“Organizations need strong leaders and a strong culture” Essay Example for Free

â€Å"Organizations need strong leaders and a strong culture† Essay In this essay, I am going to critically analyze the importance strong leaders coupled with a strong culture has within organizations. In doing so, the argument is built up of several contextual layers defining the significance that heavily immersed cultures along with well driven leaders has on the operational and interactional functioning’s of an organization but most importantly its employees. However first and foremost, it is believed that Post Bureaucratic management practices shape the construction of individual values and beliefs, ultimately depending on which cultural enrichment management will adopt. Furthermore, the abuse of power leaders may espouse may inflict adversarial repercussions upon the cultural framework embraced by the organization. Therefore this initiates a direct sequence of employees challenging De Facto power by engaging in managerial discourses, which repudiate against cultural structures, causing hierarchal movement. Whilst, firmly substantiating that strong culture’s lead by strong leaders build the inner mechanistic functioning of an organization, throughout this essay, in Section One I shall illustrate the importance of Post Bureaucratic mechanisms and the internal relationships they have with culture and leadership. Moreover in Section 2, I will attempt to expose how power is used as a possession, rather than a relationship between people. Lastly, in order to logically complete my argument, I will define how resistance is seen to be a ‘reactive process’ whereby people embedded in power relations actively oppose initiatives enacted by others (Jermier et all 1994:90) Section 1 It is believed that having such a widely shared integrative culture in organizations is often viewed as a panacea for management and a recipe for corporate success (Peter and Waterman 1982) In relation to this statement, a good culture coupled with a intuitive leader will only set out a positive regime of truth, that will undoubtedly allow the emergence of a cultural  landscape to ensure conformity is consistent to all who belong to the organization. In order to achieve such an ambition, organizations embrace Post Bureaucratic mechanisms, which are depicted as a set of normative controls that stress the importance of socialization, enculturation and identification with company objectives. (Josserand, Villesà ¨che, Bardon 2012) However the most pressing point to highlight is the fact that Post Bureaucratic mechanisms heavily entail the involvement of cultural promotion, which further aims to propel culture onto center stage. Ultimately, this means that for people to function within any given setting they must have a continuing sense of what the reality surrounding them is about (Pettigrew 1979) Herein, this tells us that culture provides a source of organizational ‘common sense’, upon which members draw to when deciding where, when and how to act. (Clegg, Kornberger Pitsis 2011) Therefore social interaction must be conceived as the negotiation of meaning, which inevitably formulates and continues the growth and extension of leadership abilities and culture amongst members of an organization. Moreover social interaction may also be characterized as an organization of instrumental relations, resulting in the formulation of various relations or relationships amongst not only members of an organization but also identification in a corporate alumni network. Hence, repetitive symbolic activities are drawn upon by organizations to maintain the stability of the social system, which has a fundamental obligation to create and recreate the system. (Rosen 1988) Making direct reference to Michel Rosen’s journal article: â€Å"You asked for it: Christmas at the Bosses Expense†, the use of ceremonies and rites, being the Christmas party encompasses a latent function, which directly aims to enable a state of partial suspension of normal structure relationships in which culture emerges as an organizing principle underlying agency membership. Lastly, despite Post Bureaucratic mechanisms promoting an enterprising culture, more importantly it imbues humanistic values of autonomy, flexibility, confidence and trust that ultimately carry the intent to urge employees to take on responsibilities (Josserand, Villesà ¨che, Bardon 2012) However, it should be undoubtedly emphasized that managers must inhibit the appropriate leadership qualities that will enable themselves and employees  to share a common relationship, in turn directly allowing them to control and frame their subjectivity in order to align one another’s relevancies. Subsequently this is achieved through leaders identifying culture, as an asset to form a paternalistic relation with their employees, as such can be debated to ignite a desirable urge to be apart of the community the organization instills. Furthermore it should be accentuated that the â€Å"Path Goal Theory† of leadership, is imperative to a successful relationship between employer and employee. It is noted as the physiological and technical support that managers provide as leaders, which ultimately intends to motivate employees by helping them understand that their needs and expectations can be fulfilled through the performance of their jobs. (Clegg, Kornberger Pitsis 2011) Section 2 In todays business realm the sociological treatment of power has the ability to perpetuate a substantial impact on the interrelation and operational processes of an organization. In support of this statement, it is elemental to treat power as a property of abstract systems, as its complexities must not only be precisely managed but also more importantly understood. Therefore it is clear that the conception of power has the capability to â€Å"make or break† an organization as Giddens argues that â€Å"the notion of power is logically tied to that of action, and in its widest sense, power refers simply to the ‘transformative capacity’ of human action†. (Knights Roberts 1982) Given this fact, we are able to argue that power has the fortitude to develop, refine or revolutionize an organizational landscape. Accordingly it is paramount that power should be treated and only applied amongst the confinements of a relationship, rather than kept as a possession to an individual. It is this underlying complexity that sparks much conjecture throughout organizations and cultural foundations. Specifically, when power is treated as a possession the direct result is that of the ignition of conflict, which can be depicted as a threatening hazard that has the ascendency to topple even the most successful organizations throughout the world. Firstly it is important to point that the individualistic conception of power is concealed within managers in which it is defined as the way that resources of ownership and control are employed in attempt to coerce labor into compliance. (Knights Roberts 1982) This is formally known as coercive power, which is understood to be the power someone has over another, ultimately meaning the denial or removal of individual choice. Furthermore coercion â€Å"requires the active submission of one person to another†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Russ 1980:7-11) as such a thought holds the aptitude to administer alarming repercussions throughout an organizations culture. This is largely due to the fact that â€Å"equal attempts at coercion may lead to more or overt forms of resistance† (Russ 1980:7-11), a discomforting scenario that will not only cause a severe backlash against the leadership circle, but also hold the potential to eclipse the current operational success of the business. Essentially, due to the low trust dynamics, a regressive spiral of attempted control and counter control (Fox 1974) will further impede negatively on the business, ultimately throwing the culture into an unhealthy state of affair and the leadership hub at risk of being overthrown. In addition, another essential point to mention is the affiliation the notion of mainstream culture has with coercive power. As stated above, the sociological treatment of power has the potential to inflict adversarial effects if not effectively managed by administrators of an organization. Alternatively, culture is believed to create consistency and reduce conflict. However coercive authority, contradicts the view of mainstream culture, as it arguably does the total opposite. If it is believed that if organizational structures, strategies, regulations and policies frame the behavioral intents of employees, then members who belong to a hierarchy dominated by coercive power, will not only reject to be consistent with company norms but also increase conflict. This is supported by the belief that culture brings people together: it ensures they all think alike, feel and act in relatively similar ways. (Clegg, Kornberger Pitsis 2011) Similarly, also by correlating coercive power with mainstream cultures, it highlights the inadequate and defective leadership attributes it promotes. Cultural engineering is undertaken by senior management and disseminated  downward causing a spiral effect. (Clegg, Kornberger Pitsis 2011) Therefore culture can be interpreted as a management ‘lever’, a means of ensuring organizational goals are instilled and accepted by its members through the allurement of its culture. (Brewis 2007) Essentially, to make leadership effective, a leader must undertake in authoritative power, which is a more realistic understanding of interdependence in organizations (Knights Roberts 1982) What this means is that a mutual recognition of employer employee relations is shared, causing members to accept the advice and direction of others rather than opposing. A unique feature of the relationship is that authority cannot be imposed nor possessed, but exists only as a quality of the relationship. (Knights Roberts 1982) However mutual manipulation may occur when someone attempts to elevate their power above the mutual trust, therefore implying it is imperative to maintain the reciprocal of rights. Lastly this has an overwhelming influence on the culture, as all participants obtain a sense of authority and belonging. Section 3 With regard to coercive power, and the debilitated ramifications it inflicts on an organization’s cultural arrangement, it can be condoned to believe that members will engage in more overt forms of resistance. Essentially, what this points out is the creativity of employees resisting increasing control of the labor processed by management (Prasad and Prasad 2000). Therefore resistance can be directly associated with defective leadership, as even though management believe they hold the right to produce the policies that â€Å"they† want, it doesn’t mean its members will agree. Given these facts, work groups use resistance to induce what they want, the indispensible adjustments required for relatively smooth and everyday functioning in the workshop. (Courpasson, Dany Clegg 2011) More importantly, despite the act of resistance producing a common interest in opposition to management, it simultaneously results in more resistance (Burawoy 1982), clearing professing the viral empowerment it professes amongst members of an organization. Hence, this approach conceptualizes resistance as an irreducible opposition between members and management, clearly endangering the foundations of any cultural environment inhibited by an organization. Touching upon the previous paragraph, resistance is a direct result of the enmeshment of exploitative relations (Courpasson, Dany Clegg 2011). More importantly, this allures members to engage in managerial discourses, which operate against the cultural and ideological controls that frame, a company (Thomas 2009) and craft new identities, which challenge De facto Power (Ewick and Silbey 2003). Ultimately this causes dysfunctional freezing of an organization, a direct cause of members participating in â€Å"distancing† themselves from the company’s ambitions and requisites until change has transpired. Nevertheless this can be seen to benefit the organization as a whole, as employees now have the capacity to accede their desires. In relation to culture, it is imperative that members concerns are meant in order to achieve optimum business success; therefore managers seek to secure compliance through meeting employee’s sentiments and desires. Subsequently, it is vital for cultures to obtain core values and presuppositions that are widely shared and acted on (Peter and Waterman 1982), however by managers thriving on the elevation of power and exploitation, it only contradicts what a good culture should be about by going against group norms. Drawing closely to theorists ideas, it is believed that â€Å"if you forged a strong culture that incorporate all organizational members in shared beliefs and commitments – everything else good, morale, performance and results should follow†(Peter and Waterman 1982), clearly exposing the importance of effective and understanding leadership. Lastly, it should be accentuated that improvement in productivity and quality would accrue when corporate cultures systematically align individuals with formal organizational goals (Peter and Waterman 1982), but arguably wont be reached if members are continually constrained by the corporation. Overall with all of the above being discussed, one could conclude that Human skill is a pre requisite of what a strong leader should acquire. An approved culture will only occur if everyone is integrated into one managerially designed structure and the result, a superior performance. However this is  can be deemed only attainable if leadership has the ability to work with people, meaning to be sensitive to the needs and motivations of others, and taking into account other needs in ones decision making (Clegg, Kornberger Pitsis 2011) a clear contrary to what coercive power achieves. However, it could be argued that such leaders enjoy the hierarchal separation between themselves and lower level employees, as the process to both lead and yet also work alongside them is an ongoing struggle. Conclusion In summation, I have come to the conclusion that it is inevitable for an organization to parade operational success without some sort of formulation of a strong culture espoused with strong leadership. Despite Post Bureaucratic management practices shaping the construction of individual values and beliefs, I believe it is imperative for the leadership hub of any organization to be effectively aware of the on going relationship its shares with its members. For any organization to achieve corporate success the notion of culture should be heavily identified and all components that it contains must be exercised accordingly. Ultimately, if managements leadership qualities are deemed to be strong, the culture constructed must comprise a set of deep, basic assumptions and beliefs as well as shared values, which will enable members to attain a sense of not only identity but also more importantly provide them with heterogeneous ways of making decisions. Therefore bringing my essay to a close, it should not be forgone that an organization requires a strong culture and strong leadership. Reference List Articles 1. Burawoy, M. 2001. Donald Roy: Sociologist and working stiff. Contemporary Sociol. 30(5) 453-458 2. Courpasson, D., Dany, F. and Clegg, S. (2011) Resisters at Work: Generating Productive Resistance in the Workplace,  Organization Science, Articles in Advance: 1–19. 3. Ewick, P., S. Rayner, eds. (2003) Narrating social structure: Stories of resistance to legal authority. Amer. J. Social. 108(6) 1328-1372. 4. Fox, A. (1974) Beyond Contract: work, power and trust relationships. London: Faber 5. Josserand, E., Villesà ¨che, F. Bardon, T., (2012) Being an active member of a corporate alumni network: a critical appraisal, pp. 31-55 6. Knights, D. and Roberts, J. (1982) The power of organisation or the organisation of power? Organisation Studies, 3(1): 47-63 7. Prasad, P. A. Prasad. (2000) Stretching the iron cage: The constitution and implications of routine workplace resistance. Organ. Sci. 11(4) 387 – 403 8. Russ, V., (1980) Positive and negative power; thoughts of the dialectics of power, Organizational studies 1/1:3-20 9. Rosen, M. (1988) You asked for it: Christmas at the bosses expense, Journal of Management Studies, 25(5): 463-480. Books 1. Brewis, J. (2007) Culture in Knights, D. and Willmott, H. (eds), Introducing Organizational Behaviour Management, Australia Thompson: 344-374. 2. Clegg, S., Kornberger, M., and Pitsis, T. (2011) Managing Organisations: An Introduction to †¨Theory and Practice, 3rd Edition, London, Sage (Chapter 6), pp. 224 3. Clegg, S., Kornberger, M., and Pitsis, T. (2011) Managing Organisations: An Introduction to †¨Theory and Practice, London, Sage (Chapter 4), pp. 133 4. Jermier, J. M., D. Knights, W. R. Nord, eds (1994) Power in organzations. Routledge, New York. 5. Thomas, R. (2009) Critical management studies on identity: Mapping the terrain. M. Alvesson, T. Bridgman, H. Willmott eds. The Oxford Handbook of Critical management studies. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK, 166-186 6. Peter, T. J., Waterman, R.H. (1982) In Search for excellence: Lessons from Americas best-run companies. Warner Book, New York.

Customer Satisfaction In The Hotel Industry Tourism Essay

Customer Satisfaction In The Hotel Industry Tourism Essay The Study mainly reviews and discusses the topic of customer satisfaction and its application to the Hospitality and Tourism industries. Defines the concept and analyzes its importance to services and its importance to serves in general and to hospitality / tourism services in particular. Following a discussion on the dimensions and attributes of satisfaction, lists the main methods of measuring satisfaction and concludes with a review of global and cross-cultural issues that affect satisfaction in hotel industry. Customer satisfaction is the leading decisive factor for determining the quality and standard which is actually delivered to the customer through the product, service or by the accompanying servicing. (Vavra, 1997); Its simply stated, Customer satisfaction is essential for corporate survival Several studies have found that it costs about five times as much in time, money and resources to attract a new customer as it does to retain an existing customer (Neumann, 1995). This creates the challenge of maintaining high levels of service, awareness of customer expectations and improvement in services and product. Hayes states that Knowledge of customer expectations and requirements is essential for two reasons it provides understanding of how the customer defines quality of services and products, and facilitates the development of a customer satisfaction questionnaire (Hayes, 1997, p7). Furthermore, customer satisfaction is recognized as of great importance to all commercial firms because of its influence on repeat purchases and word of mouth recommendations (Berkman and Gilson, 1986). The researcher interest is to carryout a study of customer satisfaction at Express by Holiday Inn, London. Research Problem Customer satisfaction research is not an end into itself. The purpose, of course, in measuring customer satisfaction is to see where a company stands in this regard in the eyes of its customers, thereby enabling service and product improvements which will lead to higher satisfaction level. Satisfaction is not a universal phenomenon and not everyone gets the same satisfaction out of the same hospitality experience. The reason is that customers have different needs, objectives and past experiences that influence their expectation. The results of a customer satisfaction survey need to be evaluated to determine what needs to be improved. Goals should be as specific as possible. Hotels are often challenged on how to best increase guest satisfaction, and how to optimize both price and occupancy. Employee satisfaction, guestroom cleanliness, amenities, appearance, food and services all contribute to customer satisfaction, and increase customer satisfaction is a proven driver of guest retent ion and higher occupancy rates. Understanding customer experience through research is widely recognized as a key factor in improving long-term business performance. Express by Holiday Inn Hotel had a requirement to obtain daily feedback at an individual level by rooms/reception questionnaire in general for its GSTS (Guest satisfaction tracking system). It has to introduce web based questionnaire survey to create an opportunity to built feedback interface for general public to get provided a cost-effective and practical methodology so hotel future guest see the reviews in term of past feedbacks. In the customer arena, we believe that regular, quantitative measurement of customer satisfaction provides a much better lead indicator of future organizational health than profitability of market share change (Tom Peters, Management guru) Objectives of the Study The main objective is to conduct the customer satisfaction and its measurement in the hotel industry with special reference to Express by Holiday Inn Hotel, London. Subsidiary Objectives Analyses of costs demonstrating that customer retention is substantially less expensive than customer acquisition. Customer behaviourists in the area of lodging, restaurant, food services and tourism. Customer satisfaction is a psychological concept. Customer purchase goods and service with pre purchase expectations about anticipated performance. Assessment of satisfaction is made during the service delivery process. Satisfaction is not a universal phenomenon and everyone is not getting the same satisfaction out of the same hospitality experience. Reliability, Responsiveness, Assurance, Empathy and Tangibles. Significance of Study Customer Satisfaction measurement (CSM) consists of on two major roles Providing Information Enabling Communication with Customer The initial or primary reason for taking the time to measure customer satisfaction is based on to collect the information. It means that what customers say that need to be done differently or on the other hand to assess how well an organization is currently meeting its customer needs or requirements. But the secondary is not less important function of CSM in hospitality industry that by surveying customers. An organization is emphasis its interest in communicating with its customers. In hotel industry, its always finding out customers needs, pleasures, displeasures and overall well being. Though it is impossible to measure the satisfaction of every single customer needs. The customer satisfaction may different from organization to organization or hotel to hotel. Here we would like to quote Neumann (1995) five objectives suggestions as follows: To get close to the customer Measure continuous improvement To achieve customer driven improvement To measure competitive strengths and weaknesses To link Customer Satisfaction Measurement (CSM) data to internal systems Hypothesis Customer Satisfaction is a psychological concept. Customer purchase goods and services with pre purchase expectations. Assessment of satisfaction is made during the service delivery process. Satisfaction is not Universal phenomenon. Recognition of the employees who contribute to the Customers satisfaction Customer based improvement goals Plans for improving operational variables Incorporation of customer satisfaction skills into employees training programme Measurement and plan for improvement of employee satisfaction Importance of my Study To satisfy each and every customer or to meet his / her expectation every time is not an easy task especially in hotel industry. This work is to investigate and examine the psychology of the customer, their expectations and behaviour. Methodology My methodology of research will be based on experience, day to day operation of the hotel, customer complaint, customer satisfaction standard, theory, hypothesis, observation and confirmation. Universe of the Study The research would be conducted Hotels based in London, utilizing my own experience but the mainly focused on the Customer Satisfaction Measurement. Sample Design My sample will be comprised of the Customer Satisfaction Measurement in Express by Holiday Inn Hotel, London Data Usage In my research I would like to go for primary data collection, secondary data collection, quantitative and qualitative data collection. Tools of data Collection The data collection would include the use of questionnaire, scheduled interviews, guest feedback, and management feedback, guest services track system (GSTS), guest survey, and personal experience along with personal observation. In the questionnaire design, I will use the respondent completes short closed ended questions and long open ended questions. In the interview design, I would like to use personal forms, sharing their experience and work directly with the respondent. In the guest feedback, I would like to get the guest feedback while they are checking out from the hotel, compare their past and current experience. In the management feedback, I would like to get the information from management regarding the standard and complaint level of the guest activities in the hotel. Hypothesis Testing My hypothesis is Customer Satisfaction is a psychological concept. Customer purchase goods and services with pre purchase expectations. Assessment of satisfaction is made during the service delivery process. Satisfaction is not Universal phenomenon. I would like to test this hypothesis with my proper research along with my personal experience with respect to the Customer Satisfaction Measurement theory. Research Design and Timing Feb 2010 In the month of Feb 2010 I will finish my primary data collection (questionnaire, interviews, guest feed back, and management feedback, guest services track system, guest surveys, personal observation and experience) Feb 2010 In the month of Feb I would like to finish my complete data collection and I will systemize the data in the proper form according to the distribution of report. March 2010 In the month of July I would like to finish my final report writing and I will make it ready for the submission at the end of March 2010. Structure of the Report Chapter No 1 : Introduction Chapter No 2 : Literature review Chapter No 3 : Theory base (all theoretical background) Chapter No 4 : Analysis of the findings Chapter No 5 : Discussions Chapter No 6 : Conclusion and Recommendations Monitoring and Evaluation Feb, 2010 by Researcher Feb, 2010 by Supervisor March, 2010 by Researcher March, 2010 by Supervisor Literature Review My literature review comprises of theories, models, customers satisfaction surveys and related information. Brief and summarized form of my most important literature review is given below: Satisfaction Theories: Satisfaction Models: Satisfaction Surveys: Express by Holiday Inn Hotel Experience of Guest Satisfaction: Recently, numerous researchers have attempted to apply CS theories developed by consumer behaviorists in the areas of lodging in order to investigate CS applicability to the hospitality and tourism industries. The majority of these theories are based on cognitive nine distinct theories of customer satisfaction. The majority of these theories are based on cognitive psychology; some have received moderate attention, while other theories have been introduced without any empirical research. The theories include: Expectancy Disconfirmation Assimilation or cognitive dissonance Contrast Assimilation Contrast Equity Attribution Comparison level Generalized negativity Value precept Cognitive state of reward Customer satisfaction can also be defined as satisfaction based on an outcome or a process. Outcome definition of customer satisfaction characterizes satisfaction as the end-state resulting from the experience of consumption. This end state may be a cognitive state of reward, an emotional response to an experience or a comparison of rewards and costs to the anticipated consequences. Vavra also puts forth a definition of customer satisfaction based as a process, emphasizing the perceptual, evaluative and psychological processes contributing to customer satisfaction. In this definition, assessment of satisfaction is made during the service delivery process. Expectancy Disconfirmation Theory Richard Oliver has developed the expectancy disconfirmation theory in 1980. According to his theory, customers purchase goods and services with pre-purchase expectations about anticipated performance. Once the product or service has been purchased and used, outcomes are compared against expectations. When outcome matches expectations, confirmation occurs. On the other hand when there are differences between expectations and outcomes then disconfirmation occurs. Negative disconfirmation occurs when product / service performance is less than expected. Positive disconfirmation occurs when product / service performance is better than expected. Satisfaction is caused by confirmation or positive disconfirmation of consumer expectations, and dissatisfaction is caused by negative disconfirmation of consumer expectations. Basically we may say that Customer satisfaction is a psychological concept that involves the feeling of well-being and pleasure that results from obtaining what one hopes for and expects from an appealing product and/or service. Satisfaction is not a universal phenomenon and not everyone gets the same satisfaction out of the same hospitality experience. The reason is that customers have different needs, objectives and past experiences that influence their expectations. Therefore, it is important to gain a clear idea of the customer needs and objectives that correspond to different kinds of satisfactions. This necessitates the segmentation of the market, because no service or product can offer everyone the same degree of satisfaction. Experience may result from changes in the perception of the actual quality of outcomes received, or from changes in the expectations against which these outcomes are compared. The components of satisfaction Most hospitality experiences are an amalgam of products and services. Therefore it is possible to say that satisfaction with a hospitality experience such as a hotel stay or a restaurant meal is a sum total of satisfactions with the individual elements or attributes of all the products and services that make up the experience. Reuland Model of Satisfaction There is no uniformity of opinion among marketing experts as to the classification of the elements in service encounters. Reuland suggests that hospitality services consist of a harmonious mixture of three elements: The material product in a narrow sense which in the case of a restaurant is the food and beverages; The behavior and attitude of the employees who are responsible for hosting the guest, serving the meal and beverages and who come in direct contact with the guests, The environment, such as the building, the layout, the furnishing, the lighting in the restaurant, etc. Reuland et al. (1985, p. 142) Czepiel Model of Satisfaction On the other hand, Czepiel suggests that satisfaction with a service is a function of satisfaction with two independent elements, the functional element, i.e. the food and beverage in a restaurant, and the performance-delivery element, i.e. the service. To prove the independence of the two elements from each other, the authors claim that restaurant clients are quite capable of having responses to each element that differ one from the other: The service was great, the food poor or conversely. (Czepiel et al) (1985. P. 13) David and Stone Model of Satisfaction Davis and Stone divide the service encounter into two elements: Direct Services Indirect Services For example, direct services may be the actual check-in/check-out process in hotels, while the indirect services include the provision of parking facilities, concierge, public telephones for guests use, etc. (Davis and Stone (1985, p.29) Dimensions of satisfaction In service organizations, the assessment of the quality of a service is made during the actual delivery of the service usually an encounter between the customer and a service contact person. Parasuraman identified the following five generic dimensions of service quality (SERVQUAL) that must be present in the service delivery in order for it to result in customer satisfaction: Reliability the ability to perform the promised services dependably and accurately. Responsiveness the willingness to help customers and provide prompt service. Assurance the knowledge and courtesy of employees as well as their ability to convey trust and confidence. Empathy the provision of caring, individualized attention to customers, and Tangibles, the appearance of physical facilities, equipment, personnel and communication materials. The model conceptualizes service quality as a gap between customers expectations (E) and the perception of the service providers performance (P). According to Parasuraman that service quality should be measured by subtracting customers perception scores from customer expectation scores: (Q = P E) The greater the positive score represents the greater the positive amount of service quality or vice versa. The gap that may exist between the customers expected and perceived service is not only a measure of the quality of the service, but is also a determinant of customer satisfaction/dissatisfaction. Measuring the gap between expected and perceived service is a routine method of utilizing customer feedback. Measuring service quality via customer satisfaction Hayes states that Knowledge of customer expectations and requirements is essential for two reasons: It provides understanding of how the customer defines quality of service and products and facilitates the development of customer satisfaction questionnaires. (Hayes, 1997) Customer satisfaction is recognized as of great importance to all commercial firm because of its influence on repeat purchases and word of mouth recommendation (Berkman and Gilson, 1986). Satisfaction, reinforces positive attitudes towards the brand, leading to a greater likelihood that the same brand will be purchased again, but on the other hand dissatisfaction leads to negative brand attitudes and lessens the likelihood of buying the same brand again (Assael, 1987) Guest Expectation from Express by Holiday Inn Hotel Expectations can be described as a mutable internal standard which is based on a multitude of factors including needs, objectives, past personal or vicarious experiences with the same establishment restaurant, with similar establishments, and the availability of alternatives. To recapitulate what we have established by now is that an individuals satisfaction with outcomes received from a hospitality experience results from a comparison of these outcomes with expectations. Some hotels / restaurant attributes are more likely to earn guest complaints than compliments. Availability of parking, hours of operation, traffic congestion, noise level, and spaciousness of the establishment all appear in the top-ten complaint list. In contrast, guests express appreciation for high performance in some areas, but rarely complain when performance is so-so. The survey results suggest that guest react favorably to a clean neat restaurant, neat employees, ample portions, and responsiveness to complaints. The quality and quantity of service, food quality, helpfulness of the employees, and the prices of drinks, meals and other services appear in both the list of most frequent complaints and the list of the most frequent compliments. Cadotte and Turgeon attribute model of performance Cadotte and Turgeon divided the attributes into the following four categories: Satisfiers Dissatisfiers Critical Neutral Satisfiers were those attributes where unusual performance apparently elicited compliments and satisfaction, but average performance or even the absence of the feature did not cause dissatisfaction or complaints. Large-size food portions, smartly dressed employees, clean and neat restaurants are all examples of a restaurant satisfier. Normal food portions, regularly dressed employees and not so neat restaurants do not cause dissatisfaction. In contrast, large food portions and well-groomed and smartly dressed employees please the restaurant guest. Satisfiers, represent an opportunity to shine, to move ahead of the pack, and to stand out from the crowd Dissatisfiers were more likely to earn a complaint for low performance or absence of a desired feature than anything else. But an operation that exceeds the threshold performance standard apparently will not receive compliments on the attribute. Parking and excessive noise are good examples of dissatisfiers; they have to be provided and maintained at a minimum or sufficient level. But efforts to achieve a higher performance level will not be appreciated by customers nor will it cause them satisfaction. Dissatisfiers particularly require management control to prevent poor performance. Minimum standards should be established, and the focus should be on maintaining these standards. Be as good as your competition, but do not waste resources trying to be better. Critical attributes were capable of eliciting both complaints (dissatisfactions) and compliments (satisfactions), depending on the situation. Quality of service, food quality and helpful attitude of employees ranked high in eliciting both complaints and compliments. Critical factors deserve special attention, because of their potential for both hurting and helping a business. Like dissatisfiers, minimum standards must be set to avoid negative responses to your service. For the critical attributes, the objective is to raise performance beyond the norm Neutral attributes neither received a great number of compliments nor many complaints, therefore probably indicating that they were either not salient to guests or easily brought up to guests standards. Cadotte and Turgeon draw our attention to the fact that the classification of these factors is not permanent but constantly changes. Some dissatisfier type attributes were probably critical at one time. Higher industry standards, though, may have improved performance to the extent that most restaurants are able to meet guest requirements on these factors. For example, in warm climates, the availability of reliable air conditioning in hotels or restaurants was a critical factor; today, with the advent of modern refrigeration technology, all hotels and restaurants in such climates will have it. Having more of it will not satisfy anyone, but when air-conditioning breaks down, suddenly everyone becomes dissatisfied. Resources I would like to use limited resources for my research. I will use internet, complete media library, company visits, interviewing with different guests who are staying in different hotels or regular guests and frequent flyers, news papers, journals, books, telephone and other possible resources which are easily available and easily accessible. Possible outcome of my study I would like to say that my research work on Customer Satisfaction Measurement will bring new turn and increase the satisfaction level in Central Park Hotel Hyde Park, London. More importantly, my study will analysis the guest satisfaction level and will point out the main causes, how to improve and bring the level of customer satisfaction up to the mark. Limitations of the Study My study on Customer Satisfaction Measurement in hotel industry will be limited only as well as on Express by Holiday Inn, London and other Hotels in London.

Principles And Misconceptions In Interpersonal Communication Education Essay

Principles And Misconceptions In Interpersonal Communication Education Essay This paper discusses about final paper communication with interpersonal relationships. It also addresses the five concepts that were most important for the successful communication with interpersonal relationships. This paper details the brief discussion about the communication with interpersonal relationships in the organization. It also provides the critical thought to communication with the selected five concepts and also examines about these five concepts to the successful of communication with the interpersonal relationships. This paper concludes with this final paper by providing the effective supporting points to the successful communication with interpersonal relationships. Introduction The interpersonal communication was tool for the successful of organizational products and services. One way of defining interpersonal communication was to compare it to other forms of communication. The interpersonal communication helped to understand that why human being behaved and communicated in different ways to construct and negotiate a social reality. This was the process that human being used to communicate with their ideas, feelings and thoughts to another person. The interpersonal communication skills can be improved through knowledge, practice, reflection and feedback. There are several concepts that were most significant to successful communication with interpersonal relationships. The five concepts were explaining the principles and misconceptions in effective interpersonal communications, identifying the barriers to effective interpersonal interactions, recognizing how words have the power to create and affect attitudes, behaviour and perception, defining emotional intelligence and its role in effective interpersonal relationships, understanding the impact of gender and culture on interpersonal communications. These five concepts were proving the successful solution for the communication with interpersonal relationships. The interpersonal communication was also based upon these five concepts. These concepts and the roles of each concept on interpersonal communication will be explained in below. These five concepts also provided better advantages and effective skills to the interpersonal communication in order to develop them. This paper will be addressed the advantages and skills to the communication enhancement with interpersonal relationships. I. Principles and misconceptions in interpersonal communication This was the important concept in order to make the successful interpersonal communication. The four types of principles in interpersonal communication were that interpersonal communication was inescapable, interpersonal communication was irreversible, interpersonal communication was complicated, interpersonal communication was contextual. The first principle was that interpersonal communication was inescapable and in this case, the communication was not through only word but through tone of voice, gesture, posture and facial expression etc (Peter Hartley, 2002). Human being can constantly receive the communication from other in this first principle. This principle was also the basic principle of communication that referred the people was not mind readers. The second principle was that interpersonal communication was irreversible and the effect of this principle was inevitably remained. For example, once a word gone out of your mouth, you can never swallow it again. According to this statement, this principle was not reversible. The third principle was that interpersonal communication was complicated and because of variable involved, even simple requests was extremely complex. The statement proved the complex of interpersonal communication that if a message can be understood in different ways, it will be understood in just that way didnt the most harm. The fourth principle was that interpersonal communication was contextual and this referred that the communication didnt happen in isolation. The context included psychological context, relational context, situational context, environmental context and cultural context. These were the principles of interpersonal communication. Misconceptions of interpersonal communication The misconception of interpersonal was that interpersonal communication solved the problem. The misconception stated that the communication can be able to solve the problems of talking and listening. The second misconception was that interpersonal conceptions were always a good thing and this misconception states that communication was magic portion for all lifes ailments. The interpersonal communication was common sense that can make the extensive repertoire of skills for making informed choices in interpersonal relationships. Interpersonal communication was always face to face that referred the interpersonal communication had entered the face to face encounters among people in order to cultivate the interpersonal skills. II. Barriers to effective interpersonal interactions Physical barriers The physical barrier was the barrier to the effective interpersonal interactions and this barrier included the lack of interpersonal proximity to human being. This barrier to effective communication may seem obvious and their implications that should not be ignored. The immediate physical barriers can lead the lack of communication and implication of physical barriers prevented the effective communication interactions (Richard West, 2010). Emotional barriers The emotional barriers to the effective interpersonal were motivated by fear. For example, an emotional barrier was an inability to trust someone with your thoughts, feelings and ideas due to a fear of judgment from others and this barrier caused excessive fear, mistrust and nervousness to the interpersonal communication. Cultural and language barriers The cultural and language barrier was the barrier to the effective communication interactions. Every culture and the language have its own customs for interpersonal communication from how to address human being to spatial differences when speaking face to face. These differences will be the barriers to the interpersonal communication that can be caused the misunderstanding among people. These language and culture barrier also caused the negative conversation among the group of speakers. III. Recognizing the effective of words to interpersonal communication Words often influenced people for decades, delivering the courage to enhance people and the word have the capacity to building the people positively as well as negatively. The attitude, behaviour and perception of people based upon that how the word influenced them in the world for the better creation. The wrong words can be hurtful that led the negative conflicts and confusion among the people and but the rights words at the right time can make all the differences for someone. The wholesome word provided the grace in order to creating the excellent attitude, behaviour and perception of interpersonal relationships. The words can either empower the attitude, behaviour and perception of interpersonal communication and also positive words made them quit. The word create the positive statement and the statement was the group of word in order to create the better understanding to people in the case of shaping the positive attitude, behaviour and perception among interpersonal relationships. The words have the power to creating and affecting attitudes, behavior and perception in making the interpersonal communication better. The words also played a vital role in the case of influencing the communication with interpersonal communication. The word was the tool that must be considered when achieving the impact and the impact was upon the audience or listener in the interpersonal communication. The attitudes, behaviour and perception of people were based the effectiveness of words while communicating with others and because the word can make positive and negative effects among people. The familiar or the effective words can affect the attitudes, behaviour and perception of people positively. If the word was unfamiliar, then attitude, behaviour and perception affected negatively while communicating with others. It was the smallest element that may be uttered in isolation with the pragmatic content and this word created the better attitude, behaviour and perception to human being while communicating with others. The communication can deliver the effectiveness of word from others and it will provide the solution to make the positive attitude, behaviour and perception. The positive statement of word can only create attitude, behaviour and perception by motivating other positively. When the words were delivered from one and the listener will observe and think about the statement (Sandra D. Collins, 2008). If the statement of words was positive, then listeners will change their attitude, behaviour and perception positively that will lead the positive effect to human being. If the words led the negative statement to the listener, then listener will act with negative attitude, behaviour and perception. This led the negative environment to the listeners. Hence the words have the power to create and affect the attitudes, behaviour and perception positively as well as negatively to human being. IV. Role of emotional intelligence to interpersonal relationships The emotional intelligence was the ability for identifying, assessing and controlling the emotions of interpersonal relationships. The emotional intelligence was usually measured by means of using the maximum performance tests and it had the stronger relationships with the traditional intelligence. This emotional intelligence also played a vital role in the case of shaping the interpersonal relationships. Building the emotional intelligence skills boosted and enriched the interpersonal relationships. The emotional intelligence controlled the negative emotions such as anger, confusion for the enhancement of interpersonal relationships. The emotional intelligence helped in the case of understanding personal motivations, feelings and needs that helped in understanding how to communicate effectively in the interpersonal relationships. It played a positive role on interpersonal relationships and because of this emotional intelligence was having the significant way to explaining the interpersonal relationships. This emotional intelligence provided the interpersonal relationships to understand the difference between the damaging and effective communication. This also allowed the opportunities for transforming the conflicts into an opportunity for building the relationships. This emotional intelligence process can manage the stress, emotions, nonverbal communications, humor and conflict resolution for enhancing the interpersonal relationship. This emotional intelligence was also the primary source of human energy, aspiration and drive, activating innermost feeling in interpersonal relationships and the prior experience and belief system enhanced relationships (Mary Barrett, 2006). This emotional intelligence included the five domains in the case of enhancing the interpersonal relationships. The five domains were contributing more to the interpersonal relationships that were self-awareness, emotional maturity, self-motivation, empathic understanding and quality communication. These domains provided the facing capability to fears, anxiety and anger and also delivered the ability to breakthrough solutions for making decisions. These domains were also used for making sensitivity feeling and concerns and managing the emotions that based upon the empathy and understanding to build the mutual trust in interpersonal relationships. V. Understanding the impact of gender and culture in interpersonal communication This was the also the concept in the case of enhancing the communication with interpersonal relationships. The gender and culture also shaped the communication with interpersonal relationships. The culture and gender were the essential part of conflict resolution and the culture and gender shaped the perceptive, attributions and ideas of interpersonal communication. The culture and gender were very powerful in the case of resolving the conflicts with interpersonal relationships. The gender made the enhancement to the enhancement of interpersonal communication by making the styles in communication. The gender can be delivered the emotions and feelings while making the communication with others and hence this will lead the positive environment among the interpersonal relationships. The cultural genders shared the race, ethnicity, nationality and these were raised from cleavages of generation, socioeconomics and sexual orientation, political and social affiliations. The gender and culture were the two factors in the case of making the general identification. The impact of gender and culture on interpersonal communication reminds human being that different cultures have different expectations. For example, eye contact, boy gestures, physical touch, and aspects of importance will be differed and this differentiation was based upon the cultures and genders. It was possible to know that the value, attitude and behaviour as well as communication styles will be differed when interacting with people. The racial and ethnic diversity in marriage also affected the interpersonal communications. The roles of gender influenced the all kinds if behaviours especially within specific cultures. The interpersonal communication in marriage was the best example and that showed the impact of gender and culture on interpersonal skills. Conclusion The concepts of interpersonal communications and the concepts of interpersonal communications were discussed and the components were detailed. The critical thoughts of this paper were examined and five significant components to the enhancement of communication with interpersonal relationships were included. The concepts and ideas of each component to the interpersonal communication or relationships were studied. The essential points of principles, barriers, emotional intelligence, and impact of gender, culture were examined and the supporting points were concluded.

Crete: Biblical Traditions, Churches and Monasteries :: Free Descriptive Essay About A Place

Crete: Biblical Traditions, Churches and Monasteries Crete has long been known for its isolation caused by the mountains and the seas ; As a result of its landscape, it has been always identified as independent.? (Dubin 241). However, the mountains and the seas could not keep away the various foreign powers, occupations, and the religious impact these forces have had on this beautiful island.? History has shown that its island form has not kept Crete safe from outside forces; In fact, it is often considered to be a microcosm of a continent.? Just like a mini-continent, Crete has a diverse religious history that is fluid and ever changing with hundreds of years and layers of religious history.? ?Crete has always been steeped with religious importance, especially to the western world.? In fact, it was here in Crete where many believed that Zeus (the Roman god) was born and raised. (Psilakis 7) The caves in Crete are not only famous for the brethren who have made Christian dwelling, but also for being where the mythical gods lived as well.? Crete was also very important in early Christianity; The Apostle Paul around 64 CE (during his third apostolic trip) visited Crete. ( Theocharis, Detorakis) Paul later entrusted Titus to oversee the duty of the Christianizing the island.? However, the church in Crete has experienced many internal and external stresses on the church, much of it due to the friction of the island.? These tensions, however, have not impacted the religious strength and stamina of it island.? Crete is famous for their? ?Ten surmountable martyrs? who were martyred under persecution of Decious, Crete around 249-251 AD.( Theocharis, Detorakis)? So? famous and rever ed are these Cretians, that whenever the Byzantine wrote about the island of Crete, they were almost always mentioned.? The ?ten surmountable martyrs? are indicative of the strength, notoriety, and torments that the Cretian church and its members have embodied through history. HISTORY ?Despite the enthusiastic missionaries of early Crete, it was not until the peace came (under the Pax Romana) that Christianity really flourished in Crete.? It was between the 5th and 7th centuries when the church could flourish under the prosperity of the Byzantine empires of Constantinople. (Tucker 527) It was during this time that the Orthodox Church flourished. Unfortunately, later occupations and invasions have destroyed much of this epoch in Crete?s church history. ?Much of the Crete?s church history, however, is representative of constant change and not stagnancy.

The Proposed Legalization of Same Sex Marriage :: Gay Lesbian Homosexual Papers

The Proposed Legalization of Same Sex Marriage The proposed legalization of same-sex marriage is one of the most significant issues in contemporary American family law. Presently, it is one of the most vigorously advocated reforms discussed in law reviews, one of the most explosive political questions facing lawmakers, and one of the most provocative issues emerging before American courts. If same-sex marriage is legalized, it could be one of the most revolutionary policy decisions in the history of American family law. The potential consequences, positive or negative, for children, parents, same-sex couples, families, social structure public health, and the status of women are enormous. Given the importance of the issue, the value of comprehensive debate of the reasons for and against legalizing same-sex marriage should be obvious. Marriage is much more than merely a commitment to love one another. Aside from societal and religious conventions, marriage entails legally imposed financial responsibility and legally authorized financial benefits. Marriage provides automatic legal protections for the spouse, including medical visitation, succession of a deceased spouse's property, as well as pension and other rights. When two adults desire to "contract" in the eyes of the law, as well a perhaps promise in the eyes of the Lord and their friends and family, to be responsible for the obligations of marriage as well as to enjoy its benefits, should the law prohibit their request merely because they are of the same gender? I intend to prove that because of Article IV of the United States Constitution, there is no reason why the federal government nor any state government should restrict marriage to a predefined heterosexual relationship. Marriage has changed throughout the years. In Western law, wives are now equal rather than subordinate partners; interracial marriage is now widely accepted, both in statute and in society; and marital failure itself, rather than the fault of one partner, may be grounds for a divorce. Societal change have been felt in marriages over the past 25 years as divorce rates have increased and have been integrated into even upper class families. Proposals to legalize same-sex marriage or to enact broad domestic partnership laws are currently being promoted by gay and lesbian activists, especially in Europe and North America. The trend in western European nations during the past decade has been to increase legal aid to homosexual relations and has included marriage benefits to some same-sex couples.

Business Law Essay

As courts decide cases involving the Internet and new kinds of issues not addressed previously, what role, if any, does precedent play? What role should it play? What difficulties could arise? A court would first look to see if any applicable statutes apply to the situation. Beyond that, the court would consider whether or not there are any earlier relevant court decisions applicable to the case. The court might find a similar case, though one not involving the Internet, and extend its application to the Internet. Through this process, existing law can be extended to apply to new situations. Difficulties can arise if courts extend the application of an existing law to a new area where there are crucial differences that make the application of the old law improper. The Jurisdiction of the Court% Steve often purchases office supplies from Supplymax. a company with stores in many states, but none in Steve home state of Missouri. Supplymax does, however, maintain a distribution center in Kansas City. Missouri. Supplymax does not advertise in Missouri except that it places a few advertisements in national magazines. Some of which are sold in Missouri. Steve has an agreement with their store in Chicago. and Steve will often contact the Chicago store and have them hold items for him to pick up when he is on one of his frequent business trips to Chicago. Last year. Steve purchased eight chairs from Supplymax to use with his Conference table at his business. At a recent meeting with his local sales staff. One of the chairs collapsed injuring Steve. Steve has sued Supplyimax in state court in his hometown of St Louis. Supplymax does not want to have this case heard in Si. Louis. Or anywhere in Missouri for that matter. But if it must be in Missouri. Supplymax demands that the case be heard in Kansas City. Discuss the issues and likely outcome of his situation. Supplymax probably meets the minimum contacts requirement with the state of Missouri. Given its distribution center and advertising in national publication that reaches Missouri. Thus Missouri would have personal jurisdiction. Because the lawsuit arises out of events in St. Louis and there are witnesses from St. Louis. Proper venue would be in St. Louis. If the amount in controversy were more than $75,000, Supplymax could transfer the case to federal court.

Hrafnkel Trial Paper

Hrafnkel, in the eponymous Hrafnkel’s Saga, by modern standards would certainly be considered a ruthless murderer. However, it is necessary to take into consideration the time period and culture of this historic Scandinavian saga. The entirety of the Icelandic population was illiterate and as such the justice system established in 10th century Iceland was based mostly on a system of honor and violence. The laws of Iceland were not actually written down, but rather kept alive verbally. An oral oath was considered to be a legally binding contract.This system was a weak attempt at avoiding bloody feuds and altercations among the common people, amidst a governing system of honor and trust. Hrafnkel, the protagonist of Hrafnkel’s Saga, demonstrated this skewed justice system by asserting himself as a Chieftain and bringing wrath upon his enemies or anybody who crossed his word. Thus, when Einar broke his oral agreement with Hrafnkel, Einar essentially broke a legally binding contract and was consequently subject to the full penalty of their agreement.Therefore, Hrafnkel, who agreed to kill anybody who rode his beloved horse, Freyfaxi, was then not guilty in committing murder as he was not breaking any Icelandic laws and was simply committing to his contract with Einar. Hrafnkel’s murder of Einar was justified in a myriad of ways. Upon hiring Einar to be his sheepherder, Hrafnkel explicitly told him that he could ride any horse he pleased, but Freyfaxi: â€Å"But I must warn you against one thing: I want you never to ride this horse, however urgent the need may seem to you, for I’ve sworn an oath to kill anyone who rides him.† (40)In the era to which Hrafnkel lived, there were no such things as laws, government, policemen, or jails. People’s word was the law and when a verbal contract was broken, it was like breaking the law in a modern sense. Einar, clearly acknowledging this agreement, swore to abide by this and said he â⠂¬Å"would never be so wicked as to ride the one horse which was forbidden to him. † At this time in Icelandic culture, one who kept his word was held in high regard. Once again, Hrafnkel, reiterated the importance of an oral agreement and stated that â€Å"warning wards off blame.†Since Einar did indeed ride Freyfaxi, he was inevitably responsible for his own death. Even more so, Einar decided to ride Freyfaxi despite having several other horses to choose from; even though the other horses ran away he did not put any effort into mounting onto another horse. Einar’s murder was simply the ultimate punishment for his wrongdoing and breaking the law between Hrafnkel and him. One may begin to wonder why Hrafnkel had even subject Einar to such a preposterous and bizarre agreement. However, this agreement was not made in vain.Hrafnkel, had sworn an oath to dedicate half of Freyfaxi to the diety, Freyr, whom he loves above all others. Fundamentally, this meant only Freyr and Hrafnkel himself, were allowed to ride Freyfaxi. At the very start of the saga, Hrafnkel’s love for the god, Freyr was shown: â€Å"When Harnkel had settled at Adalbol, he had a large temple built and held great sacrifices to the gods. He loves Frey above all the other gods and gave him a half-share in all his best treasures. † (36) In fact, it is because of his intense affection for this god that Hrafnkell gained the title Freysgodi.As exemplified earlier, Freyr, played an extremely important part in the chieftain’s religion. Thus, Einar’s choosing to ride Freyfaxi was near sacrilegious in Hrafnkel’s eyes. Upon seeing a dirty and sweaty Freyfaxi, Hrafnkel considered the horse ill and abused, and promised to â€Å"avenge† his friend. Ultimately, even though Einar seemed like good hard-working man and Hrafnkel’s actions were harsh, Hrafnkel broke no laws while Einar broke the oral agreement, a legally binding contract, and harmed Freyfaxi.Primarily, just the breach of contract with Einar was enough justification to kill Einar, but even more so the culture of Iceland survived on a certain type of trust and honour system. It was this code of trust that gave Hrafnkel the authority and proper justification to kill Einar. If Einar was to be untrusted, this was the only way to ensure peace and order in the community. Furthermore, Hrafnkel even fulfilled the Icelandic duty to offer some kind of compensation for the grieving family. Hrafnkel’s compensation offer for food and items to Einar’s father, Thorbjorn, was extremely generous.In this respect, Hrafnkel was once again following the laws and traditions of Icelandic society. On another note, Hrafnkel was consindered to be the â€Å"hero† of Hrafnkel’s Saga. A saga according to multiple sources from the Internet is â€Å"a long story of achievement† and tells the â€Å"tales of worthy men. † In this sense, Hrafnkel can not be deemed guilty by his Icelandic people or readers. After close examination of the text of Hrankel’s Saga it is very clear that Hrafnkel was completely innocent in the killing of Einar. Based on 10th century Icelandic ideals on justice, Hrafnkel was able to punish Einar for breaking their oral agreement.In effect, by breaking this agreement, Einar was also breaking Hrafnkel’s sworn oath with the deity, Freyr, whom he shared Freyfaxi with. As cruel and insane Hrafnkel’s violence may seem under today’s standards, it was all justified under the Icelandic system of law. It is important to understand the civilization that had once existed rather than to judge the tale as a story of murder and dictatorship. In the proper light, Hrafnkel was a hero who upheld Icelandic tradition, law, and honor who in the process grew into a more understanding, respectable, and wealthier Chieftain.