Business Analysis A Financial Analysis Of AGT - 1029 Words

Financial Analysis AGT has experienced strong revenue growth the past 3 years with over 20% compound annual growth rate for that period. Though cost of sales has risen have kept pace, AGT has been able to maintain good EBITA margins. The company rebounded in 2015 from some slightly lower earnings per share which have been positive for the past 3 years. With positive net earnings AGT has been able to maintain its $0.15 quarterly dividend with the stock trading at a healthy 3% yield as of the close on November 24, 2017. We see this stable dividend as a positive signal to shareholders for both the current and future strength of the company. AGT is now in a much stronger and more flexible financial position after the recent issue of a†¦show more content†¦Inventory has also been well managed as evidenced by a 4.79 inventory turnover, above the 3.23 of SOY but once again half of the turnover of PBH. This is however not surprising given the global nature of AGT’s business relative to PBH. While the improvement in many of the key ratios in our forecasted financials suggests that managements strategy has the company headed in the right directions, we are particularly encouraged by our forecast for improvements to the liquidity and leverage ratios. Of note is the significant improvement in the debt to equity ratio from 3.17 in 2016 to a more reasonable 1.75 this year. The long-term debt to capital ratio is also forecast to drop from the current .58 to .45, in line with both PBH and SOY. Valuation AGT shares have performed very poorly over the past year down over 45% year to date. In comparison to both SOY and PBH we believe AGT shares are significantly undervalued. The shares of AGT trade a discount base on a EV/EBITDA, EV/Revenue and Price/Book. AGT currently trades at 9.2 times EV/EBITDA (2016) versus the average for the group at 15.4 times . At the average for the group AGT would be valued at $46 per share and at 14 times multiple, which is still less than what SOY is valued at, it would trade at $40 a share. In our DCF model we have calculated a value of $49 per share , suggesting the company is significantly undervalued. The weighted average cost of capital in our model is 5.58%. We have assumed aShow MoreRelatedEssay On Evaluating The Team Of Regular Basis1801 Words   |  8 Pagesroles in your organization? †¢ AGT has to catalog the key elements and skills which are required by the team to achieve the specified goals. Each member of the teams has to be measured against their offered expertise and traits. Organizing a company’s people is the most crucial and also the most difficult part. People are often unpredictable (Abdullah, 2014). The organization has to make sure that they have the right people appointed at the heart of increasing revenues. AGT should have executives that

Madness, Betrayal, And Madness In William Shakespeares...

William Shakespeare’s Hamlet is a tragic tale filled with madness, betrayal, and revenge. The treacherous death of King Hamlet leads to a series of events that causes Hamlet to present an â€Å"antic disposition† to deceive the people around him and avenge his father’s death. However, beneath his methodical and logical mind, there is an underlying current of mental instability. Although at first he feels that the idea of an act of madness is a good one, it becomes clear throughout the play that even Hamlet begins to doubt his own sanity. Shakespeare depicts Hamlet’s fragile mental state which transitions from a clever mask of madness into a genuine madness that is exacerbated by his family issues and obsessive behavior. In the first act, Hamlet†¦show more content†¦His questions are answered when the ghost tells him that his father was murdered by his uncle. After receiving this knowledge, Hamlet decides â€Å"to put an antic disposition on† (Shakespeare 1.5.173) which proves that Hamlet is not mad because it is a calculated move. In order for Hamlet to find out if his uncle truly murdered his father without becoming suspicious, he would need a cover up, and what is a better cover up than pretending that you are mad? The people around would not question his actions, nor would they question his words. By the end of first act, it is clear that Hamlet is not mad. Hamlet’s act of madness is initially presented through Act 2 which reveals the intellect in Hamlet’s process of thought by his clever manipulation of other characters’ belief about him. Hamlet’s act is divulged by Ophelia, and she reports her Hamlet’s abnormal behavior to Polonius who says â€Å"This is the very ecstasy of love† (Shakespeare 2.1.100). This is the beginning of Hamlet’s masterful plan to divert the other characters’ attention away from his true intentions of revealing his uncle’s guilt as he convinces Polonius that his madness stems from his love for Ophelia. When Polonius confronts Hamlet for the confirmation of his madness, he speaks on the side and says â€Å"Though this be madness, yet there is a method in’t†Show MoreRelatedThe Tragedy Of Hamlet By William Shakespeare Essay1334 Words   |  6 PagesIn William Shakespeare’s, The Tragedy of Hamlet, each character stands out in unique ways. Madness is one of the crucial themes as Shakespeare depicts the chaotic turbulence in the Hamlet family and the court of Denmark. Though she is generally read as a minor character, Ophelia’s madness reveals the struggle of the female character that attempts to have a voice of her own. Ophelia’s life certainly seems tragic based on Aristotle s definition of tragedy, which says that â€Å"A tragedy is the imitationRead More Madness and Insanity in Shakespeares Hamlet Essay793 Words   |  4 PagesMadness and Insanity in Shakespeares Hamlet         Ã‚   Shakespeares Hamlet is a master of deception. Hamlet decides to make Claudius believe that he is insane, but the scheme backfires when everyone, except Claudius, falls for it. Ophelia is one of those who believes Hamlet lost his mind, and when he does not return her love, she is so brokenhearted that she commits suicide. Near the end of the tragedy, Hamlet plays the part so well, that he convinces himself he is insane. Clearly, HamletsRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Hamlet - Appearance Vs. Reality819 Words   |  4 Pagesneither given nor received any aid on this assignment. -MLM Appearance vs. Reality in Hamlet William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, reveals a consistent theme of appearance versus reality throughout the character’s actions. In many situations, honesty and sincerity appear to be present; however, in reality, dishonesty and deception are usually the character’s true intentions. Specifically, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, Hamlet, and Claudius demonstrate the disconnect between appearance versus reality. ThroughoutRead MoreHamlet s Downfall Of William Shakespeare s Hamlet1701 Words   |  7 PagesHamlet’s Downfall William Shakespeare’s Hamlet is perhaps the most significant tragedy ever written in literature to date. Hamlet is a reflection of everyday life at some point. Revenge against one another is commonly used in comparison Hamlet to modern life. Shakespeare’s Hamlet eloquently uses foreshadowing and other literary techniques to portray the insanity of Hamlet, which lead to his downfall. â€Å"Hamlet’s test assumes that a criminal, when confronted with his deeds, confesses his guilt throughRead MoreThe Theme of Knowledge in Hamlet Essay1617 Words   |  7 PagesKnowledge in Hamlet What may be true to one person is not always true to another. There are huge factors to take into account like a difference in opinion, secrets, or lies. Another important aspect of information is what is done with it, since knowledge is power. The need to verify information is always as great as the need for it in the first place. These are all central pieces to consider when evaluating a theme of knowledge. This theme is especially noteworthy in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, a playRead More Hamlets Love for Ophelia Essay776 Words   |  4 PagesHamlets Love for Ophelia      Ã‚   In Hamlet, we are introduced to the complexities of a man who is struggling to murder his uncle while trying to understand his mothers motives. His inner turmoil has left him emotionally unavailable and completely disenchanted with humanity in general.  Ã‚      Hamlet seems to be at his best when he is cruel which could reveal a deeper method for self-medication in which he hurts those he loves most - especially his mother Ophelia.   However, while we canRead MoreThe Complexity Of Vessity Insanity In William Shakespeares Hamlet1016 Words   |  5 Pageswere many great playwrights; one of them was William Shakespeare, who wrote different genres of play, such as comedy, tragedy, and histories. One of his famous tragedies play is Hamlet, which based on Prince Hamlet’s revengeful plan against his uncle, King Claudius. However, some critics question Hamlet’s insanity and they believe Hamlet is actually pretending to be insane. The purpose of this essay is to examine the extent to which the character, Hamlet, is insane. Despite different critics’ opinionsRead MoreCorruption of Society in George Orwell’s 1984 and William Shakespeare’s Hamlet806 Words   |  4 Pages The corruption of society in George Orwel l’s 1984 and William Shakespeare’s Hamlet results both in the loss of innocence and the destruction of sanity. Winston from 1984 stood his grounds throughout the book, but the society standards and rules created by Big Brother soon consume him. Similarly, the entire Kingdom of Denmark bombarded Hamlet with betrayal amongst his own family and loved ones such that drove him into madness. 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The Concept of Work Life Balance

Question: Write an essay on the concept of work-life balance. Answer: In present competitive business environment, both work-life balance and flexible working are important contemporary agendas that can have both positive as well as negative impact on the businesses of an organization. Many organizations are trying to focus on reducing the operational cost so that it can able to gain competitive advantage in the market. Therefore, companies look minimize its payrolls, as it considered as one of the biggest factor of the organizational cost base. Most of the organizations are looking to formulate strategy to avoid redundancy within the company. This increases the interest regarding the flexibility of workforce. It also allows an employee to have more time for his/her personal life. In the situation, when an organization have to cut the number of employees, some may see it as an opportunity acquire new skill so that they can able to progress in their carrier. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate the concept of work-life balance as it has different meaning for different group of people. It also depends on the hierarchical level of the organization. Since, perspective of an employee and of an employer is completely different regarding to the concept of work-life balance and flexibility in work. Many employees believe that stressful workload is a significant determinant regarding work-life balance concept. Since, increase amount of stressful work have major impact on the health and wellbeing of an employee. Therefore, it is up to the organization to handle this concept in such a way that employees can feel satisfied about their organizational responsibility. Description: Earlier, organizations face huge amount of challenges in order to acquire best talents for the company. However, over the past few years, many organizations are looking reduce its part time work, workweek so that it can able to increase the flexibility. Therefore, many organizations are reducing the number of employees so that it can able to redesign the roles and responsibilities of the employee in such a way that will help employees to maintain their work-life balance. The study highlighted that Juliet Bourke is not very comfortable with the argument of reshaped for flexibility. Since, workplace flexibility has the potential minimize overheads and boost the productivity of an employee. As Bourke, believe that flexibility only induces fewer people to give more at the workplace (Freeburg et al., 2014). Therefore, Bourke was so afraid of the kind of unintended consequences can happen due to this kind of thought process of the organization. Bourke represented her thoughts with the launch of a website, which is utilized to assist organizations in developing flexible work practices. In case of economic crisis, employers can utilize the concept of flexible working hour concept very effectively. Since, it allows employers reduce the working hours of an employee at the time the company do not need them. In addition, workforce flexibility concept allows organizations to increase the number of working hours at the time when organizations need them the most. Therefore, it provided employers lot of opportunities to manage its workforce effectively. A key factor regarding the work-life balance strategy includes comprehensive programs for employee assistance and employee flexibility and it would help to build a adaptive, diverse and high-performing workforce able to meet future and current needs of business. Leave options and voluntary flexible work can help to avoid redundancy and salaries and wages would have to be paid accordingly. However, in few organizations, whether there is a strong culture regarding work-life balance or not, redundancies are considered as inevitable. In addition, many executives have recognized the amount of benefits can occur from work-life balance strategies. It is more likely that management of any organization would like to explore different ways of work to minimize redundancies and reduce cost. Every organization knows that they need sufficient talents in order to keep on growing in the competitive market. According to Jones, Burke Westman (2013) proper work-life balance strategy can also have posi tive impact on the employee engagement, as it can help to increase the job satisfaction level of the employees. In fact, flexibility demands more efficient and effective work from the employees regardless of the position in which they are working. On the other hand, at the time of redeployment, natural attrition and flexible work practices, majority of the reduction comes, whenever the downturn is present and all the employees will have to remain agile (Stavrou Ierodiakonou, 2015). In future, when the economy can able to recover from the crisis position, the demand of talent acquisition will also increase. Furthermore, employees also have identified that they have to work harder at the time of economic downturn. However, sometimes there is significant impact on the level of engagement that is crucial to productivity and discretionary effort. Since, it is very tuff to engage a group of employees if they are resentful. According to Deepika Rani (2014) drive to get more out of the limited resources may always not have positive impact on the productivity. As a result, when organization requires high-level engagement from its employees, it can find itself working with low level of engagement. Every organization puts huge amount of focus on the increase in the sales volume as well as reducing the operating cost so that it can able to increase the profitability of the company. Therefore, an expectation arises that organization would do everything so that it can able to get the result in a given time (Hobson, 2013). This is very important factor for those MNCs that operate in different parts of the world. Since, demands employees to work on different timeframe. However, organizations have to develop its structural efficiency in such a way that will help to redesign the job roles of the employees. As opined by COLLIER (2016) skilled and talented employees are often found to be significantly more profitable and productive. Therefore, stretching them too much can actually affect the performance level of the employees. Thus, flexibility concept has changed from its original paradigm to a certain extent that is inevitable and necessary. In the present competitive environment, roles and responsibilities of every group of employees are completely different. Therefore, organizations will have to consider various factors so that it can able to fulfill the requirements. According to Richmond Rohlfing (2013) extended working hour can have major negative impact on performance level of the employees as well as on those people that are associated with employees like their families. Many studies have identified the fact that long working hours have greater complex relationship with the risk factor. Since, working hour can influenced by different factor that includes employee performance, social life abnormalities and non-work responsibilities. Long working hour also creates negative impact on the sleeplessness and time for family and personal life. Therefore, it creates fatigue, turbulence, negative attitude at workplace that leads to fall in the performance level of the employees. Goodman (2012) mentioned that this not only dampen the performance level of the organization but also have negative effect on the community. Since, negative attitude towards the work can actually increase the chance of automobile accident, unintentional errors and industrial mishap. Particularly, the employees whom work in a 24 hours shift time, extended working hour can reduce attention, alertness and concentration level (Lewis et al., 2014). Many studies have identified the fact that longer shifts have major negative impact on the quality of work of an employee. Hence, if organization keeps on extending the working hour of the employees to minimize cost and utilize flexibility concept, it actually hamper the quality of work. Therefore, it demands certain level of commitment from the management of the organization so that the motivation and the quality of work of the organization remain intact. Otherwise, the utilization of flexible working hour regarding work-life balance can have major negative impact on the business purpose of an organization (Bartlett, 2013). As a result, management of the organization will have to encourage all the employees so that they can feel motivated towards working for extended hours. Therefore, management role regarding the utilization of flexible working hour described as follows: Manager of organizations will have to set example to encourage its employees finish work within the time period. Organizations will have to provide sufficient amount of training regarding the time management technique so that the employee can able to balance their professional and personal life. Management also will have to separate all the important activities perform by the employees so that performance of every employee can be observed specifically. Management will have to develop effective horizontal as well as vertical communication system. This is crucial, as it will help employees to share their knowledge regarding an important decision of the organization. This will keep engage them at the workplace and also reduce the negative effect of the extended working hour on the work-life balances of the employees. Management also has to express their satisfaction at the time of achieving a particular target and also have to recognize the performances of the employees (Penson, 2016). Since, recognition has the potential to draw employee to work for extended hours that will minimize the negative impact of extended hours on the work-life balances. Management also has to encourage to avail their leaves during the lean season of the organization in order to minimize the stress level. Therefore, the study highlighted that if an organization wants to utilize the present level of employees for extended hours, it have to motivate all its employees by taking care of their psychological and other needs through proper recognition, incentives and wages. Since, it will create positive impact on the motivational level of the employees (Lyness Judiesch, 2014). Therefore, it will help them minimize the negative impact on the work-life balance. Hence, the performance of managers and employees need to measured and recognized properly to increase their efficiency for the betterment of the organization (Fenech, 2014). Otherwise, extended hours not only will damage the concept of flexible working hour but also will increase the dissatisfaction regarding the work-life balance of the employees. In present situation, the concept of work-life benefits have moved forward from traditional approaches of providing cars, significant amount of bonus and other perks to satisfy the psychological requirement of an employee. Since, the present competitive business environment does not allow the companies to spend extra amount, which can actually cause to face reduce share of the market (Balance, 2013). Therefore, organizations do not only look to depend only on the monetary compensation to satisfy the psychological needs of the employees as they have done in the previous decades. As economic recession force to cut off the number of employees, it had created a sense of uncertainty on the mind of the employees. Hence, it becomes extremely crucial for the companies to manage the remaining employees after the layout. Therefore, the companies will have to focus on the provided amount of benefits along with other programs such as retirement plans and insurance. Particularly, health insurance is one of the most important benefits that every modern organization trying to provide to its employees and their families so that they can able to feel more secure regarding their position in the organizational structure. As opined by Kinman McDowall (2014) organizations will have to provide significant amount of benefits so that it can able to get the best help possible help from the employees at the time of economic turnaround. Hence, it will help organizations to set its benchmark to the level where it can able to receive major benefits from the market. Increase in the amount of pressure from different competitive work environment are leading to conflicting priorities for government and employees. Since, it creating considerable amount of stress for the employees, as they have to juggle with the family and work responsibilities. In addition, financial strains in the economy have led to cut some of present policies or postponement of the policy. Since, it is often identified that change in policy in the organizational structure can have huge amount of potential negative impact on the business processes of an organization. According to Saeed Farooqi (2014), extreme workload and low level of job security can have major impact on the work-life balance of an employee. Since, in extreme work pressure an employee cannot able to manage time to spend with their families and even if they do, the mind will be still focus on the way they can able to perform their responsibility in an effective way. On the other hand, job security is a factor t hat is highly correlated with motivational level of the employees. Since, if employees can able to feel secure regarding the future of its job, they can able to manage or plan their professional and personal life in a much more effective way (Stokes Wood, 2016). It also allows the employees to form a long-term plan for them, which have the potential to create a huge amount of impact in maintaining the personal as well as the professional life of the employees. For maintaining the zeal of the employees at the workplace, employers need to implement effective steps (Darcy et al., 2012). For instance, organizations can make it clear that with the combined effort it can able to overcome the challenges that arises in the downturn. Hence, employees will have to give more than hundred percent at the workplace so that when market recovers both the party can able to achieve higher level of benefits. The organizations also have to share the knowledge to the employees regarding the kind of potential positive as well as negative impact flexible working hours can have on the work-life balance of the employees. The organizations also have to mention the importance of the employees regarding the success of the organization and cutting of the number of employees is forced on the organization by the economical downturn. Organizations also have to represent the present situation to the employees and also have to conveyed the message regarding the reasons for which organizations is looking to have extra hours of effort. As per the article by Shanafelt, Hasan Dyrbye (2016) this practices of the organizations will help them to motivate it employees and they will focus more on the organizational well-being. Hence, it will not only help According to Harper (2013) economic downturn demands organizations to utilize each and every resources to its fullest. Since, economic downturn forces the organizations to cut its operational cost to a great extent. It forces organization to impose extra pressure on the available resources. Therefore, employers will have to encourage employees to finish their work within the allocated time. Hence, it will allow organizations to work with a greater efficiency. However, employees will have to provide appropriate knowledge so that they can able to perform in this extreme work pressure environment. Organizations also will have to ensure that time and other resources must not get wasted and margin for non-judici ous will have to be prevented in an effective manner. Employees will have to ensure that every work has been performed in an excellent manner (Kinman McDowall, 2015). Every job consists of many subparts that have to be handled properly. Hence, organizations first have to educate employees regarding which part of the job is more important and which is comparatively less important. This will allow organizations to focus on the important task much more effectively. Hence, company can able to allocate its resources effectively, which will help organizations to fight with the impact of economic downturn. According to Kimura (2016) high work pressure increases the chances of grievances. Therefore, organizations will have to counter it by creating an environment in which management can share their views in an open and effective ways. This would help to develop a proper harmony in the workforce, which will increase the effectiveness of teamwork. As the per the case study, economic downturn need mutual cooperation from employers and employee, as it could leads to a sense of attachment in the mind of employees towards their company. This would lead higher commitment and better performance from the employees. Furthermore, employers should provide enough power to the employees and also give them confident to achieve stated goals (Gatrell et al., 2013). Hence, even if the economy is facing crisis, employers need to express satisfaction when the employees able to achieve desired level performance. Otherwise, employees might not show any interest to give extra effort for the well-being of the organization. As per the article by Lunau et al. (2014) organizations also have to made a conscious effort to remain unbiased so that no employees can able feel neglected, which can major negative impact on the performance level of the employees. In fact, the organization will have to make sure no unethical judgment can be made on the organizational structure. Since, effective decision-making can lead an organization to utilize all its employees to its fullest. Hence, if an employers can able to implement these methodologies, it could definitely manage to provide employees a proper work-life balance at the time of economic downturn. Conclusion: In present business environment, working hour and time is changing continuously. Therefore, employees will have to adjust according to the change in the requirement of the organizations. Since, flexible working hours allows organization to attain customers at any given period of time of a day, which not only increases the satisfaction level of the customers but also can influences the revenue level of the organizations as well. However, flexible working hour also has its specific level of disadvantage. As it create more pressure on the existing employees, management of the organization will have to provide necessary support to the employees. Otherwise, it can have immense negative impact on the organizational process. However, in presence of work-life balance, employees can perform their responsibilities in an effective way, as it creates a win-win situation for the company. Thus, companies will have to implement strategies so that it can able to maintain proper work-life balance in the economic downturn also. References: Balance, W. L. (2013). Work Life Balance.Work,1(1.5), 2-0. Bartlett, D. (2013). Work-Life Balance. InEncyclopedia of Corporate Social Responsibility(pp. 2721-2727). Springer Berlin Heidelberg. COLLIER, R. (2016). WorkLife Balance.The Legal Academic's Handbook, 9. Darcy, C., McCarthy, A., Hill, J., Grady, G. (2012). Worklife balance: One size fits all? An exploratory analysis of the differential effects of career stage.European Management Journal,30(2), 111-120. Deepika, M., Rani, M. M. (2014). WORK LIFE BALANCE. Fenech, M. (2014). Work-life balance within the social work profession. Freeburg, M., LaBrozzi, R., Mamberg, M., O'Connor, E., Wu, T. C. T. (2014). Work/Life Balance?. Gatrell, C. J., Burnett, S. B., Cooper, C. L., Sparrow, P. (2013). WorkLife Balance and Parenthood: A Comparative Review of Definitions, Equity and Enrichment*.International Journal of Management Reviews,15(3), 300-316. Goodman, A. (2012). Worklife balance. InPhysicians pathways to non-traditional careers and leadership opportunities(pp. 25-34). Springer New York. Harper, C. (2013).Exploring the relationship between management style and work-life balance(Doctoral dissertation, COLORADO TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY). Hobson, B. (Ed.). (2013).Worklife balance: The agency and capabilities gap. OUP Oxford. Jones, F., Burke, R. J., Westman, M. (2013).Work-life balance: A psychological perspective. Psychology Press. Kimura, D. (2016). Work and Life Balance If We Are Not Happy Both in Work and out of Work, We Cannot Provide Happiness to Others.Frontiers in pediatrics,4. Kinman, G., McDowall, A. (2014). Managing work-life balance-a workshop for practitioners. British Psychological Society. Kinman, G., McDowall, A. (2015). EAOHP Conference 2014: wellbeing and work-life balance. Lewis, S., Anderson, D., Lyonette, C., Payne, N., Wood, S. (2014). Work-life balance policies, practices and discourse in the context of public sector cuts. Infirst ESRC Seminar on Work-Life Balance in the Recession and Beyond, Middlesex University. Lunau, T., Bambra, C., Eikemo, T. A., van der Wel, K. A., Dragano, N. (2014). A balancing act? Worklife balance, health and well-being in European welfare states.The European Journal of Public Health,24(3), 422-427. Lyness, K. S., Judiesch, M. K. (2014). Gender egalitarianism and worklife balance for managers: Multisource perspectives in 36 countries.Applied Psychology,63(1), 96-129. Penson, D. F. (2016). Re: Changes in Burnout and Satisfaction with Work-Life Balance in Physicians and the General US Working Population between 2011 and 2014.The Journal of urology,5(195), 1568. Richmond, G. L., Rohlfing, C. M. (2013). Work-Life Balance. Saeed, K., Farooqi, Y. A. (2014). Examining the relationship between work life balance, job stress, and job satisfaction among university teachers (A case of University of Gujarat).International Journal of Multidisciplinary Sciences and Engineering,5(6), 9-14. Shanafelt, T. D., Hasan, O., Dyrbye, L. N. (2016, February). Changes in Burnout and Satisfaction With Work-Life Balance in Physicians and the General US Working Population Between 2011 and 2014 (vol 90, pg 1600, 2015). InMAYO CLINIC PROCEEDINGS(Vol. 91, No. 2, pp. 276-276). 360 PARK AVE SOUTH, NEW YORK, NY 10010-1710 USA: ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC. Stavrou, E., Ierodiakonou, C. (2015). Entitlement to Workà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ Life Balance Support: Employee/Manager Perceptual Discrepancies and Their Effect on Outcomes.Human Resource Management. Stokes, L., Wood, S. J. (2016). Employer Support For Worklife Balance In Recession: Findings For Britain From The Workplace Employment Relations Survey.

World Religion Report Hinduism Essay Example

World Religion Report Hinduism Paper Hinduism; organized religion or compilation of smaller belief systems? Some would argue that Hinduism is a combination of both of those terms and much more. What encompasses the Hindu religion? Why do people of today, even in modern America still practice a faith that some may even consider paganism? In comparison to the dominant monotheistic religion of Christianity, where does the Hindu religion rank? Although Hinduism is not the world’s leading religion, there are still large numbers of followers today. Hinduism is ranked as the number four world religion with approximately 900 million followers (Adherents. om, 2007). According to the Ontario Consultants for Religious Tolerance (2006), â€Å"Hinduism is generally regarded as the worlds oldest organized religion†. Hinduism does not have a particular founder, no Hindu orthodoxy, dogma, or even a distinct system of morality. Hinduism is actually a set of beliefs and practices that have developed gradually over time. Hin duism the beginning The traditional theory as to the genesis of Hinduism traces the root of the religion to the Indus Valley. The development of Hinduism has been influenced by numerous invasions over the years. The greatest influence is said to have been the nomadic Aryan indo European tribes invaded North India approximately 1500BCE (Ontario Consultants for Religious Tolerance, 2006). According to the Ontario Consultants for Religious Tolerance (2006), â€Å"These beliefs mingled with the more advanced, indigenous Indian native beliefs, often called the Indus valley culture†. Never the less numerous archeologist and religious historians now reject this theory, because the origin of the theory was based on the prior belief about the age of the earth and the biblical story of Noah’s Ark (Ontario Consultants for Religious Tolerance, 2006). It is believed that the book of Genesis places the creation of earth at 4,000BCE and the Noah’s flood at 2,500 BCE, which contradicts the date of the Aryan invasion (Ontario Consultants for Religious Tolerance, 2006). Despite the original and emerging theories as to the origin of the Hindu religion, Hinduism has developed into a religion of its own rites. Hinduism, monotheistic, polytheistic, or something else? Hinduism or Sanatana Dharma is a henotheistic religion; it can also be viewed as polytheistic and monotheistic. It all depends on one’s view and perspective about how the Hindus worship their god. We will write a custom essay sample on World Religion Report Hinduism specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on World Religion Report Hinduism specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on World Religion Report Hinduism specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Hinduism recognizes a single deity and views other deities as a manifestation of that supreme god. This is a part of the central theme or fundamental of Hinduism belief in the Absolute, Supreme Reality, called Brahman and its identification with Aatman (individual soul). It is said that Brahman, which is formless, infinite, and impersonal in nature, can manifest in many forms, thus the worship of many gods/goddesses, some are even human. For the sake of making the worship more personal, the gods/goddesses had been personified and given different attributes. However, of all the deities that are worshipped by Hindu’s, the most worshipped are Shiva, Vishnu and Shakthi (Fisher, 2005). Hinduism is sometimes believed as the Trinitarian because Brahman is often seem as a triad—one god with three persons (Ontario Consultants for Religious Tolerance, 2007). The Trinitarian includes Brahman who is the creator; Vishnu is the preserver or the one who sustains, and Shiva the destroyer who can also be seen as compassionate. Hindu belief about life and death Hindus believe that all creatures go through the cycle of birth and rebirth called reincarnation. The principle of karma, which means action, and the consequences of action, follow from lifetime to lifetime, determines the status of each being’s birth. To escape from the cycle of birth, death, or rebirth (samsara) lead by karma is to achieve moksha. According to Fisher (2005), â€Å"To escape from samsara is to achieve moksha, or liberation from the limitations of space, time, and matter through realization of the immortal Absolute. Many lifetimes of upward-striving incarnations are required to reach this transcendence of earthly miseries† (p. 75). Hindu sacred and religious text There are many scripts and text in the Hindu religion; among the most sacred are the Vedas and Upanishad, which is often referred to as the foundation of the Sanatana Dharma. In Hindu Philosophy, there are six orthodox schools. They are Nyaya, Vaishseshika, Samkhya, Yoga, Purva Mimamsa, Vedanta (Fisher, 2005). Hindu ethics and religious practices Hindus organize their lives around the Four Aims of Hinduism often referred to as the â€Å"doctrine of the fourfold end of life† (Ontario Consultants for Religious Tolerance, 2006). The first is dharma, which is righteousness in their religious life. The second is Artha, which means success in their economic life. The third is Kama, which is the gratification of the senses to include sexual, sensual, and pleasure. The fourth is Moksha, which is the liberation from samsara and the ultimate goal for humanity (Ontario Consultants for Religious Tolerance, 2006). Hindus practice yoga, which is a part of meditation. Included in their daily lives is the practice of puja, which is the ceremonial act of showing reverence to a god or goddess through prayer, devotion, rituals (Padmini Light, 2007). Hinduism versus Christianity Christianity is the World’s leading religion with 2. 1 billion followers (Adherents. com, 2007). With so many followers, one would think that there is very little in common with the Hindu religion. However, there are similarities along with many differences. Hinduism has no specific founder, nor is it based on the life or teachings of anyone (Fisher, 2005). Christianity is based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ (Fisher, 2005). According to All About Religion. org (2002-2007), â€Å"Hinduism is not exclusive and accepts all religions as valid. Christianity, however, teaches that Christ is the only way to God†. Christianity has an uncompromising view towards other religions when it comes to the infallibility of the bible and Jesus Christ. According to Hindu belief, the path to god are many and in whatever way we worship him, he will respond sincerely (Jayaram, 2000-2006). The Hindu religion advocates many forms of worship. In Christianity, any form of worship that is not approved by the bible is an anathema to Christianity In Christianity, the main source of principles and morals is the bible. In Hinduism, there are many to include the Vedas, the Upanishads, the Agamas, and the Bhagavad-Gita (Jayaram, 2000-2006). Hindus organize their lives around the Four Aims of Hinduism and Christians organize their lives around the Ten Commandments. However, though different, both the Four Aims and Ten Commandments serve as a moral guide on how to live life. Hinduism and Christianity have played significant roles, one in the Eastern world and one in the Western world. Hinduism has played a significant role in East in the emergence of other religions to include Jainism, Buddhism and Sikhism (Jayaram, 2000-2006). Christianity has played a significant role in the West, helping to shape Judaism and Islam. Both religions view their God in the form of a trinity. Christians believe in the Holy Trinity, which is God the father, the son and the Holy Spirit, three â€Å"persons† within the one divine being. Hindus believe in the Trinitarian, which is Brahman the creator, Vishnu the preserver, and Shiva the destroyer. Christians and Hindus have very different beliefs about life and death. Hindus believe one can have many lives, and they believe in the cycle of birth and rebirth. The only way to escape from the cycle of birth, death, or rebirth is to obtain moksha. Christians do not believe in reincarnation. Christians are taught that individuals have only one life on earth and after death, an everlasting life waits in either heaven or hell depending on how one lived one’s life. Conclusion Hinduism has been viewed as the world’s oldest religion; however, it continues to evolve. For a religion that has existed so long, its sustainability is remarkable even by today’s standards. Even in a small town of Mount Holly, New Jersey, there are still devoted followers of this old religion. This brings up the poignant reminder that religion is like a tree. From a small seed many branches are formed. However, the root remains the same. So, what is the root of religion? The root of religion is hope, and it is the collected beliefs in a higher being who addresses the human need to seek divine guidance. References Adherents. com (2007, April 19). Major Religions of the World Ranked by Number. Retrieved July 18, 2007, from http://www. adherents. com/Religions_BY_Adherents. html All About Religion. org (2002-2007). Comparison Christianity and Hinduism. Retrieved July 24, 2007, from http://www. allaboutreligion. org/comparison-christianity-and-hinduism-faq. htm Fisher, M. P. 2005). Living religions (6th ed. ). New Jersey: Prentice-Hall Inc. Jayaram, V. (2000-2006). Hinduism and Christianity. Retrieved July 26, 2007, from http://hinduwebsite. com/hinduism/h_christianity. asp Ontario Consultants for Religious Tolerance (2006, November 21). Hinduism. Retrieved July 23, 2007, from http://www. religioustolerance. org/hinduism. htm Padmini Light (2007). What is Puja. Retrieved July 26, 2007, from http://www. padminilight. com/puja/what_ispuja. htm Thakur, R. (2007). Aarti. Retrieved July 24, 2007, from htt://www. dalsabzi. com/Mantras/jagdeesh_aarti. htm