Case Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Case Analysis - Essay Example One of the biggest quarrels was that Microsoft kept including a media player in their bundle package, despite the fact that they had been told not. RealNetworks, which produces a media player of its own, was not getting the business that it thought it deserved, due to being pushed out by a more well-known company. The greatest assumption made throughout the case is that the abusing of its terms that Microsoft does is the reason that the other companies are not getting customers. Microsoft is a more known name than the other companies, and people are more likely to go to what they are familiar with. The issues that the other companies are facing may have nothing to do with what Microsoft is doing – it may have to do with the fact that people and companies are already more comfortable with Microsoft. Microsoft, as a whole, offers more than a lot of the other companies. Part of the argument in the case is that the other platforms are being ignored because of the want for Microsoft. It can be assumed that people like the Microsoft bundles because they prefer just a single platform for everything on their computers. Other platforms have less to offer, but Microsoft has an entire bundle package that can benefit everyone that uses it, whether they need to make a simple word document, a spreadsheet, or an image presentation. Microsoft is also the most affordable, especially when it comes to the bundle packages that it offers. People can get more for less, instead of bouncing around with other companies. Microsoft itself should not be blamed if more people feel more trusting towards its services and offers. As it was stated in the article, â€Å"They argue that with the new Vista version of Windows and Office 2007, Microsoft is trying to extend its dominance into even more areas of the market—and threatening the open nature of the Internet.† Other companies might benefit

War on Terror Essay Example for Free

War on Terror Essay The current war on terrorism raises a unique, formative innovation of American principles. It has now integrated the world of civilized countries united together in a massive ideological, as well as military, war to battle the common enemy of terrorism. In fact, this position with such a global coalition is what might be expected from America, a country that specializes in cultural pluralism. The disaster of 9/11 awakened the slumbering, decadence of a country taking itself for granted, unprotected, and living in Disneyland. There were warnings of terrorists’ threats in 1997 and 1998 (from China, Israel, and others). At that time, the U. S. government was too active developing a case against President Bill Clinton to pay attention to what was going on in the world beyond Washington, D. C. Had the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Central Intelligence Agency, and Congress been as possessed with detecting terrorism and threats to the United States (connecting the dots) as they were with connecting Clinton to Monica Lewinsky (they could connect one dot on a dress to the president), we all might feel safer today. As the rest of the world has struggled with home-front terrorism (e. g. , England, France, the Middle East, Russia, and Japan), America has been egoistic in its own vast materialistic bubble oblivious to outer threats of terror. We have purely assumed somebody else will take care of the rest of the world terrorism as we are safely secluded on either side by two gigantic bodies of water. Yet, these thousands of miles of ocean are suitably called ponds as they can be traversed by sophisticated commercial jets in a matter of hours. Though, some analysts differentiate between political terrorists with an identifiable goal and millenarian terrorists who are said to â€Å"have no political agenda and owe their allegiance †¦ to a higher authority in heaven† (New York Times for July 23 and 24, 2002). The Palestine Liberation Organization is said to be an instance of the former and Al-Qaeda of the latter. The effectiveness of this distinction is open to question, however. Who can confidently be said to be a â€Å"millenarian terrorist†? A reading of Al-Qaedas manifestos illustrates that it harbors goals short of a global Caliphate. At the same time, â€Å"political terrorists† are not inevitably candidates for negotiations. That a group has a restricted political goal does not mean that negotiation can be prolific. The PLOs repeated rejection of opportunities for agreement on the concern of a Palestinian state may mean, as conceivably a majority of Israelis now believe, that anything short of a state â€Å"from the river to the sea† will be deplorable to it. If so, negotiations would not be fruitful or even worth pursuing. And it does not matter if Al-Qaeda would be satisfied with just the barring of United States forces from the Middle East—a limited, identifiable goal—if Americans find that improper. In short, if peace agreements must always be reached with ones enemy, it must matter less who that enemy is than what he is willing to trade. The war on terrorism possesses features that influence Washington to operate in direct conflict of accepted norms of international law, and to ignore the deficiencies and the crimes of its cobelligerents. As portrayed by Washington, the new war is a messianic, apocalyptic struggle of irreproachable good against consummate evil. Its inspiration is not the real world with its shades of gray (and certainly, pertinent histories and grievances), but the type of struggles that used to play out in the cowboy movies. Little mention is made of the fact that the major enemy is religious, actually intensely so at times to the point of intolerance, racism, and terror, and not atheist as the previous enemy was. There is no need to try to recognize that this new enemy regards Israel as a state that practices state terrorism and that by supplying military and economic aid, Washington is an accomplice. Or to try to understand that this enemy supposes that Washington should cut off this aid and declare war on state terrorists as well as private ones. Those on â€Å"our side† are seen as being good, or at least considerably better than the enemy (John Gray, 2002). It is a war of no negotiations with the enemy, no summit meetings, no compromise, and surely no need to modify policies to accommodate the feelings and the strategies of the enemy, or examine any just grievances that the enemy might probably have. The enemys soldiers will not be given prisoner of war status and will be tried in special military courts. Similar to the enemies of the Cold War, the enemy in the new war is depicted as sinister, cunning and underhanded. This time—and it is no inconsequential difference—the enemy in fact struck mainland America on September 11 and before, and is expected to strike again. The fear is that the enemy will grow and use weapons of mass destruction against us—nuclear weapons, or more probable, radiological dispersion devices, also called â€Å"dirty bombs† (conformist bombs to which radioactive material has been added). This war too, Washington advises us openly and in advance, is a war of global proportions. It is an open-ended war with the world as its battleground. The enemy assumes two general forms. One part is visible, above ground, represented by evil governments and reminiscent of the old Soviet bloc. So far only four of the enemy governments in the new war have been recognized—the former governments in Afghanistan and Iraq, and two remain â€Å"axis of evil† governments in Iran and North Korea. The other enemy component is invisible, consisting, we are told, of cells in some 50 or 60 typically unnamed countries. These are not the cells of the communist party, but the underground organizations of what Washington chooses to call â€Å"terrorists†. Whatever its form, whether bearing the legality of government or existing underground, the enemy must be destroyed. To do this, we should sometimes act alone, unilaterally. Other times we can act with our allies (Michael Scott Doran, 2001). A Homeland Security agency was set up to fight terrorism at home, with a political friend of the president acting as its head and numerous agencies put under its jurisdiction. There is evidence that homeland security—whose reason is truly defensive rather than offensive—is under funded. For instance, port security has received only one-tenth the amount that the Coast Guard says is desired (New York Times, June 17, 2003, p. 27). I believe, a major weakness in home security is the distressed financial position of state and local governments. Impoverished by a slothful economy and the drying up of federal grants, they have been forced to lessen expenditures not only for education and welfare, but also for police and fire departments. The latter are the first line of defense against terrorism on mainland America, and their risky financial position is related to the federal tax cuts, preferred items in the domestic agenda of the Bush administration which favors tax breaks for the rich as a way of motivating the economy. In his first State of the Union Address, President Bush said â€Å"I will not wait on events, as danger gathers† (New York Times, January 30, 2002, p. A1). Later, he directed his top security aids to originate a fundamentally new national security doctrine and strategy called â€Å"preemption† (New York Times, January 30, 2002, p. A1). The doctrine and the strategy were formed for use against those chosen as terrorist groups â€Å"of global reach† and such states as Iraq that were accused of aiding terrorists and attempting to build up nuclear weapons or other weapons of mass destruction. As explained by Condoleezza Rice, the National Security Adviser, preemption â€Å"means forestalling certain destructive acts against you by an adversary. † She added that there are times when you cannot wait to respond. What she evidently meant is that â€Å"you respond first, before your adversary strikes† (New York Times, January 30, 2002, p. A1). Put in more accurate English, you begin the violence, an act that traditionally has been called â€Å"aggression. † The war against terrorism thus consist of the preemptive strike, in which Washington â€Å"responds† before an adversary, or even a suspected antagonist, initiates an aggressive act. Ingenuously put, Washington seeks to express the notion that â€Å"the enemy† is so evil that aggression is an adequate strategy to be used against him. In the case of Iraq, the range of such strategies has run from attempts to assassinate Saddam Hussein to a full-scale incursion of Iraq. Preemption contrasts simply with the non-aggressive deterrence principle that served both Washington and the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Preemption contrasts basically with the non-aggressive deterrence principle that served both Washington and the Soviet Union throughout the Cold War. Deterrence sought to avert an attack by an aggressor, particularly a nuclear attack, by threatening to retaliate. Washington built a mighty nuclear and conformist arsenal with the declared purpose of deterring the Soviets from striking the first blow. The arsenal was planned to be of such dimensions that a Soviet attack would not obliterate it and that Washington could retaliate with crushing nuclear force. The Soviets built what they judged to be a similar arsenal. The George W. Bush administration also abandoned non-proliferation as the way of averting the spread of nuclear weapons, i. e. of preventing their spread by peaceful means only. It has reserved for itself the right to attack those nations that it blames of seeking to develop nuclear weapons or other weapons of mass obliteration. Washington did engage in preventative attacks during the Cold War, two examples being Panama and the Dominican Republic. The disparity in the George W. Bush era is that aggression is now Washingtons announced overt policy. In both eras Washington sustained rightwing dictators who committed state terrorism. Popular support for military action in reaction to terrorism predates 9/11 but, contrary to common non-American perceptions of a belligerent, isolationist and nationalistic nation, mass responses sustained a multilateral approach to terrorism, international engagement, a stronger United Nations (UN) role and building goodwill towards America through humanitarian and development aid. The public also rejected the idea of a basic clash of cultures between Islam and the West. In short, US opinion was considerably closer to that of Europeans than much media coverage on both sides of the Atlantic suggested. Ninety-five percent of Americans, for instance, agreed that it was important for the war on terrorism to be seen by the world as an effort of numerous countries working together, not just a US effort. A Harris poll conducted over 19–24 September found 79 percent saying it was very and 16 percent somewhat important to build a strong international combination of many countries to support us. Eighty-eight percent agreed it was very or somewhat significant to get the support of as many Arab and Islamic countries as possible. Whilst 50 percent said military action must occur regardless, 45 percent held that America should take military action against terrorist organizations in other countries only if the UN Security Council authorizes it. (William Schneider, 2002) Almost all Americans favored dealing with terrorism through multilateral action. The majority preferred including other nations forces in the Afghan war regardless of America being constrained by having to make joint decisions. A strong majority supported using international legal bodies for terrorist trials with a plurality favoring trying bin Laden before an International Criminal Tribunal rather than a New York federal court. The public also showed at least as much support for non-military as military instruments (liquidating terrorist funds, enhancing intelligence, strengthening international law and building goodwill), holding non-military means to be more effective in preventing future terrorism. The majority Americans nonetheless agreed that failure to respond militarily to 9/11 would increase the viewpoint of future terrorist attacks (Michael Scott Doran, 2001). In legitimating Bush and easing – though not assuring – passage of his legislative agenda and judicial appointments for the 108th Congress (2003–4), the results however reflected and reinforced both the priority and preferences of the administration on foreign policy. The common UN Security Council vote in favor of a new resolution on Iraq passed on 8 November, subsequent the prior months terrorist attacks on Bali and Moscow, augmented not only the administrations warnings on the significance, scale and multifaceted nature of the threat of international terror but as well reinforced the Bush administrations faith in anticipatory actions against state as well as non-state actors – through coalitions if probable but unilaterally if necessary. Ironically, almost thirty years after Arthur Schlesinger, Jr. had destined the development of an imperial presidency under Johnson and Nixon, both the enhanced legal right of the president and the vast reach of American power abroad suggested that it had came out in an particularly potent form by 2003–4. Implicit in many European responses to 9/11 was the idea that if Americans would only learn more of the Middle East, Islam and global politics, US foreign policy would change in ways congenial to Europeans and others (the debate here is ultimately less one about extreme or insufficient internationalism but more whether US policies are the ones others favor – a unilateralist America devoted to enforcing stronger environmental safeguards than Kyoto and dispensing foreign aid to Baghdad and Pyonyang would doubtless win plaudits in Brussels and Berlin). But there is as much reason to deduce the opposite. 9/11 strongly reconfirmed the Bush teams approach: military strength as an essential but insufficient condition of assuring the national security of a unique nation, political system and people. Simply when clear and present dangers from state and non-state actors alike appear determinedly more muddied and distant is Americas taking part in global affairs likely to be shaped by anything other than the primacy of its own security. For the USA, after saving Europe twice and productively leading a worldwide anti-communist struggle, another global war is well in progress. References: Jennifer S. Holmes, Terrorism and Democratic Stability (Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2001). New York Times for July 23 and 24, 2002 Michael Scott Doran, Somebody Elses Civil War: Ideology, Rage and the Assault on America, in James F. Hoge Jr. and Gideon Rose (eds. ), How Did This Happen? Terrorism and the New War (Oxford: Public Affairs Ltd, 2001), pp. 31–52. Michael Scott Doran, Somebody Elses Civil War: Ideology, Rage and the Assault on America, in James F. Hoge Jr. and Gideon Rose (eds. ), How Did This Happen? Terrorism and the New War (Oxford: Public Affairs Ltd, 2001), pp. 31–52. William Schneider, Long on Character, Short on Details, National Journal, 2 Feb. 2002, p. 350. New York Times, January 30, 2002, p. A1 New York Times, July 22, 2002, p. A1 New York Times, June 17, 2003, p. 27 John Gray, Why Terrorism is Unbeatable, New Statesman, 25 Feb. 2002, pp. 50–3.

The Intricately Woven Themes of Slaughterhouse-Five :: Slaughterhouse-Five Essays

The Intricately Woven Themes of Slaughterhouse-Five At first glance Slaughterhouse-Five appears to be a simplistic story. It is a short account of a man's experiences in World War II and the effects the war had on his life. But by taking a deeper look into Slaughterhouse-Five we see intricately woven themes, contrasts, and morals. Vonnegut has disguised a great lecture against war and an acceptance of death through the idiocy and simplicity of Billy Pilgrim. Vonnegut begins the novel with a warning. His first chapter subtly warns us that Slaughterhouse-Five has been difficult for him to produce. "This one is a failure," he writes, "since it was written by a pillar of salt" (22; ch. 1). The irony of this statement is that by looking back in time Vonnegut accuses himself of idiocy, like Billy Pilgrim. Yet one of the main themes of the entire work is the "bugs in amber" or the existence of the past, present, and future all at once. In the opening chapter he also humbles his work by telling us how it begins and ends, stressing the succeeding theme. Billy Pilgrim is a master of disguise. He serves as a superb mask that Vonnegut hides behind in order to get his messages across without scaring readers away with boring lectures. Vonnegut wants us to accept life as it is and to understand that death is inevitable and something we must not fear. He indirectly lets us know that this is a realization that he has come to in his own life, most likely through the war experience, and invites us to follow in his footsteps. Through his humor and lightheartedness he does not force these ideas on us but helps us to open our minds to new ways of perceiving our lives. As the king of

Children and Young people Essay

Traditionally the legal the legal age of adulthood was 21 but in the past 20-30 years most jurisdictions have lowered this age to 18. Article 1 of the Convention on the rights of the child (CROC) states that anyone under the age of 18 is child. Also the Children and young person’s (care and protection) Act 1998 (NSW) defines a ‘young person as someone aged between 16-18. These definitions are important because laws treat children and young people differently to adults. Before the late 19th century children committing criminal acts were treated in the same way as adult offenders. The concept of an age before which a person could not be held criminally responsible -doli incapax – did not exist, and children as young as seven were convicted of serious criminal offences. There were two significant events in the 1980s that advanced the rights of children and young people internationally and in common law countries. The two events were the signature of the United Nations Convention on the rights of child (CROC) and the Gillick case. The Convention on the rights of the child (1989) sets out a comprehensive set of rights for all children and young people. These rights cover civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights. The Gillick v West Norfolk and Wisbech Health Authority (1985) was a House of Lords decision. The department of health and Social Security has distributed a flyer advising doctors that they could lawfully provide contraception and advice to persons under 16 years old without parents’ consent. The mother of 5 daughters brought and action against the health authority and the DHSS based on her belief that a child under 16 was too young to make such decision without parental consent. The court of appeal allowed Mrs Gillick’s appeal and took the matter to the House of Lords with affirmed the appeal on the basis that 16 years old was capable of consent in medical matters provided that she has sufficient understanding and intelligence to understand fully what is proposed. In other worlds children have the rights and ability to make decisions to affect their lives and they can do so competently as long as they understand the implications of their decisions Children’s have the right to education and is compulsory for children aged 6-15 to attend school under the Education Act 1990(NSW) Under section 22 of this Act, parents must send their children to a government or non-government School registered with the NSW board of studies. There is no minimum legal age limit for young workers according to the office of industrial relations in NSW however if they are under 15 they must receive authorisation from the NSW Department of Education and Training to leave school. Young people in workplace are covered by all the relevant workplace and safety legislation for workers in NSW. The High Court of Australia followed the decision in the Gillick case and stated that once a person has sufficient maturity and intelligence to understand what is proposed she or he is capable of consenting to medical treatment. Parents have the responsibility to seek proper medical cared for their children even if they have religious objections. The children and Young Persons (Care and protection) Act 1998 (NSW) section 174 authorise a medical Practitioner to carry out emergency treatment on a child or young persons without parental consents. Young people do not have the right to leave their parents’ home before 18 however the law would not normally force young people over 16 to stay at home against their wishes. Children and young people are protected from discrimination on the basis of age by the Anti- Discrimination Act 1977 (NSW). This act also outlaws discrimination on the basis of sex, race, and sexuality. The Convention of the rights of the child (CROC) is a legal mechanism which has been important in putting the rights of children on the global agenda. Once a nation has signed and ratified a treaty the United Nations committee structure monitors and reports on the extent to which hat nation is complying with its international obligation, the committee’s limitation is that it has no coercive powers. Another legal mechanism is the children’s court. Across NSW there are 13 children’s magistrates siting in seven specialists children’s court there also five children’s registrar appointed under the children’s court Act 1998(NSW) to assist in administration of matters before the court. Trade unions are organisations of workers who act together to maintain their rights to good working condition. The Australian council of trade unions (ACTU) provides information about pay and conditions, health and safety issues, apprentice- ships and training and negotiating employment contracts for young people entering the workforce for the first time. Trade unions are a Non-Legal mechanism for protecting rights of children and young people. The kids Helpline are just one of the many organisations from which children and young people in crisis can seek advice. It is a non-legal mechanism just like trade unions. It offers 24hr free telephone and online counselling. If children and young people come into contact with the criminal justice system, it usually through interaction with a police officer when being arrested or questions about some matter. Seventy eight per cent of the 843 children and young people surveyed said that the police rarely treated young people with sufficient respect. It could be argued that children and young people l on the whole do not have good relationship with the police. Young people are frequently targeted for police intervention for lacking respect or simply for being young and out in the public. Children around the world are exploited and abused where the laws of their countries fail to offer protections to them. There are approximately 250 million child labourers worldwide. In 2007 it was estimated there were as many as 300 000 children and young people involved in armed conflict with up to 100000 of these believed to be in Africa. In countries ravaged by war and famine children lack the protection normally afforded to them within the family. Very recently in Australia children sat in immigration detention centres having broken no laws, as a result of the previous federal governments’ punitive laws relating to asylum seekers. In other countries minors are still being executed for the crimes they have committed The rights on children have come a long way. Australian legislation has established processes and institutions to recognise and protect the important role that children and young people play in out in our society. There is still cause for great concern about the exploitation and abuse of children internationally. The force of international law relies on the domestic measures taken to implement the rights contained in treaties such CROC and the pressure brought to bear by parties not only by treaty based human right committees.

Democratic leadership Essay

Democratic leadership style is the advisable leadership style which encourages participation in decision-making and it can be persuasive or consultative. However, there is no ‘best’ leadership style because nothing can be absolute right and comprehensive. In this assignment, I will illustrate the successful case about GLANZ GROUP which adopted autocratic leadership style in the beginning of its foundation. Furthermore, I will also show the successful cases by adopting democratic leadership or combination the different leadership styles in their company in order to support to my opinion. The cases from the books and from internet will also be illustrated. Strong leadership, no matter how well intentioned and benevolent, can foster dependency and subvert democracy. Yet absence of any leadership will lead to confusion, drift, and tension. As many progressive activists have remarked, there can be a â€Å"tyranny of structurelessness† as well as of autocracy. The example of Mr. Qinde Leung Mr. Qinde leung, Chairman of the board of directors and CEO of GLANZ GROUP who built up his own factory using 300 thousand RMB in 1978: Guizhou Feather and Down Factory, the former one of GLANZ GROUP. Soon after, he quickly realized that it was more beneficial for these down stream enterprises which used their products for further dress business. He decides to do the same business without any techniques and any skillful persons at that time. It was a big risk so that a lot of employees were against this plan. But Mr. Leung insisted on his own schedule and finally he got complete success depending on his own experience and special views. It can’t be denied that at the developing stage of the company, facing the complicated situation and unbalanced quality of employees, Mr. Leung had to mange his company in autarchy. With the revolution of modern enterprises system in 1990, Mr. Leung became the CEO of GLANZ GROUP, his decision was un-challenged, but luckily, he has the special v iew and convincing personality and lead the GLANZ GROUP to today’s flourish. It has become an enterprise that owns about 740 acres and 20,000 staffs by  2003. Being one of the most outstanding groups of home appliance in China, GALANZ also won the fames of â€Å"Global Microwave Oven Manufacturing Center†, â€Å"Global Air-con Manufacturing Center†, â€Å"Global Small Appliance Manufacturing Center† and â€Å"Logistic Center†. In Oct 2003, GLANZ invests 2 billion RMB in purchasing about 495 acres of land in Huangpu Town, Zhongshan City to set up the largest air-con manufacturing base in the world. Its annual production capacity of air-con will increase to 12 million sets. (http://www.galanz.com.cn) Mr. Qinde leung, the benevolent-autocratic leader is described as powerful and prestigious but one who can be communicated with and is interested in his subordinates’ problems (Robert N. McMurry, â€Å"The Case for Benevolent Autocracy,† Harvard Business Review, Vol. 36 (January-February 1958), pp. 82-90). He structures the activities of his subordinates, makes policy decisions affecting them, and enforces discipline. He may encourage participation in planning, but in executing he is the â€Å"chief.† However, James Gibson, John Ivancevich, and James Donnelly, Jr., say even this style has been weakened by recent changes in attitudes within our society (James L. Gibson, John M. Ivancevich, and James H. Donnelly, Jr., Organizations: Structure, Processes, Behavior (Dallas: Business Publications, Inc., 1973), p. 298). This may particularly be true for younger generations as they express desires to shift away from any authoritative or paternalistic environment. Every organization will solve the problem of leadership in a different way. Some successful co-ops– especially smaller ones–are highly egalitarian. They have no formal leaders and few overt signs of leadership behavior. Other groups do well, at least for a generation, with a single central leader who encourages the members to participate. Many successful groups find middle ground. They reject dominating leaders and also escape the â€Å"tyranny of structurelessness.† The example of the OEOC (Ohio Employee Ownership Center) While attending the University of Texas and later getting his Ph.D. in  political science from Princeton University, John Logue studied abroad in Mexico, Denmark, and Germany. He was particularly interested in the worker-owned and democratically operated Mondragon cooperatives of the Basque region in Spain. With lots of plants under its control, the Mondragon Co-operative Corporation is the largest business corporation in its region, and the eighth largest in Spain. Several years later, Logue observed similar cooperatives and employee-owned enterprises in Quebec, Canada. Studying these models built his belief that democratically operated well to the company, just as democratic countries outperform autocratic ones. Logue, a professor of political science at Kent State, directs OEOC. Assisted by a small staff, he works to increase the number of employee-owned and run companies and to help their employees build personal assets. When a company considers shutting down an Ohio facility, for example, OEOC shows its owners and workers how employee ownership can save their livelihoods. Then, after plants make the transition to employee ownership, OEOC provides continue support to worker-owners through education, connections to consultants, and help organizing democratic structures for decision-making and communication. In all, OEOC provides 4,000 hours of leadership training per year. Since 1987, the group has helped 438 Ohio companies and plants, employing more than 83,000 people, explore the possibility of employee ownership. Of these, 64 have implemented partial or complete employee ownership plans. Logue has demonstrated that direct employee-ownership of companies promotes reinvestment, job creation, and asset-building for workers and their local economies. (http://dept.kent.edu/oeoc/index.htm) The Kohl’s Department Store Example Store manager, Audrey McCaskey, works with other employees and assistant managers of the store to come up with ways to improve their store’s performance. (http://www.kohlscorporation.com/AboutKohls/AboutKohls01.htm) As the leader, Audrey is a qualified manager who fits every characteristic of a good store manager. Her ways of doing things at times are fierce yet ethical, and with her team, she is determined to get the job done; proving  that leadership is an essential part of a manager’s position. When Audrey came to be General Manager of Kohl’s back in 1997, Kohl’s was excelling in sales and profit. Her energy and motivation (although sometimes a bit sarcastic) as well as her visions for the store, classify her as an excellent leader. However, I would also classify her as a transactional leader. Besides motivating employees, Audrey is hardworking and determined to get the job done. She runs her store efficiently and tries to keep it as a smooth operation. In fact, most managers used all the different styles on the job at some point or another. Many of these management styles are practiced within the management team of Kohl’s. Through these different styles, management is able to lead in a more effective manner. Firstly, coercive leaders – Management at Kohl’s demands that each and every employee gives their 100% effort during their jobs. Working as a member of the team, each employee is expected to do their share of the work. Secondly, authoritative leaders- Management encourage employees to work hard and continue the trend of growth, innovation, and profitability. Thirdly, affinitive leaders- Known for Team based operations, team leaders at Kohl’s create a harmonic work setting, making all employees feel comfortable with the store setting. Managers also try to develop and sustain working relationships with all employees. Fourthly, democratic leaders- Participation is practically inevitable while working at Kohl’s. Managers encourage participation through contests, and jean or tennis shoe days, which usually have positive results. Fifthly, pacesetting leaders- All employees are told what is expected of them and their performance. Therefore, employees work at achieving expectations and or goals through team work and self direction. Lastly, Coaching Leaders- Each new employee of Kohl’s is given extensive training within the first 3-6 weeks of employment. With this, managers hope to develop leadership skills among all employees. Every morning before opening of the store, Kohl’s manager or assistant managers have a brief meeting, discussing the stores’ current sales increases or decreases and upcoming sales. For this meeting, managers follow an outline that briefly goes over each priority for the day. The outline  goes over sales plans, goals, and actual, credit application goals, and actual, store news, top priorities for the day, and advertising. When sales are up, employees are encouraged to keep up the good work and often are awarded with a jean day. When awarded a jean day, employees are allowed to wear jeans to work. Managers will also advise employees having corporate visits. Corporate visits are that someone from the Kohl’s corporate center visits the store to make sure everything is in place and in order. During these visits, all associates are asked to maintain their departments especially well. Managers will also hold afternoon meetings for employees who work the afternoons a nd evenings. Another form of communication is the weekly K-Notes which come inserted in each weekly paycheck. In K-Notes, store managers briefly discuss store news such as upcoming events, corporate visits, new associates, etc. Each employee of Kohl’s receives an evaluation every 90 days from Audrey or an assistant store manager. During these evaluations the manager will go over with the employees their current job performance. The manager will point out all the positive things in the employees’ performance and the entire negative. Through this discussion, the employees are able to learn their strong points and what needs to be done to improve their overall work performance. When employees receive a good evaluation, their salary is increased. Obviously, Kohl’s has done very well in its approaches to team leading and teamwork overall. By practicing each of the individual styles of leadership, Kohl’s has been proved to be successful in its operations. In a word, the situational approach to leadership styles has been a valuable contribution. More realistic than previous theories, it shows that there is no â€Å"one best† style for all situations. Attempting to define and determine a proper leadership style is an extremely complex task for any leader. The evidence is becoming clearer that there is no single, all-purpose style of behavior that is effective in all managerial situations. Someday, experience and research may provide us with â€Å"the one best way.† Until then, each manager must be open-minded, informed, and adaptable. Reference [1] About the OEOC 2001 [Online, assessed 10 Mar. 2004] URL: http://dept.kent.edu/oeoc/AbouttheOEOC/AboutTheOEOC.htm [2] About Kohl’s 2003 [Online, assessed 8 Mar. 2004]. URL: http://www.kohlscorporation.com/AboutKohls/AboutKohls01.htm [3] Bill C. 2001 We Are All Leaders! Democratic Leadership Makes Us More Powerful [Online, assessed 6 Mar. 2004]. URL: http://www.geonewsletter.org/ed44cas.htm [4] James L. Gibson, John M. Ivancevich, and James H. Donnelly, Jr., Organizations: Structure, Processes, Behavior (Dallas: Business Publications, Inc., 1973), p. 298 [5] Kouzes, J. M., & Posner, B. Z. 1995 The leadership challenge: How to keep getting extraordinary things done in organizations (2nd ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. [6] Robert N. McMurry, ‘The Case for Benevolent Autocracy’, Harvard Business Review, Vol. 36 (January-February 1958), pp. 82-90 [7] Soaring Galanz 2002 [Online, assessed 10 Mar. 2004]. URL: http://www.galanz.com.cn [8] Yukl, G. A. 1998 Leadership in organizations (4th Ed.). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

Fast food and fine dining Essay Example

Fast food and fine dining Essay Example Fast food and fine dining Essay Fast food and fine dining Essay Fast food and Fine dining Last Friday, my friends and I went to a fine dining restaurant in the afternoon. It as the best day of my life because it was the first time I ate a delicious food In the states. It reminds me of the good days in my country. It Is tough to find a fine dining restaurant in the states, because the fast food restaurants are countless. While the fast food Is great, but the fine dining Is the best food I ever taste. Both fine dining, and fast food there food are delicious, and tasty. Both of the restaurants cost money, not only the fast food makes you gain weight, but also the nine dining makes you gain weight. Both of the fast food and the fine addling serve the person drinks and appetizer. The people are eating In these restaurants every day. However there are some differences, first the prices, then the kind of people who eats the food, after that the kind of food. First the prices of the fast food Is very cheap it begins from 3 to 10 dollars a meal with drinks and appetizer, but the fine dining is very prick it begins from 30 to 200 dollars a meal without the drinks and the appetizer. Secondly most of the poor people eat the fast food, but the rich people always eat the fine dining. : And thirdly the foods that are served in the fast food are burgers, fries, pizza, pasta, and the drinks are beer, cola, sprite, and Dropper. But the fine dining they serve lobster, steaks, caviar, and oysters, and the drinks are wine, bourbon, martini, and champagne. There is no problem with the difference but both of them are delicious and tasty. In conclusion, these types of food have some similarities between them; they have a lot of differences too. But both of them people like to eat these types of food. These types of food are similar by eating them the person gain weight because they are very tasty and delicious.

The eNotes Blog Drawbacks to the Kindle in theClassroom

Drawbacks to the Kindle in theClassroom If you were to go back to the old copies of the novels and plays I still rely upon- To Kill a Mockingbird, The Great Gatsby, Hamlet- to do my daily teaching, you would see all sorts of scribbled notes in different colored pens.   You would see highlighters in every color imaginable.   You would see small pieces of printed material taped to pages.   You would see dog-ears and great big rips among the  stressed-out bindings of my paperback copies.   You would see the small word Ha! scrawled next to anything remotely funny. Well, according to a new Princeton study, if I relied upon a Kindle DX to view these same literary masterpieces, Id be in quite the pickle, indeed. I remember a teacher I had long ago preaching to the class about how margin notes reeked of lower intelligence.   I can only laugh at her now as I use some of those very notes, some from wise souls as far back as high school, to teach my own classes.   Although not for everyone, notes on the side of a page are like gold to me.   They always reveal the teachers wisdom on the subject:   wisdom that I often lacked at the time, . . . and that wisdom is scrawled right next to the exact quote from the work in question. Thus stands the problem for both students and teachers for the Kindle DX. According to a recent article from USA Today and follow-up in educationnews.org, the college students at Princeton (although well equipped to embrace the new technology) grew frustrated with a few simple functions that were lacking.   Stated simply, the Kindle DX has no ability to highlight, no ability to use different colors to differentiate underlined text, no way to scrawl simple notes in a margin (only typed on a keypad), no easy way to maneuver through the work to underlined text, no way to skim or flip randomly through a work, no  way to mark text via page number,  no way to keep multiple texts open at the same time, and no real system for organizing typed annotation. In short, although this product is perfect for simple reading, the students at Princeton werent convinced it was a good scholarly aid. This device needs to make things easier, not more frustrating, for students trying to annotate and, further, for students following along in class when the professor simply asks them to turn to page 154.   Michael Koenig, director of operations at Virginias Darden School of Business who also ran a Kindle DX study, said, Its just not as flexible or nimble as having your paper notes or your laptop right there, . . . not quite ready for prime time. Still, others called it a first-generation product with lots of potential.   At least 15% of students loved the device, citing perfection for students on-the-go as well as the green aspect of using zero paper products. For me, unless the descendants of the new Kindle come with a stylus and different color options, I think Ill pass on this technology for everything except the simple reading of a text.   However, that isnt to say that these improvements arent already hanging in the balance . .  . .

Definition of a Public University

Definition of a Public University The term public indicates that the universitys funding comes partly from state taxpayers. This is not true for  private universities. Its also worth noting that many states do not fund their public universities adequately, and in some cases far less than half of the operating budget comes from the state. Lawmakers often see public education as a place to cut back on spending, and the result can sometimes be significant increases in tuition and fees, larger class sizes, fewer academic options, and longer time to graduation. Examples of Public Universities The largest residential campuses in the country are all public universities. For example, these public institutions all have more than 50,000 students: University of Central Florida, Texas AM University, The Ohio State University, Arizona State University, and the University of Texas at Austin. These schools all have a strong focus on faculty and graduate research, and all have Division I athletic programs. You wont find any residential private universities that are nearly as large as these schools. All of the schools listed above are major or flagship campuses of the state systems. The majority of public universities, however, are lesser-known regional campuses such as the University of West Alabama, Penn State University Altoona, and the University of Wisconsin. Regional campuses often do an excellent job controlling costs, and many offer programs suited for working adults who are trying to earn a degree. Features of Public Universities A public university has a few features that distinguish it from private universities: Size - The size of public universities varies widely. As mentioned above, however, the largest universities in the country are all public. Youll also find regional public universities of just a couple thousand students.Division I Athletics - The great majority of Division I athletic teams are fielded by public universities. For example, all but one member of the SEC (Vanderbilt) are public universities, and all but one member of the Big Ten (Northwestern) are public. At the same, time, there are numerous Division II, Division III, and NAIA athletic programs at public universities, and some public institutions that have no intercollegiate athletic programs at all.Low Cost - Public universities typically have tuition that is considerably lower than private universities, especially for in-state students. Out-of-state tuition can vary widely, and some schools such as those in the University of California System and the University of Michigan have out-of-state tuition that is as high or h igher than many private institutions. Also keep in mind that many public universities dont have the resources for robust grant aid that youll find at top-tier private universities, so if you qualify for financial aid, you may actually find that a top private university will cost you less than a top public university, even if the sticker price is tens of thousands of dollars higher. Commuter and Part-time Students - Public universities tend to have more commuter and part-time students than private colleges and universities. This is particularly true of regional public universities. The flagship campuses of state systems tend to be largely residential.The Downside - Read the profiles of universities carefully. In many cases, public universities have lower graduation rates, higher student/faculty ratios and more loan aid (thus, more student debt) than private universities. Public universities share many features with private universities: Undergraduate and graduate student focus - Large public universities have significant masters and doctoral programs just like top private universities.Graduate degrees - At large public universities, advanced degree offerings such as an M.A., M.F.A., M.B.A., J.D., Ph.D., and M.D. are common.Broad academic offerings - Students can often choose courses in the liberal arts, sciences, engineering, business, health, and fine arts.Faculty focus on research - At big-name public universities, professors are often evaluated for their research and publishing first, and teaching second. Teaching may take priority at branch campuses and regional public universities. A Final Word on Public Universities The most selective colleges in the country are all private, and the colleges with the largest endowments are also private. That said, the countrys best public universities deliver educations that are on par with their private counterparts, and the price tag of public institutions can be as much as $40,000 less per year than elite private institutions. The price tag, however, is rarely the actual price of college, so be sure to look into financial aid. Harvard, for example, has a total cost of over $66,000 a year, but a student from a family that earns less than $100,000 a year can go for free. For in-state students who dont qualify for aid, a public university will frequently be the more affordable option.

Case Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Case Analysis - Essay Example ith the bank for the sole purpose of availing of the home loan, he should have been made aware that applying for a loan does not necessarily indicate that he could immediately be approved just because he has an account with the bank. As stipulated, the home loans at low interest rates were offered for account holders; meaning, those who have had established a historical experience as an account holder for a considerable amount of time could avail of the home loan (but does not guarantee approval). As he was an account holder and assuming he met all the requirements needed to avail of the home loan within the two-month period, his application could still have been processed, as promised and he could follow up with the loan officer the decision on his home loan application. Still, it does not guarantee that his application would be approved. In this regard, Sam could not sue the bank simply on the premise that the bank withdrew the offer toward the end of the second month, since there could also be valid reasons for this. Taking it from the perspective of the bank, their legal department is sure to have covered all the rules and laws pertinent to making the promotional offer and must have stipulated that they have to option to withdraw the offer for reasons beyond their control (like a bad turn of the economy; stipulations from the government, like what happened with sub-prime mortgage loans; and no account holder qualified to avail of the home

The Evolution of the Eukaryotic Cell Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The Evolution of the Eukaryotic Cell - Essay Example Proponents propose that flagella derived from the symbiotic relationship of a host cell with a parasitic spirochete. A parasitic spirochete attached to surface of the host cell to gain food through the cell membrane, and the host cell gained motility from its whip-like motions. The beneficial relationship between the organisms evolved in the same manner as that of mitochondria and chloroplasts. Serial Endosymbiotic Theory (SET) The endosymbiotic theory related to the primitive origins of the organelles: mitochondria and chloroplasts. According to the endosymbiotic theory, these originated as prokaryotic organisms, which were engulfed by a larger prokaryote through phagocytosis. This larger prokaryote was probably a rickettsia bacterium, which is an anaerobic proteobacteria that was a precursor to the mitochondria organelle. Similarly, chloroplasts come from an autotrophic prokaryote called endosymbiotic cyanobacteria. The theory has in origins in 1905. Konstantin Mereschkowsky with chloroplasts and Ivan Wallin in the 20s advanced a similar idea for mitochondria. Later on, Henry Ris found that they contain DNA. The modern attribution goes to Lynn Margulis for her work in 1981, Symbiosis in Cell Evolution. She contended that eukaryotic cells started as communities of networking bodies such as endosymbiotic spirochetes that developed cilia and flagella. The problem with this is that cilia and flagella do not c ontain DNA. Another organelle, the peroxisome, is thought to have emerged this way. They, too, do not contain DNA, however. Christian de Duve's peroxisome idea did not last long. (Cooper, 2005) Modern evidence that suggests the endosymbiotic theory is viable: Mitochondria and chloroplasts contain DNA, which is... The endosymbiotic theory related to the primitive origins of the organelles: mitochondria and chloroplasts.   According to the endosymbiotic theory, these originated as prokaryotic organisms, which were engulfed by a larger prokaryote through phagocytosis.   This larger prokaryote was probably a rickettsia bacterium, which is an anaerobic proteobacteria that was a precursor to the mitochondria organelle.   Similarly, chloroplasts come from an autotrophic prokaryote called endosymbiotic cyanobacteria.   The theory has in origins in 1905.   Konstantin Mereschkowsky with chloroplasts and Ivan Wallin in the 20s advanced a similar idea for mitochondria.   Later on, Henry Ris found that they contain DNA.   The modern attribution goes to Lynn Margulis for her work in 1981, Symbiosis in Cell Evolution.   She contended that eukaryotic cells started as communities of networking bodies such as endosymbiotic spirochetes that developed cilia and flagella.   Another organelle, th e peroxisome, is thought to have emerged this way.   They, too, do not contain DNA, however.   Modern evidence that suggests the endosymbiotic theory is viable:†¢ Mitochondria and chloroplasts contain DNA, which is different from that of the cell nucleus, and that is similar to that of bacteria (in being circular and in its size).  Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ They are surrounded by two or more membranes, and the innermost of these shows differences in composition compared to the other membranes in the cell.

In the past half century, the developing countries have experienced Essay

In the past half century, the developing countries have experienced major compositional shifts from exports of primary products - Essay Example Over the past half century the shift in the export strategies of the developing countries have been noticeable. The shift in the composition of exports is mainly attributed to the developments and modification of the world’s production procedures. The dependence on land and food of the developing countries were gradually replaced by the advent of new technologies that redefined the production of industries in the economy (Dijck and  Linnemann, 1987, p.39). Gradually, the trend of exports of the developing economies shifted from the primary products and agriculture based items to industrial goods produced with the use of advanced technologies. Historical developments: Compositional shift of exports in the developing countries A look at the historical developments of the developing countries reveals that the developing countries in the early part of the twentieth century consisting of China, India, etc. were dependent on land and agriculture. The land was the major source of i ncome and value of land was very high to the state. The transitional of the stages of the development of the economies and the compositional shift in the exports of the countries over the last fifty years have been described below. Initial phase of exports by developing countries The economies of the developing countries in the initial phase of the historical development were highly dependent on agriculture. It would be correct to mention that developing countries before half a century were agriculture based economies. The land was the major source of livelihood and the income of the state and the people were highly dependent on agricultural produce of the land. The developing nations at that point of time used to produce high quantities of rice, wheat, pulses and other agricultural crops. The enhanced activities on farming and the activities of farmers all over the nation formed a considerable part of the gross domestic product. In international trade, the countries had primary pro ducts and raw materials, agricultural products available in large quantities for export. The foreign exchange earnings occurred majorly through the exports of primary goods, raw materials and agricultural goods produced by the countries. The singly dominant item in the developing economies at early stages of history was food products. This trend of exports underwent a radical change in the compositional shift as the developing countries started to open up their economies in the age of liberalization. Changing trend of compositional exports of the developing countries The composition of exports of the developing countries underwent radical shift in the last half a century as the developing countries like India and China opened up their economies in the era of globalization. The advent of new technological developments brought about changes in the production process and the composition of the products produced by the economies. The developing countries in the last fifty years underwen t economic reforms and adopted policies on liberalization. This was done by attracting foreign investments in the developing countries. Investments on development of infrastructure for supporting the growth of industries were the focus areas in the later stages of historical develo

Russia as a Developer of the Modern Terrorism Coursework

Russia as a Developer of the Modern Terrorism - Coursework Example According to the research findings, it can, therefore, be said that the practice of individual terror is well known in Russia from the times of the anarchists and Bolsheviks movements at the beginning of the twentieth century when professional revolutionaries pursued the policy of random murder struggling against Russian Czarism. After the Bolsheviks revolution in 1917, the new Red government arranged so-called â€Å"red terror† against dissidents among the former Russian intelligentsia. The first concentration camps were invented not by Hitler, as it is assumed to recognize, but by the leader of Soviet Russia Vladimir Lenin in the 1920s. The next Russian leader Joseph Stalin developed the death camp practice to the incredible scale. Millions of people died in the Siberian death camps being incriminated for anti-Soviet activity. The terror and violence constituted the main technology of the Soviet Russia expansion during the 1920-1940s. Annexing new territories such as Ukraine , Baltic Countries, and the Caucasus, Soviet Russia eliminated the opposition by means of the army and the secret service terror. The deportation of the whole nations such as Chechens and Crimean Tatars into Central Asia in the 1940-1950s resulted afterward in the local conflicts and wars in the 1990s. During the seminar at The City University of New York dedicated to terrorism in Russia, Professor Randall Law showed the direct link between Chechen’s struggle for independence and terrorism in the 1990s. Due to the fusion of militant Islam and the independence intentions, Chechens had to apply terroristic methods against Russia. The reason was in a policy of President Putin, who managed to convince the worldwide community that Russia was fighting against the international terrorism during both Chechen wars. Ben Laden and Hattab names have added validity to Putin’s arguments. After the World War II, the Soviet Union established Soviet regimes in several Central European countries by means of the so-called Warsaw Pact making such countries as Poland, Bulgaria, and Czechoslovakia dependent of Moscow.

Economic Growth in Deficit Crisis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 25

Economic Growth in Deficit Crisis - Essay Example The collapse of the major financial intermediary followed by the improper functioning of the financial market is identified to be the major blow to the economic situation that is prevailing within the nation (Tiraboschi, 2012). With the massive blow on the financial market, there has been an enormous stress, which was experienced by the economy and was identified to be the major reason of the economic crisis and financial turmoil. The impact made its first and foremost effect on the industries directly linked with the banking sector. This economic disruption led to a series of events affecting the economy, nation as well as the people associated with the nation (Tiraboschi, 2012). In this regard, the paper intends to elaborate on a specific issue that was faced due to the crisis, which could be referred to as employment status. The political and the social framework were largely affected by the crisis-situation which has been duly analysed to develop a transparent and better understanding of the employment status. The British Labour Law dates back to the initial decades of the 20th century. The development of the bill that was associated with the employment law was integrated in the year 1923. This acted as a major milestone and altered the British law for employment. Since its inceptions in the second and the third decades of the 20th century, there have been a considerable number of reforms that were initiated within the initial principles on which the laws were framed. However, there are certain blockages that have made the researchers and decision-makers look into the issues associated with the needs of alteration within the existing legal system and make it adept for the current times (Dukes, 2014).

Russia as a Developer of the Modern Terrorism Coursework

Russia as a Developer of the Modern Terrorism - Coursework Example According to the research findings, it can, therefore, be said that the practice of individual terror is well known in Russia from the times of the anarchists and Bolsheviks movements at the beginning of the twentieth century when professional revolutionaries pursued the policy of random murder struggling against Russian Czarism. After the Bolsheviks revolution in 1917, the new Red government arranged so-called â€Å"red terror† against dissidents among the former Russian intelligentsia. The first concentration camps were invented not by Hitler, as it is assumed to recognize, but by the leader of Soviet Russia Vladimir Lenin in the 1920s. The next Russian leader Joseph Stalin developed the death camp practice to the incredible scale. Millions of people died in the Siberian death camps being incriminated for anti-Soviet activity. The terror and violence constituted the main technology of the Soviet Russia expansion during the 1920-1940s. Annexing new territories such as Ukraine , Baltic Countries, and the Caucasus, Soviet Russia eliminated the opposition by means of the army and the secret service terror. The deportation of the whole nations such as Chechens and Crimean Tatars into Central Asia in the 1940-1950s resulted afterward in the local conflicts and wars in the 1990s. During the seminar at The City University of New York dedicated to terrorism in Russia, Professor Randall Law showed the direct link between Chechen’s struggle for independence and terrorism in the 1990s. Due to the fusion of militant Islam and the independence intentions, Chechens had to apply terroristic methods against Russia. The reason was in a policy of President Putin, who managed to convince the worldwide community that Russia was fighting against the international terrorism during both Chechen wars. Ben Laden and Hattab names have added validity to Putin’s arguments. After the World War II, the Soviet Union established Soviet regimes in several Central European countries by means of the so-called Warsaw Pact making such countries as Poland, Bulgaria, and Czechoslovakia dependent of Moscow.

Affect of Specific Language Impairment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Affect of Specific Language Impairment - Essay Example A child whose major problem is with receptive language (comprehension) faces difficulties in language which inhibit appropriate communication exchanges and their comprehension may act as a barrier to the development of social interactions and socially-skilled behaviours as compared to children with expressive language difficulties, Also they are more likely to experience social and behavioural problems and to be the target for bullying. Their measures of cognitive and language performance tend to be consistent over time, but ratings or measures of behavioural difficulties are more variable they show higher level of behavioural, emotional, and social adjustment difficulties.  A child with expressive language impairment has difficulty with the production of language that adequately represents the child intended message and may include problems with word retrieval, word use, sentence formulation, and/or conversational skills. The following characteristics may indicate difficulties in producing language. The child speaks in words, phrases, incomplete or inaccurate sentences, relies upon gesture to supplement or substitute for oral language, uses pronouns, plurals, and possessives incorrectly, has difficulty with the agreement of subjects and verbs, , has difficulty telling a story or describing an event or procedure in a logical sequence, uses run-on sentences, has limited expressive vocabulary, has difficulty finding the appropriate word (s) to express meaning, overuses filler words such as â€Å"ah† or â€Å"um†.

Qualitative Data Essay Example for Free

Qualitative Data Essay VOCABULARY – I consider vocabulary as the easiest because with the use of context clues, I can easily understand the meaning of the word. – 7 respondents have the same reason. I consider vocabulary as the easiest because you only have to be familiar with words. – 2 respondents have the same reason. I consider vocabulary as the easiest because I’m a wide reader at a young age. – 2 respondents have the same reason SENTENCE/SYNTAX I consider Sentence/Syntax as the easiest because you just have to familiarize grammatical rules. 2 respondents have the same reason GETTING THE MAIN IDEA I consider Getting the Main Idea as the easiest because by understanding the passage, you can get the whole idea. 9 respondents have the same reason I consider Getting the Main Idea as the easiest because there are no rules on understanding the passage I consider Getting the Main Idea as the easiest because it is mainly asking what the text is all about. 2 respondents have the same reason I consider Getting the Main Idea as the easiest because it is mostly found at the beginning of the paragraph. COMPREHENSION I consider Comprehension as the easiest because by simply reading. I can comprehend what the paragraph is all about. DIFFICULT: VOCABULARY – I consider vocabulary as the hardest because I have limited words stocks. – 4 respondents have the same reason. I consider vocabulary as the hardest because I still need to consult the dictionary to know the meaning of the. – 2 respondents have the same reason. I consider vocabulary as the hardest because I have a poor memory to retain word meanings. I consider vocabulary as the hardest because I’m not a wide reader. SENTENCE/SYNTAX I consider Sentence/Syntax as the hardest because it’s hard to analyze sentence structures and grammatical rules. 2 respondents have the same reason GETTING THE MAIN IDEA I consider Getting the Main Idea as the hardest because it’s hard to deal with the writing styles of the author and confused if I have to dwell with my own understanding. – 2 respondents have the same reason I consider Getting the Main Idea as the hardest because words are confusing. I consider Getting the Main Idea as the hardest because it is requires comprehension and focus. 2 respondents have the same reason I consider Getting the Main Idea as the hardest you have to identify the specific details of the story. COMPREHENSION I consider Comprehension as the hardest because there are articles that are difficult to understand. 3 respondents have the same reason I consider Comprehension as the hardest because you have to check the deeper meaning of the text. I consider Comprehension as the hardest because you have to consider everything (sentence structure, grammatical rules, vocabulary etc.) to get the meaning. I consider Comprehension as the hardest because it’s difficult to retain everything I’ve read. 2 respondents have the same reason I consider Comprehension as the hardest because of the unfamiliar words. I consider Comprehension as the hardest because it requires prior knowledge. I consider Comprehension as the hardest because of the author’s ambiguous ideas. I consider Comprehension as the hardest because it needs fast digestion of the contexts. 3. What possible intervention could have been done to help you develop your reading skills at the point of your education? The following are recommended reading interventions: to become a wide reader 19 respondents have the same suggestion study more vocabulary words 6 respondents have the same suggestion involve in more reading activities 12 respondents have the same suggestion watch more films 2 respondents have the same suggestion teachers should stimulate motivation 3 respondents have the same suggestion teachers should conduct more tutorial 3 respondents have the same suggestion teachers should unlock difficulties before starting the lesson proper practice reflective reading COMPREHENSION I consider Comprehension as the hardest because I’m having a hard time to understand texts heard. – 2 respondents have the same reason I consider Comprehension as the hardest because I consider myself as a visual learner. I consider Comprehension as the hardest because I easily lose focus 3. What possible intervention could have been done to help you develop your listening skills at the point of your education? The following are recommended reading interventions: get acquainted with correct pronunciation through practice – 3 respondents have the same suggestion learn different kinds of accents watch more films 3R’s- Read, Read or Read stay focused and listen keenly – 6 respondents have the same suggestion engage in more listening activities– 14 respondents have the same suggestion tele-conferencing with someone who has a different accent educators should encourage developing listening skills

Organizational Culture And Change Management

Organizational Culture And Change Management The world has become a global village and so do the businesses. Competition among industries is becoming more and more global and businesses are facing ever climbing pressure to compete at this level. The market needs are changing rapidly and continuously and to cope with this, organizations have to keep on changing themselves to meet the new demands. The change can be a change in product or service, marketing strategies, change in management or IT system etc. but the most difficult thing to change is the values and beliefs of the people because its natural that people resist change. Cultural change is a difficult thing to do as there are people involved in it. British Airways had gone through a cultural change which started in early 80s when the company was in bad condition and was about to go bank corrupt. The newly appointed CEO Colin Marshall lead the change and took the company out of the crises and made it one the most respectable airlines of the world in less than 10 years time. This paper will talk about the problems with BAs leadership and organizational culture which lead the company to those crises and its affects on performance and this paper will also talk about the successful implementation of the change. The paper will demonstrate the analysis of the change process and flaws in the change which could have lead to better results if managed properly. Organizational Culture: Culture is the beliefs and values of people. The collective programming of the mind which differentiates the one group of people from another, culture in this sense includes system of values. Culture comprises of language, religion, customs, manners and education (Bode 2008). Language is the most important way of understanding cultures as this is the way information flows. Many scholars have been trying to define culture and they have defined it but it is always said that it is difficult. Culture is a very complex a phenomenon and cannot be captured in a few dimensions (Bode 2008). Organizations do have a culture and in simple words it was defined by Deal and Kennedy (1996) that the culture is the way things get done around here. Organizational cultural is influenced mainly by the leaders of the organization and also by the personal values and beliefs of the people. It is basically the system of mutually shared beliefs and values by the people of the organization. Organizational culture is a key component in achieving the organizational goals and strategies, improving the organizations competitiveness and effectiveness and management of change (Adeyoyin, 2006). BAs History: British Airways came into existence in result of a merger of two British carriers, BOAC (British Overseas Airways Corporation) and BEA (British European Airways) in 1970s (Marriott 1998). British Airways is one of the most respectable and preferred airlines in the world today. British Airways won the Airline of the year award in 2007 on 25th OAG awards (BBC news). This success of the airline is the outcome of a successful cultural change started in early 80s. Before 1980s BA was doing good as there was little competition in the market and BA controlled 60% of the UK domestic markets and faced competition on only 9% of the routes in and out of the UK (Redman Wilkinson 2009). Due to little or no competition BA didnt focused on customer satisfaction and other issues and carried on the traditional way of doing things which lead them to disastrous situations when they felt the need for change. In 80s the rivalry among the airlines was limited in concerned to BA because BA was controlling 60% of the routes (Business Economics 1982). The threats of the substitutes was also limited for BA because BA has covered most of the routes and had large number of destinations and left the customers some times with no other choice. BA didnt have the focus on customer satisfaction and profit maximization and this caused major customer dissatisfaction. Lack of punctuality and uncomfortable flights were the reasons for this dissatisfaction (Warhurst 1995). BA recorded financial losses of  £140m and this leaves a threat for the new entrant in the market. So the threat for the new entrant was there. Drivers for change: Humans change with the passage of time as per the requirement and situation at hand. Similarly organisations need to change as well to adapt to the changing internal and external environment. A need of change can arise from two kinds of factors i.e. Internal and External factors. External factors include the competition, technological advancements, innovation, and deregulation of industry, labour costs, and access to resources, international economic changes, and government policies. Internal change factors tend to follow on from the external ones, and include adapting to shifts in corporate missions, changes in technological equipment and processes, shifts in employee attitudes and behaviour and corporate culture. In BAs case the initiating factors were both internal and external. The external factors were the competition, the governments threat of privatization, and access to cheaper resources and increasing prices of oil. The internal factors involved in pushing BA towards going f or a change were the internal rigid culture, Change of equipments and staff related issues. How the culture was formed? BAs cultural change was a success and still it is being used as a reference or a guide for the firms who go for cultural change (Mills et al 2008). There were four major companies who went through cultural change and some of the reasons among them were common, e.g. threat of privatization. Those companies were Jaguar, British Airport Authority (BAA), British Nuclear Fuels Limited (BNFL), and British Airways (BA). The founders of a company or the forefathers have a significant influence on the culture formation of a business. The way they do things leave a long lasting impact on the followers thus become the part of the culture (Poole et al 2004). Jaguar and BAA for example have always had charismatic leaders. Sir William Lyons and Sir Norman Payne were both charismatic leaders and autocratic in style (Salama 1995). This leaves the impression on the follower managers and showed its effects in their decision making styles. BNFL and BA till 1984 didnt have any charismatic leader like Jaguar and BAA (Salama 1995). There was variation in departments which shows the values of each of the departmental head. Christopher Harding was appointed as the chairman in 1984 and before him there wasnt a single dominant character at the top management level. Because BA had its origin from the ministry of defence, there was a strong civil service influence in the company. BA had a strong and close contact with Royal Air Force and both pilots and managers were recruited from RAF frequently. These militants left a very operational flavour to the organizations culture. In a survey a manager said that we couldnt get away from the fact that we are on a mission and that mission is everything to us and the customer are just an unfortunate add on. The management and leadership style was not participative as the CEO and the former chairman personally were very distant from the staff. The technical knowledge was considered to be very vital and the managers were recruited and promoted on the basis of their technical abilities instead of managerial abilities. All these factors made the culture of BA very rigid and a critical cultural change became the only solution for the company to survive. The Change Scope: Background: Other than the increasing competition and fuel costs, old fleets, and high staff costs in 80s, BAs management had to tackle these issues in order to avoid going bank corrupt, Improving the companys financial performance fundamentally, pre-tax losses were showing a figure of  £240m in 81 and 82 (Annual report 1st April 1983). CEO of BA said in 1982 that their money is draining at the rate of  £200 every minute (Mills et al 2006). Convincing the workforce of the supreme importance of customer services for the success of the company. Improving the perceptions about BA in the market. Maintaining momentum and regaining the focus which will allow them to meet new challenges. The main reasons for this crisis on BA were its culture and history. BEA and BOAC came together to form BA in 1981 (Staniland 2003). They remained sovereign till 1976 when the group division was changed to a structure based on functional divisions. Still a distinctive split within BA persisted until the mid 1980s. This improper assimilation disallowed BA to achieve the desired benefits of the merger, could not attain a common focus, created management segregation squabbles and resulted in a lack of a unifying corporate culture (Doganis 2002). The funny side of the merger was that most of the BEA and BOAC employees were war veterans who used to fly military aircrafts and they had a great influence on shaping the culture of BA. BAs culture was influenced by military mentality with a purely operational focus. The employees believe that their job is only to fly the plan safely and land it on time. Customer satisfaction and customer care, profit maximization and productivity were not considered as top priorities (Bowhill 2008). BA had financial support from the government and was doing a profitable business in the 70s (Parker 2009). These were the reasons which made it easier for BA to neglect its increasing inefficiencies over time. It was getting even more difficult to persuade the workforce and the management towards the need of a fundamental change. The competition was rising in the market and customer dissatisfaction plus the employees absenteeism were on the rise and the need for change was critical. The 1981 survival plan: The merger in 1981 leaves the company overstaffed and the staff expenses were unaffordable. The survival plan involves downsizing and the staff was reduced from 52000 to 43000 through voluntary measures. A 20% decrease in workforce in 9 months was a major downsizing (Thompson Martin 2009). Freezing pay was increased for a year which caused more volunteers leaving the job than was required. 16 routed were closed, 8 online stations and 2 engineering bases were shut down (Carleton Lineberry 2004). The survival plan was all about minimizing the costs and expenses as the company was heading towards bankruptcy. The activities involved in minimizing the costs also includes the halting of cargo service and selling the fleets and massive cuts in number of offices, administrative services and staff clubs etc (Jones and Lockwood 2002). Things were not going right and the survival plan was amended and staff was reduced by another 7000 and the total number than was appro ximately 35000. The voluntary laying off schemes cost the company around  £150 million and the company ended up with more volunteers than necessary because of no job security and sinking conditions of the company (Carleton Lineberry 2004). Changing image of the Airline: British airways had a bad image in the customers mind dew to unsatisfactory services and relatively higher prices. A survey by the International Airline Passengers Association put BA at the top of a list of the airlines to be avoided. (Redman Wilkinson). To improve the image of the organization BA launched its Manhattan Landing and The worlds favourite Airline campaigns and raised the advertising budget which was  £19m to  £31m for the year 1983-1984 in order to signal a clear commitment to changing the corporate image (Leban et al 2005). Building its turnaround team: 30% of the old employees had left the organization voluntarily which involved senior mangers as well (Barsoux Manzoni 1997). Culture is formed by leaders and now these leaders were not there which helped the cultural change process. Newly appointed CEO Sir Collin Marshall was a very charismatic leader. He brought in some new blood to give the company a fresh perspective and to regain focus. In 1983, Colin Marshall made customer service a personal crusade (Reichheld 1996). Customer services were something absent in the BAs culture which was very rigid and he wanted to achieve a shift from a strongly British, engineering, and operationally driven culture to one that emphasized productivity and profits while increasing the value placed on customer service. Support from top management: To make a change successful the leaders need to play the role model. Leader needs to be the one, who actually put the change terms in practice, supports his team and give them freedom of expression (Cameron 2004). Collin Marshall in this regard was very concerned and he used to spend lot of his time in terminals with staff communicating and reinforcing the desired culture for the organization and its mutual and individual advantages. Employees were given the freedom to share their ideas and thoughts and give their suggestions about helping the change to carry forward. Employees feel listened to and feels themselves as part of the companys success. Education and Training: Change needs to be reinforced and communicated regularly to make it feel happening. A continuous training needs to be done to help employees adapting to the new culture. BA in this regard conducted a training program named PPF (Putting People First). This training program was aimed at the people to examine their interactions with other people. The main focus of the training was to build positive relationships and customer services. Nearly 40000 of BAs employees attended the training program (Leban et al 2005). Another training program conducted by BA was MPF (Managing People First). This training program was aimed at other issues like culture and its importance, the leadership, trust, vision and feedback. These behaviour moulding programs resulted in good and BA was able to move on towards cultural change. After one year of training with TMI (training consultants), BA moved into profit (Senior Fleming 2006). Make the Change visible: Change needs to visible to the outside world. British Airways unveiled their new planes at Heathrow Airport and their new uniforms to give the world an impression that they have gone through a change and now they are a better organization (Leban et al 2005). With in 10 years the cultural change program succeeded in creating a strong commitment to productivity, profits and customer services. The morale was higher and the companys image in the market was better and this change lift the company out of bankruptcy to become one the worlds most respected airline. British Airways have launched a new campaign in 2009 named ONE DESTINATION. The CEO said at the time of launch that we started our journey towards responsible air travel in 1984 and we have discovered that our customers love to fly with us but are concerned about their impact on the environment (BBC news). Getting over the resistance with the help of suitable change models: Kurt Lewins change model comprises of three steps, i.e. Unfreeze-Change-Refreeze. The first stage in Lewins change model is unfreezing that is when manager develops a felt or need for the change which can be because of declining profits or shrinking market shares etc. In BAs case both profits and market shares were declining. This is where the CEO Collin Marshall felt the need for the change. The unfreezing stage is very crucial as this is when managers are making the workforce ready for the change. This is the advertising phase where the vision and content of the change is communicated which inspires the workforce and gains their commitment. Brirish Airways in this regard conducted the behaviour moulding conferences named PPF and MPF to change the behaviours and make the people ready for the change. The next stage in Lewins model is the change it self. This is the stage where the terms of the change are practically implied and practiced. The survival plan discussed above aimed at cost reduction and than the activities like increasing the advertising budget, hiring new blood and educating and training the people was the change process which was very well lead by the CEO. At this stage continuous feedback and reinforcement is required to make the change feel happening. Collin Marshall himself used to talk with the employees in small groups and spent his most of time reinforcing his vision and desired culture. Refreezing is the stage when people start to embrace the change and the organization has moved to the new culture. This is the stage where the change should be visible and BA made the change visible by inaugurating their new fleets and uniforms. John P. Kotter in his 8 step change model says that a strong enough team is required to carry the change process forward. BA did create a team of new blood managers who gave the company a fresh ad current perspective of business. Kotters model emphasize on communicating the vision of the change and BA was up to the task and had a great support from the senior management as the employees had the freedom of sharing their ideas and thoughts. Leadership Styles: As mentioned above that leadership of BA was heavily influenced by the retired army officers and co ordination and co operation was missing and leaders were like dictators. When the new CEO took over he changed the way of leading as in the process of downsizing, some senior managers were also removed from their positions because of the out dated leadership techniques. The success of the change was because of the new leadership who acted as mentors, and by adopting the democratic, consultive and persuasive, and transformational styles of leadership. Analysis of the Change at BA: The Thatcher Governments announcement of privatizing British Airways was the initial trigger which started the whole process of change (Staniland 2003). The need for the cultural change in BA arises in the transitional phase of the economic environment. The airline industry in UK was facing a severe competition which was an outcome of the privatization. Airline industry in UK was put to work under highly deregulated market which historically used to work in highly regulated market. The privatization decision changed the historic values and beliefs of BA dramatically as the organizations mission in the past was to make sure that planes fly safely and land safely. Profit maximization and competition were not much of an issue. Changing the culture is an ongoing process (Schabracq 2007) and even it is fully achieved, it still goes on in the form of monitoring and continuous inspection. British Airways since 1984 is in the transition phase and is replacing some of its main historical values and beliefs to be consistent with the new mission (Salama 1995). Collin Marshall was appointed as the CEO in order to accomplish this required cultural change. Training and behaviour changing programmes and evaluation systems have been introduced to motivate and stimulate changes. But in some areas other managerial career subsystems such as selection and promotion, had experienced minor modifications. Despite BA had put great deal of effort into encouraging certain behaviours, staff did not collate its employment policies and practices around the new culture (Coles et al 2000). BA failed to institutionalize the change through their stabilisation action plans. Management techniques were certainly impressive, but not everyo ne benefited from them. In areas such as marketing, the criteria for choosing Managers had changed from technical to managerial skills. However, some managers still preferred the old fashioned recruitment procedure based on promoting and selecting people who were good technical individuals, therefore BA had difficulties maintaining the change. At the corporate level, the managers were now rewarded based on performance. The new appraisal system varies across functions as the criteria for good performance was different among different departments. This issue arises from the HR departments ignorance towards the different subculture. The HR department had been trying to impose its own values and beliefs on the rest of the organization and this was identified by Marshall and a new structure for HR was developed later on in order to give the department units more autonomy. This conflicting situation reflects a lack of consensus regarding the desired organizational culture as viewed by top management. Recent Issues: BA had won awards for Best Airline and Best Business Class, a total of 7 awards (Investors Report BA.co.uk). However, BA was also on top of the list of the companies that had complaints, made by the AUC (Air Transport Users Council), totalling 117. Air France came second with 110 and Ryanair third with 77, EasyJet had 42 total complaints (BBCnews.co.uk 20 Aug 2002). If BA adopt a strategy for focus differentiation, tighter controls on the safe handling of baggage, more effective booking services would require to be implemented in order to provide this quality service, thus gaining customer satisfaction and justification of price differentiation. This would inevitably enhance its image and reputation (Johnson et al 2008). CONCLUSION/RECOMMENDATION: British Airways had gone through many changes in order to promote this cultural change. British Airways lacked a holistic approach while implementing the change because despite of the HR departments attempts towards forming policies and procedures around the new culture, there was evidently a gap between HR and middle management. Some managers were still using the traditional approaches of reward system and recruiting people. British Airways needed to adopt a partnership model within HR. This model is about establishing a common interest in order to secure the competitiveness, viability and prosperity of an organisation. Economic tensions appreciated within this model, are fitting to British Airways unstable environment. The Partnership model talks about getting a commitment from employees to improve quality and efficiency and the acceptance by the employers as stakeholders with interest to be considered when decisions are made. In the beginning it will require a top to bottom approa ch in order to promote and advertise the change. However promoting good strategies which are suitable for all the departments and areas of the organization, as opposed to some areas, is the key to its success. British Airways need to adopt this model to promote teambuilding and working together kind of environment. This model will help in identifying the organizational goal by mutually sharing the values and beliefs of the people and they will start moving in same direction and the outcome of the change can be seen in the whole organization. British Airways is once again in crisis at the current time and is showing record  £401 million pre tax losses (BBC news). Flights are late and customers are facing some sort of the same issues as there were in 1980s. British Airways has a good history and current image in the consumer market. They might need another change in the organization. The change started in 1984 and still things need to be done. Therefore it can be said that changing culture is a complex and long term undertaking (Thomas 2005). It involves coordinated efforts by the top management to change its own values and behaviour and communicates it to the followers and others in the organization. Such changes must be reinforced by shifts in management education, selection and promotion. Culture cannot be managed on its own or as separate from the rest of the organization.

The Chinese Intelligentsia during the Hundred Flowers and Anti-rightist

The Chinese Intelligentsia during the Hundred Flowers and Anti-rightist Movement After the coming to power of the CCP and the formation of the People’s Republic of China, thorough and drastic changes began to take place in China. A country which had been founded on a mixture of Confucianism and a very spiritual lifestyle, with ancestor worship and even praying to the god of a particular object, which had went through various revolutions and changings of the guard, began to follow the influence of a Red Giant. The theories of Communism which were developed through a collaboration of Marx and Engels began to penetrate China through the Soviet influence. The sweeping changes that were introduced by Mao Zedong and his party would influence China in every aspect, and attempt to eradicate the old ways, which were consider to be corrupted and no longer represented what was right for the country as a whole. The CCP changed the way the government was set up, changed the way foreign relations were handled, re-evaluated the economic policies of the country, and, possibly more drastically, attempted, arguably successfully, to control and change the way people thought. The anti rightist movements of the 50s and 60s attempted to do just that. These movements followed on the heels of what was known as the Hundred Flowers. The Hundred Flowers slogan was â€Å"Let a hundred Flowers Bloom, a Hundred Schools of Thought Contend†. The movement which had started in the spring of 1956 was a movement that was began by the party to do several things. The main theme behind the movement was to welcome criticism of the party by the intellectuals of the country, and was considered a good way for the party to prove that it cared about the people, was interested, and listening to what they had to say. According to Teiwes: Lu (Ting-i) argued the victory of socialist transformation and a fundamental change in the political outlook of intellectuals created conditions for the Hundred Flowers. He held that free discussion and independent thinking were necessary to avoid academic stagnation and declared the imposition of narrow, doctrinaire restrictions on intellectual life the â€Å"bitter enemy† of true Marxism Leninism. (219) Mao was under the impression that Communism was so perfect that intellectual criticism would not be hurt, but benefit the attitudes in the country. This was a major chan... ... to keep their opinions to themselves. It would take years for them to find their voice again. Not, only did this movement silence millions, but it was also the moment for many Chinese, when the cracks in the party started to show. The man who had been revered as a god, had made a mistake, and people started to question themselves and their beliefs. Jung Chang’s mother was one of these individuals who began to question the Communist party and its methods, however not openly. Her husband however would not question it. Their relationship is a microcosm of the country. The people who saw the fissures forming were afraid to say anything, but the blind followers of the party where afraid to listen: One day, when she ventured some critical comments about the situation and got no response from him, she said bitterly, â€Å"You are a good Communist, but a rotten husband!† My father nodded. He said he knew. (Chang, 219) Works Cited Chang, Jung. Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China. New York: First Anchor Books, 1992. Fu-Sheng, Mu. The Wilting of the Hundred Flowers. New York: Frederick A. Praeger, Inc, 1963. Teiwes, Frederick. Politics and Purges in China. New York: M.E. Sharpe, 1979.

Online dating Essay

Online dating which allows individuals, couples and groups to make contact and communicate with each other over the Internet, usually with the objective of developing a personal romantic or sexual relationship. Around 30% of America’s 80 million baby boomers are single. Since 2003, several free dating sites, operating on ad based-revenue rather than monthly subscriptions, have appeared and become increasingly popular. These advertisements are nothing but merely deception. The way it works is impractical and unrealistic. I’d say it is one of the most passive ways that some lonely person sitting on his couch all day can find the fantasy woman of his dreams. Advertisers use different methods to attract consumers in an effort to entice them to buy their products. E-Harmony, an online dating service, uses a form of deception to attract the consumer in an attempt to lure the person into signing up for their dating service. Their practice is not entirely deceptive, but is for the most part. The ad portrays two people, blissfully in love. With brightly lit smiles while gazing lovingly into each other’s eyes, each person explains how he or she found their own true love by using this service. The e-Harmony success story continues as they explain how the person they are madly in love with is simply perfect for them in every way. Love and romance practically jumps out from the ad. The ad is somewhat deceptive because it makes it look like all a lonely person who is looking for a meaningful relationship has to do is go to e-Harmony, and he or she will instantly find true love. Yes, it is possible to find someone using this service but it is not realistic. People who use the service go through a longer process, meeting different potential partners, getting to know them and more than likely moving on to the next prospect. The ad makes it look too easy to find someone to be involved with in a serious relationship. By placing the entire focus on the ultimate goal, and exaggerating the potential end result (two people madly in love) plays on the viewer’s emotions. Someone who is in this situation may be vulnerable, so being subjected to the image of lover’s ultimate bliss, may cause him or her not to think rationally. That picture of two exceedingly happy lovers is what that viewer may yearn for to the point of believing what the ad sells, an expectation that is more than likely too high.