Entrepreneurship In Contexts Of Business Management Commerce Essay

Entrepreneurship In Contexts Of Business Management Commerce Essay The business world can be seen as a complex system of individuals and business organisations that, in a free market economy such as South Africa, involves the activity of transforming scarce resources into products and services in order to meet the needs of society (Du Toit, Erasmus Strydom, 2007:4). Business organisations therefore solve the fundamental economic problem of how to ensure the highest possible satisfaction of needs with scarce resources (Cronje, Du Toit Motlatla, 2001:23). In order to understand how the business organisation satisfies the needs of society in a free market economy, it is important to understand the driving force behind the business organisation, namely the entrepreneur (Du Toit et al., 2007:37). The entrepreneur is at the heart of a free market economy and establishes business organisations and in doing so creates jobs and wealth (Cronje et al., 2001:3). Entrepreneurs and new business creation is fundamental to the growth of the South African economy and to the future socio-political stability of the country (Von Broembsen, Wood Herrington, 2005:5). Due to low economic growth, high unemployment and an unsatisfactory level of poverty in South Africa, entrepreneurship becomes a critical solution (Rwigema Venter, 2004:27). As mentioned in Chapter 1, one of the most important groups of entrepreneurs within the economy with considerable potential to contribute to economic growth, economic development and employment generation are business women (Blumberg Kenan, 2008; Ahl, 2006; Negash, 2006; Blumberg, 2005; Republic of South Africa, 2005; Baker, Aldrich Liou, 1997). Therefore, this study focuses on the strategic entrepreneurial behaviour of business women in South Africa. An improved understanding of entrepreneurial behaviour and decision-making would enable business management students to better understand how business organisations function in todays competitive environment. In this chapter the concept of business management is addressed. The chapter starts by introducing the subject of economics, followed by an overview of business management as a discipline. This section leads to a discussion of the relationship between economics and business management. Then follows a section which elaborates on entrepreneurship and strategic management as well as a section how these two fields overlap. Special attention is given to entrepreneurship and strategic management in an attempt to clarify the position of this study in a business management context. The position of the study within the field of economics and business management is illustrated in Figure 2.1. Figure 2.1: The position of the study within the field of economics and business management 2.2 ECONOMICS Economics has been defined in various ways in its more than 200 year history (Arnold, 2004:3). It is therefore useful to review a number of definitions of what economics entails. Alfred Marshall (1824-1924) broadly defined economics as the study of mankind in the ordinary business of life; it is the study of wealth and of man. Lionel Robbins (1898-1984) definition focussed on alternative outputs that can be achieved with scarce resources. He defined economics as the science which studies human behaviour as a relationship between ends and scarce means which have alternative uses. Similarly, Milton Friedman (1912-2006) said that economics is the science of how a particular society solves its economic problems. He then argues that an economic problem exists whenever scarce means are used to satisfy alternative ends (Arnold, 2004:3). It seems from the above definitions that economics is the study of how society manages its scarce resources (Mankiw, 2004:4). More comprehensively, economic s is the study of how individuals and societies deal with the fact that wants are greater than the limited resources available to satisfy those wants (Arnold, 2004:3). The condition, under which wants are greater than the limited resources available to satisfy those wants, is called scarcity (Arnold, 2004:3). This endeavour to achieve the highest possible satisfaction of needs with scarce resources is known as the fundamental economic principle (Smit, Cronje, Brevis Vrba, 2007:20) and every economic system is subject to it (Cronje et al., 2001:23). That being so, it follows that any component of an economic system, including a business organisation, is also subject to the economic principle (Nieman Bennett, 2006:6; Cronje et al., 2001:23). In order to create wealth and satisfy wants, as implied in the definitions, resources are utilised (Nickels, McHugh McHugh, 2008:9). Resources are divided into four broad categories, called factors of production. These factors of production are: land, labour, capital, and entrepreneurship (Arnold, 2004:5). Land includes all natural resources, such as minerals, forests, water and unimproved land. Labour, on the other hand, consists of the physical and mental talents people contribute to the production process. Capital consists of produced goods that can be used as inputs for further production. Entrepreneurship, the focus of this study, refers to the particular talent that some individuals have for organising the resources of land, labour, and capital to produce goods, seek new business opportunities, and develop new ways of doing things (Arnold, 2004:5). It furthermore refers to the initiative of putting together a range of production factors in various combinations in diverse busin esses to satisfy the numerous needs of consumers (Nieman Bennett 2006:6). The field of economics is traditionally divided into two broad subfields, namely, microeconomics and macroeconomics (Mankiw, 2004:4). On the one hand, microeconomics deals with human behaviour and choices as they relate to relatively small units and studies interactions through individual markets, given scarcity and government regulation (Arnold, 2004:27). In other words, microeconomics is the study of how households and firms make decisions and how they interact in specific markets. On the other hand, macroeconomics deals with human behaviour and choices as they relate to highly aggregate markets or to the entire economy (Arnold, 2004:4). Macroeconomics is thus the study of economy-wide phenomena (Mankiw, 2004:27). The present study is related to microeconomics as it deals with individuals i.e. business women and how they make decisions to allocate scarce resources. Neoclassical economists are interested in decision-making, especially the costs and incentives associated with economic choices (Hicks, 1937). The decision-making process plays an important role in any business organisation and is of importance for problem-solving, the development of business plans, and goal-directed behaviour (Gray, 2001). In macroeconomics, a neoclassical synthesis was developed in the early 1950s, based on an integration of Keyness ideas and the ideas of earlier economists (Blanchard, 2006:576). These theories had a fundamental impact on the modern understanding of firms and their relation to the environment. In economics theories are useful for explaining and predicting economic behaviour. Theories are developed to explain observed phenomena in terms of a set of basic rules and assumptions (Pindyck Rubinfeld, 2005:5). The theory of the firm consists of a number of economic theories which describe the nature of the firm, company, or corporation, including its existence, its behaviour, and its relationship with the market (Coase, 1937), which impact business management scholars understanding of the field. The theory of the firm is based on a simple assumption namely that firms try to maximise their profits (Pindyck Rubinfeld, 2005:5). The theory of the firm furthermore provides an explanation of how a firm makes cost-minimising production decisions and how its cost varies with output (Pindyck Rubinfeld, 2005:188). In simplified terms, the theory of the firm attempts to answer questions regarding the existence of firms, the boundaries of firms, the organisation of firms and questions con cerning heterogeneity of firm actions and performances (Coase, 1937). To summarise, the field of economics focuses on how society manages its scarce resources, also called factors of production, to satisfy the needs of society. In order to understand how entrepreneurship, as one of the factors of production, influences wealth creation in the economy, one has to appreciate the role of business management which is concerned with the management aspects of the factors of production. 2.3 BUSINESS MANAGEMENT AS A DISCIPLINE The origins of traditional management can be traced back to the need for efficiency and effectiveness (Weymes, 2004:340). The endeavour to achieve the highest possible satisfaction of needs with scarce resources is known as the fundamental economic principle (Smit et al., 2007:20). Within economic and management sciences, traditional business management is subject to this principle, and the managements task is thus is to decide how an organisation can achieve the highest possible output with the least possible input (Smit et al., 2007:20; Scheepers, 2009:7). More specifically, it entails an examination of the factors, methods and principles that enable a business to function as productively as possible in order to maximise its profits (Nieman, 2005:39). In short, the individual business enterprise should focus on realising the economic principle (Scheepers, 2009:7). The study of business management depends on comprehensive and ongoing research and the examination of management problems, the testing of approaches and principles as well as experimentation with methods and techniques. Business management is thus an applied science that studies how business organisations can best be directed towards realising their objectives given their limited resources (Du Toit et al., 2007:27). Klekamp (1968:54) defines business management as achieving organisational goals through people. It is useful to consider this time-worn definition through the perspective of three fundamental schools of management. These schools are: the traditional school of management; the behavioural school of management and the quantitative school of management. It appears that the traditional school sees the achievement of organisational goals as a process. It further suggests that the process is universal i.e. the distinguishing characteristic of a manager is the mastery of her discipline and the application of her art rather that the environment in which it is practiced. The behavioural school, on the other hand, focuses on the achievement of goals, as the process does, but dwells to a large extent upon why people act as they do when under the influence of the management process and in the company of people grouped together for the accomplishment of organisational goals. Alternatively, the quantitative school proposes that the achievement of goals depends to a large extent on the quality of the decisions made in the practice of the management science (Klekamp, 1968:54). Although, business management has been defined by a number of authors, fundamental to most definitions is the idea that management is a social process of planning, coordination, control, and motivation (Pettinger, 2002; Hodgetts, 1981:114). One can infer that business management therefore involves satisfying needs with a limited amount of resources through planning, coordination, control, and motivation of these resources (Ward, 2008:19). The many definitions offered in the literature on management demonstrate the wide differences of opinion among writers and experts about the tasks and activities of management. Figure 2.2 illustrates the four fundamental tasks that are singled out as the most important activities of the management process. These are: planning, organising, leading and control (Du Toit et al., 2007:129). Figure 2.2: The four fundamental management tasks represented as a process SOURCE: Adapted from Du Toit et al., 2007:130 The following brief description of the fundamental management tasks clarifies the concept of management and the management process. The first fundamental task of management, namely planning, determines the mission and goals of the organisation, including the way goals are to be reached in the long-term, and the resources needed for this task (Du Toit et al., 2007:130). Strategic management is an integral part of planning and is the process of developing a vision, mission and long-term objectives for the organisation as a whole. According to Nieman and Bennett (2002:14), organisations succeed if their strategies are appropriate for the circumstances they face, and feasible in respect of their resources, skills and capabilities. Strategic management is discussed in more depth in Section 2.6. The second fundamental task in the management process is organising. This task refers to the development of a framework or organisational structure to indicate how people, equipment and materials should be employed to reach the predetermined goals (Du Toit et al., 2007:130). Leading, the third fundamental task, entails directing the human resources of the business and motivating them (Du Toit et al., 2007:130) in order to get them to perform in such a way that the organisational objectives can be achieved (Nieman Bennett, 2006:99). The final fundamental task, namely control, implies that managers should constantly establish whether the business is on a proper course towards the accomplishment of its goals (Du Toit et al., 2007:131) as well as structuring the activities of the organisation to facilitate the attainment of its objectives (Nieman Bennett, 2006:93). The fundamental task of business management is, however, not only to plan, organise, lead, and to control but to study those factors, principles and methods that will lead a business organisation, as a component of the prevailing economic system, to reach its objectives against the background of limited resources (Du Toit et al., 2007:28) within the microeconomic field of study. In the following section the relationship between economics and business management is discussed. Particular attention is paid to the discussion of a business organisation as a component of the economic system, specifically how, as a need-satisfying institution in the free market economy, it provides for the needs of the community (Cronje et al., 2001:32). 2.4 RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ECONOMICS AND BUSINESS MANAGEMENT On the one hand, economics, as a social science, studies how humans and society exercise choices concerning different ways of utilising their scarce resources in order to satisfy unlimited needs. On the other hand, business management as an applied science is concerned with the study of those institutions in a particular economic system which satisfy the needs of a community. Economics examines the entire economic system, while business management limits its studies to one component of the economic system, namely the individual organisation (Cronje et al., 2001:23). Business management is thus closely linked with microeconomics and the theory of the firm as the purpose of business management is to hold an organisation to the economic principle (Cronje et al., 2001:23). Business management, as a field of study, is concerned with the management aspects of the inputs, the conversion process, and the outputs (Nieman Bennett, 2006:6). More specifically, it entails an examination of the factors, methods and principles that enable a business to function as productively as possible in order to maximise profits (Nieman Bennett, 2002:4). In order to recognise how the business organisation satisfies the needs of society in a free market economy, such as South Africa, one has to understand one of the driving forces behind the business organisation, namely the entrepreneur (Du Toit et al., 2007:37). 2.5 ENTREPRENEURSHIP Economic development can be directly attributed to the level of entrepreneurial activity in a country (Bird, 1989; Schumpeter, 1934) as entrepreneurial businesses are responsible for growth and job creation in the economy (Nieman, Hough Nieuwenhuizen, 2003:3). Entrepreneurship is the process that causes change in the economic system through innovations of individuals who respond to opportunities in the market. Entrepreneurs are challenging existing assumptions as well as conventional rules of business and are creating value in novel and creative ways for themselves and society (Morris, Kuratko Covin, 2008:3). It is therefore important to study entrepreneurship in an increasingly globalised world where survival often depends on people who are driven by opportunity and who seek to achieve their goals in a sustainable way (Rwigema Venter, 2004:9). Although the term entrepreneurship has been in use for over 200 years, considerable disagreement remains over its meaning. Although the disagreement seems greatest if definitions of entrepreneurship between disciplines are compared, a consensus is found if definitions produced by specialists in the same field, are compared (Nieman et al., 2003:9). Economists, for example, tend to agree that entrepreneurs are associated with innovation and are seen as the driving forces of development (Filion, 1998). The behaviourists, on the other hand, try to understand the entrepreneur as a person and ascribe to the characteristics of mainly the flexible interpretative models. The behavioural approach places emphasis on explaining how decisions are taken within the firm. However, any theory of entrepreneurship must be flexible and multidimensional to reflect its multidisciplinary roots (Nieman et al., 2003:9; Filion, 1998). While multiple definitions of entrepreneurship could be found in the literature (Sharma Chrisman, 1999; Venkataraman, 1997; Schumpeter, 1983; Kirzner, 1973), no single definition has been accepted by the whole entrepreneurship field (Scheepers, 2007:25). For the purposes of the present study entrepreneurship can be defined as the process of creating value by bringing together a unique combination of resources to exploit an opportunity (Barringer Ireland, 2006:5; Stevenson, Roberts Grousback, 1989). Since this definition implies that: (1) entrepreneurship may vary in terms of the extent and number of times it occurs; (2) entrepreneurship occurs in various contexts for example start-ups and corporate firms; (3) it is a process that can be managed; and (4) it creates value and it is opportunity-driven (Scheepers, 2009). Firstly, regarding the implication that entrepreneurship may vary in terms of the extent and number of times it occurs, it is useful to examine the concept of entrepreneurial intensity (EI). The term of EI was pioneered by Morris and Sexton (1996), who view EI as a function of the degree and frequency of entrepreneurship (Morris, 1998:42). Frequency of entrepreneurship refers to the number of times an enterprise acts entrepreneurially. In other words, the number of entrepreneurial events that takes place within a company over a given period of time (Morris et al., 2008:69; Morris, 1998:42). The degree of entrepreneurship could be assessed against the background of three dimensions: innovativeness, risk-taking, and proactiveness (Erasmus Scheepers, 2008; Morris, 1998:37). Innovativeness, the first dimension of the degree of entrepreneurship, refers to the ability to generate ideas that will culminate in the production of new products, services and technologies. Risk-taking, the second dimension, involves the determination and courage to make resources available for projects that have uncertain outcomes. Attempts are made to manage these risks by researching a market, recruiting and employing skilled staff among other strategies. Proactiveness, the third dimension, indicates top managements stance towards opportunities, encouragement of initiative, competitive aggressiveness and confidence in pursuing enhanced competitiveness (Morris, 1998:18, 41-43). The concept of EI is illustrated in Figure 2.3. The two-dimensional matrix, referred to as the entrepreneurial grid, shows the frequency of entrepreneurial events on the vertical axis, and the degree to which these events are innovative, risk-taking and proactive on the horizontal axis (Morris et al., 2008:69). EI must become a key activity ratio that is monitored on an ongoing basis within organisations. Assessment at the level of the organisation can be used for various purposes: to benchmark and track levels of entrepreneurship; establish norms and draw industry comparisons; establish entrepreneurship goals; develop strategies; and assess relationships between EI and organisation performance variables over time (Morris et al., 2008:78). Figure 2.3: The entrepreneurial grid SOURCE: Morris et al., 2008:70 Secondly, as implied in the definition of Stevenson et al. (1989) entrepreneurship in reality can occur in various organisational contexts (Morris et al., 2008:11). These organisational contexts may range from establishing a new enterprise, growing an existing small business, or innovation within large organisations (Scheepers, 2009:27). In other words, entrepreneurship can also be used to describe entrepreneurial actions within a firm. In this instance, an entrepreneurial firm creates wealth by concentrating on being innovative, proactive, and risk-taking (Ireland, Hitt, Camp Sexton, 2001:51). Corporate entrepreneurship is a term used to describe entrepreneurial behaviour inside existing organisations (Morris et al., 2008:11). Within these different contexts the definition above still applies, since the process and required inputs are similar, even if the outputs differ (Scheepers, 2009), therefore the female entrepreneurial behaviour examined in this study is still regarded as ent repreneurship, even though it may occur in two contexts, namely within a corporate context or in an independent venture. Thirdly, as stipulated in the definition, entrepreneurship can be viewed as a process. Therefore even though entrepreneurship and innovation are inherently unpredictable, chaotic and create ambiguity; entrepreneurship is a process, and as such it can be managed. Entrepreneurial events are characterised by different stages, such as opportunity identification, business concept definition, assessment of the resource requirements, acquisition of the needed resources, and then the management and harvesting of the business (Morris Kuratko, 2002). Finally, the ability to act entrepreneurially is linked to the perception of opportunity. The pursuit of opportunities also emphasises that those opportunities, which create the greatest value, could be exploited. It is important to note that entrepreneurship differs from management. There are important differences between the entrepreneurial and managerial functions, as well as the expertise and competence with regard to each (Nieman et al., 2003:13). Management is a social process of planning, coordination, control, and motivation (Ward, 2008:19). Management thus involves getting things done through other people and is, in a sense, a transformation process, where human, technical, and conceptual skills are used to transform inputs into outputs (Morris et al., 2008:12). Entrepreneurship, on the other hand, is the process of creating value by bringing together a unique combination of resources to exploit an opportunity (Barringer Ireland, 2006:5; Stevenson, Roberts Grousback, 1989). Entrepreneurs envision the future, recognise emerging patterns, identify untapped opportunities, and create innovations to exploit those opportunities (Morris et al., 2008:12). Figure 2.4 contrasts the primary roles of the manager with those of the entrepreneur. The figure shows that managers are charged with the efficient and effective utilisation of the resources under their control. They tend to be focussed on optimising current operations. Entrepreneurs, alternatively, demonstrate creative capabilities in obtaining resources, overcoming obstacles, and persisting in implementing new ideas that represent change (Morris et al., 2008:12). Figure 2.4: Comparing and combining key roles of managers and entrepreneurs THE ENTREPRENEURIAL MANAGER SOURCE: Adapted from Morris et al., 2008:13 One of the general approaches to management methods with the purpose of creating a sustainable competitive advantage is that of strategic management (Cronje et al., 2001:24). According to Nieman and Bennett (2002:14), strategy is fundamentally about a fit between the organisations resources and the markets targeted by it, as well as the ability to sustain fit over time and in changing circumstances and to create and maintain a competitive advantage within a given market. Therefore, the nature and characteristics of strategic management is discussed in the following section. 2.6 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT Several schools of thought with different opinions about the nature and scope of strategy can be distinguished from the literature (French, 2009:13). There is also a lack of a universally accepted definition of strategic management. However, central to most definitions is the notion that strategic management is the process through which managers formulate, implement, and monitor action plans to optimise the achievement of key goals (Rwigema Venter, 2004:195). Barney and Arikan (2001:140) define strategic management as a firms theory of how it can gain superior performance in the markets within which it operates. Venkataraman and Sarasvathy (2001:651) define the subject of strategic management as having to do with the methods used to create value and the ensuing struggle to capture a significant share of that value. Hough, Thompson, Strickland and Gamble (2008:4) propose that strategy consists of the competitive moves and business approaches that managers employ in order to grow the firm, attract and please customers, compete successfully, conduct operations, and achieve the targeted levels of organisational performance. For the purpose of the present study strategic management is defined as a process that deals with the long-term entrepreneurial work of the organisation, with organisational renewal and growth, and more particularly, with developing and utilising strategy, which is a guide to the organisations operations (Lyles, 1990:363). Strategic management has gained prominence in recent years as organisations compete in volatile environments (Rwigema Venter, 2004:197). The dynamic environment in which organisations operate poses ongoing management and leadership challenges, marked by complexity, uncertainty, and ambiguity (Rwigema Venter, 2004:93). Traditional business models are often no longer applicable and some managers are abandoning conventional approaches to strategy as they search for new ways to achieve a competitive advantage in a turbulent environment. Strategic management paradigms have shifted from essentially static to more dynamic worldviews (Scheepers, 2007:46). To summarise, in todays fast-paced competitive environment, firms face the need to be increasingly nimble and adaptive (Ireland Webb, 2007:49). Ireland et al. (2001:53) state that successfully integrating entrepreneurial and strategic actions improves a firms ability to grow and create wealth. The following section elaborates on the relationship between entrepreneurship and strategic management and on how these two fields overlap. 2.7 RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP While the fields of strategic management and entrepreneurship have developed largely independently of each other, they both focus on how firms adapt to environmental change and exploit opportunities created by uncertainties and discontinuities in the creation of wealth (Hitt, Ireland, Camp Sexton, 2001:480; Venkataraman Sarasvathy, 2001:480). Creating wealth is at the heart of both entrepreneurship and strategic management. Figure 2.5 illustrates how firms create wealth by using entrepreneurial actions and strategic actions within different domains. Figure 2.5: Creating wealth through entrepreneurial and strategic actions SOURCE: Ireland et al., 2001:51 As illustrated in Figure 2.5, firms can create wealth by using entrepreneurial actions and strategic actions within different domains. These domains are vital in the process of creating sustainable income streams by developing and exploiting competitive advantages. (Ireland et al., 2001:51). Strategic management and entrepreneurship overlaps in terms of their interest in venture creation, novel strategies, growth and performance of organisations (Scheepers, 2007:46). Entrepreneurship involves identifying and exploiting entrepreneurial opportunities. However, to create the most value entrepreneurial firms also need to act strategically. An integration of entrepreneurial and strategic thinking is therefore necessary (Hitt et al., 2001:479). In the previous section entrepreneurship was defined as the process of creating value by bringing together a unique combination of resources in order to exploit an opportunity (Barringer Ireland, 2006:5; Stevenson et al., 1989). As such, entrepreneurial actions, on the one hand, entail creating new resources or combining existing resources in new ways to develop and commercialise new products, move into new markets, and/ or service new customers (Hitt et al., 2001:480). On the other hand, strategic management entails the set of commitments, decisions, and actions designed and executed to produce a competitive advantage and earn above-average returns (Hitt et al., 2001:480). Strategic management thus provides the context for entrepreneurial actions (Ireland, Hitt, Camp Sexton, 2001). Entrepreneurship is about creation; strategic management is about how advantage is established and maintained from what is created (Venkataraman Sarasvathy, 2001). Entrepreneurship is concerned with how the opportunity to create value in society is discovered and acted upon by some individuals. Strategic management is concerned with the methods used to create this value and the ensuing struggle to capture a significant share of that value by individuals and firms (Venkataraman Sarasvathy, 2001:650-651). Strategic Management has to do with the achievement of ends obtaining market share, profit and sustained competitive advantage. Then again, entrepreneurship has to do with the achievement of beginnings creating markets, firms and products (Venkataraman Sarasvathy, 2001:651). Thus, entrepreneurial and strategic perspectives should be integrated to examine entrepreneurial behaviour. For the purpose of the present study this approach is called strategic entrepreneurial behaviour (SEB). SEB is entrepreneurial action and behaviour with a strategic perspective. It is the integration of entrepreneurial (i.e. opportunity-seeking behaviour) and strategic (i.e. advantage-seeking behaviour) perspectives in developing and taking actions to create wealth (Hitt et al., 2001:480-481). 2.8 CHAPTER SUMMARY This chapter attempts to provide perspective on the position of this study within the broad field of economics and business management. It defines the concept of business management as satisfying consumer needs with a limited amount of resources, through the planning, coordination, control, and motivation of these resources. Based on this definition of business management, the chapter provides an explanation of how business management stems from economics. Economics is defined as the allocation of scarce resources in order to fulfil the unlimited needs of society. This section leads to a discussion of the relationship between economics and business management. The main link between economics and business management is that the one studies the economic system as a whole, while the other studies a single component of that system.

Performance Appraisal and Employee Motivation

1. 1. INTRODUCTION: Organization is run and steered by people. It is through people that goals are set and objectives are realized. Today’s working culture demands a great deal of commitment and effort from the employees, who in turn naturally expect a great deal more from their employers. The development of much more participative style of management in many organizations is a positive step towards meeting such heightened expectations. This participative style can be expressed in a variety of practical ways. For e. g. work teams, quality circles, and of course regular performance appraisals. The performance of the organization is dependent on sum total of the performance of its employees. Thus the success of the organization will, therefore depend on its ability to measure accurately the performance of its members and use it objectively to optimize them as a vital resources. Performance can be measured by some combination of quantity, quality, time and cost. Performance thus refers to the degree of accomplishment of the tasks that make up an individual job.It indicates how well an individual is fulfilling the job demands. And on the other hand success of any organization can almost always be tracked back to the level of motivation among its employees to whom its success can be accredited to, without a doubt. Motivation is must for the employees, because it converts ability to work into will to work or in other words contributes to high level of performance. Presence of effective motivational policies in the company leads to job satisfaction and consequent benefits of higher commitment and loyalty.Keeping in mind the growing attrition rates and the employee dissatisfaction among the employees, the HR professionals are approaching and using the performance appraisal as a fuel to motivate employees. The latest trend being followed by the HR professionals is to use the performance appraisal and review process as a motivating mechanism. Various surveys and s tudies have testified the relationship between performance review, pay and motivation. Other than the traditional goal of accessing the performance of the employees,Performance appraisals and reviews can be used as a tool to reinforce the desired behavior and competent performance of the employees. Performance appraisal can have a profound effect on levels of employee motivation and satisfaction for better as well as for worse. Performance appraisal provides employees with recognition for their work efforts. The power of social recognition as an incentive has been long noted. In fact, there is evidence that human beings will even prefer negative recognition in preference to no recognition at all.One of the most motivating factors for the employees, in the performance appraisal processes is to receive a fair an accurate assessment of their performance. Inaccurate evaluation is one reason because of which most employees dead going through performance appraisal. An employee always expe cts his appraiser to recognize and appreciate his achievements, support him to overcome the problems and failures. The discrepancies and the inaccuracies in the performance review can demotivate the employees, even if there has been an increase in the salary. Such inaccuracy can kill the innovating and risk taking enthusiasm and spirit in the employees.Similarly, inaccurate reviews with no hike in compensation can increase the attrition rate in the organization, forcing the employees to look out for other options. An employee prefers an accurate performance review with no increase in the salary over inaccurate performance review with an increase in salary. Employees, who receive both accuracy and a pay increase during their performance review, are likely to be the most motivated. Therefore, performance appraisal (review and its consequence in the form of compensation adjustments) has the potential of motivating employees and increase their job satisfaction.Inaccurate performance rev iew + Increase in salary Decreased Motivation Accurate Performance Review + No Increase in salary Decreased Motivation Accurate Performance Review + Increase in salary Increase in motivation If nothing else, the existence of an appraisal program indicates to an employee that in the organization is genuinely interested in their individual performance and development. This alone can have a positive influence on the employee motivation, sense of worth, commitment and belonging.The strength and prevalence of this natural human desire for individual recognition shouldn’t be overlooked. Absenteeism and turnover rates in some organizations might be greatly reduced if more attention were paid to it. Regular performance appraisal, at least, is a good start. In an organization it is necessary to measure the performance of their employees and success of any organization can almost always be tracked back to the level of motivation among its employees. So the study was done to measure the impact of motivation after performance appraisal. 1. 2. NEED OF THE STUDY:Performance appraisal is the important aspect in the organization to evaluate the employee performance. It is needed for an organization to take decision regarding salary revision, confirmation, promotion, transfer and demotion. It gives feedback information about the level of achievement and behavior of subordinate. This information helps to review the performance of the subordinate, rectifying performance deficiencies and setting new standards of work, if necessary. It provides information which helps to council the subordinate. It also helps in understanding the employee work culture, involvement and satisfaction.It helps to diagnose the deficiencies in employee regarding skill, knowledge, determine training and development needs and to prescribe the means for employee growth. It has many other uses in the human resource management, namely, determination of the training and development needs of the personn el, creating organizational effectiveness, cross functional transfers, job enrichment exercises, and so on. For all this to happen, it is essential that the performance appraisal system should suite the organizational culture and is in alignment with other human resource systems in operation in the organization.The main purpose of conducting appraisals is to identify and removing factors responsible for employee’s discontent would motivate them for better work performance. This study gives the clear picture regarding the appraisal system regarding the appraisal system and its impact on motivation. 1. 3. SCOPE OF THE STUDY: The scope of the study is to understand that the performance appraisal system and employee motivation activities provided by the organization make any changes or improvement in the performance of employees.Satisfied employees are the asset of the organization. This study helps the organization to understand to what extend the employees are satisfied with th e present performance appraisal system and employee motivation prevailing in the organization. On the basis of that the organization makes necessary changes in the existing system. This will help the organization to improve the overall performance. This study will enable to understand the positive and negative aspects of performance appraisal system and employee motivation 1. 4 . OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY:Objectives of the study have been divided into primary and secondary objectives. Primary objective: * To study whether the employees are motivated with the performance appraisal system. Secondary objective: * To know whether the employees are given proper feedback regarding their performance. * To understand the rating methods used for performance appraisal. * To understand the superior and employee relationship. * To provide suggestions for improvement, if any. * To study about performance effect on employee motivation. * To know he factors that motivates the employees. * To study t he employees opinion about the performance appraisal system. 1. 5. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY: This area deals with the research design, data collection methods, sampling techniques used; field work carried out by the researcher and also explains the tools used for the data analysis and interpretation. Research design A Research Design is a logical and systematic plan prepared for directing a research study. It specifies the objectives of the study, the methodology and the techniques adopted for achieving the objectives.It is a planned structure and strategy of investigation conceived so as to obtain answers to research questions and constitutes the blue print for the collection, representation and analysis of data. In short, it is the logical and systematic plan prepared for directing the research study. A good research design should consist of, * Clear statement of research design. * Procedure and techniques to be followed for gathering information. * Population to be studied. * Methods to be used in processing and analyzing data. Type of research The type of research done is descriptive research.Descriptive research includes surveys and fact-finding enquiries of different kinds. The major purpose of this research is description of state of affairs, as it exists at present. It is very simple and more specific. The main feature of this type of research is that the researcher has no control over the variables. He can only report what has happened or what is happening. The descriptive research is a fact finding investigation with adequate interpretation. The descriptive study aims at identifying the various characteristics of a problem under study.

Copyright in the Information Society - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 7 Words: 2082 Downloads: 3 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Information Systems Essay Type Analytical essay Level High school Tags: Information Essay Did you like this example? Copyright in the Information Society An Opportunity Missed The advent of the so-called à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"Information Superhighwayà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ has thrown into sharp focus the importance of copyright and its protection of, in particular, works of literary, artistic and musical merit. Lloyd opines: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“If the invention of the printing press resulted in a move from an oral to a written tradition at the price of chaining information to the pages of a book, the information revolution frees information in the sense that it may be readily transferred without the need for linkage to paper or any other form of storage device.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  [Lloyd, pp.495-6, 2004] A comprehensive Green Paper[1] was published by the European Commission in 1995 which led eventually to the adoption in May 2001 of the Directive on the Harmonisation of Certain Aspects of Copyright and Related Rights in the Information Society[2] (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“the Directiveà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã ‚ ). This has led in this jurisdiction to the implementation (albeit after the deadline set by the Directive) of the Copyright and Related Rights Regulations 2003 (in force 31 October 2003) which makes a number of changes to the previously pre-eminent domestic legislation, the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Copyright in the Information Society" essay for you Create order This notwithstanding, significant concerns remain as to certain aspects of the Directive. In particular, it is to be doubted whether the EUà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Information Society programme has been successful or is even of itself capable of addressing the issue of copyright protection in the digital age. The aim of the Directive was noble: first, it sought to bring the Community into line with the WIPO à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"Internet Treatiesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢; second, it sought to harmonise various aspects of copyright law within the Community. However, it has emerged as arguably à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“neither fish nor fowlà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ . The ambivalent aims of the measure are reflected by Recital 5 of the Directive: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Technological development has multiplied and diversified the vectors for creation, production and exploitation. While no new concepts for the protection of intellectual property are needed, the current law on copyright and related rights should be adapted and su pplemented to respond adequately to economic realities such as new forms of exploitation.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  While the above clearly acknowledges the impact of technological development, it lamely and complacently concludes that existing intellectual property protection is largely adequate. The radical impact of the internet with its introduction of hitherto unforeseen methods of copying is relegated in importance to à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“new forms of exploitationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  which in their turn are categorised merely as contemporary à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“economic realitiesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  rather than recognised as the revolutionary emergence of wholly new challenges to previous concepts of copyright protection. On a procedural level, Hugenholtz is scathing: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“The result of this over-ambitious undertaking has been predictable. The Directive is a badly drafted, compromise-ridden piece of legislation. It does not increase à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"legal certaintyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢ ‚ ¬Ã‚ ¦but instead creates new uncertainties by using vague and in places almost unintelligible language.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  [Hugenholtz, p.501, 2000] Worse still, is the dilution of the provisions in Respect of Reproduction Right in Article 2 by the effect of Article 5. Article 2 requires Member States to provide for the exclusive right to authorise or prohibit reproduction of literary works, fixations of performances, phonograms, films and broadcasts. However, Article 5 allows States to provide for exceptions or limitations to the reproduction right in Article 2 in an extensive range of situations. With the exception of those referred to in Art. 5(1), adoption of such exceptions is optional. It is conceivable therefore that the ultimate impact upon national law may be very limited with à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“cherry pickingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  by Member States so as to cause as little disturbance as possible to their existing copyright laws. Hugenholtz (ibid.) expresses the view that in terms of the avowed aim of harmonisation, this latitude renders the Directive a à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“total failureà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ . Further, there is scope for considerable concern as to the substantive impact of certain aspects of the Directive where it is implemented domestically. There is a potentially devastating impact upon software development. At present, ss.50B and 296A of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 permità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“reverse-engineering of copyrighted software programmes in order to allow the development of an interoperable product. While this has hitherto been regarded as highly desirable, the fear must exist that in future software companies with a dominant position in the market will invoke copyright protection to prevent the necessary decompilation of their program in order to à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“squeeze outà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  competitors. While this might at first sight seem fanciful, it is already a commercial reality. In America, a compara ble provision was invoked by Sony in requiring a programmer of a robotic dog to remove code from his website on the ground that the release of that code had effectively infringed their copyright[3]. Even Article 5(1) which is referred to with approval in the procedural context of exceptions above is not immune from criticism. The issue raised is that of so-called à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"cachingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢. Article 5 provides: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“1. Temporary acts of reproduction referred to in Article 2, which are transient or incidental [and] an integral an essential part of a technological process and whose sole purpose is to enable: (a) a transmission in a network between third parties by an intermediary, or (b) a lawful use of a work or other subject matter to be made, and which have no independent economic significance shall [emphasis supplied] be exempted from the reproduction right provided for in Article 2.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  The practical application of this is expl ained in part of Recital 33: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦this exception should include acts which enable browsing as well as acts of caching to take place, including those which enable transmission systems to function efficiently, provided that the intermediary does not modify the information and does not interfere with the lawful use of technology, widely recognised and used by industry, to obtain data on the use of the information.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  This seems on its face uncontroversial. However, when one considers the reality of internet use, the viewing of information on a web page will almost inevitably involve the making of a copy on the viewerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s own equipment. In this context, the inclusion in the Article of the phrase à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“integral and essentialà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  appears therefore to add nothing to the protection thus afforded. By contrast, while the practice of caching is intended to be exempted from prohibition, this may in its turn fall fou l of the provision if it is not to be regarded as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“essentialà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ . Of particular concern to Universities, libraries and the disabled is the ability to control a file format. This means that the published of electronic books will be able to impose the use of its own reader upon the potential user of such a resource. Maintaining the requisite range of readers will be beyond the capacity of most such institutions and will reduce if not eliminate the ability to make copies of books for private study. As to the impact upon the disabled, the blind, for example, will be constrained in terms of the use of devices which render such materials into accessible formats. Such concerns stem from the provisions of Article 6(1) which requires Member States to à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“provide adequate legal protection against the circumvention of any effective technological measures, which the person concerned carries out in the knowledge, or with reasonable grounds to know, that h e or she is pursuing that objectiveà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ . Technological measures are defined by Art. 6(3) as: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦any technology, device or component that, in the normal course of its operation is designed to prevent or restrict acts, in respects of works or other subject-matter, which are not authorised by the right holderà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ . The implementation of these and consequential provisions by the 2003 Regulations (supra) result in the new s.296ZB of the 1988 Act which makes it an offence to sell, possess, distribute etc. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“and device, product or component which is primarily designed, produced or adapted for the purpose of enabling or facilitating the circumvention of effective technological measuresà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ . This is capable of leading to absurdity: if one takes the example of a laser which might be used to reproduce a hologram, it might be argued that this, if not à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“primarily producedà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  c ould be at least à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“adaptedà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  for the illicit process of circumvention in which case possession of such a device would become an offence! Less flippantly, such regulation is capable of having a significant impact upon copying for private purposes. Traditionally, there has always existed a tension within intellectual property law as a result of the development of certain types of equipment (consider the now ancient opposition to the introduction of twin deck cassette recorders. However, across the whole range of potential circumvention activities, the sanctions imposed by the Directive are Draconian. In a paper for the Foundation for Information Policy Research, Anderson describes a scenario in which even before a substantive hearing took place, an independent games manufacturer being pursued by a large corporation such as Sony for making compatible memory cartridges might be liable to have their stock seized under Art.8, forced to disclose correspondence with their suppliers under Art.9 or have their bank accounts frozen under Art.11. On a similar principle to that discussed above, the equipment used to manufacture the cartridges could be banned as an illegal technical device under Art.21. In conclusion, it must be conceded that the Information Society Programme of the European Union is a vast undertaking the objects of which are admirable. The gestation period of the Directive was long and at times tortuous. (It might be observed that there was a degree of wasted labour in this process since the WIPO Internet Treaties were already in place and the development of the Directive could be argued to have involved a great deal of duplication with the end result that the promulgation of the Directive and its adoption by Member States was unnecessarily delayed in the process. Perforce in a submission of this length, it is not possible to do more than highlight certain of the more glaring anomalies and deficiencies in the provision. It is submitted that these in themselves are sufficient to give considerable cause for concern and represent particular examples of the difficulty of legislating for copyright in the digital age. However, such examples are merely symptoms of a much more fundamental malaise. Lloyd, at the outset hereof, likens the shift from the concept of copyright that subsisted up to the end of the twentieth century to the principles which should be applied to internet technology to the radical transition that took place from the oral tradition to a document-based system with the invention of the printing press. Adopting this example, just as the distribution of printed works required the development of an entirely new set of hitherto unfamiliar legal principles in order to protect the rights of the originators of works, the advent of the information society requires just such a fundamental reappraisal. It is in this respect that provisions such as the EC Directive have failed. The Directive and the domestic legislation that flows from it can be characterised as a clumsy attempt to à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“bolt-onà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  established intellectual property principles to a novel and alien technology. This is why so much of the current copyright legislation as it applies to the Information Superhighway is at best strained and at worst unworkable. The precious opportunity to develop a new legal regime for the protection of originality in a new era has been missed. Bibliography Anderson. A., à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“The Draft IPR Enforcement Directive A Threat to Competition and Libertyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ , www.fipr.org/copyright/draft-ipr-enforce.html Directive on the Harmonisation of Certain Aspects of Copyright and Related Rights in the Information Society, 2001/29/EC, 22 May 2001 European Commission, Communication on Copyright and Related Rights in the Information Society, www.europa.eu.int/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do European Commission, Copyright and Related Rights in the Inf ormation Society, 19.07.1995 COM 95 final Europeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Information Society Thematic Portal, www.europa.eu.int/information_society/text_en.html Torremans, P, [2005] Holyoak Torremans Intellectual Property Law, OUP, Oxford Hugenholtz, B., à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Why the Copyright Directive is Unimportant and Possibly Invalidà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ , EIPR 11, pp.501-502 Lloyd, I., [2004] Information Technology Law, OUP, Oxford Lloyd, I., [2000] Legal Aspects of the Information Society, Butterworths, London Midgley, J., à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Critique of the Proposed UK Implementation of the EU Copyright Directiveà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  www.ukcdr.org/issues/eucd/ukimpl/critique_uk_impl.html The Patent Office, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“The Copyright Directive (2001/29/EC UK Implementationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ , www.patent.gov.uk/about/consultations/eccopyright/impact.html Reed, C. [2000] Internet Law: Text and Materials, Butterworths, London www.europa.eu.int/comm/dgs/information_society/tex t_en.html Footnotes [1] COM (95) 382 final [2] Directive 2001/29/EC [3] See à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Teaching Robot Dogs New Tricksà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ , Scientific American, Jan 21, 2002 and discussion in Midgley, J., à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Critique of the Proposed UK Implementation of the EU Copyright Directiveà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  www.ukcdr.org/issues/eucd/ukimpl/critique_uk_impl.html

Metamorphosis Essay - 1270 Words

Insecticide In order to be considered human, one needs to control their own life and have the freedom to express and think. In The Metamorphosis, by Franz Kafka, Gregor Samsa transforms into a giant insect, terminating his life as a â€Å"human† along with all of his tiring duties. Before his transformation, Gregor’s life consisted of little sleep and a strict work schedule with hardly any freedom or importance in his job. Therefore, Gregor underwent a transformation that granted him more advanced human qualities than he had before, when he was simply a working man. After Gregor’s miraculous metamorphosis, he was relieved of his unreasonable toils and was able to develop a thoughtful view of his situation as wells as the critical society that†¦show more content†¦This lifestyle trapped him into what he felt was for the benefit of his family, yet also relinquished all of his parents’ duties to care for him, and sent him into a brutal world where he was most ap preciated for the pay he earned from work. Only once he became a giant insect, these thoughts were revealed. Unlike his previous life, as an insect Gregor has time to reflect upon his tedious old life as well as begin to advance in his new life each day. He felt for his family, after putting them through the unthinkable and uncontrollable, like what had been done to him for so long. He even begins to question his family’s care for him, â€Å"he would not be in the mood to bother about his family, he was only filled with rage at the way they were neglecting him†(94). Gregor actually began to experience some sort of emotion for the first time, as an insect. He wasn’t very shocked about turning into an enormous bug, which had happened months prior, as Gregor is described as an emotionless and rather peculiar guy. So for him to admit to the human sentiments like moodiness and rage in his situation provides evidence that he is gaining further human qualities. Gregor continuously dwells on his love for his parents and shame about his transformation, and how â€Å"the money w as gratefully accepted and gladly given, but there was no special outpouring of warm feeling†(78). He doesn’t recall any of the â€Å"fine times† that he had with his family, butShow MoreRelated The Metamorphosis- Critical Essay718 Words   |  3 PagesRichter agreed that Kafka was a very prominent figure in world literature and was amazed by his mechanics and word usage. I feel that his essay is supportive of Kafka’s writing, but also leaves out many important details in its brevity. Richter did not include Kafka’s flaws and tendencies in his essay. Helmut Richter analyzed the plot of The Metamorphosis in his essay. He depicts the main plot of the story to be Gregor’s failure at his work, which leads to his death. The climax of the story starts offRead MoreEssay on Metamorphosis1359 Words   |  6 PagesMetamorphosis In the short story, Metamorphosis, the narrator describes Gregor’s new life as an insect. He then goes on to describe Gregor’s sister, Grete, with a reflection of Gregor’s opinion in the description. Kafka employs a number of stylistic devices including descriptive imagery, metaphors, and symbolism in the passage to describe the situation. While these devices on their own just provide a more complex method of painting the situation, the way they are assembled in the passage Read MoreMetamorphosis Alienation Essay970 Words   |  4 Pages Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka Alienation Essay Alienation is the primary theme in Kafkas The Metamorphosis. 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I want to expand more why this short story is considered one of the best poetic imagination works. In my research I expect to use Kafka’s work, The Metamorphosis as my primary source. Important other sources include essay critiques from different editors, which will help us to understandRead More The Metamorphosis Essay1716 Words   |  7 PagesThe Metamorphosis The longer story The Metamorphosis, first published in 1971, was written by Franz Kafka. He was born in Prague in 1883 and lived until 1924, and he has written many other stories along with The Metamorphosis. The Metamorphosis appears to be a fantastic piece. After reading The Metamorphosis, I do believe that there are many similarities between magical realism and fantastic literature. Kafka showed many fantastic issues in The Metamorphosis. While reading The MetamorphosisRead MoreMetamorphosis Essay1033 Words   |  5 Pages Franz Kafka wrote the famous Metamorphosis, I believe this short story to be integrated with the life Kafka once lived. In this paper, I intend on interpreting the metamorphosis that undergoes the Samsa family. In view of this, I asked myself an important question, what if I view Gregor Samsa’s transformation as a metaphor while considering Grete Samsa, Gregor’s sister, transformation as literal. In addition, there are four family members that make up the Samsas. Gregor Samas, being the protagonistRead MoreThe Metamorphosis Essay754 Words   |  4 PagesIn Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis, Gregory Samsa is transformed into a giant bug. He wakes and wonders what has happened to him. As he is trying to get out of bed his mother comes to his door reminding him that he has to be at work. This alarmed others in the home so his father comes to check on him, then his sister, she whisp ered ‘â€Å"Gregory, open the door, please†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (Kafka, 2006, p.1968). He is trying every way he can to get himself together to get out of bed but is finding it difficult as he doesn’tRead MoreMetamorphosis into Humanity Essay714 Words   |  3 PagesFranz Kafka’s uses of symbolism throughout Metamorphosis help the audience grip the appreciation of Gregor’s drive towards humanity and independence. The transformation in this book is used as a symbol for Gregor’s metamorphosis to humanity. Even though none of us should ever wake up and experience the emotion of changing into a giant bug, the hardship Gregor felt is a sample that is relevant to us in different ways. Throughout the story, we see numerous symbols that show the ultimate symbol of