Why is it important for managers today to be entrepreneurial Essay

Why is it important for managers today to be entrepreneurial - Essay Example The world is witnessing competition in every corner and at every scale. The globe revolves around money. Money is the game changer and for that matter the business and economic arena is expanding every day swiftly. Now money is not only dealt with at organizational level, instead it has seeped into the lives of individuals. That means that in this twenty-first century, an individual can be an organization in itself given he/she is creative and capable enough. Such individuals are called entrepreneurs who are replacing managers. Whether this new trend could be successful depends on certain skills required that form the prerequisite of booming businesses. How similar are entrepreneurial skills similar to managerial skills would determine whether these two are contradictory or complementary in an organization. To start off with, the terms entrepreneur and manager need to be defined separately. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, an entrepreneur is that individual â€Å"who org anizes, manages and assumes the risks of a business or enterprise† or â€Å"one who organizes a new business venture in the hopes of making a profit. On the other hand a manager is â€Å"a person who conducts business or household affairs and does the job of management.†... This is because it is believed that only entrepreneurs with their skills of â€Å"creativity, intuition, goal-oriented, responsibility, self-confidence, independence, optimism, discipline and fantasy† can come up with possible solutions to the problem of poverty, unemployment and environmental hazards.(Papulova & Makros 2007). For managers, the required and basic skills are technical, interpersonal, conceptual and communication. These are the pre-requisites for having a healthy relationship with the leader and subordinates of the organization. If the manager fails to do so, the organization will also be deemed to fail. It would mean that the core of the organization is corrupt. Managers need to be prepared for the best and worst case scenarios. They have to play the role of entrepreneurs when at the peak of success or on the verge of tipping over. There are a few traits that should be present in both managers and entrepreneurs simultaneously. The interpersonal roles of figureh ead, leader, liaison, information roles of monitor, disseminator, spokesperson and the decision making role of entrepreneur, disturbance handler, resource allocator and negotiator need to show face at the right time. (Papulove & Mokros 2007). There are five stages of growth of an organization where the founder/leader needs managerial and entrepreneurial skills. The first phase that is pre start-up phase requires relevant knowledge of setting up a business, demand of the market and one’s own abilities. To be successful in this competitive world, one needs to have a new and unique idea at the initial phase. That certainly requires entrepreneur skills because rigidity is just not acceptable at this stage. The second phase is the survival stage. This is a

Effect of culture in business Essay Example for Free

Effect of culture in business Essay 1. A growing number of Americans work for foreign-owned firms in the United States. Do you think that these American employees are being influenced by the foreign owners approach to management and the culture of the country of the owner? Because of globalization, businesses are open to do business in new markets and improving profits. Also because of globalization, companies are faced with different cultures, religion and norms. For a company to do business in another country, a manager needs to understand the differences associated with the host country. Globalization is defined as this interdependency of transportation, distribution, communication, and economic networks across international borders (Gibson, Ivancevich, Donnelly, Konopaske, 2012, p 57). Each firm has their own organizational culture. According to Hellriegel, Slocum and Woodman (2001), organizational culture represents a complex pattern of beliefs, expectations, values and behaviors shared by organizational members. The knowledge of the culture in which an employee is working is crucial. In a dynamic and fast changing environment the inter and intra organizational behavior changes the productivity and growth trends (Chaturvedi, 2002). Because of the organizational culture most foreign-owned firms will tend to impose that culture on their employees. Just like U.S. companies settling abroad, foreign-owned companies will face some difficulties operating in a country with different culture. Based on Hofstedes research, which studies how values in the workplace are influenced by culture, four dimensions have been identified as explaining: Uncertainty avoidance: degree to which people are comfortable with ambiguous situations and with the inability to predict future events with accuracy (Gibson et al., 2012, p 69). Masculinity-Femininity: A culture that has a high masculinity orientation tends to emphasize on dominance, assertiveness, and interdependence. A culture with tendency of femininity orientation will emphasize more on interdependence, compassion, and emotional openness. Individualism-Collectivism: Tendency of a cultures norms and values to emphasize on satisfying individual needs or group needs (Gibson et al., 2012, p 69). Power distance: Degree to which members of a society accept differences in power and status among themselves (Gibson et al., 2012, p 69) Because each culture fits differently in the four dimensions, a foreign-owned firm will keep its own culture as it will be easier to deal with than having different organizational cultures in each country it operates. Americans who work for those companies are indeed influenced by their approach of management. 2. Assume that you want to develop your global skills so that you can pursue international assignments with your company. Identify five skills that you would want to develop and describe how you would go about improving these skills. Globalization is defined as this interdependency of transportation, distribution, communication, and economic networks across international borders (Gibson, Ivancevich, Donnelly, Konopaske, 2012, p 57). Managers are more and more in contact with different cultures. According to HRMagazine (2012), business skills, clture and customs skills, geographic, political and economic skills need to be developed. Based on Gibson, Ivancevich, Donnelly, Konopaske (2012), the five main skills are: Global strategic skills: knowing how the economy (i.e. global financial markets), politics (i.e. foreign affairs, international law) are good ways for managers to know how to conduct business in another country. Team-building skills: Companies require more and more that their employees know how to work as part of a team. Team-building is a way to have more done more efficiently. A manager should know how to delegate work and know what each team members can or cannot do. Organization skills: It is important to know how employees react to certain management approach. McGregors motivational theory X and Y provides management approaches that can apply to motivate employees. Communication skills: Communication is essential when working abroad. It is imperative that a manager or employee be able to communicate with peers and superiors effectively. Transfer of knowledge skills: Learning about a practice, technique, or approach in one country that can be transferred elsewhere is a skill that managers can apply on a regular basis (Gibson et al., 2012, p 62). 3. Describe the attitudes a manager would need to be successful and effective in managing in India, China, and Saudi Arabia. A manager would need to have the same basic skills in order to a successful and effective manager in India, China, and Saudi Arabia. According to Gibson, Ivancevich, Donnelly, Konopaske Strong technical skills Good language skills Strong desire to work overseas Knowledge of the culture Well-adjusted family situation Spouse support Behavioral flexibility Adaptability Good relational ability Stress management skills According Goodall and Warner (2007), a manager who wants to work in China would need to be: Open-minded to the culture shock. Desire to learn the language and culture. Good communication skills. Strong organizational commitment: Think not what your company can do for you, but what you can do for your company (Goodall et al., 2007, p 13). In China, it is hard to retain employees due to the competition of labor. China does not have enough skilled labors and is experiencing tremendous growth economically. To be an effective manager, one should be able to retain employees and adapt to the culture in order to not lose such precious asset. According to Bhuian, Al-shammari, Jefri (2001), a manager needs have a strong organizational commitment, strong desire to work with foreign assignment, and especially good communication skills in order to work in Saudi Arabia. Trainings should be available to the expatriate manager. Gibson et al. identified three steps: Predeparture, which helps the manager prepare for the culture shock. Overseas Assignments, which is to help the manager ease into the culture. Having a mentor or a guide to introduce him or her to the culture. Repatriation, which is helping the manager adjusting back to his own culture when returning from assignment. References Assess-and improve-your global skills. (2012). _HRMagazine, 57_(8), 79. Retrieved from http://www.shrm. org/countryguides Bhuian, S. N., Al-shammari, E. S. and Jefri, O. A. (2001), Work-related attitudes and job characteristics of expatriates in Saudi Arabia. Thunderbird Intl Bus Rev, 43: 21-32. doi: 10.1002/1520-6874(200101/02)43:13.0.CO;2-B Chaturvedi, A. (2002). Organizational behavior. _Finance India, 16_(4), 1482-1484. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.ezproxylocal.library.nova.edu/docview/224360708?accountid=6579 Gibson, J.G., Ivancevich, J.M., Donnelly, J.H., Konopaske, R. (2012). _Organizations: Behavior, structure, processes_ (14th ed.)_._ New York: McGraw-Hill. Goodall, K.L.N., Warner, M. (2007). Expatriate managers in China: The influence of Chinese culture on cross-cultural management. _Journal of General Management._ Retrieved from: http://www.jbs.cam.ac.uk/research/working_papers/2007/wp0701.pdf Hellriegel, Don, Slocum, John W. Woodman, Richard W.; Organizational Behavior, South-Western Thomson Learney, 2001, pp 671.

Genealogy of Alfalfa :: Plants Environment Planting History Essays

Genealogy of Alfalfa In this paper on the genealogy of alfalfa I will begin by telling you about the background and history of alfalfa in the United States. Secondly, I will tell you about the different sources of alfalfa germplasm. Next, I will talk about different studies and experiments that have been done to diversify the breeds of alfalfa. Finally, I will tell you about the genetic makeup of alfalfa and what distinguishes it from other popular plants. Alfalfa otherwise known today as the â€Å"Queen of Forage† is thought to have originated in Iran over 2,400 years ago. It was the only forage crop that was cultivated before recorded history therefore the history of its origin isn’t one-hundred percent accurate. The first attempt to grow alfalfa in the United States was recorded in Georgia in the year 1736. The introduction of alfalfa to California came first by Spanish settlers and later by Europeans. The Europeans were headed to California during the gold rush. They obtained alfalfa seed when sailing around South America. Alfalfa flourished in the western states because of its favorable climate. Because alfalfa has a good yield, is palatable, and has a high value of nutrition. Word spread and so did the planting. Alfalfa then spread eastward to the Midwestern states. The distribution of alfalfa to states east of the Mississippi river was a failure due to its acid soils, plant disease, and humidity. Most of the genetic diversities of alfalfa come from nine germplasm sources. These nine germplasm sources are M. falcate, M. varia, Turkistan, Flemish, Chilean, Peruvian, Indian, and African. According to Barnes, Bingham, Murphy, Hunt, Beard, Skrdla, and Teubar â€Å"M. falcata has orange-yellow flowers and an early fall dormancy therefore it is known to have a heavy first cutting and a light second cutting. It also has some bacterial wilt and foliar disease resistances. Strains were usually classified as M. varia because they had variegated flower colors and variable pod shapes. M. varia sources were introduced to South Dakota in 1907 as seed from a single hybrid plant found in Russia. These sources are winter hardy, more vigorous than M. falcata and are susceptible to bacterial wilt. Turkistan alfalfas have been described as poor seed producers, susceptible to leaf diseases, and resistant to many insects and crown and root disease. They vary in winter hardiness from moderately hardy to hardy.

Endicott College Essay

Even before the end of the academic year, high school students are excited to choose universities and campuses where they want to continue their tertiary education. There are many reputable colleges and universities out there, but among those which stand out is the Endicott College. Background/History In 1939, just before World War II and towards the end of the Depression, a couple considered starting a college that would cater to educate women so that they could have access to greater independence and would be given the chance for an enhanced position in the workforce. Although this idea was considered radical during the time, the husband-and-wife team of Dr. Elanor Tupper and Dr. George O. Bierkoe made their vision a reality (Endicott College, 2009). The Commonwealth of Massachusetts handed the first charter to the College in 1939. Five years later, the Commonwealth approved the granting of degrees in Associate in Arts and Associate of Science. And in 1952, the New England Association of Schools and Colleges recognized Endicott (Endicott College, 2009). The first batch of students at Endicott College was consisted of only 20 students, who graduated in 1941. In the present, Endicott College accommodates more than 1,700 undergraduate students, 100 students in Mexico and Madrid, and 600 other students in the School of Graduate and Professional Studies. This only shows how the number of students at Endicott has grown over the years. In addition, Endicott has also made changes in the curriculum for its students to better suit the need of the students. The curriculum now includes developments in world trade and technology (Endicott College, 2009). As such, Endicott now offers a range of choices for the students. These are Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, and Bachelor of Fine arts degrees. In 1996, Endicott added Master in Education. Moreover, the college now offers Elementary Education, Montessori Education, Arts and Learning, Reading and Literacy, Special Needs, Integrative Education, Training and Organizational Management in Hospitality, and Organizational Management. In 2001, Master of Business Administration was added into the curriculum. Endicott makes sure that it offers its students a wide range of choices that can provide them with a degree and experience that can help them in making future decisions. The enriching programs at Endicott have attracted students and adult learners (Endicott College, 2009). Aside from the growing number of students and the number of degrees offered, the Endicott campus has also grown to accommodate students and new buildings. The 200-acre campus in Massachusetts include classrooms and living quarters, athletic facilities, activity centers, conference centers, and state of the art technology (Endicott College, 2009). Endicott desires to â€Å"instill in students an understanding of and appreciation for professional and liberal studies. † In line with this, the College wants students to recognize the importance of â€Å"learning by doing†; this serves as Endicott’s hallmark and philosophy. Its students are known for integrating theory and practice in studies. Also, the College is known for the practice of connecting experience from within classrooms and off campus through internships. Furthermore, Endicott envisions its students to become appreciative of the College’s cultural diversity, community service, ethical and moral values, and international awareness. Endicott also exerts efforts to maintain the positive changes that students exhibit from studying in the College. These are self-confidence, lives that are open to change, technological competencies and stronger professional skills (Endicott College, 2009). Cost Students at Endicott are categorized as full-time or part-time. Full-time students are those enrolled for twelve hours or more of credit every semester. Part-time status applies to students who are enrolled for eleven hours of credit. Only full-time students pay $500 as continuation deposit by the 1st of May. Other costs include; $50 for the processing of a student’s application; $760 for student health insurance annually, which is mandatory; $200 for graduation fee, which includes the preparation of diploma, yearbook, cap and gown, etc. For each year, the students pay $18,752 for tuition for new students while returning students pay $17,748. Housing may range from $6,520 to $1,500 annually. Endicott also offers board plan options consisting of premium, standard, partial, and minimum meal plans ranging from $2,936 to $1,630. Tuition bills are to be paid as instructed so that students can take examinations and attend classes. Other bills can be paid before graduation. Aside from these fees, there are also other fees such as $50 late fee, $150 for general curricular, and $190 technology fee which are paid every semester. Other charges include parking, campus learning program, laptop program fee, and nursing clinical fee (Endicott College, 2004). In 2005, the College spearheaded a campaign wishing to increase endowment so that Endicott can provide more scholarships, faculty development and student aids. The approximate endowment reached up to $14 million (Endicott College, 2005). To equate theory with practice, the College offers programs and activities for its students. The Campus Activities Board (CAB) functions to provide students with cultural, social and educational programming. Students are offered with many opportunities to join concerts, dances, talent nights, lectures, bus trips, movie programs, and cultural events. The College has also many facilities for students, including the 20 residential facilities for 88 percent of students living on campus (Endicott College, 2004). There is also the Richard and Helen Post Center Sports Facility that has labs, offices, training rooms, weight and aerobic rooms, locker rooms, a gymnasium and a field house (Endicott College, 2009). Other facilities at Endicott include meeting rooms, three beaches, theater, and auditoriums. The number of meeting and event rooms available is 40. Endicott’s Callahan Center houses health services, a copy center, dining facilities, bookstore, snack bar, Solarium, and mail services (Endicott College, 2004). References Endicott College. (2004). Discover Experience.Retrieved February 18, 2009, from http://www. endicott. edu/servlet/com. rnci. products. DataModules. RetrieveAttachment/catalog0405/? server=endicottpub&dbname=endicott&site=endicott&sction=attachmentsacademics&article=1&filename=catalog0405. pdf Endicott College. (2005). The campaign for Endicott College: Meeting the challenge. Retrieved February 18, 2009, from http://www. endicott. edu/servlet/RetrievePage? site=endicott&page=InstAdvAnnouncements Endicott College. (2009). Admission. Retrieved February 18, 2009, from http://www. endicott. edu/servlet/RetrievePage? site=endicott&page=AdmissHistory

Marketing Is Called Delivery of Standard of Living Essay

Standard Marketing Marketing is one of the terms in academia that does not have one commonly agreed upon definition. Even after a better part of a century the debate continues. In a nutshell it consists of the social and managerial processes by which products (goods or services) and value are exchanged in order to fulfill the needs and wants of individuals or groups. Although many people seem to think that â€Å"marketing† and â€Å"advertising† are synonymous, they are not. Advertising is simply one of the many processes that together constitute marketing Marketing, as suggested by the American Marketing Association, is â€Å"an organizational function and a set of processes for creating, communicating and delivering value to customers and for managing customer relationships in ways that benefit the organization and its stakeholders†. [1] Another definition, perhaps simpler and more universal, is this: â€Å"Marketing is the ongoing process of moving people closer to making a decision to purchase, use, follow†¦ or conform to someone else’s products, services or values. Simply, if it doesn’t facilitate a â€Å"sale† then it’s not marketing. â€Å"[2] Philip Kotler in his earlier books defines as: â€Å"Marketing is human activity directed at satisfying needs and wants through exchange processes†. Add to Kotler’s and Norris’ definitions, a response from the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) [3]. The association’s definition claims marketing to be the â€Å"management process of anticipating, identifying and satisfying customer requirements profitably†. Thus, operative marketing involves the processes of market research, new product development, product life cycle management, pricing, channel management as well as promotion. Marketing-â€Å"taking actions to define, create, grow, develop, maintain, defend and own markets†. An approach to business that seeks to identify, anticipate and satisfy customers needs. Al Ries and Jack Trout defined marketing as simply â€Å"war† between competitors, however this is clearly absurd – ‘Ali v Frazier’ is not marketing†¦ however the publicity and hyping of the event for commercial purposes is. It was the era of the clean-cut figure in a smart suit, the glad hander salesman who could sell refrigerators to an Eskimo, capable of selling everything from used cars to Bibles. It was sometime in the late Forties that attention came to rest upon a number of inter related elements of the marketing task that seemed to act together to influence the offtake of a product or service. Neil Borden of Harvard coined the phrase â€Å"the elements of the Marketing Mix,† depicting the manager of the function as not a specialist in selling, distribution, or advertising but rather a blender of ingredients in the right proportions to suit the market, its time and place. Later Marketing got separated from the notion of selling, including three distinct elements: customer orientation, i. . beginning with the customer; integrating the whole organization taking a long-term point of view; and linking with the primary goals of the business i. e. a combination of growth, market share and profitability. Indeed some writers (Peter Ducker, Regis McKenna) hold that Marketing and Business are synonymous. A later and less comprehensive formulation came to be known as the 4Ps â €“ product, price, promotion and place. This has now become the universal standard as a teaching tool for any introductory course in the subject. This was a vast improvement over the confusion between selling and marketing. It firmly put the former as a part, but only one among many that together explain the success or failure of a product in appealing to customers. Marketing thus became the overarching strategic theme, higher in level of abstraction than the mere act of obtaining the order. The significance of advertising in the establishment of an assured customer base really took off only after the widespread availability of mass media, especially after the 1950s. This not only made competition more difficult but more expensive and affordable only by the large sector. Enter the era of brands and branding. The Brand Image and Personality school came next, mostly identified with the legendary David Ogilvy, who said the brand’s personality gave it â€Å"a first class ticket through life. † The purpose of advertising was to convey the essence of this personality, beyond merely conveying the consumer benefits to the user – and do it in a charming and cultured way (â€Å"People don’t buy from clowns . . . † â€Å"The consumer is not a moron. She is your wife . . . â€Å"). Stephen King – Director, J. Walter Thompson, London – acknowledged as the practitioner’s guru of Branding, stressed the need for all the elements of a brand’s make up – from name, packaging, design elements to the creative expression of the advertising – to hang together. They must be not only mutually consistent, but also reinforcing the strengths of one another, to create a totality greater than the sum of its parts. Though brands have been around a long time the attention to building them happened only after the Sixties. Some enlightened organizations were exceptions and the brand leadership of their famous names still stands, such as Marlboro, Lux, IBM, Gillette, Kodak, Johnson & Johnson and so on. Soon, however, the only distinguishing feature of brands became their distinctive flavour of advertising, particularly so in consumer products. After all what can you say about a car (mileage, power, styling, looks), detergent (washes whiter, brighter clothes, removes stains) soap (refreshes, fragrant) or toothpaste (sparkling teeth, healthy gums, fresh breath) that hasn’t been said before

Beowulf and Kennedy as Heroes essays

Beowulf and Kennedy as Heroes essays A hero is defined as A man admired for his achievements and noble qualities (Merriam-Webster Dictionary, 1999). Beowulf and the thirty-fifth president of the United States, John F. Kennedy, are best described as heroes. The traits they both exhibit define heroism. These traits are bravery, charisma and leaving a legacy. Both Beowulf and J.F.K. were noted for their bravery. Beowulf risked his life numerous times not only to protect his own tribe, the Geats, but also to rescue the Danes from the monster Grendel. Kennedy exhibited his bravery in battle as well. When Kennedy was stationed at the Solomon Islands, he was injured during a Japanese attack. He not only swam three miles to shore, but he pulled along an incapacitated friend. J.F.K. was decorated with a Purple Heart and the Navy and Marine Corps Medal, thus commending him for his heroic deeds. There has never been a world leader as charismatic as John Kennedy. To the ladies, he was a sex symbol. To the men, he was the man who would lead their country to victory over communism. To the country, he was a symbol of civil rights, which he adamantly promoted. Beowulf was also quite charismatic. His followers loved him, the Danes cherished him, and readers of his adventure rooted for him. Beowulf was always at the center of attention. At the large dinner prior to his fight with Grendel, Beowulf told stories of his epic quests and answered questions from awed listeners. At each of his fights, a number of spectators watched him in approval as they admired his strength. The legacy left by both of these men still lives on today. People still talk of both men as if they were alive at this time. Kennedy has been praised for his fight against the red scare, his battle for civil rights, and for his creation of the Peace Corp. Ask any middle age adult where he was when Kennedy was shot, and he will be able to describe, in ...

Dramatic Irony in the Pardoners Tale Essay Example

Dramatic Irony in the Pardoners Tale Essay Example Dramatic Irony in the Pardoners Tale Paper Dramatic Irony in the Pardoners Tale Paper Essay Topic: Dr Faustus Literature Both Dr Faustus and The Pardoners Tale seek to offer comprehensive views on both Christianity and its moral values. A particular emphasis in both texts is placed upon sin, and both the two eponymous characters, as well as the societies in which they live, seem to be incapable of halting their sins, or indeed redeeming them. Both Chaucer and Marlowe explore the theme of sin through several passages, one of which they have in common being their title characters. In The Pardoners Tale, the Pardoner is shown immediately to be a dishonest character with very few moral values whatsoever. Chaucers use of somewhat grotesque simile in his mere description makes us feel uneasy, with his hair as yellow as wax hanging down like flax. Later, when we are introduced to the principal aspects of his character, we find that he is dishonest, scheming and self-obsessed to the core. Moreover, he commits what the medieval world thought the greatest sin of all in that he is so proud of it. He tells us quite openly that his intentions are nought but to win [money], and nothing for correction of sin, and delights in recounting to the pilgrims how he is able to dupe his congregations into buying his pardons. The Pardoners sin is presented very effectively to us as readers, in exactly the same way that the Pardoner goes about his sinful acts, through his powerful oratory, and given that when The Canterbury Tales was written, poetry was designed to be read aloud and heard, this presentation of sin becomes even more appropriate. Marlowe makes use of a similar technique in Dr Faustus to show off his characters greatest sin, which also happens to be pride. The medium of drama lends itself probably best of all to exposing a characters shortcomings through their own words and actions, and this is exactly the image Marlowe gives us of Faustus. We first see Faustus arrogance in the opening scene, when he tells us that his common talk are sound aphorisms, and his self-important nature soon leads him to succumb to the chance to become a mighty god by the conclusion of the play. However, unlike Chaucer, Marlowe does not present Faustus as being a character wholly drenched in sin. Faustus is far more wavering, and indeed has many occasions in the play where he is unsure about what he is doing. This leads the audience to develop a somewhat sympathetic relationship with Faustus, which is totally different from our condemnation of the Pardoner. Faustus seems totally unsure in his own head what to do: I do repent, and yet I do despair, but his pride eventually becomes his downfall, as even after Mephistopheles warned him of his frivolous demands, Faustus pours scorn over him, telling him to learn of Faustus manly fortitude. The cruel irony that Marlowe gives us here is that though Faustus many be all-knowing in mortal terms, unlike Mephistopheles he has seen neither heaven nor hell, and therefore knows nothing of the latters true torment. The characters of the Seven Deadly Sins are physically portrayed in Dr Faustus. Mephistopheles conjures devils masquerading as each of the sins to present to Faustus. This is generally accepted by critics as Marlowes shorthand way of introducing the Deadly Sins into the play without adding numerous extra scenes detailing the incorporation of all the sins into Marlowes deeds. They are typical of a device often used in Elizabethan theatre, and would have been dressed grotesquely in such a way to extract laughter from the audience. This is somewhat contradictory, as making the sins into a joke may serve to lessen their potential to be a warning to Faustus to change his ways. However, considering firstly that Faustus sees them as a joke also (in any case he has no true belief that Hell actually exists at all), and secondly the words of the sins, they become a very useful symbolic device in the play. Through their self-description, we can link many of the sins traits to similar ones of Faustus. Pride, for example, has an arrogance that leads him to reject the place into which he has been born, having disdain for any parents. This is very similar to Faustus desire to escape the world of mortal knowledge. Covetousness tells us of its sweet gold: Faustus too tells us of his desire to heap up gold in the opening scene of the play. Thus, there are many warning signs for Faustus in the pageant, but whilst the audience may pick up on them, Marlowe makes sure the dramatic irony is effected by making Faustus oblivious to any of them. The Pardoner, on the other hand, is far from oblivious of his sin, but sin itself is portrayed in a rather different way by Chaucer. Rather than have the sins parade to him, the Pardoner details personally what he considers to be the worldly sins to the pilgrims. This creates the additional irony when the audience discovers that the Pardoner himself is guilty of all of them. Were The Pardoners Tale simply a sermon, an audience would perhaps not take it seriously, given that the Pardoners hypocrisy makes his words lack any true conviction or seriousness. However, the part-Parabolic nature of the tale itself brings a new element of meaning into the sins of The Pardoners Tale. The characters in the tale are described simply as three rioters, and the tale is clearly one of morality: The Pardoner does not focus on their deaths at the end of the tale, simply skating over the fact that they had him slain, and that anon, not getting drawn into the violent details but keeping the overall message of morality going. We know the Pardoner is only doing this in an attempt to make the pilgrims meekly receive his pardon and bag him a profit, but nonetheless the tale can be taken a lot more seriously than the Pardoners sermon given its uncanny resemblance to one of Jesus Parables. Both authors also seek to further the point that sin comes about by the devil taking advantage of ones personal weaknesses. In The Pardoners Tale, the Pardoner tells us that the fiend, our enemy put the idea of poisoning his fellows into the mind of the third reveller, which goes someway to absolving the third reveller of his sins because it was not his fault, but the devils. One possible reading of the character of the Old Man is that he is the devil in disguise, sat at the stile; the crossroads ready to lead the three men down the wrong path. This too would lessen the blame of the revellers for pursuing their sinful cause, although their treatment of the man and their desire for the gold are still both faults of their own. This idea of lessening the blame is also used by Marlowe in Doctor Faustus. All through the play, it is clear at points when Faustus starts to doubt the path he has chosen, Mephistopheles will conjure up a cheap trick to distract his interest. In addition, Mephistopheles explains to us when we first meet him that the reason he has come to Faustus is that when we hear one rack the name of God, Abjure the Scriptures and his Saviour Christ, we fly in hope to get his glorious soul. This element of alleviating blame is crucial in Doctor Faustus, and pivotal to its success as a play, because shifting an element of the responsibility for Faustus sins onto Lucifer allows us to empathise with Faustus, an emotion that would be otherwise impossible to justify. Similarly, we are able to empathise with Mephistopheles as he tells us that he is tormented with ten thousand hells and asks Faustus to leave his demands. It is clear from the language Mephistopheles uses in this passage in Act I, Scene III, that he still has an element of human nature about him. He conveys a sense of emotion and pain that we are able to relate to, in a way that we cannot with, say, Lucifer, as we never get to hear such intimate thoughts of his. Mephistopheles sin is also mitigated by the fact that he lives in hell due to conspiring against our God with Lucifer. The fact that it was Lucifer who committed the mortal sin, and Mephistopheles just a fringe party to it, again allows us to blame Lucifer for part of Mephistopheles fate. Despite some contemporaries and critics believing Marlowe to be an atheist, he nonetheless, along with Chaucer, presents a view typical of contemporary English belief that the devil is responsible for the sins of man. However, both authors go beyond this and suggest that the religious system itself is inwardly sinful, or at least not concerned with the plight of wider society. In Dr Faustus, the Papacy is displayed as greedy and gluttonous, concerned only with dainty dishes and who took the meat. The stupidity of the dirge also highlights the incompetence of the Church, and seeks to mock the general state of Catholicism. In fact, given the era in which the play was written, this may merely be an innocent satire, government-pleasing anti-Catholic propaganda, but even so within the context of the play it raises an important point: are the forces of good on the side of God really any better than Faustus and his path of evil? In most of the play, good and evil are kept very distinct, with Faustus Good Angel and Bad Angel consciences. However here, they become merged, and therefore it becomes more difficult to measure Faustus sins. In The Pardoners Tale, we do not suffer this problem. The Pardoners hypocrisy actually clarifies good and evil all the more because he is so outrageous that we can spot the irony that the good path of life he forwards is not the one he takes. Chaucer also attempts a satire at the Church system, because the Pope and cardinals are in on the Pardoners game. The Pardoner has come from the Court of Rome and he later tells us that he has been given pardons by the Popes hand. This gives us the impression that the Church, as well as the Pardoner, is using peoples fear of their own sins and retribution to make money. Human sin is a key strand of thought throughout both texts, and both authors present it in ways that invoke entirely different emotional responses from their audiences: Marlowes invitation of empathy and sorrow is entirely contrasted by Chaucers effect of comedy and farce. However, both in their own ways still leave a message of morality, and their different presentations of sin both contribute heavily to the audiences need for self-reflection after seeing or hearing the text.