Failed bill on education in Texas Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Failed bill on education in Texas - Term Paper Example The Texas education bills passed in the recently were on the expected economic constraints. The recent global economic shortfalls too have affected governance and political engagements in policymaking and legislation. A bill to cut expenses on education in Texas faced rejection from the teachers since it would reduce their salaries and they would be laid off without compensation. In addition, the appropriation bill had a shortfall in students allocation per head this affected the number of entries of new students and the it was seen as if it would compromise on output by teachers (Collegedegrees.com, 2011). Apart from that the political differences also affected the bills since different positions were taken not to give more money to the financially derailed schools and hoping for organizations to chip in and sponsor some programs. Whilst most legislators were interested in maintaining their strength in the house, the bills were falling back. Legislation is all polices and the game o f politics is never a clan game but various personal interests are vested upon at the expense of the commoners, hence, you find that implementations of bills don’t meet the threshold so as to bring actual enactment required since the politicians played their cards close to their chests. The bill that failed to pass in Texas was that which could allow concealed weapons on campuses. Proponents of the bill argued that responsible armed students can make campuses safer than before and assist in preventing shootings like the one witnessed in Virginia Tech in 2007. It had a lot of support from the public, the governor, eighty eight co- sponsors, two thirds of the senate and one hundred and fifty members from the house of representatives, the public were sure it will become a law but the bill faced several procedural roadblocks and could not reach the governor’s desk and be passed. In addition, those who proposed the bill argued that this bill was based on matters of self-def ense in cases where harmless students are attacked. On the other hand, opponents of the bill argued that if guns were allowed on campus, it could lead to increased violence (Austin, 2011). The school voucher bill was viewed as one that will take away money from the public schools and that this would work contrary to their favor as much as the bill gave parents a choice and liberty for their children to enjoy private schools at the expense of taxpayer’s money. The charter bill also did favor the military and treat children of the rich families as very special. Citizens must be treated equally without favor or prejudice. In addition, level of abilities must be known and those of less ability should be given better terms while enjoying their liberty of choice. Some bills would give parents unwarranted powers, for example, to close down a low performing school. This was viewed as a self-gun shot in the leg since parents would peck their fingers and over demand. Parents cannot be trusted with some powers, given to them, this would bring undue unrest and hatred amongst the students and teachers as scenarios of students accusing the teachers would be witnessed. This bill was ill motivated and was not guaranteed to succeed for the sake of teacher-parent relationship and coexistence between the teachers and students (Austin, 2011). One of the failed bills was to favor charter schools in which they would be allowed to participate in extracurricular activities at traditional schools. The approach to win it was tactful but it failed since it was acquired that this would be more work for the public schools as those in charter schools made their choice at the expense of co curricular activit

Introduction to Art-Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Introduction to Art-Questions - Essay Example The method was first used in China and in Japan during the ninth century (James et al., 1997). 2a. Andy Warhol's famous "serigraph" of Marilyn Monroe was made in what way? The serigraph is the manner of attaching a stencil in a finely woven fabric, which is also attached in a frame. The paint will then pass through the fabric and create an image on the tee shirt, paper, or board on the other side of the screen. In the case of the serigraph of Marilyn Monroe, which was done by Andy Warhol, it was done through photographic stencils in which he used a photo of the subject and specialized chemicals in order for the image to stick on the silk screen (Lazzari & Schlesier, 2012). b. What is another name for the process called serigraph? Screen printing or photo silkscreen printing (Lazzari & Schlesier, 2012). c. What material is used in making one? The main material in screen printing is a stenciled image in a very fine woven fabric. In order to create an image in a material, paint or ink m ust be used to attach the image in a material. Also, a squeegee will be used in pushing the ink or paint unto the other side of the woven fabric (Lazzari & Schlesier, 2012). 3. The expensive process of making handwritten letters on stretched calfskin as the only form of communication was replaced with the invention of movable type in 1450. (a) Discuss two benefits from the invention of movable type and how that invention's benefits are similar to the more recent development of the personal computer and the Internet? The invention of the movable type by Johann Gutenberg during 1450 was and is revolutionary. There were many benefits brought by the movable type, and one of these benefits includes the increase in the production of printed materials and documents. In this manner, offices were able to reproduce copies of their documents and were able to save a file for their own self-keeping. It was considered as an efficient manner in the reproducing and preserving documents. The second benefit of this invention was that it had economic benefit for every business industry. It had allowed the publication of books and other printed materials, such as newspaper by bulk, which had eased the process and lowered the cost. This invention of the movable type had a similar impact on the current usage of personal computer and the Internet in terms of the ease in the production of printed or written materials. Aside from this, as the movable type had aided in the production of books, personal computers, and the internet had also made the availability and the production of books easier and more accessible (Blossom, 2011). 4. The 1841 daguerreotype of Maria Edgeworth was one of many that began to be produced at that time and they became a serious threat to portrait painters. (a) Why ? The daguerreotype was invented by Louis Jacques Mande Daguerre, which used the copper sheets, that are silver-plated and contains iodine. This causes the plate to be sensitive to light, and as it is exposed to the camera, the images are developed through the warms vapor of mercury. This processed had opened its way to the creation of much sturdier and long-lasting portraits. It was also commercialized, allowing the greater public to immortalize their images. For this reason, the portrait painters became threatened with the new process of reproducing portraits. However, it did not push through, but became one of the leading inventions and influences in the field of photographs (Nelson, n.d.). 5. If you were a

Prescriptive and emergent approaches for developing strategies

Prescriptive and emergent approaches for developing strategies Introduction The concept of corporate strategy battles with the perennial issue of determining the overall purpose and scope of an organisation. From a contemporary perspective, it involves the specification of long-term goals and objectives that will add value to the business and cope with the uncertainty of modern times. As a practice, it consists of adopting courses of action and allocating resources in ways necessary for carrying out the overall objectives. Widely recognised as the most principal theories for strategy development, the prescriptive and emergent approaches must be examined within the context of an increasingly dynamic, highly competitive and global business environment. Powerful external forces are driving organisations to reduce costs, enhance processes and identify new opportunities for growth. Many businesses are compelled to make dramatic improvements not only to compete and prosper but also merely to survive. This brings to the fore the importance of determining how effectively the prescriptive and emergent approaches can meet the needs of todays businesses when formulating strategy. The Prescriptive Approach The prescriptive approach regards strategy development as a systematised and deterministic process where analysis of the organisation, its performance and external environment leads to the formation of a rational, long-term plan. Senior management is in charge of defining the final objectives and the plan is then put into action through the successive layers of the organisation. Techniques which feed this process include Porters heavily structured Five Forces model for analysing industry and Value Chain Analysis which highlights existing capabilities as a solid basis for competitive advantage. It is pointed out by Ansoff that firms in fast-paced, competitive environments who use a systematic process for strategic planning very often go on to dominate their marketplace. Their logical, analytical approach allows them to devise predictive and pre-emptive strategies from which they can meet new opportunities head on. For instance, in 1995 EasyJet used incredible foresight to introduce low cost flights allowing it to take advantage of a more cost-conscious European Market. Whats more, this approach makes it possible to organise complex activities and exercise a greater degree of control over different business units. For example, Tescos planning process resulted in well defined long-term goals and clear boundaries for its UK core business, retail service, non-food and international sectors. It has succeeded in achieving consistent growth and profit in all of these areas over recent years. Strategy formation which places a lot of weight on existing capability strengths is thought to be a secure basis on which a firm should define itself and optimise its position, particularly in times of rapid and turbulent change. For example, Motorola has successfully met the needs of emerging markets by using its fundamental technological strengths in electronic components to progress from supplying TVs and car radios to offering telecommunications services. From a contrary perspective,ÂÂ  Johnson states that the prescriptive model contains many assumptions that are unsustainable in todays business world. The logical approach implies that strategy development is always deliberate and that strategies are realised according to plan. However, empirical research by Mintzberg discounts this, highlighting that realised strategy tends to be only 10 to 30 percent of the intended strategy. This is mainly because unpredictable events, such as the introduction of new regulations or technologies, will regularly act to force the original strategy off its course. Additionally, the prescriptive approach to planning falls short in allowing for any learned elements to be absorbed into the strategy and so can limit an organisations ability to respond flexibly in todays rapidly changing environment. The narrow-minded manner in which it focuses on established areas of business and capabilities can hinder serious transformational change where reinvention is required. A further criticism is that the prescriptive model fails to complement modern organisational cultures where employees at lower levels are included in the decision making process. This type of involvement is frequently found in small or medium sized businesses. As a result, organisational creativity can be stifled and employee dissonance may occur as it is at these levels that work processes are most fully understood. The Emergent Approach Mintzberg put the idea forward that strategies can be unplanned, developing incrementally over time as a businesses actions adapt to a changing reality. Instead of meeting a premeditated plan, he argued that strategy evolves through a process of learning, adjustment and experimentation. Formulation of strategy runs parallel to implementation and managers at multiple organisational levels have a key input into the actual strategies pursued by the organisation. This models emphasis on learning underlies more recent theories which focus on the value of knowledge as a core organisational competence for gaining competitive advantage. An emergent approach leads to more creative and responsive strategy making which is well suited to the hyper-competitive and unpredictable environments of today. Interestingly, Hamel and Prahalad pointed out that the most successful firms in the world such as Microsoft and Apple Macintosh do not tie themselves down to mission, goals and objectives or the predetermined plan. In contrast with the prescriptive approach which focuses on creating a fit between established strengths and emerging opportunities, the emergent approach challenges the status quo by intentionally creating a misfit between these factors. Hence, it is more suited to instigating positive, transformational organisational change such as diversification or restructuring. It also has the added benefit of helping to reduce resistance to change as it allows time to build employee support while the strategy is taking shape. On a negative note, when formulation and implementation occur simultaneously there is a risk that strategy development becomes too slow and jumbled a process. This means that valuable opportunities may be missed along the way. Also, conflicting objectives from different groups can hinder strategy development, particularly when there are power shifts taking place during a major strategic change such as a merger. Without strict analysis and identifiable targets, objectives can lack clarity and there may be no real basis for evaluating performance. Indeed, it was pointed out by Brews and Hunt that an over-reliance on emergent strategy formation could result in underperformance. Conclusion Within the framework of an environment which is by and large unpredictable, many organisations are forced to become more flexible and adaptive to change. This supports the adoption of an emergent approach to strategy development which invokes a more intelligent capacity to respond to new opportunities. Nonetheless, such a strategy can preclude control over actions and may risk a lack of direction. A greater use of strategic planning tools for internal and external analysis would certainly facilitate improved organisational learning and enhance strategic thinking even while following an emergent approach. This recognition that the prescriptive and emergent processes, rather than being mutually exclusive, can be complementary approaches that reinforce each other is being highlighted in more recent theories such as the Logical Incrementalism approach proposed by Quinn. All in all, most viable strategies in todays business world should have customised elements of prescriptive and emergent characteristics in order to manage the complexities of their business and still triumph over changing circumstances.

Personal Narrative: Drafts of my Writing Essay -- Narrative Essay Writ

Failing to mention either the most rewarding or the most distressing aspects of learning to write would be to tell an incomplete story. I have an intimate yet erratic relationship with writing. I am a most ambivalent lover. Stopping to glance at my watch, my fingers still poised above the keyboard, I have smiled, amazed to find that I have been in a state of bliss in which hours have passed without my noticing. I have also flushed and sweated as I stared at my computer screen, reading my own text over and over again, vainly trying to anticipate the criticism I correctly supposed would come. I love, adore, am devoted to, am crazy about writing. The limitations of words are nowhere more apparent that when I try to describe my pleasure, joy, delight, satisfaction at using, playing with, relishing, wielding them. I know about writing; well, the truth is that I sometimes know how to write. How it is that I know how to write is something I don’t know a lot about. I am a creative writer and a formal essayist. I am humorous and deadly serious, courageous and terrified. I write fiction and essay, poetry and prose. That makes me the teller of lies and truths and, perhaps occasionally, a bit of Truth. But I am fragile, so fragile. I can write when approval is heaped on me, layered like blankets; give me flannel, cotton, polyester blends, wool and down. Regardless of their weight or numbers, they never smother me or weigh me down. In truth, they barely keep out the drafts. I am grateful to be able to report that I have been wrapped tightly in such comforters as: â€Å"Good point . . . very impressive work . . . excellent . . . outstanding job.† â€Å"Very good essay, with clarity and insight.† â€Å"A strong paper, certainly no... ...I am grateful to her for saying them. Second, I attended the International Women’s Writing Guild’s Summer Conference last month at Skidmore College. Eunice Scarfe, a Canadian short story writer who teaches at the University of Alberta taught a workshop that I was drawn to attend each day. She called free writing â€Å"the act of writing,† and then described the editing and crafting that follow as â€Å"the art of writing.† That phrase brought a dignity to what had sometimes seemed to be embarrassingly numerous rewrites. It allows me a little shelter from the cold drafts that always threaten. Last, despite the uncertainty I feel about this relationship, despite my anxiety and my love’s many warts, complexities and annoying habits, I tuck the blanket around the two of us. I am conflicted, but still in love and something that I can’t quite name keeps me coming back for more.

Discipline in Schools Essay

A majority of us have families with children various ages, and the title of this article caught my eye for the simple fact I have teenage kids in school that have previously been assigned in-school suspension for minor disciplinary acts such as being tardy or turning in incomplete assignments. Working adults and parents are the primary targets of this particular article which sparks my personal interest towards this issue. I felt the author of this article gave a somewhat neutral observation of this topic, giving both sides of the story in a calm yet quite informative tone. He listed infractions that resulted in suspensions as well as different types of suspension outcomes. It’s important to note that suspending a student for being disruptive in class and suspending a student for fighting should be handled differently however both instances should require the students to continue working on their curriculum. With references from other educators as well as reports from the US Department of Education I would have to say that the contents of this article appear to be creditable. Results from out of school suspensions prove to be doing more harm than good, leaving students at home unsupervised with a couple days off with no curriculum to work on verses the alternative of requiring students to attend on the weekends seems to be a better solution, however funding for weekend programs is a separate issue. The authors intend of this article is to inform and acknowledge new alternatives need to be explored when it comes to disciplinary actions such as suspensions. Additional resources will have to be implemented, academic and financial. Overall I thought this to be a particularly interesting and informative article.

Ethical Decision making by School Principals Essay

Principals are faced with the challenge of managing schools and there is need for them to be ethical, respectful, inspiring, creative and knowledgeable about methods of instruction and the culture of the school and curriculum. These principals are also faced with the challenge of knowing and identifying areas of support that is able to enhance the school’s mission and also manage the areas that impede the achievement of a stated mission of the school. Since the needs of students are ever changing, they should also be in a position to make both smaller and larger adjustments that could be beneficial to the school and easily manageable by the organization in the management of these decisions. (Sousa, 2003, pp. 195-198). A decision is termed as ethical when it is able to bring about positive results and does not harm other people or the third party. These decisions are able to bring forth respect, trust, fairness and caring, responsibility and demonstrate good citizenship. When a decision accomplishes the needs of people together with their purposes, it is then termed as an effective decision. Ethically sound decisions are mostly advanced by two critical aspects namely discernment and discipline. For a decision to poses the aspect of discernment, it requires judgment and knowledge. The strength of character on the other hand, makes up a good decision and this takes moral change and the will power to be able to do what needs to be done (Hoy & Tarter 2004, pp. 56-60). Ethical decision making calls for good leadership from principals. Leadership may be described as the authority or ability of an individual or individuals to lead others towards the achievement of a goal. It involves directing and influencing others towards the accomplishment of the stated common objectives and involves responsibility and accountability for the group. There are various leadership styles that are used today in many organizations and institutions. The autocratic type of leaders apply unilateralist while dominating their team-members in order to achieve a particular objective. However, this method often results to resistance from the team- members, as this style generally requires constant pressure and a lot of direction to get things done. On the other hand, this style could be more effective in urgent situations requiring urgent action (Schiminke, 1998, pp. 107-110). In the Laissez-Faire leadership, little control is exercised by managers over their groups. This allows the team-members to sort out their duties and obligations but the manager is not in any way involved with them. This style of leadership however is ineffective at certain circumstances since the team is left floundering with limited motivation and direction. Laissez- faire is effective in cases whereby a manager leads a team that is highly skilled and motivated and these people have in the past produced excellent work. The Democratic leader on other hand often uses participation and the groups’ teamwork towards attaining a collaborative decision. This style focuses on communication between the leader and the team and hence a positive climate for achieving results is created. The leaders consult their teams before making a decision while still in control of the team. These leaders allow the team to make decisions on how certain duties will be carried out and by whom (Schiminke, 1998, pp. 107-110). In addition, a good democratic leader is one who approves participation by team members and delegation of duties or tasks is done wisely. This kind of a leader values the points put forward from them and also encourages any group discussion. He also empowers the team through motivation. On leadership styles include a coercive leader, authoritative. Leader, affiliative leader, pace setting and a coaching leader. A coercive leader demands obedience, which should be instantaneous and applies initiative, achievement and self-control. In times of crisis or company turn around, this style is considered to be more effective but it mostly creates a negative climate for the performance in an organization. The authoritative leader on the other hand is considered to be one of the most effective as this leader inspires employees to follow a vision, facilitate change and creates a strong organizational climate that results in positive performance. The affiliative leadership values people, their emotions and their needs and relies on friendship and trust to promote flexibility, innovation and risk taking. A pacesetting leader can create a negative climate because of the high standards he or she sets. This style works best in attaining quick results from highly motivated individuals who value achievement and take the initiative. Lastly, the coaching leader builds a positive climate by developing skills that will foster long-term success. This type of leader also delegates responsibly, and is skillful in issuing assignments that are quite challenging. Leadership entails organizing people in a bid to achieve the stated goals of the group. It is therefore essential that leaders should posses certain basic qualities that will enable them to be effective leaders in whatever situation or task they undertake (Guy, 1990 pp. 105-107). Leaders should display a good work ethic that will enable other employees to emulate. A good work ethic includes: being on time, being organized giving praise to employees, being well prepared for meetings and having good communication within the venture that will go a long way towards achieving emotional and financial success. Therefore a leader should set an example with an ethical set of values for other managers and employees. For a leader to be effective, he/she should be willing to constantly learn at the same time integrate the knowledge they have acquired through learning into their leadership style. They must also develop skills that will promote them into being good leaders. Another quality of a good leader is that they should constantly keep up with the current trends in leadership and be aware that the leadership styles are constantly changing. In other words these leaders should be open to change. A good leader should also be able to mobilize people and acquire their trust in the process. Good leaders should also have the ability to communicate effectively with their subordinates communication is an essential aspect since it involves both listening and sending messages or telling others what needs to be done. Moral leaders are in a position to produce good moral leadership. They mostly apply restraint and power in their leadership. They are willing to accept any results without imposing control on other people. This is stewardship. It enables leaders to accept their faults which are human instead of shielding themselves under their authority and status. Ethics can be described as the codes of conduct that guide on how one should behave regarding moral duties and virtues. These moral principles guide a person in determining what is wrong or right. Morality by principals can be termed as personal ethics. This is because personal ethics reflect the expectations of people of all works in the society. Ethics has got two aspects: the ability to determine right from wrong, propriety from impropriety and good from evil. The second perspective concerns the commitment to perform an action that is proper, right and good. The principles of personal ethics include: trustworthiness and honesty, concern for the well being of others preventing harm refusing to take unfair advantage, respect for the autonomy of others and basic justice. Ethics as displayed by principals in schools or any other leaders could be classified as under written and unwritten codes of ethics: codes of ethics are the efforts which are systematic in nature and are used in defining the right conduct. They also provide guidance and help in the installation of confidence in various aspects of life from the government and all organizations. The main guidance is reflected in the decision making process especially where values seem to conflict. Written codes of ethics can be made known by an organization, professional or jurisdiction. On the other hand unwritten codes that exist and that help us in our lives are more effective than the written ones. Un written codes of ethics include rules such as honesty, security, loyalty among others. These unwritten codes of ethics mostly arise from family and cultural tradition and can also be found in workplace. These written and unwritten codes of ethics mostly arise from family and cultural tradition and can also be found in workplace. These written and unwritten codes of ethics are found in the society and they help one in establishing their personal belief system. Ethical behaviors should be a part and parcel of an individual’s daily routine (Murphy & McMurty, 2000. pp. 110-115). I believe that Principals need to make strategic decisions since society and environment are dynamic and this provides them with a means that is strategic in nature that could enable them consider the external environment by focusing on the strength of the school organization, reducing weaknesses in school and also identify all the available opportunities that could put the school at a better position to be able to gain a competitive advantage. School principals are able to make an ethically defensible decision when the decision is well thought considering all the formal possible angels meaning that everybody takes part in decision making. In addition, ethically sound decisions in corporate all the possible solutions regarding the positive and negative outcomes of the decision. The decisions made by school principles need to involve a consultative process, team or group process or delegated duties to the staff members. This will help principals to come up with an ethically sound decision that will have a positive impact to all the members of the society which includes the students. Today, school leaders are the people who are accountable ethically, legally and morally for any decisions that they make in schools. Dempster and Parry (1999) note that the schools pressure mainly arise from four sources that is pressure of involving non-educationalists in the decision making in schools; changes in the growth of knowledge and applying the new advanced technology in learning processes; increased social problems such as suicide, violence and unemployment. This means that school leaders are constantly faced with ethical dilemmas while making decisions in schools hence resulting in conflicting ethical principles. Therefore how ethics/morals impact on decision-making is profound as this could easily change the way society operates. Foster (1986) also notes that it is the actions by the officials of the school that will strongly determine personal codes of ethics and values (Shapiro, 2000, pp. 120-125). On the ethical decision making by principals in schools, Denig and Quinn (2001) proposed a philosophical model with two moral principles namely; care and justice. They argue that most of the decisions that are made by school leaders, are mainly based on formalism which is policy and law and this is aimed at bringing about the greatest good to all (utilitarianism). In other words, this approach clearly views decision making as a rational approach that involves the use of universal principles. The decision maker performs what is right that could result in good deeds to all rather than individualism hence equity becomes the desirable outcome. They also point out that it is only through making decisions by collaborative means that these leaders can be able to analyze the dilemmas and get prepared to encompass the principle of working together with the school system and this eventually results in making decisions that are ethical (Sousa, 2003, pp. 195-198). Greenfield (19991) on the other hand argues that school leaders experience distinct sets of demands concerning ethics. He notes that schools being moral institutions are designed to bring for the social norms and other principles. They should be able to make decisions that are morally acceptable. He further notes that although schools are charged with the responsibility of creating moral values and making moral decisions by dedicating themselves to promote the well-being of their students, it is surprising that the same students have virtually no right to express themselves to what goes on in their schools and it is for these reasons that the conduct of these school leaders need to be moral (Kowalski, 2001, pp. 5-98). Robert Starratt (1991) also talks of equality in social arrangement benefits by arguing that today’s social arrangement results to unequal benefits among people. He argues that school principles should not only behave ethically but also be responsible individuals. Lastly, Green field argues that the authority of the principal is moral and teachers should be convinced that the decisions make by the principal reflects all the values that they support (Nutt, 2002, pp. 50-54). Kidder (1995) defines an ethical dilemma as the responsibilities that people face in making choices between two rights cherished values that conflict are the principle cause of dilemmas. For instance a principal is bound to be faced with a dilemma if at all he/she cherishes both the teacher and student and the teacher decides to enact a policy that will result in low expectations. Some philosophers and thinkers have come up with a number of guidelines that could help to solve these dilemmas faced by school leaders. They argue that leaders should be able and willing to act along the set standards of ethics. They could also address and also should be caring and conscious reflection whenever they lead other people (Nutt, 2002, pp. 50-54). School leaders could also form ethics committees to help them solve ethical dilemmas as these committees could prove helpful in raising the awareness concerning ethical issues, advising educators and also in the formulation of codes of ethics. A quality decision that is made by a school principal will depend on a number of factors made, extent to which others are able to generate a quality solution, how the problem is structured and the degree of commitment. Moreover, decisions made in schools require a lot of staff decision and support. School principals also need to understand the culture of their schools while attempting to make any decisions as this will establish whether the decision made is appropriate for the school. Therefore, these head teachers need to analyze and comprehend any relevant and comprehend any relevant information presented to them together with data. They also need to gather and measure evidence, issue judgments and finally make the necessary decisions. Creativity is essential as these will help in solving any anticipating problems hence development of opportunities for the school. Finally, school principals should be in a position to demonstrate quality judgment. This will enable them to know how and when they need to make any decisions among others. Decisions made by school principals could be autocratic, consultative, Group or Delegated decisions. An autocratic decision is that which the school principal makes it himself / herself by use of the available information or gathered from other groups or people. This therefore requires these school leaders to make appropriate and quick decisions when expected to do them at a particular point in time consultation on the other hand means that a problem has to be shared amongst individuals in order to obtain collective views or ideas but the school principal has to make the final decision afterwards.

The Oxford Health Plans Inc. Company

The Oxford Health Plans Inc. Company Executive Summary The decline in profitability of Oxford Health Plans Inc. Company representing a loss of $291.3 million coupled with the plunge in the stock price of its shares of up to 80% drop, necessitated changes to improve the company’s financial status. The events arose because of the company’s weak internal financial systems.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on The Oxford Health Plans Inc. Company specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The company took steps among them, shakeup of its top management and pay cuts with the Ex-CEO getting a 61% pay cut. The company also sought financial bailout to the tune of $700 million to stabilize its financial position. The company also employed motivation to retain its employees through incentives involving share allocation at lower prices. Winslow, the author of the article holds the opinion that despite all these measures, the financial status of the compa ny is not likely to improve. He further argues that the incentive plan of awarding employees shares at lower prices may not be effective, as the value of the shares is not projected to increase and the company’s rating is at its lowest; B-minus as per Standard Poor. He blames the financial difficulties faced by the company on poor financial systems used by the company However, due to the restructuring and down sizing, more revenue will be generated and costs reduced. The financial loans will help the company to return to solvency. Already the company shares have shown signs of increase in value and the proposed junk bond offerings of $350 million will contribute to improvement of financial status of the company. The incentives to employees will serve to motivate them and lead to a raise in volume output. Cost Cutting The company must balance between cost reduction and the retention of talented employees. In the Oxford Health Plans Inc. Company, the management sought to increa se cuts in the bonuses of top executives (Winslow, 1998, p.B8). Most of these executives did not get any bonuses because of the losses incurred by the company. Outsourcing is another strategy that is useful in cost cutting.Advertising Looking for critical writing on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More A new management team to replace the current team with less pay package is useful in cost cutting like in the case of Oxford Health Plans company, the ex-CEO, Wiggins was paid more than the expected pay of the new CEO, Norman D. Payson. On the other hand, employees’ retention through share allocations acted as an incentive. Employee Retention and Work Incentives Good business management requires the productivity of the staff to increase over time. This is achieved through motivation and incentives awarded to the work force to increase output and increase staff retention (Baye, 2008, p. 58). The d ecline of profitability of a company would encourage employees seeking better work elsewhere. The management of Oxford Health Plans Company avoided loss of employees by facilitating employee ownership of the company through shares. The filing notes granted by the company to employees at an effective price of $17.25 a share, aimed at motivating the employees and giving them job security. The Oxford Health Plans company, as a way of motivating the employees also used the bonus allocation. The bonus plan should provide for compensation for the extra efforts of an employee (Baye, 2008, p.62). The executive vice president, Jeffrey H. Boyd based on an objective evaluation by the compensation committee, received a bonus of $250000 to compensate for his efforts and contributions to the company. However, this bonus plans were inappropriate because the financial performance of the company was low. Financial Bailout To stabilize the financial status of a company during times of low performance , a company might seek external sources of funding in form of secured and unsecured loans. The company can also seek internal funding like allowing the employees to invest in the company through shares. In the Oxford Health Plans company, the company resorted to tackling the poor performance through the board and hiring of new management team. The company also planned to issue junk-bond offering of $350 million to enable it to overcome the financial crisis.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on The Oxford Health Plans Inc. Company specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Conclusion The Oxford Health Plans company resorted to pay cuts of its top executives because of dwindling profits and rewarded employees for extra efforts. Despite the poor performance of its shares in the stock market, the strategies involving staff motivation and cost cutting increased the prospects of the company making a financial turnaround. Thus , it is apparent that among other strategies, incentives and work bonuses are important to achieve high productivity of a company. Reference List Baye, M. (2008). Managerial Economics and Business Strategy. New York: McGraw Hill. Print. Winslow, R. (1998). Wiggins, Ex-CEO of Oxford Health, Took 61% Cut in Total Pay Last Year. The Wall Street Journal, B8.

Managing Technology Synthes Inc

Managing Technology Synthes Inc Introduction Synthes Inc is a Switzerland-based company that specializes in manufacture of innovative equipment, instruments and implants used for surgical treatment of bone disease and trauma (Synthes, 2010).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Managing Technology: Synthes Inc specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The company has established itself as a market leader and innovating company that specializes in the production and marketing of products for surgical fixation, correction, and regeneration of skeleton and related soft tissues (Synthes, 2010). The company has a partnership dealing with AO Foundation, where the two organizations collaborate in product development and manufacture. The bedrock upon which success of Synthes Inc rests is innovation and adoption of appropriate technology in product development. Some of the competitors of the company include DePuy Company, Stryker Company and Zimmer Holdings, which also b oost vast market niche (Synthes, 2010). Should Synthes develop â€Å"bio-resorbable internal fixation devices? Synthes Inc has undoubtedly grown into a vast company that manufactures and distributes internal fixation devices. Currently, Synthes Inc has a market share of about 50% and remains a leader in many regions of America and Northern America (Synthes, 2010). The decision to venture into manufacture of bio-resorbable internal fixation is a risky undertaking that everybody wants to be cautious and strategic in decision making. The presence of potential market is overshadowed by fear, uncertainty, and hold-back attitude. But can Synthes Inc embrace this risk? The market for bio-resorbable products in America and Europe is promising. In 2000, it is estimated that there were six million fractures in the United States, whereby, 80% constituted adults while 20% constituted children (Gourville, 2002). At the same time, the potential of the market is exhibited in the growing number of key players’ making investment opportunities in the market. For example, there are three categories of players who have established their presence in the market: heavy weights such Johnson Johnson; the specialist such as the Bionx and Macropore; and the potentials such as Smith and Nephew (Gourville, 2002). One aspect that guides these investors involves existence of potential and market prospects in the market.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More At the same time, Synthes Inc has developed some core critical aspects that can aid the company into success, if it was to adopt manufacture and market of bio-resorbable. The company has established a close working relationship with surgeons and other specialists, which makes it possible to tailor-make bio-resorbable equipment that meets the desire of surgeons more appropriate. In the past, surgeons have pointed to t he lack of function of bio-resorbable devices, since did not meet requirements and needs of practitioners. Close work relationship and interaction with practitioners is likely to enable the company to capture the needs of customers than other competitors, and as such, have the ability to excel faster than competitors. Another strength that the company possesses, which in turn makes it necessary to venture into bio-resorbable market, has to do with presence of high skilled and dedicated research and development team. RD remains the bastion upon which innovation of market-moving products rests. RD team possesses the ability to develop products that have ability to meet customer needs in the most appropriate ways. Given its past experience, Synthes Inc has put in place one of the excellent RD teams and can utilize the expertise of the team to venture in the development of bio-resorbable (Gourville, 2002). Moreover, market experience in the use of bio-resorbable devices as evidenced thr ough research appears promising, and exhibits potential for growth. Many surgeons and practitioners express the ability to use or have used bio-resorbable devices in the past and would in future have the desire to use it (Gourville, 2002). The major areas the company can pay attention to in order to make this market experience increase positively include the key features that surgeons have proposed on the bio-resorbable devices. Synthes Inc. on the other hand possess experience in the manufacture of generation-two bio-resorbable devices, and this very aspect gives the company an upper hand as compared to competitors who have had to start from scratch hence increased costs.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Managing Technology: Synthes Inc specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The established ties of cooperation and collaboration between Synthes Inc. and AO Foundation provides Synthes with opportunity to utilize AO Foundati on market acumen experiences in education, product development, research and development, and sales force to penetrate the market (Gourville, 2002). AO Foundation is a great asset to Synthes Inc., and this is an opportunity the company can utilize to exert an upper hand as compared to competitors. What are the tradeoffs between the 4 options? The first option Synthesis is to totally ignore the proposal to venture into the bio-resorbable market. This option may well sound cute, especially in terms of preserving resources on technologies that remain uncertain. The company may not realize loss in case the technology flops, and it would have acted wisely if the market acceptance for the technology was not appropriate. But given that the future is unpredictable, Synthes Inc finds itself in dilemma. By totally disregarding the technology, Synthes will be giving its competitors an upper edge in the competition front, as the market become dynamic and saturated. Future prospects exist in the market and it might just be a matter of time before new future grounds for competition shift to this technology. Therefore, Synthes cannot afford to ignore the opportunity to venture in this market. Second option involves Synthes Inc adopting wait and see strategy, and let its competitors taste waters first. At the same time, adopting this strategy, Synthes will be able to save on costs pertaining to education and market advertisement and it will only venture when market already exists. The strategy may be appropriate if the company has a clear picture of competitors’ future strategic marketing and advertisement roadmap. The competitors may taste waters first, and in the process, create a market niche that Synthes may find it difficult to unblock in future. In most cases, initial steps that sometimes include education and practical demonstrations usually endeavor a lot to customers and create long-lasting impression that subsequent latecomer competitors find hard to snatch a way.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The third strategy for the company constitutes developing and marketing a line of bio-resorbable products using current available polymers. Through this, the company has the opportunity to develop a line of plates and screws designed specifically for fractures before gradually venturing into concrete market of bio-resorbable products. Again, this strategy may be appropriate but its applicability and final maturation may take a long term, thereby giving competitors time and opportunity to progress. Further, resources in the long-run may be more as to when compared if the company was to venture directly into the technology. The last strategy for Synthes involves turning efforts to more research and development of generation-3 bio-resorbable products. The strategy may be the most appropriate for the company given its established RD team. At the same time, the company has for a long time succeeded in innovating products that satisfy market needs in the most appropriate way. Further, hav ing close associations with AO Foundation, Synthes research and development capabilities are likely to results into innovation of bio-resorbable products that for a long time may remain market leaders. Therefore, it is prudent for Synthes to adopt this strategy. Synthes Inc influence on the development of bio-resorbable product market Technology innovation is one area that market leaders exert their market dominance and subsequently influence the market (Gourville, 2002). Synthes Inc. has a large market presence estimated at 50% as compared to competitors. The company possesses some core values and elements that competitors lack. At the same time, Synthes has an insightful research as to how market operates and behaves given its close presence and associations with key players in the market. In other words, Synthes Inc. interact with opinion leaders in the market. The company has a combination of expertise, technology, resources and human capability, all of which endeavor the compan y to the market in the most powerful way than competitors. Therefore, the presence of Synthes in the market, its subsequent activities in the market, its behavior with regard to technology adoption and later distribution of products for consumption are all likely to influence the market and also determine growth of the market, although relative powers of other competitors cannot be ignored. How might Synthes introduce resorbable? Introduction of resorbable products in the market may be achieved through adoption of new-product development cycle concepts and strategies (Verburg, Ort and Dicke, 2006). There must be prior research to establish needs, competitors, market share, consumer behavior over the product, costs and all information pertaining to the product. The company should further adopt product penetration strategies that include price cut, heavy promotion, multiple-unit packaging and enhancement of distribution locations (Pangs, 2004). At the same time, piloting pre-launch of products should be carried out to test the acceptability of the product and subsequently introduce necessary changes and improvement (Mohr, Sengupta and Slater, 2009). Moreover, identification of target market should be the prior strategy, and this should be followed by efforts to carry out heavy product advertisement, role demonstration, education and learning strategies about the product and brand creation and promotion (Pangs, 2004). Conclusion Synthes Inc understands that excellence in the market, especially with increasing competition rests on the ability to remain innovative, technologically alert and market focused. Research and development therefore remains the key area the organization should earnestly put more emphasis into. Market needs should constantly be transformed into appropriate and technological-adaptive products that have ability to endeavor to the market. In this case, it is advisable for the company to venture into bio-resorbable products market that presents future growth. To win the market, the company has to incorporate education, promotion, and demonstration strategies, while remaining focused on improvement of product features. Reference List Gourville, J. Y., 2002. Synthes. Harvard College Publication. [Attached notes]. Mohr, J. J., Sengupta, S. Slater, S. F., 2009. Marketing of high-technology products and innovations. NJ: Pearson Education. Pangs, P. N., 2004. Essentials of manufacturing engineering management. NE: iUniverse. Synthes. 2011. Dedicated to health. Web. Web. Verburg, R. M., Ortt, J. R. Dicke, W. M., 2006. Managing technology and innovation. NY: Routledge.

Fall of the Ottoman Empire and Modern Events

Fall of the Ottoman Empire and Modern Events The Ottoman Empire was one of the world’s most enduring empires, surviving for 623 years under 39 sultans beginning with the empire’s namesake, Osman I, and formally ending with the foundation of the modern republic of Turkey on October 29, 1923. Even though the end of the Ottoman Empire can be identified with a specific date, like the Romans and Byzantines before them the Ottomans suffered a long period of stagnation and decline, and one common theme that connects most of the factors that contributed to the demise of the empire is the economy. Interference from foreign powers, ethnic and sectarian unrest among the empire’s diverse population, and political infighting among the Ottoman ruling class all played a role in bringing the empire to an end, and all were caused, in one way or another, by economic circumstances. Looking at these factors today, many parallels with events in our own time become apparent, which, depending on one’s point of view, can be either a hopeful sign for our own future or a warning about the folly of letting history repeat itself. A Bad Business Model The Ottoman Empire suffered from a historically inevitable problem that affects every empire: as it expanded, reaching its greatest extent in the mid-17th century, its political administration became increasingly decentralized. It was only natural for the Ottomans, as a hereditary monarchy, to treat leadership positions in the provinces and small political units as a form of patronage for key supporters of the throne, but they also recognized the danger of letting local power grow too much. Thus it was typical for leaders to be appointed to positions far from their homes: Muhammad Ali, for example, the founder of modern Egypt, was an Albanian military commander. In theory, the outsiders placed as local leaders should have owed their allegiance to Istanbul rather than the local elite being made subjects of the empire; in practice, however, local rulers were given so much authority – such as responsibility for tax collection, local defense, and infrastructure development – that they had little reason to be loyal to anyone but themselves: Muhammad Ali is perhaps the best example of this; appointed Viceroy of Egypt by the Sultan after coming out on top of a fierce and confusing struggle among tribal leaders and Ottoman officers in the province, Ali found himself strong enough to challenge the Ottomans directly while nominally remaining loyal to the empire. His power grew to the extent that the British, French, and Russian governments agreed to impose a declaration of Ali’s hereditary rule in Egypt on the Ottoman government in 1841. The Ottoman Empire essentially became a loose confederation of relatively strong little kingdoms; loyal to Istanbul when it suited their purposes, but otherwise practically independent. Read more about history essays: 50 Ideas for History Essay Topics US History Essay History Essay Writing Further eroding the ability of the Sultanate to effectively manage the empire was the basic economic model, the waqf, underlying its public administration. Waqf is an Islamic principle whereby property is made â€Å"inalienable† by a grant of its owner, with whatever profits arising from the property afterward being devoted to charity in accordance with Islamic tradition. In the Ottoman Empire, the waqf was used for most public works – roads, ports, hospitals, and other public facilities – rather than these things being developed directly through tax revenues; the justification for this was that the Sultanate, as the nominal leadership of the Muslim faith (or at least most of it) was a worthy recipient of the waqf as it ensured the â€Å"profit† was used for the greater good of the Ottoman people. The problems with this model is that first of all, it left the administration of public works in private hands, and second, it was wholly insufficient for the empire to keep up with its European rivals in terms of economic development. Moreover, it further eroded the opportunities for the Sultanate to collect taxes since many waqf grants were made as payments in kind. An Empire Drowning in Debt Lacking a sufficient resource base, the Sultanate was increasingly forced to turn to foreign borrowing to fund its administrative functions and military expenditures. Unrest throughout the Ottoman Empire and a seemingly-endless string of military adventures involving the other European powers sapped what financial resources the Sultanate had left; between the end of the Crimean War in 1854 and the accession of Abdulhamid II in 1876, debt service grew to account for roughly half of the empire’s yearly income. The Vienna stock market crash of 1873 and the ensuing â€Å"Long Depression† was the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back – the new Sultan was forced to declare bankruptcy, which in turn helped to provoke another brief, disastrous war with Russia, the end of which in 1878 further eroded Ottoman financial strength by removing about 20% of its population and 40% of its remaining territory. In 1881, frustrated European powers established a Public Debt Commission in Istanbul to oversee the repayment of the Ottoman’s foreign debt. The taxes levied by the Commission created dire economic hardship in the empire, driving up prices on all manner of goods and services, and further reducing the Sultanate’s revenue base – for example, the entire yearly tribute or treaty payments of Bulgaria, Greece, Cyprus, and Montenegro were collected by the Commission instead of the Ottoman government. Modern Parallels By 1908, a growing rebellion within the Ottoman military forced Abdulhamid II from the throne, and within the next few years the outbreak of World War I put the final few nails in the Ottoman Empire’s coffin. What is most interesting about the decline of the empire in the years leading up to the revolution of 1908 and the disastrous outcome of the First World War is how many of the critical problems suffered by the Ottoman Empire seem to be repeating themselves. Countries such as Greece and Spain find themselves mired in foreign debt, and at the mercy of European powers’ direction of their sovereign economies. All around the world, in developing nations as well as highly-developed countries like the US, increasing privatization of public institutions has not only led to an erosion of public services but paradoxically, less efficient collection and spending of public revenues. And while the entire world struggles with economic threats to sovereign stability, small – but expensive – military conflicts persist in draining countries’ resources. The hopeful outlook would be that by studying the decline and collapse of the Ottoman Empire, we could learn how to avoid the same pitfalls; history suggests that humanity on the whole, however, may not be all that good at learning from its own mistakes.

Literature Review for Prioritizing IT investments Essay

Literature Review for Prioritizing IT investments - Essay Example According to the article Optimize Cooperate Investment in Information Technology by OracleInsight, IT investments take the lead in many companies; many companies have invested in IT making the total IT investments worldwide rise rapidly (5). This has prompted research on the benefits that come with IT investments. First, IT has improved the organization’s communication systems, which adds to the long term benefits in a business. IT also promotes the exchange of ideas within and outside the business, as well as ease complexity of communication system making it convenient and confidential. Similarly, Due notes that communication to the customers and other business stakeholders become easy with the use of IT (74). Secondly, majority of the managers prioritizing on the IT investment have experiences that facilitate their application of IT equipment and a lot of information concerning the applicability of the software and other IT features are available worldwide. Many companies own computer programming models with well skilled computer and IT skills (Sykes and Clayton 2). Additionally, these IT investments proved that they have the ability to improve future results. Information stored in the computers is used as a reference in the future. Thirdly, IT investments create a competitive advantage. For instance, Kearns after conducting a case study on two companies notes that IT investments help companies achieve a competitive edge, but a success in prioritizing IT investments requires the involvement of management, and also depends on the organization structure (10). Lack of information on the actual role played by IT makes it difficult to categorize the benefits as either tangible or intangible. This is caused by the fact that most organizations do not define or split their benefits in terms of outset. Additionally, IT projects cannot be categorized alone, therefore, making it difficult

Building Technologies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Building Technologies - Essay Example Social shaping of a building technology is related to the ways and customs, in which the physical structure, apparatus, and modus operandi used, cooperate with the social needs and customs of the community. The characteristic plan of the medieval cities was built with a spacious design, which was always enclosed by city walls, reflecting a grid arrangement. The most idiosyncratic feature of the medieval cities was the colossal community locales or edifices. These edifices were brought into use for the purpose of water supply, amusement, business, and administration. The average income families lived in open areas as compared to the rich who resided in high raised apartments. A medieval city could be called as a "densely congested network of narrow winding streets, lined with high house fronts, a pattern relieved only occasionally by open squares and marketplaces." (Friedrichs, in Chant, p147) enclosed by closely fortified barricades with shielded entrances and fortified towers. The building technology used up for military also affected the lay out of the medieval cities. When the military had to settle in populated areas, they used to build their own towns that were typical of the military model. The basic form of these medieval cities were in the fortified walls and castles shaped directly to help the military and weapon siege techniques. Stone city walls restricted external city development, hence the affinity for houses and buildings to be intimately packed together and to be built high. The material of walls used was concrete, which was used in combination with brick and mortar which made the walls strong to defend the city in times of invasion. Since the supply of land was restricted within the walls, concrete buildings were allowed to 5 storey. The medieval cities also used up a large quality of natural materials, like wood and stone for the construction purposes. Lime-mortar and wall reinforcement through the use of sandstone columns allowed Islamic cities to expand when mud-bricks did not allow buildings above a single storey (Chant & Goodman, 1999: p137). In addition, the religious buildings in a medieval city were the focus of the common people. The structure and design of these buildings involved the forms of Roman Basilica but adapted to hold a larger audience. At times, new technologies were also experimented which allowed for the establishment of very high cathedrals that subjugated the perceptible room of medieval cities. In medieval cities, the use of horse for transport purposes soon replaced the use of ox, for the agricultural use. This was necessary, as the crowded cities were not built to allow for the passage for wheeled vehicles. To conclude, the medieval building style imposed a level of universality of beliefs, speech, and administration outlines. The communal areas for use or entertainment and religious buildings brought reputation to the head of state. Thus we can say that the medieval cities were socially shaped. Bibliography 1. Alsford, Steven, "Florilegium Urbanum", http://www.trytel.com/tristan/towns/florilegium/flor00.html [27 April 2003; consulted on 26 June 2004] 2. "Armenian Architechture - Virtual ANI", http://www.virtualani.freeserve.co.uk/

Computer Security Policies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Computer Security Policies - Essay Example The Reston, VA site has 1 on site senior consultant, 4 in-house junior consultants and 2 remote field consultants while our Annapolis, MD comprises 1 onsite senior consultant, 4 in-house junior consultants and 3 remote field consultants. Like our headquarters personnel, our offsite staff have years of ICT experience and industry-level certifications such as CISSP, CISA, PMP and others. To meet the growing needs of our increasing client base, we are expanding our ICT staff to add 14 onsite in-house employees and 6 remote field consultants. This future growth expansion is happening now and will be complete in six months time to truly serve all your ICT needs. Our current infrastructure consists of 1 domain controller server, 1 server for the finance department and 1 server for Web/email as well as secure remote access in the DMZ. In the months to come, we will add more hardware infrastructure to meet the growing demands of our ICT consulting and implementation services. To further enhance our capabilities aside from our modern infrastructure and certified personnel, our company has started the â€Å"road map† to ISO 17799/27001 – Code of Practice for Information Security Management and Information Security Management Systems certification. This is a globally-recognized information security certification that ensures a company practices globally-accepte d and best practices in information security – all our corporate policies are based on this ISO standards. ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE: The arrangements you make for maintaining your equipment, whether through on-site support or off-site support. Information Security issues to be considered when implementing your policy include the following: ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE: Office software forms a critical link between the primary business systems in your day to day work. The initial choice of the office package has far

Effective Media Relations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Effective Media Relations - Essay Example Despite of the damages and the great loss which our organization has suffered I would like the people, shareholders, and employees to keep calm and stand firm against the natural disaster. The raw material site of the organization is completely damaged which has created a major issue for the current operations to continue. Moreover, the infrastructure of the building is also damaged. At this crucial time I would like to inform the people that the building is under reconstruction and the work is going on in a steady manner. The important operations of the organization have been re-located at another safe location (as per the strategic plan of the organization) so that the workforce may not face any hurdles while continuing them. We have also assigned an external organization (third party source) for the supply of raw materials in the meantime. The raw material site and the godowns are also under quick reconstruction and are expected to be reconstructed in two weeks. The raw materials obtained from DEF organization have been double checked for quality and credibility so that our users may not face any problem or complaint. It is necessary to highlight that the organization has undergone a loss of 1.5bn $. This has demonstrated a rapid decline in the share values of the organization. I would like to ensure to all our shareholders that the share values are expected to increase in the coming week as the organization will be able to continue all its operations completely by the end of this week. Workforce plays a key role in the success and progress of any organization. Our workforce has always been a key player in our success and has always been there at... Mr. X will not only coordinate with them but will also provide them with relevant information, presentations, statistics and other information which is required by them in this regard. I would also like Mr. X to fix a meeting between our Board of Directors. Moreover, the second task assigned to Mr. X needs more attention as he will be managing and operating the response team. It is essential to appreciate the members for their hard work and to give them a push them if they are not working as per the expectation. The organization cannot afford any negligence or non-seriousness regarding the counter operations, therefore it need help from all members of the response team. Thus it is the duty of the head i.e. Mr. X to manage and monitor all the members of the team to effectively coordinate with other communication channels which include social networking sites and public forums. The team should also publish a series of press releases telling the situation of the business and the damage. It is the foremost duty of Mr. X and all other team members including me to ensure that the organization develops strong communication bridge within and outside the organization as it will be a great contribution towards successful events of the organization. The organization is undergoing a critical period and needs the support of the workforce and the response team particularly. It will be only possible with the support of our team members that the organization will be able to stand firm against the odds in this complex disaster scenario.

Perspective Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Perspective - Research Paper Example may not necessarily be the main deciding factor, but microeconomic principle assumes that all other factors kept constant, as the price of a product goes up, demand for the product declines. Based on pricing, a business can focus with accuracy what consumers will buy and what they will not buy (Mankiw, 62). A planned Economy is an economic system in which it is directed by the state. The central government controls all decisions regarding distribution and production of goods and services. Certified planners come second in that hierarchy by distributing work among the labour force. In a free market economic system, groups seeking their own advantage make decisions pertaining production and pricing. In a Mixed Economy, there exist an assortment of government and free enterprise control, and in some cases, the government may have a monopoly (Peter, 14). (B2B) Business-to-Business is a trade market where one can buy anything at any time with a purpose of saving money and acquiring goods for immediate decision-making. Drawbacks of B2B include; it does not facilitate all types of businesses and possible lack of credit as big businesses my deliberately kill small businesses. Advantages of B2B include; the use of online means reduces cost of running a business, and it facilitates ease of tracing customer details. E-business is a business process that aims to integrate consumers with suppliers via the internet. Advantages of E-business include; worldwide presence, effectiveness in marketing and promotion, better and personalised customer service and ease of development of competitive strategies. Some of its advantages are, costly business solutions and sector limitation in terms of some products being perishable (Iyer). Several factors have influence on business perspective. These factors include economic factors, the economic system and the form of business itself. During business start-ups, it is important to keep these factors in

Foundations of Criminal Law-resit journal article analysis Coursework

Foundations of Criminal Law-resit journal article analysis - Coursework Example The house of Lords held that allowing the appeal, that the word reckless, in S.1 of the Criminal Damage Act 1971 was not intended by parliament to change the law in respect of the mens rea, required for the offence of recklessly causing damage to property, thus foresight of consequences remained a necessary ingredient of recklessness in the context of S.1 offence. Such a construction which made no allowance for the defendant’s youth or mental capacity when assessing the obviousness of the risk of the property was a misinterpretation of S.1; was offensive in principle, and was apt to cause injustice and offend against a jury’s sense of fairness. Thus, the need to correct the misinterpretation was compelling.1 The very high threshold of departing from a previous decision of the House of Lords had been satisfied. In order to convict an offence under S.1 of the 1971 Act, it must be proved that a person acted Crim.L.R.370 recklessly to: (a) a situation when he was familiar w ith the danger that it existed or could exist; (b) an outcome when he is mindful of the danger that it will happen, and it is in the factors known to him, nonsensical to take the danger. But if a defendant, due to his age and personal characteristics, genuinely did not appreciate or foresee the risk involved in the actions, then he could not be regarded as culpable so as to be guilty of an offence under S.1. 1Cath Crosby, â€Å"Recklessness – the Continuing Search for a Definition† The Journal of Criminal Law (2008) 313 -334 Accordingly in the instant case, the judge’s directions, which were based on a previous decision of the House of Lords, now departed from, were incorrect, and the conviction of the defendants would be quashed. The House of Lords departed from an earlier ruling i.e. R.vs Caldwell (James) {1982} A.C 341(HL). This ruling provided an objective definition of â€Å"recklessness†. Lord Diplock held that a person would be reckless under the C riminal Damage Act 1971 if: (1) He does a demonstration which truth be told makes a plain hazard that property could be crushed or harmed; (2) whenever he does an enactment that he either has not given any thought for the conceivability of there being any such hazard or he has distinguished that there was some hazard included, and has none the less gone ahead to do it. Lord Diplock’s assertion postulates that, the very definition of â€Å"recklessness,† is conceived on an objective criterion or test, which ultimately was/is based upon the ordinary prudent individual’s state of mind. In R vs. G, the main point of departure at least according to Lord Bingham of Cornhill, was the â€Å"state of mind† of the individual found culpable to have committed a criminal act.2 According to Lord Bingham, â€Å"The most clearly at fault state of brain is doubtlessly an aim to create the harmful effect. However, knowing negligence of a prized and unsatisfactory danger o f bringing on a harmful effect or a purposeful shutting of the personality to such hazard could be promptly embraced as at fault moreover. It is unmistakably accountable to take a clear and critical danger of creating damage to a different one. Anyhow, it is not plainly reprehensible to do something including a danger of damage to a different if†¦ â€Å"One really does not recognize the danger. Quite an impressive individual may reasonably be blamed

Perspective Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Perspective - Research Paper Example may not necessarily be the main deciding factor, but microeconomic principle assumes that all other factors kept constant, as the price of a product goes up, demand for the product declines. Based on pricing, a business can focus with accuracy what consumers will buy and what they will not buy (Mankiw, 62). A planned Economy is an economic system in which it is directed by the state. The central government controls all decisions regarding distribution and production of goods and services. Certified planners come second in that hierarchy by distributing work among the labour force. In a free market economic system, groups seeking their own advantage make decisions pertaining production and pricing. In a Mixed Economy, there exist an assortment of government and free enterprise control, and in some cases, the government may have a monopoly (Peter, 14). (B2B) Business-to-Business is a trade market where one can buy anything at any time with a purpose of saving money and acquiring goods for immediate decision-making. Drawbacks of B2B include; it does not facilitate all types of businesses and possible lack of credit as big businesses my deliberately kill small businesses. Advantages of B2B include; the use of online means reduces cost of running a business, and it facilitates ease of tracing customer details. E-business is a business process that aims to integrate consumers with suppliers via the internet. Advantages of E-business include; worldwide presence, effectiveness in marketing and promotion, better and personalised customer service and ease of development of competitive strategies. Some of its advantages are, costly business solutions and sector limitation in terms of some products being perishable (Iyer). Several factors have influence on business perspective. These factors include economic factors, the economic system and the form of business itself. During business start-ups, it is important to keep these factors in

Examples Of Nonverbal Communication Essay Example for Free

Examples Of Nonverbal Communication Essay There are several types of nonverbal communication that may be evaluated on the basis of certain examples, that will help you understand the nuances of this complicated form of communication. Facial Expressions When reading facial expressions, some of these examples may help: While maintaining eye contact is a sign of confidence and positivity, avoiding eye contact is one of the most clear negative nonverbal communication examples. This implies that the person may be lying, or fears confrontation. The smile is another give-away when it comes to facial expressions. While a soft smile is a soft expression that is encouraging, a rigid smile or a smirk may be a sign of contempt. Raised eyebrows are not only a sign of surprise, they can also suggest mockery or sarcasm. It may be a natural physical trait of some people, and they may do it without realizing. However, it is important to know the kind of effect it is having on others. Frowning is another facial expression that we tend to assume when under stress. This gives out the message that we are unapproachable and cold. Posture and other Movements Postures are included in nonverbal communication and may be explained with a few of these examples: Standing erect shows confidence, but if you are slouching it is a sign of low self-esteem and a stance that you have given up. Keeping shoulders rigid again give a sign that you may be unapproachable, and may affect the kind of people you attract towards you. Constant fiddling with everything in sight is a sign of anxiety, frustration, boredom and lack of interest. Standing with your hands crossed behind you, combined with your facial expressions may be a clear sign of anger or frustration that you are trying to hold back. Gestures Gestures animate the conversations we have with others. We point, we wave and use all sorts of body language gestures while we are talking. For instance, you may constantly be rubbing your neck, or your the back of your ear. This is a sign of discomfort and lack of confidence. If you are angry, you may be clenching your fists to control your anger, or in preparation for a physical  attack! Rubbing hands together indicates excitement and indicates readiness to engage in an activity. Shrugging may show a lack of interest. Touch Even touch plays an important role in nonverbal communication. For instance: When your boss is praising you, and pats you on the back, it is a sign of genuine liking for you and your work. A firm handshake is the sign of confidence. We all know the reassuring effect of a warm bear hug. Someone who holds your arms while talking is either trying to make a statement, or to portray that he/she is in control. Space We all have a physical space around us. Sometimes we find people invading that personal space. It may be to portray any of the following: Intimacy Affection Dominance Aggression

Feminism in Top Girls

Feminism in Top Girls The play is one of the most famous works of Churchill in all of hers. Some consider the play as a very radical feministic one, some consider it as anti-feminist. But the matter is that she, by the use of different techniques and strategies has made her play like a globe in which all women are there supporting, discarding each other. The play has a very important historical evidence behind itself and it was the matter of Thatcher that had become prime minister, as Churchill, her self comments that when she wrote top girls: Thatcher had just become prime minister; there was talk about whether it was an advance to have a woman prime minister if it was someone with policies like hers. She may be a woman but she isnt a sister, she may be a sister but she isnt a comrade. And, in fact, things have got much worse for women under Thatcher. (Churchill in Betsko and Koenig 1987, 77) In fact Margaret Thatcher and Edith Cresson, as prime ministers of their own time were really top girls. In top girls, Churchill has had two main idea in her mind: those of dead women coming back and women working. these are in fact two main topics of the play, which are very closely intertwined. the dead women from the past appear in act one, taking place in a restaurant, a celebration that Marlene organizes, because of her recent promotion, we see other characters such as Lady Nijo, Dull Griet, Pope, Joan who celebrate their femininity with each other. during the course of the night they gather together and supposed to speak about their victories, and of course there occurs an epiphany for them because they in fact had lost their own womanly manner in order to achieve mens world. The presence of this empty women is so well epitomized in the character of Marlene, as a kind of gap between past and present, this working class girl pregnant who left her home village to make a new one in London., so the old Marlene has died and no one is born and replaced by a cruel one, so we see here some assembly of dead women, who so naively consider themselves as the most alive ones. The structure of the play so excellently shows the sense of death of its main characters, in other words we can see a kind of parallelism, between their life and the structure of play. the plays denouement is somehow truncated, as the lives of women truncated and crooked. Of course we can consider this kind of techniques used by her as a feminist stances of denying the masculine pattern of plays inherited by Aristotle, I think before the full analyses of the play, thats better to mention some characteristic of it that is so prominent: her adaptation of Brechtian drama by the use of alienation effects,a kind of aesthetic distance, the matter and technique is so excellently showed by successive interruption of waiter and of course their laughter. From the perspective of dramatic shape it consists of three acts. one consists of three scenes and act two of tow scenes. I think the matter and division is because of creation of some chronological disruption, and it is done as a way of fulfilling a very good function in order not to create a kind of identification between the reader/audience and the actor/actress on the stage. Another important thing mentioned here is that, between different layers of this play, we have the working of the ideology. In this way we have a criticism of capitalism and capitalist regimes that the play puts forward.   In another sense, it can be used to exemplify more feminist reading of the play in fact by occurrence of a complete climax and by in fact having a diametrically opposed position to  the structure inherent to tragedy postulated by Aristotle. as Christopher Innes has stated: Combining surreal fantasy with Shavian discussion, documentary case-histories, and naturalistic domestic drama (complete with kitchen sink and ironing-board), Top Girls breaks out of conventional methods of portraying life on the stage, and suggests new ways of seeing reality .. creating a dynamic that is liberated from cause-and effect logic. (Innes 1992, 466),and this matter some how leads us to the next point: looking for a feminist form(or at least a kind of form different from the patriarchal one).the fact that we have in the drama only women and not men, is really vital in comprehension of it. the fact that the actresses in Top Girls have to double or treble roles prevents us from identifying with them and, consequently, focuses the attention of the reader/audience on the political message of the play, that is feminism . Thus, the woman-only cast illustrates the subject matter of Top Girls and reinforces the theme of feminism or thats better to say anti feminism. Although, the play deals with oppression of women by men in a capitalist regime, but we see the oppression of women by women as a result of being part of that regime .It can also means that how women have internalized the rules and privileges of patriarchal societies, however, we dont see a manifest attack of Churchill on men, in other words we dont see the struggle of women but in fact the play turns on the analyses of class strife and economics. An example can be found in the case of Marlene, who sacrifices her own daughter and family in order to escape from her working-class origins, besides, here in this drama we see that all the women somehow have some masculine way of behavior, although they think that they have cut with them, as we see that they have just an illusion that they are successful women or we as a kind of reader find tat its just an illusion to consider the play just as representation of a feminist drama. I think even the naming of character in the play, they exemplify the whole discussion about class struggle and economic strife that underlies it. so we have here a four group classification. First group women of past as we have Isabella Bird, as her name reminds us the matter of travelling. It can also be considered as a reference to the several characters in the play(Marlene, Lady Nijo, Win, Angie, Jeanine and Shona), who long for escape from their reality and fly to other, sunnier lands. here we see on the surface feministic tendency. Another important thing that really needs concentration is the language used by Churchill, she really has done her best to create a kind of distinctive use of the language in the play as Aston and Savona argue that: In Top Girls, the use of overlap is a sign of the female voice. Brechts splintering of the ego is further problematised in Churchills text by the female entry into the symbolic order of language. As a logocentric or phallocentric sign-system (as identified in Derridean or Lacanian terms), language places the female subject in a marginalized relation to its patriarchal order. (Aston and Savona 1991, 70) By destabilizing the linguistic exchange and therefore unfixing identity, but at the same time giving predominance to a female voice, Churchill seems to be stressing in a radical way the destabilization and displacement of the female subject in relation to language (Aston and Savona 1991, 70), and consequently in relation to occupying a position in a  patriarchaliy-defined society. All the women of top girls have conformed themselves to the male standards of behavior and that shows the theatricality of their works and glories. They are never satisfied with this new brand of gender, at least before they were just women now not men and not women belonging to one of them. From Lacanian point of view and as a confirmation of what I mentioned in the previous paragraph that all their actions are nothing but facade, we see that all of the characters are confined in the symbolic stage with the role of father. Since language is given in and by a system dominated by men, womens access to it is going to be clearly mediated. According to this, womens voice, their identity, will be totally artificial, a construct defined by patriarchy. This is  precisely what Gret purports to destroy in her powerful speech, in which she equals the Symbolic Order to hell. A hell where all the devils are male. As I mentioned in the previous paragraphs, Caryl Churchill in her marvelous play Top Girls has inserted a lot of messages some say that it is basically a play about capitalism and sexism: About capitalism in the sense that it analyses labor and social relations constituted by a capitalist economy, about sexism in that these relations are seen from a female point of view, which explores how female identity is put down by the politics of patriarchy. Top Girls is also a socialist-feminist play. It can be defined as socialist in that it takes a clear position against any sort of capitalist ideology, and it can be defined as feminist because it presents us with a parallel between socio-economic, by the use oppression and gender oppression. In fact, as we have seen, Churchill herself is a firm believer in the inseparability of feminism and socialism(Kritzer 1991, 149).besides, her uses of characters are true to life, she really generalize the theme of her feministic play, by use of characters of different classes to connote that it is a play about all women. Different strategies of her to create a feminine setting is really of paramount importance, although in this play she showed women who have achieved the highest level of social life but they are not really satisfied. I think the main message of her is that women should know the limits, as she is a social feminist and she is criticizing the bourgeois feminists. References: Jstore: Titol de la testi: Gender, Politics, Subjectivity: Reading Caryl Churchill

Indias Economy and Infrastructure :: India Economy

India's Economy and Infrastructure OVERVIEW India is rich in natural resources and manpower and has made significant economic progress since attaining independence in 1947. India's economy encompasses traditional village farming, forestry, fishing, modern agriculture, handicrafts, a wide range of modern industries, and a multitude of support services. Economy transformed from primarily agriculture, forestry, fishing, and textile manufacturing in 1947 to major heavy industry, transportation, and telecommunications industries by late 1970s. Central government planning in 1950 through late 1970s giving way to economic reforms and more private-sector initiatives in 1980s and 1990s. A sophisticated industrial base has been created and a large pool of skilled manpower has emerged. Nevertheless, 67% of India's labor force (nearly 400 million) works in agriculture, which contributes 30% of the country's GDP. Production, trade, and investment reforms since 1991 have provided new opportunities for Indian businesspersons and an estimated 300 million middle class consumers. New Delhi has avoided debt rescheduling, attracted foreign investment, and revived confidence in India's economic prospects since 1991. Many of the country's fundamentals - including savings rates (26% of GDP) and reserves (now about $24 billion) - are healthy. Inflation eased to 7% in 1997, and interest rates dropped to between 10% and 13%. Even so, the Indian Government needs to restore the early momentum of reform, especially by continuing reductions in the extensive remaining government regulations. Moreover, economic policy changes have not yet significantly increased jobs or reduced the risk that international financial strains will reemerge within the next few years. Nearly 40% of the Indian population remains too poor to afford an adequate diet. India's exports, currency, and foreign institutional investment were affected by the East Asian crisis in late 1997 and early 1998, but capital account controls, a low ratio of short-term debt to reserves, and enhanced supervision of the financial sector helped insulate it from near term balance-of-payments problems. Export growth, has been slipping in 1996-97, averaging only about 4% to 5%Ââ€"a large drop from the more than 20% increases it was experiencing over the prior three yearsÂâ€"mainly because of the fall in Asian currencies relative to the rupee. Energy, telecommunications, and transportation shortages and the legacy of inefficient factories constrain industrial growth, which expanded only 6.7% in 1997Ââ€"down from more than 11% in 1996. Growth of the agricultural sector is still fairly slow rebounding to only 5.7% in 1997 from a fall of 0.1% in 1996. Agricultural investment has slowed, while costly subsidies on fertilizer, food distribution, and rural electricity remain .

Facilitating Diffusion of E-governent Services Essay example -- Gover

1 Introduction E-government has the potential to improve greatly the delivery of public services, making them easier to access, more convenient to use, more responsive, more transparent and so on. It also has the potential to free up resources in the public sector by delivering services more efficiently. Therefore governments are keen to push their citizens to use online services to deliver public services more efficiently and faster with lower cost. For instance U.K. government, in February 2010, announced a new strategy for the public sector aimed at simplifying and standardizing ICT across the public sector to enable interoperability and data sharing while providing flexibility and efficient services that will deliver savings of over  £ 3.2 billion per year(E-Government factsheets, 2010). Although the e-government services are beneficial to the citizens but diffusing these services to citizens in an innovative format could be challenging. The purpose of this paper is to examine the influence o f electronic government in facilitating the diffusion of public services to citizens and what are the advantages and disadvantages of this transformation. To evaluate the influence of e-government in facilitating the diffusion of public services, firstly we must know what the e-government is, then, what factors are important for successfully implementing of the e-government concept, and finally, what type of benefits citizens could gain by using government’s e-services. This essay consists of 5 main sections starting with the e-government literature followed by historical view of e-government in the U.K. The next section is discussing about the influential factors of successful diffusion of e-government services followed by further discuss... ...n in the public sector: Key features influencing the development and implementation of technologically innovative public sector services in the UK, Denmark, Finland and Estonia." Information Polity: The International Journal of Government & Democracy in the Information Age 12, no. 3: 109-125. [Accessed 25th November 2010] Schipper, K. (2010). â€Å"How can we measure the costs and benefits of changes in financial reporting standards†. Accounting & Business Research, 40(3), 309-327. Teo T. S.H., Srivastava S.C., & Jiang, L. (2008) â€Å"Trust and Electronic Government Success:An Empirical Study† .Journal of Management Information Systems / Winter 2008–9, Vol. 25, No. 3, pp. 99–131. Vassilakis, C., Lepouras, G. & Halatsis, G.(2007) â€Å"A knowledge-based approach for developing multi-channel e-government services†. Electronic Commerce Research and Applications 6 (2007) 113–124 Facilitating Diffusion of E-governent Services Essay example -- Gover 1 Introduction E-government has the potential to improve greatly the delivery of public services, making them easier to access, more convenient to use, more responsive, more transparent and so on. It also has the potential to free up resources in the public sector by delivering services more efficiently. Therefore governments are keen to push their citizens to use online services to deliver public services more efficiently and faster with lower cost. For instance U.K. government, in February 2010, announced a new strategy for the public sector aimed at simplifying and standardizing ICT across the public sector to enable interoperability and data sharing while providing flexibility and efficient services that will deliver savings of over  £ 3.2 billion per year(E-Government factsheets, 2010). Although the e-government services are beneficial to the citizens but diffusing these services to citizens in an innovative format could be challenging. The purpose of this paper is to examine the influence o f electronic government in facilitating the diffusion of public services to citizens and what are the advantages and disadvantages of this transformation. To evaluate the influence of e-government in facilitating the diffusion of public services, firstly we must know what the e-government is, then, what factors are important for successfully implementing of the e-government concept, and finally, what type of benefits citizens could gain by using government’s e-services. This essay consists of 5 main sections starting with the e-government literature followed by historical view of e-government in the U.K. The next section is discussing about the influential factors of successful diffusion of e-government services followed by further discuss... ...n in the public sector: Key features influencing the development and implementation of technologically innovative public sector services in the UK, Denmark, Finland and Estonia." Information Polity: The International Journal of Government & Democracy in the Information Age 12, no. 3: 109-125. [Accessed 25th November 2010] Schipper, K. (2010). â€Å"How can we measure the costs and benefits of changes in financial reporting standards†. Accounting & Business Research, 40(3), 309-327. Teo T. S.H., Srivastava S.C., & Jiang, L. (2008) â€Å"Trust and Electronic Government Success:An Empirical Study† .Journal of Management Information Systems / Winter 2008–9, Vol. 25, No. 3, pp. 99–131. Vassilakis, C., Lepouras, G. & Halatsis, G.(2007) â€Å"A knowledge-based approach for developing multi-channel e-government services†. Electronic Commerce Research and Applications 6 (2007) 113–124

Self Reliance – a Key to Success

When you don’t have to rely on someone else, you are the master of your own destiny. That’s really the secret to everything in life. If you’re OK with yourself and you don’t need others approval for your happiness, then you are happy. Self reliance comes with self confidence. Self reliance helps a person to prepare for life challenges. Rest your mind and imagine a situation where you are confident and successful. Go over the details thoroughly in your mind. What did you do? What did you say? You can also try to remember a time in the past when you acted with a lack of confidence. Go over the situation in your mind, changing whatever details you would need to alter the outcome to a desired one. Visualize yourself strengthening your self-confidence and acting the way you wish you would have acted. Don't judge yourself – simply re-create the situation and envision yourself with strong self-confidence, and having the outcome be better. To build on self improvement one needs to love him/herself. Leaning to love yourself is fundamental in self improvement and building good self esteem. You need to improve yourself by first understanding yourself and accepting the way you are. Self improvement brings happiness and satisfaction to one’s life. Though the road to self improvement is not easy, it is compulsory for one to experience happiness in life. When you stop and deal with your issues and insecurities, you are on the road to a more well and vibrant you and hence achieving success will be easy. â€Å"Nothing at last is sacred but the integrity of your own mind. † – Ralph Waldo Emerson