Leadership strategy Essay

A primary task of high performance leadership is to provide strategic direction to the organisation, various departments and divisions within the organisation, and to the people who ultimately implement strategic leadership. But regular employees are seldom involved in the process. Authoritarian governance has had two powerful and mutually reinforcing dynamics: People at â€Å"the top† of the organisation, normally in senior managerial positions, have tended to maintain control over strategic processes. They have often become alienated from the realities of operational or shop floor demands and challenges People at operational levels have been part of authoritarian behaviour in different ways (passivity, fear, frustrated) The core challenge is to position strategic leadership as an integrated set of activities and processes which ensure that people across all levels and functions understand their own roles and accountabilities as it relates to the organisation’s strategic leadership Successful strategic leadership occurs when people across all levels and functions have a common understanding about a few essential issues: Knowledge of how strategic leadership is formulated, translated and communicated, implemented and assured within the organisation The formal business processes. The specific and different roles, rights and accountabilities of stakeholders Clear understanding of personal and team roles Comprehension of the various requirements and roles Popular acceptance that legitimate hierarchy and rank are essential components Definition and acceptance of the roles, rights and accountabilities The challenge is crafting solutions which create legitimate and popularly supported rank and hierarchy, and with clearly understood boundaries which describe what may and what may not be done by optimally empowered people Rank, hierarchy and boundaries per se are not only a feature of authoritarian systems. They are an essential part of successful democratic workplaces where a culture of high performance through high involvement can thrive There is still a need for clear definition of a range of roles, rights and accountabilities. There is a need to define two mutually reinforcing parameters: What are the roles, rights and accountabilities that have to be acknowledged by everybody to ensure the organisation’s capacity to fulfill the requirements of high performance What are the constraints, the limits or conditions of high involvement Drucker proposes that strategic leadership needs to fulfill requirements in four areas: Effectiveness Efficiency Long-term Short-term VISION (Long-term effectiveness): Understanding the organisation’s total competitive environment, and positioning it in the present so that it is appropriately placed INTERDEPENDENCE (Long-term efficiency): Identifying, balancing, integrating and aligning all of the external and internal variables that are likely to have an impact on the organisation’s capacity to fulfill its strategic leadership STRUCTURE (Short-term efficiency): Establish replicable standards, approaches and methods which minimize the need for duplication and enhances the capacity to deliver uniform or required quality as a matter of course ACTION (Short-term effectiveness): Taking the necessary steps and action to ensure the delivery of products and services which meet the needs of both internal and external customers An integrated strategic leadership consists of all four VISA elements. The dominance of only one element could perhaps be described as: Only vision: Exciting bankruptcy. People cannot identify with the development of strategies Only Interdependence: Happy bankruptcy: never-ending cycles of consultation Only Structure: Precise bankruptcy: bureaucracy and red tape Only Action: Busy bankruptcy: people perpetually busy but not necessarily productive The absence or weakness of any component of strategic leadership will undermine the success of the organisation: 0ISA: Weakness of vision leaves people without common direction V0SA: Poor interdependence almost always leads to some stakeholders feeling that their legitimate interests are not being met VI0A: Insufficient emphasis on standardization leads to lack of essential disciplines and conformance to necessary standards VIS0: Ultimately the organisation can only survive and thereby satisfy the interests of all its stakeholders if it has a high propensity for action Organisations and teams regularly develop a bias that values some elements more than they do others. Personal styles and approaches also contribute to establish our individual preferences and approaches. It is useful to rate your personal approaches and preferences, as well as that of your team or organisation Vision provides a compelling dream that galvanizes and aligns the behaviours and contributions of people across all levels and functions. A real vision is very active. It is filled with drive, energy and perpetual motion. The vision, or long term effectiveness element of strategic leadership, is achieved by fulfilling the following requirements: 1. Scan the external environment and conditions 2. enable leadership to anticipate long-term forces of change 3. create a challenging view of the future 4. tension between the desirable future and those elements of the present that could inhibit progress 5. communicated with passion 6. evaluated against the present 7. new challenges emerge 8. leadership must always act with insufficient information 9. interacting with stakeholders 10. dynamic and living process Interdependence acknowledges that no organisation operates in isolation. Every organisation is a system operating within a system. It requires the acknowledgement and willingness to embrace the interests of a variety of diverse stakeholders. The interdependent or long-term efficiency component of strategic leadership is fulfilled in the following ways: 1. Variables must be identified 2. The interests of all stakeholders must be defined and appreciated 3. Balance and meet all possible diverse stakeholder needs 4. The support of all stakeholders must be gained and increased over time 5. Interaction must be facilitated between stakeholders for them to appreciate their interdependent nature 6. There will inevitably be conflict between stakeholders 7. The roles and accountabilities that various people and stakeholders have to fulfill must be defined quite clearly 8. Keeping people adequately informed is a crucial element of interdependence 9. Mutual trust and respect 10. help people to define their own specific contributions to the organisation As organisations become more complex, and as the world within which we operate becomes increasingly unpredictable, the need for Structure increases significantly. Successful organisational strategic leadership has to establish and maintain a range of activities that introduce and maintain Structure: 1. The specific interests of stakeholders need to be both quantified and qualified 2. In today’s competitive environment it is essential for organisations to establish required benchmarks of performance 3. There is a constant interplay between specific stakeholder interests and meeting required benchmarks of performance 4. provision of relevant and useful information 5. Standards have to be set and communicated on an ongoing basis 6. Standards are no longer a fixed point on the horizon 7. The discipline of continuously and regularly monitoring performance is one that cannot be sacrificed 8. It also has to look at elements such as leadership style, living of values, and commitment to the subtleties of people development 9. Consequences of non-conformance need to be defined, understood and applied 10. people across all levels and functions thrive on information–driven problem solving Action is the level at which products and services are actually delivered to meet the interests of customers. Creating and keeping more customers. A sustained and high propensity for action is achieved in the following ways: 1. The organisation’s vision must be made relevant to operational areas 2. Customer needs cannot be fulfilled only by sales and distribution functions 3. Accountability has to be placed as close as possible to the source of action 4. people have to be continuously part of determining the limits and constraints within which they are expected to operate 5. Successful action is driven by leaders who establish their personal power of presence (top executives have no time) 6. Quality and productivity has to be an in-built function 7. demonstration of attitude and will 8. Emphasis on people development 9. attitude that accepts error as an inevitable consequence of innovation and action 10. A propensity for innovation and action LEARNING The growing complexity and competitiveness of the international and local economic environments within which organisations have to survive and prosper makes it essential for leaders of the future to value learning Leaders must develop the capacity to think simultaneously about paradoxical and contradictory requirements. The act of leadership is, as Peter Drucker puts it, the challenge of constructive destruction, of doing things differently and doing different things Kolb: real learning has only taken place when every one of the four facets has been included in the process: Abstract Conceptualization: â€Å"think about the previously unthinkable or unknowable†. It requires the capacity for hypothetical formulation Reflective Observation: need to stand back and observe what is happening Concrete Experience: ability to continuously asses what has worked and to pass this experience on to others. concrete experience remains one of the only ways in which organisations can develop replicable application of processes and activities that ensure minimum conformance to standards Active Experimentation: often organisations still limit the ability and space for people to become involved in such activities. Active experimentation requires calculated risk-taking The relationsip can be described as follows: Abstract conceptualization x reflective observation x concrete experience x active experimentation = Learning and Leadership Abstract Conceptualization x 0 x 0 x 0 = 0: we often remain hamstrung by old experiences which may have become irrelevant 0 x Reflective Observation x 0 x 0 = 0: Nothing happens and there is no real threat that anything will happen! 0 x 0 x Concrete Experience = 0: People relying predominantly upon concrete experience for their learning are caught in a perpetual search for the infallible, predictable, pre-planned, scheduled, structured, all-eventuality, and all bases covered solutions to problems – â€Å"late adapters† 0 x 0 x 0 x Active Experimentation = 0: All that matters for them is the exhilaration of making things up as you go The Consequences of Undervaluing any Facet of Learning: 0 x Reflective Observation x Concrete Experience x Active Experimentation = 0 (The absence of Abstract Conceptualization): It is much easier to define this symptom than it is to resolve it Abstract Conceptualization x 0 x Concrete Experience x Active Experimentation = 0 (The absence of Reflective Observation): The number of continuously changing variables which are capable of influencing the performance of an organisation are virtually endless. people either stopped taking a hard and reflective look at what was going on, or they stopped asking appropriate questions. he managers, and more often the specialist staff functions, start to confuse doing lots of things with an integrated and holistic approach, but they lack congruence and theoretical integration. without an integrative framework and commonly shared model, people rapidly lose their commitment and stamina to sustain focused activity Abstract Conceptualization x Reflective Observation x 0 x Active Experimentation = 0 (The absence of Concrete Experience): things become redundant while they are still on the drawing board or as soon as they are launched. age-old and essential facet of learning – the assimilation and valuing of concrete experience. The single most common symptom is that untested assumptions abound Abstract Conceptualization x Reflective Observation x Concrete Experimentation x 0 = 0 (The absence of Active Experimentation): People develop an inward approach to problems and issues. It does not take too long for such insularity to develop into suspicion of external developments By critically evaluating how organisations learn, and constantly determining whether all the facets of learning are being fully developed and utilized, we can provide a much more tenacious learning environment.

Appeal to the colored citizens of the world Essay

During this same period, David Walker exemplified the prophetic tradition of the Black church with his â€Å"Appeal to the Colored Citizens of the World,† published between 1829 and 1830. Walker employed biblical language and Christian morality in creating anti-ruling class ideology: slaveholders were â€Å"avaricious and unmerciful wretches† who were guilty of perpetrating â€Å"the most wretched, abject, and servile slavery† in the world against Africans. To conclude, the church of the slave era contributed substantially to African-American social and political resistance. The â€Å"invisible institution† provided physical and psychological relief from the horrific conditions of servitude: within the confines of â€Å"hush arbors,† bonds people found unfamiliar dignity and a sense of self-esteem. Similarly, the A. M. E. congregations confronted white paternalism by organizing their people into units of resistance to fight collectively for social equality and political self-direction. And finally, the antebellum church did not only empower Blacks by structuring their communities; it also supplied them with individual political leaders. David Walker made two stellar contributions to the Black struggle for freedom–he both created and popularized anti-ruling class philosophy. He intrepidly broadcasted the conditional necessity of violence in abolishing slavery demanding to be heard by his â€Å"suffering brethren† and the â€Å"American people and their children† in both the North and the South. As churches grew in size and importance, the Black pastor’s role as community leader became supremely influential and unquestionably essential in the fight against Jim Crow. For instance, in 1906, when the city officials of Nashville, Tennessee, segregated the streetcars, R. H. Boyd, a prominent leader in the National Baptist Convention, organized a Black boycott against the system. He even went so far as to operate his own streetcar line at the height of the conflict. To Boyd and his constituents no setback was ever final, and the grace of God was irrefutability infinite. African Methodist Episcopal†¦Mark of Independence When Richard Allen was 17, he experienced a religious conversion that changed his life forever. (PBS, Allen) Even though born into slavery in Philadelphia in 1760, he became not only free but influential, a founder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church and its first bishop. Allen, recognize as one of the first African-Americans to be emancipated during the Revolutionary Era, had to forge an identity for his people as well as for himself. Richard Allen Allowed by his repentant owner to buy his freedom, Allen earned a living sawing cordwood and driving a wagon during the Revolutionary War. After the war he furthered the Methodist cause by becoming a â€Å"licensed exhorter,† preaching to blacks and whites from New York to South Carolina. To reconcile his faith and his African-American identity, Allen decided to form his own congregation. He gathered a group of ten black Methodists and took over a blacksmith’s shop in the increasingly black southern section of the city, converting it to the Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church hence, the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Allen was chosen as the first bishop of the church, the first fully independent black denomination in America. He had succeeded in charting a separate religious identity for African-Americans. Although the Bethel Church opened in a ceremony led by Bishop Francis Asbury in July 1794, its tiny congregation worshiped â€Å"separate from our white brethren. † In 1807 the Bethel Church added an â€Å"African Supplement† to its articles of incorporation; in 1816 it won legal recognition as an independent church. In the same year Allen and representatives from four other black Methodist congregations (in Baltimore; Wilmington, Delaware; Salem, New Jersey; and Attleboro, Pennsylvania) met at the Bethel Church to organize a new denomination, the African Methodist Episcopal Church. To be noted, the white Methodists of the New York Conference resisted the move toward independence, but those of the Philadelphia Conference, in Richard Allen’s territory, gave a conditional blessing, an irony that must have galled the Bethelites (as Allen’s group was popularly known). Of the two black denominations, the Bethelites enjoyed greater growth and more stable leadership in the pre-Civil War decades.

Analysis at Work Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Analysis at Work - Essay Example The purpose is to show that the religion can transition, specifically to keep the initial spirit of Christianity alive. To do this, Spong uses repetition, anecdotes and prediction as rhetorical strategies, all which allow him to convince the audience of the need for a new reform in the church. Spong’s Audience When beginning to read this book, one can instantly define the audience as strong Christians in the church. The individuals are devoted to the religion of Christianity and what the church offers, specifically because of tradition, honest belief in God and the understanding of creating a specific relationship to God through a church. This is depicted from the various chapters about defining God in Spong’s book, as well as the first approach which is used in the book, which is to create a basis that everyone reading the book has an understanding of God and the divine presence. More important, this is one that goes outside of Christianity into the general idea of wha t God is, specifically to establish a connection between different types of Christians that are devoted to the sense of spirituality. â€Å"The God I know is not concrete or specific. This God is rather shrouded in mystery, wonder and awe. The deeper I journey into this divine presence, the less any literalized phrases, including the phrases of the Christian creed, seem relevant† (Spong, 4). This particular quote shows how the idea of God is one that is based both in Christianity and outside of the name and form which is often attributed to God. This is done specifically to speak to Christians who are devoted to the faith but which come from different walks of life. Another characteristic that is essential about Spong’s audience is with the belief that each is noting the need to change the church and the expression of believing in God. It is this main concept that Spong basis his book and various ideals. The main idea is to find devoted Christians that have lost faith in the present churches and the actions which have been taken, as well as the hypocrisy which is often associated with the church. The concept of the believers in exile is the first way which this is seen, with specific references to churches that aren’t acting on the belief in God. The second is with the continuous association with the main words of the Bible as well as the need to build a church of the future. There are phrases based on destroying the old church and building one that is new and creating a new religious understanding (pg. 227). These show that those reading the book are most likely looking for new answers about the functions of the church and what is needed for this time period. Rhetorical Strategies The audience that is defined is then able to easily be seen the different concepts which apply to the building of a new church, specifically because most aren’t looking for the same attributes as the current status of religion. The first way in which this is seen is through the use of repetition. The repetition includes specific words repeated over different phrases as well as repeating the same ideas throughout the book. For instance, there is constant repetition of â€Å"being in exile† and coming out of the exile with a â€Å"new church.† The repetition of these words then begin to influence the reader with the same belief

E-Commerce Business Proposal Introduction (draft) with detailed Essay

E-Commerce Business Proposal Introduction (draft) with detailed outline - Essay Example The business will be designing making and selling various handmade products. However to cut a niche for itself in the already crowded market of selling handmade products, This proposed business will have an online platform that allows the clients to be involved in designing the products they want. The clients will be able to do this by either uploading a picture or sketch of the proposed item that they want to be designed and made for them. They will also be able to contribute in the designing of these products by providing a brief description of whatever they want so that the team of designers can be able to capture their needs well. The involvement of the customers in the design of these handmade products will ensure that the needs of the customers are fully met. Involving the customers in the design process will ensure that the venture not only sells what it wants but also sells what the customers want. This will therefore give the business a competitive advantage over other seller of handmade crafts who basically sells what they have and do not sell what the customer wants. The business will make money from selling of the crafts to the clients. Involving clients in the design process will also be a way of getting various design ideas from the clients. Payment will be either through credit cards or online money transfer channels such as PayPal. Cash payments will also be accepted when the crafts are delivered to the customers This craft selling business will be internet based. It will require an interactive website that is built by a professional website developer. The customers will be able to view the product or crafts that are available for sale from the website. In addition to this, the website will allow the customers to contribute in the design of the crafts they want. The client will first choose the product he or she wants and describe how it should look like. The customer can draw sketch of the proposed design and post it through the

Interpretation of Compernicus in the 16th century Research Paper

Interpretation of Compernicus in the 16th century - Research Paper Example This essay will deal with the interpretations of Copernican cosmology among his contemporaries, with special attention being paid to views on Copernican theory exhibited by leading theologians of the epoch, both Catholic and Protestant. In addition, an account of interpretations of Copernicus in non-European historical environment will be presented, with Ottoman Empire serving as a case study. It will be argued that the dominant interpretations of Copernican astronomy in the 16th century were far from overwhelmingly hostile, as might be inferred from the treatment of Giordano Bruno and later Galileo Galilei, and that established ecclesiastical authorities in most cases lacked a coherent policy towards Copernicans until the 17th century. THE EARLY LUTHERAN RESPONSE TO THE COPERNICAN THEORY. MELANCHTHON, RHETICUS AND THE WITTENBERG INTERPRETATION Although the notion of existential hostility of Lutheran thinkers towards Copernican astronomy, presented by White in his famous account of L uther’s alleged derisory remark on Copernicus (White 1:126-7), is widespread, it seems that such a conclusion would be premature. While Kuhn asserts that Luther and Melanchthon viewed Copernican theory as contravening the Scripture and constituting near blasphemy (Kuhn 191), Barker and Westman strongly oppose such a view, instead suggesting that the attitude of Lutherans to Copernicanism was more nuanced (Barker; Westman, â€Å"The Copernicans and the Churches†). First of all, it is significant that the presentation of Copernican heliocentric theory itself was conducted not by Copernicus himself, but by Georg Joachim Rheticus (1514-1574), a young mathematician from the University of Wittenberg, which was the spiritual centre of Lutheran current in the Reformation (Westman, â€Å"The Copernicans and the Churches† 81). In fact, Rheticus was entrusted by Copernicus with publishing Narratio Prima, the draft version of the Copernican master work, De Revolutionibus, i n 1540. Together with another Lutheran scholar, Andreas Osiander (1498-1552), Rheticus published De Revolutionibus itself in 1543, with a special notice that the latter was an astronomical and mathematical, rather than philosophical, work. It is assumed that this notice was added in order to prevent possible backlash by conservative theologians and scholastics against Copernican theory (Westman, â€Å"The Copernicans and the Churches† 81). Such interpretation of Copernicus’s work, i.e. not as a work aimed at uncovering physical truth, but as a mathematical treatise that was merely to provide mathematically consistent observations was to become a basis for the so-called Wittenberg Interpretation of Copernicus. It is interesting to note that Melanchthon seems to have been initially critical of Copernicus’s ideas, but later acknowledged their validity, especially with regard to Copernican planetary parameters and theory of moon movements (Westman, â€Å"The Melanc hthon Circle†). Although Melanchthon never recognized the claims of Copernican heliocentrists with respect to cosmological issues, he obviously regarded Copernicus’s mathematical calculations on celestial body movements as superior to the Ptolemean ones. Melanchthon dismissed Copernican observation on the earth’s motion, finding it to be incompatible with the Scripture and the Aristotelian idea of simple motion, according to which each simple body has only one type of motion inherent in it (Westman, â€Å"

Advanced Nursing Skills - Group Process and Therapy Essay - 1

Advanced Nursing Skills - Group Process and Therapy - Essay Example it is imperative that nurses assume the role of nurse therapists and offer group therapies to the needy patients making use of their theoretical insights in group process and group dynamics. However, it is important that the group members are selected after careful screening so that the group leader (therapist or counselor) can address the psychiatric problems of group members who share certain common problems. Group therapy is aimed at offering empathy and support to all the group members by creating an atmosphere of trust that leads to sharing and exploring of each one’s concerns (Corey, 2008, p. 4). The skills of the group members are strengthened in group therapy with a view to enabling them to face future problems of similar nature. The scope of group therapy in mental healthcare setting is greater as this would enable a psychiatric patient to correct emotional and behavioral disorders that impede one’s functioning or to remediate in-depth psychological problemsâ⠂¬  (Corey, 2008, p. 7). However, it is essential that the group therapists guard themselves against any sorts of cultural or racial stereotyping and cultural encapsulation within a multicultural group setting. As pointed out by Corey (2008, p. 4), group therapies and counseling have â€Å"preventive as well as remedial aims.† However, one needs to differentiate between counseling groups and therapy groups. Group counseling is often problem oriented and addresses a specific educational, vocational, social, or personal issue. Similarly, group counseling is â€Å"growth oriented in that the emphasis is on discovering internal resources of strength† to face situational crises, temporary conflicts, or self-defeating behaviors (Corey, 2008, p. 4). On the other hand, interpersonal relationships are very much significant in group therapies and as such, these therapies stress the thoughts, feelings and behavior patterns of the participants as well. In this respect, Corey (2008, p. 7) observes that

Discuss the photograph below with specifics to the assignment given

Discuss the photograph below with specifics to the given - Assignment Example Iconic images such as "Girl with Flag" taken by Ethan Miller for the Las Vegas Sun become iconic because of their ability to blend a sense of reality with a sense of the artistic to fully convey the feelings of the time. In this image, a little blond-haired girl in jeans and a grey T-shirt with what appears to be an American flag printed on it, sits on the shoulders of her father, causing her to rise clearly above the crowd around them, as she solemnly looks up at the unfurled American flag she holds in one hand and has her other hand uplifted and outstretched. The photo was taken on the night after the 9/11 attacks in 2001 when the Las Vegas community held a massive candlelight vigil for those who died that day (Shine, 2011). The darkened sky above the little girl appears to be filled with sparks of light while the area below her is filled with the faces of sad-eyed adults of multiple different races, all grieving together. Through the artistic use of the camera as well as the experience of the human eye, Miller was able to capture a scene that epitomized the sentiments of the country at that time. The photo spoke to the culture in a number of ways at that time. The crowd is very diverse in both age and race, illustrating the concept that this is a united country, especially in times of trouble. As a nation, we value our ability to unite as this crowd has done within a single emotional response to a terrible event. The fact that they are all of adult size with the exception of the little girl really highlights her youth and the concept that we believe in upholding our children as the future of the nation. The effect of the sparks of light occurring above the little girl in the image combined with the fact that she is looking up gives the impression that these sparks may be the lost souls making their departure, but they are actually just pinpoints of light that are out of focus. This technique is called bokeh and is achieved by opening the aperture a

Individual Reflection and Personal Development Plan Case Study

Individual Reflection and Personal Development Plan - Case Study Example The components of 'personal development' include changes in the individual from minor alterations in work routines to changing habits leading to major developments. Role development entails in far reaching consequential changes such as adapting to a new role to suit individual as well as organizational requirements such as changes in work schedules, changes in organizational goals et al. Before seeking to bring about behavioral changes in others, managers must first identify their intra and inter personal skills, which they have or should acquire to be effective in the new role. They are: Intra-personal skills: Self-awareness, self-monitoring and stress-management skills Inter-personal skills: Communication, motivation, team building, conflict management and feedback. Inter-organizational skills: Networking alliances Yukl mentions supporting, developing, recognizing, rewarding and conflict management as essential managerial behavior for "building and maintaining co-operative relationships." These behaviors may have other objectives such as "to influence task motivation and facilitate effective completion of the task." (Yukl 1998, p. 94) Drucker argues that 'managing oneself', essentially begins with making an inventory of individual strengths and asking the question: 'how do I perform'' While it is not possible to change oneself, one can change one's way of working to improve performance. (Drucker 2005) Managers can learn effectiveness by adopting a pro-active approach of not just acquiring knowledge but to putting it to practice and holding themselves accountable for their actions. This involves four stages: understanding why events have occurred the way they did (reflection);... Managers can learn effectiveness by adopting a pro-active approach of not just acquiring knowledge but to putting it to practice and holding themselves accountable for their actions. This involves four stages: understanding why events have occurred the way they did (reflection); thinking about the application of theoretical frameworks to practical situations and their consequences (conceptualization); implementing concepts to influence/motivate behavior (implementation) and evaluation of emotional and informational outcomes of plan implementation (immersion). Kolb’s questionnaire is a useful tool to analyze managerial learning style of these four aspects. The questionnaire has forty questions to be rated on a scale of 1 to 7. Some of the questions read as:   â€Å"I often spend time thinking about what I am really trying to achieve†, â€Å"I am often more interested in novel ideas than in those that are practical† and â€Å"I regularly devote time to seeking f eedback on my projects† etc. (Kolb 1985). The answers are then tabulated in ten rows of four columns each starting with answers to questions 1 - 4 in the first row. The questions thus arranged in four vertical columns pertain to ‘reflection’, ‘conceptualization’, ‘implementation’ and ‘immersion.’ Areas in which the manager scores high are his/her strengths and those in which he/she scores less than the mean score obviously need improvement. The objective of mapping self-awareness is to develop the ability to identify and diagnose important differences with others.

Patients in Pain Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Patients in Pain - Research Paper Example The study is a qualitative research conducted in natural settings, and uses data that are words or text rather than numerical in order to describe the experiences that are being studied as recommended (LoBiondo-Wood, 2010). Ten (10) participants were selected from a sample size of twenty (20) nurses from three (3) hospitals. They were given in-depth, unstructured interviews in form of dialogues focusing on their care of patients in pain. The study was conducted to appraise the problem: hospitalized patients still suffer from pain due to poorly managed nursing processes. The study question is: â€Å"what are the nurses’ experiences when caring for patients in pain?† The research study is phenomenological; that is aimed at obtaining a description of an experience as it is lived in order to understand the meaning of that experience for those who have it. It is also non-experimental; that is the investigator observes a phenomenon without manipulating the independent variabl e and finally it is qualitative; that is research about human experiences whose data types are words or text rather than numerical in order to describe the experiences that are being studied (Auerbach,  et al 1990) Overview of the Study In virtually all hospitals world over hospitalized patients report the same thing: pain. This is in spite of a wider knowledge-base, the advancements in technological as well as a wealth of research (Auerbach,  et al 1990). The professionals who are charged with pain assessment and the administration of analgesia or other relief are the Nurses. On the face of it, it might appear automatic to point an accusing finger on them as failing in their duties. However a closer look on these complaints exposes several situations; that is one, nurses usually do not make decisions independently as to the prescription of drugs meaning that what they may consider as a prescription ideal to a paining situation may differ from issued guidelines, inter alia. Nurs es therefore do not have a free hand to operate mainly due to their relationship with the ‘gate-keepers’; that is the physicians (Walker, J2002), in spite of the problems and costs associated with and inherent in unrelieved postoperative pain (Walker, J2002). This therefore makes it essential for researchers, physicians as well as nurses and patients to deeply understand the strengths and weaknesses of the nursing profession in the process of achieving pain relief for hospitalized patients. Other barriers include:- Anxiety: Most nurses are anxious about the possible consequences of using opioid drugs, such as respiratory depression and addiction. Assessment Inadequacies: owing to the huge workload on most nurses on the one hand, and the organizational ineffectiveness (Shealy, 2006) on the other, pain assessment by nurses is usually inadequate as well. However, it has been observed that most of researches conducted have tended to conclude negatively with regard to nurses and their pain management. Conclusion about the Strength of Evidence/Findings The study exposed that the challenges encountered by nurses while caring for hospitalized patients in pain can more easily be understood if the role of a nurse is viewed from a goal-directed mission standpoint; that is an aim towards relieving

Causes of World War One Essay Example for Free

Causes of World War One Essay World War One was a turning point in history. Many scholars study this event and what caused this huge conflict. Germany used to be the sole one responsible for this war, but many controversial debates later, the blame was gradually put on the other great powers of Europe as well. In this essay, I will be analyzing the main causes of WWI, especially targeting the long-term causes. Most of these causes and events may be classified into 4 main themes: imperialism, the alliance system, militarism nationalism. Imperialism contributed greatly to the outbreak of WWI. Imperialism is when a country takes over other lands and subjects them to their rule to extend their power and influence. In the pre-WWI era, the great powers of Europe strove to expand their empires. Germany, who only became an united nation in 1871, desired a large empire like Britain’s, who at the time had an empire that stretched out over 5 continents and colonized about 1/3 of the world. However, Germany only had a few pieces of Africa. Soon, though, they decided they wanted more. In 1896, Admiral Muller said to Prince Henry of Germany, â€Å"either we harness the total strength of the nation ruthlessly, even if it means accepting the risk of a major war, or we limit ourselves to continental power alone.† This shows how much Germany would do for more land and power. It clearly shows they prioritized developing their empire over suppressing war if it arose. In 1897, Prince von Bulow of Germany said, â€Å"We don’t want to put anyone else in the shade but we too demand a place in the sun.† It is suggested that Germany wanted more of Africa and Asia. The fierce competition over lands caused incredible tension between the great powers. Each country wanted to dominate more lands to increase their trades and power. This can also be seen in the First Moroccan Crisis. France and Germany had begun to motion towards war over the colonization of Morocco. France, assisted by Britain and Russia, wanted to colonize Morocco, whilst Germany, who was weakly supported by Austria-Hungary wanted to annoy France and create strain in the Entente Cordiale’s friendship, as well as keep Morocco independent so it would be easier to conquer and keep trading with them. This shows how easily countries may begin to consider war and attack to take over new lands. Another event that shows clear intent of imperialism is the Bosnian Crisis in 1908, when Austria-Hungary took over Bosnia, tension grew so thick between Austria-Hungary and Serbia that with one tiny trigger, war would be a possible threat. Another main cause of WWI was militarism. Britain, who had the strongest navy at that time, felt threatened when Germany decided they wanted to build their navy power as well. The Anglo-German naval race of 1906-12 started when Kaiser William II of Germany released the Tirpitz Plan, which was a plan to increase Germany’s naval size. The British brought out the HMS Dreadnought, a deadly battleship, in 1906. Though Britain eventually won, it was clear Germany posed a serious threat. There was also an increase of armed forces which created the mood and atmosphere for war. By 1900, Russia had the biggest army of 1.1 million, though the number had decreased to 0.8 million by 1914. The armies of Germany and France had more than doubled from 1870, though England’s army had not increased much as they prioritized the naval race over building their army. With this attitude to building their military power, it was inevitable that these thoughts would eventually lead to putting the m to use. The alliance system also contributed greatly to the war. An alliance is when 2 or more countries form a type of ‘friendship’ where if one country is in trouble, the other/others would step in and help. The two main alliances were the Triple Entente, which consisted of France, Britain and Russia, and the Triple Alliance of Germany, Italy and Austria-Hungary. The Triple Entente, formed in 1907, remained strong as ever even when Germany tried to sever their bonds in an argument with France over Morocco. Additionally, Russia and Germany signed unofficial secret ‘reassurance treaties’ though it was not renewed in 1890 when William II of Germany took over. This led Russia to search for a new ally. In the end, France and Russia formed an alliance in 1894. This was exactly what Germany had hoped to avoid as now they were sandwiched between the 2 countries, leaving them extremely vulnerable in the case of an attack. However, William II was young and felt no need to have Russia on their side. It should be taken into account that if there wasn’t an alliance system, WII might not have been a ‘world war’, just one between Austria-Hungary and Serbia after an immediate cause- the trigger event of the assassination of the heir of the Austrian throne, Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Bosnia on 28th, June 1914. The assassination of the Archduke was committed by Gavrilo Princip, a Serbian nationalist. He was part of the ‘Black Hand’, a secret Serbian nationalist society. This links to nationalism as the Serbs were tired of being ruled by the Austro-Hungarians, and in return, murdered Austro-Hungary’s heir. This shows how much they were wiling to do to make their point. This also links back to the alliance system. France, bound by treaty to Russia, found themselves at war against Germany, and by extension, war against Austria Hungary. Meanwhile, Britain who was allied to France, declared war on Germany. Once again, it should be mentioned that if it were not for the alliance system, perhaps not as many countries would’ve been involved in the war.

Social Problems In Uae Sociology Essay

Social Problems In Uae Sociology Essay Social problem is defined as the issue or problem which has seen by people of community as unacceptable or undesirable. But social problems are not under the control of a single person. Social problems mainly arise when there is a social disruption or social change. UAE is continent which consists of such countries which are fully developed and have extensive growth towards success every day. So it is a great social change in society as a result which on one hand has put an end to several social issues such as poverty, illiteracy, terrorism, crime but on the other this social change have given rise to several social problems such as drug abuse. Younger generation is becoming a victim of this problem greatly usually because of some kind of depression they are facing or may be because of the peer pressure. Furthermore discrimination in society is rising since Dubai has become a multi culture society now having people of different countries with different cast religion and different race. Moreover because of the social change in a society family rules have changed to a greater extent making it difficult for the people to hold their relationships for a long time. Since every person is busy in his own life so no time is left for family get together and for the spouse as well. Also high cost of living, problems of expatriates is major social issues. INTRODUCTION Social issues are the problems that affect more than one person in a society in any way possible. Sometimes social problems affect directly sometimes indirectly to a person or society. Social problems are usually not in the control of a person and it occurs in immediate social environment mostly because of some social change in society. There are certain examples such as a person has murdered someone but it is not a social problem it is a part of biggest social issue called crime which is prevailing very much in society. Most common social issues that exist in a developing or underdeveloped society include poverty, illiteracy, crime, human rights etc. the rest problems are developed from them such as immigration but immigration is a social plus economic problem. Moreover discrimination, sexual harassment, child abuse, injustice, drug abuse, divorces, and obesity are developed from the major problems of society. All the social problems have adverse effects on people which are part of the society. The societys norms values, customs and traditions all got changed and affected by the social problems prevailing in a society. Even the entire system of the society disrupts because of this but it cant be controlled since it occurs as a result of the external factors which a single person cannot control. UAE is continent which consists of such countries which are fully developed and have extensive growth towards success every day. So it is a great social change in society as a result which on one hand has put an end to several social issues such as poverty, illiteracy, terrorism, crime but on the other this social change have given rise to several social problems such as drug abuse. Younger generation is becoming a victim of this problem greatly usually because of some kind of depression they are facing or may be because of the peer pressure. Furthermore discrimination in society is rising since Dubai has become a multi culture society now having people of different countries with different cast religion and different race. Moreover because of the social change in a society family rules have changed to a greater extent making it difficult for the people to hold their relationships for a long time. Since every person is busy in his own life so no time is left for family get together and for the spouse as well. EXPLANATION OF CHOICE OF FOUR INTERVIEWS I am conducting interviews of four family members of mine which are my younger sister, my mother, my father and my grandfather. Ive chosen my younger sister for conducting interview regarding such topic because she is young and she can give me her fresh view regarding the social issue that are spreading in the entire UAE. As she currently is a college student so she definitely will present the problems or issues of the young generation. So she gave me information regarding the issues of drug abuse which is spreading extensively in youngsters. And secondly she notified me about the problem of obesity that is a huge problem in developed countries especially among children. Secondly I am taking interview from my father who works as a sales person in a leading company of Dubai. Ive chosen him for this interview because he is one generation before us. And he can express his views regarding the social issues of UAE but his views will reflect his entire generation. Also he is a working person so he definitely would have known and understand the environment of the workplace and can also give details relating to the social problems occur in a working place. He told me about the problem of discrimination occurring is workplaces. Also he notified me about the problem of expatriates. The third person Ive chosen for my research on social issue in UAE is my mother. She is a house wife and is responsible for everything that happens in a hose hold. Ive chosen her for conducting interview on such a sensitive topic since she is women and in order to get a female point of view on such a topic is necessary. Also she can better explain the relationship problems than any other person. So she acknowledged me about the problem of high rate of divorces in UAE and also she pointed out the problem of high cost of living in a society of UAE. Furthermore Ive selected my grandfather for conducting an interview from him. Ive selected him because he is from two generations behind mine. So he can give me views regarding the social issues of UAE that reflects his generation. He presents the problem of depression which is becoming very common in UAE because of workaholics and change of family rules. (Khondkar, 2008) THREE GENERATION GENEALOGY OF SOCIAL PROBLEMS Social problem is defined as the issue or problem which has seen by people of community as unacceptable. Some social issues are considered unacceptable by literally all members of the society such as kidnapping, violence, crime, murders etc Bt there are social issues as well that are not necessarily undesirable by all community members for example youngster do not consider listening very loud music a social issue but it is a social issue for elder members of society. There are several types of social problems prevailing in different countries of the world such as poverty, illiteracy, food and water crisis, poor health facilities are some of the most common problems in developing countries. Moreover terrorism is also one of the major social problems emerging in many countries now days. Furthermore discrimination of sex, injustice, inflation, immigration, child labor, drug abuse, and smuggling are also few big social problems of today. Due to extensive growth and unimaginable development in UAE there is a major social change occurring there which is causing so many social problems. Social problems occur in UAE society is of many types and there is no clear way to solve these issues in the near future. From the time of independence of UAE many the society of UAE has completely evolved and social issues with the time has also changed. Since UAE has gained the status of one of the developed countries of the world so problems in society also have evolved in the same manner. One of the most important social issues in UAE is drug abuse. This problem has spread on a large scale and a lot of people are under the influence of this problem. Illegal trade of drugs from different countries where drug is produced is the main cause for this problem and this is happening because of the security lapses of UAE. Also the alcoholism is a major social issue in UAE. Moreover the divorce rate is very high in UAE which is a big social problem in this era. Smoking and road accidents are also causing problems for the people living there. Ethnic cleansing, racism and prostitution are also some of the highlighted social problems. (Social Issues in USA Contemporary, 2009) According to the interviews conducted by me of my younger sister who is a college student currently I concluded a few very important points regarding to the social issues of UAE. OBESITY Firstly obesity is a big concern now days. Obesity is actually defined as the excess fat of a person that is causing adverse effects on that persons health. Obesity becomes the reason for so many diseases such as cancer, heart problems, and diabetes etc. a person is considered that he is affected by obesity when his weight is at least 20% more than his normal weight. The major causes of obesity are firstly the genetics. Obesity can be in the gens of a person. Also over eating and eating lots of junk food is a major reason for this problem. All the countries of UAE are affected by this problem because people there have a busy lifestyle so they have much time for exercise to get them fit and remove extra fat from their bodies. Furthermore workaholics do not eat at home and usually go out for eating junk food which increases their fat to a high level. DRUG ABUSE Drug abuse is one of the problems now days that is affecting every community and country badly. It is a serious health illness problem that is causing 40 million deaths every year. There are several causes for this problem including the depression which is very high in developed countries since workload is very high and it is difficult and stressful to maintain a good life style there. Also because of separate families instead of joint families systems feelings of loneliness overcome them makes them to take drugs. Drug abuse among the youth is very much increasing mostly because of the pressure of the friends on them. Bad social gatherings and wrong friend circle makes a person to get involved in all such bad activities. Also alcoholism and smoking are the problems that spread in the same manner. Youngsters also do such activities because they have the perception that it gives them a cool look. Drug abuse has negative effects on a persons life such as health problems. Also drugs addicted become a victim of financial problem since they cant control them and spend a lot of money in buying drugs. Moreover a drugs addicted is no more efficient to be a part of social gathering anymore. He is socially destroyed because at the time of taking drugs his behavior becomes very abnormal. Drug abuse can make a person to involve in other crimes also such as drugged driving, violence, child abuse etc In accordance with the interview conducted by my mother Ive got to understand few social issues prevailing in our society. HIGH DIVORCE RATE Divorce is one of the biggest social problems spreading in UAE society and its rate is increasing day by day. The main reason for high rate of divorces in the country is that the traditional rules of marriage are changing because of the working women scenario and also the joint family system has ended which makes it difficult for women to handle their entire house hold plus professional life and thus the relationship between husband and wife badly disturbs making it difficult for them to continue to live together and divorces happens as a result. Moreover another important reason for divorces is marriages at a younger age. At that time the couple is not able to understand each other and their maturity level to handle marriage is low. So they easily move towards the path of divorce. And also it is the fault of parents who pressurize their children to marry at a younger age. Furthermore high expectations from marriage sometimes lead it to a poor relationship because husband and wife expects so much from each other but do not prepare themselves to be able to fulfill the expectations of their partner. Divorce has certain negative impacts on the entire family and the children always affected badly in such situations. They become very sensitive and emotionally unstable. Further it is difficult for them to adjust in new families in case of their parents got engaged into second marriages. Moreover they feel complexes in schools and in other social gatherings. (Divorce in the uae causes effects, 2009) HIGH COST OF LIVING The cost of living in UAE is high as compared to other places. It has proved from different surveys conducted by researchers when they compared a same quantity of basket of goods in UAE and from other places. Since the country has reached to the greater heights of development the life style of established people in Dubai and in other countries is very lavished which makes it difficult for the expatriates to live there since the expatriates have usually low incomes. It is also difficult for them to even educate their children and also their children can become a victim of complex if they study with the people of high class. Communication costs are high as compared to other places and phone calls are really very expensive locally as well as internationally. Buying property is very expensive in Dubai and in other developed countries of UAE. House hold accommodations, clothing, furniture and appliances are also expensive so its hard for a person with normal income to live there. In accordance with the interview taken by my father Ive got to understand two important social issues that we are facing as a society of UAE. RACIAL DISCRIMINATION Since a lot of people from different countries are shifting to Dubai for the purpose of doing business there or for getting jobs as UAE have good opportunities for them. These people belong to different religion, culture, different race, and cast. So UAE has become a multicultural society and in such a society problems of racial discrimination often occurs. At work places people are usually be given less pay only because they belong to other foreign countries which are not liked by the employer of the place. And also high work load is given to the different culture employees. For example the employer of the hotel would want that his customers are served by the European staff. And if those people raise issues about this matter they might get into conflicts with the management or the colleagues too. There is also a great discrimination in case of race and nationality in the workplace. And because of the discrimination people are getting dissatisfied and large families in UAE become a victim of this issue. PROBLEM OF EXPATRIATES So many people are getting settled in UAE leaving their native countries behind. Expatriates basically do that because they are attracted to the employment and investment opportunities of the country where they want to shift and their own home country do not have such opportunities for them. But it is becoming a greater problem for the government of Dubai to accommodate so many people and thus the country is becoming over populated because of the large number of expatriates. 74% of the population of UAE is the people who are not from UAE but have shifted from other countries for employment or for doing some sort of business. When so many expatriates come and settle in to the country the major problem of homogeneous society occurs. And in such a multicultural society several problems of discrimination can occur too. According to the interview conducted by my grandfather Ive got to understand few important points regarding the social issues prevailing in the UAE society DEPRESSION Since a lot of people living in UAE are expatriates who may or may not live with their family in UAE. Living alone and continuous work of day and night can make a victim of depression and isolation which can greatly affect their health especially they can have mental issues because of this. Also because in such developed countries the concept of family has completely changed and so there is no such family gatherings and spending time with family which can make them feel relax for a little time. And give them a break from their workaholic lives. As in such developed countries every person has to work really hard to earn good money which is their necessity otherwise they cant settle their because standard of living is very high. (Ronnegard, 2010) USE OF INTERVIEW MATERIAL I have conducted four interviews in my family. Interviews were conducted in a professional setup to get the job done in a good manner. Questions were designed specially to get the maximum information out of them in a comfortable and easy manner. And also it was considered that all the questions must be in accordance with the topic of prevailing social issues in society of UAE. Questions were mostly open ended in order to get a detailed analysis of the topic. The interviews were formal in nature which Ive conducted from my mother and father. But the interviews conducted by my sister and grandfather were informal in nature. Because I have more comfort level with them. I didnt start my interview in cold manner rather than that Ive start interviews with a small talk to reach to the topic of social issues in UAE. And I was very natural in taking interviews not the practiced and rehearsed tone was there. I have listened carefully to every word of them and write down the points in order to make sense of the information they are presenting. And throughout the interviews Ive kept my topic in mind and didnt divert from it to gather relevant information. Relevant Reading Course Material Patterns of corruption in MENA Region Little is known on the specific forms and nature of corruption in the MENA region, due to the lack of empirical data and political will for such scrutiny. Yet, there is a general consensus that both petty corruption and grand corruption are widespread and systemic. The Arab countries comprising the Middle East often referred to as the MENA region face a set of specific challenges that are seriously hampering the effectiveness of anti-corruption efforts. The political and institutional infrastructure of Arab states partly accounts for the persistence of the governance gap in the region, while contextual factors such as insecurity, oil wealth and prevalence of conflict continue to fuel corruption and the lack of transparency. Throughout the MENA region, anti-corruption strategies have primarily focused on strengthening public institutions, reviewing laws and regulations and simplifying procedures, with little attention given to proactively improving transparency and democratic processes. Although the region is not entirely homogeneous, regional patterns of corruption emerge from various governance surveys and indicators (an overview of these is provided on page 7). Transparency internationals Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) consistently ranks MENA countries below the world Article 1 The study conducted by Sharjah university revealed that the main reason behind high rates of drug lies in the lack of communication between the individuals. The constant verbal fight is particularly the reason behind this. Since pre-martial relationships are not considered good in our society, therefore, couple is not aware of nature of each other. The interference of in laws is also the biggest reason behind the drug cases. Unfortunately, the people who are extremely badly affected due to drug consumption in children. The children face various mental and physical challenges when they see constant tussle between their parents. (Sheriff, 2012) Article 2 The Emiratis are normally family centered people who love to live in families and care for each other needs and wills. However, the trends in the recent years have shown that the institute of marriage is being severely hurted. The reports have shown that 42 percent of the people in the age bracket of 20s have decided to quit their relationships on different grounds. However, the people blame the influence of western culture as the main reason behind the change in attitudes and beliefs of the people. The western culture believes in absolute freedom where absolutely no impetus is laid on the family lives. The younger generation is reported to have been following the same footsteps. (Safdar, 2009) Article 3 According to the Shariah laws existing in UAE, the decision related to divorce making process is not instantaneous. Initially, the applicants forward their case to the courts. The matter is referred to the counsellor who gives a three month period to the couple to enter into negotiations. If the case is not resolved in the allotted time, the case is referred to the judge for the enforcement of divorce. A women can get divorce if she is able to prove that wife has been physically tortured. The women can accept Khula if she returns dowry to the husband. The expats can resolve the issues according to the laws of their particular land. (Bardsley, 2005) SIGNIFICANCE OF GENERATION AND GENDER PERSPECTIVE OF SOCIAL PROBLEMS It is very important to get acknowledged about the social issues prevailing in a society as it increases our understanding of society which we are a part of. Until and unless we do not understand the society in which we are living it would be very difficult for us to sustain there. Also to bring some kind of social change in a society it is necessary to know what do we actually want to change in our society and what we like and what we dont like in our society. Different generations have different perspectives regarding this issue and it is significant to know and understand each perspective in great detail. Firstly every male and female is a member of this society so all the different generation people here. Therefore to make it easy and comfortable for every generation to adjust in a society their views are important. Moreover by the analysis of generation and gender perspective of social issues we get very diverse and variety of ideas that can help us understand the social problems and society better. As the minds of people belongs to different generation are different from each other and so their preference in regarding to the major social problems currently spreading in UAE society. Male and female have different perspectives regarding the social issues rising in a society. Females are usually sensitive and relationship oriented thats they think that the major social problems will be according to these issues as the interview conducted by me of my mother she said that the biggest social problems now in a society belongs to the family issues such as high divorce rate in UAE and also the social problem of high cost of living is being highlighted by her. And talking about the male perspective in this regard they preferred to consider the social problems more towards the work place issues because they are not sensitive and relationship oriented rather they are the work oriented so my father pointed out the issues of discrimination in the workplace on the basis of race cast and creed because UAE is a multicultural society. Also he referred about the problem of expatriates in a country. Therefore it is very important to understand the gender perspective of social problems of UAE.

Fractals: The Organization of Chaos :: Mathematics Geometry Essays

Fractals: The Organization of Chaos Please ignore the references to pictures or figures. I no longer have them, so I could not include them on this page. Thanks. Fractals are a relatively new concept in geometry. Most concepts for Euclidean geomtery, the division of geometry which deals with lines, circles, triangles, and other standard shapes, stem from the Late Greek and Early Rioman times. Considering the age of mathematics, the study of fractals is new becasue it dates to the beginning of this century. However, the age of computers brought about an explosion into this yet untamed universe of math. As Heinz-Otto Peitgen and Dietmar Saupe remark in the preface for The Science of Fractal Images, "Computer graphics has played an essential role both in its development and rapidly growing popularity" (V). Before this, mathematicians could only visualize what they were discussing (Mandelbrot, Fractals: Form, Chance, and Dimension 2). But now, fractals are the mathematician's answer to chaos and therefore can be used to help scientists better understand nuature and the universe. Scientists can define any structure from a snowflake to a mountain o r even an entire planet with this new division in Mathematics. Thus, fractals define our universe. Benoit B. Mandelbrot is a key figure behind the rise of this new science. A Professor of mathematical Sciences at Yale and an IBM Fellow, Mandelbrot is the man who coined the term "fractal" in 1975. Mathematicians, such as Gaston Julia, only defined them as sets before this and could only give properties of these sets. Also, there was no way for these early fractal researchers to see what they were hypothesizing about. As Mandelbrot states in The Fractal Geometry of Nature, "I coined fractal from the Latin adjective fractus. The corresponding Latin verb frangere means 'to break...'" (4). Mandelbrot used this particular root because of how he defines fractals. Unlike Euclidean geometry, which has its figures in a particular dimension (e.g. a square is two-dimensional), fractals have fractional dimensions. They do not exist in just one dimension but can encompass part of another. For example, as Mort La Brecque states in his article on fractals in the Academic American Encyclopedia "a natural fractal of fractal dimension 2.8 ... would be a spongelike shape that is nearly three dimensional in its appearance. A natural fractal of fractal dimension 2.2 would be a much smoother object that just misses being flat" (105-106, Mandelbrot "Fractals").

Tokugawa Government Essay -- Government, Tokugawa Politics

Tokugawa government had belonged to the Shoguns and was successful in forming and keeping an affordable system that had lasted two and a half centuries (Pg.3). Tokugawa government’s goal was to maintain â€Å"under the centralized power in the context of a feudal system, in which the various lords (daimyo) could retain their autonomy (Pg.3).† Tokugawa Shogun had his castle in Edo and he had also established the Shogun government in Edo and it is now presently known as Tokyo. The Edo government of the Tokugawa was known as bakfu (Pg.3). The Tokugawa policy relied on maintaining the status quo and their power. The status quo was based on Confucian’s principles which were made accordance to the need of a feudal Japanese society and sanctions by the Tokugawa rulers (Pg.4). In this paper, it will discuss Tokugawa bakfu policies which had given a rise to the culture of floating world through the various roles of samurai warriors, the merchants and the courtesans. The Tokugawa bakfu had a control system called â€Å"alternate attendance† that expected the Daimyo to reside in Edo and at their domains (Pg.241). Edo was mostly consisted of the male population (Pg.245). The Daimyo had to leave their wives and children in Edo as hostages (Pg.241). Tokugawa society was divided into four categories: the samurai warriors, the peasants, the artisans and the merchants. The samurai warriors were the masters of agriculturalists, artisans and merchants and they were not allowed to be rude or disrespectful towards the samurai (Pg.5). The official merchants were in charge of supplying goods to Samurai’s in which made Edo a consumer capital (Pg.241). The power of merchants had formed most of the wealth for their feudal lords. The Tokugawa merchant officials ... ...world through the different roles played by the samurai warriors, the merchants and the courtesans. The Samurai warriors had the power of mastering and ruling over the merchants. The merchants were in the duty of supplying goods to the Samurai’s and most of the wealth was produced by the merchants (Pg.241). The merchants were given leisure time and through this time they were able to meet wealthy customers in order to keep Edo a consumer capital. The leisure time was spent in the gay quarters located in Edo and men were entertained by famous actors and courtesans. The courtesans and the actors had created a fantasy world which was filled with colour, beauty and creative spirit that had led to expand culture of the floating world (Pg.9). Overall, it can be said that the practices and decorum of Tokugawa bakfu had allowed to create the culture of the floating world.

Essay --

Living with Lupus Lauren Choate College of the Mainland â€Æ' Lupus is a dangerous disease that can affect anyone. It has no cure and is known to affect 9 out of 10 adults. â€Å"Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), also called lupus, is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease characterized by unusual antibodies in the blood that target tissues of the body.† (Frazier & Drzymkowski, 2008) Autoimmune means that your immune system cannot tell the difference between foreign invaders and your body’s healthy tissues and creates autoantibodies that attack and destroy healthy tissue. These autoantibodies cause inflammation, pain, and damage in various parts of the body. Lupus affects each individual differently and it may be worse for one person than it is for another. My grandmother, Carolyn, was diagnosed with Systemic lupus erythematosus in her early forties. She suffered a long time before she was diagnosed with Lupus. â€Å"The worst part of my lupus is the flare-ups† Carolyn said, â€Å"It feels as if I am on fire sometimes and every single inch of my body hurts in the most awful way I have ev...

Analysis on “How State Budgets Are Breaking Us Schools”

Semester 2 2011/2012 SBLE 2083 Public Speaking (Group E) Prominent Speech Analysis on â€Å"How state budgets are breaking US schools† Lecturer: Nurul Nazifah binti Mat Noh Group Members: Koo Chi Haw205634 Thong Hsien Jin205770 Mohammad Azlan bin Annual206955 Muhammad Noorhafizi bin Noor Azay 207278 Title: How State budgets are breaking US schools In the beginning of the speech, the speaker did gained the attention and interest of the audience by relating the topic to the audience and stating the importance of the topic and relating the topic to the audience.He mentioned that â€Å"And these budgets  are the key for our future;  they're the key for our kids†. This example shows that he was trying to relate the audience about their future and their children. He also mentioned that â€Å"the great universities or community colleges —  most of the money for those things  is coming out of these state budgets†. This means that state budgets are crucial for education spending in the United States. The speaker did not introduce the topic clearly in the beginning of the speech. He begun his speech only by saying â€Å"Well, this is about state budgets. and â€Å"And these budgets  are the key for our future;  they're the key for our kids†. These might only gave hints or questions to audience about the topic that was going to present by the speaker. The speaker did establish credibility by showing the numbers about the state budgets. He mentioned â€Å"State budgets  are big, big money —  I'll show you the numbers†. This means that he has the information that is relevant and is qualified to speak on this topic. The speaker did not really preview the body of the speech.It would not be clear either. He said that the state budgets are important for their future and their kids which only gave hints about how state budgets problems are going to relate to education spending. The speaker should have preview the body of the speech by saying the main points to the audience in the beginning of the speech. The speech indeed related to audience. The speaker already pointed out that the topic is very important for the people to take considerations in the beginning, even though it is boring.The speaker was consistently informing the audience that if the state budget is not enough to cover all the expenses due to deficit of 10%, the young will more likely to be the victims as the majority of spending from the education will be swift to health-care medical for the old ones. It would affect many people of the U. S. in the future. The speaker also used the word â€Å"you† frequently. This indicates that he is trying to relate the audience during the speech. After reviewing the video, the main points are the implications of the imbalanced state budget to the education expenses in current and future.The speaker aided his main points by using an effective visual aids and further explain the main point by detailed elaborations and examples. Such methods are effectives to the audience to understand the topic clearly and relevant. First, the speaker introduced the state budgets and the deficits that occurred. Then, He moved on to the implication on the education spending which is the system will have a big squeeze if the expenses are mostly swift to health-care program by minimizing the expenses for the education in the deficit state budget.If such trend happened, the future education level will be weakened such as no bold experiment, no teacher effectiveness measurement and no incentives for the excellence teachers. The speaker used many type of methods in supporting main points. Firstly, the speaker gave extended example about the cause of the state budgets deficit. He mentioned that â€Å"When Jerry Brown was elected,  this was the challenge that was put to him. That is, through various gimmicks and things,  a so-called balanced budget  had led him to have 25 billion missing  out of the 76 billion in proposed spending.Now he's put together some thoughts:  About half of that he'll cut,  another half,  perhaps in a very complex set of steps,  taxes will be approved. But even so,  as you go out into those future years,  various pension costs, health costs go up enough,  and the revenue does not go up enough. So you get a big squeeze. † Secondly, the speaker also used hypothetical example such as â€Å"But we're spending 36 percent. Well what are we taking in? Simple business question. Answer is 26 percent. Now this leaves 10 percent deficit,  sort of a mind-blowing number. † The speaker also used statistic method to support the main points.For the example, â€Å"But we have a problem. Here's the overall picture. U. S. economy is big —  14. 7 trillion. Now out of that pie,  the government spends 36 percent. † The speaker used a causal order where he first identified the state budgets deficit and what cause these deficits. Finally, he pointed out on how this affects the education spending by the government. The language used by the speaker is overall clear and concise. The speaker did used some familiar words that are easily understand by the audience. The speaker also used many abstract words which refer to ideas or concepts in his speech.For examples, â€Å"medical innovation†, â€Å"gimmicks† and â€Å"big squeeze†. However, the speaker used terms like â€Å"Medicaid† and â€Å"Enron† in his speech that would be not familiar with the audiences who are not living in United States. In the middle of the speech, the speaker also used a repetition as the rhythm of the speech. For example, â€Å"Now how did we get here? How could you have a problem like this? †. The speaker only used signpost as the connective in the speech. The connectives are used as he had begun next main points with questions. For examples, â€Å"Now how did we get her e?How could you have a problem like this? †, â€Å"Well what's going to give? † and â€Å"So what do we need to do? †. This shows that the speaker invited himself to answer and get the audience more involving with the speech. However, the signposts used are not really effective because they did not show the next or previous main points in the speech. In the end of the speech, the speaker signaled the end of the speech by saying, â€Å"And so the bottom line is†, to let the audience know that the speech was going to stop soon. The speaker also used a crescendo ending for his speech.He made a conclusion in which his speech was built to a zenith of power and intensity that influence the audience to care about the state budgets. The speaker said that the state budgets are critical for their kids and their future. â€Å"Now I think this is a solvable problem. It's a great country with lots of people. But we have to draw those people in,  because this is abou t education. † The speaker did reinforce the central idea of the speech by making a dramatic statement. He said, â€Å"And just look at what happened with the tuitions  with the University of California  and project that out for another three, four, five years —  it's unaffordable. †

Are Unions Still Relevant in USA Essay

Labor Unions, which formed to represent the workforce when needed, its rights to be discuss with the organizations management. Unions bring matters as wages, and benefits to the Collective Bargain to get an agreement with the management. Unions where big up to the 2000; from there on where power and the number of members is experiencing declining. In 2009, 771,000 members left the movement; because of the recession of 2008-2009 the majority of the member are from the public sector and not the private organizations (Devinatz, 2010). It is true that the idea of an institution that works on benefit of employees hand to hand with employers is the ideal to have in every organization; however, how can somebody said is working on employees behalf if their needs if the requirement can put the organization stability in danger. With a good number of companies closing their doors, going to bankruptcy, or moving their manufacturing overseas the workforce forthcoming is turning to small businesses and entrepreneurship collective bargain turn out to be unnecessary and irrelevant (Subramani & Ramdas, 2011). Been raised and grownup in a country where unions were called federations, usually only participating at organizations relate to technical and trade professions, have not had a close relation or even learned to much about. Maybe this influenced in acquiring the concept that there is no need for an institution to deal the benefits and needs of employees. Organizations have developed and today management and human resources worked together on behalf of the organization and its employees. Human resources on an organization are who take care and seeks for the benefits and needs of the employee as well as the organization (Heizer & Render, 2011). Because the people who conform the human resources department is part of the organization would try to do what benefits employers and employees. After reading a handful of comments and experiences with unions and their work on different businesses and organizations, my personal point of view is that unions at the beginning of it history maybe was the solution for unfairness and illegal actions from bosses and managers to its employees. Indeed their ideology, thoughts, and what they express said they worked 100% to get the best for employees we are seeing today lots of manufacture businesses closing their doors and big businesses outsourcing their jobs because they cannot afford the unions requests on keep raising wages. Of course this influence in workers wanting a union at their jobs; but is not more rewarding and satisfying to know you are receiving what your personal review is saying; at the same time having more stability, meaning that the institution we are working for does not run the risk of having to reduce personnel or worst close its doors. It is also true that organizations need to have representatives that would attend management meetings and present the employees’ point of view, concerns, aspirations, and those bright ideas that would help to have a better working environment and job satisfaction. In 2008, Reynolds article on Labor Unions showed how union are declining its power with employees and the number of members in the private sector is being minimum comparing with the public sector. Reynolds also suggested that workers associations, formed by regular employees and that would work closely to the organization’s human resources department could replace the unions. People would always think that employers do not worry or work for the employees’ benefits, that they take advantage and the only goal is to make them work hard and generate bigger profit. Unions said they will bargain the best for them, making their wages raised, but who is worrying of the quality of the job and service? Who is worrying of having a secure income and not having the fear of layoffs or bankrupts? In conclusion, we can see unions is declining in the number of members, also in the power they had over employees to convinced they are working only on their benefits without any political interest; and that the actual corporation organization with its human resources department do not have the need of unions trying to tell what the employees need or want because they can do it themselves.

The Small Company with a Big-Time Motivation Program

Question 1 – How strong was the overall employee motivation program at Badger Mining? On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the best, Badger Mining gets a 10! The company focuses on employees needs, is flexible with scheduling lets employees take off for family matters, matches 401k, generous profit sharing program, and a good health care package. This touches upon every aspect of a good employee motivation program. Question 2 – What evidence of participate management can you detect in this case? One key example was the example of the expansion to the Taylor plant. The company V. P. Dan Valiquette made sure to consult with the employees who would be affected by the expansion. He wanted the guys having to run the equipment involved in the redesign of the process, thus promoting employee buy-in, and the employees felt valued. He also included contractors and vendors involved with the change, which made everyone involved with project feel part of the process and take ownership. Question 3 – How well do you think open-book management would work at Badger Mining? I think it would very well at Badger Mining. The level of trust between upper management and their workforce is extremely high; they have a very cohesive group that is committed to excel. They already have several of the key blocks in place to be successful using OBM; trust and empower employees and profit sharing. Question 4 – Keys to successful employee participation programs. The examples of successful employee participation programs in this case are 1) Profit sharing, 2) long term security of employees working for Badger Mining and the company’s history, 3) the training programs and culture within the company, and 4) the protection of the individuals who work for the company by letting them have flexible schedules and take time off for family. These examples make Badger Mining perfect for participative management. The employees want to participate because they feel valued and that they have ownership in the company, in short they feel like they matter. Question 5 – Would you like to work for a small company like Badger Mining? Yes I would love to. Working for public education has its rewards, but they’re not financial, but I do feel very lucky to love what I do. However, it would be good to work for a company that I could work hard and e rewarded for the effort.

Why Chniatown Should Be Conserved

Introduction As part of the Singapore heritage society, I believe that Chinatown should be conserved and should not be replaced by yet another integrated resort. Our Society is dedicated to the preservation and promotion of Singapore history, heritage and identity. We have held many projects to raise awareness of Singapore history and cultural heritage. Chinatown has and will always be a place with much historical value and a part of Singapore limited heritage. According to the dictionary, heritage indicates the characteristics, properties or quality that one inherits at birth.It is also he nation's mark of history, such as stately buildings, countryside, cultural traditions, that are seen as the nation's wealth to be inherited by future generations. Chinatown has been a part of Singapore and a part of our home since the early days when the early immigrants came to Singapore, being one of the few heritages that we are still able to keep hold of. Despite being rather small in size, th is little plot of land is the exact land that our forefathers stood on as they contributed to make Singapore what it is today.But with Singapore fast growth rate and overwhelming need to develop rather, it is not surprising that its historical heritage is being considered to be demolished to make way for the new. Conservation We wish to conserve Chinatown, as it allows us to be connected to our past. Our heritage reminds us of where we started from and of how we managed to progress from being a small fishing village to the bustling city that we are now, giving us a sense of direction in where we are heading to as a nation.Preserving our cultural heritage also goes a long way in explaining our rich cultural, political, social and educational values to the future generations. It is a lesson and an experience in which our forefathers handed down to us so that we can learn from their mistakes and successes, in hope that our nation will continue to grow into a better society. Our heritag e is very valuable and can even be considered as a form of â€Å"national wealth† that has been passed down to us.After receiving this honor and responsibility, we as the children of this nation, should play our part Just as our forefathers did and continue to pass this precious historical gem down for future generations to personally experience and remember our history. National Identity This year, Singapore has Just gained 48 years of independence, and we have successfully created an identity for ourselves that makes us as Gingersnaps more proud of our country and its accomplishments.A national identity is important to its country as it affects Singapore psychological defense, this would determine if Gingersnaps will stay to fight or abandon Singapore when faced with obstacles. The term ‘National identity is a person's sense of belonging to one's state or nation, a feeling one shares with a group of people, regardless of one's citizenship status. An identity is not an inborn trait but is slowly built up as a direct result of the presence of the similarities in people's daily lives, such as national symbols, language, the nation's history, culture and many others.For Singapore, one of these aspects is the Singapore multi-religious backgrounds, Singapore started off with majority of the population being immigrants from countries such as Europe, China, Arabia, India, Amelia and Penman, who came to Singapore in the early sass. While they came to Singapore in hope of finding a better future, they shared their religion to the rest of he country too. Although Chinatown started off as a Chinese settlement, but it contributes significantly to Singapore multi-religious identity as it houses many different religious buildings temples, churches and mosques.An example is the oldest Hindu temple in Singapore, the Sir Marianne which was built in 1827. During colonial times, it served as a refuge for new immigrants and acted as the Registry of Marriages for Hin dus. Today, in addition to its religious services and functions, the temple promotes various social, cultural and educational activities. Festivals such as Thematic (Fire walking ceremony) and Navigator are also celebrated there every year. The Thematic is an important ceremony to the Hindu culture, as it celebrates the honor of Draping who walked through a bed of fire and came out as fresh as a flower, proving her purity.Demolishing these religious buildings for the sake of the Integrated Resort will not only disrupt religious services, but it will also cause Singapore to lose part of its identity and history. Thus we believe that Chinatown should be conserved as it helps to build a unique Identity for Singapore. Festive Seasons During the Chinese New Year period, Chinatown is also the place that Gingersnaps first head to look for their Chinese New Year goodies and clothes.This has become a habit and tradition that most Gingersnaps abide by. At the same time, they are able to enjoy the Chinese New Year atmosphere as the place Chinatown during Chinese New Year, would be decorated with many stunning street lights. This bustling with people time of the year is when Chinatown finally regains its former glory, to the time when Chinatown was bustling with life, with hawkers selling all manners of things long the streets and people squeezing through the crowd to get their hands on the cheapest goods.It is also during times like these when families get together, no matter old or young to purchase items such as new traditional costumes, shoes, decorations, goodies in preparation for Chinese New Year. Chinatown then becomes a place that is unique and original as it allows the people to spend time together without the need to spend much money or for any technology, allowing them to bond. Memories Chinatown is a place where memories and shared experiences are being made.Even ill today, there are still people who have been living there since they were young and have built many memories about their childhood days there. Upon asked if she had any special memories in Chinatown, one of our interviewees, the owner of a textile shop, replied that â€Å"When I was young I used to spend most of my time in the shop. As my parent's watched the shop, me and my brother would study there. At times, we would also meet up with the other little kids there to play and run about the playground nearby. When asked why she chose to open a shop in Chinatown, she been with us for 3 generations. This shop meaner a lot to our family, as though it is our very own child. It also stores a lot of our memories as a kid. † Chinatown is also known as the ‘elderly district' and most of the people who stay there are actually elderly who have been living there since young. To them, Chinatown is the place where they feel at home, where they all their memories were made. These friends that they make slowly become more like their families than mere neighbors; taking care of each other and entertaining one another.Among the 25 people we interviewed, 85% of them agree that Chinatown should be conserved as it possesses lot of historical value and that from the many years living there, they have created many enjoyable memories there and do not want to ever lose them. However, if a third integrated resort were to be built here, all these experiences and precious memories would be lost and forgotten as generations pass as though they too have faded away from existence. Skills and Passion Chinatown is a place where people can showcase their skills and passion.In Chinatown, there are many little stores that sell traditionally hand-made local delicacies and clothing that are now hard to find in Singapore society. There are many tailors sewing Chicagoans, a traditional Chinese costume that are worn by Chinese females since the early days. These clothes are very significant to Singapore past as it is also one of the few artifacts the has been passed down from th e past to the current present. These Chinese costumes also remind us of how Singapore was in the past, and through the colors and decorations, we are able to bring out the colorful culture and heritage of our country's past.Also, there are many hawkers making their own buns through the traditional methods. Not only goes this allow the people to showcase their skills, this also allows them to survive in the Singapore context despite the tough competitions with famous chain-shops. This is at the same time beneficial to Singapore as it helps Singapore to increase their Job employment rates and allows the people to have the chance to chase after their passions in life despite their financial statuses.However, if the integrated Resort were to be built on Chinatown, this would cause many people to become Jobless and thus unable to support their families. Similarly, their passions can only be buried along with the rest of Chinatown. Tourists According to a research, destinations excelling in their cultural heritage are more likely to be on traveler's consideration list. Among the many respondents from 20 different countries, 57% of them agree that history and culture are strong influences on their choice of holiday destination, with only 15% of the people disagreeing to this statement.Conforming to this, Chinatown has been rated as one of the top ten attractions in Singapore due to its strong historical value and its colorful vibe. Due to our struggle towards progress after gaining independence on August 9 1965, we eve already demolished many of our memorable infrastructures in order to make way for the new, furthermore, only having 48 years of independence, Singapore does not have many places with much historical value.Hence, if we demolish Chinatown, we might be at a risk of having a sharp decrease in tourist rates, which may also not be as appealing to the tourists as compared to the uniqueness of Chinatown. From the opinions of most of the people we interviewed, most of them also agree that another integrated resort would only be redundant as we already have two other integrated resorts, them being Marina Bay Sands and Resort World Santos. Meanwhile, Chinatown is unique as there can only be one of it throughout the whole of this lifetime.If we demolish it, we would be losing it forever and we would never be able to build it and its priceless history again. A trip to Chinatown will also be more fruitful for the tourists. According to the theory of knowledge, the two main ways to gain knowledge is through experience and reasoning. Chinatown many historical infrastructure, vibrant atmosphere and heritage centre, allows them to reasonably experience the background and heritage of Singapore. Through this experience, it allows us to gain something more valuable than money, the power of knowledge and understanding upon visiting it.However, the Integrated Resort would only promote entertainment, such as gambling and shopping. Thus, by conserving Ch inatown , not only are we able to increase Singapore tourism rates and boost our economy, it also allows the tourists to benefit greatly from the experience and learn more about our culture and heritage. Land Scarcity Building an Integrated Resort over Chinatown would not only cause a lack of housing or the people who are currently living in Chinatown, but also with Singapore plan to increase the population from about 5. 8 million to 6. Million by 2030, this unbalance between the land use for entertainment purposes and the land used for housing purposes would create a serious problem for the people, such as overcrowding due to the lack of space. With over 5 million people currently living within the 710 km area of land, Singapore has been ranked the second most densely populated country in 2012. Singapore is already facing a problem with the lack of land and building more housing areas would not be an easy take. In addition, if an Integrated Resort were to be built in Chinatown, the residential areas in Chinatown would be lost, which would be a disadvantage to Singapore.Land scarcity is a dire situation and it may lead to unhygienic living spaces, which would make it easier for pests such as mosquitoes to breed. As Singapore is a tropical country, we are very prone to dengue's. From the 16-22 June 2013, there was a total of 82 dengue outbreaks within that single week, and from the start of January to 13/08/2013, there has already been 6 unfortunate victims who have passed away due to dengue fever. From this, we can tell the severity of Dengue Fever in Singapore, and with the unhygienic environment, this would lead to a higher risk of the people having Dengue Fever.Hence, not only will Chinatown help in the heritage of Singapore, but it will also help in the land constraint problem Singapore is facing currently. Conclusion In conclusion, I strongly feel that we should conserve Chinatown as it is part of our home town and heritage. It reminds Gingersnaps of how far Singapore has progressed from being Just a free port all the way to being the central trading port of people who lived, worked and visited Chinatown in the chophouses, temples and mosques. Chinatown is a place that holds the memory and identity of Singapore.