Trotsky s Assessment Of The Continuity Between Stalinism...

Trotsky’s assessment of the continuity between Stalinism and Leninism-Bolshevism is valid to a certain extent. It is axiomatic that there is a multiplicity of factors that seem to correlate Stalinism to Leninism, thus adding validity to Trotsky’s assessment of the continuity. However the â€Å"straight-line† theory of the continuity between the two ideological phenomena, implied by Trotsky, undermines the divergence between them. Both phenomenons rose up in the Soviet Russia during the times of civil unrest, but Stalinism can be seen as more of a â€Å"revolution from above† whilst the Bolsheviks-Leninism can be seen as more of a â€Å"revolution from below†. The historical development of Stalinism can be traced and analyzed through its several stages.†¦show more content†¦However, elements of discontinuity are also present as the revolution was perverted by the Stalinist structure as the ‘dictatorship of the proletariat† soon became the dictatorship of Stalin. Furthermore Stalin’s theory of â€Å"Socialism in One Country† betrayed that of the Marxist-Leninist theory of propagating socialism to other countries. In order to fully assess the validity of the statement, two fundamental factors must we must firstly look at. Firstly the aspects of continuity that may have lead to the the statement.Secondly, factors within the Stalinist regime that illustrate aspects of discontinuity from the Bolshevik regime. Lastly, the reason for the characterization, on behalf of Trotsky to possibility to give validity to the Stalinist regime, likening that to the popularized Leninist-Bolshevik regime. Why does Trotsky legitimize the Stalinist regime as being linked to the Bolsheviks? Trotsky’s assessment of the of the Stalinist phenomenon certainly seems unexpected considering that any link between the two systems would certainly seem to undermine Trotsky’s creditably as the appropriate successor of Lenin. Trotsky was a renowned revolutionary who played a pivotal role during the Bolshevik Revolutionary. He was born on November 7th, 1879 in Yanovka, Ukraine, to Jewish parents. In many regards, Trotsky

Good Looks Over Health Essay - 1541 Words

Good Looks over Health? What exactly is an anabolic steroid? It is a performing enhancement drug that increases the levels of testosterone and growth of skeletal muscles in the body (Gething 235). It seems like everyone’s dream drug, right? If a person takes this, they will become enormous and look as good as they always dreamed of. But what most people did not know is that steroids cause a lot of damage to the body as well. Not only do they harm a person physically, but they confuse them psychologically. Plus, one of the most common side effects of taking steroids is acne, which is the complete opposite of good looking. Steroids cause major damages throughout the body, effecting mental and physical health, and those who take them, risk their health, all for good looks and big gains. Is it all worth it? Steroids were invented in the 1930s and became popular in society with the rise of Arnold Schwarzenegger. As he and the entire bodybuilding community used them, they gained popularity in other sports and even normal, everyday people. This was before people knew about the risks and health factors and therefore â€Å"†¦between 2.9% and 4% of Americans have used AAS [anabolic-androgenic steroids] at some point in their lives, nearly double the rate of heroin use†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Murray 198). People who use steroids use them to gain more muscle mass and cut down on fat to make them more appealing to others. However, how do steroids make people so big? When people workout, it breaks down muscleShow MoreRelatedAt Universal Health Services, Inc.1526 Words   |  7 PagesAt Universal Health Services, Inc. we want to evaluate our financial condition, so that we can assess how we are doing compared to our competitors. We also want to create a strategic financial plan for the next three y ears, so that we can continue to grow stockholder’s equity and to keep up and even take over our competition. 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Facility Assessment Hospitality Operations â€Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Facility Assessment Hospitality Operations? Answer: Introduction Sofitel Sydney Wentworth Hotel is located in the Sydneys CBD. Its strategic location in the heart of Sydney, where there are a majority of commercial office buildings, makes the hotel a favorable spot for hospitality. The hotel is as well near various tourist attraction sites such as the Royal Botanic Gardens, the Hyde Park, the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the Circular Quay, and the Pitt Street Mall. It becomes necessary, therefore, for the hotel to undertake risk management strategies to provide a secure and safe environment for their customers. It is also crucial to deal with potential hazards related to hotel operations given that its open to all sectors of legal, government and financial segments (both international and domestic tenants). This paper, therefore, analyzes the Executive boardroom layout of the Sofitel Sydney Wentworth Hotel in consideration to facility and risk management strategies. Risk concept In business operations there is always the possibility of getting unexpected outcome. Risk has been defined as unintended outcome or any effect of uncertainty on the objectives (Jaeger, et al. 2013). Many people tend to think that risk is only a negative deviation from the expected, but it also includes the positive deviation from the initially expected outcome. Due to such unexpected results, the importance of risk management strategies jets in business operations (Hallikas et al. 2004). It helps the companys management to develop a coherent and a structured approach to identifying the possible hazards, assessing and managing them when they occur. Due to the improvement in the global economy recently, the hospitality sector is enjoying the benefits that come with many people going for vacation and business trips. However, the higher the activity, the greater chances of risks. As such, the hospitality industry need to be prepared to deal with any potential threat that may come their way. Types of risk Risks are always present in business operations. They include; risks to physical, human, financial and non-physical assets. Every risk in corporate operations is different from another and requires to be handled differently. It is essential for organizations especially those in hospitality industry to understand these risks (Borde 1998) and manner in which they can prevent them from occurring. Risks to physical assets A physical asset is any item of commercial, exchange or economic value that has a material or a tangible existence. They include assets such as equipment, cash, inventory, buildings, land (bridges, fencing, roads and landscaping) and other business owned property. Some of the physical assets can be liquidated to pay off debts in case of a default (Qulin Duhamel 2003). In hotels and restaurants, chairs, refrigerators, tables, tables and foods are some of the physical assets which can be liquidated. Some physical assets however, can go through depreciation, depletion, shrinkage or deterioration through the process of storage. Some business people tend to believe that physical properties have more value diversification as compared to others when it comes to economic uncertainty. However, all assets are exposed to some level of risk (Culp 2002) and overall financial plan should be put into consideration when investing. Risks to non-physical assets Intangible assets include agreements, leases, computer programs, intellectual capital, workforce motivation, company reputation, and customer relations. Corporate intellectual property of a company such as trademarks, patents, business methodologies, and copyrights also encompasses the intangible assets (Lambin 2014). These intangible assets undergo wear, tear and depreciation and as such they need to be accounted for (Moroz Kuzin 2016). Higher paying for these assets may cause a significant loss during redeeming process eventually leading to poor financial ratios. Risks to financial assets Financial assets play a key role in hospitality business operations. They include; foreign currency, internal and external vouchers, debit and credit cards, and money orders. These generally pose a potential risk since they involve various transitions between the customers and the staff (Nocco Stulz 2006). Financial risk for Sofitel Sydney Wentworth Hotel includes money such as cash flow, capital variability, credit default, and investment evaluation. Global economic crisis remains to be the most critical risk that can face a restaurant. Economic downtown affects hospitality industry enormously (Zhong Hara 2014). If customers do not spend, then the hotels and restaurants fail to achieve sales targets and revenue to run their operations go down. Risks to human assets Risk to human assets on the other hand include; staff, patrons, and personnel. It is very crucial to determine the risks associated with human capital since they influence directly the operations of a business especially in hospitality industry. Hotels and restaurants deal with people directly and it is important to be able to handle them correctly, manage them and meet their needs (Laue et al. 2014). Many companies are failing today while others are experiencing significant challenges due to the lack of clarity on the responsibilities involving human capital risk assessment and management. Risks to human assets are related to human resource organizations, aligning rewards, prevention of fraud, promoting ethical behavior, and designing talent strategies. Importance of risk management process implementation in hospitality industries Risks are inevitable outcome of a business process. It is therefore, crucial for each restaurant and hotel to have a strategic risk management plan in place so as to circumvent any unexpected outcome. The primary objective usually is to manage the hotel efficiently and risk swiftly to avoid interruption of normal business operations (Benavides-Velasco et al. 2014). It also protects the assets of the hotel, both tangible and non-tangible hence continuity in business operations is guaranteed. Business reputation can as well be protected by ensuring the laws and regulations are followed. Some business objectives can only be realized by having proper risk strategies. Through these, a company can avoid falling into various pitfalls and experiencing surprises along the way (Leon 2017). In day to day activities of a restaurant, there is a probability of either an opportunity that would result to be beneficial to the company or a threat that would negatively affect the success of the enterpr ise. Risk management implementation process consequently is concerned with both the negative and positive perspectives of a risk. The ultimate goal of risk management process is to achieve a maximum sustainable value for each and every activity of an organization (McNeil et al. 2015). Risk management also reduces the probability of uncertainty and failure in an organization while increasing the likelihood of success. It leads to accountability amongst the employees, supports performance measurements as well as reward hence increasing operational and tactical efficiency to all levels (Haimes 2015). It mainly falls in place when dealing with risks associated with human assets. Knowing how to handle employees and the rest of the staff in a restaurant is very crucial for the success of a restaurant and other hospitality-related organizations (Lugosi 2014). Carrying out performance appraisal for the staff, rewarding them when necessary, giving them promotion and minding about their welfare can improve their morale hence perform better. Venue Risk Analysis Performing risk assessment for a place is very important to the success of any company. Some fraud cases leave a company vulnerable, and as such, it is crucial for an organization to take a preventive and proactive approach to preventing any possible outcome of risk. Performing full audit, financial control management, operational and project risk assessment ensures the company is prepared to tackle any unforeseen event (Wu et al. 2014). This section will analyze the risk analysis process put in place by the management of Sofitel Sydney Wentworth Hotel with a particular focus on Executive Boardroom. The Executive Boardroom of Sofitel Sydney Wentworth Hotel One of the luxurious hotels in Sydney is Sofitel Sydney Wentworth Hotel. It offers a venue for meetings and conferences across the globe. Its a five-star hotel that is known for his contemporary amenities and features. Also, its charm and character, as well as personalized services it offers for the delegates and guests is of excellent standards. The hotel houses the Executive Boardroom and other meeting rooms which are used for conferences. The Executive Boardroom is one of the rooms of the hotel found in the Conference and Events Department. In a usual style set up for a Boardroom meeting, it can house 16 people. It is fully furnished and up to standards with leather chairs and 46 square meters in size. Recently, the room received new Ipads, and in the year 2012, it underwent an audio-visual upgrade. Risk Ranking System Assessment of possible risks which could occur in any organization is vital to the success of a business. Risk ranking involves the sequence in which hazardous elements are placed in a sequentially to enhance decision-making (Haimes et al. 2002). The criteria in which the system is applied is usually based on a qualitative or quantitative information. The risks are first identified, and those having the greatest likelihood of occurring identified as well as those that have the utmost consequence of occurrence (Morgan et al. 2000) After identification, they are ranked in order of importance which influences decision making. It is important for a hotel to go beyond the risk ranking and perform risk prioritization. Here, the identified hazards are compared and weighed using multiple criteria. Some of these criteria are; political will, level of public concern (Morgan Fischhoff 2001), cost, practicality, feasibility, and effectiveness of control measures, and certainty in the estimates. Risk Ranking at Executive Boardroom The room is fitted with an audio-visual equipment which is enclosed once a door is pulled making speaker system and a projector accessible. The room also has other equipment such as a cabinet, fridge, screen, and credenza. There is exit fire route in case of a fire break out. The stove is made up of ceramic glass which has the inbuilt electric system fitted in the marble credenza. In the attached risk ranking system provided, the likelihood of the risk occurring has been categorized from 1-5. The same case applies to the potential impact. Table 1: Likelihood of risks occurring 5 Almost certain: Where the probability of the risk occurring is very high (Numerous times in a year) 4 Likely: Where the probability of occurrence is high (once a year) 3 Possible: Reasonable likelihood (can occur for over a five-year period) 2 Unlikely: Plausible (occurrence could be within five-ten year period) 1 Rare: Very unlikely although its not impossible (the probability of occurring is unlikely in a ten year period). Potential impact or effect on the other hand can be categorized into; catastrophic, major, moderate, minor and negligible. Table 2: Potential impact 5 Catastrophic: Most of the companys objectives could not be achieved 4 Major: Most of the companys objectives threatened or one of them could be affected severely 3 Moderate: Few of the objectives affected but with considerable effort, they can be rectified 2 Minor: The affected objectives can be remedied easily. With a considerable effort it is easier to achieve the objectives 1 Negligible: The impact is very small and can be rectified through normal processes Table 3: Risk Ranking table Likelihood Potential Impact Negligible Minor Moderate Major Catastrophic Rare 1 2 3 4 5 Unlikely 2 4 6 8 10 Possible 3 6 9 12 15 Likely 4 8 12 16 20 Almost certain 5 10 15 20 25 The table give the risk factor value of various risks. It also shows the possible combinations of likelihood and potential impact of the risks. Venue Risk Analysis (VRA) form Venue Risk Analysis gives the hotel or any other organization the information that helps them to predict future or potential threats and thereby, take an action that can minimize the maintenance costs (Silvers 2009) while maximizing the quality of the venue. Due to the upgrade that the Boardroom underwent in the year 2012 and 2016, the room is relatively furnished. The drawers and cabinet for storage of food and drinks are quite large which offers enough space for storage purposes. The three windows bring in natural light which keeps the room quite light. The room is normally checked before any function starts and the maintenance is performed twice a year. The number and quality of storage, tables, chairs, fridges, and stoves are structured correctly. The Risk assessment form of the Executive Boardroom is attached as an excel form. The risk assessment for the Executive Boardroom, shows that the major risk falls under the non-physical category. Operational risk and breakdown of computer systems rates high as compared to others. The Executive Boardroom is specially for conferences and other meetings. The moment all the operations of the room are affected, then it is expected that the Boardroom would lose its reputation. It therefore, becomes crucial for the Boardroom to maintain high standards of all equipments in ensuring smooth operation of activities. Breakdown of computers and their programs is another risk that has a high chance of occurring. The management of the Executive Boardroom have not invested much in IT. Due to the rapid change in technology systems globally, it is crucial for an organization to invest in IT. Breakdown of computer systems leads to disruption of entire organization operations. The Boardroom depends largely on IT since most of the activities during conferences require use of computers and others are computer-programmed. Breakdown of computer system, therefore, means the operations are affected and in turn the image and reputation of the Boardroom. Risks to human assets also, such as dissatisfaction of the guest is very key in affecting the operations of the Boardroom. For instance, when the guests are dissatisfied with the overall condition of the room as well as its usual operations, there is a probability of future failure of meetings taking place here. Since the hospitality industry in Sydney is growing, they could face stiff competition from their competitors. For instance, the technological advancement and IT infrastructure on the room is not up-to-date with the current technology world. This can make the guest feel uncomfortable and dissatisfied. On the other hand, the least risks to occur falls under the risks to physical assets. Recently, the Boardroom has undergone office upgrade especially on the physical assets. Therefore, the chairs, tables, carpets and other machinery are in good condition. Recommendations Generally, the technology systems of the room need to be upgraded. It is vital to ensure the technology is up-to-date with the current global technology systems. If the technology of the hotel is not at per with the current systems, the day to day operations of the hotel will be affected. Consequently, the overall quality of the room, as well as the profitability of the entire hotel, will be downgraded. Therefore, technological tools need to be upgraded since faulty wires are a potential cause of unseen hazards. The room condition of the entire room also needs to be put into consideration. Sofitel Sydney Wentworth hotel is a five-star hotel and as such the state of the room should be at par with other international five-star hotels. Sufficient air conditioning and spacious area for all the required equipment is as well essential. (Other specific recommendations for each risk are given in the risk assessment form). Conclusion It is important to design a conference room with multiple displays to achieve international standards. This can be achieved through proper equipment, teleconferencing systems, suitable lighting system, speakers, sounds, projector, and screens. Executive Boardroom of the Sofitel Sydney Wentworth Hotel has been furnished appropriately, and the management has implemented risk management strategies to deal with probable risk outcome. Its worth noting that risk can be caused by either an internal or external vulnerabilities but can be avoided by use of a preemptive action. References Benavides-Velasco, C.A., Quintana-Garca, C. and Marchante-Lara, M., 2014. Total quality management, corporate social responsibility and performance in the hotel industry. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 41, pp.77-87. Borde, S.F., 1998. Risk diversity across restaurants: An empirical analysis. The Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly, 39(2), pp.64-69. Culp, C.L., 2002. The risk management process: Business strategy and tactics (Vol. 103). John Wiley Sons. Haimes, Y.Y., 2015. Risk modeling, assessment, and management. John Wiley Sons. Haimes, Y.Y., Kaplan, S. and Lambert, J.H., 2002. Risk filtering, ranking, and management framework using hierarchical holographic modeling. Risk Analysis, 22(2), pp.383-397. Hallikas, J., Karvonen, I., Pulkkinen, U., Virolainen, V.M. and Tuominen, M., 2004. Risk management processes in supplier networks. International Journal of Production Economics, 90(1), pp.47-58. Jaeger, C.C., Webler, T., Rosa, E.A. and Renn, O., 2013. Risk, uncertainty and rational action. Routledge. Lambin, J.J., 2014. A Knowledge-Based Economy. In Rethinking the Market Economy (pp. 133-146). Palgrave Macmillan UK. Laue, M., Brown, K., Scherrer, P. and Keast, R., 2014. Integrated strategic asset management: frameworks and dimensions. In Infranomics (pp. 75-87). Leon, R.D. ed., 2017. Managerial Strategies for Business Sustainability During Turbulent Times. IGI Global. Lugosi, P., 2014. Hospitality and organizations: Enchantment, entrenchment and reconfiguration. Hospitality Society, 4(1), pp.75-92. McNeil, A.J., Frey, R. and Embrechts, P., 2015. Quantitative risk management: Concepts, techniques and tools. Princeton university press, pp.1- 5 Morgan, K.M. and Fischhoff, B., 2001. The use of public risk ranking in regulatory development. Improving regulation: Cases in environment, health, and safety, p.208. Morgan, M.G., Florig, H.K., DeKay, M.L. and Fischbeck, P., 2000. Categorizing risks for risk ranking. Risk analysis, 20(1), pp.49-58. Moroz, M. and Kuzin, V.I., 2016. Economical type of depreciation. Economic Studies, 25(3). Nocco, B.W. and Stulz, R.M., 2006. Enterprise risk management: Theory and practice. Journal of Applied Corporate Finance, 18(4), pp.8-20. Qulin, B. and Duhamel, F., 2003. Bringing together strategic outsourcing and corporate strategy: Outsourcing motives and risks. European management journal, 21(5), pp.647-661. Silvers, J.R., 2009. Risk management for meetings and events. Routledge. pp. 1-346. Wu, D.D., Chen, S.H. and Olson, D.L., 2014. Business intelligence in risk management: Some recent progresses. Information Sciences, 256, pp.1-7. Zhong, Y.Y. and Hara, T., 2014. Quantifying the impacts of the recent economic crisis on a regional tourism industry and economy. Hospitality Review, 31(1), p.10.

Perfection For An Imperfect World Essays - Axiology, Perfection

Perfection For An Imperfect World Perfection For an Imperfect World Perfection is an objective that has never and will never be accomplished in this world. God made man with the ability to make his own decisions; unfortunately this also meant man could sin. This factor proves that while man is still on this earth, perfection is a hopeless goal. But despite this cold hard truth, mankind still struggles to find perfection in their life. If one looks in the nature of man, it is easy to see that they try to achieve perfection in the hopes and dreams of their lives. Man tries to earn these dreams through effort, dedication, and an attitude of persistence. Many of their dreams are accomplished, but they are never completely achieved. In a human sense there is a level perfection, but it is not completely perfect. ?Perfection is not achieved when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away (Antoine de St. Exupery).? This quote flawlessly describes the human level of perfection. In a sense it is possible to achieve perfection, but because of man's desire to sin, a complete sense of perfection will never be achieved. A flawed world created many problems with the divine destination of its inhabitants, but God created a perfect solution for this imperfect world. ?For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life (John 3:16).? This verse explains to man that despite its human failures and imperfections, God sent his only son to make a way for man to gain access into a perfect world. This perfect world is a place where only complete and absolute perfection can exist, thus making its inhabitants perfect. It is impossible to think how marvelous it really is to live in this perfect world. This is why God made man's world an imperfect one, so that His world would be even more spectacular than what any man could ever conceive. Despite the fact that imperfection is a hopeless goal on this world, there is a world with only perfection, heaven. Those who accepted God in their hearts will live in this world as perfect beings, but those who did not know Him will be sent to a world that strives on imperfection. In this world man can still create humanly perfect objects, but they will never be entirely perfect. Perfection is an achievement only divinity can accomplish. -425 Words Bibliography n/a Social Issues

The Role of the Project Manager Is to Command and Control free essay sample

Being an effective project manager is among the most challenging jobs in the industry for two reasons. First it requires management skills and abilities different from those required in a traditional functional management position. Second, there are very few training opportunities available to those moving into the project management. Thornberry, Neal E. October 1987]. This article addresses the roles and responsibility of a project manager which in today’s modern techniques are not only restricted to command and control but spread out far beyond these factors. Project manager lead the overall effort of project management. Due to their multidiscipline and highly interdependent nature, projects, more then any other form of organizational and managerial work, demand a leader to motivate the team members. All activity is initiated and performed by people, not by reporting tools or procedure. A good project manager must be task oriented i. e. command and control techniques but also people oriented. We will write a custom essay sample on The Role of the Project Manager Is to Command and Control or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) suggest that project managers stem from various backgrounds, possess relevant skills and competencies, and are required to govern a project throughout its life-cycle [(CIOB, 2002, p. )]. The implication is that a PM not only manages their team, but leads the team: leading by example, by gaining the trust and respect from their team through motivating, co-ordinating and maintaining morale. However, they must also utilise a range of other skills while leading the team to successfully deliver the project. [Griffith and Watson (2004, p. 31)] suggest that the person seen as the construction project manager executes many of the â€Å"classical† functions i. e. conducts, controls, and administers. Various sources of literature discuss the roles executed by the construction industrys project managers and the skills they require in order to be able to effectively manage their team towards successful delivery of a project. [Sommerville and Dalziel (1998)], when reviewing project manager’s role, clearly demonstrated the diversity of the role set and the then predominant roles. [Fryer (2004, p. 17)] states that managers can influence the way in which their subordinates behave either positively or negatively and argues that project managers engage in: planning, organising, directing, controlling and, developing staff. Griffith and Watson (2004, p. 31)] describe the vital functions of a project manager as: forecasting, planning, organising, controlling, motivating, co-ordinating and communicating. They asked 50 construction managers to rank these seven functions in order of importance; the results established then are shown in Table I. Motivating and forecasting were perceived to be the least important functions and yet it is clear that in contemporary practice, a project manager must have the ability to motivate his team in order to successfully complete the project, and also to clearly forecast how progress is against a pre-determined plan. Under pressure managers are more likely to use a command and control style of leadership during a recession, but a leadership expert claims that whatever the economic climate, it is the wrong way to go about improving corporate performance. Scott Watson, managing director of UK and Bahrain based Summit Consulting and Training, which has trained and supported more than 10,000 executives and managers in the UK and Arabian Gulf, says autocratic management styles stifle creativity, undermine staff morale, destroy trust and ruin the potential for any worthwhile collaboration to maximise organisational effectiveness. People work harder when they feel they are making a positive difference, an intrinsic motivation. The command and control management style works through extrinsic motivators such as threats, authority, and even monetary incentives, all of which prevent or even replace employees’ natural intrinsic motivation. A management style that gives people ownership of their methods, tools, and results, and in which people can feel good about collaborating with and helping those around them (co-workers, customers, and suppliers) provides intrinsic motivation, and people work hard because they like the way it makes them feel, and feel important and appreciated — the â€Å"psychological pay† principle. Everyone wants to feel good about themselves, but command and control takes that feeling away from them. People work harder for someone they respect, and preferably like. A manager who understands that the workers in the trenches usually see the organization’s challenges and problems better than he or she can, can gain their input and support their efforts more effectively than a â€Å"commander† who assumes he or she knows, or is expected to know, more than their subordinates. This attitude only alienates subordinates and loses their loyalty, respect, and input. It may even move them to undermine the organization’s performance in subtle ways in an effort, possibly never acknowledged, and probably in a form that can’t be identified, that is based in nothing so much as a desire for revenge. People work harder when they’re not doing it under threat. Some command and control-styled managers use subtle threats to do their job, and may unwittingly put employees in a situation where they can’t see a way to succeed. The results can be disastrous as far as morale and work performance, not only for the employee placed in that position, but for their co-workers who will see what is going on and fear being put in such a position themselves[On effective management 2008] The above discussion above will lead you to a better understanding of how command and control can be used in an effective manner. Over command and control can lead to employee un-satisfaction and result in lack of interest and employee will feel lack of respect, thus giving a decreased desire to contribute Therefore, a project manager should be able to balance his authoritative skills and employee relationship in an effective and efficient manner.

See the Best Architecture in Spain

See the Best Architecture in Spain Think of architecture in Spain and Antoni Gaudà ­ comes to mind. Gaudi may be the most famous Spanish architect dead or alive, but dont forget Santiago Calatrava, designer of the Transportation Hub in Lower Manhattan and his signature bridges in Seville and Dallas, Texas. And what about the Pritzker Laureate, Josà © Rafael Moneo? Oh, and then there was the Roman Empire in Spain. Architecture in Spain is an exotic mix of early Moorish influences, European trends, and surreal modernism. These selected sites link to resources that will help you plan your architecture tour through Spain. Visiting Barcelona This northeast coastal city, capital of the Catalonia region, has become synonymous with Antoni Gaudà ­. You cant miss his architecture, or the new modern buildings going up every year. La Sagrada Familia, the great unfinished cathedral begun by Gaudi in 1882, and La Sagrada Familia school, for the children of the construction workersCasa Vicens, Gaudis Gothic/Moorish house designed for a Spanish businessmanGuell Palace and Guell Park, Gaudi commissions from patron Eusebi Gà ¼ellColegio Teresiano, one of Antoni Gaudà ­s first commissionsCasa Calvet, a rather traditional design for GaudiGaudi-designed wall around Finca Miralles, as wavy and abstract as Frank Gehrys workCasa Batllà ³, a very colorful remodeling job by Gaudi, is located in Illa de la Discordia or the Block of Discord. This street displays the architecture of Catalan architects Josep Puig (1867-1956), Lluà ­s Domà ¨nech i Montaner (1850-1923), and Gaudi (1852-1926).Gaudis La Pedrera, one of the most famous apartment buildings in the worldMontjuic Communications Tower, design by Spanish-born Santiago Calatrava for the 1992 Summer OlympicsAgbar Tower, French architect Jean Nouvel transformed Gaudis c atenary curve Barcelona Cathedral, the citys Gothic cathedralThe Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau and Palau de la Mà ºsica Catalana, both UNESCO world heritage sites, are designs of the art nouveau architect Lluà ­s Domà ¨nech i MontanerHotel Porta Fira, a 2010 hotel designed by Pritzker Laureate Toyo ItoThe Forum Building (Edificio Fà ³rum) designed by Herzog and de Meuron Visiting the Bilbao Area Guggenheim Bilbao, the 1997 museum that made American architect Frank Gehry very famousMetro Station Entrance Enclosure, Fosterito, a 1995 high-tech train station by English architect Norman Foster If youre visiting Bilbao, take a side trip to Comillas, 90 miles west. Everything youve ever heard about Gaudi architecture may be found in the surreal summer home El Capricho. Visiting the Leà ³n Area The city of Leà ³n is roughly between Bilbao and Santiago de Compostela, in the vast Castilla y Leà ³n region of northern Spain. Casa Botines, one of only three projects Antoni Gaudà ­ built outside Catalonia, is a large, neo-Gothic apartment building.San Miguel de Escalada, a magical medieval monastary from the 9th century, a short drive from Leà ³n near the famous pilgrimage route, Way of St. James. If youre traveling from Leà ³n southeast to Madrid, stop by the Church of San Juan Bautista, Baà ±os de Cerrato near the city of Palencia. Well-reserved from 661 AD, the church is a fine example of what is called Visigothic architecture- an era when nomadic tribes dominated the Iberian peninsula. Closer to Madrid is Salamanca. The Old City of Salamanca is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Rich in historic architecture, UNESCO sites its importance in Romanesque, Gothic, Moorish, Renaissance, and Baroque monuments. If youre headed north from Leà ³n, the ancient capital city of Oviedo is home to many early Christian churches. These Pre-Romanesque Monuments of Oviedo and the Kingdom of the Asturias from the 9th century are UNESCO World Heritage sites, along with La Foncalada, a public water supply, an early example of civil engineering. Visiting Santiago de Compostela City of Culture of Galicia, an ongoing project headed by Peter EisenmanCathedral of Santiago de Compostela, a pilgrims destination at the end of the Way of St. James Visiting Valencia City of Arts and Sciences, a complex of educational buildings by Santiago Calatrava Visiting the Madrid Area The Monastery at El Escorial, in San Lorenzo de El Escorial, about 35 miles northwest of Madrid, is a UNESCO world heritage site for its historic association with royaltyCaixaForum, a Madrid museum by Swiss architects Herzog and de MeuronRoman aqueduct, 50 AD, in Segovia, northwest of Madrid Visiting the Seville Area Alcazar PalaceAlamillo Bridge Cà ³rdoba, about 90 miles northeast of Seville, is site to the Great Mosque of Cordoba in the Historic Centre of Cordoba, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Mosque/Cathedral is an architectural hybrid, claims UNESCO, that joins together many of the artistic values of East and West and includes elements hitherto unheard-of in Islamic religious architecture, including the use of double arches to support the roof. Visiting Granada Ornamentation at the Alhambra in Granada, Spain. Sean Gallup/Getty Images (cropped) Travel east of Seville a mere 150 miles to experience the Alhambra Palace, a tourists destination not to be missed. Our Cruise expert has been to Alhambra Palace and our Spain Travel expert has been to The Alhambra in Granada. In Spanish language, visit La Alhambra, Granada. It seems that everyone has been there! Visiting Zaragoza About 200 miles west of Barcelona, youll find a pedestrian bridge over the Ebro River designed in 2008 by Pritzker Laureate Zaha Hadid. This modern bridge stands in stark contrast with the historic architecture of this ancient city.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy - a Remedy for Chronic Stuttering Coursework

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy - a Remedy for Chronic Stuttering - Coursework Example Ahmed, a 13-year old student and the focus of my case, suffers from chronic stuttering due to untreated social fear. He shows difficulty in speaking whenever he is in front of other people; particularly those whom he knows have authority over him. Hence, the objective of this reflective paper is to narrate and discuss the essential practice issues and challenges that are involved in my social work experience with Ahmed. First, the essay will explain my rationale for choosing the cognitive-behavioral theory as a model for the treatment of chronic stuttering. Second, I will narrate the challenges of social work in Saudi Arabia, particularly with regard to working with women and families. And lastly, I will reflect on my own strengths and weaknesses as a social worker based on my experience with Ahmed. In principles, in cognitive-behavioral therapies, the manner and content of patients’ speech should manifest reforms in the cognitive processing of their core problem (Bothe 2004). Stein, Baird, and Walker (1996) propose that individuals who have social anxiety and stutter would gain from cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT) sessions for social phobia. They described subjective substantiation of this in three subjects within their group who allegedly the encountered declines in avoidance, social phobia, and general disability throughout a 3-month CBT program (Stein et al. 1996). Moreover, a statement of a speech restructuring treatment course subjectively revealed the favorable outcomes of employing CBT processes along with speech restructuring therapy. Blood (1995 as cited in Onslow, Packman, Block, Menzies, O'Brien, & St. Clare 2008) merged a computer-assisted biofeedback system for easing stuttering with a relapse management course founded on the self-efficacy model of Bandura, CBT, and the relapse prevention model of Donovan and Marlatt (1980 as cited in Onslow et al. 2008). The relapse package of Blood (1995 as cited in Onslow et al. 2008) is composed of the following parts: ‘(a) problem solving, (b) cognitive restructuring/reframing, and (c) nondirective supportive counseling’ (p. 3) Four male individuals participated in the experiment, with a ‘multiple-baseline, across subjects’ (Onslow et al. 2008: 3) framework. All four subjects exhibited substantial and steady drops in stuttering throughout the trial, and these improvements were sustained at one-year follow-up. Inopportunely, the study’s design does not permit identification of the relative inputs of the psychological therapy and speech res tructuring course. No participants were given either a therapy module individually.

Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 36

Marketing - Essay Example The UAE has resulted to using an unexpected way of public service delivery; using unmanned drones. This is highly innovative. This is because it uses the most updated technology, which does not require a human. This implies that the margin for errors when delivering these services is considerably slim. This means more efficiency with regard to speed. Although the drones will still be used in defense, the UAE is also applying them in healthcare and education. This is also an innovative service because it is customer oriented. In the past, most services were profit oriented. However, with the launch of this service, UAE government has indicated that its attention is directed towards the welfare of the population. The drones could be used in times of disasters to deliver certain services. This would ensure that the services get to the scene as soon as possible as opposed to other means such as ground travel. In addition, in spite of the fact that is in its initial launch phase, the gove rnment has decided to use the public to improve its efficiency by asking them to contribute ideas which would be rewarded. This is innovative because previous governments did not encourage input from the public. There are several differences between social innovation, frugal innovation, and reverse innovation starting with what they incorporate. Social innovation incorporates the most recent strategies and ideas in delivery of social services that may range from education to communal health. A perfect example of social innovation is the open ideo, which seeks to provide immunization using technology. Frugal innovation, on the other hand, is the reduction of complexity of a product so as to affect its distribution and production. For instance, this may incorporate the Tata Nano which was introduced in India to cater for the non-four wheel customers who used non-safe two wheel

Making Connections Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Making Connections - Coursework Example Therefore, all these systems have to work harmoniously to improve survival of the human being since if one fails, one is likely to lose his or her life. For instance, in case the heart failed, the other two systems will be affected tremendously. The human body will sense the inadequacy in blood supply to other parts of the body and try to compensate. This, in the long run, will lead to an increased rate of breathing and clogging of blood in the vessels and other body organs. This is so because the human body entirely depends on oxygen for respiration. Hence the lack of oxygen which has been cut off due to inadequate blood supply, affects the normal metabolism rate. As a result, there is increased rate of breathing which is a corrective measure trying to restore oxygen availability in the human body. Furthermore, in case there are severe cases, that can be the status of the blood in other parts of the body leading to the formation of thrombus that dislodge and affect the healthy blood supply or respiration

Critical ethnography Research Strategy

Critical ethnography Research Strategy Introduction The research methodology that I will be using for the Data Collection and Analysis assignment is critical ethnography. This methodology fits with my research goal to bring awareness to the unequal power structures and oppression existing within the collaborative child welfare and violence against women (VAW) advocates relationship. Madison (2005) states that critical ethnographers have an ethical responsibility to address unfairness and injustice within a particular lived domain and moves beneath surface appearances, disrupts the status quo, and unsettles both neutrality and taken-for-granted assumptions by bringing to light underlying and obscure operations of power and control (p. 5). Therefore, using the critical paradigm embedded in this methodology, I set out to uncover how issues of power, oppression and inequality affect the collaborative relationship between child welfare and violence against women (VAW) advocates that ultimately affect the services they provide to women and children. Through examining the strengths and weaknesses of their relationship, I intend to shed light onto how women and children who have experienced domestic violence and abuse are impacted by the power exerted by both service providers and their existing policies and ideologies. Theoretical and Conceptual Lens Conceptual Lens: Critical ethnography is defined as the doing or performance of critical theory. It is critical theory in action. (Madison, 2005, p. 5). Thus, critical ethnography is innately connected Exploring Methodology To the critical paradigm, which will be the conceptual lens utilized to investigate my research question. Critical theory is concerned with the mediation of power and dominance in society. Cohen, Manion and Morrison (2005) state critical theory seeks to uncover the interests at work in particular situations and to interrogate the legitimacy of those interests Its intention is transformative to transform society and individuals to social democracy (p. 28). The critical theory component of critical ethnography differentiates it from mainstream ethnography, which is concerned with the observation and description of culture or phenomenon. Critical theory modifies conventional ethnography by incorporating a political agenda which seeks to emancipate society. Theoretical Lens: Anti-oppressive theory provides a strong theoretical lens to use with critical theory and critical ethnography as both the former and the latter seek to uncover oppression and marginalization in society. It recognizes the intersectionalities of both clients and workers and can be used to highlight how legislation is entrenched in hetero-patriarchy. Similarly, at an organizational level, anti-oppressive theory can help to reveal the hegemonic practices in child welfare which influences the relationship between VAW workers and child protection workers and impacts the delivery of services to women and children. Epistemology of Critical Ethnography The epistemological underpinnings of critical ethnography are concerned with how the knowledge of oppression and power emerged historically and politically and its impact on Exploring Methodology shaping relations in society. The potential of knowledge production to reproduce and perpetuate notions of power, oppression and inequality in society is recognized. In addition, critical epistemology includes an understanding of the relationship between power and thought and power and truth claims (Carspecken, 1996, p. 10) This approach is value-laden because it has a determinedly political agenda. It seeks transformation by exposing oppressive structures in society, with the goal to emancipate society. Critical ethnographers are interested in hearing the narratives of their clients with the explicit agenda to bring forth political change. It is also value mediated because the researcher and the researched are interconnected, with the values of the investigator and the other influencing the inquiry. However, it is important to note that while research is value-driven, the validity claims of the researcher must meet rigorous standards to avoid bias. (Carspecken, 1996, p. 8) Moreover, a critical ethnographic approach goes further than other approaches. Firstly, critical researchers acknowledge researcher bias and subjectivity, as the researchers personal feelings and views are a part of the research process. The researcher is reflexive, and is engaged in a constant process of critiquing both objectivity and subjectivity. Second, researchers engage in an examination of their positionality in relation to the other (who is being studied). The researcher is engaged in a dialogical relationship with the other and remains grounded in their experience, as it is the concern for their condition which is driving the research. According to Madison (2005) dialogue moves from ethnographic presence to the present by opening up passageways for readers and audiences to experience and grasp the partial presence of a temporal conversation constituted by the others voice, body, history and yearnings (p. 10). Exploring Methodology Ontology of Critical Ethnography Critical ethnography begins from the premise that the structure and content of culture make life unnecessarily more nasty, brutish, and short for some people (Thomas, 1993, p. 33). When conducting research, critical ethnographers start with a view of what there is to know, an ontology, that furnishes a set of images and metaphors, in which various forms of social oppression constitute what is to be known (Thomas, 1993, p. 34). Thus, ontological underpinnings of critical ethnography are concerned with how societal structures and systems oppress certain groups, while reinforcing power, domination and capitalism. It sets out to expose the deeper social, historical and political meanings in society which reinforce the marginalization of some groups and how power and interests mediate these relations going below the surface level meaning to expose how bodies of ideas, norms and ideologies create meanings for constructing social subjects and concepts like gender, race and student (Thomas, 1993, p. 34). Critical ethnography also acknowledges that there are multiple realities, which can be uncovered through incorporating a narrative ontology. The narratives of participants are used to provide a rich description of their experience, as interpreted by the researcher to illustrate how issues of oppression, power and inequality are operating in his or her life (Thomas, 1993, p. 34). Unit of Analysis For this research study, dialogical data will be collected through a semi-structured interview with the intent to shed light into organizational practices existing within child protection and VAW services that influences their collaborative relationship. A key informant Exploring Methodology who has worked both in child welfare and VAW services will be interviewed for twenty to thirty minutes. Data Collection Tools For this research study, I will be interviewing a single individual. A semi-structured interview will be used because it allows the interview to be sufficiently open-ended. The interview questions can be re-ordered, modified and the researcher can probe the participant with additional questions, if needed. The interview will be recorded using an audio recorder. Field notes and observational notes of non verbal communication will also be taken. After the interview, additional notes will be made to capture anything that may have been missed. Strengths and Weaknesses of this Methodology One of the major strengths of critical ethnography is that it goes further than a traditional descriptive study, as it seeks to make emancipatory changes in society. Its political agenda attempts to transform society and share narratives and experiences of oppressed groups. This methodology also attempts to include the participants in the research process, using methods such as member checking (Carspecken, 1996, p. 166) which helps provide individuals who are often ignored from dominant discourses a voice. However, one glaring criticism of critical ethnography has been that we cannot separate it from the historical and political context from which it emerged. This context is problematic as it effects the researchers epistemological position because the ethnographers institutional or Exploring Methodology material standpoint within the everyday world is rarely connected or made problematic in relation to his or her subjects lived actualities. (Jordan Yeoman, 1995, p. 393). While critical ethnography is supposed to take a bottom-up view, the majority of its researchers come from an academic background, which is often in contrast of the material location of their participants. (Jordan Yeoman, 1995, p. 399-400). This influences the production of knowledge and data, as the relationship may be characterized by a power imbalance and differing worldviews as a product of varying material locations. Moreover, exposing inequality and oppression in academic literature does not ensure that change is created in the field. Thus, critical ethnographers become caught in a double bind. On one hand, the researcher seeks emancipation and liberation for their subjects, but they are constrained by their own positionality and the institutions for which they work. Thomas (1976, p. 25) states: We must never become wholly dependent upon established institutions; publishing houses, commercial media, universities, foundations. Social intellectuals must occupy some territory which is their own; their own journal, their own theoretical and practice centres: places where no one works for grades or fore tenure but for the transformation of society (Jordan Yeomans, 1995, p. 399-400). However, despite the researchers positionality, critical ethnography brings an opportunity to challenge traditional research and incorporate participant voices. It is also exciting as it attempts to liberate society from oppression and therefore, provides an alternative and welcomed choice to mainstream research. Exploring Methodology Analysis of Three Peer Reviewed Articles The appendix will discuss three peer reviewed articles in a chart, which is on the following page. The chart is divided into multiple categories, which will discuss the unit of analysis, the sample group, data collection and data analysis. I will conclude the chart by examining the strengths and the weaknesses of the methodology in the articles and then relate it back to my research study. Conclusion This paper set out to explore critical ethnography as my chosen methodology to conduct my research. Through writing this paper and reviewing the three articles, I know that critical ethnography will be useful in achieving my research goal of highlighting the oppression and power in the collaborative relationship between child welfare and VAW workers. This is important, as the relationship between these two sectors ultimately impacts the level of service provided to women and children.

High Schools :: essays research papers

HIGH SCHOOLS SHOULD BE HI TECH The world is becoming more and more "hi tech" and high schools should keep up. High school should be taught on computers because it would save paper, it would save time, and school supplies would be lighter. The first reason high school should be taught on computers is because it would save paper. If textbooks were on computer disks then trees around the world would be saved. This would make our environment much greener and species that are endangered in the rainforest would be saved. If classes were taught on computers, notes on paper would not be needed. This would save more trees. To sum up, high school should be taught on computers because it would save paper. Another reason that high school should be taught on computers is that it would save class time. Students would not need to flip pages in their textbooks or notebooks to find something that they need. All they would have to do is simply click on a file. Because time is saved, the teacher will be able to fit more information into the lesson for the day. In other words, high school should be taught on computers because it would save class time and more information could be fit into the lesson. As well as saving paper and saving time, high school should be taught on computers because school supplies would be much lighter. A lightweight disk would be much easier to carry unlike having an enormous textbook to drag around all day. Students occasionally develop back problems as a result of the heavy backpacks they must carry.

Nowhere Without A Mentor Essay

As the journey called life unfolds, imagine what one would be without mentors. Mentor is a vague word used to describe a person who helps another, who is trusted by another, who is a counselor to another, but most of all is someone who influences another. With no mentors or guides the title character in the novel Siddhartha by Herman Hesse, would not have found self. The three characters that have the greatest influence on Siddhartha are Gotama Buddha, Kamala and Vasudeva. From Gotama Buddha, Siddhartha realizes he would rather walk his own path than follow another’s. After pursuing Buddha’s followings with his companion Govinda, Siddhartha has a revelation while he is conversing with Gotama. † ‘That is why I am going on my way- not to seek another and better doctrine, for I know there is none, but to leave all doctrines and all teachers and to reach my goal alone- or die’ â€Å"(34). This quote shows how Gotama has influenced Siddhartha to seek Self unaccompanied, marking a significant turning point in Siddhartha’s journey. Subsequent to Siddhartha’s encounter with Buddha, he meets a beautiful woman named Kamala who drastically changes him. The author of Siddhartha explains in detail how the title character slowly takes on characteristics of average citizens while living with Kamala. â€Å"Gradually, along with his growing riches, Siddhartha himself acquired some of the characteristics of the ordinary people, some of their childishness and some of their anxiety†(77). At this point in the novel, Siddhartha begins to be disgusted with himself, and recognizes that life with Kamala is not the place he should be in to find peace. Shortly after he apprehends this, Siddhartha leaves Kamala only to find a peaceful Ferryman, named Vasudeva who introduces Siddhartha to a river. In the following quote, Vasudeva explains to Siddhartha the power of the river that they live by. â€Å"‘The river knows everything; one can learn everything from it'†(105). This quote shows how Vasudeva introduced Siddhartha to the river that led him to find peace. After Siddhartha’s long journey and his encounters with many people who influence him, he finds peace within himself. The three characters that have  the greatest influence on Siddhartha are Gotama Buddha, Kamala and Vasudeva. Gotama Buddha helps Siddhartha realize that peace is found without teachers, Kamala changes Siddhartha into an ordinary citizen and Vasudeva introduces Siddhartha to a river that leads him to find peace. Although Siddhartha has much help during his journey to find peace, his own strong will is the deciding factor in him reaching his goal.

Praseodymium Facts - Element 59

Praseodymium Facts - Element 59 Praseodymium is element 59 on the periodic table with the element symbol Pr. Its one of the rare earth metals or lanthanides. Here is a collection of interesting facts about praseodymium, including its history, properties, uses, and sources. Praseodymium was discovered by Swedish chemist Carl Mosander in 1841, but he did not purify it. He was working on rare earth samples, which contain elements with such similar properties they are extremely hard to separate from each other. From a crude cerium nitrate sample, he isolated an oxide he called lantana, which was lanthanum oxide. Lantana turned out to be a mixture of oxides. One fraction was a pink fraction he called didymium. Per Teodor Cleve (1874) and Lecoq de Boisbaudran (1879) determined didymium was a mixture of elements. In 1885, Austrian chemist Carl von Welsbach separated didymium into praseodymium and neodymium. Credit for the official discovery and isolation of element 59 is generally given to von Welsbach.Praseodymium gets it name from the Greek words prasios, which means green, and didymos, which means twin. The twin part refers to the element being the twin of neodymium in didymium, while green refers to the color of the salt isolated by von Welsbach. Praseody mium forms Pr(III) cations, which are yellowish green in water and glass. In addition to the 3 oxidation state, Pr also occurs in 2, 4, and (unique for a lanthanide) 5. Only the 3 state occurs in aqueous solutions.Praseodymium is a soft silver-colored metal that develops a green oxide coating in air. This coating peels or spalls off, exposing fresh metal to oxidation. To prevent degradation, pure praseodymium is typically stored under a protective atmosphere or in oil.Element 59 is highly malleable and ductile. Praseodymium is unusual in that it is paramagnetic at all temperatures above 1 K. Other rare earth metals are ferromagnetic or antiferromagnetic at low temperatures.Natural praseodymium consists of one stable isotope, praseodymium-141. 38 radioisotopes are known, the most stable being Pr-143, which has a half-life of 13.57 days. Praseodymium isotopes range from mass number 121 to 159. 15 nuclear isomers are also known.Praseodymium occurs naturally in the Earths crust at an abundance of 9.5 parts per million. It accounts for about 5% of the lanthanid es found in the minerals monazite and bastnasite. Seawater contains 1 part per trillion of Pr. Essentially no praseodymium is found in the Earths atmosphere. The rare earth elements have many uses in modern society and are considered extremely valuable. Pr gives a yellow color to glass and enamel. Around 5% of mischmetal consists of praseodymium. The element is used with other rare earths to make carbon arc lights. It colors cubic zirconia yellow-green and may be added to simulated gemstones to mimic peridot. Modern firesteel contains about 4% praseodymium. Didymium, which contains Pr, is used to make glass for protective eyewear for welders and glass blowers. Pr is alloyed with other metals to made powerful rare earth magnets, high strength metals, and magnetocaloric materials. Element 59 is used as a doping agent to make fiber optic amplifiers and to slow light pulses. Praseodymium oxide is an important oxidation catalyst.Praseodymium serves no known biological function. Like other rare earth elements, Pr exhibits low to moderate toxicity to organisms. Praseodymium Element Data Element Name: Praseodymium Element Symbol: Pr Atomic Number: 59 Element Group: f-block element, lanthanide or rare earth Element Period: period 6 Atomic Weight:  140.90766(2) Discovery: Carl Auer von Welsbach (1885) Electron Configuration: [Xe] 4f3  6s2 Melting Point:  1208  K  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹(935  Ã‚ °C, ​1715  Ã‚ °F) Boiling Point:  3403  K ​(3130  Ã‚ °C, ​5666  Ã‚ °F) Density:  6.77  g/cm3 (near room temperature) Phase: solid Heat of Fusion: 6.89 kJ/mol Heat of Vaporization:  331  kJ/mol Molar Heat Capacity:  27.20  J/(mol ·K) Magnetic Ordering: paramagnetic Oxidation States:  5, 4,  3, 2 Electronegativity:  Pauling  scale: 1.13 Ionization Energies: 1st:  527  kJ/mol2nd:  1020  kJ/mol3rd:  2086  kJ/mol Atomic Radius: 182 picometers Crystal Structure: double hexagonal close-packed or DHCP References Weast, Robert (1984).  CRC, Handbook of Chemistry and Physics. Boca Raton, Florida: Chemical Rubber Company Publishing. pp.  E110.Emsley, John (2011). Natures Building Blocks: An A-Z Guide to the Elements. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-960563-7.Gschneidner, K.A., and Eyring, L., Handbook on the Physics and Chemistry of Rare Earths, North Holland Publishing Co., Amsterdam, 1978.Greenwood, Norman N.; Earnshaw, Alan (1997). Chemistry of the Elements (2nd ed.). Butterworth-Heinemann. ISBN 0-08-037941-9.R. J. Callow,  The Industrial Chemistry of the Lanthanons, Yttrium, Thorium and Uranium, Pergamon Press, 1967.

The Importance of Living essays

The Importance of Living essays The Importance of Living written by Lin Yutang is not only a book telling what life is and how to live a life, but also display a contrast between cultures of U.S. and China. From several chapters about aspects of life, I get some understanding as below: A QUICK COMPARISON BETWEEN CULTURAL SYSTEMS OF U.S. AND CHINA Looking at Chinese and American cultural traits from a common sense perspective, we usually find the following preconceptions about the two national characters: group reference criteria individualistic desire for eternity eager to change The critical concern is to what extent this comparison holds true. Seemingly convincing conclusions based on assumptions or a deductive approach may risk the possibility of being biased or stereotyped. Generalization seems dangerous but necessary: dangerous, because an easy categorization may have no solid ground and, therefore, is prone to biases; necessary, because, understanding and adapting to a different culture can never be achieved without a certain degree of cross-cultural consensus. A generalization is valid if a commitment is made to seriously consider and evaluate the key forces underlying a particular culture. Generalized descriptions do not cover all individual behaviors or cultural phenomena. The fact that some individual Chinese are impatient does not disprove the generalization that the Chinese as a nation are patient. Ideally, statistical evidence should be available for generalizations, but unfortunately not all cultural facts are statistically testable. PRIMARY FACETS OF CHINESE CULTURE-CONFUCIANISM IN BRIEF As a moral system, Confucianism focuses on the relationship between man and man, which is defined by five virtues: humanity/benevolence (ren), righteousness (yi), propriety (li), wisdom (zhi), and trustworthiness (xin). Another focus is on the five hierarchical relationships between father and son, ruler and ruled, husband and wife, elder brother and y...

Royal Dutch Shell Group Strategic Management Essay

Royal Dutch Shell Group Strategic Management - Essay Example These definitions highlight both the internal and external roles of strategic management in terms of the organization. Further definitions will be given in following sections. Shell’s approach leading up to the new millennium was mainly internal, with massive restructuring of the organisation through divesting unprofitable business areas, eliminating unwanted bureaucratic levels of administration, and placing more power in the hands of a few executives, with the main control and authority coming from the corporate centre consisting of the committee of managing directors (CMD). This was established by flattening the organization’s structure and resulted in minimizing the channels of communication between the corporate center and the operating companies, thus making reporting less complicated. By 2000, Shell’s management structure consisted of the corporate center as the central authority, with executive officers from each of their business units reporting directly to the corporate center. The operating companies, in turn, reported to the business units. This constitutes a flatter organisation structure with a strong central leadership where the overall objectives and goals of the organisation are clearly communicated through the different entities, and problems facing the operating levels in different geographical regions can be effectively made known to the corporate centre for further strategic actions (see Dubrin, 2004; Mullins, 1999). In effect, it can be safely assumed that Shell was headed towards an authoritative style of management starting from the corporate center and continuing down through the executive offices of the business units and finally the operating units. A simpler structure is also helpful for the management in assessing more clearly employees’ performances in order to carry out appraisals and give rewards (Mullins, 1999; Brooks, 2006).

Police role descriptions in the media Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Police role descriptions in the media - Essay Example Being a bank of almost all the police stories in the United States, this website serves as an accessible source for the most recent happenings which concerns police and their activities. Four stories will be chosen depicting these four police roles. An analysis will be offered whether this depicted role is real or not. During December 21, 2007, the Salt Lake Country Sheriff's Office boasted of seizing more than 400 pounds of exotic, African-based drug called "khat" which is reported to be sweeping the whole United States. The drug is typically chewed and similar with other illegal drugs, produces a feeling of euphoria inducing hypnosis, hyperactivity, hallucinations, violence, suicidal depression and physical exhaustion. Even though not as intense as cocaine, "khat" has the ability of reducing a person's motivation with continued use (Winslow and Reavy 2007). Even though the price of khat is expected to discourage consumption among the low and middle income classes, the police expect that it will be a phenomenal drug for young adults because of it can be chewed instead of being injected or smoked (Winslow and Reavy 2007). The effort of seizing the drugs is a way to combat the problems which is associated with drug addiction once a distribution network is set-up. It should be noted that khat is gaining popularity indicated by the presence of 25 tons of smuggled khat in the United States in 2006 (Winslow and Reavy 2007). In this story, the highlighted police role is crime fighter whereby the police act in order to fight the crime of drug smuggling, illegal drug trafficking, and the likelihood of drug abuse which can disrupt peace and order in the community. In this particular story, I believe that the media has no intention of romanticizing the story by clearly labeling police as a crime fighter. Since the story only talks about the seizure of khat and the likely effects of khat abuse, the role of the police as a crime fighter stated in here is real. I believe that police are really committed in combating drug smuggling, drug trafficking, and drug abuse because it being unable to stop them can post larger problems for them in the future. Social Servant The Associated Press releases a very heart-warming Christmas story of a policeman in Philadelphia. This story relates how transit officer Steven Rocher helps a woman deliver her baby while he is on his way to deliver presents to his mother's home. Hearing a woman scream for help while lying in this sidewalk, this transit officer immediately halted and responded to the woman's plea. Even though inexperienced in the task, he managed to deliver the baby and communicated his gladness that the baby is safe. After the delivery, Rocher also flagged down a colleague in order to bring the mother and the newborn baby to the nearest hospital (PA helps deliver 2007). This story recounts how an officer can be a social servant by going beyond his

GROUP ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY PLUS SWOT ANALYSIS and 15 power point

GROUP PLUS SWOT ANALYSIS and 15 power point presentation slides on word cup event - Annotated Bibliography Example The reality is that South Africans were exempted from the event by high ticket prices and complicated ticketing system. Conn, D 2013, ‘South Africa Plays host again but world cup legacy still in question’, The Guardian, viewed 27 February 2013, The information about the cost of the world cup event for South Africa is crucial as it reveals that 10 stadiums were built or refurbished to meet world class standards at a cost of  £687m while the total costs of the tournament were more than  £2bn. The article also provides information that the established stadiums have to be maintained at cost of up to  £2m each every year. In this article, there is a list of requirements that nations hosting the world cup are expected meet. The major requirement is infrastructure which includes stadiums, the training facilities and the bases needed by the teams, television broadcasting, hotel accommodation, information technology and transport. The article is relevant since it provides information on how the cities in a World cup nation have to bid to host the world cup. The Information that the host nation has to incorporate architects and other parties to design stadiums for the world cup event is provided. The Article provides milestones used in the FIFA bidding process from request to expressions of interest , expression of interest for a specific event to the announcement by FIFA on the successful host for the event. The actual costs of the 2010 world cup is outlined in terms of transport costs, stadiums, organizing committee, broadcasting, security, legacy projects, telecommunications, arts and culture, and training volunteers to sum up to  £3.5bn that is to be footed by South African government. The article also reveals that the high cost was due to underestimated costs during prediction especially on stadiums and infrastructure that then led to a boost in the

Control Mechanisms - the Disney Company Essay Example for Free

Control Mechanisms the Disney Company Essay Control Mechanisms The Disney Company Bonita Johnson, Christi Cavanaugh, Gloria Aguilar, Hillary McCabe, Jeffrey Harriman MGT 330 January 9, 2012 Susan Mills Control Mechanisms The Disney Company In more than eight decades The Disney Company continues to be one of the largest media and entertainment corporations in the world. Founded on October 16, 1923 by brothers Walt and Roy Disney as a small animation studio, today The Walt Disney Company is one the largest Hollywood studios and owns 11 theme parks, two water parks, and several television networks including the American Broadcasting Company (ABC). The name Walt Disney has and always will be preeminent in the realm of family entertainment. Additionally, The Disney Company continues proudly to provide quality entertainment for all family members across American and around the world. The Walt Disney Company did not become one of the largest entertainment corporations in world without developing secure control mechanisms. The Disney Company has earned its reputation by tight control and although control pervades the company, Disney’s control mechanisms are not considered heavy-handed or condescending. This paper will examine that although The Disney Company enforces strict control mechanisms within its organization, it is also an organization independent in its thinking and approaches. The Walt Disney Company has always, and continues to use control mechanisms to help regulate policy and procedures which contribute toward effectively achieving organizational goals (The Walt Disney Company, 2008). The Disney Company has been widely successful both nationally and internationally for over 70 years primarily through successful implementation of control mechanisms throughout all aspects of the organization (The Walt Disney Company, 2008). The four types of control mechanisms that best serve The Disney Company would be budgetary, financial, management audit, and bureaucratic. The bureaucratic control function is the lifeline of Disney’s corporate structure because it provides the company’s ethical standards, mission statement, and organizational structure. Moreover, bureaucratic control is a constructive system used to influence subordinates and structure reward systems. Budgetary control is a method used by The Disney Company to bring their vision to life. Budgetary control is detailed, step-by-step documentation of a company’s accomplishments or deficiencies by contrasting data. The Disney Company has implemented many ways of using budgetary control before building or acquiring any new real estate. Management audit controls are equally important to The Disney Company particularly if expansion is in their future. The Disney Company uses both an internal and external audit system. Through management audits The Disney Company has a set checks and balances system to ensure all assets are properly maintain and nothing is compromised (The Walt Disney Company, 2008). Financial controls are just as vital as budgetary controls with a company such as Disney. The marketing strategies that Disney employs help to produce revenue for the company thereby stabilizing assets and liabilities. Financial controls also help to make it possible for Disney to build more parks and resorts in the future. These four control mechanisms enforced by The Disney Company helps provide the company with a format in sustaining the company in a profitable direction. Equally important, these four components of Disney’s control mechanisms are the key in keeping the organization focused, and diverting away from any unethical misconduct from their employees.

Genetic Patenting and Human Dignity :: Genes Science Technology Essays

Genetic Patenting and Human Dignity As technology begins to reshape the world around us at a growing pace, we can’t help but shift the focus inward. Advances in biotechnology are unfolding at unprecedented rates, and while we begin to crack the code of life through the recent developments on the human genome project, the overall subject matter of ethics comes to mind. Now, one might question, if technology is about improvement and biotechnology is about improving life than why would anyone question the ethics of such? However, it recently has come to the point that improvement of life is bordering on manipulation of life, and many are throwing their hands up in moral protest. Consider the recent long-standing debate over the ethics of DNA patenting. Doesn’t holding a commercial patent over human genetic material offend our dignity as humans? Or is genetic material merely nothing more than proteins made from various chemicals no less subject to patenting than plastics, alloys, textile fabrics, pharma ceuticals, or other synthetic materials and compounds? Valid arguments could be made either way. The debate over genetic patenting involves the careful consideration of several perspectives including those of the legal, scientific, biotechnical, and economical fields of study. After analyzing the conflicting opinions of the different fields of study, one may procure a more knowledgeable understanding on which to base a moral framework suitable for evaluating the righteousness of DNA patenting. A proper starting point for the research of genetic patenting would logically begin with a basic understanding of the patenting system in the United States. The idea behind the patent, as established by our forefathers, is stated in the Constitution: â€Å"to promote the progress of science and useful arts by securing the authors and inventors the exclusive right to their respective writings and discoveries.† Further stated in the Constitution are the stipulations and requirements for receiving a patent. The four criteria included were: novelty(the invention is new, innovative, and is not obvious), utility(the invention could be used for more than just hypothetical use), enabling description(the invention is described in great detail-enough so that someone skilled in the field could benefit), and human ingenuity(Resnick, 3). Once the proper criteria has been met, a patent is issued which allows the inventor â€Å"only negative rights to exclude others from making, using, or commercializing his or her invention†(Resnick, 3). Genetic Patenting and Human Dignity :: Genes Science Technology Essays Genetic Patenting and Human Dignity As technology begins to reshape the world around us at a growing pace, we can’t help but shift the focus inward. Advances in biotechnology are unfolding at unprecedented rates, and while we begin to crack the code of life through the recent developments on the human genome project, the overall subject matter of ethics comes to mind. Now, one might question, if technology is about improvement and biotechnology is about improving life than why would anyone question the ethics of such? However, it recently has come to the point that improvement of life is bordering on manipulation of life, and many are throwing their hands up in moral protest. Consider the recent long-standing debate over the ethics of DNA patenting. Doesn’t holding a commercial patent over human genetic material offend our dignity as humans? Or is genetic material merely nothing more than proteins made from various chemicals no less subject to patenting than plastics, alloys, textile fabrics, pharma ceuticals, or other synthetic materials and compounds? Valid arguments could be made either way. The debate over genetic patenting involves the careful consideration of several perspectives including those of the legal, scientific, biotechnical, and economical fields of study. After analyzing the conflicting opinions of the different fields of study, one may procure a more knowledgeable understanding on which to base a moral framework suitable for evaluating the righteousness of DNA patenting. A proper starting point for the research of genetic patenting would logically begin with a basic understanding of the patenting system in the United States. The idea behind the patent, as established by our forefathers, is stated in the Constitution: â€Å"to promote the progress of science and useful arts by securing the authors and inventors the exclusive right to their respective writings and discoveries.† Further stated in the Constitution are the stipulations and requirements for receiving a patent. The four criteria included were: novelty(the invention is new, innovative, and is not obvious), utility(the invention could be used for more than just hypothetical use), enabling description(the invention is described in great detail-enough so that someone skilled in the field could benefit), and human ingenuity(Resnick, 3). Once the proper criteria has been met, a patent is issued which allows the inventor â€Å"only negative rights to exclude others from making, using, or commercializing his or her invention†(Resnick, 3).

Analysis on the role of women and men in vanity Essay

Victorian era literary has produced many different masterpieces from many different writers who focused mainly on the emergence of interpersonal issues involving love, money and social status, usually backdropped by a historical event with national relevance at the time of the story telling. Vanity Fair is one of these types of this kind of work. And even until today, Vanity Fair is one of the materials referenced by critics during literary analysis involving the role of women in the society, the role of patriarchal influence in the Victorian era social politics and the presentation of different women stereotypes in literature. Vanity Fair is a serialized literary material written by William Makepeace Thackeray, published initially in the pages of Punch Magazine in the United Kingdom, beginning at the start of the year 1847, the final instalment appearing a year later in July. The initial title of this masterpiece was Vanity Fair: A Novel without a Hero. A popular saying describes vanity as the favorite sin of men and women, a line of thought which will be heavily discussed and supported in this particular paper through the analysis of the presence of vanity and the role of men and women inside the society on the propagation and existence of vanity. Vanity Fair is a very interesting book that attacks personal and societal illnesses that causes the corruption and corrosion from the inside of what was believed to be a socially-shared moral right. The author attacked the issues and the personal and social crises by pointing out the role of individuals as well as the role of the structure of the society that influences the lives of the individuals in the story. â€Å"Almost every sin in Vanity Fair can be traced, beyond personal weakness, to the fundamental laws of money and class†¦ The poison in Vanity Fair infects the bottom rungs of the social ladder as well as the top (Dyson, 1973, p. 86). † The role of women in William Thackeray’s â€Å"Vanity Fair† There are many different women found in the novel Vanity Fair. But there are some key female characters that provided significant roles in the story so that the novel can depict the real life situation in the Victorian era and in the process provide whatever moral lesson it can about the aspects of life that it managed to discuss and tackle. The list of key female characters that require scrutiny and analysis is topped by the three women characters that possess any or all of the traits that made them important, like personality, influence, cunning and power: Miss Crawley and the contrasting Becky Sharp and Amelia Sedley. Becky Sharp – In a novel without a hero, Becky Sharp was the heroine, even if for some she is the anti-heroine. Becky was one of the two lead women characters who are central to the story. The two girls are opposites in many different ways, and their lives continue such path, with Becky becoming the most villainous of the two and Amelia Sedley her exact opposite. Indeed, the character of Becky Sharp was the catalyst for social abrasion. Some might feel that Becky represents everything that is morally bad and undesirable in the society inside Vanity Fair. Sharp’s character also reminds the readers that people cannot ignore people like her and the characteristics that she displays, dismissing it as a characteristic that is a mere product of a fictional character. Her character represents a type of individual who is alive in the real world. In some twisted consideration, Becky can be considered as the source of â€Å"life† – if life means the presence of constant conflict and the consistent surfacing of anything unexpected – inside a society because Becky does not let social norms get in the way of what she wants. â€Å"The woman who goes after money and status but finds that they do not satisfy her – a woman like Becky Sharp – is allowed to be at least morally interesting (Garson, 2007, p. 99). † Whether readers admit it or not, Becky’s character is an important pull to the consciousness of the readers; she provides the intrigue and sin that readers on the outside condemn but diligently follows through in the next episodes of the novel. Becky seduces and elicits the feeling of scorn and hate so much that she makes the readers always eager to know what happened to her, largely because real life readers are as vain as her. Becky taunts the devil in the readers, making them think and reconsider the â€Å"what ifs,† the things that Becky is not afraid to do which the readers are having second thoughts of doing. Becky triggers the fantasies. For the women readers, it is the fantasy of being able to pull of seduction and gain worldly possessions, to bed many different men and feel a different kind of power, to be free from the shackles and restraints the patriarchal society placed upon women and to be largely free and unaccountable to anything. For male readers, the fantasy is to be seduced by a Becky Sharp, to be offered body and lustful obedience in exchange for money and power that not every man can have in his lifetime. Becky made the world go around inside Vanity Fair, even if the sad part is that as a whole, she is still a mere part of the patriarchal society that used her as much as she used it to her advantage. â€Å"And what else creates change in Vanity Fair if not Becky’s subversive sexual behavior? It is she deprives Amelia of a loving husband well before Thackeray has him killed off on the battlefield at Waterloo (Armstrong, 1990. p. 178). † Amelia Sedley – Amelia contradicts Becky in comparison in many ways. Amelia always opts to live in the past and is tied with the memory of past while Becky is always looking ahead into the future. Amelia is always passive and easily contented, while Becky is always on the move, always hunting or scheming so that she can get what she wants. Amelia is the prototype for the docile and meek domestic housewife, during and after her married life with George, while Becky was â€Å"anything but. † Amelia gives the readers hope that there are still people who walk the straight path of morality, while Becky is jumping up and down, always falling far from where morality wants her to be. Amelia’s role in the novel is more than just as an individual who represents everything that Becky is. Amelia, to some extent, was also the symbol of the ills of the life of being meek and sulky. She is the anatomy of the unknowing victim, the unwitting casualty to the moral massacre that poverty, indebtedness, puritanism and being overly morally upright undertakes in everyday life. She was an angel all right, but Thackeray made sure that even with wings it is easily discernable that Amelia is far from being in heaven largely because of her personality. Amelia, as a character, lived a life that was far from being the ideal married life, and the story was as unkind to her as the critics of the symbolism of woman to which she stood for. â€Å"Late-Victorian women writers contributed to the fight for women’s rights by creating representations of women that confronted the self-abnegating, submissive, housebound image of middle-class Ideal Womanhood. This ideal was epitomized at mid-century by William Thackeray’s Amelia Sedley from Vanity Fair (Mangum, 1999, p. 2). † Becky and Amelia: The analysis and profiling of the real heroine The heroine in the story can either be Becky or Amelia, depending on the reader and the reader’s perspective and moral standpoint. This is because the identification of the heroine type between the two female characters in the novel speaks a lot about the personal characteristics of the person making the difference between the two. The reader would be placed in a dilemma wherein the reader has to choose which personality she would approve between the polar characteristics of Becky and Amelia. â€Å"Plot in Vanity Fair is primarily the histories of two women: one, the shrewdly competent Rebecca Sharp, consistently exploits the conventions of high society to rise within it; the other, the compassionate but vulnerable Amelia Sedley, is exploited by Rebecca and others in their campaign to achieve social prominence (Lund, 1992, p. 23). † The author was consistent with what critics call as rule in the creation of fictitious married female characters. The story divides the desire for love and for materials goods between two individuals who are vaguely antagonists or protagonists in the story. The clear idea to the readers is the priorities of the women as human characters, looking at them outside the scope of gender. As a human character, Becky was the one who puts material things above all, while the character of Amelia puts love above all – providing not just a state of realism but also a sense of balance to the presence of contrasting but significant roles in the novel. With this the reader, male or female, would knowingly or otherwise pick one of the two to become his/her heroine largely on the identification of the same grounds where the character and reader stands. A reader will hardly choose both because like the rule of the fiction writing, the reader will only empathize with the predicament of the character with whom he or she relates the most. â€Å"The rule in fiction is that a female character cannot want both love and luxury. Rare indeed is the novelistic heroine who genuinely loves her husband but who at the same time desires and frankly enjoys the goods that he is able to buy her (Garson, 2007, p. 99). † Thackeray makes it more difficult for the readers to pick which is the heroine between the two opposite characters because an important characteristic of the difference between the two is that the author created characters which are neither white nor black. Becky and Amelia are both neither strictly good nor straight-out bad. The differences of the two candidates for heroine-ism also made implications that altered their state of being good or bad as their state of lives moves forward in the story. There is a sense of goodness in Becky as much as there are some things in Amelia which may merit disapproval from the readers. Because the story is centered on domestic life of couples and the complexity that the society and the personalities of the people in it contribute to the lives of married individuals, the personalities of Beck and Amelia as wives are just as important pieces of consideration as much as their own personal characteristics are in the pursuit of defining who is the more suitable heroine between the two. And like their personalities as single individuals, how they were as wives is just as complicated, Thackeray became consistent with the idea of ending up with having no real defined hero (or heroine for that matter). It forces the reader to take a very good look at real life before finally judging who between Becky and Amelia deserved to be raised in the pedestal as the ideal woman and wife. â€Å"The role she plays perhaps most productively is that of the faithful and charming little wife to Rawdon Crawley. Ironically, as long as she finds it advantageous to play this role, she is a much more effective domestic angel than Amelia Osborne, whose devotion to her husband George is heartfelt but sterile, who maternal affection is positively destructive, and who is quite unable to repay Dobbin for his years of devotion. In contrast to Amelia, Becky brings out the best in her husband, transforming Rawdon from a randy roue to a contented husband and a devoted father (Garson, 2007, p. 99). †