Month: January 2023

‘Macbeth’ and ‘Throne of Blood’. Does adaptation distorts original text?

Adapting material from some origin is not something new that the film industry invented. Classical Greek playwrights adapted myths that had been passed in through oral tradition. And as soon as the
cinematographers recognized that presenting a story in moving picture required “good story”, so they started adapting story from novels, plays, short stories. Robert Stam discusses different sources of hostility towards the practice of adaptation. According to him, many have long viewed literature as being superior to film. He goes on to analyze the process of adaptation and the ways in which tie and
space are used differently in the two mediums. As per his view, “fidelity in adaptation is literally impossible. A filmic adaptation is automatically different and original due to the change of medium.”

(Downloaded from Google.com)

‘Macbeth’ is one of the finest and acclaimed works by Shakespeare. The play also has an easy to understand plot line which has lent itself to numerous adaptations.

(Downloaded from Google.com)

And one of those notable adaptations is the ‘Throne of Blood’ by Akira Kurosawa set in feudal Japan. Needless to mention that the central themes of the movie consist of tragedy, treachery, credulity and fallacy. However, to commence with the dissimilarities between the play Macbeth and Kurosawa’s movie, one among the other possible differences is their depictions of the battle at the opening stages of the plot.

(Downloaded from Google.com)

The play Macbeth opens with grotesque imagery of the revolt, and the weather all muddles up, as informed by the witches seen in medias res (amidst) of their conversation. The captain reporting about the battle even describes Macbeth as unseeming one of his opponents. This type of gory imagery, however, is nowhere to be found at the start of Kurosawa’s film ‘Throne of Blood’,

(Downloaded from Google.com)

instead it opens with the vast fog with a seemingly deserted and peaceful castle depicted behind the fog with a lamenting song, “Look upon the ruins of the castle of delusion haunted…”. It also features various captains reporting about the battle, but there are no depictions about the battle. The use of fog and the lack of violence, in the opening scene, set an uncertain tone for the rest of the film, and Washizu is not seen killing anyone that makes his future actions even more shocking. In fact, we witness Washizu’s innocence when he strongly resists the prophecy. As wherein Macbeth, the brutal portrayal of the battle in the beginning set a violent and dark tone right away, and thus, it makes Macbeth’s future killings somewhat less surprising. The shock factor of Washizu’s actions is also due o the fact that there are no witches at the start of the movie.

(Downloaded from Google.com)

On the other hand, we encounter that the witches start the play by invoking the name of Macbeth, leaving a sense of suspicion in the mind of the reader that Macbeth may not be who he appears. In the movie, three witches are replaced with a single-spirit who is seen chanting a song that introduces Japanese traditions, Buddhism and feelings of humanity. The song mentioning karma and reincarnation comes straight from the Buddhist beliefs.

Kurosawa’s Throne of Blood and Shakespeare’s Macbeth also differ greatly in their portrayals of Lady Macbeth and Lady Asaji respectively.

(Downloaded from Google.com)

In the play, Lady Macbeth makes her presence and intentions felt in her very first moments. She states, “Fill me from the crown to the toe topful of direst cruelty. Me thick my blood. Stop up the access and passage to remorse.” This quotation by her immediately warns the reader of her growing plans of evil.

(Downloaded from Google.com)

Contrarily, in the movie, Lady Asaji (the equivalent to Lady Macbeth) makes it much more subtle entrance. She is first seen sitting peacefully in Washizu’s castle appearing as submerged in deep contemplation. Throughout her attempts to convince Washizu to kill Tshuzuki, she remains completely sedentary and shows no sign of any emotion, unlike Lady Macbeth who passionately uses strong imagery and vehement speech to ty to persuade Macbeth. And Asaji’s fixed expressions portray the use of Noh mask. As far as the movie is concerned, predominantly the character of Asaji, Kurosawa has adopted the aesthetic of the Noh elements.

(Downloaded from Google.com)

It’s a cultural asset of Japanese theatre. It’s a classical form of dance-drama originated in Japan, and is popular since 14th century. There are several types of these masks used in Japanese theatre. And surprisingly, they are used by Kurosawa commendably through dramatis personae of Asaji. Director Kurosawa was overwhelmingly magnetized by Noh, “I like [Noh] because it is the real heart, the core of all Japanese drama. Its degree of compression is extreme, and it is full of symbols, full of subtlety. It is as though the actors and the audience are engaged in a kind of contest and as though this contest involves the entire Japanese cultural heritage . . . I wanted to use the way that Noh actors have of moving their bodies, the way they have of walking, and the general composition which the Noh stage provides.” (Extracted from an article by Minae Yamamoto Savas)

Lady Macbeth does not give Macbeth much of a reason to kill Duncan other than to solely attain power. Lady Asaji, on the other side, presents Washizu with the idea that Miki will inform about the prophecy to Tsuzuki that Washizu will ascend to the throne which in turn will lead to Washizu’s death at the hands of Tsuzuki. Despite her reserved nature, she is very deceptive and possesses contriving persona as she uses the prophecy of the witch to implant fear in the mind of Washizu. She also tries to justify the killing of Tsuzuki because Tsuzuki himself attained his throne by murdering someone, and also attempts to convince him that deep down Washizu himself carrying and watering the ambition to attain power, which is also the first time that she looks directly at him in the film. Lady Asaji like Lady Macbeth is a strong evil presence although she is portrayed in a much different manner.

Another difference between the movie and the play is existence of the lack of recognition of eternal ramification for Washizu’s actions in the movie, whereass, in the play, apprehension regarding the afterlife plays a prominent role in Macbeth’s psychological struggles with respect to his decision to kill Duncan.

(Downloaded from Google.com)

In Act 2, scene 1, Macbeth states, “I go, and it is done. The bell invites me. Hear it not Duncan, for it is a knell that summons thee to heaven or to hell.” He knowingly chooses temporal power on earth rather than eternal glory in heaven, a decision that he later realizes that he cannot undo which leads to his supposedly eternal damnation in hell. And in Kurosawa’s Throne of Blood, however, heaven and hell are never referred to. This is ofcourse largely because of the film’s Japanese origin. Instead, it’s Washizu’s contemplation of the goodness of his friend Miki that drives his inner conflict perpetrated by his wife.

The adaptation of literary works into films do distorts the original text. But we should not forget that these adaptations, like what Kurosawa did, are filmed establishing the text on different period of time, background, and geo-political settings. Although film was initially regarded by some as sucking the life out of a literary text, a view forcefully articulated by Theodore Dreiser in 1932, “Film adaptation of novels is not so much a belittling as a debauching process, which works harm to the mind of the entire world. For the debauching of any good piece of literature is – well, what? Criminal? Ignorant? Or both? I leave it to the reader.”

Citations

'Macbeth' and 'Throne of Blood'. Does adaptation distorts original text?

Adapting material from some origin is not something new that the film industry invented. Classical Greek playwrights adapted myths that had been passed in through oral tradition. And as soon as the
cinematographers recognized that presenting a story in moving picture required “good story”, so they started adapting story from novels, plays, short stories. Robert Stam discusses different sources of hostility towards the practice of adaptation. According to him, many have long viewed literature as being superior to film. He goes on to analyze the process of adaptation and the ways in which tie and
space are used differently in the two mediums. As per his view, “fidelity in adaptation is literally impossible. A filmic adaptation is automatically different and original due to the change of medium.”

(Downloaded from Google.com)

‘Macbeth’ is one of the finest and acclaimed works by Shakespeare. The play also has an easy to understand plot line which has lent itself to numerous adaptations.

(Downloaded from Google.com)

And one of those notable adaptations is the ‘Throne of Blood’ by Akira Kurosawa set in feudal Japan. Needless to mention that the central themes of the movie consist of tragedy, treachery, credulity and fallacy. However, to commence with the dissimilarities between the play Macbeth and Kurosawa’s movie, one among the other possible differences is their depictions of the battle at the opening stages of the plot.

(Downloaded from Google.com)

The play Macbeth opens with grotesque imagery of the revolt, and the weather all muddles up, as informed by the witches seen in medias res (amidst) of their conversation. The captain reporting about the battle even describes Macbeth as unseeming one of his opponents. This type of gory imagery, however, is nowhere to be found at the start of Kurosawa’s film ‘Throne of Blood’,

(Downloaded from Google.com)

instead it opens with the vast fog with a seemingly deserted and peaceful castle depicted behind the fog with a lamenting song, “Look upon the ruins of the castle of delusion haunted…”. It also features various captains reporting about the battle, but there are no depictions about the battle. The use of fog and the lack of violence, in the opening scene, set an uncertain tone for the rest of the film, and Washizu is not seen killing anyone that makes his future actions even more shocking. In fact, we witness Washizu’s innocence when he strongly resists the prophecy. As wherein Macbeth, the brutal portrayal of the battle in the beginning set a violent and dark tone right away, and thus, it makes Macbeth’s future killings somewhat less surprising. The shock factor of Washizu’s actions is also due o the fact that there are no witches at the start of the movie.

(Downloaded from Google.com)

On the other hand, we encounter that the witches start the play by invoking the name of Macbeth, leaving a sense of suspicion in the mind of the reader that Macbeth may not be who he appears. In the movie, three witches are replaced with a single-spirit who is seen chanting a song that introduces Japanese traditions, Buddhism and feelings of humanity. The song mentioning karma and reincarnation comes straight from the Buddhist beliefs.

Kurosawa’s Throne of Blood and Shakespeare’s Macbeth also differ greatly in their portrayals of Lady Macbeth and Lady Asaji respectively.

(Downloaded from Google.com)

In the play, Lady Macbeth makes her presence and intentions felt in her very first moments. She states, “Fill me from the crown to the toe topful of direst cruelty. Me thick my blood. Stop up the access and passage to remorse.” This quotation by her immediately warns the reader of her growing plans of evil.

(Downloaded from Google.com)

Contrarily, in the movie, Lady Asaji (the equivalent to Lady Macbeth) makes it much more subtle entrance. She is first seen sitting peacefully in Washizu’s castle appearing as submerged in deep contemplation. Throughout her attempts to convince Washizu to kill Tshuzuki, she remains completely sedentary and shows no sign of any emotion, unlike Lady Macbeth who passionately uses strong imagery and vehement speech to ty to persuade Macbeth. And Asaji’s fixed expressions portray the use of Noh mask. As far as the movie is concerned, predominantly the character of Asaji, Kurosawa has adopted the aesthetic of the Noh elements.

(Downloaded from Google.com)

It’s a cultural asset of Japanese theatre. It’s a classical form of dance-drama originated in Japan, and is popular since 14th century. There are several types of these masks used in Japanese theatre. And surprisingly, they are used by Kurosawa commendably through dramatis personae of Asaji. Director Kurosawa was overwhelmingly magnetized by Noh, “I like [Noh] because it is the real heart, the core of all Japanese drama. Its degree of compression is extreme, and it is full of symbols, full of subtlety. It is as though the actors and the audience are engaged in a kind of contest and as though this contest involves the entire Japanese cultural heritage . . . I wanted to use the way that Noh actors have of moving their bodies, the way they have of walking, and the general composition which the Noh stage provides.” (Extracted from an article by Minae Yamamoto Savas)

Lady Macbeth does not give Macbeth much of a reason to kill Duncan other than to solely attain power. Lady Asaji, on the other side, presents Washizu with the idea that Miki will inform about the prophecy to Tsuzuki that Washizu will ascend to the throne which in turn will lead to Washizu’s death at the hands of Tsuzuki. Despite her reserved nature, she is very deceptive and possesses contriving persona as she uses the prophecy of the witch to implant fear in the mind of Washizu. She also tries to justify the killing of Tsuzuki because Tsuzuki himself attained his throne by murdering someone, and also attempts to convince him that deep down Washizu himself carrying and watering the ambition to attain power, which is also the first time that she looks directly at him in the film. Lady Asaji like Lady Macbeth is a strong evil presence although she is portrayed in a much different manner.

Another difference between the movie and the play is existence of the lack of recognition of eternal ramification for Washizu’s actions in the movie, whereass, in the play, apprehension regarding the afterlife plays a prominent role in Macbeth’s psychological struggles with respect to his decision to kill Duncan.

(Downloaded from Google.com)

In Act 2, scene 1, Macbeth states, “I go, and it is done. The bell invites me. Hear it not Duncan, for it is a knell that summons thee to heaven or to hell.” He knowingly chooses temporal power on earth rather than eternal glory in heaven, a decision that he later realizes that he cannot undo which leads to his supposedly eternal damnation in hell. And in Kurosawa’s Throne of Blood, however, heaven and hell are never referred to. This is ofcourse largely because of the film’s Japanese origin. Instead, it’s Washizu’s contemplation of the goodness of his friend Miki that drives his inner conflict perpetrated by his wife.

The adaptation of literary works into films do distorts the original text. But we should not forget that these adaptations, like what Kurosawa did, are filmed establishing the text on different period of time, background, and geo-political settings. Although film was initially regarded by some as sucking the life out of a literary text, a view forcefully articulated by Theodore Dreiser in 1932, “Film adaptation of novels is not so much a belittling as a debauching process, which works harm to the mind of the entire world. For the debauching of any good piece of literature is – well, what? Criminal? Ignorant? Or both? I leave it to the reader.”

Citations

“Earth’s core may spin in opposite direction” says expert

The study published in Nature Geoscience states that the globally consistent pattern suggests that inner-core rotation has recently paused. The rotation came to a grinding halt in 2009 and then it surprisingly turned in an opposite direction. Researchers have long believed that the inner core rotates, relative to the Earth’s surface, back and forth, like a swing.

“This globally consistent pattern suggests that inner-core rotation has recently paused,” they wrote. “We show surprising observations that indicate the inner core has nearly ceased its rotation in the recent decade and may be experiencing a turning-back.”

With a radius of almost 2,200 miles, Earth’s core is about the size of Mars. It consists mostly of iron and nickel, and contains about one-third of Earth’s mass.

"Earth's core may spin in opposite direction" says expert

The study published in Nature Geoscience states that the globally consistent pattern suggests that inner-core rotation has recently paused. The rotation came to a grinding halt in 2009 and then it surprisingly turned in an opposite direction. Researchers have long believed that the inner core rotates, relative to the Earth’s surface, back and forth, like a swing.

“This globally consistent pattern suggests that inner-core rotation has recently paused,” they wrote. “We show surprising observations that indicate the inner core has nearly ceased its rotation in the recent decade and may be experiencing a turning-back.”

With a radius of almost 2,200 miles, Earth’s core is about the size of Mars. It consists mostly of iron and nickel, and contains about one-third of Earth’s mass.

Foreign universities to enter in India.

The University Grants Commission (UGC) announced on January 05th 2023 the draft regulations for ‘Setting up and Operation of Campuses of Foreign Higher Educational Institutions in India’. This is in pursuance of the New Educational Policy 2020, which stipulates that, “A legislative framework facilitating such entry will be put in place, and such universities will be given special dispensation regarding regulatory, governance, and content norms on par with other autonomous institutions of India”

Establishing universities and campuses is a challenging proposition, not to mention developing courses, creating research facilities, hiring faculty workers and relocating international workers, among other considerations. On the other hand, despite the glamour of foreign universities, the cost factor will pose a challenge to them. It is also doubtful that the campuses set up by them in India will match the original campus back home in their home country.

Foreign universities to enter in India.

The University Grants Commission (UGC) announced on January 05th 2023 the draft regulations for ‘Setting up and Operation of Campuses of Foreign Higher Educational Institutions in India’. This is in pursuance of the New Educational Policy 2020, which stipulates that, “A legislative framework facilitating such entry will be put in place, and such universities will be given special dispensation regarding regulatory, governance, and content norms on par with other autonomous institutions of India”

Establishing universities and campuses is a challenging proposition, not to mention developing courses, creating research facilities, hiring faculty workers and relocating international workers, among other considerations. On the other hand, despite the glamour of foreign universities, the cost factor will pose a challenge to them. It is also doubtful that the campuses set up by them in India will match the original campus back home in their home country.

Indian army to get jetpack suits.

In a bid to modernise and upgrade its capabilities, the Indian Army is seeking to acquire jetpack suits and robotic mules through fast-track procedures for emergency procurements under the Buy Indian category.

The Army has floated Request for Proposal (RFP) for 48 jetpacks with modern propulsion system including Turbine engines, Electric and Hybrid systems.

Jet Pack suit is a turbine based individual mobility platform, which can lift a man safely across varied terrain.

The suit must provide controls for safe ascent, safe descent, take off and landing and movement in all directions, the Army said in the RFP document.

Indian army to get jetpack suits.

In a bid to modernise and upgrade its capabilities, the Indian Army is seeking to acquire jetpack suits and robotic mules through fast-track procedures for emergency procurements under the Buy Indian category.

The Army has floated Request for Proposal (RFP) for 48 jetpacks with modern propulsion system including Turbine engines, Electric and Hybrid systems.

Jet Pack suit is a turbine based individual mobility platform, which can lift a man safely across varied terrain.

The suit must provide controls for safe ascent, safe descent, take off and landing and movement in all directions, the Army said in the RFP document.

5 billion people exposed to trans fat : WHO report.

Five billion people globally are exposed to harmful trans fat, increasing their heart disease and death risk, according to a new report by the World Health Organization (WHO).

At this point, 43 countries have put best-practice regulations against trans fat in food, covering 2.8 billion people worldwide, showed the Countdown to 2023 – WHO report on global trans fat elimination, released January 23, 2023.

However, despite significant progress, this still exposes five billion people to the devasting health effects of trans fat, making the 2023 target unattainable.

The World Health Organization is calling for the total elimination of trans fat – responsible for over 500,000 premature deaths each year.

In its annual status report, Countdown to 2023 WHO Report on global trans fat elimination 2022, WHO says governments need to do more to ban industrially-produced fats, which clog arteries and are commonly found in cooking oils, spreads, packaged foods, and baked goods. 

5 billion people exposed to trans fat : WHO report.

Five billion people globally are exposed to harmful trans fat, increasing their heart disease and death risk, according to a new report by the World Health Organization (WHO).

At this point, 43 countries have put best-practice regulations against trans fat in food, covering 2.8 billion people worldwide, showed the Countdown to 2023 – WHO report on global trans fat elimination, released January 23, 2023.

However, despite significant progress, this still exposes five billion people to the devasting health effects of trans fat, making the 2023 target unattainable.

The World Health Organization is calling for the total elimination of trans fat – responsible for over 500,000 premature deaths each year.

In its annual status report, Countdown to 2023 WHO Report on global trans fat elimination 2022, WHO says governments need to do more to ban industrially-produced fats, which clog arteries and are commonly found in cooking oils, spreads, packaged foods, and baked goods. 

Gold surpasses rupees 57000 per 10 grams.

Gold futures on the Multi Commodity Exchange hit an all-time high of Rs 57,099 per 10 grams on 24 January. Gold prices jumped tracking gains in overseas markets and a depreciation in the rupee currency. However, the surge dampened demand in the world’s second biggest consumer of the precious metal.

Gold prices have inverse correlation with the dollar index. The index has fallen nearly 15% in the past three months, which has pushed up the prices of gold. A rise in index value denotes that the dollar is gaining against its counterparts and a fall in index value denotes a depreciation in the dollar’s value.

Gold surpasses rupees 57000 per 10 grams.

Gold futures on the Multi Commodity Exchange hit an all-time high of Rs 57,099 per 10 grams on 24 January. Gold prices jumped tracking gains in overseas markets and a depreciation in the rupee currency. However, the surge dampened demand in the world’s second biggest consumer of the precious metal.

Gold prices have inverse correlation with the dollar index. The index has fallen nearly 15% in the past three months, which has pushed up the prices of gold. A rise in index value denotes that the dollar is gaining against its counterparts and a fall in index value denotes a depreciation in the dollar’s value.

Principles of Good Layout for an Advertisement Copy

Principles of Good Layout

The twelve features, qualities, or principles of good layout are as follows:
Image Credits © Manoj Patil.Focus on dominant element.
Unity of all ad parts.
Good use of contrast.
Right balance of elements.
Maintain proportion of space.
Follow the eye movement.
Simple and uncomplicated layout.
Ease of readability.
Use of whitespace.
Clarity of ad message.
Good ad atmosphere.
First impression.
Now let’s discuss each quality, feature or principle of a good layout.

1. Focus on dominant element

Good layouts have a starting point. It is called dominant element. This element is the most important part of the advertisement. It may be the headline, the illustration, the body copy, etc. The copywriter has to decide which part is the dominant part. Normally, there is only one dominant element in the ad. The dominant element must be large. It must have a bright colour. It must look better than the other parts of the ad. The consumer must get attracted towards the dominant part of the ad.
2. Unity of all ad parts
The advertisement consists of many parts. All parts of the ad have a relation with each other. All these parts must have one objective. The objective must be to inform the consumer about the product and to persuade them to purchase the product. So, all parts of the ad must work together. They must not work against each other. There must be unity among all the parts of the ad. If unity is maintained, then the combined effect will also be good. We can have unity by keeping proper space between words and lines. We can also use the same style of printing.

3. Good use of contrast

Contrast means to use opposite colours, like black and white, etc. Contrasted ads stand out because they appear different. For e.g. If all the ads in a magazine are in colour and if one ad is in black and white. Then the black and white ad will stand out in contrast. We can also use contrast for different parts of the ad. So that each part of ad stand out in contrast. We can also use contrast for a dominant part of the ad.

4. Right balance of elements

The advertisement must have a right balance. Balance means the relationship between right-hand side and left-hand side of the ad.
There are two types of balance:Formal balance: Here, the words and pictures on the right side are equal to the words and images on the left-hand side of the ad. So, the right-hand side and the left side matches each other in size, shape and colour. They are placed exactly on the opposite side of each other. Such a balance is called a formal balance.
Informal balance: Here, each part of the ad is placed on the page at random. There is no balance between right-hand side and left-hand side. But, as a whole the ad looks balanced. Informal balance is quite difficult to achieve. It requires more imagination and a high level of creative skill. It looks better than the formal balance.

5. Maintain proportion of space

The advertisement must maintain proportion. The entire space must get divided among the different parts of the ad. The division must not be equal. If all the parts have same space, then the ad will not look good. More space must be provided to the dominant (important) part of the ad. Less space must be given to the less important parts.

6. Follow the eye movement

The advertisement must be prepared to cover the movement of the eye. The movement of the eye is from left to right. A person first looks up then he looks down. So, the advertising idea must move from left to right and from top to bottom.
The advertiser can control the eye movement by using the following points:Gaze movement: According to research, a person’s eyes will follow other eyes. That is, if many people are looking in one direction, then a new person will also look in that direction. Such behaviour is natural. So the readers will also follow the gaze of the people, animals and birds appearing or presented in the ad.
Size: Generally, large size parts attract people. So the main part of the ad must also be large.
Pointing devices such as hands, fingers, arrows, etc., are used to attract the attention of the reader.
Cartoons and comic pictures are also used to grab the attention of the readers.

7. Simple and uncomplicated layout

The layout must be simple. It must have very few elements in it. The lesser the elements, the stronger will be the impact (impression). Too many parts of the ad will make it useless. So the ad must have many empty spaces. It must not look very crowded and complicated.

8. Ease of readability

The reader must be able to read the advertisement easily and quickly. The words in the ad must not be small sized. Avoid using capital letters for full paragraphs. Only significant words or sentences must be written in capital letters.

9. Use of whitespace

The advertisement must not appear stuffed and crowded. There must be enough white (blank) space to make it look uncluttered and pleasing. White space will attract the attention of the reader by making the ad look rich and classy.

10. Clarity of ad message

The advertisement must be very clear about its objective. The reader must easily understand the ad message. He must not be confused to grasp the central message of the ad. He must also not have any doubts about the ad.

11. Good ad atmosphere

The atmosphere surrounding the advertisement must not be ignored or overlooked. The surrounding of an ad is also essential to make the ad appear attractive and pleasing. A shabby background or atmosphere makes even an attention-grabbing ad less appealing.

12. First impression

The first impression is the best impression. If the impact of the first impression is good, then the reader will read the full ad message and react positively. He may desire to purchase a product or try a service. However, if the first impression fails to create a good impression, then the reader won’t read the full ad message. He may not remember and lose interest in the advertised product or service. In such a case, sales won’t happen and the advertisement will fail to achieve its goal.
Therefore, the copywriter must make the first impression of the ad impactful. A positive impact can be achieved by using a catchy slogan, attractive colours, lots of white space, good illustration, so on.

Fayol's Principle of Division of Work – Meaning, Example, Explanation

Principle of Division of Work
In context of this article, let’s revise the meaning of following words:Division of something (e.g. an object, a process, work, etc.) means to divide, chop or break it up into smaller parts to facilitate a better understanding, easier handling and operation, and focused observation on a fixed set of goals. It is a way to separate things apart based on some established criteria like quality, quantity, nature of work, so on. It untangles, simplifies, and narrows down various complexities that were involved prior separation. It helps to ease and enhance the efficiency of managing a giant complex task through smaller chunks that are easy to handle.
Work is any assigned job, task, duty, goal or an objective one is supposed to accomplish (achieve) before the deadline (on-time) and as expected at the expense of one’s mental and physical labour to earn the desired reward (usually monetary but not always) in return.
With this understanding, let’s grasp the meaning of division of work:
Image credits © Gaurav Akrani.Division of Work means to divide or break up a single complicated job into different smaller specialised tasks.
Here, each of these smaller tasks is handled separately probably by an expert or a team working under his command.
In case, these tasks are dependent on each other’s completion, they are achieved separately and procedurally one after another.
When all smaller tasks complete as expected, they all together help to accomplish the single complicated job.
Study the following image depicting an example of division of work.
Image credits © Gaurav Akrani.
Consider for an example, for the first time in your life you have planned to construct a beautiful dream house at your favourite location. Before initiating the actual phase of construction work, you do some pre-research regarding how to build a house systematically. You figure out which crucial steps you’ll need to carry out and professional services you’ll need to access, communicate, negotiate and hire. After getting acquainted with the basic construction procedure and having the necessary funds in hand, you start further planning accordingly.
You divide the combined work of house construction as follows:First, you hire an Architect to prepare the layout plan of your house as per your needs.
Once the house plan is ready, you then contact and hire a civil contractor to build your house as per the approved plan.
When primary construction phase ends, you finally hire an interior designer to enhance the beauty or aesthetic feel of your dream house.
The division of work does not stop at the above three steps else it further bifurcates into numerous specialised works as listed below.
Architect divides his work of preparing the layout plan of house among:Draftsman,
3D-Designer,
Structural Designer, etc.
Civil contractor divides his work of house construction among:Civil Engineer,
Supervisor,
Masons,
Labours,
Welder,
Electrician,
Plumber, so on.
Interior Designer realises his creative aesthetic concept from:Carpenter,
False Ceiling installer,
Painter,
Tiler,
Windows installer,
Handyman,
Electrician,
Landscaper, etc.
In fact, efficient completion of each of the above listed numerous specialised works overall helps to progress gradually and ultimately finish the single difficult job of a house construction.
Explanation of Henri Fayol’s Principle of Division of Work:
Image credits © Gaurav Akrani.In French, Henri Fayol originally called it ‘La Division Du Travail’ in his influential book ‘Administration Industrielle et Générale.’
According to Fayol, the ‘Division of Work’ or ‘Specialization’ is of the natural order. That is this principle is present and seen operating in nature too.
It is noticeable in the animal world. If a creature is highly developed, then its organs are also highly differentiated to efficiently carry out numerous specialized bodily functions to sustain the whole body itself. For example, a unicellular animal called Amoeba is physically less complicated than a multicellular Human Being. In other words, the Human body has more specialized organs compared to Amoeba‘s body.
It is also noticeable in our human societies or communities. When society grows from its primitive stage to a developed (civilised) one, new dedicated social organs (agencies) also start appearing and developing within its sphere by dividing and replacing the functions of old organs. For example, when a small town transforms into a giant metropolitan city the role, functions, scale of operation of its local administrative body also expands, divide and becomes much more complicated than its previous stage.
When an entrepreneur starts a company, most of the important business activities at the initial phase of setup are personally managed and handled by himself. However, as the company grows, he hires staff to support such a growth. He assigns his newly appointed staff various duties and some key responsibilities that earlier he was personally handling and managing. In other words, he now doesn’t do the same work he was earlier doing else he now get it done from his qualified staff instead. As the activities of the company expand further, newer branch offices, departments, positions, personnel, etc. also starts expanding and widely replacing the functions of a single person who once founded the business. For example, Mark Zuckerberg, who founded the Facebook.
The objective of the division of work is to get more work done in a better way with the same effort and become productive.
If a person is engaged routinely in the same type of occupation, after some time, as a consequence of his routine he automatically acquires some expertise, skill, sureness, accuracy and precision over how to do it in a better and efficient way. Such an ability develops as a result of his numerous hours of work and regular practice. Knowledge acquired through routine work process makes him more competent than those who lack such an experience.
According to Henri Fayol, when there is a change in individual’s occupation (work) it results in the phase of adaptation that demands efforts for adjusting to the new job. Each change of routine work reduces the output, decreases the yield or productivity of an individual. However, an individual’s performance can be regained through quality training, regular practice, earned experience, and passage of time.
Division of work helps to reduce the number of objects (*) towards whom some attention and efforts need to be focused and directed. It is the best-recognized means (way) to make the best use of individuals and teams (groups of people) in most work-related environments. Note: (*) Here, objects are those individuals whose regular job (duty) has been changed or altered and on whose shoulders newer responsibilities are laden, and are, therefore, going through the phase of adaptation.
The principle of Division of Work not just applies to the technical work. It is also applicable to all other types of jobs where there is a need or demand for less or more individuals who specializes in different areas and have the essential set of skills or talents.
As a consequence, the division of work mainly results in:Specialization of functions – Here, tasks are separated into different functions or roles according to the expertise of one’s nature of work.
Separation of powers – It means there is a distribution of authority.
The advantages of division of work are now universally recognized.
Even though the principle is applicable in most work-related scenarios, it is still subjected to limitations like:Doing the same type of work for a longer period makes it monotonous.
Since labor or work is divided, it greatly increases interdependency.
Also, since the focus in only on executing one’s assigned part of work, there is a lack of the spirit of collective responsibility.
Conscious of such limitations or shortcomings, Sir Henri Fayol, recommended using:The principle of division of labour in moderation and not in excess.
One’s wise judgement earned from years of work experience.
References (2)
Following authoritative books were referred to compile this article and are also recommended for further clarity on the Principle of Division of Work:Henri Fayol. Administration Industrielle et Générale. Part 2. Chapter No.1. Page No.26 and 27.
Constance Storrs. General and Industrial Management, 2013 Edition. Part II. Chapter No.IV. Page No.19 and 20. Martino Publishing. ISBN 978-1-61427-459-9.

RRR’s song Naatu-Naatu nominated for Oscar in best original song category.

Naatu Naatu’ from SS Rajamouli’s ‘RRR’ nominated for Best Original Song in Oscars.

Director SS Rajamouli’s historical epic RRR has scored a nomination in the Best Original Song category at the upcoming 95th Academy Awards, more popularly known as the Oscars.

It’s the first Indian feature film to be nominated for anything other than best international film at the Academy Awards, which take place in March.

The song has been a favourite at award ceremonies and has already won a Golden Globe and a Critics’ Choice Award.

It will be up against heavyweights Lady Gaga and Rihanna, whose songs are nominated in the same Oscars category.