Percy Julian

pj Mike Reszkowski Percy Julian Percy Julian, the forgotten genius, was one of the greatest chemists in the United States. He became a very successful and wealthy person despite his poor family and childhood. His discoveries and works are huge contributions to American lives even still today. His ability to overcome difficulties and work hard in the toughest situations is what makes him a person we should all aspire to be. Julian was one of very few African American chemists, which made it even harder for him to succeed.Born in Montgomery, Alabama on April 11th, 1899, race negatively affected him every step of the way. As a young adult he had to attend high school at night while in college to keep up with his white classmates because public high school wasn’t available for blacks at the time. After graduating from DePauw University he tried desperately to find a job professing or in a chemistry lab but was constantly refused because of his skin color. Finally his luck started to change. After professing at an all black college, he landed a job in a small, underprivileged laboratory at DePauw.From here, the lost list of accomplishments begins. What really kick started his career as a chemist was his work at DePauw. There he synthesized Physostigmine, a drug still used to treat glaucoma, skin and kidney disease, and leukemia. But the school wouldn’t offer him a professing job because of his race. Next, his work was continued at Glidden Paint factory, Here him and his research crew began studies on the soybean plant. His quick discoveries improving paint for the company were soon overcome by his ambition to achieve greater so he began that research on his own time.Still fascinated with the soy bean plant he further studied into the uses of it and made an even more important discovery, the protein extracted from the soy bean plant could be used to make hormones for the body. Such uses include the drug to prevent miscarriages, a major issue in at the t ime. Of his next achievements were discovering an easier and more efficient way to synthesize cortisone using yam which was used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, a crippling disease that many people suffer from. These were made at his own laboratory which later he sold and became one of the first black millionaires in the U.S. The list can go on for a long time, but that’s not the point. The point is that he worked up from nothing and struggled through the racism of America. He continued on when the world around him said to quit, and he wasn’t good enough. His diligence and determination is the two things that made him successful, and two things all of us should have in us. They are the two things necessary to succeed, the hard work has to be put in and you have refuse to quit. This is why Percy Julian did all that he did, and it’s why he became one of the most famous and successful chemists of our time.

Expectations

Finally, the blade deepens and hits just right, the scar of what the doubtful and painful knife has left me insecure and filled with emptiness. The sparks of love I had was weak and burning low, it soon became a weapon that only caused me harm. This body soon became an empty vessel searching for a purpose in this constant non-fiction world. Tick tock, tick tock, the clock goes, teachers writing riddles on the board, speaking of a foreign language that I cannot comprehend. Various noises filled the classroom, speaking of gibberish as I sit in this isolated bubble of my own. Surviving in this vessel, searching for a purpose- no, but rather waiting to be re-wired and commanded day by day. I love the languages subjects so I am pretty good at it, but I hate maths and sciences, hence I am bad at it. With no further comments I scanned through the whiteboard, but everyday I worry on how people kept instructing me how to grow as a person; giving me options on what's right and wrong, but in the end, the things that I will choose will forever be false.Everyday, I noticed to have a work that is always incomplete; I stare at the blank piece of paper reflecting about my life. With not much personality as an individual, hence I do not find it as an inconvenience to survive in this school. As time continued to pass by, I realized that I'm currently stuck in a never ending cycle of hypnotism, staggering through the same hallways each day, and soon it feels as though everything is on repeat. In class again, questions and answers that are not even needed in my daily life, being drilled into my mind, as I flipped through the textbook, which contains no specific answer. â€Å"How are your grades?† you asked with a smile.I shrugged, â€Å"The same, I guess.†Piercing me with your eyes, reminding me of the â€Å"future† I will soon have. If my tears were colours, then my pillow would be painted with rainbows. Thus in the morning, I would wake up with dark rings around my eyes, taunting me every time I look at myreflection. I would try and cover it up so that they would be a shade lighter, but I know they can never completely disappear. Staggering through the same hallways, towards an empty seat, one far from the sunlight, but rays still reached, blinded me and left me a daze, as if it is trying to question me; â€Å"What were you expecting in life?† â€Å"What are your dreams?†Searching frantically for an answer in that textbook, I can't breathe, I'm choking and it hurts. The stares that they give, beating down my confidence and pride all over again, I tried to find an answer, but its all the same; still an empty white paper, reflecting about my accomplishment in life. â€Å"I can do this†¦Ã¢â‚¬ I keep repeating those words in my mind, as I stare at that incomplete work, reminding me about â€Å"responsibilities†, â€Å"success†, â€Å"achievements†, â€Å"grades†, and so on, and every time I climb back up, your words kept knocking down my stance, chaining me down, to expectations, that I cannot achieve. Expectations and dreams, which are so heavy chaining me, more than gravity ever will. â€Å"I've tried†¦I'm tired†¦It hurts†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Ã¢â‚¬ When will you ever grow up?† But let me ask, what is the meaning of â€Å"growing up† in the first place? If this is what's it feels like, then I just want to stop. The path they build for me is dictated to be perfect and filled with beautiful lies. Feeding me with expectations, rewiring my senses, choking me with perfection. I cannot breathe, I feel nauseous. My body cannot sustain it. Staggering to a mirror, I see the rings under my eyes, as a constant reminder the about those disappointing glares I noticed:†Ah†¦ they are getting darker.†

Supermax Prisons

Supermax Prisons and Their Adverse Effects Introduction Due to increasing crime rates and the extensive belief that rehabilitative programs for inmates do not work, a new and harsher method for prisons is being utilized. Instead of scattering the worst criminals, they are being consolidated into Supermax prisons. Supermax prisons are state of the art penitentiaries meant to hold only the worst of the worst criminals and inmates that cannot be trusted in regular prisons. There are strict regulations and policies to control inmates’ time for communication, recreation, visiting, religious practices, and education even more than regular prisons.More often than not, â€Å"inmates in supermax prisons spend 23 hours of every day locked in a small cell† (Hickey pg. 160). Supermax prisons work upon the premise that the most violent and disorderly inmates can be better controlled â€Å"by separation, restricted movement, and limited access to staff and other inmates† (Hick ey pg. 167). While supermax prisons are believed to reduce crime and increase safety, there are questions of whether or not this is actually the case. Compare/Contrast CritiqueSupermax prisons are considered effective because they consolidate the most violent criminals and allow for other prisons to function more safely and more normally for both staff and inmates. However the inmates cannot just be consolidated and held to the same standards as regular prisons, as was revealed at Marion in 1980 when the â€Å"operation began to show clear signs of the underlying stresses of using this quasi-normal system to deal with such aggressive offenders† (Hickey pg. 164). In response, a new and more sophisticated facility was created to cater to the high-security needs of a prison with extremely dangerous inmates.These newer facilities were created to â€Å"control the inmate’s behavior until they demonstrate that they can be moved back to a traditional open-population penitent iary† (Hickey pg. 165). While incarcerated at supermax prisons, the inmates are handcuffed around staff, eat and exercise alone, and are kept in their cells for most of the day. As prisoners behave well, they are given more and more privileges until they are deemed safe enough to return to regular prisons. Additionally, there is a much higher staff to inmate ratio than at normal prisons.All services that are required are available and â€Å"operations are consistent with constitutional requirements related to conditions and confinement† (Hickey pg. 166). After returning to regular penitentiaries from a supermax prison, 80% of former inmates behave well enough that they do not return to the supermax prison. Supermax prisons provide a level of safety and security for both staff and inmates that other prisons cannot provide. On the other hand, there is a dark side and harsh reality to supermax prisons besides the obvious high costs of maintaining the prisons that are funde d by tax payers.While supermax prisons claim to uphold the prisoner’s constitutional rights, there are many claims that state otherwise ranging from the denial of medical care to illegal censorship of mail—â€Å"prison guards have testified to shackling prisoners to their beds and spraying them with high-pressure fire hoses† (Hickey pg. 169). The placement of inmates at certain levels of security and confinement based upon behavior is arbitrary. The guards determine what is â€Å"good† and â€Å"bad† behavior, and their reasons could be as menial as â€Å"refusing to make beds or complaining about clogged and overflowing toilets† (Hickey pg. 169).Additionally, the amount of control that the inmates are placed under (near 24-hour isolation, little to no physical contact between visitors and inmates and highly limited and scheduled outdoor recreation time) creates an environment that is psychologically debilitating and harmful to personal and social identities. Rehabilitation is set aside and replaced with competition between the inmates for privileges, fostering a hostile environment. The amount of frustration, deprivation, and despair that inmates endure do not create less violent inmates, but something much more dangerous (at the least, more angry).Fighting violence with more violence is not working—supermax prisons are not reducing crime or safety. Critique of the Debate Supermax prisons are a good idea on paper. However, in practice, supermax prisons do not work. In a contrasting example, there are many soldiers returning from war. They are greeted by family, strangers buy food for them out of gratitude for their service, and there are programs and support groups that help them return to normal ways of life. Still, the transition from the life of a soldier in combat back to the civilian world is not easy. However, these issues are recognized and respected in many forms of support.On the other hand, for the in creasingly large amount of criminals who are sent to supermax prisons for breaking the law, the preparation and actual transition from prison life back to regular society is not widely recognized or respected, with little or no support. There are few credible methods or support groups that truly help previous convicts return to normal life, especially in comparison to a soldier returning from war. Additionally, individuals that are accepted members of society greet the returning convicts with trepidation and suspicion because of the belief â€Å"once a thief, always a thief. Consequently, the convict’s return to society and â€Å"normal† life is nearly impossible and recommitting criminal acts is expected. While the return of a criminal from prison should not be honored the way a soldier is honored when returning from deployment, a criminal should have similar rehabilitative and re-immersion programs and support groups. With the levels of confinement being dictated by arbitrary rules and expectations set in place by guards, inmates behave well only because they want privileges and rewards rather than to actually improve themselves.Using a reward-punishment system does not develop character or help prisoners in their eventual assimilation back into society. When inmates are released from prison, they need to return better than they were before prison or else they will just end up in prison again. In order for this to be accomplished, â€Å"a more holistic view of crime control† needs to be set in order and there needs to be more of a focus â€Å"on community and restoration and less on imprisonment† (Hickey pg. 174). The United States has been using prisons for centuries now and imprisonment rates have only increased throughout history.Perhaps the answer to reducing crime is not in the traditional idea of fear of punishment, but the United States seems to be stuck on the idea of using prisons and imprisonment to thwart crime neverth eless. In a perfect world, criminals will be sent to prison, spend their time there wisely, and return to society a changed people. However, in reality, inmates are being released from prison worse off than when they entered the prison. Not seeing or interacting with another human being creates a disconnection from humanity.For the inmate, being kept totally separated and isolated from everyone, there must inevitably be a sense of anger and resentment towards the system that should be helping them and at the very least be showing them how to act properly in society upon their release from prison. Additionally, controlling every aspect of a person’s life is not productive or educational. Learning from mistakes is a part of life, but supermax prisons have nothing to offer in terms of learning. Since the inmates have clearly made mistakes (they are in prison after all), they should be educated on how to learn and grow from their mistakes.Instead, they are just put down as failur es and expected to continue failing. However, as supermax prisons become more and more popular, rehabilitative programs and the inmate’s humanity are being set aside for safer conditions and security. The idea that you have to sacrifice either the humanity of the inmate or the safety of the staff would imply that the system is severely flawed. There has to be a better way to punish criminals, but also rehabilitate them. Conclusion The current penal system that the United States has is flawed and supermax prisons are simply not as effective as was expected.The traditional use of prisons and imprisonment as a way to deter crime is not (nor has it ever been) actually successful at reducing crime, but for some reason we keep to the same plan and modify it rather than take a whole new approach. A person who goes to prison should not want or need to commit deviance after leaving prison—they should leave a changed person. Society should strive to help the person returning fro m prison similar to the way soldiers are aided upon their return to the United States.Instead, society remains adamant in continuing to punish and then ignore those who commit crimes which in end creates a never ending cycle of deviance. The system for punishing criminals needs to change, but how society views the punishment of criminals needs to change as well. Instead of focusing on revenge and justice, the focus needs to be on rehabilitation and development. Works Cited Hickey, T. (2012). Taking sides: Clashing views in crime and criminology. (10th ed. ). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Companies Inc.

Carcinoma of Cervix Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Carcinoma of Cervix - Essay Example 90% of all carcinomas of the cervix are of the squamous cell type. The cervix is the extension of the uterus into the top part of the vagina. A small passage through the middle of the cervix leads into the cavity of the uterus. In a normal situation, squamous epithelium lines the cervix from this opening outwards. The inside of the cervix normally has a more fragile epithelium lining, which under normal circumstances is not exposed to the environment. Certain hormonal changes such as pregnancy and the oral contraceptive pill may cause the inner lining from inside the cervix to migrate outwards to be visible on the outside of the cervix. This is sometimes referred to as an erosion by doctors (Virtual Center 2002-2007)." This case in general is common to women and this occurs during child bearing years, and somehow, our subject, Mrs. Ana Gillam can also be part of this since she is suffering from almost the same kind of problem. This case happens in ages 20's, 30's or 40's, all of which can be related to sexual relationships. According to the same source, (Virtual Medical centre 2002-2007), cervical tumors can be found worldwide but is greatly known in the western part of the world. And because many people are still nave on the fact and information about cervical cancer, it is best to analyze the different factors affecting or causing the disease. One reason of factor is the infection of the Human Papilloma Virus. This means that factors that increase the woman's risk of getting Human Papilloma Virus can also increase the risk of getting the cancer. Also, an intercourse without using contraceptives can add to the said risk, and this is along with having multiple sexual partners. Sex with a partner with penile warts can be one cause of spreading or worsening the situation. Mrs. Gillan, however did not mention anything about the case of having penile warts from a partner but having several husbands could have caused the symptoms that she's having. Precancerous changes and early cancers of the cervix generally do not cause pain or other symptoms. It is important not to wait to feel pain before seeing a doctor. When the disease gets worse, women may notice one or more of these symptoms: Abnormal vaginal bleeding -Bleeding that occurs between regular menstrual periods -Bleeding after sexual intercourse, douching, or a pelvic exam -Menstrual periods that last longer and are heavier than before -Bleeding after menopause - Increased vaginal discharge - Pelvic pain - Pain during sexual intercourse Infections or other health problems may also cause these symptoms. Only a doctor can tell for sure. A woman with any of these symptoms should tell her doctor so that problems can be diagnosed and treated as early as possible. Smoking is also a big factor in acquiring cervical cancer. This is the reason why it is best to keep from smoking especially for women. If a woman has a symptom or Pap test results that suggest precancerous cells or cancer of the cervix, her doctor will suggest other procedures to make a diagnosis. These may include: - Colposcopy: The doctor uses a colposcope to look at the cervix. The colposcope combines a bright light with a magnifying lens to make tissue easier to see. It is not inserted into the vagina. A colposcopy is usually done in the doctor's office or clinic. - Biopsy: The doctor removes tissue to look for precancerous cells

Economics 4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Economics 4 - Essay Example The context of this study is to address the following issues: The country identified for possible expansion of Country A in Asia is South Korea because this country has established relations with the United States, the home country of County A. South Korea also imports machinery and equipment from the United States and exports motor vehicles to the same country. As such, it is assumed that there will be a need for the product of Country A by Korean manufacturers. Company A should take cognizance of the cultural issues in South Korea in designing its marketing strategy of doing business in Korea. According to World business culture.com, it is very important to keep in mind that the quality of developed relations is the key to the success in dealing business in South Korea and it is developed by knowing the following cultural issues: South Koreans observe hierarchical business structure that recognizes major decisions coming from the top and transmitted down for implementation. Company A will find that much of the companies in South Korea are family-run companies wherein much of the power and ownership is with the founder’s family. Aside from the formal hierarchy, Koreans also gives importance to informal hierarchy based on personal and loyalty relations. Thus, Company A should know somebody or need a referral to establish business conncectons. Korean approach of management is holistic such that they take care of the well-being of their employees including their personal life. Initial meetings with Koreans should be polite and intended only for relation building, and most of all, do not show impatience during meetings. Koreans are particular about respect so that the delegation should be balanced, a senior officer should also meet a senior officer. (Worldbusiness.com) Company A’s vision is to double its size within the next four years. The marketing strategy identified to support this vision is to expand business in Asia. Tactics in doing

Follow the instruction Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Follow the instruction - Assignment Example This paper will analyze the NFL official strike by assessing the status of three interrelated elements of negotiations including information, Relative Bargaining Leverage (RBL) and timing. The 2011 NFL official strike had been attributed by several factors including the salary cap, rookie salaries, season length, revenue sharing and television contracts, safety and health benefits of the players, free agency guidelines and financial information. Research asserts that the lockout could be identified as a work stoppage that was imposed by the officials of NFL’s 32 teams (Grappone 1). During the strike period, the players were restricted from seeing the doctors or communicating with the coach or accessing the team facilities. The officials also had an issue with the officiating accuracy of games by referees such as Wayne Elliot. Therefore, the CBA rights were renounced, and a court ruling was made in order to end the lockout. The three elements of negotiations including information, Relative Bargaining Leverage and timing were rather crucial in this lockout because they substantially assisted in the end of the lockout. This was after the implementation of new CBA rights and addressing the salary issue through RBL. This asserts that information and proper timing was rather crucial in the resolution of the strike (Grappone 1). Therefore, these three aspects can be employed in real life situations in order to solve disparities among individuals. For instance, an individual should have enough information regarding the situation, in order to develop a Relative Bargaining Leverage within the shortest possible time. Thus, this is extremely helpful for most individuals. Grappone, Jimmy. NFL Referee Lockout Ends: How a Public Relations Crisis Saved the NFL Season. Carolina: Bleacher Press, 2012. Web.

Legal Envirn of Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Legal Envirn of Business - Essay Example On reviewing the executive employment agreement between Jonny Bee Good and the Big Bad Company, there was a valid agreement made on the twenty first day of April in the year 2010. On this issue, the signature part is provided at the end of the terms and provisions’ script. This means that the executive should only sign to the contract after going through the entire script. On allocation of duties, Jonny Bee Good was hired as the president of the company expected to serve with much loyalty, faithfulness, and total devotion. However, the company had the right to modify or change the executive’s position and duties during the term of their agreement. On the issue of compensations, the company offered compensation with respect to its customary payroll practice. Two hundred and twenty five thousand dollars was the executives’ base salary by the Big Bad Cars Company. The salary was to be reviewed annually by the board in accordance to the company’s review polici es and practices. Incentive compensation programs would be in operation whereby the executive would be eligible to in participation. On the issue of termination of the contract, according to the contract, the agreement was supposed to operate in full force with no breakage until the two parties are associated in breaking it. The two parties could only terminate the contract upon agreement. The company could also terminate the agreement in absence of the executive but only upon a written notice, while the company would pay executive the compensation to which he would be entitled. The executive held the right to terminate the contract with or without a good reason but upon a written notice of ninety and thirty days respectively. Contract between the two parties was meant to last for a period of two years according to their agreement. In that case, a total or $450,000 would be entitled for Jonny Bee Good as his compensation after the contract. Centrally

Law specialism Incorporated - legal firms and internships Essay - 1

Law specialism Incorporated - legal firms and internships - Essay Example Statistic from the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development reveals that more than 20 percent of the employers have plans to hire interns between April and September 2010, this being an increase from the summer of 2009 where only 13 per cent of the employers in the market were willing to hire these interns. On the other hand, the government has supported internships through the Graduate Talent Pool initiative that was initiated in July 2009 that aims at providing additional opportunities to the graduates that have just concluded their studies and are struggling to find work in the recession period. Although there are employment regulations governing the conduct of the organizations that are willing to employ these interns, there are no requirements for the internships to be paid. An internship charter drawn up by the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development voluntarily has codes of practice details a list of six principles upon which an internship should be based to advance t he interests of the intern as well as the hosting organization. It proposes that the recruitment of the interns should be done the same way employees are recruited and proper consideration placed upon the qualifications and skills they have best fit in with the roles they are expected to fill in the firm as well as the advertisement of the internship indicating the length of the internship period. The intern should be indicted into the firm and given the necessary support to integrate them into the firm, offer supervision to the intern, answer questions and provide feedback to the necessary issues they feel need assessment. A formal performance review should be conducted formally by the firm on the intern’s period and give an evaluation of both the firm and the intern. The employees as well as the interns should be treated with the same degree of professionalism as expected in the working environment and be allowed time off occasionally to attend job interviews or complete st udy requirements that come with the completion of the internship period. At the end of the internship period, the firm should be willing to give a certification or a reference letter to the interns with details of the roles undertaken as well as the results of the performance review conducted to help such an intern in his future career development. The Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organizations at any one time has 5 interns and roughly 30 staff engaged in a wide variety of responsibilities relating to research, lobbying, campaigning and press work,  including  drafting correspondence, articles and press releases, preparing policy briefings, and managing their own policy projects, (Acevo Policy Internships, 2013 p. 1). Under The Minimum Wage Act 1998, a worker is someone who has a contract of employment either oral or written with a firm to perform certain duties, services or work for another party that has to be expresses or implied in the stipulated contract and he must be paid a minimum wage unless they are subjected to some special exemptions. Hence it is not an outright assumption that an intern is a worker due to some internship characteristics to do with work experience, voluntary work or work shadowing schemes. In the general traditional approach, internship periods last six to

Journal 10 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Journal 10 - Essay Example However, Berniece had her reasons for opposing this sale, as the piano is the only piece of heirloom, which they both inherited. Piano was close to her heart because her great grandparents engraved their history on it, they were traded for it and also their father died over it (74-75, Bogumil). She declines Willie’s idea to sell it because piano was a reminder of their ancestors and especially of their father. And selling it would mean they would be selling their identity and heritage; this time by them self. Wilson weaved death and suffering with the piano and the siblings inherited both. Piano reminded them of their loss and deficient identity, but also was the only heirloom (though painful) left of the family. Boy Willie and Berniece’s great grandparents (slaves) engraved their history on it, but since it was not their property (Sutter’s) they were traded over it. Their father died after taking it from Sutter’s residence and piano was the last thing Berniece could relate to. However, she never played on it since it used to make her sad and Willie wanted to sell this heritage because it existed on the life (sacrifice) of his family and has been a reminder of slavery. Wilson has depicted music worth dying for and this is evident in the play. I would like to hire Will Smith as Boy Willie and Halle Berry as Berniece because both actors can convincingly transform them self into the assigned characters and can do justice with their characters. If it’s a theatrical play I would like to transform the stage into 1930 era, when the transition (from slavery to a free nation) was taking place for African Americans. My characters will dress up according to the 1930’s dressing criteria and the Piano will be staged in the front corner so its existence can be noticed. From time to time, I would like the piano to be played by the good

Language, Acquisition, and Teaching Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Language, Acquisition, and Teaching - Essay Example This highlights the lively discourse pertinent to the process of language acquisition, specifically, when dealing with the issue of first language acquisition vis-a-vis second language acquisition. In this context, this research will delve on two significant issues, namely, â€Å"How far can the process of first language acquisition be taken as a model for the acquisition of a second language? What are the implications for the second language teachers?† For purposes of limitation and clarification, for this study the term â€Å"first language† pertains to the native language of a person, which has been acquired without undergoing formal learning processes to acquire the language, since it is the mother tongue of the person. It is the language the child learns from his/her parents, family, relatives, and from others (Yaz?c?, Ilter, and Glover, 2010). On the other hand, second language is another language acquired by the person, aside from her mother tongue. Second langua ge is a language learnt after the first language and it is often contrasted with ‘foreign’ in terms of function and location (Cook 2006; 2008). For example, a four-year-old Indonesian child who speaks Bahasa Indonesia at home, while the child’s family reside in Netherlands, and therefore she studies Dutch. As such, the child is acquiring SL. On the other hand, a four-year-old Indonesian child whose family resides in Indonesia, speaks Bahasa Indonesia, studies Bahasa Indonesia in school; is therefore developing FLA alone. This distinction serves as a guide in understanding these two terms as it is used in the entire research. The paper recognises the broadness of the offered connotations of first language and second language. Nonetheless, what is essential is that through the minimal distinction provided between the two concepts, a parameter is set, thus, enabling the possibility of distinction between FLA and SLA. In addition, the paper also defines language acqu isition as the subconscious process of developing language ability and that it is fostered in a non-threatening environment (Krashen, 1981). On the other hand, language learning is also a process of developing language ability, however, it occurs in academic setting and there is a conscious effort in knowing the syntax and semantics of a particular language (Krashen 1981). From this perspective, the paper asserts that aside from chronology and contrast with the term ‘foreign’, second language acquisition (SLA) is a process wherein the person as a student in an academic setting learns another language. It is a conscious endeavour to acquire a second language aside from one’s mother tongue. In this regard, the necessity of a shared framework between first language acquisition (FLA) and second language acquisition (SLA) becomes feasible as it offers the paradigm in which FLA becomes the initial framework in which sense and meaning of the second language is apprehend ed. In this regard, second language teachers are challenged to recognise not only the academic, language, and cognitive development of the learner, but they also have to learn to factor the socio-economic and cultural processes and other affective factors that influence the person as she goes though SLA.

A rite of passage Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

A rite of passage - Essay Example The Tibetans have Lamaism as their religion, which is an integration of the native Tibetan religion (Bon) and Mahayana Buddhism (Kapstein, p38). In a general perspective, the basic rite of passage for the Tibetans is the sticking of a tiny piece of Tibetan’s staple food (zamba) on the newborn’s forehead. This is perceived as the process of purification of the newborn. Additionally, when the baby is a month old, the parents are bound to paint the tip of its (baby’s) nose with soot as a sign of prevention from ghosts, whereas the relatives and parents of the baby going to the monastery to pray for protection from the Buddha. This is the general rite of passage of newborn babies, regardless of the gender. At a later age, that is, at the age of twelve, a Tibetan girl’s hair is combed into two braids. The braids are later advanced in to three, at the age of thirteen and/or fourteen, and five braids at the age of fifteen and/or sixteen (Kapstein, p67). However, the girl’s hair is combed into dozens of braids at the age of seventeen to signify the initiation into adulthood. In the Tibetan culture, changes in hair are used to mark the several rites of passage for the girl child (Kapstein, p67). According to research, hair changing ceremonies conducted for the Tibetan girls deliberate on the social status of the girls (Kapstein, p85). The hair changing ceremony for the Tibetan girls signifies that the girls are old enough to raise and cater for families, and hence they are ready to accept marriage proposals, and are ready to get married (Kapstein, p85). As a matter of fact, the Tibetan boys tend to court the girls after the hair changing ceremony, with intentions of sleeping with them and propose marriage. Research also indicates that hair dressers were strictly married women, who were carefully selected as per their beauty, perfect eyesight, and/or intact teeth

Propositions on Poker Machine Addiction Essay Example for Free

Propositions on Poker Machine Addiction Essay The American Gaming Association (AGA) is a group which represents its members who come from the commercial casino industry. Formed in 1995, the goal of the group is to create awareness and factual understanding of the casino world. The main purpose of the group is to educate the public and its stakeholders about casinos. In the process, it also benefits its members by giving support to them in terms of legislations that affect them and the industry, rules and regulations that they need to be familiar about, and several other assistance while operating their respective enterprises. The AGA also acted as a trusted source of information for media personnel and other industry partners. (About the AGA, 2003, n. p. ) As part of its advocacy, the AGA also highlights responsible gaming as an important element in enjoying casinos. It partners with schools and encourages its members and employees to create awareness on responsible gaming, and identifies the results of irresponsibility within casinos. The AGA started the orange wristband campaign under the â€Å"Keep It Fun† slogan, encouraging gamers to keep casino playing fun and never destructive. The wristband campaign continues to be part of the Responsible Gaming Education Week and Lecture Series, both hosted by the AGA. (Responsible Gaming, 2003, n. p. ) Propositions on Poker Machine Addiction The American Gaming Association submits this document to the Federal Government in response to the inquiry on propositions regarding the community effects of poker machines. Poker machines have been traditional entertainment tools. Since the creation of the first poker machine in the late 1800s, it has become widely identified with bars and liquor shops. (Poker machines history, n. d. , n. p. The availability of poker machines in public places has raised concerns that it might affect family structure. Coleman (1999, n. p. ) reports that in Australia efforts have been made to study the link between family issues and gambling. Poker machines have been pointed out to be the major culprit among all gambling devices. The same issues are present. Noting that poker machines are readily available to all and that getting addicted to it is not impossible, and with an existing statistics of gamblers whose family life has been put at stake because of their addiction to the game, an inquiry has been made on how the issue can be resolved. The first option for many would be to restrain the availability of poker machines. At the most, the machines can even be totally banned. While this is an efficient way to address the issue, there are many considerations that may affect this. Casinos around the world employ thousands of workers, and a deep cut in their revenues may mean an unforeseen increase in unemployment. Also, poker machines and other gambling entertainments remit big tax revenues. In New Orleans, for instance, video poker machines accounted over $200 million in taxes. With such a price tag at stake, it is difficult for the local governments to surrender into banning poker machines. (The Associated Press, 2008, n. p. ) Poker Machines and the World The issues besetting poker machines are not isolated. The same concerns happen all around the world. Actor Russell Crowe moved to ban poker machines in Australia though lost in the voting. (Poker machine ban effort a bust, 2008, n. p. ) The Australian senate, on the other hand, also created the Poker Harm Minimization Bill of 2008, which aims to restrict, limit, and monitor poker machine activities in the country. The dilemma crosses other continents. Poker machines are big hits across Asia too. Thus, poker machines are often blamed to many social problems. (Man vs. Machine, 2008, n. p. ) However, coinciding with this is the fact that poker machine players often have to deal with other problems, as a study of 43,000 Americans have found. It is therefore concluded that making the game unavailable to gamblers with interrelated problems will not solve their addiction. The same is true with thousand of other gamblers around the world. (Man vs. Machine, 2008, n. p. ) Gambling and the Family Considering that a big percentage of 43,000 poker-machine playing Americans who underwent the study have other behavioral problems while addicted to the game, it cannot be disclosed that the family problems are caused by playing poker machines. There is the possibility that poker is their way of escaping from the other stresses in their lives. It can also be said that poker is their way of solving their problem—a player whose family is undergoing financial turmoil may think that poker may give him the luck he has been waiting for to ease his family of financial burdens. (Man vs. Machine, 2008, n. p. ) However, it is acceptable to say that there are many players who have become addicted to the game, and at which point became disconnected with their families, begun failing to judge their finances properly, and miscalculated many personal and financial decisions for the sake of playing. The actual percentages of players who belong to these groups are difficult to tell. Yet, in crediting the existence of these two facets, it is easier to recognize the proper solutions to be carried out by the government. Individual choices Before any legislation, legislators must closely study the profile of poker machine players. In Australia, 62. % of casino players gamble in poker machines. This is a majority of all other casino games and gambling devices. Of these poker machine players, 98% play mainly in casinos and betting clubs. 85. 4% knows that playing the poker machine is a game of chance. Still, 73. 4% can play the machine for up to an hour. (Hing and Breen, 2002, 192) Here, the behavior of players can be seen. It also shows that the wide availability of poker machines elsewhere does little to affect the betting behavior of players, as majority plays mainly on betting clubs. It can be alarming, though, that gamers can sit and bet in the machine for up to an hour. Thus, this requires a close look. Gamers also have different reasons for playing. For the majority, playing the poker machine is purely to entertain themselves. It was a way to let time pass. A small percentage of the respondents (21. 4%) played for hopes to win. (Hing and Breen, 2002, 192) This dispels the second facet presented herein, where it has been theorized that some players play poker machines for money. It can be associated that because majority of the players see poker machines as a game of luck, there is no certainty of winning or gaining money with it. In a personal level, respondents who play poker machines have been found to be between 18 and 34 years old. They are singles in the sense that they have never married. Thus, they may have relationships. Majority of them do not have dependents. (Hing and Breen, 2002, 192) This questions the validity of the argument that poker machines break families. With a majority of players without families or living under circumstances of broken families already, it is notable to discuss that poker machines may not be causing the family problems to begin with. The other issues besetting the players should likely be causing the complications, and thus should be addressed as well. Proposed Implementations The Australian study is a comprehensive view of the profiles of poker machine gamers. However, it is difficult to pattern implementations in other counties with this single study. A rigorous study for each country or state is needed, for which solutions should be patterned. On the other hand, given that these findings are also true elsewhere, the AGA proposes the following strategies for implementation. With these, it is expected that the Federal Government will be able to find ways to decrease or eliminate the claimed probable causes of poker machines as destructive agents to families. Bet and Time limit Hills (n. d. , n. p. ) assert that a player can bet up to $2 per spin and play up to 200 spins per hour. Finding that majority of poker gamers can sit and bet for up to an hour, it is recommended that time restriction be implemented. A player can bet on a machine for up to the approved maximum time only. This ensures that the player will not be too absorbed in the game and will remain conscious about his betting behavior and betting practices. Coinciding with this, there should also be a limit on the bets that one can play in a specific set. If the maximum bet for the day has been reached, the player should stop even if the game is less than the maximum allowed. Support for Gaming Advocacies Currently, the American Gaming Association has education drives to combat gaming addiction. While the program has been successful in places where it has been introduced, the group needs the additional mileage that the Federal Government can provide. The support will also mean more people knowing about the campaign and educated about the ill effects of addictive gambling. It covers both prevention of gaming addiction and cure. Conclusion Many studies have associated gambling with breakage in family ties. With majority of gamblers playing poker machines, the device has become a point of contention. The local government, however, cannot decide on the proper move considering that a bog percentage of community revenues come from the machines. The Federal Government’s inquiry helped assess the situation. It paved the way to reconciling the benefits of poker machines in terms of the financial help that it is offering and the pre-meditated bad effects that it is highly addictive and that it affects families. A thorough study of gamers is necessary. From their profiles, proper actions can be made. Limits on betting and play can help, as well as support in the education drives such as that of the American Gaming Association. This way, the machines can continue helping the community while avoiding any destructive effect it may have with families.

Benefits Of Leadership Promotion Within Organizations Management Essay

Benefits Of Leadership Promotion Within Organizations Management Essay There have been numerous arguments as to whether business leadership should be promoted from within or outside the organization. This project was aimed to ascertain whether leadership promotion within organisation may benefit the overall performance of the organisation or if leadership promotion or recruitment from outside will help an organisation to do better, the case of Nestle Ghana Ltd. OPOKU BOAKYE table of contents 1 INTRODUCTION 4 1.1 BACKGROUND 4 1.2 RESEARCH MOTIVATION 4 1.3 Aims and Objectives of the Study 5 1.4 The research question 5 1.5 significance of the study 5 2 LITERATURE REVIEW AND CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK 6 2.1 INTRODUCTION 6 2.2 UNDERSTAND THE CONCEPT OF LEADERSHIP 6 2.3 THEORIES OF LEADERSHIP 7 2.3.1 PSYCHODYNAMIC THEORY OR LEADER-MEMBER EXCHANGE (LMX) THEORY 7 2.3.2 CONTINGENCY AND SITUATIONAL LEADERSHIP THEORY 7 2.3.3 NEW LEADERSHIP THEORY 8 2.4 ORGANISATIONAL CULTURE AND LEADERSHIP PROMOTION 9 2.5 LEADERSHIP PROMOTION IN ORGANISATION 10 2.5.1 LEADERSHIP PROMOTION WITHIN ORGANISATION 11 2.5.2 LEADERSHIP PROMOTION OUTSIDE ORGANISATION 11 2.6 LEADERSHIP PROMOTION IN SUPERMARKETS 12 2.7 SUMMARY 12 3 METHODOLOGY 13 3.1 METHODOLOGY OF THE RESEARCH 13 3.2 RESEARCH STRATEGY AND DESIGN 13 3.2.1 RESEARCH STRATEGY 15 3.2.2 RESEARCH DESIGN 15 3.3 SOURCE OF DATA 16 3.4 DATA ANALYSIS 16 3.5 ETHICAL CONSIDERATION 17 4 DATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION OF RESULTS 18 4.1 INTRODUCTION 18 4.2 BACKGROUND OF RESPONDENTS 18 4.3 RELEVANCE OF LEADERSHP IN ORGANISATION 19 4.4 LEADERSHIP AND ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOUR 20 4.5 LEADERSHIP PROMOTION IN ORGANISATIONAL 21 4.6 SUMMARY 22 5 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 23 5.1 CONCLUSION 23 5.2 RECOMMENDATIONS 23 5.3 LIMITATIONS 24 5.4 REFERENCES 25 Appendix A Questionnaire for Staff 28 appendix B: semi structured interview questions for staff 30 Chapter One Introduction 1.1 Background Leadership can be described as a dynamic process in a group, whereby one individual influences others to contribute voluntarily to the achievement of group tasks in a given situation (Gill, 2009). It has been observed that, in many organizations, leadership promotion is done outside the organizations. Some critics like Goldsmith et al (2003) have observed that lack of confidence on the part of some leaders; make some companies promote potential leaders from outside their organizations. However some critics have argued that leadership is the lifting of peoples vision to a higher sight, the raising of their performance to a higher standard, the building of their personality beyond its normal limitations (Goldsmith et al, 2003). By this, it could be vital for organisations to promote leadership from within. Leadership involves diagnosing situations, determining what needs to be done and marshalling collective efforts sufficient to achieve a desired future or avert significant problems. Therefore if individuals are promoted within an organisation, since they understand the organizational culture and know its structures, they can promote whatever vision or mission the organisation have to a certain height. Effective leadership entails the use of power and persuasion to define and determine the changing and ongoing problems within an organisation and, any other opportunities, while working to address solutions and actions needed to cope with the situation (Goldsmith et a l, 2003). 1.2 Research Motivation The motivation behind this investigation came up as a result of my observation in leadership promotions in many organizations that I have worked as a factory operative or part-time staff member. What was observed over the period is that, instead of organizations promoting their leadership from within the organisation, the promotion was made externally. In other words, each time there is leadership vacancy, the position is advertised and potential job seekers, who have leadership qualities being sort, apply and the recruitment is made from the applicants. Some critics have argued that, some of the leadership priorities are concerned with ensuring continuity, development, improvement, monitoring, and evaluation both for the work being done and for those involved in helping those objectives to be achieved. Therefore if leadership is promoted within an organisation, such continuity is not curtailed. If leadership is promoted from outside an organisation, it has a lot of serious consequences as pointed out by Mendenhall et al (2008). For instance, if staff members notice that there are potential members who possess the same qualification and employment experience as those recruited from outside, the recruited leaders work or efforts may be sabotaged, therefore opening the door of failure ajar. In some cases they may decide not to corporate or intentionally put up lackadaisical attitude to weaken his/her leadership. It is against this background that this investigation becomes very important for organisations such as Nestle Ghana Ltd, to understand the benefits that could derive from leadership promotion within it rather than getting potential leaders from outside the organisation. 1.3 Aims and Objectives of the Study Aims: The aim of the study is to ascertain some of the benefits that will be derived from leadership promotion within organisation rather than recruiting people from outside the organisation to lead the teams within the organisation. Objectives: To achieve the above aim, the study will be achieving the following objectives; To investigate the reasons behind why organisations need leadership instead of managers To assess why leadership promotion within organisation may benefit the overall performance of the organisation To analyse some of the difficulties involved in promoting leaders within an organisation rather than from outside the organisation Understand how organisations could enhance its performance through internal promotion of its leadership. 1.4 The research question The research is aimed at answering this research question; What are the benefits involved in promoting leadership from within an organisation, and what are some of the challenges associated with this approach? Answering the above questions will help in the achievement of the objectives; and through that, some recommendations will be suggested for the formulation of policies to address some of the leadership promotional challenges. 1.5 significance of the study This study will benefit all stakeholders in both large and small scale businesses as a result of effective recruitment decision making by organisations. Chapter Two Literature Review and Conceptual Framework 2.1 Introduction Chapter one talked about the introduction which gave a clear background of the study and how it has become very important for such an investigation to be carried out. In this chapter, the various themes that underpin the study will be reviewed in more detail. The concept of leadership and leadership theories will be made very explicit. Organisational culture and leadership promotion will also be examined in more detail. The chapter will end by looking at the relevance of leadership promotion from within or outside organisations. 2.2 Understanding the concept of leadership Leadership can be described as dynamic processes in a group whereby one individual will influence the others to enable them make voluntary contribution to the achievement of a group or organizational tasks in a given situation (Mendenhall, et al, 2008). Leadership involves diagnosing situations, determining what needs to be done and marshalling collective efforts sufficient to achieve a desired future or avert significant problems. It entails the use of power and persuasion to define and determine the changing nature of an organization and solving its problems, as well as making use of all opportunities, finding solutions to its problems and taking actions where necessary and helping it to cope with any given situation (Goldsmith, et al (2003). Leaders are supposed to set their organizational vision knowing where the organization is and where it is suppose to go. They also set the longer term vision for the organization. A leader in an organization is also a member of that organization, company, institution, etc whose purpose, vision, and values are for the benefit of the entire organization and its stakeholders, and those values and vision are shared by the entire organization. He or she is supposed to see his/her members as not just followers, but also as stakeholders striving to achieve that same purpose, vision, and values. The leader mobilises, motivates, inspires or encourages others. He/she must be exemplary in his or her dealings. Leaders must be able to motivate, inspire and energize their members (Gill, 2009; Fulop et al, 2004). To ensure that teams voluntarily follow and resources are attracted to the cause, ideas must be translated into simple, direct and positive statement of what the leader is going to do, how and why this is to be achieved and the benefits that it will bring to others (Mendenhall, et al, 2008). Leadership therefore become the most influential aspect of an organization; so a good leader is suppose to ensure that success of his or her organization is paramount and achievable, even within turbulent times. 2.3 Theories of leadership Theories of leadership have been used to explain the characteristics of those whom we expect them to be leading or are seen leading their organizations. There are many leadership theories, but most leadership theories explain how the style of leadership help shapes organizational culture. According to Gill (2009), there are so many types of theories of leadership. He stated psychodynamic theory or leader-member exchange theory, contingency and situational leadership theory and the new leadership approach which comprises of visionary theory as some of the theories that this study will be looking at. 2.3.1 Psychodynamic theory or leader-member exchange (LMX) theory Psychodynamic theory, or leader-member exchange theory as some writers explained, looks at the effectiveness of leaders as a function of the psychodynamic exchange that occurs between the leadership and the group members following the leader (Gill, 2009). Leaders are supposed to provide direction and guidance for the organization or the members through their influence given to them by members or management or the organisation. In some cases it is the board members who give the powers to those who are supposed to lead the organization, but the leaders will be influencing certain decisions depending on their power of influence. The LMX approach defines the effectiveness of the leaders and as a function of the psychodynamic exchange that is occurring between the leaders and group members that is, the followers or sub-ordinates. The leaders provide direction and guidance for the organization through influence permitted to them by members. Exchange theories focus on the characteristics of the leader, their individual followers and how they relate with their followers. In contrast to leadership-style theories, LMX theorists argue that leaders-member relations are sufficiently variable and it is suppose to warrant on each pair of leaders and their members in a separate dimensions; and that the members may differ markedly based on their descriptions and how they perceive the leader (Dansereau et al., 1975; Graen, 1976; Graen et al., 1977). The essence of psychodynamic theory is the understanding of oneself and others and in terms of results and performance of the organization; and the transactional nature of the style of the leader and the leader-follower relationship (Stech, 2004). 2.3.2 Contingency and situational leadership theory Contingency and situational leadership theories suggest that there is no one best style of leadership (Graen, 1976; Graen et al., 1977). They explained that successful and enduring leaders use different styles according to the nature of the organization they lead, the situation at stake and the followers. A condition or situation may compel a leader to change his/her behavior, while some of the situations political, social or economic may compel some leaders to their style, sometimes making them become authoritarian leaders, due to certain circumstance. Graen et al. (1977) noted that contingency theories suggest that there is no one best style of leadership. Nevertheless, successful and enduring leaders use different styles according to the nature of the organizational culture, the situation they may be handling and the followers. Such leaders know how to adopt a different style for a new situation, regardless of how effective any one particular style has been in the past. The effectiveness of a particular style of leadership depends on the relationship between the characteristics of the leader, the followers and the situation as suggested by Graen (1976) and Graen et al (1977). Bass et al, (1975) found that specific leadership styles are associated with different ways in which organization operates, the task at stake, personal and interpersonal characteristics or relationship. Hodgson and White (2001) argued that effective leadership is by finding the best fit between good behaviour, context and need. Contingent and situational theorists therefore argue that, there is not acceptable form of leadership, rather, the situation will justify what type of leadership is appropriate and must be applied. This means those in leadership position must be able to change their leadership style based on the situation. 2.3.3 New leadership Theory The new leadership theory comprises of visionary, charismatic and transformational leadership theories. Transformational leadership occurs when leaders raise peoples motivation to act and create a sense of higher purpose as explained by Graen (1976). He further noted that it is distinguished from transactional leadership, because it involves an exchange between the leader and the followers with an emphasis on correction mistakes from requirements and providing a material or extrinsic reward systems in return for compliance with the leaders orders or wishes. The new theories also place emphasis on strategic leadership and pragmatic leadership styles. Burns (1978) explained that vision, charisma and transformation are some of the keywords for the New Leadership theory. The concept of transformational leadership arose from a study undertaken to understand rebel leadership and revolution form of leadership that occurred in the early 1970s (Downton, 1973). However, others also argued that it was James MacGregor Burns who was seen as a political, historian and biographer, who in a seminal book published in 1978 first described transformational leadership and blended it with transactional leadership style (Burns, 1978). Transforming or transformational leadership as he explained them occur when both the leader and followers raise each others motivations to a sense of higher purpose. Transactional leadership on the other hand is a form of transaction or exchanges that occur between a leader and followers, such that it provides material or psychological reward systems in return for followers compliance with the hope of accomplishing their wishes. According to Sashkin visionary leadership, concerns itself with transforming an organizational culture such that it falls in line with the leaders vision it has for the organizations future (Sashkin,1988). Sashkin and Rosenbach have also suggested that there are three personal attributes that guide the leaders behavioral approaches. They include self-efficacy, power orientation and cognitive capability (Sashkin and Rosenbach, 1998). Cognitive capability therefore concerns itself with understanding complex that is cause-and-effective chains to be able to take action at the right time to achieve organizational desired outcomes (Streufert and Swezey, 1986). Very good leaders are often perceived as charismatic or born leaders, because of how they are connected with their followers. They inspire them and encourage them to follow their cause. Charismatic leadership may be found at most levels within the organization, though they are frequently found at top most part of the organization (Bass, 1992; Sashkin, 1992). They further noted that it is associated with greater trust that members or the followers will have in the leaders and achievement that have been noticed among followers. The charismatic leader weaves a spell outside that of the organization; and may attract shareholders, customers and investment in troubled times, as argued by Flynn and Staw (2004) the French researcher. Waldman et al. (2001), however, in a study of senior managers in Fortune 500 companies in the United States, also noted that charismatic leadership is associated with net profit margin registered with some organisations, but only under conditions of environmenta l uncertainty. Charismatic leadership appears to be dysfunctional in predictable conditions, perhaps because it may generate unnecessary change. 2.4 Organizational culture and leadership promotion Culture has been described in many ways, and it has become very difficult to find a consensus or a common and clear definition. Some critics have argued that culture describes what an organization is about or how organization conducts itself (Smircich and Cala, 1987). Leigh and Maynard (2000) see culture as a heady combination of organisations vision, its values, tradition, ethos and its self-image. While the Work Systems Associates (1996) also describe culture as the lifestyle of the organization; its main core values, its hidden assumptions or beliefs, systems, policies, programmes and procedures, and the way it conduct its business everyday and its relations with stakeholders. Linstead (2004:107) has argued that, leaders can exert a powerful influence on the culture of their organization, especially if they are the founder, for that matter can play a very significant role in promoting those expected to be leaders or to lead it. Understanding the organization culture and how leaders influence promotion of leaders within it become very significant for the organization. While some of the organizations have a culture of promoting leaders from within it, others prefer getting leaders from outside. The later is preferred because some schools of thought argue that, if leaders are promoted within an organization there is little respect for those who will be promoted, while exercising their authority also become difficult because of familiarity with members. The ability to perceive the limitations of ones own culture and to develop the culture adaptively is the essence and ultimate challenge of leadership. The most important message for leaders at this point is how they have to understand the organizational culture, give what is due, and ask how well the culture could be understood which the leadership is embedded (Schein, 1992). The need for leaders to create and manage organizational culture is consistent with the increasingly becoming accepted part of organizational-wide leadership concept or become an expert of distributed leadership style (Ashkanasy et al., 2000). With regards to leadership style, and how culture may influence its promotion, significant, indirect pervasive effects on organizational performance could also be very significant (Gill, 2009. Linstead (2004) has explained that, since leaders can shape the culture of their organization more especially if they are the founder, promoting leaders could be very easy, because they have direct influence on the culture of the organization. The culture of an organization and how leaders are promoted therefore could be very significant because every organization has a way of conducting itself and how it may decide to promote its leaders. Ogbonna and Harriss overall conclusion was that organizational culture mediates the relationship between leadership style and organizational performance and in effect has a positive role to play in promoting leaders (Gill, 2009). 2.5 Leadership promotion in organization Leadership promotion takes place, of course, mostly on the job and in many organisations. In fact most of what we know about leadership and leadership promotion and how it can be done is learned through experience in real life rather than in the classroom. Formal training in general, and leadership development programmes in particular, aim to enhance organizational development and performance through a well managed organization. Leadership promotion could serve as a learning process for those who may have the potential and skills to become future leaders. Examples of leadership promotion in an organization could be to rotate job responsibilities, taking on the leadership of special projects or assignments, deputizing others of for the bosses and leading in a cross-functional team (Economist, 2001d). The value of real experience is well demonstrated by the way in which some of the top consulting firms have become a rich source of CEOs, through leadership promotion. It is almost as if the experience and ideal leadership program exist within such organizations, because of how the leadership promotion is well nurtured to develop future leaders (Linstead, 2004). Leadership promotion becomes very important for organization to effectively manage its affairs. Most organizations prefer to promote staff onto higher position within their organizations, while others promote from outside the organization. However, even though some organizations may prefer promoting from within others also prefer to do their promotion from outside the organization even if there are skillful individuals to serve as leaders within it. 2.5.1 Leadership promoting within organization Leadership promotion within organization means instead of getting people from outside an organization to occupy leadership positions, organization promote its own staff that it considers to be very effective or have the leadership potential or skills that are needed and get promoted. One may argue that such a move is very good and that, since members in a company are used to the way things operate and understand the system very well, promoting such individuals is a form of continuous process. That is since employees know the system already, if they are promoted internally, they are familiar with the situation so they will know what to do from day one. It might be a change of position, but continue doing what they already have an idea of how it is done. Linstead (2004) has argued that, when a company is small, and the leaders are easily seen, the influence they can have in the development of the company can easily be seen, than if it were to be a multinational company. Promoting leaders from within a small company although could be bringing some benefits as explained by Linstead; familiarity which will bring contempt could also affect the leaders performance and his or her ability to exercise his or her full authority and powers as a leader. While some critics also argue that, promoting from within is the best way because most members that are promoted from within an organization are familiar with the job, the culture and structure of the organization. This will serve as a good foundation for those promoted to be leaders from within to have a basis to begin their leadership assignment. 2.5.2 Leadership promotion outside organization Promoting leaders to higher positions is another way that many organizations or institutions have to adopt as a means of motivating their employees. It is not just to promote them because they have to be motivated in one form or the other, but when staff gets promoted within their organization, they feel motivated to work very hard. Like promotion within an organization, other critiques also argue that, promoting within an organization is very bad and support promotion from outside an organization. They are that, since individuals become stagnant and too familiar with colleague when they have worked in the same place for long, making become seniors in the same workplace may not enhance respect being given to them by other members. 2.6 Leadership promotion in supermarkets Leadership promotion is very crucial in every organisation. It is not only supermarkets that need to promote leaders in their organisation, although leadership promotion is very vital for organisations to remain competitive and improve. Supermarket like any other organisation also must improve or develop its leaders so as to make the organisation move forward. Every organisation should have those who can set its vision and communicate the vision to the members to enable them support it. 2.7 Summary It can be said that effective leadership place a central role in the success of every organisation, regardless of the size, form or structure. Leadership therefore needs to be effectively promoted such that all stakeholders will feel part of the organization and therefore promotes its standings within todays market. Chapter Three Methodology 3.1 Methodology of the Research There are three main methodologies, which can be used to undertake research in the real world; they are quantitative, qualitative and mixed methodologies (Kumar, 1996; Robson, 2003). The study will adopt both qualitative and quantitative methodologies to ascertain the relevance of managing across cultures and the techniques managers need do so effectively, which according to critics like Flick (2002) and Kent (1999) will give the researcher to gather good data. To do so successfully, employees from selected organisations will be interviewed alongside managers and chief executive officers to seek their views about the topic under investigation. The interviews will be conducted on a one-on-one basis for both ordinary workers and some individuals in management positions. Some employees will also be made to answer questionnaires to triangulate the interview data Forms methods such as observation participants or non-participants will not be suitable for the data gathering. According to Kent (1999) looking at non-participant observation method for instance, although it may be suitable for the research, position of the researcher and his/her inability to probe whatever may transpire makes it difficult for adequate information to be obtained from the respondents. Besides, clarification cannot be done during data collection. Respondents may also exaggerate their activities if it becomes obvious that the researcher is amongst them gathering data. While others may also decide to withhold information, that will enhance the degree of biases that may affect validity of the data. These reasons have made it very important to adopt both questionnaire and interview and will neglect the other methods. 3.2 Research Strategy and Design Nestle Ghana Ltd Nestlà © started in the 1860s by Henri Nestlà ©, a pharmacist, whose initial aim was to develop food for babies who were unable to breast feed. A study by the Institute of IDE-JETRO (Institute of Developing Economies, Japan External Trade Organisation), Nestlà © is not only one of Switzerlands largest industrial company, but also, currently, one of the worlds largest food companies. They products include Perrier, Nescafe, mineral water, pet food. It is also fast increasing its share of the ice cream market.   The study continued that Nestlà © Ghana Limited is one of the divested businesses by Nestlà © whose origination dated back in 1957 under the trading name of Nestlà © Products (Gh) Limited with the importation of Nestlà © products such as milk and chocolates. It was incorporated as Food Specialties (GH) Limited to manufacture and market locally well known Nestlà © brands in 1968, however, in 1987, it became Nestle Ghana Limited. Services and Products Nestlà © Ghana Limited has numerous well-known brands including; IDEAL Full Cream Evaporated Milk, CARNATION Filled Milk, Carnation Tea Creamer, MILO, CEREVITA Porridges, CERELAC Maize/Milk and CERELAC Wheat/Milk. Nestlà © Ghana also imports and distributes brands such as: NIDO Milk Powder, LACTOGEN Infant Formula, NAN Infant Formula and NESCAFE Soluble Coffee among others. Number of Employees Nestle Ghana Limited employs 1,000 people. Financial Information Nestle Ghana Limiteds turnover in 2008 was US$173,491 and net profits US$18,499. Market Share Nestlà © Ghana limited is ranked 437 in the Top 500 Companies in Africa 2009 and as one of the top ten companies in Ghana for 2009 (6th position overall and it is the only company in the food industry category on the list of top 10). Business Objective Though Nestlà ©s business objective is to manufacture and market the Companys products in such a way as to create value that can be sustained over the long term for stakeholders, however, Nestle Ghana Limiteds aim to be the number one company not only in business terms and the highest profit making business but also the best employer, the most socially responsible citizen and ethically sound company. Ownership of Business Nestle Ghana Ltd owns 76% of the business with 24% belonging to the Ghana Government.   Benefits Offered and Relations with Government The numerous business and social activities undertaken by Nestlà © Ghana Ltd is hailed as a direct contribution to the Ghanaian economy. Aside aiming at maximising profit, they also undertake series is of activities which promote the growth of Ghanas workforce. For example, Nestle Ghana Ltd promotes medical students in health sciences, supports child education and social events as well as sports. These achievements have earned them a place by the Ghana Government who qualifies the company as a responsible citizen. Source: Jetro, I. ().  AGE (African Growing Enterprises) File.  Available: http://www.ide.go.jp/English/Data/Africa_file/Company/ghana04.html#anchor1. Last accessed 11th Oct 2012. 3.2.1 Research Strategy The use of Nestle Ghana as the only company being used for the study justifies the case study approach being adopted. As it has been argued by May (2001), the exploratory study helped to develop understanding and analysis of the issue under investigation. However, according to Gray (2004) research in real world could be carried following the qualitative, quantitative or a combination of two research methodologies. Robson (2003) and May (2001) explained that, the choice of methodology depended on the research question that were answered, the nature of organisation and also the respondents who were involved in the study. The study utilized the survey questionnaires to generate data from employees of Nestle Company and their understanding of how BSC could be applied in the organisation to enable it measure its performance. In the process of finalizing the questionnaire survey, informal discussions with those knowledgeable about BSC or measurement of organisational performance was carrie d out. The survey instrument used for this research was a carefully designed. 3.2.2 Research Design The data collection tools were designed in a way that could make it possible for the research objectives to be achieved. One of the ma

Applying Gis To Coastal Erosion And Hazards Environmental Sciences Essay

Applying Gis To Coastal Erosion And Hazards Environmental Sciences Essay The coast is the area where marine and terrestrial processes meet and interact. Limits of their respective actions are not well known, as processes which are characteristic of each of these environments are interrelated. This particular characteristic makes the coastal zone highly complex and vulnerable to human actions, which in many cases, cause permanent damage to the natural environment. Coastal Erosion has turned out to be one of the most crucial socio-economic and environmental problems facing authorities in charge of coastal hazard management. Irrespective of the major causes of this hazard, which could be human or anthropogenic, it has caused economic losses, social problems and ecological damage. The problem of coastal erosion can extend hundreds of kilometres along the shore line or it might be localized to small areas affecting surrounding communities or the tourism industry. Coastal Erosion has been defined as a natural process by which coastlines adjust to different sea levels, energy levels, sediment supply and existing topography. It poses a problem when it threatens to destroy human life and property. In identifying the problems of erosion, human value judgements come in as erosion does have many societal and natural benefits. Coastal Erosion is usually judged as problematic wherever the rate of erosion, considered in conjunction with economic, recreational, agricultural, demographic, ecological and other relevant factors, indicates that action to remedy erosion hazard may be justified and required. The coast is used for several purposes and based on this fact, it is important to devise ways of attaining compatibility among these various uses while at the same time attempting to preserve the natural environment. Faced with the threat of climate change and possible sea level rises, it is necessary to put in place elaborate coastal management scenarios that will consider all elements for planning and sustainable development. Many recent studies done on Coastal Erosion have approached the problem within an integrated framework. This integrated approach takes into consideration the need for deep knowledge of the physical environment and the relationships between processes of involved elements and acceptable coastal management plans. These physical factors are also conditioned by legal, environmental and social factors (Barragan, 2003). The frequency of occurrence of coastal erosion is expected to rise and has become an issue of great concern to scientists and authorities in charge. Broad scale modelling of coastal morphology has been a major challenge for scientists and authorities alike. Several studies have been carried out in order to address this issue and its determinants (Townsend and Burgess, 2004; Burgess et all, 2002). More detailed analyses of risks and responses in coastal hazard management are affected by little knowledge of the magnitude and location of erosion hazard zones for different shoreline changes and management situations. GIS AND COASTAL HAZARD MANAGEMENT The coast is unique because of several marine and terrestrial processes that occur there. As result of this, there is need for integration of data relating to different aspects and factors of the coastal environment in policy development and planning. GIS provides the right platform for data collection, analyses, and storage and information dissemination. It has the ability to display spatial and temporal evolution of processes and factors that control them in order to analyse them better and evaluate their impact on the coastal environment (Hamada, 2004). It also able to identify spatial connections between different data layers leading to the development of models for geomorphologic evolution and coastal change prediction. Several studies using GIS applications and methodologies in coastal hazard management have been carried out in several parts of the world. These studies have lead to the development of GIS applications or models and a few of these include: BALTICSEAWEB (Latinen and Neuvonen, 2001) Oceanic Bigeographic Information Systems (OBIS) (Zhang and Grassel, 2002). Coastal Erosion and Shoreline Development Regulation (Miller et all, 2003). SCAPEGIS (Walkden and Hall, 2005). Dune Hazard Assessment Tool (NOAA Coastal Services Centre, 2003) These applications have been developed for specific coastal areas as each area requires its own peculiar management strategies and therefore its own GIS application for planning and policy development. Recent studies in this area have advocated an integrated approach (ICZM) which promotes sustainable development of coastal areas by blending the use of natural resources in ways that limit damage to the environment. In using this approach GIS is useful as it aids data integration, storage, analyses and visualisation. GIS AS A TOOL FOR COASTAL HAZARD MANAGEMENT For the application of GIS to coastal hazard management to be carried out, there is need for data required for the different task to be available and accessible. The data requirements for this include slope, lithology, vegetation, drainage, structural conditions, coastal erosion and human action etc. In the coastal environment GIS is being increasingly used as a tool for collection, integration of required information and storage in a database with a view to accessing data, generating thematic maps and performing spatial and geo statistical analyses (Latinen and Neuvonen, 2001). During the process, relevant information is sourced and collected, compiled into a geo database, converted into relevant units and introduced into the GIS platform. This is useful in the integration and analysis of parameters used in coastal vulnerability assessments resulting in coastal risk maps (Doukakis, 2005). This is advantageous because it provides a flexible system. Data can be accessed and used through the database model system. It also allows data automation, visualisation, editing, mapping, spatial analyses, geo statistical analyses etc. The flexibility and versatility allows GIS to be used in many planning tasks in different situations for example in the area of maps, aerial photographs, statistics, tables and graphs that give details of the environmental conditions and their spatial distributions can be displayed. Fig 1. An example of a cartographic information prepared using GIS for coastal Management. Maps, aerial photos, tables and graphs that show spatial distribution of environmental conditions are displayed for visualisation. (Rodriguez et all, 2009) APPLICATION OF GIS TO COASTAL EROSION ESTIMATION GIS has been useful in studies of prediction and estimation of coastal erosion. The datasets required for this include topographic data, bathymetric data, recession rate data, historical maps and time series data as they describe the vulnerable state of the coastal environment and coastal erosion. Some of the applications of GIS include: GIS allows comparison between cartographic or map information that has been geo-referenced and this is very important for coastal change analyses. GIS allows collection of data showing temporal trends of shoreline positions for different dates. Such data can be derived from sources like satellite imageries, aerial photographs and cartography digitization. GIS allows integration of data from all these sources. GIS allows shoreline positions corresponding to different year to be overlaid with a view to aiding the identification of areas that have experienced movements or changes. GIS aids the calculation of erosion and accretion rates. It does this by calculating line lengths and perimeter of polygons. GIS allows detailed analyses of evolutionary trends. It aids the definition of the system and prediction of likely occurrence allowing change anticipation and hazard preparedness. GIS is advantageous because new data can be integrated and constant and dynamic follow up of coastal processes can be carried out. This allows continued development of models that can be useful in studying other aspects of the coastal environment (Sanchez et all, 2005). GIS has also been used in dune evolution studies and it has been highly useful in the area the data requirements are wind transport data, swell, sediments, wind speed, topography, soil humidity, bathymetry etc are required. These datasets are needed for the determination of dune field evolution and aeolian transport rates. This in turn enables the characterisation of the sedimentology, geomorphology and meteorology of coastal zones. Some other studies have made use of GIS as a tool for analyses and interpretation of coastal erosion model outputs. Making use of GIS to visualise predictions of coastal erosion provides a vital means of understanding coastal changes and their impacts locally and regionally (Brown et all, 2004). The intended target audience here are policymakers and planners interested in visualising erosion predictions and to carry out analyses of their implications so that proper mitigation measures can be set up by integrating other data sets for impact estimation and decision support. This basically involves the use models developed specifically for coastal erosion and one of such has been (SCAPEGIS) which is a process based model that determines the reshaping and retreat of shore profiles along the coast (Walkden and Hall, 2005; Dickson et all, 2005).It was developed from soft cliff and platform erosion model. These models provide the input for SCAPEGIS. It has been used in integrated assessments of coastal erosion and flood risk for strategic planning of responses to flood and erosion hazards. The SCAPE model was run for different climatic and management scenarios and the results were integrated into SCAPEGIS with other auxiliary data for detailed visualisation and impact analyses. The advantage of this GIS platform is that it allows importation of other erosion models developed with similar data output format. Fig. 2. The Impacts Estimation dialog of SCAPEGIS. Source: (Koukalas et all, 2005) Fig 3. An example of an Erosion Risk Map showing recession lines under certain climatic scenarios and management. The land after the yellow line towards the sea is assumed lost while the land between the yellow and blue lines is at risk. (Koukalas et al, 2005) The constant rise in the degradation of coastal environments has led to the need to develop techniques of balancing the protection of people and the economy against the cost of coastal hazards. As a result of this, a multidisciplinary approach to coastal management has been proposed (Nicholls et all, 2007). Coastal environments have become more vulnerable to the effects of climate change and rising sea levels. They also have high social, economic and biological value. In order put all this factors into consideration, the Integrated Coastal Zone Management Framework was proposed with a view to integrating all this factors while at the same time preserving the natural environment. Methodologies for the application of GIS within this framework have been developed by several institutions like UNESCO, European Union and several working groups (Olsen et all, 2003; IPCC, 2007) to mention a few. Within this framework, GIS is useful because of its ability to collect, integrate and analyse the different data requirements within an integrated framework. It has been used for coastal dune system research projects and shoreline evolution studies (Hernandez et all 2007; Ojeda et all, 2005). GIS aids the integration of required data like dune perimeter, shore line position so that spatial analyses of these data layers can be carried out and some of its application in this regard include: GIS aids integration, organisation and structuring of required data sets. GIS aids the development f Digital Elevation Models needed for the estimation of dune volume, volumetric evolution and dune migration. GIS allows for determination of dune morphology, dune slope and orientation. GIS allows for creation of possible dune predictions depending on sea level rise and waves. 3D GIS has proved to be very useful for this task (Sanchez et all, 2005) The advantage offered by SCAPEGIS tools is made evident in the analyses of coastal erosion model results. It has been proposed that these models be linked with other models of environmental studies like land use models for better appreciation of coastal hazard management (Hall et all, 2005). CONCLUSION In coastal erosion and hazard management, modelling spatial and temporal dimensions of dynamics of the coastal environment have proven to be some of the most challenging tasks in marine and costal GIS. The shift from the regular line and polygon data structure to digital shoreline is as a result of the need to develop technology for shoreline change detection and spatial modelling. GIS is being increasingly used in the development of policy and planning in coastal erosion and hazard management. This is due to the fact that in management policy implementation there is need for a tool able to store, analyse and display spatial and temporal data. GIS provides an appropriate platform for this. It provides a suitable instrument for integration of territorial data, makes variable analyses easier, allows for future scene simulations and allows potentially hazardous area to be identified. GIS is also use for evolutionary trend analyses and system characterisation which are important in the management of the coastal environment. However, models used are not always accurate as there are errors and uncertainties and as such these uncertainties should be systematically looked into when the results are being analysed for planning and policy development. There is also the problem data availability and accessibility. Data required may not always be available or accessible. In the developed world, access to such data is more reliable and available. In other parts of the world, required data can be unavailable and where they are, may be inaccurate.

The Hon. Dr :: essays research papers

Among the gay press's responses to my 1993 book A Place at the Table was the charge by some critics that I'm "sex-negative." Frank Browning griped that I want to "to have everyone put on 30 pounds, buy a Brooks Brothers suit, and wander off on the golf links, becoming [an] upper-class version of Ozzie and Harry. Those who don't want to take risks should join Mr. Bawer on the golf course. Those who want to feel alive will benefit from the exploration of our bodies and what our bodies can grant." Golf? Ozzie and Harry? Brooks Brothers? What, I wondered, does any of this have to do with what I've written? I've never been on a golf course. Or worn a Brooks Brothers suit. And when did I join the upper class? Of course I want gay people to enjoy what their bodies can grant. I also want them to have equal rights under the law, the love and respect of their friends and families, and a meaningful life beyond their orgasms. I want gay kids to grow up knowing that, as wonderful as sex can be, gay identity amounts to more than belonging to a "culture of desire." Browning and others mocked me for being "serious." Well, isn't discovering oneself as a gay individual in this society a serious challenge? Isn't gay rights a serious issue? Being serious about gay rights in public discourse doesn't preclude being able to have fun in one's personal life. Yet if some right-wing critics can't write about homosexuality without smirking, some gay writers seem unable to address the subject without prattling frivolously about their own sex lives and longings. Which is a shame, because it's vitally important for us to recognize that at the heart of homophobia lies an inability to see that gays can love each other as deeply and as seriously as straights can. Explaining why he'd refused to print my review of the film Longtime Companion, an American Spectator editor told a New York Observer reporter, "Bawer was striking a total equivalence between a heterosexual couple in love and a homosexual couple in love. To me, that wasn't convincing." That editor isn't alone in rejecting the idea of the moral equivalence of gays and straights. It's not only heterosexuals who draw these sex-related distinctions. "The defining thing about being gay," a gay man tells Susan Bergman in her new memoir, Anonymity, "is that you like to have sex a lot.

The Subject of War in Poetry from Different Time Periods Essay

The Subject of War in Poetry from Different Time Periods Dulce e Decorum est by Wilfred Owen, Suicide In the Trenches by Siegfried Sassoon and The Charge of the Light Brigade by Alfred Tennyson. From studying the selection of texts (Poetry and Prose) what have you learnt about the different way writers from different periods deal with the subject of war. The three poems that I have chosen to talk about are â€Å"Dulce e Decorum est† by Wilfred Owen, â€Å"Suicide In the Trenches† by Siegfried Sassoon and â€Å"The Charge of the Light Brigade† by Alfred Tennyson. I will look at the three poems different opinions on war and how they compare and contrast from each other. I will also take into account the way the poets background may of affected there views. The poets come from a close time period but with different views â€Å" Suicide In The Trenches† and Dulce e Decorum est† are from the World War One era and â€Å"The Charge of The Light Brigade† form the Crimean War.. Alfred Tennyson, Siegfried Sassoon and Wilfred Owen all come from different backgrounds which alters the way they write, and the way they put there opinions across. Tennyson was a rich, public school student, proud of Britain’s conquests around the world but never fought himself, so had no first person experience of fighting. Owen contrasts to this as he didn’t have a lot of riches and was no more then a common soldier. Sassoon was an army officer but still was quit rich and never got the full taste of trench warfare during World War One. This shows straight away that the three writers were all brought up with different views and backgrounds which would definitely affect the way they write. The way that Tennyson writes, is the way a man who has never ... ... The Crimean War didn’t change history, but still Britain suffered a terrible loss of men. Tennyson and the rest of Britain was not used to this, so Tennyson wrote about the subject of war in a very positive way. Owen and Sassoon experienced the great war and saw the terrible losses first hand. They instead of showing how Britain was doing well, they wrote about how people were dying innocently. In the period Owen and Sassoon were writing in, Britain faced an uncertain future and Owens and Sassoon’s poem complement this aspect of life. They both try to get across the truth and reality in there poems. The World War One period made writers like Sassoon and Owen write in this style. Unlike Tennyson they put across all the negative aspects and stuck close to the point. Although Britain won World War One writers from this period wrote in a negative manner. The Subject of War in Poetry from Different Time Periods Essay The Subject of War in Poetry from Different Time Periods Dulce e Decorum est by Wilfred Owen, Suicide In the Trenches by Siegfried Sassoon and The Charge of the Light Brigade by Alfred Tennyson. From studying the selection of texts (Poetry and Prose) what have you learnt about the different way writers from different periods deal with the subject of war. The three poems that I have chosen to talk about are â€Å"Dulce e Decorum est† by Wilfred Owen, â€Å"Suicide In the Trenches† by Siegfried Sassoon and â€Å"The Charge of the Light Brigade† by Alfred Tennyson. I will look at the three poems different opinions on war and how they compare and contrast from each other. I will also take into account the way the poets background may of affected there views. The poets come from a close time period but with different views â€Å" Suicide In The Trenches† and Dulce e Decorum est† are from the World War One era and â€Å"The Charge of The Light Brigade† form the Crimean War.. Alfred Tennyson, Siegfried Sassoon and Wilfred Owen all come from different backgrounds which alters the way they write, and the way they put there opinions across. Tennyson was a rich, public school student, proud of Britain’s conquests around the world but never fought himself, so had no first person experience of fighting. Owen contrasts to this as he didn’t have a lot of riches and was no more then a common soldier. Sassoon was an army officer but still was quit rich and never got the full taste of trench warfare during World War One. This shows straight away that the three writers were all brought up with different views and backgrounds which would definitely affect the way they write. The way that Tennyson writes, is the way a man who has never ... ... The Crimean War didn’t change history, but still Britain suffered a terrible loss of men. Tennyson and the rest of Britain was not used to this, so Tennyson wrote about the subject of war in a very positive way. Owen and Sassoon experienced the great war and saw the terrible losses first hand. They instead of showing how Britain was doing well, they wrote about how people were dying innocently. In the period Owen and Sassoon were writing in, Britain faced an uncertain future and Owens and Sassoon’s poem complement this aspect of life. They both try to get across the truth and reality in there poems. The World War One period made writers like Sassoon and Owen write in this style. Unlike Tennyson they put across all the negative aspects and stuck close to the point. Although Britain won World War One writers from this period wrote in a negative manner.