes to the need for publishing the outcomes and rooting them in not just the religious practices of various groups, but in their secular lives too. Most importantly is facilitating access to the materials and resources outside of academic circles. Poverty and language will continue to be obstacles to be overcome. While certain contexts are disbarred because the materials are not in an accessible language and while the positive effects of global spread of the message through the internet requires access to that medium, then there will continue to be substantial pockets of every context existing in effective isolation from their academic partners and isolation from other enrichment from other contexts. (Adeyemo 2006) (Akper 2007)(Ballard Pritchard 2006) (Bediako 2004)(Bevans Schreiter 2002)(Chike 2008)(Clarke 2005)(Countryman/Ritley 2001) (Dada 2010)(Donaldson 1996)(Goldingay 1996)(Goss M. West 2000b)(Jenkins 2009)(Mashau Frederiks 2008)(Moloney 1987)(Nadar 2007)(Sankey 1994)(Stuart 2003)(Tennent 2007)(Thomson 2006)(Wilson 1995) (Jenkins 2006)(Jenkins 2007)(Stinton 2004)(G. West 1996) (Culley 1976)(Elliott 1986)(Fahlbusch et al. 1999)(Jewett, 1985)(WILLIAM 2004)(Winquist 1987) Bibliography Background reading Adeyemo, T., 2006. Africa Bible Commentary: A One-volume Commentary Written by 70 African Scholars, Zondervan. Akper, G., 2007. The Person of Jesus Christ in Contemporary African Christological Discourse. Religion Theology, 14(3/4), pp.224-243. Ballard, P.H. Pritchard, J., 2006. Practical Theology in Action, SPCK Publishing. Bediako, K., 2004. Jesus and the Gospel in Africa: History and Experience, Orbis Books. Bevans, S. Schreiter, R.J., 2002. Models of Contextual Theology Revised edition., Orbis Books (USA). Bohache, T., 2008. Christology from the Margins, SCM Press. Brown, C., 1986. New international dictionary of New Testament theology, Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House. Buber, M., 2004. I and Thou (Continuum Impacts) New Ed., Continuum International Publishing Group Ltd. Chike, C., 2008. PROUDLY AFRICAN, PROUDLY CHRISTIAN: THE ROOTS OF CHRISTOLOGIES IN THE AFRICAN WORLDVIEW. Black Theology: An International Journal, 6(2), pp.221-240. Clarke, C.R., 2005. Towards a Functional Christology Among AICs in Ghana. Mission Studies: Journal of the International Association for Mission Studies, 22(2), pp.287-318. Countryman/Ritley, 2001. Gifted by Otherness, Thomas More Press. Culley, R.C., 1976. Semeia 5, Oral Tradition and Old Testament Studies, Society of Biblical Literature. Dada, A.O., 2010. REPOSITIONING CONTEXTUAL BIBLICAL HERMENEUTICS IN AFRICA TOWARDS HOLISTIC EMPOWERMENT. Black Theology: An International Journal, 8(2), pp.160-174. Donaldson, L.E., 1996. Semeia 75: Postcolonialism and Scriptural Reading, Society of Biblical Literature. Elliott, J.H., 1986. Semeia 35: Social-Scientific Criticism of the New Testament and Its Social World, Society of Biblical Literature, Scholars Pr. Fahlbusch, E. et al., 1999. The Encyclopedia of Christianity: (A-D) v. 1 (Encyclopedia of Christianity, Brill. Goldingay, J., 1996. Models for Interpretation of Scripture, William B Eerdmans Publishing Co. Goss, R.E. West, M., 2000a. Take Back the Word A Queer Reading of the Bible, Pilgrim Press. Jenkins, P., 2006. The New Faces of Christianity: Believing the Bible in the Global South, OUP USA. Jenkins, P., 2007. The Next Christendom: The Coming of Global Christianity Revised edition., OUP USA. Jenkins, P., 2009. The Lost History of Christianity: The Thousand-year Golden Age of the Church in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia, Lion Publishing plc. Jewett,, R., 1985. Semeia 30: Christology and Exegesis: New Approaches, Society of Biblical Literature. Lovejoy, A., 1990. The Great Chain of Being New edition., Harvard University Press. Mashau, T.D. Frederiks, M.T., 2008. Coming of Age in African Theology: The Quest for Authentic Theology in African Soil. Exchange, 37(2), pp.109-123. Meel, B., 2005. Community perception of traditional circumcision in a sub-region of the Transkei, Eastern Cape, South Africa. Available at: http://www.safpj.co.za/index.php/safpj/article/viewArticle/256 [Accessed December 7, 2010]. Moloney, R., 1987. AFRICAN CHRISTOLOGY. Theological Studies, 48(3), pp.505-515. Musk, B., 2008. The Certainty Trap: Can Christians and Muslims Afford the Luxury of Fundamentalism, Nadar, S., 2007. CONTEXTUAL THEOLOGICAL EDUCATION IN AFRICA AND THE CHALLENGE OF GLOBALIZATION. Ecumenical Review, 59(2/3), pp.235-241. Sankey, P.J., 1994. The church as clan: Critical reflections on African ecclesiology. International Review of Mission, 83(330), p.437. Spicq, C.E., 1994. Theological lexicon of the New Testament, Peabody, MA.: Hendrickson. Stinton, D.B., 2004. Jesus of Africa: Voices of Contemporary African Christology, Orbis Books. Stone, K., 2001. Queer Commentary and the Hebrew Bible, Pilgrim Press. Stuart, E., 2003. Gay and Lesbian Theologies: Repetitions and Critical Difference, Ashgate Publishing Limited. Tennent, T.C., 2007. Theology in the Context of World Christianity: How the Global Church Is Influencing the Way We Think about and Discuss Theology, Zondervan. Thomson, A., 2006. Learning from the African Experience: Bediako and Critical Contextualisation. Evangelical Review of Theology, 30(1), pp.31-48. West, G., 1996. Semeia 73: READING WITH: EXPLORATION OF INTERFACE BETWEEN CRITICAL AND ORDINARY READINGS OF THE BIBLE, Society of Biblical Literature. West, G.O. Shomanah, M.W.D., 2000. The Bible in Africa: transactions, trajectories, and trends, BRILL. WILLIAM, S., 2004. DOGMATIC THEOLOGY 3RD ED HB 3rd ed., EVANGELICAL PRESS. Wilson, N., 1995. Our Tribe: Queer Folks, God, Jesus, and the Bible, Harpercollins. Winquist, C.E., 1987. Semeia 40: Text and Textuality, Scholars Press.