The Airline Industry

One of the major industries affected by the September 11 attacks had been the airline industry. Aside from security improvements were put in place as a response to the hijacking of four commercial aircraft, the industry as a whole lost a total of $42 billion from 2001 to 2005.The president of the Air Transport Association has called the current situation of the airline industry as a â€Å"perfect storm of adversity†. Two of the largest commercial carriers are currently under bankruptcy protection and two others have gone in and out of bankruptcy court in the years after 9/11.These losses could be attributed to lower passenger traffic in the wake of the terrorist attacks. The price for jet fuel has also been rising since 2001 which adds to the costs incurred by the carriers.   Jet fuel price in 2006 was up 168% from pre-2001 levels (Isidore, 2006).While the US air industry is slowing down, there has been an increase in global air passenger numbers. Most of these increases are coming from developing economies in Asia and Europe.Airlines in Asia grew at a rate of 20% annually while airlines in the middle east grew 11%. Similarly, air routes linking the US with Asia and Europe are also expected to see an increase in passengers (Shriner, 1994).Demand and Supply ElasticityWhile these changes could be directly attributed to the 2001 attacks and their repercussions, some changes in the airline industry has emanated from the industry itself. The older legacy airlines had to face numerous new entries in the form of low cost, low frills carriers.These new low cost carriers have kept the price of airlines travel low over the past few years. Passengers now had more choices and as a result, total air traffic had been increasing while average fares have not kept pace. Legacy airlines with larger operational costs could not compete with the lower fares.As a result, they had to streamline their operations by cutting excess manpower and retiring older, less fuel efficie nt aircraft in their fleets. The fleets of the legacy carriers have shrunk by 23% since 2001 and their workforce has dropped 38% during the same amount of time (Isidore, 2006).The proliferation of low cost carriers since 2001 has essentially increased the price elasticity of demand for air travel. While all airlines serve the same purpose – air travel – each airline can still be differentiated from one another.Low cost carriers may not offer the same kind of quality service found in legacy carriers. In effect, when passengers book a flight, they are choosing between goods from airline A, airline B etc. Since passengers have more choices due to the introduction of low cost carriers, their substitution between airlines has become easier.This relatively high elasticity is reflected in the increasing passenger counts at a relatively constant fare (price) schedule.Externalities of the Airline IndustryAirlines, whether legacy or low cost are now keen on improving their fuel efficiency due to the rising costs of jet fuel. Fuel costs account for 10-12% of annual airline operating costs. One way that airlines are trying to improve fuel efficiency is by retiring older aircraft with poor fuel efficiency (May, 2003).One industry that is intrinsically linked with the airline industry is the aircraft manufacturing industry. The US is a world leader in aircraft manufacturing with US aircraft manufacturers delivering 71% of new aircraft in the early years of the 1990s.Even with the boom in airline travel in the developing world, US airlines still account for roughly 25% of aircraft orders from US aircraft manufacturers like Boeing and McDonnell Douglas   (Shriner, 1994). Clearly, an increase in income by the airline industry will translate to more orders of aircraft. In that case, the airline industry exerts positive externalities on the aircraft manufacturing industry.The positive externalities do not end with increased production by US jet manufacturers. As airlines keep pushing for more fuel efficient and modern aircraft, they are providing an incentive for technology development in the aircraft sector.The increasing prices for jet fuel are even pushing this new technology development even further in the direction of making air travel more fuel efficient. An example of such technology development is in the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft which is due to enter service next year.Being made out of composite materials, it is much lighter and thus uses up 20% less fuel than similarly sized jets. An offshoot of using composite materials is a more comfortable flight experience as the cabin air does not need to be so dry (humidity causes metal to corrode) and the air pressure can be made much higher in order to make breathing easier.The use of metal precluded using higher cabin pressure as it may accelerate metal fatigue (The Economist, 2007). It is important to note that this externality does not end at Boeing. Advances that Boeing are ma king are sometimes tied to and sometimes preceded by fundamental R&D performed at universities (Shriner, 1994).We can therefore see how the airline industry promotes R&D and helps maintain the dominance of the US in aircraft technology.Even though new aircraft like the Dreamliner might reduce fuel consumption, it still does not change the fact that the airline industry has a huge externality in the form of pollution. Aviation is responsible for 2% of anthropogenic carbon dioxide production. Aircraft also release other noxious gases such as nitrogen oxides, soot and water vapor.However, the polluting effects of airlines are magnified since these gases are released directly into the upper atmosphere where they form condensation trails and cirrus clouds. The fact that air pollution from aircraft is released at a high altitude may have the effect of double the same amount of carbon dioxide released at ground level (The Economist, 2007).

Corporate Social Responsibility as Business Strategy Essay

There is a visible attention being paid towards social and environmental consequences of business and yet performance in this front is far from satisfactory. Common trait seen across companies is that social concern and business are seen as two independent responsibilities and often at loggerhead. As a consequence, companies lose focus of how social responsibility could have been integrated with the long term business outcomes. Businesses across the world are so obsessed with the immediacy of results that they cannot sight the vast opportunity that discharging of social responsibility holds for the long term sustainability of the organizations. As a result, based on the maturity of strategic thinking in the company, CSR is being implemented in one or more of the following ways as shown here: CSR as Reactive strategy CSR has in general been a reactive strategy for reviving drooping fortunes of the company by gaining the confidence of the communities in which they operate. The case of Shell in Nigeria and that of Nike in Asian countries are just two examples to quote. With such instances on the rise companies have started adopting a â€Å"proactive approach† analyzing the cost of not discharging the social responsibility and as a result do the bare minimum to pull on and thus minimizing their spending on this account. CSR is viewed by these companies as a cost and compulsion. This approach only obscures a business from identifying the real potential CSR holds with respect to their core business. Any complacence by such companies may result in the kind of corporate scandals that we are comming across today. Corporate misdeeds are indeed costly, if caught. CSR as Image building exercise Efforts of companies to recover from the effects of not discharging social responsibility can broadly be classified as damage control exercise as far as their image is concerned. Here the businesses have their back against the wall. However, CSR today is seen by companies as an opportunity for building corporate image. Keen on drawing attention of media and general public, companies announce their plans for various kinds of philatropic activities. There is nothing wrong with this kind of approach, except for the fact that such initiatives are not emphasized in the maze of important and urgent business calls. If a company can develop a systematic and delibrate approach for maintaining the focus on social welfare activities, this will not only enhance its image in the immediate future but consistency on this front will help the company in building a positive reputaion of societal concern. Such image will definitely help the company in its future business forays in the region. On the other hand, the image building campaign includes CSR reporting where a series of disjointed anecdotes of companies’ contribution to society are highlighted, which are in no way related to implementation of the business strategy of the company. This underlines the fact that potential of CSR as a tool for image building is more easily comprehended by corporate offices rather than as a means of creating a sustainable business. CSR for improved operating efficiency There are other set of companies that take care of environment because not only does it help in operating with in the environmental norms set by statutory authorities but also reducing their costs by improving operating efficiency. Operating barely with in the norms set by statutory authorities is being in the compliance mode. As companies deliberately plan and move beyond the compliance mode, find the case for integration of CSR and business goals, where improved productivity or operational efficiency in current time frame also results in better environmental conditions that fosters better living conditions for future generations. This in fact is a business necessity today for improved profitability for industry and cleverly used by companies for projecting a business case for CSR and showcasing the integration of CSR and business outcomes. CSR as Source of competitive advantage Business must have clear understanding of the communities that they impact and must give a serious thought to the question – How the strategy helps these communities grow qualitatively along with the business in the short and long term? The answer to this question may not be obviously forthcoming but an open debate among the executives and strategic managers may open up options, that may help improve the quality of life indicators for the communities around in a way that enhances business opportunity for tomorrow if not the current profitability. The challenge for industry today is to identify social issues that drive its competitiveness both now and in the future. For this to happen managers must first believe that social concern or CSR as it is popularly known is a source of business opportunity and competitive advantage. This integration then would pave way for all round sustainability and growth. Sooner than most of the experts suspect, the issues relating to climate change and social responsibility in the area of operations will be decisive factors for survival of businesses. CSR has the potential to change the way business is conducted the world over.

Financial Statement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Financial Statement - Essay Example The vehicles are not a part of the operations for the next three years. The furniture and fixtures are depreciated at a useful life of five years. Equipments are depreciated at four years of useful life and building is also the part of the balance sheet for the first 3 years. The company will invest in buildings once the brand is known to the consumers. The account of reserves of bad debts are to be increased at the rate of five percent of the reserves of bad debt accounts of the previous year. The increase in the cash in hand, cash at bank and accounts receivable is estimated to increase with an average rate of five percent that are subjected to the projected estimates for the revenues. The projections of the sales of the company vary according to the seasonal changes due to which there is a fluctuation in the sales volume of the company on the basis of its monthly accounts. Looking at the cash flow of the company it can be noted that the company does not announced to pay off any of dividends or any additional cash against its current assets, borrowings or long-term assets. It can also be noted that the inflow of the cash relies on the sales of the company. Hence, it can be noted that the cash from the operations of the company and the outflow of the cash is mainly focused to the payments of the utilities, bills and cash spending (AASB 139 Financial instruments: recognition and measurement. 2014).   The company does not intend to create reserves for earnings or dividends to its shareholder.

Program and culture architecture class Research Paper

Program and culture architecture class - Research Paper Example Communication theory can fit well in the architectural industry because of the industry is characterized by various personnel. Dainty, David and Michael (26) note that it will be difficult for people in any field to operate if they cannot find a commonly approved modus operandi to underline their work activities, communication is essential to the field of architecture. Much the same way, architectural field cannot be successful without effective communication. The dynamic patterns of involvement in the architectural field effectively present communication challenges. So, without effective communication, it would be very difficult any construction company to effective achieve its goals. I have adopted this blend of various cultural elements because a range of cultural diversity characterizes this country, Indonesia. Depending on where you are born and bled, you might fiend yourself blending up with other groups of people with their own cultural

Disease resulting by global warming Research Paper

Disease resulting by global warming - Research Paper Example â€Å"With extreme climate change, vulnerable groups of people such as the elderly and the children will be more prone to diseases such as increased occurrence of flu and fever (US, 2009 page 24).† Also, many bacteria and viruses reproduce in extreme weather and this may result in increased strain of diseases caused by these microorganisms. Climate change due to global warming will also affect the Agriculture cycle and people will experience more food drought than what is documented. As a result of poor nutrition and malnutrition, more diseases will also be exhibited. Studies show that diseases such as Lyme disease, tuberculosis, avian influenza, cholera, Ebola, infestation and infection of intestinal and external parasites, yellow fever, sleeping sickness, and malaria will increase in prevalence due to global warming (Shapley, 2008). Diseases Caused by Global warming The most direct effect of global warming is by causing an increase in infectious microorganisms. Diseases such as Cholera, Ebola, malaria, sleeping sickness Lyme disease are caused by micro pathogens that are transmitted by hosts. Some disease such as malaria and sleeping sickness are more prevalent in subtropical and tropical areas compared to more wet and cold areas (Hauser, 2013). Thus, these diseases are more prevalent in Africa as compared to western countries. This is due to the different weather patterns in the regions. However, with global warming the climate pattern will be affected. Thus, such diseases that are only found in tropical and subtropical regions can even be spread in the Western regions. Malaria can be deadly if unchecked and can result in fatalities both for the children and the adults. Malaria pathogens quickly mutate and thus, resistant strains are quickly rising. The problem is that the discovery and manufacture of effective drugs is not as fast as the resistance rate. A global epidemic of malaria can turn out to be catastrophic. Global warming can also cause the p revalence of temperate weather. Many microorganisms cannot survive in temperate weather. However, with temperate weather many organisms can be able to survive long enough to reproduce and be infectious. This can lead to the introduction of some diseases which have not been documented yet. Some microorganisms also tend to thrive better in extreme temperatures. This stability may result in prevalence of the diseases and making the disease more infectious than in normal temperatures. Metabolism of humans is also affected in temperate temperatures. This may affect the physiology of humans leaving them prone to diseases (Schnackenberg, 2012). Warmer weather may result in increased reproduction of parasites and rodents that carry pathogenic microorganisms. Increased number of hosts will lead to increased chances of the parasites and rodents of picking up pathogens and transmitting them to humans. In households, growths of many microorganisms are favored by warm and humid environments. Thu s, if cold regions such as the North Pole were to become warm, many microorganisms will thrive there causing a spread of diseases. Researchers also predict that change in climatic condition will lead to increase in the cycle of transmissions of pathogens by the carriers to the humans. An indirect effect on how global warming can cause diseases is by affecting the Agriculture cycle. The growth of

CGI Group, Inc Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

CGI Group, Inc - Essay Example As the essa declares GIB is headed by its founder Serge Godin, who has been serving as both the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board since 1976. As per GIB’s latest annual report, Mr Godin’s annual salary and bonuses amounted to $810,000. This paper stresses that given that Yahoo! Finance or Reuters does not have a GIB beta estimate, estimate of MSN Money is used. GIB’s beta is currently set at 1.64. This shows the measure of the sensitivity of a stock, bond, or fund to swings of an index or the overall market. In this case, GIB’s stocks are compared with the S&P 500 index and its bonds and bond funds are compared with the Lehman Brothers Aggregate Bond index. Given the GIB’s estimated beta is higher than 1.0 indicates its relatively higher volatility compared to the overall market. As such, it is forecasted that if the S&P 500 moves 10% higher, the GIB stock with a beta of 1.64 should move by 16.4%. As compared to other notable players in the same sector, GIB is less volatile than E-Bay or Amazon.com, which has betas of 2.06 and 2.65, respectively. GIB’s beta of 1.64 is already its leverage beta. This is because the beta derived by MSN Money takes into consideration both the stocks or equi ty of the company as well as the bond and bond funds which are the company’s borrowings. GIB’s debt component is comprised of unsecured revolving term facility bearing an interest equal to the US LIBOR rate plus banker’s acceptance rate of 1.25% plus 1.25%, and senior US unsecured notes bearing an average interest rate of 4.97% and maturing on 2014.

Culture, Ethics, and Diversity Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Culture, Ethics, and Diversity - Research Paper Example From this paper it is clear that  Crane and Matten humorously stated that an organization without ethics is like a ship in the middle of the sea without sailor. It has been argued by the researchers that ethical leadership is needed for organization in order to achieve sustainable growth. Crane and Matten also argued that global organizations face plenty of conflicts and trust deficit while operating business in competitive global environment and in such cases, these organizations need to follow some rigid ethical guidelines in order to address these challenges successfully.  This discussion highlights that  Cameron and Quinn raised a pertinent question that can organizations achieve leadership position by deploying culture of ethics and moral principles? Well the answer of the question is not very simple due to the fact ethics is an intangible element which has the capability to impact the tangible outcomes. Another problem is that there is still no standardized definition of organizational culture. In such context, TrevinËÅ"o and Weaver defined ethical organizational culture as the organizational setting which allows members to follow legal principles and do not involve in those activities which can hurt the interest of not only organization but also hurt the interest of social members. Consideration of the research work of Kaptein reveals the fact that corporate ethics virtues (CEV) model can be used to understand ethical culture in organization.... Zhang, Lowry, Zhou & Fu (2007) criticized the assumptions of previous research scholars that organizations only use the concept of diversity for achieving innovation because sometimes, organizations create culture of diversity due to strategic reasons. However, it is evident from the above discussion that there is significant amount of doubt; confusion and argument exist regarding integration of culture of ethics and culture of diversity within organizational context. Another important thing is that, very few research scholars have tried to understand the intra level relationship between ethical culture and diversity driven culture and how the conjoint relationship between these two variables can impact organizational leadership. In the next section, the researcher will address these issues in the light of existing literature. Literature Review Organizational Leadership & Ethical Culture Cameron and Quinn (2006) raised a pertinent question that can organizations achieve leadership po sition by deploying culture of ethics and moral principles? Well the answer of the question is not very simple due to the fact ethics is an intangible element which has the capability to impact the tangible outcomes. Another problem is that there is still no standardized definition of organizational culture. In such context, Trevin?o and Weaver (2003) defined ethical organizational culture as the organizational setting which allows members to follow legal principles and do not involve in those activities which can hurt the interest of not only organization but also hurt the interest of social members. Consideration of the research work of Kaptein (2008) reveals the fact that corporate ethics virtues (CEV)

Leadership and Management of Strategic Change Assignment

Leadership and Management of Strategic Change - Assignment Example The paper tells that at the three main levels, strategic leadership is tasked with providing the scope and direction that is needed to assist in the pursuit of success in the organization. A key component of this success is derived from the effective management of continuous change through improving both people and procedures. Therefore, all the executives, as well as the managers, should possess the necessary instruments needed for strategic creation and execution while being ready to use the same instruments rapidly. Managing in an environment that is characterized by change and uncertainty needs leaders who are strategic con steadily maintain a sense of direction while at the same time developing ownership objectives as well as goals within the groups they are supposed to lead. The blend between an analytical perception that is used to develop processes for a winning strategy and a human element that enables the managers to create effectively, inspired and accomplished teams is im portant to the success of strategic leadership. More often than not, strategic leadership fails since the right equilibrium between the two perspectives is not achieved. In the event that there is a high concentration on the execution as well as the outcome while disregarding the human dimension, the leader will be perceived as a taskmaster and the individuals who are demoralized will not have the motivation to perform. If the leaders pay more attention to the human dimension and forget about the process and the work ethic, then the situation at work will be similar to one at a country club which is a good place to work with very little distinction about what people are supposed to do. Therefore, successful strategic leadership should be carefully balanced between analytics and the process development as well as the human dimension.

Cell Phone in Life Essay Example for Free

Cell Phone in Life Essay In modern life, cell phone is an indispensable tool to all people. To everyone, a cell phone is a magic tool, which is a mean of telecommunication, an entertainment device and a great work supporter. To me, I cannot imagine how I can live without my phone. The basic function of a cell phone is to connect people. We use our cell phones to communicate with the other ones. For example, we can talk to parents and send our love to them in a thousand mile away in a second. We can help people who are in an emergency with a finger. Or simply, we can gather our friends to hang out have fun with easy calls or texts. A cell phone is a magic tool, which can help us contact people only with a hand. Moreover, a cell phone is an excellent tool we need for our studying and business. At school, some applications of cell phone help us solving the problems in class. For example, we can record the lectures of professors in class and watch his lecture again at home in order to better understand the knowledge, or when applying knowledge, we can take some pictures in the lab class to observe our lab results better. At work, our cell phones can be a USB to store data, or a mini computer to send our report, and even a small portable computer to surf the Internet, which is essentially important to every businessman. A cell phone is vital to an entrepreneur or a student‘s career. Finally, another advantage of cell phones is to entertain. In our cell phones, we can store our favorite songs to listen to when feeling sad, videos and pictures of our beloved ones to view when we miss them, which makes us happier. We can also play games in our cell phones, helping us burning off stress and starting to feel happy again. Without cell phones, our life would be much less enjoyable. For instance, your best friend is upset about problems of her or his family. You can comfort her or him by your favorite songs, and then look for something fun, like game or funny video to relax. With a cell phone, we will never have to be sad for a long time. Today, everybody prepares himself or herself with a cell phone, like a vital thing in his or her modern life. As the cell phones are improved with advance functions, they will make our lives more convenient and comfortable. People are advised to equipped themselves with a cell phone to improve their lives.

Frankenstein Movie Version vs. Mary Shelley’s Novel Essay Example for Free

Frankenstein Movie Version vs. Mary Shelley’s Novel Essay In 1957 British Production Company Hammer Films launched their own series of adaptations of Frankenstein with the first film entitled â€Å"The Curse of Frankenstein†. The Frankenstein’s myth was revived once again. This time it was more different from the Universal Studios own version. The prominent element in the Universal Series was the monster but Hammer chose the person of Victor Frankenstein as focal point and subject of the story. The Curse of Frankenstein is set around 1880. Baron Victor Frankenstein and his new teacher Paul Krempe became close companions. They started their experiments and their first success was the reanimation of a puppy. After several years they want to experiment it on humans. They stole the body of a hanged highwayman from the gallows. Victor bought body parts like eyes, hands and several other parts, which they stitch together. Finally, the only thing needed to complete his creation is a brain, â€Å"the mind of a genius†. Victor killed his old mentor Professor Bernstein to place its brain in his creation. Victor Frankenstein was entirely different from the character in Shelley’s novel. He was not as bad as the film portrays. He doesn’t have to kill anyone to achieve his goal. The only close similarity to the original story is the monster with its ugly and horrible appearance. The monster also from the moment it wakes was found to be very aggressive and evil. It kills a blind man and a young girl unlike in the original where it is not even capable to express feelings and emotions. The film was based on the original story of Frankenstein novel but a lot of twists and modifications have been already done to the original theme. Works Cited Rohrmoser, Andreas. The Curse of Frankenstein (1957) The Monstrous Baron: Hammer Film’s Frankenstein Series. 2006. 24 September 2008. http://members. inode. at/359743/frankenstein/frankenstein-hammer. htm

Greeces Policies to Improve Employment Rates

Greeces Policies to Improve Employment Rates Introduction In the attached article in the references, it is shown that Greece has succumbed to a low employment rate since the financial crisis that has affected them in 2007. It is reported that Greece has reached an all-time high unemployment rate of 28% in November 2013 and has not been improving as of late till the point in which the article was written in February 2014. The article also states the contrast of Greece’s unemployment rate to the average rate of unemployment in the euro-zone, which is more than double in percentile. In this assignment, I will be discussing the unemployment issues that currently impact Greece. Economic Concepts Identified Factors affecting unemployment in Greece will be discussed. The precise economic definition of unemployment consists of unemployment falling into one or more of these factors, without work even after actively searching for a job for four weeks, waiting to be called back to a job in which he or she has been laid off, or waiting to start a new job within 30 days. Firstly, we will look at the GDP rates of Greece. By identifying the historical and current GDP rates of Greece, we would be able to identify an inflationary (GDP increases) or a recessionary (GDP decreases over two quarters) economy. Using this information, it will explain certain levels of unemployment in Greece depending if it’s a recessionary or inflationary economy. Recessionary economy generally has a higher unemployment rate due to less resources being used, and inflationary would be vice-versa. Secondly, a few different unemployment rates will be used to provide further statistical analysis of unemployment in Greece. There are three rates that will be used the unemployment rate in general (percentage of labour force that is unemployed) , the long-term unemployment rate (unemployed people who have been unemployed more than 27 weeks), and the youth unemployment rate (unemployed people who are between 16-25 years old). Thirdly, the different types of unemployment will be explained and their subsequent effects on Greece. There are generally three types of unemployment, frictional, structural, and cyclical. Frictional unemployment stems upon the normal labour market turnover. Structural unemployment is unemployment due to changes in technology and the increase in foreign competitors which may affect the skills required and/or a change in location. Cyclical unemployment is unemployment that occurs during a recession. Lastly, we will be looking at the policies implemented by the government of Greece to curb this problem of unemployment. Application of Economic Concepts What Does GDP Indicate in Greeces Economy? Based on the graph attached above, Greece can be seen to have been going through a severe period of recession stemming from the global financial crisis in 2009. This also indicates that Greece is dipping towards the trough of their business cycle. In a recession, there is a slowdown in production output of the country. This is because the output per worker or productivity falls steadily causing an increase in production cost per product. This will in turn induce a dip in profits of firms which will inevitably reduce their labour force to compensate with their reduced output. This has caused a severe increase in unemployment rate from the crisis. Such unemployment caused by the recession is broadly labelled as cyclical unemployment. However, structural employment will also be affected as there will be businesses shifting out of Greece as it is not profitable to retain their business there, causing loss in job opportunity and employment. What does unemployment rates indicate in the Greece Economy? We will zoom in directly to the three rates of unemployment, unemployment rate of Greece currently (26.4%), long term unemployment rate (19.9%), and youth unemployment rate (51.5%). These various unemployment rates can be perceived to being cyclical in nature due to the recession. These rates are abnormally high due to the long recession and the fact that Greece has incurred a vast amount of debts and even required bailouts by the euro-zone. This is also an indication that the Greek economy is uncompetitive. Rising wages have not been matched by rising productivity. The lack of competitiveness has led to a fall in demand for Greek goods and a very large current account deficit (imports greater than exports) which has in turned caused many firms to close, reducing job vacancies and further increasing unemployment rate of the country. Youth unemployment and long term unemployment rates have remained constant due to the fact that the Greek economy has no vacancy for fresh or previously laid-off workers due to the low tolerance of low productivity (hiring these people imposes a great amount of risk. Policies the Greek government has undertaken to reduce unemployment While the origins of the significant recent rise in long-term unemployment are predominantly cyclical in nature, targeted policies to assist the long-term unemployed are likely to be necessary even once jobs recovery is underway. In the first place however, labour market and social policies have a key role to play in preventing the risk that the sharp jump in unemployment becomes persistent by promoting a quick reintegration of jobseekers into employment and enhancing their skills to enable them to move into more productive jobs when the recovery gathers speed (OECD, 2009). Unemployment benefits are available in Greece, but they are generally conditional upon insurance contributions. In terms of international comparison, benefits are low and take-up is limited (Karantinos, 2011). The main unemployment benefits provide income replacement at a flat rate of EUR 360 (slightly less than half of the current level of the minimum wage) for up to a maximum of 12 months of unemployment. Unemployment benefits are only available to those who have made unemployment insurance contributions and to those aged 45-65 under very strict conditions. Those who have never been in work (examples are unemployed young people without work experience) fall outside the system. Greece has stepped up efforts to assist the unemployed since the start of the recession. According to the latest Greek National Reform Programme (2014), the focus of employment policy is on a more efficient use of resources and reallocation of resources, in order to both improve labour market outcomes, and in particular youth labour market outcomes, and to enhance the economic sectors with growth prospects. The main rationale behind the policies currently being implemented by the public employment service (PES) is the boosting of job creation and job retention mainly through the reduction of non-wage cost. For this purpose, the PES has launched a series of policies. These policies have the double benefit that they encourage the access of unemployed persons to the labour market and discourage undeclared work. There is also a package of measures that is intended to facilitate the access of young people and newcomers to the labour market. These include: (a) a work experience programme in the private sector (b) a programme subsidising enterprises for the recruitment of young graduates up to the age of 35 years, (c) counselling and career orientation services, aiming at enhancing employment prospects, (d) programmes to enhance youth entrepreneurship, and (e) vocational and educational training programmes in priority areas of economic activity (construction, tourism, new technologies, etc.). Conclusion Basically in response to the newspaper article and current macroeconomic research, it shows that despite Greece’s policies to improve the unemployment rates, it has not improved much since the global financial crisis. In conclusion, the Greek economy faces two major challenges. The first is the need for strong economic recovery to increase job opportunities, and create constant job expansion mainly to facilitate the youth unemployment. The second is the need for policies to address labour market problems to increase the efficiency in matching of job seekers to new job openings and to assist in the labour market adjustment of the long-term unemployed, so as to prevent the high increase in unemployment from becoming structural. References BBC News,. (2014).  Greece jobless rate hits new record. Retrieved 13 October 2014, from http://www.bbc.com/news/business-26171213 Greek National Reforms Programme 2014. (2014). Retrieved 13 October 2014, from http://ec.europa.eu/europe2020/pdf/csr2014/nrp2014_greece_en.pdf Karantinos, D. (2011). Adapting unemployment benefit systems to the economic cycle, 2011.European Employment Observatory Review. OECD employment outlook 2009: Tackling the jobs crisis. (2009). Paris, France: Organization for Economic Cooperation Development. Stevis, M. (2014).  Greeces Older Men May Never Work Again.WSJ. Retrieved 13 October 2014, from http://online.wsj.com/articles/older-greek-men-feel-pain-of-job-losses-1407543506 Tradingeconomics.com,. (2014).  Greece Unemployment Rate | 1998-2014 | Data | Chart | Calendar | Forecast. Retrieved 13 October 2014, from http://www.tradingeconomics.com/greece/unemployment-rate

Dialect and Dramatic Monologue of Curtain of Green :: Curtain of Green Essays

Dialect and Dramatic Monologue of Curtain of Green Eudora Welty is not merely a brilliant writer, she is a brilliant and gifted storyteller. A product of the South's rich oral tradition, Welty considers the richness of local speech to be one of the greatest gifts that her heritage has to offer (Vande Kieft 9). Southern speech is characterized by talking, listening, and remembering. Welty, a great listener, based many of her stories on bits of dialogue overheard in her everyday life. However, Welty makes the most of the southern propensity for talking. Her stories are rich in dialect and often take the form of dramatic monologues, as in "Why I live at the P.O." and "The Petrified Man." Southern speech is primarily narrative and frequently takes the form of tall tales, folk tales, and local legends. This holds true in Welty's writing, in which one will not find mere conversation, but the telling of a story. Often with Welty, the story is not told through the narrator, but rather by the characters (53). It is through this structure that the dramatic monologue appears. In Welty's "Why I Live at the P.O.," the postmistress of China Grove, referred to only as "Sister," is systematically alienated from her family following a fight with her sister, Stella-Rondo, whom she accuses of stealing and running off with her boyfriend, Mr. Whitaker. As the two sisters compete for the support of the family, one by one the family members take up sides with Stella-Rondo, and Sister states her case to the reader. "Stella-Rondo hadn't done a thing but turn her against me from upstairs while I stood there helpless over the hot stove," rants Sister. "So that made Mama, Papa-Daddy, and the baby all on Stella-Rondo's side (Welty 102). Welty, a true master of language, never received any form of formal education in the field of writing. She was educated through her surroundings, through listening and remembering. Welty's use of the Southern vernacular is an important element in every story she writes. One also might notice that it is nearly impossible to read one of Eudora Welty's stories without hearing it as well. Welty's written Southern speech is highly characteristic of how the language is actually spoken. It is the qualities of the spoken word that show through in Welty's writing and give it its poetic richness. Although Welty makes frequent use of dialectical spelling and pronunciation, it is through rhythm, idioms, and specified vocabulary that she is able to bring southern speech alive (Brooks 416).

Comparing the Impact of Darwin on Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and She Essay

The Impact of Darwin on Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and She Who Must Be Obeyed      Ã‚   Imagine what would happen if everything you believed to be true was suddenly challenged.   How would you feel if the solid rock bottom of your religious and cultural beliefs turned into a slippery slope of doubt?   Such was the dilemma the Victorians faced with the publication of Darwin's Origin of the Species.      The questioning of man's origin in the form of evolution and survival of the fittest brought an uneasy feeling as to man's place within the hierarchy of the universe.   Darwin's theory that mankind was evolved from apes and not created by a divine being shocked civilized society.   The comparisons between civilized and uncivilized behavior linked through evolution is a predominant theme throughout Victorian literature.     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Through the writings of this era, we can see the preoccupation with the cultural conflict between evolution and creationism.   In The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Robert Louis Stevenson introduces us to the concept that the beast within us all lies very close to the surface.   He explores the dual personality and the constant battle waged within oneself between civilized and uncivilized behavior.   In his full statement of the case, Dr. Jekyll states, "But I had voluntarily stripped myself of all those balancing instincts by which even the worst of us continues to walk with some degree of steadiness among temptations; and in my case, to be tempted, however slightly, was to fall." (49)   Although Dr. Jeykll was disdainful of Hr. Hyde's thoughts and actions, he recognized within himself that he enjoyed the freedom and the thrills that Mr. Hyde's uncivilized behavior brought.   He enjoyed ... ...ainty.   Both Haggard and Stevenson linked the theory to their stories in an attempt to show us the fine line between civilized and uncivilized, man or beast.   This anxiety and uncertainty was reflected in most of the literature of the time and would continue to be reflected in literature of the future.   And then Darwin comes along with The Descent of Man!    Works Cited and Consulted: Cohen, Morton N. Rider Haggard: His life & works. NY: Walker & Company, 1960. Haggard, Henry Rider. She. New York: Oxford University Press, 1887, 1991.    Stevenson, Robert Louis. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   First Vintage Classics Edition. New York: Vintage Books, 1991.    Veeder, William. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde after One Hundred Years. Eds.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   William Veeder and Gordon Hirsch. Chicago: University of Chicago  Press, 1988.

Manage finance within own area of responsibility in health and social care Essay

When I was happy that the strategy was ready to roll out I explained the strategy to the staff within a staff meeting. I asked their thoughts on it as they were the ones that would be implementing it and using it on a day to day basis with the children and young people. I explained to the staff why we needed to use the strategy as it had been mentioned by Ofsted and that it was now a requirement that we work in this way. The staff were all enthusiastic and keen to work with the new strategy. To further gain the support of the staff each member of the Participation Team would have an instrumental role in the strategy being successful and it would also mean that they would spend more time individually with the children and young people so that they got a better understanding of the child/young person and their different levels of communication and how they learnt. The team would also learn a new skill of setting and working towards target setting and measuring outcomes. This would be a learning process not only for the children/young people but myself and all of the team. Explain the features of effective team performance Following on from managing and Leadership should you get the mix right this then will lead to an effective staff team. A staff team is made up of a group of people working together to achieve a common goal. An effective team has certain characteristics that allow the team members to function more efficiently and productively. An effective staff team develops ways to share leadership roles and ways to share accountability for their work products, shifting the emphasis from the individual to several individuals within the team. A team also develops a specific team purpose and concrete work products that the members produce together. Effective staff teams will have open-ended meetings and develop active problem-solving strategies that go beyond discussing, deciding, and delegating what to do; they do real work together. When necessary, individuals in a staff team will set aside their own work to assist other members of the team. In a well-functioning staff team, performance is based not on an individual member’s ability to influence other staff members, but rather is assessed directly by measuring the work products of the whole team. Rewards based on the whole team’s effort help underscore the importance of team responsibility. Characteristics of an Effective Team †¢Staff members share leadership roles †¢Staff team schedules work to be done and commits to taking time allotted to do work †¢Team develops tangible results †¢Team members are mutually accountable for evidencing results †¢Performance is based on achieving team results Problems are discussed and resolved by the team Leadership and management must go hand in hand. They are not the same thing. But they are necessarily linked, and complementary. Any effort to separate the two is likely to cause more problems than it solves. Leadership styles should be adapted to the demands of the situation, the requirements of the people involved and the challenges facing the organisation. As manager’s we must identify appropriate forums which will provide opportunities to our team members which will help to make their own recommendations on how they should allocate work fairly within the team. These forums could include:- Informal supervisionteam meetings Formal supervisionweekly case allocation meetings At Granville Lodge I have informal supervision this encompasses sitting down over lunch some days or a coffee another and having an informal chat about work, their home lives, the children and young people at Granville Lodge. During these informal chats, the staff will generally open up more as they don’t acknowledge that this is an informal supervision but just a chat so they don’t tend to hold back were as in formal supervision they tend to not say as much as perhaps they want to because it is formal and notes are taken. So for me those informal chats are where I get most of my knowledge and information about the team members and more important to me to gain a greater understanding of that individual. During our team meetings we discuss events that have happened over the previous month, we also discuss any changes that are being made to the business not just at Granville Lodge but the organisation as a whole. I feel it is important to let the team know what is happening in the organisation so that they understand my role also, in that some of the strategic decisions I make, but they don’t necessarily agree with are not optional for me but is a decision I am making for the good of the organisation if not  particularly right for Granville Lodge at that specific time. We also discuss internal matters such as annual leave, health and safety matters the children and young people, and any other matters that the team want to raise. We discuss the matters and generally try to come to a mutual agreement so that all or at least a majority of the team are happy with. If not all staff are happy with a particular suggestion made at these meetings we do try to reach a compromise, if a compromise cannot be met then the decision in the end is mine I will take the decision that I believe is correct for the children/young people, the unit and the team. 1.2 Identify the challenges experienced by developing teams 1.3 Identify the challenges experienced by established teams It is hard coming into a team which is already established and have worked together over a long time period. This was the case in Granville Lodge. The team were well established and had for a lengthy period had to manage with no permanent manager. They worked extremely well but at the same time were lack lustre about their jobs. When you first come into a team like this it is hard to break down barriers, they have a pre disposed idea of who you are and what you want to do to ‘their’ home, they automatically think you are coming in and immediately want to change things or even worse get rid of them. For me the way to deal with this was to get to the know the team on an individual basis, get to know them on a work level, find out what they think of the organisation, how they see the business in its current form and find out if they are open to change. Once I got to know each member of the team individually, I sat back for a few weeks and watched the team work together, I needed to understand the team dynamics, learn who was who and where they sat in the hierarchy of the team. Although you may have Team Leaders this does not necessarily indicate the true dynamics of who ‘is’ actually leading the team. Once I learned who was who, and were they stood in the ‘pecking order’ I could start to work with them to let them know that I was part of their team and wanted what was best for the children and young people who resided and stayed at Granville Lodge. I had to gain their trust, as a Manager I believe that you should understand the business from the ground up. I needed to have a true understanding of the roles of each  member of the team and if the need arose would fulfil that role if required. I wouldn’t expect any member of my team to undertake a role or task that I wouldn’t be prepared to do myself. 1.1Analyse how different management styles may influence outcomes of team performance There are a number of factors which can influence the staff performance in the home, the staff may feel negatively influenced because of micromanaging by their senior or shift patterns. Conversely, the staff will most likely feel inspired and otherwise positively influenced by having a larger input into the running of the home and a supervisor’s approachable management style. Regardless of the field or industry in which you work, the factors influencing staff performance and morale are very much the same. There are several different types of management styles when it comes to managing in the workplace and choosing the right type of style to lead with will have a big impact in terms of how the staff performs. But knowing the different leadership styles in management does not mean that I can simply pick one and then that is going to work because I would then in essence be trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. In most cases, the traits of the staff I am managing help me t o define the management styles I will use, blending a combination of the different categories. Different types of management styles and the situations when each of them may need to be used. A manager’s leadership style may seem to be set in concrete, hard and unchanging. Or it may be fluid, changing to adapt to the given situation. No matter what a manager’s individual leadership style, it is important to remember that not every style is suited to every occasion. Managers who are able to adapt their personal style to obtain desired results are generally more successful leaders than those who try to impose the same style of management on every employee. http://www.ehow.com/info_7772758_management-leadership-styles.html#ixzz2jCXbk8h3 Directive Democrat †¢A democratic leader welcomes and encourages input from employees throughout the decision making process. A directive leader micromanages workers, telling them exactly how to complete their day-to-day work processes. When combined, these two styles create a directive democratic style of leadership in which the leader obtains input from workers when making decisions but then closely oversees the work to ensure it is completed appropriately. Directive Autocrat †¢An autocratic leader is one who makes all important decisions within the organization with little or no input from employees. This is often combined with the directive style to create a manager who accepts no input from employees in the decision making process and also micromanages every aspect of work. This is perhaps one of the least effective management leadership styles, especially if it is the only style a manager knows how to utilise. However, it is essential in a working environment where workers are either unable or unwilling to do the work without absolute supervision. Permissive Democrat †¢A permissive leader is one who gives workers a great deal of flexibility in the workplace, allowing them the opportunity to determine how best to approach their day-to-day work processes. Combined with the democratic style, this is perhaps best suited when managing highly motivated employees who are capable of monitoring their own work processes. The permissive democrat elicits input from highly skilled workers, usually obtaining the most innovative ideas and solutions. This type of manager is often able to confidently delegate many high level duties to capable employees. Permissive Autocrat †¢A permissive autocrat is a manager who makes all important decisions within the organization but then allows workers flexibility in determining how to complete their day-to-day work processes. This is a useful leadership style for a highly motivated yet unskilled workforce who are willing to do the work but do not have the training or education to make important decisions for the organisation. I believe that my management style depends on what is required at that particular moment. I am a mix of many management styles, but mainly a Permissive Democrat. I believe that allowing staff to be flexible in their approach to work and encouraging them to bring forward their ideas gives them a sense of purpose and ownership of our business. As I mentioned earlier it was difficult coming into a team that was already established and had worked together for a long time. They already had formed a working relationship with each other they knew how they all worked individually and already had gone through the five stages of development as a team. These are traditionally known as:- †¢Forming: a group of people come together to accomplish a shared purpose. †¢Storming: Disagreement about mission, vision, and approaches combined with the fact that team members are getting to know each other can cause strained relationships and conflict. †¢Norming: The team has consciously or unconsciously formed working relationships that are enabling progress on the team’s objectives. †¢Performing: Relationships, team processes, and the team’s effectiveness in working on its objectives are synching to bring about a successfully functioning team. †¢Transforming: The team is performing so well that members be lieve it is the most successful team they have experienced; or Ending: The team has completed its mission or purpose and it is time for team members to pursue other goals or projects. The model used was first developed by Dr. Bruce Tuckman who published his four stages of team development: the Forming, Storming, Norming, and Performing model, in 1965. Dr. Tuckman seems to have added a fifth stage, Adjourning, during the 1970s. Each stage of team development presents its own special challenges to a group of people striving to work together successfully by forming a cohesive team. The team and the organisation can take specific actions at each stage of  team development to support the team’s success in accomplishing the team mission. At each stage, the behavior of the leader must be adapted to the changing and developing needs of the group. As I was a new team member but also the leader we had to go through these stages again as I had a new vision and goals for the unit, so where the team had already reached the transforming stage we had to go back to the forming stage. I feel that at the present time we are between the norming and performing stages we are all now forming working relationships and working well together but not yet at the stage of transforming, but this will come with hard work on both sides. To achieve this we have to work in a team-oriented environment, where we all contribute to t he overall success of the organisation. We work with fellow members of the organisation to produce great results. Even though we all have a specific job function and belong to a specific departments, we are unified with other organisation members to accomplish the overall objectives. The bigger picture drives your actions; your function exists to serve the bigger picture. The process that results in employees who clearly understand and execute their performance expectations contains these components: †¢A company strategic planning process that defines overall direction and objectives. †¢A communication strategy that tells every employee where their job and needed outcomes fit within the bigger company strategy. †¢A process for goal setting, evaluation, feedback, and accountability that lets employees know how they are doing. This process must provide opportunities for continuing employee professional and personal development. †¢Overall organisational support for the importance of clear performance expectations communicated through cultural expectations, executive planning and communication, managerial responsibility and accountability, rewards and recognition, and company stories (folklore) about heroic accomplishments that define the workplac e. †¢To lead them I had to get them to understand why they are participating on the team? Do they understand how the strategy of using teams will help the organsation attain its communicated business goals? Can team members define their team’s importance to the accomplishment of corporate goals? Does the team understand where its work fits in the total context of the organization’s goals, principles, vision and values? Employee recognition is one of the keys to successful employee motivation. Employee recognition follows trust as a factor in employee satisfaction with their supervisor and their work place. I do feel that saying thank you to staff members is very important, it makes them feel valued and that you appreciate the effort they have made is ensuring that their business is running well and efficiently. I say thank you on a daily basis if I feel that the staff have performed their job well or have done that little bit extra. Informal recognition, as simple sometimes as saying thank you and please, should be on every employee’s mind every day. Supervisors and coworkers, especially, have the opportunity to praise and encourage best efforts daily. These tips will help you successfully provide more formal recognition that is valued, valuable, and motivational. Effective, fair, employee recognition is motivational for both the employees receiving recognition and their coworkers – d one correctly. Conflict is pretty much inevitable when you work with others. People have different viewpoints and under the right set of circumstances, those differences escalate to conflict. How you handle that conflict determines whether it works to the team’s advantage, or contributes to its demise.   Conflict isn’t necessarily a bad thing, though. Healthy and constructive conflict is a component of high functioning teams. Conflict arises from differences between people; the same differences that often make diverse teams more effective than those made up of people with similar experience. When people with varying viewpoints, experiences, skills, and opinions are tasked with a project or challenge, the combined effort can far surpass what any group of similar individual could achieve. Team members must be open to these differences and not let them rise into full-blown disputes.   Allen C. Amason, of Mississippi State University, has studied conflict and its role in decision-making. He suggests there are two types of conflict: Cognitive – conflict aimed at issues, ideas, principles, or process Affective – conflict aimed at people, emotions, or values His studies showed the presence of both types in any group setting; but he’s clear to explain that cognitive conflict is constructive, while affective is  destructive (Brockmann, 1996). Another researcher, Thomas K. Capozzoli (1995), reinforces this by describing the outcomes of constructive and destructive conflict: Constructive conflicts exists when†¦ 1.People change and grow personally from the conflict 2.The conflict results in a solution to a problem 3.It increase involvement of everyone affected by the conflict 4.It builds cohesiveness among the members of the team Destructive conflicts exists when†¦ 1.No decision is reached and problem still exists 2.It diverts energy away from more value-add activities 3.It destroys the morale of the team members 4.It polarizes or divides the team Trust is one of the most important elements of an efficient work environment. Organisations that have trust among employees are usually successful, those that don’t frequently are not. How can I build trust in the staff team, and how can I avoid losing it?† Well, it all starts with me as the manager, since trustfulness – and trustworthiness – can exist only if the management sets the example, and then builds that example into every member of staff. From doing research and through personal experience I’ve found four excellent ways to build trust into staff teams. †¢Establish and maintain integrity. It is the foundation of trust in any organisation. Integrity must begin at the top and then move down. This means, among other things, keeping promises and always telling the truth, no matter how difficult it might be. If its people have integrity, an organisation can be believed. †¢Communicate vision and values. Communication is important, since it provides the artery for information and truth. By communicating the organization’s vision, management defines where it’s going. By communicating its values, the methods for getting there are established. †¢Consider all employees as equal partners. Trust is established when even the newest staff member, a part-timer, or the lowest paid employee feels important and part of the team. This begins with management not being aloof, as well as getting out and meeting the staff. This should be followed by the manager seeking opinions and ideas (and giving credit for them), knowing the names of staff and their families and treating one and all with genuine respect. †¢Focus  on shared, rather than personal goals. When staff feel everyone is pulling together to accomplish a shared vision, rather than a series of personal agendas, trust results. This is the essence of teamwork. When a team really works, they trust one another. Accountability As the home manager I need to hold staff accountable for meeting commitments. This sounds simple, but in the messy world it can be a conundrum. Reason: People have a tendency to justify their actions based on their personal rationalisation. It may seem a lame excuse, but to the staff member, there was no way the commitment could have been made. The technology for holding people accountable begins with the notion that it is expected behaviour. There is a fine art to holding people accountable and still maintaining trust with not only the staff in question but also their colleagues. What techniques do I use to manage accountability without losing trust? Holding people accountable is a fundamental premise of good management. Establishing solid goals and providing feedback along the way helps staff recognise the importance of performing up to expectations. Unfortunately, some staff do not meet their goals for a variety of reasons. When this happens, I need to hold them accountable, but t here are often problems in executing this closure step. If goals were not met due to employee laziness, lack of initiative, poor attitudes, or any other negative personal trait, then the accountability step is appropriate and will be done along with the appropriate documentation. When staff fail to meet expectations due to things that are truly out of their control, then holding them accountable seems punitive beyond reason. I believe there is a direct link between holding people accountable in an appropriate way and the level of trust in the home. Unfortunately, many situations are in a gray area in between extremes. A staff member will usually have some sort of excuse that justifies not being able to perform up to expectations. That is, he or she has rationalised the lapse based on some mental process that exonerates the employee from toeing the line. When I attempt to hold the individual accountable for the failure, it seems unfairly harsh to the individual employee and trust plummets. The conundrum is that staff who witness their  colleagues not performing up to expectations, yet not being held fully accountable, leads to a lowering of trust in the home as well. For me, it is a kind of â€Å"darned if you do, darned if you don’t† situation . It is important for me to explain that I hold people accountable for their actions, and I do not condone a string of excuses or reasons why the goals were missed. Yet I will still need to all allow some latitude for truly uncontrolled situations where it was impossible for the staff to perform up to expectations. There is a direct relationship between how I handle the issue of accountability and the level of trust achieved at any point in time. I need to recognise this sensitive area and navigate the choppy waters with great care. Using the golden rule is a great way to apply the right amount of personal sensitivity to a situation, but still get the message across that people are expected to meet commitments. Properly reinforced, this attitude will maintain trust within the home even though some difficult or unhappy discussions need to happen with certain individuals. How the accountability is communicated to the employee has everything to do with how it is perceived and received. I need to be consistent with following through on commitments, and then staff cannot expect to be called out if goals are not met. Having a firm but kind conversatio n with the staff member, in private, about a performance lapse is far superior to catching the employee off guard and rubbing his or her nose in the problem. If I were to berate the staff member publicly and with a mean spirit, significant damage to the relationship would result. 3.1 Identify the factors that influence the vision and strategic direction of the team As a registered care home, Granville Lodge works with government legislation, National minimum standards and the Ofsted essential standards to help shape our policy and strategic thinking, this gives all employees a shared vision of better services. When there is a significant change in legislation, we have to assess the service support currently offered. This will have an impact on the team and the direction of our previous vision. At present any influence on the team direction is from our vision (statement of purpose) is a society where people with Profound and Multiple and Learning Disabilities  and Complex Health Needs are equal citizens and have access to the support and services they need. Our mission is to improve the quality of life of people with a disability. We work in partnership with people with a disability and family carers and all of our stakeholders to make sure that good practice in delivering high quality person centred support is developed, shared and evaluated. We believe that people with disabilities should be supported to live fulfilling lives as equal citizens who are involved and contribute to their communities. We will ensure that we are involved in making the disability policy agendas of equal citizenships, rights, choice, inclusion and independence happen throughout Great Britain. We will work in partnership with people with learning disabilities and family carers, recognising that they are the real experts and that their stories and life experiences should be central to developing and sharing good practice. We will listen and identify how to provide quality person centred support focusing on those groups that have often been excluded including. We are open to changing the way we work if this means that more people can have better lives through what we do. Bibliography Amason, Allen C (2011). Strategic Management. Taylor and Francis Brockmann, Erich. (1996, May). Removing the paradox of conflict from group decisions. Academy of Management Executive. v10n2, p. 61-62. Cappozzoli, Thomas K. (1995, Dec). Resolving conflict within teams. Journal for Quality and Participation. v18n7, p. 28-30 Covey, Stephen R, (1989), The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People: Restoring the Character. Ethic. Simon and Schuster, 11/09/2013 – http://humanresources.about.com/od/teambuilding/f/team_stages.htm 16/09/2013 http://www.rpi.edu/dept/advising/free_enterprise/business_structures/management_styles.htm 16/09/201 – 3 http://www.preservearticles.com/2012021323091/short-essay-on-leadership.html 30/10/13 – http://www.peelerassociates.com/blog/leading-versus-managing-eight-key-differences/ 30/10/13 – http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTMM_79.htm#sthash.4LOPeQ9r.dpuf

Man’s Existence Defined by Being and Nothing Essay

I. Introduction What makes a person alive? Should existence be defined simply by a person’s biological and physical ability to move and breathe? Is existence proven by the mere physical presence of a living person? Philosophers down the ages have advanced many theories of how human existence is defined. Some have advance theories based on the establishment of â€Å"being† after the fulfillment of a life’s purpose. Others opined that a person’s fear or experience of dread and nothingness defines existence. Some however believe that it is a combination of these yin/yang forces that define human existence. II. Discussions on Existence, Being and Nothingness People are defined as human beings in Biology.   It is what separates humans as a specie from animals.   But shouldn’t the word â€Å"human† be enough? What is the significance of the verb â€Å"be?†   Several theories have been advanced to define the tangible things one sees in life but as philosopher Martin Heidegger noticed, they have forgotten to ask what to â€Å"be† really is (Philipse. 1998. p18). The question of what defines human existence has intrigued philosophers over the ages. Theories have gone beyond the basic qualification of life as the simple and obvious ability to move and breathe. Existentialism however, puts forward the more abstract concepts of defining one’s being as influenced by boredom, freedom, commitment and alienation (Warnock.1970.p.4).   It separates the human existence into â€Å"being† and â€Å"nothing.† What makes a human a â€Å"being†? According to Heidegger, a de-constructional view of existence is necessary to include the essence of human’s â€Å"being† as opposed to the classical thought of the obvious and therefore unexplored being (Philipse, 1998.p.3). One of Heidegger’s main influences, Edmund Huserll (Grimsley.1960.p.37) said that philosophy should be described in the context of human experience and goals.   People do and live in accordance with one â€Å"plan† or goal.   Heidegger modified this with his theory of â€Å"care,† (Cochrane. 1956. p112) which, simply stated means that a person’s priorities or what he or she considers important defines their existence.  Ã‚   For him, it is the motivation and the individual needs that define a person’s existence and thus shapes them into what they are. In his work â€Å"Being and Time,† Heidegger created the representation â€Å"Dasein† of the individual that seeks to answer the question as to why he exists.   He states the Dasein is â€Å"thrown† into a world of possibilities and responsibilities, and to account for his existence, the Dasein must take responsibility for all these possibilities (Cochrane, 1956 p. 136). Another philosopher who advances the notion of a reality governed by consciousness, Rene Descartes in his â€Å"Meditations on First Philosophy† states that in human existence, the only thing that cannot be doubted is consciousness.   Reality can have many illusions, but a human being’s consciousness is constant which therefore makes it the only truth (Snooks, 1998.p 26). The famed German philosopher George Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (Stace,1955. p. 44) summed it up in the statement â€Å"the rational alone is real† which presented the idea that everything can and will only be expressed in rational categories His various works reflected methods predominantly rooted in logic According to Hegel,   the degree of comprehension of concepts is only limited or expanded by the standards of knowledge a person possesses and the level of society he belongs to (Stace,1955. p. 46)   . The ideas of existentialism contradict this. The definition of a person’s existence is not dependent on rational thinking but rather their individual â€Å"beings† in the world they were born in.   Reality in reference to one’s existence is subjective. In Sartre’s â€Å"Being and Nothingness,† he defines the actuality of man’s ideal of completion as the fulfillment of state of â€Å"Being† while nothingness is the failure or lack of this actuality (Schilpp. 1997.p.48) Like Hegel, Sartre also used the concepts of â€Å"Being† in terms of â€Å" in itself†, â€Å"for others†, and â€Å"for and in itself.†   Unlike Hegel however who defined these as organizational thought processes and logic in the individual, Sartre stated these terms with definitions done to identify and qualify the subjective and objective facets of human existence. Regarded as the â€Å"Father of Existentialism,† and one of Hegel’s greatest critics, Soren Kierkegaard (Malantschuk, 2003.p.11 )was a Danish philosopher who proposed that it is an individual’s feelings such as dread and anxiety that lead to making choices that define a person’s life. Kierkegaard believed that the difference between an individual’s self-perception of being and nothingness stems from the â€Å"individuality† of a person and that includes emotions and passions. A person’s existence therefore, is brought about by his fears. He cites a parallel of faith and atheism.   In his theories that were viewed as â€Å"anti-organized religion,† Kierkegaard states that for a person to be able to â€Å"make a leap of faith,† one must first have doubt. Otherwise, one may not be able to differentiate â€Å"faith† from everyday emotions. In the same way, Being cannot exist without â€Å"Nothing† and vice-versa (Malantschuk, 2003.p.90) Kierkegaard also advanced the   paradoxical theory of the Concept of Dread (Ussher, 1968.p. 52). According to Kierkegaard’s concept of Dread, it is only when one has experienced total misery that one can recognize and experience life and living. â€Å"Only by being a sacrificial Isaac would he recognise himself for the beloved of Abraham: and no miracle (he knew in the end) would intervene.† (Ussher, 1968.p. 27). It is not unusual in today’s times to hear the maxim â€Å"You never know what you have unless you’ve lost it.†Ã‚   The misery or anxiety at the thought of losing something makes one realize how much value they have truly assigned to something. The thought of this is echoed in German journalist Helmut Kuhn’s â€Å"Encounter with Nothingness: An Essay on Existentialism† (1949): â€Å"The question of existence is urged upon us chiefly by our interest. We raise it when we care for the existence or the nonexistence of something. When darkness closes down, we do get excited about the existence of light† (Kuhn, 1949) Immanuel Kant presented a style of inquiry that takes to consideration the physiological and empirical facets of a person’s state of Being. Kant believed that an introspective approach was necessary for one to understand and make sense of one’s own being (Kant, 1965). Sartre, one of the strongest critics of Kantian theory argues that the notion that human emotions are insignificant and occasional â€Å"situations† that occur of an individual’s behavior is unacceptable. â€Å"Moreover, emotion must not be considered as a set of empirical facts gained through introspection or as a â€Å"corporeal phenomenon† , but rather as â€Å"an organized form of human existence†Ã‚   (Schilpp, 1997.p.13) As a person’s existence and state of â€Å"Being† are subjective, so is the definition of â€Å"nothingness.† The lexicon meaning of the word â€Å"nothing† is given as â€Å"1 : not any thing : no thing; 2 : no part;   3 : one of no interest, value, or consequence† In philosophy however, despite the many theories that sought to define existence, the definition of the word â€Å"nothing† seems to be universal.   It simply means failure to attain a state of Being through lack of fulfillment and failure at the attainment of purposes or goals. III. Summary The human being and existence is a complex and paradoxical concept.   All the concepts are true in a sense, but were never really complete in describing or pinpointing the meaning of life. Different schools of thought range from describing human existence in a mathematical sense then evolving into the more abstract consideration of complex human emotions. Classical philosophy in its rational and logical basis, says it is â€Å"Mind over matter.† Sartre, Hegel and Heidegger’s philosophies are summed up in â€Å"the End justifies the Means.† Kierkegaard’s neurotic view of the existence as a result of anxiety and dread is summed up in â€Å"You don’t know what you have until you’ve lost it.† IV. Conclusion Given the many points of view advanced, there remains a constant, and that is recognition of the human free will. It is the will that makes a choice that rational, experiential or pessimistic, influences the â€Å"End† that defines and justifies a person’s existence. A person’s experience of past and present in addition to his perception of what the future could be are subjective.   The significance people place on certain things is also subjective.   Reactions are subjective.   Life is subjective.   One can choose to define existence in the manner of different philosophies. However, it is important to note that these schools of thought are not rules that encompass every person’s experience of life.

The primary stakeholders for this case

The primary stakeholders for this case are the investors, stock holders and other clients that are directly doing business with the company. Furthermore, secondary stakeholders can be the company’s employees and board members. Whatever decision the company’s controller takes, it will have a direct effect on these com/tesco-and-oxfam-stakeholders/">stakeholders. b. The president’s request regarding increasing the allowance for doubtful accounts from 2% to 4% poses some ethical dilemma for the company.As the controller of the company, the controller knows what is best for the company, thus, suggesting a 2% allowance for doubtful accounts guarantees that the company will be, at least, achieve its target growth rate. However, the president wants the company to play safe, thus, suggesting an increase in allowance. Even though the president has a good intention in his request, the fact that he is overestimating the allowance poses many possible effects for the company and for the stakeholders in the long run.The company and its stakeholders might be mislead by the impression that they are achieving their target growth rate when in fact, that percentage is lower compared to the actual target growth rate that the company should accomplish. In addition, the request posted by the president does not have any quantitative data to support the decision. This, in the long run may underestimate the potential of the company in terms of financial growth because the increase in allowance in turn, means an decrease in company income (Clausen 2009).c. The company’s controller should be concerned in the company growth rate because as the company’s employee, he is also a stakeholder of the company who can be affected if wrong decisions are implemented. His job of assuring the company’s stability will be affected if wrong estimations regarding financial activities will be followed. He as the controller should make sure first if the presidentâ €™s suggestion would be suitable for the company before implementing it.If the suggestion will pose unreasonable risk for the company, then the suggestion should be abandoned and other ways on securing the company’s growth rate should be done to still achieve the target results (Clausen 2009). ? Source: Clausen, James (2009). Accounting 101 Allowance for Doubtful Accounts. Suite 101. com. Available at: http://accounting. suite101. com/article. cfm/accounting_101_allowance_for_doubtful_accounts

Compare and contrast teaching and medical doctor proffesion Essay

A profession is something a little more than a job, it is a career for someone that wants to be part of society, who becomes competent in their chosen sector through training; maintains their skills through continuing professional development (CPD); and commits to behaving ethically, to protect the interests of the public.We all rely on professionals at many points of our lives – from dentists to teachers, from pension managers to careers advisers, from town planners to paramedics. We rely on professionals to be experts and to know what to do when we need them to. Back in the nineteenth century, the professions were defined as law, religion, and medicine. Nowadays, the number of professions is much wider and ever-increasing, as occupations become more specialised in nature and more ‘professionalised’ in terms of requiring certain standards of initial and ongoing education – so that anything from automotive technicians to web designers can be defined as prof essionals. Professions are equal even if they are different in terms of how they work, structure, functionality, and the process how to do the job. However, no profession is undermined. For instance, there are some similarities and differences between teaching and medical profession in terms of code of ethics. This are; the time frame to become a teacher and a doctor, ethical conducts towards whom they serve, the amount of dedication the profession requires, ethical conducts towards professional colleague are some examples that can be mentioned. First, the time frame to become a teacher and a doctor is different. Time frame is very important when considering whether you want to become a teacher as there are several different career paths to choose from. At a minimum, you’ll need to complete a 4-year bachelor’s degree. You will need to also complete a one-to-two year master’s degree. Some schools prefer GPA to 3.0. when we look the time frame to become a doctor or a physician or a medical professional,it obtain an undergraduate degree from an accredited college or university. This can take anywhere from three to four years depending on course load taken each semester. Students interested in becoming a doctor should follow a pre-med track in undergrad where they focus on math, biology, and physics. Students that are eager to join the profession should target colleges that offer a six year medical track. These  types of programs and hard to get into and have a rigorous curriculum to follow.Consider going abroad if attending a U.S. six-year program is not an option. Schools around the globe attempt to attract students’ right out of high school to join their medical programs. Medical schools in countries like Poland, Hungary, England, and even as far away as India and China are options if your goal is to become a doctor in a short period of time. Second, ethical conduct towards whom they serve makes the two professions similar. We strongly affirm parents as the primary moral educators of their children. Nevertheless, we believe all educators are obligated to help foster civic virtues such as integrity, diligence, responsibility, cooperation, loyalty, fidelity, and respect-for the law, for human life, for others, and for self.The professional educator, in accepting his or her position of public trust, measures success not only by the progress of each student toward realization of his or her personal potential, but also as a citizen of the greater community of the republic, The professional educator also deals considerately and justly with each student, and seeks to resolve problems, including discipline, according to law and school policy, does not intentionally expose the student to disparagement, does not reveal confidential information concerning students, unless required by law, makes a constructive effort to protect the s tudent from conditions detrimental to learning, health, or safety, and endeavors to present facts without distortion, bias, or personal prejudice. As same, a physician shall recognize a responsibility to participate in activities contributing to the improvement of the community and the betterment of public health, uphold the standards of professionalism, be honest in all professional interactions, and strive to report physicians deficient in character or competence, or engaging in fraud or deception, to appropriate entities. Next, the amount of dedication the profession requires is the difference in between teaching and medical profession. A physician shall be dedicated to providing competent medical care, with compassion and respect for human dignity and rights. If a physician see a person who is injured on the street he can’t pass the person and continue his way. This is because a physician has a responsibility to serve every person equally. Also, physicians have  life or death way of life, there profession may lead them till death. But, a teacher do not need to take a little boy who walks on the street to the school because it’s not his/her responsibility to take him school. The life of a teacher is in the school community. A great teacher should have the necessary command over the subject matter her or she teaches. This way he or she can be comfortable while explaining things. Teachers with a full understanding of subject matter are able to help students understand, by explaining conc epts thoroughly and being able to answer all questions accurately. By displaying competence and interest in a variety of areas, us as teachers set a positive example for our students, and encourage them to explore new areas of knowledge. Although knowledge and skills are important, a teacher who is enthusiastic, compassionate, and patient will create a positive environment in which students feel comfortable learning. Great teachers truly believe that each of their students can succeed, and are dedicated to the achievement of this success. At last, ethical conducts towards professional colleague is the last similarity that I listed before. The professional educator, in exemplifying ethical relations with colleagues, accords just and equitable treatment to all members of the profession is ; The professional educator does not reveal confidential information concerning colleagues unless required by law, does not willfully make false statements about a colleague or the school system, and does not interfere with a colleague’s freedom of choice, and works to eliminate coercion that forces educators to support actions and ideologies that violate individual professional integrity. Similarly, physicians should be aware of the limitations of their expertise and seek consultation or assistance in clinical situations where appropriate. Also they have a responsibility to develop, monitor and maintain their own physical and psychological well being and to recognize and disclose any impairment that would affect the care of the ir patients. Physicians should expect and promote in their colleagues intellectual honesty, moral integrity, clinical competence, and physical and psychological well-being consistent with their responsibilities. Physicians, individually and collectively, should identify colleagues whose ability to practice medicine becomes temporarily or permanently impaired. Physicians should assist such impaired colleagues to  obtain remedial help and modify or discontinue their practice, and assist with rehabilitation when appropriate, and should engage in collegial behavior and avoid any professional arrangements that exploit other physicians. In conclusion, even though there is some similarity and differences between the two professions, teaching and medical profession(Doctor or Physician) go Hand in Hand. To become a doctor a person should complete the requirement education level which is served by the teacher. At the same time, the doctor is a problem solver for the teachers life. Therefore, we can conclude that no profession is undermined even though they have some differences in terms of their code of ethics. Sources AMA (American Medical Association) – http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/physician-resources/medical-ethics/code-medical-ethics/principles-medical-ethics.page Council of Medical Specialty Society – http://www.cmss.org/DefaultTwoColumn.aspx?id=79

Butterfly

Butterfly There is a man in my neighborhood that plays the bagpipes. He sits under his tree and allows his music to rise above the drone of the coming and going traffic. The song is Amazing Grace—the only song he knows. I am a musician; I have played the viola for nine years. But music can still amaze me. A brass tube with holes in it, costing $11.50, taught me that. A penny whistle. It could transport me to a place that was entirely my own. The first time I placed my fingers over those empty holes, my dog tilted his head in surprise at the resulting sound. Days later, determined to produce a pleasing tone, I wandered into my room while punching notes out on the way. Setting up my chair in front of the mirror, I sat down and watched my clumsy fingers try to learn a new dance. My mind wandered and I could hear my friend’s mildly accusing voice. â€Å"So why aren’t you going to the football game?† I hit a high, shrill note. â€Å"I dunno,† I heard myself say, â€Å"I’m too busy, I guess.† The second time the note sounded clear and deep. Here in my room, I did know. An unexpected calm trickled over me like a sticky-sweet syrup, slowly pulling at the worries that had cluttered my mind. I knew why I wanted to be here and not in a crowd of faces. My grandmother’s condominium overlooks the Ohio River. So it was surprising to see, nine stories above the earth, a burning orange butterfly pass by the window. It fluttered along lazily, as if not aware it was climbing above buildings created to place holes in the sky. The girl in the mirror smiled. My stress floated away; I felt content for the first time that day. After a little practice, the pitches began to march in harmony. Melodies poured from my little penny whistle. My fingers cautiously hammered out the notes that formed Amazing Grace and I was lifted above the commotion of the week. My friends may think I am a lost cause, but it is they who will never understand how wonderful the view is from up here.

Kant theory Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Kant theory - Assignment Example Kant belonged to a family background that was following the movement of pietism and he was even subjected to attend pietist school (Rohlf 1). During his school life he was educated to believe in the external forces that control human behavior or future. These schools were trying to make people believe that they should rely on the help of divine and should seek help from them. But Kant was not ready to accept these teachings and he believed the human beings and their behaviors are a result of the independence they have in decision making and their ability to think in a rational manner. Kant’s ethical theory of categorical imperative states that ethical decisions are those which have been made on the basis of the maxim (reason) that the individual taking that particular action or decision for another individual is even ready to accept the same decision or action being carried out against themselves when they are facing a similar situation or any other situation. Kant’s theory of categorical imperative is highly applicable in real world situations because human beings are rational decision makers and they may use the categorical imperative theory to decide what is wrong and what is right (Fieser 1). One of the criticisms of Kant’s theory has been provided by Hegel who believes that Kant’s theory is simply not applicable in the real world. He states that the problem with Kant’s theory is that it does not provides a clear guideline for identifying whether and individual had actually indulged in moral decision making (Schopenhauer X). Another problem with Kant’s theory is that the theory does not even help in clearly identifying behaviors and decisions that are moral or immoral. Furthermore Schopenhauer believes that Kant’s theory is incorrect because following his theory people will be involved in making decisions based on ego and not on the basis of sympathy. He states that thinking in a sympathetic manner is the main force that

World History from 1800 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

World History from 1800 - Essay Example As a result, the Indian public was seeking to oust the British from the country as early as possible. 2. At the time, the Indian National Congress, though still restricted to the elites of society, had already achieved widespread success and popularity as a forum for voicing dissent against the British government. 3. It was also in the same year that the â€Å"Surat Split† took place. The Surat Split i.e. the official rift between the Moderates and the Radicals was a culmination of a long history of differences in ideologies. The Moderates, who believed that the British government essentially worked for the welfare of the Indians, preferred Constitutional methods or passive resistance to show their disapproval. The Radicals or Extremists, on the other hand, wanted the British government to leave immediately and hand over the governing of the nation to the Indians. They practised what is now termed as militant nationalism. Differences in opinions and clashes finally led to the official breaking up of the Congress in 1907, into two distinct groups. 4. In 1906, the Liberal Party of Britain came to power. This gave a major impetus to the Indian National Movements, as the Liberals were sympathetic to the grievances of the Indians. They introduced major reforms, such as the â€Å"Morley-Minto Reforms† which encouraged nationalist leaders of that time. The speech reflects the popular sentiments of the Indians at the time. The term â€Å"alien government† clearly spells out that the British reign in India was now considered as something foreign and unwanted, as opposed to the previous notion of the â€Å"benign British influence.† The invaders who had come to India before, such as the Aryans or the Mughals, established their empires which were largely marked by prosperity and peace. There were huge developments in Trade

Through the Years - from High School to Adulthood Article

Through the Years - from High School to Adulthood - Article Example During those times we had very little worries. Sometimes we thought school work was hard, but we learned in the future that it only gets more challenging during and after the college years. I remember that college was a hot topic of discussion in the last year of high school. We supported each other a lot and the advice of our friends provided great input to help us decide what to study and at which university. Throughout the years our friendship and comradery have not changed. We still care a lot about each other. Social friendship sites such as Facebook have helped a lot of us keep in touch. I like going to our high school page on Facebook to see old pictures of when we were back in high school. I phone call a lot of old high school classmates at least once a month. High school helps built lasting relationships. Over the years we have had many mini-reunions and get together. High school reunions help people renew old friendships (Lamb & Reeder). Some of our reunions have been very successful, but in others, attendance has been low. Even those that don’t attend always get a taste of what occurred in the event since it is customary for us to send everyone several videos and photos of the event’s activities. There is a log with the emails of all the members of the 1987 graduation class. All classmates are notified of special events such as reunions. During the last 25 years, t he class has held at least one activity every three years. On some years we have had more than one activity. Another medium that was introduced about three years ago was a forum created by one of the classmates who specializes in programming and designing websites. The forum is a great way for us to talk and leave messages for all of us to share. We never forget of any of our friends. Some of the members never attend the activities of the class of 1987 and some are not users of Facebook. We never forget about any of the girls.

Lesson plans Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Lesson plans - Research Paper Example The teacher reviews the previous lesson on presenting data in tabular form. All charts will be written in poster paper using markers. 4. The groups present their data in class while the teacher facilitates the discussion. The students must be able to articulate the steps that they did to arrive at the answer, as well as the operation(s) that they performed. All the groups keep their charts on the board. 5. The teacher then consolidates all the findings in one singe table. Students are encouraged to fill in the table on the board using the data from the different groups. The same questions asked in the groups will be asked in class. The teacher rehearses the steps in problem solving: Question, Given Facts, Operation(s), Solution and Conclusion. 6. The teacher introduces how to make graphical presentations of the data. She gives two examples and then asks the students to fill out a worksheet of an empty chart based on the consolidated data presented. At the end, they have to write sentences about the chart : â€Å"In a class there were 10 students who ran the mini-track in 3 minutes. Elvi ran 7 rounds. She ran the most number of rounds. Anthony ran 2 rounds. He ran the least number of rounds. How many more rounds did Elvi ran than Anthony?† The teacher asks the students to identify given facts that are not necessary to solving the problem. After, one student will be asked to answer the problem. The teacher emphasizes the need to understand the comparative nature of the problem and the consequent operation(s) required. Illustrations maybe used to help some students understand the problem. 9. Teachers then gives paired work with more challenging problems. Teacher ensures that each student have an equal opportunity to work out the answers. High ability students can be paired with low ability students. Teacher must also go around the groups and draw out answers from students with low ability. S/he models