Integrated Organizational Structure in Construction

Integrated Organizational Structure in Construction For some, Project Management is still defined as a collection of planning, a variety of control methods and various other decisions. However this paper argues that the essential elements of Project Management in the construction industry is based on organizational issues, which include the way people are managed and organized throughout the project process. The distinction is rather important due to the fact that although the utilization of  [1]  technical assessment tools and techniques are sophisticated, these methods are eradicated with an unorganized structure between various parties thriving to achieve misguided objectives. Technological training techniques and tools should enhance the management process after the appropriate objectives and organizational issues are in place. Aim The aim of the paper is to inform various parties in the construction industry of the importance of an integrated organizational structure. Introduction The characteristics of an effective project team are examined in this paper, followed by recommendations as to how an architect can develop and keep his own management team. Some of the essential elements are a culture of flexibility, shared interests, mutual support and a unity in purpose (Murray and Langford, 2004: 193). The leader, specifically, is being examined and the requirements of being a good project management leader are stipulated and the main influences are also discussed. The continuous sense of urgency is seen as the main drive behind the realisation of the construction and management processes. The general mindset in the management team should be one of a learning spirit and it must consist over the capacity to be able to adapt and change as requirements and goals change over time. Method Management and Organization It is important to understand the term Management and Organization prior to any discussion. Various authors offer a dictionary interpretation of the term, but Cleland King (1983:15) probably offer this in the most useful manner. Cleland and Kings operational definition of management identifies the criteria of organized activities, objectives, relationships among resources, working through others and decisions. Cleland King (1983:17) further states that organization in essence consists of the various elements used to define management. It can be said that these two terms are interlinked concepts that should drive and support each other through the project management process. Walker (2007:4) states that in order to maintain a successful construction process, organizations should be observed as the pattern of interrelationships, authority and responsibility that is established between the professional team, and all the contributors to achieve the main objective: client satisfaction. It is important to note that the management aspect is the dynamic impact that evolves in successful organization. Defining Project Management in Construction In the built environment this definition is well known throughout the theoretical field which is: the planning, coordination and control of a project from conception to completion on behalf of a client requiring the identification of the clients objectives in terms of utility, function, quality, time and cost, and the establishment of relationships between resources, integrating, monitoring and controlling the contributors to the project and their output, and evaluating and selecting alternatives in pursuit of a clients satisfaction with the project outcome. ibid (2007:5) It is evident that the term resources mentioned above, is a general term used to accentuate on equipment, funds, materials but most importantly the relationship between people. Many contemporary definitions are not conclusive on these principles, where the project management process is referenced without the organization of people to achieve the final objectives. It is important to implement theory with practice and to understand that these disciplines should support each other. Walker (2007:5) mentions that since these interrelationships have been devised there has not been a significant change within the practice. Authors often formulate new concepts and theoretical stances within the theoretical field, but this is of no use without it being observable or enforceable. In the context of the previously stated definition, it is necessary to understand the management process as a cognitive approach of various fields and not to be narrow minded in evaluating the product in terms of time, cost and client satisfaction. Although these elements play an important part in the process it is the relationships built within the construction team that would insure future project employment. It is interesting that Munns Bjeirmi (1996:45) argue that there is a distinction between project management, on the one hand, and the project on the other. They state that the success within a project should be seen in the long run, where the performance of the building, over a period of time, should determine the success of a project. They blame project managers for having short term time and cost objectives, rather than focussing on the stakeholders  [2]  needs. Separating these terms takes a narrow approach towards project management in general, knowing that client satisfaction should form the primary objective for any management process, along with the various aspects mentioned above. Projects, Firms and Clients There are two types of management systems within the industry: the way in which a project is managed and the management of a firm within itself. Walker (2007:8) illustrates in fig. 1 the various parties involved within the matrix management structure. However this is an idealistic structure because the various projects would seldom be dealt with by the same architect, general contractor and the variety of sub-contractors due to competitive tendering. But as an architectural practitioner one should understand the importance of the profession in the management structure. Due to the inconsistency within the management structure it is difficult to establish an effective growing relationship between the participants. The problem normally occurs when various firms should form a relationship on a working and individual level but do not want to waste time or money without the certainty of working together in the future. Walker (2007:8) further states that relational contracting initiatives h ave considered these weaknesses and have gone further to warn clients with multiple projects, but according to statistics the larger portion of projects are still managed in the traditional way. Construction management, whether relational or traditional, are thus accomplished by a variety of firms that alter from one project to the other. It is important to understand that these companies are independent firms that should manage their relationships within the firm. A healthy project necessitates a well balances firm prior to the well managed relationship between companies. Each company (firm) has certain objectives to consider maintaining a well managed practice such as: Enhancing productiveness Improving services Keeping existing clients and Attracting future clients Walker (2007:9) states that professional practices claim to be less driven by profit than the contracting and sub-contracting firms. But none the less, conflicts between the needs of individual companies and the needs of projects will still arise. i.e. what does an architectural practice do when the  [3]  resources are limited and they should chose between the urgent completion of an existing project or undertaking a new project, knowing that the other project would be affected? The objectives of the client are closely related to those of the project management objectives and the different firms involved. These are directly associated with the project and will be: Functional satisfaction Aesthetically pleasing Completion within the allocated time Completion within budget and Approved quality The question arises: Who is responsible to insure that these objectives are met? In traditional construction projects architects would be obliged to meet these requirements. But who should solve these conflict situations within the project management period? And if the architects are required to solve these issues, would it be resolved to benefit the project to the extent to meet the clients initial requirements? It is ideal to have an individual responsible to overcome these various conflicts at an early stage, preventing unhealthy relationships between companies. These individuals or project managers should preferably be trained by the clients organization itself, and this in turn establishes a close relationship between the client and the project team, where the project manager should be seen as the middle-man. However this is not always achievable and clients do not have the expertise or time to control their projects or train a project manager. The Variety of Clients Clients differ in various ways. It is important to note that there are a variety of objectives the client aim to satisfy. Contrast, in general, can be drawn between clients, the public and private sector, and multi-national and foreign clients whose objectives differ from home market objectives. The construction industry and the professions involved have to be flexible and skilled at these indifferences to maintain client satisfaction as an outcome. Walker (2007:11) explains how these practices should adapt their objectives according to the clients vision and deal directly with the client to understand how the clients organizations operate. Contribution of Organization Structure Hinings (2003) recalls the organizational structure as the heart of organizational theory. He states that structure is vital, because according to history, it has always formed the centre of the development of organizational theory and continues to be important to new and existing structural forms and contributes as a primary element to the thinking of managers. However, the organizational structure can only exist if various other factors are in place to allow a practice to perform adequately. According to Walker (2007:12), for the successful implementation of construction project management, there are a few factors and elements to be considered: Behaviour Techniques and Technology Decision making Organizational Structure Walker (2007:13) illustrates these factors in Fig 2. It is noticeable how closely these factors are related to each other but although these factors form the heart of the effectiveness of the organization process, one should keep in mind that external practice could affect the process. And if so, the project manager should compromise to keep the process in equilibrium. Walker does not deal with the external factors, but in many scenarios these are unforeseen influences i.e. political or economical changes. Behaviour Loosemore (1994) finds that the variety of skills required within the parties involved to execute a project leads to a subjective vision of the final product. These individual visions of a company, affect the effectiveness of the product and the need for an objective stance is required to envision the final product in a conclusive way. (Fig 3 Dave Taylor) Techniques and Technology These are tools used by individuals to accomplish the product throughout the construction process. Scott (1992) suggests that there are three different dimensions of technologies: Complexity, uncertainty and interdependence. Technological complexity leads to uncertainty, especially structural uncertainty, and therefore affecting interdependency where more skills and an effective co-ordination system are required. Decision Making There are numerous specialists involved throughout the decision making process of a building. This illustrates the dynamics and complexity involved throughout the management process within the built environment. By stating this, it could be said that the decision processes are firmly connected within the organization structure that underpin the way people relate to each other and the effective workmanship between these parties. Organization Structure The organization structure should advice the decision making process and the use of technology and techniques as discussed above. It is a system that integrates these various factors to achieve a balanced relationship between the different companies involved. Walker (2007:15) mentions that this organizational structure is the responsibility of the managing executive and in turn achieving his/her final objective: client satisfaction. The Learning Spirits of the Project Team Architects prefer the initial phase of the development process, where the design and the concept development takes place, engineers on the other hand prefers the hands-on development of the project, during construction, the actual implementation of the plans (Murray Langford, 2004: 201). The most important part of the learning process, however, is the reflection part, where evaluation takes place and all involved can learn from mistakes and wrong doings during the process. The architect, as project manager, can promote the reflection process and thus improve the learning experiences of the professional team. Constructive discussions, between the team members, of project development should be encouraged by the project manager; this often leads to innovative solutions to solve problems, adding to the learning experience. Feed back to all members of the team can only benefit the project as well as prospected future projects. Communication and collaboration that leads to continuous experiments and the improvement and increase of the members problem solving skills, identifies a learning organization. The acquired knowledge obtained through this process is not only documented and stored for future use, but those involved will also benefit in the long run, as the new acquired skills and knowledge can be applied on any other projects, leading to more integrated and well developed management systems. Many of the solutions found during this learning process may still need adjustment; this implies that continuous control and monitoring must take place. Revans (1971:264) advocates action research as an excellent method by which team members can develop their technical and personal skills. Even though the aesthetics of a building and the designers personal design image gives the building its identity, some modern buildings nowadays acts merely as a shell to the functional dynamic implemented by a process engineer. Efficient design in terms of layout and cost is crucial. Close teamwork is essential in these buildings, it is also important to basically understand the discipline of all parties involved, this allows for better communication. Assembling a new team every time a new project starts is inefficient and wastes a lot of money. Old knowledge, accumulated over a long period of time, can save time and money if the relationships between the team members are established and small indifferences or misunderstandings have been dealt with in the past. The reoccurrence of similar design problems are not common and this leads to standardized, tried and tested solutions for problems already been dealt with before. The conflict in interest is also much less, should a team already be established, as no one has something to prove. Often when a new team is working together a power struggle exists between some members of the team, who wants to enforce their power and influence on other members of the team. It is thus beneficial to all involved to create a learning organization out of the project team. Excitement and innovation is more likely to happen if the team members have confidence in each others competence and integrity. The most important link in this process is the team leader who should continuously encourage creative thinking and constructive criticism as well as stimulate effective learning through problem solving experiences throughout the project. Implementing Best Value Thomas Thomas (2005:170) describe the importance of the integrated team and the understanding of the value criteria the whole team will be judged upon final evaluation. By accomplishing an integrated team they should align their objectives insuring they are pulling in the same direction rather than working against each other. (Fig4) In order to deliver a project at the lowest cost (tender price) contractors often carry out the work to maintain maximum profit, thus leading to the evaluation criteria to be stricter. This in turn affects team work, and the relationships of various parties are at stake. It is vital to achieve value and quality of work from the initial stage eliminating certain factors that would affect the building project i.e. rework that contributes to the lack of crucial time. The principles of best value can be described as, the optimum combination of whole life costs and benefits to meet the customers requirements. This approach enables sustainability and quality to be taken into account whole life costs allows factors such as fuel efficiency and replacement cycles to be taken into account, as well as social example benefits to local people, good work force, management, community safety, diversity and fairness. Successful procurement strategies are likely to be based on whole life cost considerations that include subsequent revenue implications and not simply the lowest tender price. (ODPM, 2003). Thomas Thomas (2005:173) further discuss the advantages and disadvantages of an integrated and non-integrated team. If an integrated team is established, would they disintegrate for the purpose of being more productive on a individual level? Fig. 5 (173) illustrates a diagram of these communication strategies; both these illustrations offer their own benefits in terms of time, cost and quality. But the disintegration of a team often leads to: Rework Constant Evaluation Lack of Trust Overlapping Projects No drive for Quality Improvement Organizations becomes selfish focussed on their own goals and objectives Multiple Systems of Communication as Illustrated in Fig. 4 Eagan (1998) writes that one should rethink construction, due to the fact that the clients are usually dissatisfied with the outcome of the final product. To obtain the clients initial objectives it is necessary to work as an integrated team, where various team members work together without eliminating each others efforts. The Integrated Team Due to organizations that contract into their own cultural and technical silos, an integrated team cannot be established. It is required that the various practices and companies need to develop a combined intellect, skills and synergy of the project to deliver the appropriate quality of workmanship to benefit the process and the partner involved in the project. In Egans book, Accelerating Change, Eagan (2002:85) advises a toolkit to achieve an integrated team. These guidelines should be referred to throughout the management process. He defines these conditions as: A singular team, that is focussed on a common set of goals and objectives, delivering benefit for all concerned A team so seamless, that it appears to operate is if it were a company in its own right A team with no apparent boundaries, in which all the members have the same opportunity to contribute and all the skills and capabilities on offer can be utilized to maximum effect. Any team is only as strong as its weakest link, and in the construction industry, a weak link can also have a negative effect on the other supporting systems. With a well organized program, these links decrease offering a more stable system as a whole. This cognitive approach enhances the relationships built during the process and a bond of trust is obtained. The management of these projects are a learning process on a big scale, but organizational skills acquired between the various organizations could be re-implemented on a smaller scale i.e. the individuals within these smaller companies. Thomas Thomas (2005:63) illustrate the basic structure of an integrated team and a traditional chain. It is important to note, from these illustrations, that an integrated team will require understanding and commitment from the various practices and organizations to function as a system. (Fig 11) Trust Trust is elusive and could not be rated or quantified on a hierarchical basis, but it is of cardinal importance between team members to insure a healthy relationship. Because trust is based on a personal, emotional stance, it is difficult to measure these feelings, but Thomas Thomas (2005:66) defines it as, TRUST = POSSITIVE EXPERIENCES à · RISK According to this measurement, as trust increases team members would act more honestly and the upcoming problems could be dealt with as a team and in turn the risks would be managed in an effective manner. Trust is a fragile emotion that could be lost in a short period of time, but this is where communication within the team is of the essence. Where one party feels that they experience dishonesty or discomfort, it is necessary to confront one another before the relationships is ruined. Maintaining the Team The leader of the building projects most important role is building and maintaining an effective project organization. The teamthink approach must be stimulated and a balance between convergent and divergent thinking (and the communication thereof) should be managed by the project leader. Teamthink is where all the individual members spend time on finding the best possible solutions to various problems through the illumination of other solutions. During this process all views and opinions are granted a fair chance, but is then evaluated to determine the best solution (Murray Langford, 2004: 205). The team usually develops in four stages: forming, storming, norming and performing. Forming is when the team is first established and everyone is being introduced to each other. Storming has to do with early disagreement, which is inevitable when different people need to work together for the first time. Norming refers to the stage where the team has established effective ways of working together to achieve the best possible results. Performing is the point where the team starts producing effective and efficient solutions to the proposed problems and has developed into a mature, well functioning group. Most teams, unfortunately does not have the luxury of naturally undergoing this process, but the variations of effectiveness of a team will follow a pattern as suggested by Moore (2002): A well prepared project may have the capacity to deal with or require different project management leaders at the different phases of the project. This, however, is not very often the case, because projects often relay on the communication and relationships between the team members. By starting over, both in terms of new people and new positions, in term of hierarchy, the process is delayed and this may cause conflict in the management process. When managing a project, or even just a meeting, the management happens in two levels: a) the leader must manage the content, in terms of decisions made and the detailing of where, when, how and why and b) the leader is responsible for the social aspects, such as the individuals egos and transforming arguments into solutions. It is thus the leaders role to control all the involved individuals in order to benefit the overall project. Partnering If partners have worked together before it is easier to form successful partnerships. The main objective of partnering is to optimize project performance, this includes completing on time and within budget, with a reasonable profit margin to all involved and obviously the aim is to produce within an acceptable, agreed quality with zero accidents (Murray Langford, 2004: 199). It is important that the partners, as leaders of the project remain loyal and on one side of the table, as conflict between partners, on top level, will cause the entire project to deminish. When the team members have been identified, it is important to gather the team in a neutral venue where the main outcomes and objectives of the project can be discussed. This improves team spirit and open up communication. This workshop setup usually fosters commitment to the success of the project. The architect should remember that there is no such thing as a optimum design and therefore the design process should continue and all suggestions accepted and tried. The main objective of such a workshop is to encourage cooperation between the team members. A summary of best practice methods: High performance teams must be selected and chosen, it is not something that happens by chance. A good team leader leads decisively yet gently with a firm focus on the clients requirements Effective teams are self-motivated, people orientated, supportive and flexible environments are created Roles, responsibilities, procedures and communication channels should be clearly defined The value of contributing small groups should be recognised and the leader should not force his power onto every situation All members of the team should be treated as equal partners The project should be seen as a learning opportunity to all, with feedback and reflection sessions The team must be developed and maintained by the project leader, this must continue throughout the whole project. Conclusion This theoretical paper has tried to illustrate what should be done in order to create a successful project team. It should be noted that all the mentioned methods and techniques have made sense in the past and may only be applicable to some situations. The project leader has the responsibility to read every situation and then react appropriately to every individual event. It should, however, be noted that generally, virtual teams (as a result of the technical explosion) are not as successful as teams that meet face-to-face on a regular basis. Most people prefer personal interaction in an encouraging and constructive environment. Case study: Cape Town International Convention Centre project (CTICC) Background In 1999 the Western Cape Provincial Government, the Cape Metropolitan Council, the City of Cape Town and Business Cape joined forces to develop a truly world-class convention centre on a 6.1-hectare site on Cape Towns northern foreshore. To this end, they formed the Cape Town International Convention Centre Company (Pty) Ltd (CONVENCO). CONVENCO was thus tasked to develop an international standard, multi-purpose conference, convention and exhibition centre ) which, hitherto, was a missing piece of tourism and business infrastructure in the Western Cape. Project description CTICC is a world-class undertaking, providing 25,000 m2 of space featuring high levels of quality, and exceptional interior and exterior design elements. The project comprises the development of a multi-purpose conference, convention and exhibition centre. It is a three-storey building including numerous facilities, such as an integrated deluxe hotel, dedicated column-free exhibition space, and extensive banqueting and conference facilities. Such an ambitious project required meticulous design of auditoriums, ballrooms, meeting suites, breakout blocks and exhibition halls. CTICC aims to provide a landmark feature at the city/waterfront gateway, and has an impressive domed external appearance with numerous glazed concourses and incorporating internal landscaped areas. Project team for the construction phase of the CTKC The two main appointments were the project manager and the design architect. Foreshore Architects was named as the joint venture responsible for developing the total design concept, this is an association of various architectural practices including: Revel Fox and Partners (architects and planners); Van der Merwe Miszewski Architects; Lucien le Grange Architects and Urban Planners; Stauch Vorster Architects; Magqwaka Associates, Architects. Procurement management strategy Before examining the role of the sub-contractor management in the successful completion of CTICC, it is essential to understand the socio-political situation within post-apartheid South Africa. CTICC was built in South Africas Cape metropolis at a time when the country and its construction industry are going through significant restructuring (Dept. of Public Works White Paper, 1999). Top of the list of the South African Governments Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) is provision of infrastructure designed to bring relief to people in the form of jobs and economic business development. Expansion of business, the government contends, would increase potential for investment for small, medium and emerging contractors (particularly those representing affirmative business enterprises [ABEs] and previously disadvantaged individuals [PDls]). PDls are a key aspect of this situation since they were often long-term unemployed and/or unskilled workers from the townships selected as a means to expand economic activity without particular reference to the skills of the individuals. On-the-job training therefore became an inherent component of the development of all ABEs employed on the CTICC. Essentially, the RDP policy framework requires that the development of the construction industry must respond to the broad social and economic imperatives of the country. These include sustainable employment creation, affirmative action, active promotion of small, medium and emerging enterprises (SMEEs). The vision is for a construction industry policy and strategy that promotes stability, fosters economic growth and international competitiveness. Furthermore, that the policy should create sustainable employment, which should simultaneously address historic imbalances in employment opportunity as it generates new capacity for economic development. In this regard government is willing to promote appropriate and innovative public-private sector partnerships, which build on the strengths of respective sectors to promote investment in the delivery of infrastructure. Management of sub-contractors at the CTKC project The procurement of sub-contractors was in line with the targeted procurement policy. Up to well over 200 sub-contractors participated in the project. To ensure equity, targeted contract procurement goals were established. To ensure that the choice, performance, workmanship, health and safety issues, sub-contractor design, manufacturing and installation were all properly managed and co-ordinated, a targeted procurement strategy, support and management system was put in place. Time, cost and quality performance of sub-contractors Performance was achieved through strict work breakdown, which ensured that each sub-contractor only performed their part of the pie but while working as a co

Political and familial contexts Essay

Examine the ways in which the political and familial contexts and relationships are established in Act I of the play. The politics of the Italian Court in the play are revealed to the audience as corrupt and unethical, also exposing the state of the English Court in this period. Webster could not have written about it directly and so it is shown through the setting in Malfi. This corruption is mainly embodied by Ferdinand and the Cardinal, who are the most politically powerful characters in the play. Their power in the Court is reflected in their familial relationships with the Duchess. The venality of the Court in Malfi is first suggested by Antonio who describes the general make-up of politics in any region using the analogy of a fountain, ‘whence should flow pure silver drops’ but can be poisoned at the top thereby, ‘death and diseases through the whole land spread. ‘ As it seems to have done in Malfi, as the two most powerful figures are so moraless. Antonio is also describing the effectiveness and purity of the French Court in this dialogue, which emphasises the corruption in Italy. Bosola who himself is seemingly amoral, being introduced to the audience by Antonio as the ‘court-gall’, directly refers to Ferdinand and his brother, the Cardinal likening them to ‘plum trees that grow crooked’. He suggests that too much power and riches has made them so, but also that they are surrounded by ‘flatt’ring sycophants’ who are like ‘crows’ and ‘caterpillars’ and use them to gain power and wealth for themselves. This analogy can be linked with Antonio’s, to say that the corruption at the top of Ferdinand and the Cardinal has affected the rest of the court and made them equally depraved and greedy. It is ironic that Bosola describes these people with such distaste as he himself is a flattering ‘pander’ hoping to improve his position in court. The Cardinal could be seen as possibly the most underhanded character in the play because he is supposed to be a man of God and so his crookedness is emphasised. In the Cardinal’s first appearance Bosola mocks his religious position, shown by the hyperbole, ‘With all your divinity,’ thus revealing the Cardinal’s religious values to be almost non-existent. Delio explains Bosola’s bitterness towards the Cardinal to Antonio, and reveals that he was put in the galleys for seven years for a murder he was commissioned to do by the Cardinal. This blatant unjust act again is an example of his clear corruption. Further into Act One, the Cardinal initiates the employment of Bosola as a spy in order to keep an eye on the Duchess, his power is clear at this point because he makes Ferdinand negotiate with Bosola as he ‘would not be seen in’t’, demonstrating his apparent control even over his own brother, the Duke of Malfi. His power is paralleled with his astuteness, as Ferdinand suggests Antonio instead of Bosola for the job and the Cardinal correctly observes ‘His nature is too honest’ showing his ability to read people making him all the more powerful. Ferdinand is also clever, he can see through the flatterers in the court purposely trying to get in his favour such as Castruchio, who constantly and unnecessarily addresses him as ‘my lord’ and tries to dissuade him from going to war. Ferdinand recognises this and makes a mockery of him, sarcastically commenting about his pun, ‘Why, there’s a wit were able to undo all the surgeons of the city’. His power and control here is also made clear, as he gets angry when they laugh without him laughing, ‘take fire when I give fire, that is, laugh when I laugh. ‘

How Budgets Within A Business - 1349 Words

4.1 Explain the uses of a budget There can be many uses of budgets within a business. The key two uses that are mentioned in most academic literature on the subject are for planning and con ¬trol. However, if a business is going to the effort of producing a budget, it would be sensible to know what other uses it could be put to. They key to the success of a budget’s success is whether they have been planned with much forethought and sensitivity – in these circumstances they can have many advantages. Planning Budgets can aid planning, which gives a business direction. A budget takes the organisational plan (goal and objectives) and quantifies this into something real to aim for. Such forward planning aids anticipating future business†¦show more content†¦There is also argued to be a motivational role for the budget – if set at the appropriate level. The argument being that the budget gives managers a target to strive towards. However there is also an argument that if set at an inap ¬propriate level (too high or too low) it can have the reverse impact and can demotivate. Budgets can be prepared and used for a fixed financial year or in some cases they can be a rolling budget. In a lot of organisations budgets are generally drafted from the ‘top- down’ and then passed down for comments, negotiation and agreement but generally it is believed that the more managers have full involvement in preparing their own budgets the greater their commitment to achieving them. . 4.2 Explain how to manage a budget Having a formal and structured budgeting process is the foundation for good business management, growth and development. Very similar to our personal finances, discipline and planning should be the cornerstone of a business budgeting process. So where do we begin? As with most things that come with managing an organisation, budgeting needs to be driven by the vision (what we are trying to accomplish) and the strategic plan (the steps to get there). Organisations that stay focused on their strategy and plan know exactly where they want to spend their resources and have a plan to help keep them from spending money in areas that do

Everett and Odysseus Similar Features - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 5 Words: 1594 Downloads: 4 Date added: 2019/04/01 Category Literature Essay Level High school Tags: Odyssey Essay Did you like this example? The Odyssey is an epic poem written by the famous author Homer. The Odyssey tells the story of a man named Odysseus and his ten year journey home during which he faces perilous dangers and difficult choices and in the end he finally reunites with his wife in his home of Ithaca. Unlike most well-known books, there is not a film adaptation of the story. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Everett and Odysseus Similar Features" essay for you Create order There is, however, the movie O’ Brother, Where Art Thou? which is a film that is loosely based off of The Odyssey. There are many similarities between the two even though they are completely different stories. Part of the reason The Odyssey is so well known is because it is about an ordinary man who faces realistic obstacles and manages to persevere despite not being a stereotypical hero. Although it was not invented at the time, the plot line that Homer created still follows Joseph Campbell’s The Hero’s Journey. The story begins with Odysseus in his homeland of Ithaca, his call to adventure was the opportunity to fight in the Trojan War and he gained assistance from his fellow soldiers. Although the Trojan war was dangerous, Odysseus truly crosses into a new world when he begins sailing home, ten years later once the war is done. During his journey back to Ithaca, he and his men face danger and claim power as they make their way home. Eventually, Odysseus finds himself back at Ithaca, this is his return, after winning back his wife the story is over and this is when his â€Å"new life† begins. O’ Brother, Where Art Thou? also follows The Hero’s Journey, the main character Everett Ulysses McGill is a reflection of Odysseus in the movie. He is an ordinary man with his men who make their way through many dangers on their long journey h ome. Everett and Odysseus face some of the same obstacles and this is where the similarity between the film and Homer’s epic really shows. After escaping from prison three men, Everett, Pete, and Delmar encounter a blind man driving a hand car down a railroad, he offers them a lift. While they are riding the blind man predicts their future. He says that they will not find the treasure that they seek and that they will face many obstacles. This blind prophet correlates with Teiresias, the blind prophet of Apollo that Odysseus spoke to in The Land Of The Dead. While camping out in the woods Pete, Everett, and Delmar suddenly find themselves in the middle of a group of churchgoers who are all walking towards the lake. Out of curiosity the men follow them and find that a priest is baptizing people in the lake to free them from their sins. Pete and Delmar ran into the lake to ask the priest to baptize them, after being baptized they run back to Everett rejoicing and telling him that t hey feel happy and free. Being baptized let the two men forget about the troubles of their journey for a short time, but Everett never took the opportunity just as Odysseus never ate the lotus flowers while all of his men ate them and forgot about their home and their mission. At one point in the film the men are in need of money so they drive to a radio station where they can record a song for cash. They call themselves The Soggy Bottom Boys and sing the song â€Å"Man of Constant Sorrow†. The man who owns the radio station enjoys their song and pays them well. There is a similar situation in The Odyssey when Odysseus is with King Alcinous and he tells him the story of his journey and is given a ship ride home in return. While driving to their destination Pete hears singing in the distance and forces Everett and Delmar to follow him and investigate. They find three women washing clothing in a river and singing a song. The women being to seduce the men, singing the entire time and eventually the men fall asleep. The three women represent the sirens from The Odyssey, but Odysseus and his crew end up avoiding them. When Delmar wakes up he sees that Pete is gone and finds a toad in his place. Pete was not actually a toad but Delmar and Everett did no t know that. Pete â€Å"turning into a toad† represents when some of Odysseus’ men were turned into pigs by Circe, the Goddess of Magic. After catching â€Å"Pete† Everett and Delmar went out for lunch and at the restaurant they met a man who was blind in one eye. The man represents Polyphemus the Cyclops and his name is Big Dan Teague. Big Dan tells them that they can earn money by selling Bibles with him. Everett and Pete were interested in the offer so they went with him up to a hill where Big Dan beat them up and stole their money. Then he squished â€Å"Pete† and ran. This situation is mirrored in The Odyssey when Odysseus and his men get trapped in Polyphemus’ cave and the Cyclops crushes and eats some of the men. After arriving in town Everett sees his daughters singing together onstage. When he explains to them that he is their father they do not believe him because their mother, Penny, told them that Everett had been hit by a train. This is similar to when Telemachus did not recognize Odysseus when he was disguised and still did not believe that he was his father after he revealed his true self. Telemachus still thought that he was a God of some sort and could not be his father. When Everett went into the shop to confront his wife,he met her fiancà ©, Vernon. Penny is still in love with Everett but was going to marry Vernon anyway, this is kind of how Penelope acted. She still loved Odysseus but she let the suitors stay at her home. Later, Everett and Delmar went to the movie theatre. In the middle of the film a group of prisoners was escorted into the theatre, Pete was one of them. They were both obviously shocked because they thought that Pete was dead. Pete makes sure to tell them that they should not seek the treasure. This scene loosely correlates with The Land Of The Dead from The Odyssey. Odysseus goes to The Land Of The Dead and speaks to Tiresias the blind prophet of Apollo and Elpenor, one of his dead crew members. The setting is also similar both places are dark, grey, and foggy. After reuniting with Pete, they find themselves outside of a Ku Klux Klan meeting and they see that the Klan members are about to kill Tommy, an African American guitarist they befriended earlier. To save him they steal KKK uniforms from the color guard and pretend to be part of the ceremony in order to get close to Tommy. This is like when Odysseus and his men hid under the bellies of Polyphemus’ sheep in order to escape from his cave. It turns out that Big Dan Teague is a part of the KKK and he notices the color guard acting strangely so he rips off their hoods. The men grab Tommy and run, before escaping they throw a Confederate Flag at Big Dan Teague and it nearly blinds him. Just like when Odysseus blinds Polyphemus with a giant wooden stake. Finally Everett gets back together with his wife Penny but she refuses to marry him until he goes back to their old home and retrieves her old wedding ring. Penny is giving Everett a test just like when Penelope gave Odysseus the â€Å"bed test†. When Odysseus arrived he was in disguise no one knew who he was but Penelope did, she just had to be sure. Penelope asked a servant to move her bed out of her room for him to sleep in. She knew that only Odysseus would know that the bed was unmoveable. O’ Brother, Where Art Thou? and The Odyssey also have similar themes, the main theme in both of them is the importance of love and family. Both Odysseus and Everett embark on long challenging journeys to get back home to their wife and children. If they did not have family to get to they most likely would not have been so resilient in the when facing the hardships that were presented to them. They may have even given up because they could have just made a new life for themselves seeing as they would have been alone regardless. Both Odysseus and Everett put others in danger just so that they can reach their destination. They both put themselves in danger, and put themselves into possibly deadly situations just so that they can return home. Homer’s epic conveys a more serious and powerful message, the film has the same theme but is more lighthearted and has comedic elements. In the film, the message of family loyalty is better displayed because Everett did stayed loyal to his wife throughout his journey while Odysseus did not. Also, in the film, family loyalty is a very clear theme and in The Odyssey this theme is apparent but is somewhat masked behind other important elements of the story. Both the epic and the film convey the very important message of love and family loyalty. The two works are incredibly different yet very similar and they both a good job of getting across the message that family is the most important thing in the world.