Maccoby's Gamesman Theory

This theory was assigned to me for a class presentation on May 31st 2019. When i first read it, it did not have any positive feedback regarding the usefulness of the theory. However, as i explored about the author and the details of it, i found it very interesting.

Maccoby's Gamesman theory is basically a management theory. It gives the manager four options to choose from the types of manager. It helps a manager to identify that which type of manager a team needs. The manager in order to identify his character type tends to ask his team workers about the characteristics he displays and ultimately aims to know that how he is perceived within the organization and especially among his team members.

The author gives a list of four character types in his theory. These Include:

1. Craftsman
2. Jungle Fighter
3. Company man
4. Gamesman

According to the authors the critical attribute of the character type Craftsman is their technical expertise. they always like to have precision and details of work. The Jungle Fighters on the other hand, tend to desire success at any cost. They are bold and Competitive. In addition to this, they are further divided into two categories that are Foxes and Lions where foxes tend to make their nests in the organization and operate from safe base only and the Lions conquer  other territories and build empires.   The third Character type that is the Company man's main goal i to protect themselves and the company they work for. Finally, the Gamesman are the ones that like contests. They are basically the risk takers who are fascinated by new techniques and ideas and love problem solving.

After the basic, introduction regarding the main theme of the theory, lets dive into the point that startled me. it was a whole book which the author wrote on this concept. I was amazed to know and read the content of the book that how the author could have expanded this concept over the whole long book. It is also important to share here that the book has been a best seller and has been translated in more than 10 languages.

lastly, i would say that as the context of the theory is old, it may not seem relevant today. If we read the commentaries and the renowned reviews regarding the book, we can find a lot of criticism as well. however, the contribution of the theory at the time it was presented was considered significant and was commended. 

10 MARCH 2019 THOUGHT OF THE DAY

It is strange that how in order to maintain the social order, the society treats the exceptional cases. The outliers are pushed, pressed and assaulted in order to comply with the traditional norms and the rules made by the society. It is alright that certain norms and the so called values are there to control the lives of the ordinary people but one stick cannot not be used to lead everyone.

It is also a bitter reality the way women are treated in this world badly in general  and in the third world countries in particular . Further, the situation in so called Islamic countries for instance like Pakistan in particular is more exacerbated. The culture that fabricates that we protect our women in the name of Islam is merely a patriarchal world.

There are parallel lives that an individual faces in his or her life time. Within a normal course of life then, there are the minorities who even struggle to maintain their freedom. They even tend to survive those basic human rights that are bestowed to them by the prestigious organizations (I did not mention God because people may have different Gods but apparently majority of the countries listen to the United nations that is a common ground).  Many so called eastern value holding women may not agree to me in the wake of supporting their men but it is a reality that sexuality is not the only thing in life. Family making is good but not the end of life. At the end of the day (at least that one day) we need to face ourselves alone.

I wonder when I see the idleness among women. It is important to understand that ignorance is not the answer to the questions that life wants us to answer. It can benefit everyone but not to us only. We need to take the responsibility of ourselves. Patience is good but the one we exercise is not the one that is required from us by our lord. So we must stop manipulation. 

Helplessness and a Banker

What a game life plays in the life of an individual? After having a gap year here I am back on the track where I left the place.

It is like an addiction, your conscience understands that it is not right. Your growth is stuck and you are working harder not smarter, especially in the area where i assume to have expertise. It is because of the fact it is a monotonous and laborious task and you can’t be creative to it. You just have to do it. Still you crave for it and miss it, if once you have become a banker, it shall run in your blood. Either you become lawyer or a doctor or a teacher afterwards.

This notion I am discussing in this write-up, in no doubt reflective. These are my personal feelings and so are subjective. They are not generalizable, though I am expressing openly and bluntly. 

The Outset of a New Journey

Life encounters many phases; it positions an individual  in front of unknown situations and people. These experiences help in getting the new insights about life. Our view of life and the pattern on which we are dealing and handling our lives is according to our circumstances in which we live. The routine helps us creating a comfort zone to which we are familiar with and feel comfortable with.

We donot realize how other people are perceiving us. But the spiritual aura surrounding us attract us to each other. It depends on the mind set that how we label the relationships in our lives.  The mind and heart then design the frame work to which we have to operate in future after labeling it. The wife has different role to play, team mate has a different role to offer and so on.  The societal and cultural teachings in our perceptions are hugely misinterpreted at times.

Three years back when i joined the organization, you were one of those people i encountered in my early days. I feel you as a product of grievances and sorrows with the flavor of humor which pours out in a bitter way. I feel that you challenge the world and make fun of it by trying different things. The duality of you makes you different.

In our lives we need to understand one thing, that life has many faces. Like  a blind person whose feels the elephant and makes the perception the way he feels the touch, we are the same in handling our lives. We think that we are the experts of life and we know the best. But the best is, if it is; is only for our surrounding in which we operate and is not applicable to all the situations.

So being connected with you is the outset. Let’s see where the life moves on.

THE RIGHT BRANDING

I am a believer of God, being a Muslim we have a blind faith on this line and we truly mean it, when it comes to the dignity and preservance of the identity.  We truly believe what is written in the book and the teachings of the Prophet (PBUH) are very true and their observance  is actually the right way to spend the life.

It is good theoretically but the question arises then why we do not  implement these things into our practical lives.

  I personally believe that this is the lack of strategic implementation. We are confronted with the dilemma which says that this concept is right and what one is doing is wrong. But still one does what is wrong. Even when it is obvious that this is wrong.

 The problem does not lie with the teachings or preachings, it lies with the way they are being taught today.

We are attracted toward distractions because we are surrounded by them. The world is like a marketplace where everyone is looking for his or her own benefit.  And being an individual, every person has the knowledge of books which tell us the right things and the right laws of nature but we still go for practice. Even when we know it is not correct and ultimately it the law which prevails.

The problem lies in the coding of the teachings laid down for us many years ago in the present context. No doubt everything is so comprehensive and is easily understandable but there is a lack of strategic implementation which tells how to implement this concept in today’s situation.

It should be evolving.  We have progressed much so we fear to go back in those ages which are not as developed as they are today. Although we know that essence is universal  but the branding is older.

So we have to fight within ourselves to find the way outs which could link us internally with what is permanent while staying connected with what is temporary. But the issue is it takes time. It requires a huge amount of thinking in the right direction which seems impossible when one is surrounded by many distractions.

However this strategic implementation requires the right  platform and the right mind sets.  Only then we can be successful  and we shall be able to enjoy the true essence of what is demanded from us by our God.

TAX POTENTIAL : MYTHS AND REALITIES (REVIEW)

In his article, Muhammad Arshad the author has criticized a paper titled, ‘UNLOCKING Pakistan’s Revenue Potential’ published in august by International  Monetary Fund.

The paper concludes that the country has the potential to nearly double its tax-to GDP ration over the long term.

The author was touched by the following points raised in the paper.

The paper says,  the income tax rates in case of individuals is 20 percent. And this low level of direct taxes is mostly a result of weak compliance and enforcement and abundant concessions and exemptions.

Secondly, reducing the tax exempt income threshold, widening tax brackets, adopting more progressive and lower tax rates and rationalizing concessions and exemptions would not only increase revenue yield but also improve the fairness of the tax systems.

His arguments are as follows:

1.       The reference of 20% is not true as para (1) and (1A) of Division 1 of Part 1 of the first Schedule to the income tax ordinance, 2001 clearly specifies the marginal rate of tax in case of a salaried person is 30 % and in case of non salaried person is 35%.

2.       Under normal tax regime the maximum income on which tax is not payable is Rs.400,000/- but if the country’s socio-economic conditions are taken into consideration the situation tells a different story.  Where the average household size is 5-6 persons, and in most cases there is only one bread earner.  So Rs 400,000/- per annum means around Rs.220 per person per day which is hardly sufficient to make both ends meet.

3.       Almost the entire amount is spent on consumable items which are also subject to at 17% sales tax.

4.       Individuals pay with holding taxes in a number of ways, which is otherwise not due for them. They deserve relief not more tax.

5.       There are more than 45 withholding taxes which are paid by millions of common citizens. Most of these WHT have no nexus with the income earned or capacity to earn. For example WHT charged on profit etc.

6.       Even widows and orphans pay taxes on all of their income.

7.       124 millions mobile phone users pay income tax at source. A country where 50% people live on or below poverty line this number is not small.

8.       Every commercial electricity user pays income tax at source.

9.       Business are made withholding tax agents and the tax department is mainly involved in the monitoring of collection of tax at source, levying  penalties and default surcharges making the cost of doing business very high.

10.   Withholding tax becomes an indirect tax when it is treated as a final tax and is passed on to the ultimate consumer as an indirect tax.

11.   There are number of minimum taxes which are levied without any reference to income. Taxpayers are forced to pay minimum tax even in case when they are suffering gross loss and they pay it out of capital. It is not justified.

12.   Sales tax and petroleum development levy prevent passing the benefit of falling oil prices to the Pakistani businessmen.

Pakistan has the potential to increase tax revenue. But sensible taxation is the requirement.  The sole objective should not be the collection of tax, it should be collection of tax based upon the principle ‘ from each according to his capacity to pay’. 

In the Memory of HIM!!!

Life has never been so easy from the start and shall not be easy the historical trends tell the bitter reality. When certain decisions are made and they are the toughest and the earliest in one’s life time, they contain a strong impact on one’s life. And the one who dares to breach and enter in one’s life being an elder was you.

It seems that you were a kind of test from divine. Sometimes we need a jolt; an emotional jolt. It is like a wake up call or an intimation of a big dilemma expected to happen. To prepare ourselves i believe.

I truly believe that elder’s should not develop any emotional attachment with their kids or if they do they should take care of themselves more after that. It feels very selfish on the part of you to leave in such a way that there is no comeback.  There is a need to be emotionally intelligent in the situations which capture you emotionally otherwise can make you paralize later on.

Those who never had experienced the feelings of affection and kindness should be emotionally intelligent in a much greater degree as compared to the normal one’s. The intelligence demands us to be aware of and control our emotional feeling and handle our interpersonal relationships judiciously and empathetically.

Thus in order to avoid the conflict within oneself and the feelings of indifference where you are experiencing  strange feelings, unable to identify what has gone wrong, one must be vigilant enough to stop such affections and counter them in advance or should be ready to bear the traumas until the life goes on.