Different Learning Styles Exploring the Myers-Briggs...

Different Learning Styles: Exploring the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Thesis: Students on a secondary level of education will learn more effectively if their MBTI have been assessed and accommodated to. All students process information differently. These differences can be explained using the Myers-Briggs type indicator. Students on a secondary level of education will learn more effectively if their MBTI have been assessed and accommodated to. The Myers-Briggs type indicator (MBTI) is a type of personality test to determine a person’s personality type and thus their learning style. The MBTI is based on the work of the Swiss psychologist Carl Jung and the American mother and daughter team of researchers; Katherine†¦show more content†¦Sensing type people prefer concrete, practical facts. The Center for Applied Psychological Type reported that 56-72% of freshman students at state universities were sensing type students, and 92% of Rhodes scholars are intuitive type students (Brightman). Intuitors are much more imaginative, and prefer extracting meaning from information that is more abstract (Personality Pathways). The third set of preferences relates to how we make decisions. Thinkers make very logical and analytical decisions, concentrating on accomplishing tasks and results. Feelers tend to base their decisions on how they may affect others. They take a humanistic approach to things (Personality Pathways). The fourth set of preferences relates to task completion. Judging people are quick to take action, focusing on only the essential information, and quick to complete the task. Perceptive people spend most of their time collecting data and wait till the last minute to begin the task (Brightman). According to the Learning to learn†¦.with Style program, knowing their MBTI type will benefit students by giving them insight and understanding of the way they learn. They can then help themselves by â€Å"understanding what they need and what works best for them in all aspects of their lives†. Professor Richard M. Felder from the Department of Chemical Engineering at the North Carolina State University explains the benefits of a teacher’sShow MoreRelatedLearning Styles Literary Review1726 Words   |  7 Pagesand Principles of Learning (TPPL) Assignment Part A – Literature review analysing theories and principles of learning. Learning Styles A student’s individual learning style is their normal reaction to information or experiences. For example, Keefe (1979) defines learning styles as the composite of characteristic cognitive, affective, and physiological factors that serve as relatively stable indicators of how a learner perceives, interacts with, and responds to the learning environment., orRead MorePersonality Assessment Instrument or Inventory Critique1950 Words   |  8 PagesAssessment Instrument or Inventory Critique Myers-Briggs Indicator Type has developed to offer a part in Jung form of personality theory type; which has considered coherence in Indian life. Myers-Briggs’ most widely used and accepted developed tool works together in personal characteristics in a population such as a non-psychiatric. In an extensive variety of intelligence, fields such as counseling and psychotherapy; management; learning procedures, education, cognitive techniques, leadershipRead MoreThe Test For Critique : Frank Parsons1873 Words   |  8 Pagesby asking prospective clients â€Å"116 rigorous questions about their ambitions, strengths, and weaknesses†( Myer 25 ). But then he did something more unusual: He measured their skulls. Parsons was a committed believer in phrenology. If you had a large forehead, he might recommend you become a lawyer or engineer. But if your skull was more developed behind the ears, you were of the â€Å"animal type†(Myer 45) and best suited to manual work. Career advice has, thankfully, come a long way since then. But nowRead MoreSelf Analysis and Personality Diagnostic Tests2481 Words   |  10 PagesSelf Analysis and Personality Diagnostic Tests People are created uniquely and different one to another, which results in character and personality differences. The needs of socialising and workplace purposes, such as career development and organisation effectiveness have ‘forced’ people to be more aware and understand their potentials through self-analysis. It requires people to assess themselves as an object in particular event or experience, which enables people to gain self-awareness (DeRead MoreWho Am I as a Learner2953 Words   |  12 Pagesa learner? 1.1 What is learning? Nowadays, people believe that learning can enhance their status or values (Beagrie 2007). They trust that learning is a part of their lives (Beagrie 2007). Learning is related to the process of knowing and understanding information (Bransford, Sherwood, Hasselbring, Kinzer and Williams 1990). Student can create and evolve the knowledge structures by learning (Bransford, Sherwood, Hasselbring, Kinzer and Williams 1990). Learning style can allow learners to chooseRead MoreEssay on My Personal Perspective of Coaching1659 Words   |  7 PagesPersonal coaching as defined by Biswas – Diener (2009) is a professional relationship in which coaches work with clients to facilitate experiential learning and improve functioning and performance, of in the context of working toward specific goals. Some core assumptions that people have an innate capacity to grow and develop a focus on mutually agreed upon goals, and an understanding that the relationship is relatively equal and collaborative as stated by the author (2009). Some techniques thatRead MoreThe Impact of Extroverted Personality on the Work Environment2080 Words   |  8 Pagesthis occurs, is when we can be able to see how the personality of select individuals can have an impact on productivity and the work environment of the firm. (Raja, 2004, pp. 350 367) Part A In this section we will examine a specific personality type and the impact that it is having in the workplace. This will be accomplished by looking at extroverted intuition in the form of a literature review. Once this happens, is when we can offer specific insights that will have an effect on how everyoneRead MoreUnderstanding the People Who Work at and Patronize Build-a-Bear Workshop8790 Words   |  36 Pagesaffect. Personality theories explained include trait theory and the integrative approach. The chapter also examines how social perceptions influence the way we view the world and how attributions influence how we assign causality for behaviors. LEARNING OBJECTIVES PPT Slides 2, 3 After reading this chapter, you should be able to do the following: 1. Describe individual differences and their importance in understanding behavior. 2. Define personality. 3. Identify several personality characteristicsRead MoreLeadership Coaching Development Plan4980 Words   |  20 Pagesperformance and learning points are succinctly unwrapped in this paper. Also unearthed, is how the process provided me with good structures to anchor my development plan of building competency in the proper employment of participative decision-making (PDM) skill, one of the prerequisite skills towards moulding an altogether effective managerial and capable leadership skill sets which this course seeks to achieve for me. The final part of this assessment paper expounds the experiential learning principleRead MoreCoaching at Nandos2885 Words   |  12 Pagesobjectives†. (Harrison.R, 2005, p.87) Actually the learning and training at work is a vast area that changes quickly. Training is a method used to facilitate learning and increase job performance. It can change skills, knowledge and attitude. (Porter,C et al 2008, p.280) Training focuses upon implementation , Improvement and innovation. Christine Porter et al (2008) describe the ‘systematic training’ as the best way to initiate training and learning in organisations. This approach consists of: - Examine:

Cyrano Honorable Man - 995 Words

Honor in Cyrano de Bergerac The definition of honor is a keen sense of ethical conduct. As George Bernard Shaw once said, â€Å"A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing.† Similar to the quote honor is portrayed by Cyrano De Bergerac. In Cyrano de Bergerac, by Edmond Rostand, honor is a key element in the play which is shown through Cyrano’s deeds of honor, how it is based in society, and because Cyrano’s outstanding traits of honor outweigh other characters honor. Cyrano is an honorable man. To begin with, he shows his honor in many ways, but he does not do it to receive praise, he does it because of his faithful personality. For example, when Cyrano hears about the hundred men†¦show more content†¦Come, shall we win her both together...† (II 99-100). Christian could at least think of a way to tell Cyrano he appreciates all his honorable qualities. By Christian doing something that simple would have made him a more honorable man. Another character who lacks honor or dignity is Le Bret. Cyrano and Le Bret are close friends, although Cyrano never performed any wonderful deeds towards Le Bret. That does not mean he cannot be honorable towards Cyrano. Le Bret could have warned Cyrano of his death. Regardless, he was late to let Cyrano know of the accident that caused his death, he still becomes a more honorable man. Imagine how much more honorable Le Bret could have been if he were to save Cyrano’s life. The last character wh o is not honorable is De Guiche. He is the opposite of an honorable man. He does an abundance of deeds, but most of them are for his own good not others. Some might classify De Guiche as a selfish man. Many characters have the chance to become honorable men, but they choose not to, unlike Cyrano. Cyrano de Bergerac reveals the role of honor as a key aspect which is displayed through Cyrano’s acts of honor, how honor is established in society and by contrasting less honorable characters with Cyrano.Show MoreRelatedEssay on Cyrano De Bergerac is Aristotles High Minded Man752 Words   |  4 PagesDAristote In Cyrano De Bergerac, written originally by Edmond Rostand in French and translated to English by Brian Hooker, Cyrano de Bergerac stars in an epic of his fictional life as a high minded man. Aristotle, a great philosopher, states that a high minded man must have a mind that is concerned with all great things. Now, what are these great things? There are plenty of great things that a high minded man must value. I have chosen to explore three of them to show that Cyrano is an exampleRead MoreA Midsummer Night s Dream And The Taming Of The Shrew1254 Words   |  6 Pagescomedies include A Midsummer Night s Dream, The Taming of the Shrew, and Cyrano de Bergerac. In A Midsummer Night’s Dream and The Taming of the Shrew, the main character achieves their goal with few hardships. Yet, in Cyrano de Bergerac, our main character’s ambitions are never fulfilled. Rather, the hero of this tale keeps up his quixotic beliefs throughout the difficulties he endures. Even though the p laywright of Cyrano de Bergerac, Edmond Rostand, argues that his play is a â€Å"heroic comedy†, theRead MoreCharacter Analysis Of Cyrano De Bergerac834 Words   |  4 Pages In the play Cyrano de Bergerac, by Edmond Rostand, is a book about Cyrano de Bergerac, who is one of the main characters in this book that has a downfall in the his love life. Cyrano had a flaw in his life that lead to his downfall in the end. The contributions that lead to this would be his tragic flaws, which truly prevented him from achieving the women of his dreams. Cyrano may have had favorable traits about himself like being able to take control as a leader; gaining him respect from othersRead MoreEssay on Edmond Rostands Cyrano De Bergerac1195 Words   |  5 PagesA famous man by the name of Kahlil Gibran once said, â€Å"Beauty is not in the face; beauty is a light in the heart.† It just happens that Cyrano’s heart shined brighter than anyone I have ever known. Through insecurities and heartbreaks, Cyrano would never forget his pride or the feelings of his friends. He never lost his honor and would always bring light into any situation, even when he was near hi s death. Cyrano displayed many positive traits and values such as loyalty, devotion, selflessness, knowledgeRead More Slavery And Southern Honor Essay examples1658 Words   |  7 PagesParallels To southern men, honor was everything. I dictated their standing in society, whether or not they could own slaves; it basically was a secret caste system. A man held in the highest honor experienced a good life from a social stance in the south. The honor system used in the south was related to the language used by southern gentlemen.# Honor and Slavery by Kenneth S. Greenburg attempts to explain the vernacular and customs used by men in the antebellum south. It would be hard forRead MoreCyrano de Bergerac a Play Written by Edmond Rostand1805 Words   |  8 Pagesliterature, a character is seen as the epitome of the intricacy that insecurity has as he endeavors to indirectly win his Corazon’s love. Such a theme is portrayed in Edmond Rostand’s play, Cyrano de Bergerac, which takes place in seventeenth century France, a time of valor and romanticism. The protagonist, Cyrano, is so fixated on his hideous nose that he allows it to upstage his virtuous traits that co uld enable him to achieve the happiness of love. On account of this, the poet lives in the shadows

Level Responses to Disruptive Innovation †Free Samples to Students

Question: Discuss about the Level Responses to Disruptive Innovation. Answer: Introduction The report helps in analysing the business model canvas of the Afterpayit Company that is based in Australia. The business canvas model will help in understanding the different kind of strategies as well that will help in understanding the relationship between the nine building blocks of the BMC of Afterpayit Company. The main aim and purpose of the report is to understand the critical success factors that can be adopted by the company in order to gain proper competitive advantage. The risks have to be analysed effectively as this will help in solving the different issues with proper implementation of strategic decisions. The structure of the report includes the analysis of the business canvas model of Afterpayit Company with the proper SWOT and Porters Five Forces Model of the business canvas model of the respective company. Afterpayit is one of the companies wherein they offer flexibility and simplicity in the payments methods of the customers while they purchase different kind of products from the stores both online as well as offline. The respective company was founded in the year 2014 in Sydney, Australia with a proper ambitious goal wherein it offers different kind of plans to the individuals in the market in comparison to the other competitors ("Afterpay it! - Afterpay - Shop Now. Get it Now. Pay it in 4.", 2018). Afterpayit Company introduced their first product in the year 2015 wherein different kind of plans of free instalments are available for the purchasers either online or offline. Products and services offered by Afterpayit There are different kind of products and services launched by Afterpayit Company wherein they have launched their first product in the year 2015 (Demil et al., 2015). The respective company has provided the customers with different kind of services and products in an effectual manner wherein they include the different kind of simple, interest free instalment plans that is suitable for the customers and they have gained huge competitive advantage as well. The Afterpayit Company provides free services and products to both the online and offline shopping of the customers who pay through Afterpayit application. Nick Molnar is the CEO of the company who has developed the application as to provide the customers and users a unique experience with the help of the usage of the same technology in an effective manner (Wirtz et al., 2016). Business Canvas Model of Afterpayit Key Partner Different kind of services and products providers along with sellers The sellers who help in making the payments successful in nature Key Activities Designing of the different kind of services Data security Value Proposition Third party kind of products as well as services Transfer of money Payment of bank Customer Relationships Long term customer relationships are appreciated as this helps in increasing their competitive advantage in the market as well Customer Segments Payment bank customers Retail kind of customers Non payment kind of banks Key Resources License of bank payment Channels Different kind of applications such as wallet shop and seller shop as well Websites Cost Structure Maintaining the license of the bank Development of different kind of services Management of the security of the data Revenue Streams Commissions Payments from the customers along with delivery fees of the delivery boys Key relationships between nine building blocks Proper and effective relationships exist between the nine building blocks of the Company named Afterpayit. The key partners in the BMC helps in providing and creating different alliances for the different partners in the organization. This is the absolute combination of the specialization and knowledge wherein it will help in constituting for a new relationship. The key activities are essential in nature wherein this will help in understanding the core activities of Afterpayit and this will help in canvassing the new customers that will help in making the task easier in nature (Upward Jones, 2016). The key resources are essential in nature as this help in inclusion of the financial, human resources that will help the entire company in gaining competitive advantage. The value propositions are essential in nature as it helps in distinguishing the features of the products and services offered by the company to the customers. The relationships among the customers is essential in nature as this will help the company in anticipating the needs and requirements of the customers effectively (Foss Saebi, 2017). The channels are essential part in Afterpayit Company as this will help in dealing with different kind of communication and distribution channels in an effectual manner. the customer segments are essential in nature as well as this helps the company in identifying their specific needs and requirements and solve them effectually as well. the revenue and cost structure are essential in the organization as this will help the company in providing clear insight into the different kind of revenue model of the company that has been adopted by them (Veit et al., 2014). Integrated SWOT analysis and Porters Five Forces Model analysis With the help of SWOT and Porters Five Forces analysis of the Business Canvas Model, it can be analysed that there are different strengths and weaknesses. However, the weaknesses and threats have to be taken as the opportunity to make the payments in an easier manner (Osiyevskyy Dewald, 2015). Afterpayit Company needs to understand the different kind of issues in the Porters Five Forces Analysis, wherein this will help the company in understanding the different tactics that can help them in gaining competitive advantage (Schaltegger, Hansen Ldeke-Freund, 2016). Furthermore, the company needs to understand the issues in such a manner wherein the strengths and opportunities are used as the source of the success for the company. However, there are issues and threats to the company that can create huge issues and this has to be taken as strengths for the company as well (Joyce Paquin, 2016). Lastly, the company needs to understand that there are different kind of risks that has to be ascertained in an effectual manner that will help the company in understanding such issues. There are different kind of critical success factors of the Afterpayit Company wherein it includes the following: It has created ease for the different onboarding merchants as this will help the company in being ahead of the different rivals in the entire market Proper and viral distribution is the other critical success factor wherein it helped in extending the existing users in the company who will be using the application in an effectual and easy manner (Dijkman et al., 2015) Frictionless payments are offered by the Afterpayit Company wherein it is offering their customers payment methods that is hurdle free and this is attracting customers in an effectual manner as well (Bughin, 2017) Downside Risks There are different kind of downside risks in Afterpayit Company wherein it can negatively affect the company and the reputation of the company as well. The different kind of downside risks are as follows: There is higher risk of theft of identity that can make the details of the customers available in the website. This will create huge issues for the company in dealing with them effectively (Bocken et al., 2014) The redressal system is weak in nature wherein there are times when customers add money to their wallets, however later on it can be seen that money is lost and is not being found as well (Carayannis, Sindakis Walter, 2015) Lastly, when the phone is lost, it can create huge trouble for the customers as well as the company because the customers will be calling the customer care as the credentials are essential that are lost and this can have negative impact on it as well (DaSilva Trkman, 2014) Recommendations and requirement of changes There can be different kind of recommendations that can be made for the company in the future as this will help the company in gaining competitive advantage (Bala Hou, 2017). The Afterpayit Company needs to understand the moves of the competitors wherein this will help in understanding the issues in an effectual manner. The design of the Afterpayit has to be done in such a manner that will help in making the system more secure and it will require the different details that will help the customers in completing the payments and shop in an easy manner as well. Furthermore, the company needs to design their website in such a manner that the registered members will be able to make transactions and there will be generation of OTP codes as this will help them in satisfying the requirements of customers and making the entire system safe in nature as well. Lastly, the company needs to introduce a safety pin that will help the customers to be aware of the data theft even when the phone is lost or misplaced as this can track such information and block it effectually as well. It is required for the company to implement a strategy that will help the company in solving the issues and this will help them in competing with other competitors in an effectual manner as well. Conclusion Therefore, it can be concluded that business canvas model is essential in nature as this has helped the company in understanding the different key relationships between the nine building blocks of the companys BMC. The different changes along with critical success factors has been identified and analysed that has helped the company in gaining competitive advantage in the market as well. The different SWOT and Porters Five Forces Model analysis has helped the company in understanding the strengths along with opportunities that can be uses by them to make the system secured in nature. References Afterpay it! - Afterpay - Shop Now. Get it Now. Pay it in 4.. (2018). Afterpay.com. Retrieved 29 March 2018, from https://www.afterpay.com Bala, R., Hou, W. (2017, January). Toward A Typology of Incumbent Response to Disruptive Business Model Innovations. InAcademy of Management Proceedings(Vol. 2017, No. 1, p. 13830). Academy of Management. Bocken, N. M., Short, S. W., Rana, P., Evans, S. (2014). A literature and practice review to develop sustainable business model archetypes.Journal of cleaner production,65, 42-56. Bughin, J. (2017). The best response to digital disruption.MIT Sloan Management Review,58(4). Carayannis, E. G., Sindakis, S., Walter, C. (2015). Business model innovation as lever of organizational sustainability.The Journal of Technology Transfer,40(1), 85-104. DaSilva, C. M., Trkman, P. (2014). Business model: What it is and what it is not.Long range planning,47(6), 379-389. Demil, B., Lecocq, X., Ricart, J. E., Zott, C. (2015). Introduction to the SEJ special issue on business models: business models within the domain of strategic entrepreneurship.Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal,9(1), 1-11. Dijkman, R. M., Sprenkels, B., Peeters, T., Janssen, A. (2015). Business models for the Internet of Things.International Journal of Information Management,35(6), 672-678. Foss, N. J., Saebi, T. (2017). Fifteen years of research on business model innovation: how far have we come, and where should we go?.Journal of Management,43(1), 200-227. Joyce, A., Paquin, R. L. (2016). The triple layered business model canvas: A tool to design more sustainable business models.Journal of Cleaner Production,135, 1474-1486. Osiyevskyy, O., Dewald, J. (2015). Explorative versus exploitative business model change: the cognitive antecedents of firm?level responses to disruptive innovation.Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal,9(1), 58-78. Schaltegger, S., Hansen, E. G., Ldeke-Freund, F. (2016). Business models for sustainability: Origins, present research, and future avenues. Upward, A., Jones, P. (2016). An ontology for strongly sustainable business models: Defining an enterprise framework compatible with natural and social science.Organization Environment,29(1), 97-123. Veit, D., Clemons, E., Benlian, A., Buxmann, P., Hess, T., Kundisch, D., ... Spann, M. (2014). Business models.Business Information Systems Engineering,6(1), 45-53. Wirtz, B. W., Pistoia, A., Ullrich, S., Gttel, V. (2016). Business models: Origin, development and future research perspectives.Long Range Planning,49(1), 36-54.

Political Power in Nursing

Traditionally defined as â€Å"special kind of a social relationship† (Fairholm, 2009, p. 5), power can be applied to practically any field and alter it significantly. The concept of political power, in its turn, is typically rendered as the hierarchy of the people exercising and producing it (Chaplin, 2009, p. 43).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Political Power in Nursing specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The very essence of political power, as well as its nature, however, is yet to be identified, as â€Å"its proper definition remains a matter of controversy† (Baldwin, 2013). It could be argued that power in general and political power in particular exists in every single domain that people control (Chaplin, 2009, p. 44). In nursing, power is viewed as the access to â€Å"intertwined resources such as wealth, education, political influence and economics† (Daly, Speedy Jackson, 2014). The s pecified definition embraces the concept of political power on nursing; therefore, making it obvious that the political choices made in a specific state affect the quality of the nursing services provided to the residents. To be more exact, the political choices made by the state authorities affect the amount of opportunities for the provision of nursing services, as well as the quality thereof. Nursing and How It Affected My Christian Worldview The concept of power in nursing in general and the influence of certain political powers on the specified area in particular have altered my view on the subject matter slightly. Although I must admit that it was not very shocking to find out that political events affect the flow of a range of nursing processes, it still seems striking that politics and healthcare are related to each other this closely. It seems wrong that political forces dominating a certain state dictate specific rules to the nursing department, therefore, affecting not on ly the experts in the specified area but also the lives of millions of patients. From a Christian viewpoint, the situation under analysis can be interpreted as rather controversial. On the one hand, by opening the realm of nursing to the political forces of the state, one may facilitate safety of the patients and even enjoy opportunities for better funding, not to mention the fact that successful foreign policy allows for collaboration with influential international companies providing nursing related products, such as medicine and equipment (Choudhuri, 2012). Therefore, the effects of politics on nursing can be viewed as striving for greater good and helping those in need, which aligns with the principles of the Christian faith (Wiersbe Wiersbe, 2012). On the other hand, depending on the political regime, the process of controlling the nursing field executed by those beholding power may trigger a significant drop in the quality of nursing services, as the people supervising the ke y nursing processes on the statewide level are likely to have little idea of nursing and its goals. Thus, the introduction of political power into nursing does not seem reasonable in this case.Advertising Looking for essay on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Nursing and My Current Role in It However, once the effect of political power in nursing is restricted to facilitating the processes of communication with international partners, as well as providing financial and social support for nursing services and the people requiring the latter, the effects of power in nursing may turn out to be entirely positive. More importantly, political power may be used as the tool for reinforcing the process of raising awareness on a range of issues that pose a threat to people’s health on national and international levels.  Raising awareness as one of my current roles in nursing is crucial to preventing and addressi ng a range of health issues; by inviting people to learn more about the subject matter, political forces will help increase health rates not only across the state but also worldwide. Reference List Baldwin, D. A. (2013). Power and international relations. In W. Carlsnaes, T. Risse B. A. Simmons, Handbook of international relations (273–297). Thousand Oaks, California: SAGE. Chaplin, J. R. (2009) Paradigms of political power. New Brunswick, New Jersey: Transaction Publishers. Choudhuri, B. (2012). Public services and international trade liberalization: Human rights and gender implications. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press Daly, J., Speedy, S. Jackson, D. (2014). Contexts of nursing. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Elsevier Health Sciences. Fairholm, Gilbert W. (2009). Organizational power politics: Tactics in organizational leadership. Santa-Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Political Power in Nursing specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Wiersbe, W. W. Wiersbe, D. W. (2012). 10 power principles for Christian service. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Books. This essay on Political Power in Nursing was written and submitted by user Valentin Sweeney to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

6 Ways to Nurture Your Inner Entrepreneur

6 Ways to Nurture Your Inner Entrepreneur The idea of owning and operating your own business appeals to you. You love the idea of taking an idea of your own creation and then working to turn that idea into a working business that allows you to earn money, and allows you to spend your days doing what you love. Unfortunately, you also have doubts. You dont know if you have enough risk tolerance to become an entrepreneur. You doubt your ability to come up with a great idea, and you are unsure that you can make it through the grueling processes of finding financing and developing a business plan. Youre definitely unsure of whether or not you can manage all of the different tasks you will be expected to take on once your business is launched. Does this mean that your dreams of becoming an entrepreneur are dead in the water? Of course they arent. It simply means that you have to find ways to nurture and develop your inner entrepreneur until you are ready turn a fantasy about owning a business into the real thing. 1. Learn About Other Successful Entrepreneurs One of the best ways to build on your natural entrepreneurial ability is to get some good advice and inspiration from some of the greats. When you learn about the successes, failures, and struggles of notable entrepreneurs you begin to gain an idea of the traits you need to develop to become a successful entrepreneur in your own right. You can also find encouragement if your own efforts arent becoming fruitful as quickly and as smoothly as you would like them to. There are many books that you can read to educate yourself on influential entrepreneurs. 2. Work at Being an Entrepreneur Where You Are You dont need to be the owner of a business to nurture entrepreneurial skills. In fact, launching a business of your own is a horrible way to develop these skills. It is way too risky to put financial investments, time, and other resources on the line in the hopes that you have developed the entrepreneurial chops to start a successful business. What you can do, however, is develop these skills before you try to start your own business. For example, you can... Volunteer to take on leadership roles at work, in school, or other organizations to which you belong Formulate ideas for beneficial projects at work, pitch them, and carry them through to completion Act as a mentor to those who are less experienced than you 3. Become the Party Planner in Your Social Circle There isnt anything entrepreneurial in throwing a small get together, but if you throw a big event, you will learn a lot about what it takes to own your own business. When you put on a major bash you must contact and negotiate with vendors, coordinate multiple schedules, get other people to pitch in, find and obtain funding to pay everybody involved, and then make sure that everybody is satisfied. 4. Start Keeping an Idea and Problem Journal Great entrepreneurs collect ideas and problems. Just like writers who keep a journal for writing down snippets of story ideas, you should begin keeping a journal of business and project ideas, along with problems that you identify that need solutions. At some point, it is very possible that you will come into your head that will eventually be developed into a full-fledged business concept. You will also find that the more you write your ideas down, the more new ideas you will have. 5. Learn to Find as Much Value in Failure as You do Success One thing that differentiates entrepreneurs from other people is their ability to embrace failure. To an entrepreneur, failure is an opportunity to learn something, and then use that knowledge to come up with a better solution. If you can change your attitude about failure involving small things, eventually you will be able to embrace even big failures and use them as a learning experience. You can start by making a commitment to analyze every failure, not to determine where you went wrong, but to determine what you did right, and what you learned. 6. Take on a Part Time Opportunity to Own Your Own Business If you have good interpersonal skills, you could try taking advantage of a work at home opportunity that will give you a bit of entrepreneurial experience. There are many well-known companies that are constantly hiring people who wish to operate their own home based business. You can sell and market products ranging from cosmetics to kitchen supplies. If you think these arent real businesses, think again. You have to develop a list of potential customers, sell your product, pay your supplier, and track the money you have earned for tax purposes.

Battle of Churubusco - Mexican-American War - Winfield Scott

Battle of Churubusco - Mexican-American War - Winfield Scott Battle of Churubusco - Conflict Date: The Battle of Churubusco was fought August 20, 1847, during the Mexican-American War (1846-1848). Armies Commanders United States Major General Winfield ScottMajor General William J. Worth8,497 Mexico General Manuel RinconGeneral Pedro Anaya3,800 Battle of Churubusco - Background: With the beginning of the Mexican-American War in May 1946, Brigadier General Zachary Taylor won quick victories in Texas at Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma. Pausing to reinforce, he later invaded northern Mexico and captured the city of Monterrey. Though pleased with Taylors success, President James K. Polk was increasingly concerned about the generals political aspirations. As a result of this, and reports that an advance on Mexico City from Monterrey would be difficult, he began stripping Taylors army of men to form a new command for Major General Winfield Scott. This new army was tasked with capturing the port of Veracruz before moving inland against the Mexican capital. Polks approach nearly brought disaster when a badly outnumbered Taylor was attacked at Buena Vista in February 1847. In desperate fighting, he was able to hold off the Mexicans. Landing at Veracruz in March 1847, Scott captured the city after a twenty-day siege. Concerned about yellow fever along the coast, he quickly began marching inland and was soon confronted by a Mexican army led by General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna. Attacking the Mexicans at Cerro Gordo on April 18, he routed the enemy before advancing to capture Puebla. Resuming the campaign in early August, Scott elected to approach Mexico City from the south rather than force the enemy defenses at El Peà ±Ãƒ ³n. Rounding Lakes Chalco and Xochimilco his men arrived at San Augustin on August 18. Having anticipated an American advance from the east, Santa Anna began redeploying his army to the south and assumed a line along the Churubusco River (Map). Battle of Churubusco - Situation Before Contreras: To defend the southern approaches to the city, Santa Anna deployed troops under General Francisco Perez at Coyoacan with forces led by General Nicholas Bravo to the east at Churubusco. In the west, the Mexican right was held General Gabriel Valencias Army of the North at San Angel. Having established his new position, Santa Anna was separated from the Americans by a vast lava field known as the Pedregal. On August 18 Scott directed Major General William J. Worth to take his division along the direct road to Mexico City. Marching along the east edge of the Pedregal, the division and accompanying dragoons came under heavy fire at San Antonio, just south of Churubusco. Unable to flank the enemy due to the Pedregal to the west and water to the east, Worth elected to halt. In the west, Valencia, a political rival of Santa Anna, elected to advance his men five miles south to a position near the villages of Contreras and Padierna. Seeking to break the deadlock, Scott sent one of his engineers, Major Robert E. Lee, to find a path through the Pedregal to the west. Successful, Lee began leading American troops from Major Generals David Twiggs and Gideon Pillows divisions across the rough terrain on August 19. In the course of this movement, an artillery duel commenced with Valencia. As this continued, American troops moved unnoticed to the north and west and took positions around San Geronimo before nightfall. Battle of Churubusco - The Mexican Withdrawal: Attacking around dawn, American forces shattered Valencias command at the Battle of Contreras. Realizing that the triumph had unhinged the Mexican defenses in the area, Scott issued a series of orders following Valencias defeat. Among these were orders which countermanded earlier directives for Worths and Major General John Quitmans divisions to move west. Instead, these were ordered north towards San Antonio. Sending troops west into the Pedregal, Worth quickly outflanked the Mexican position and sent them reeling north. With his position south of the Churubusco River collapsing, Santa Anna made the decision to begin pulling back towards Mexico City. To do so, it was critical that his forces hold the bridge at Churubusco. Command of the Mexican forces at Churubusco fell to General Manuel Rincon who directed his troops to occupy fortifications near the bridge as well as the San Mateo Convent to the southwest. Among the defenders were members of the San Patricio Battalion which consisted of Irish deserters from the American army. With the two wings of his army converging on Churubusco, Scott immediately ordered Worth and Pillow to attack the bridge while Twiggs division assaulted the convent. In an uncharacteristic move, Scott had not scouted either of these positions and was unaware of their strength. While these attacks moved forward, the brigades of Brigadier Generals James Shields and Franklin Pierce were to move north over the bridge at Coyoacan before turning east for Portales. Had Scott reconnoitered Churubusco, he most likely would have sent the bulk of his men along Shields route. Battle of Churubusco - A Bloody Victory: Moving forward, the initial assaults against the bridge failed as Mexican forces held. They were aided by the timely arrival of militia reinforcements. Renewing the assault, the brigades of Brigadier Generals Newman S. Clarke and George Cadwalader finally carried the position after a determined attack. To the north, Shields successfully crossed the river before meeting a superior Mexican force at Portales. Under pressure, he was reinforced by the Mounted Rifles and a company of dragoons which were stripped from Twiggs division. With the bridge taken, American forces were able to reduce the convent. Charging forward, Captain Edmund B. Alexander led the 3rd Infantry in storming its walls. The convent quickly fell and many of the surviving San Patricios were captured. At Portales, Shields began to gain the upper hand and the enemy began to retreat as Worths division was seen advancing from bridge to the south. Battle of Churubusco - Aftermath: Uniting, the Americans mounted an ineffective pursuit of the Mexicans as they fled towards Mexico city. Their efforts were hampered by the narrow causeways which traversed swampy terrain. The fighting at Churubusco cost Scott 139 killed, 865 wounded, and 40 missing. Mexican losses numbered 263 killed, 460 wounded, 1,261 captured, and 20 missing. A disastrous day for Santa Anna, August 20 saw his forces defeated at Contreras and Churubusco and his entire defensive line south of the city shattered. In an effort to buy time to reorganize, Santa Anna requested short truce which Scott granted. It was Scotts hope that peace could be negotiated without his army having to storm the city. This truce quickly failed and Scott resumed operations in early September. These saw him win a costly victory at Molino del Rey before successfully taking Mexico City on September 13 after the Battle of Chapultepec. Selected Sources PBS: Battle of ChurubuscoSon of the South: Battle of Churubusco Aztec Club: Battle of Churubusco - Map

Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 - Essay Example The Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) aims at more financial disclosures by companies to prevent accounting frauds. Due to this act a new agency, the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, or PCAOB came into existence. The purpose of this agency is to oversee, regulate, inspect and discipline accounting firms that conduct auditing activities of public companies. SOX act is applicable to all US registered public companies. International companies that are registered with the SEC and the accounting companies that conduct auditing services are also covered in this Act. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act ensures corporate accountability and makes provision for penalties in case of violations. Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act specifies corporate responsibility for financial disclosures. CEOs and CFOs are made accountable for the veracity of financial disclosures. The Act makes it mandatory to include an internal control report in all financial disclosures of companies. This is to ensure that the management is confident about the reported financial data because of necessary controls in place to verify authenticity of data. Each financial report will also conduct an assessment of the effectiveness of the internal controls to be certified by auditor of the firm. Section 1348 has been added in Chapter 63 of title 18 pertaining to securities fraud. Accordingly, Criminal penalties are enforceable for defrauding investors of the companies by false presentations. Criminal penalties are also enforceable under section 802 for modifying documents. Section 13 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 is further modified through section 409 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act to provide Real Time Issuer Disclosures. Under the provision, any material changes in the financial condition must be provided by the companies to protect the interests of shareholders or investors. The auditor conducting an audit of

Study case 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Study case 1 - Essay Example It is regarded as morally wrong unless that person is your wife. The man declined to remove his pants for the X-ray due to his protestant stand which does not allow females to see their private parts and this also the main reason as to why he refused to cover himself with a towel. Most of them would even prefer to die than to be treated by a female doctor which does not make sense at all. Just because, this female doctor is going to see your private parts does not mean she is going to do anything with them, all she is interested in is treating you and therefore fulfilling her duty at work (Nam, 11). Most of our cultures misguide us by the things they make us believe, and they may destroy us rather than build us. Religion is supposed to build and unite us but not to tear us apart (Nam, 11). Therefore, everybody is supposed to respect each other, and that includes their religion too. We all believe in something even if not God. We believe He exists though nobody can really prove that he does, we all therefore want the religion we believe in to be superior to the others. However, personal views on religion should be banned in all healthcare facilities and clinics as they helps in promoting unity. If personal views are brought up in the health facilities, it may bring up religious conflicts which bring a poor working environment. This is the main reason as to why one has to compromise his or her religious views for the sake of healthcare. It is very unfair for one to think of banning the religious garb or the jewelry to the healthcare yet they do not know what these things mean to these people. It is their belief that is being disrespected and therefore mocking their belief (Nam, 10). What they do not ask themselves is how they would feel if they were in their position or what they would do if the same was being done to them. But no, of course they did not ask

Greasy lake and the three immature teenagers Essay Example for Free

Greasy lake and the three immature teenagers Essay Greasy Lake by T. Coraghesan Boyle’s is the story of a group of adolescents, searching for the one situation that will proclaim them as bad boys and how their minds change. The greasy lake is a short story which the narrator uses details, imagination and language to describe and represent the moral condition of each character. Also, during the story the narrator shows us how each character becomes closer to maturity after facing a crazy and unexpected night in a local lake, where we are all witness to and extreme change in their lives causes by immature action. Three young men, who considered themselves bad, were out looking for trouble and excitement on their summer break. One of the most interesting things was the perception they had about being tough or being cool at the time. It is very interesting how the three young showed his toughness throwing eggs at the houses of their neighbors. They were acting irresponsibly, drinking too much alcohol and doing drugs, which caused errors in their decision. This was the way of thinking of the three young men â€Å"we wore torn-up leather jackets, slouched around with toothpicks in our mouths, sniffed glue†. The bad choices they made would somewhere along the line cause their fate to step in, but no one knew what is going to happen that night. The boys must face their reality of becoming responsible adult men. For example, whether someone chooses to be responsible and do their homework that kind of actions determines if the three young men are capable to be responsible. The actions the boys took and the words they said eventually determined their immaturity. â€Å"On this, the third night, we’d cruised the strip sixty-seven times, been in and out of every bar and club we could think of in a twenty –mile radius, stopped twice for bucket of chicken and forty-cent hamburgers, debated going to a party at the house of a girl Jeff’s sister knew, and chucked two dozen raw eggs at mailboxes and hitchhikers.† If they would have chosen to go to the party at Jeff’s sister’s friend’s house then none of the trouble at Greasy Lake would have happened. The whole scene is dark to begin with the irresponsible choice they made to drink alcohol ultimately affected the rest of their choices and  actions. Alcohol may have distorted their judgments, which may have lead them to believe they saw Tony Lovett’s car, causing them to honk, flash their bights and press their faces on his window on the wrong car. Alcohol also may have affected the narrator’s agility, causing him to drop his keys in the dark. These actions leave them unprepared, when they end up in trouble with a big greasy character, as they call him. They begin to fight and one of them hits the guy with tire iron on the head while the adrenaline starts to rise in each of them, begin tearing the clothes off the girl in the car when they try to abuse of the young girl, they are interrupted by another car, which was approach to the scene they believe the other car have seen them. They start running away from the scene to avoid getting caught. The three boys were fri ghtened by the consequences that can bring them for their immaturity acts. During the story at this point At this point the narrator is not bothered about his moms car, because he is now safe in the lake behind trees where no one could find him. Once the narrator continues to find a safe place he runs into something that looks like something strange emerges from the lake and realize that it is a body of a man. Then the narrator thinks its very scary evil character found in lake and lifeless. The narrator is very scared by what he discovered runs where his friends were. Very afraid the only thing you want is to get home and forget everything that happened that night. Finally find the car keys and see that everything is in perfect condition, but have a final approach with two young girls who ask if they have seen the friend, who have not seen since last night they stay silent without express what really wanted and they lie and say no. During that time the one of the girls offers them to go home and have fun drinking alcohol and use drugs. After that episode t he three young men begin to experience inner change, to say no and see that they are not as bad as they believed or they could be, and all they want is to leave everything bad that experienced last night and be able to do positive things for their lives. In brief, Coming of age seems to be a problem. When I first felt the teenagers as adults and to take very risk decision to grab the tires iron and after trying to rape a woman every wrong decision have their consequences. However, they are very willing to face the adult outcomes.  Perhaps the lesson here is do not try to grow too fast. The point of view is in first person, from the point of view of narrative and Teenagers. The environment plays a role in the story. Also, during the story the narrator shows us how each character becomes closer to maturity after facing a crazy and unexpected night in a local lake, where we are all witness to and extreme change in their lives causes by immature action.

Product Layouts and Group Technologies Essay -- Operations Management

Product Layouts and Group Technologies In today’s world of operations management, layouts of manufacturing processes play a key role in achieving and maintaining long term goals. These layouts need to be well thought out and carefully planned for they can effect the cost or producing goods and delivering services for many years into the future. Layouts are dependent on the technology utilized and product type manufactured. There are four typical layouts: process layout, product layout, fixed position layout and combination layout. A combination layout is a layout that shares properties of two or more layouts. Such as a group technology layout that shares characteristics of a process layout and a product layout. They’re similar in that the cells are designed to perform a specific set of processes, and it is similar to product layout in that the cells are dedicated to a limited range of products. Each layout usually involves compromise and balancing of the process variables and it’s always debatable whether the perfect layout actually exists. â€Å"The purpose of layout planning is: to maximize the efficiency and profitability of a manufacturing operation to allow consistency and quality in products to be produced to allow flexibility and ease of adaptation for machinery and production personnel to products as required by the market†(Anonymous 2). Some characteristics of a good layout would be minimum material movement, workstations close together, easily adjustable to changing conditions and one plant floor so that everyone can see what’s going on. To define and explain, a product layout is a product-orientated layout that is appropriate for producing one standardized product in typically large volumes. Each unit being produced requires the same sequence of operations from beginning till end. During times when product demand is high enough and sustainable over a long period of time, it is usually cost effective to rearrange resources from a process layout to a product layout. In certain cases the equipment layouts are arranged so that the product in manufactured in a sequential and continuous arrangement. A good example would be an assembly line. Assembly lines can vary widely either they can be virtually 100 percent parts assembly by workers or by a transfer line where all the work being done is by machine. An assembly line is ... ...erformance. For example the decision to adopt a process layout which often groups workers according to skills may not be compatible with an operation requiring some persons of all skills to produce a variety of different products. For process and product layouts, the design begins with a statement of the goals and facility. Preliminary layouts are then designed to meet these goals. After initial designs have been developed, improved designs are sought through numerical analysis and discussion with the users. The development of a layout should involve everyone that it is effecting. Computer based models can be used for preliminary estimations to create some preliminary layouts using CAD or similar drawing software. The layouts then can be analyzed against the goals of the facility and improvement made if necessary. In summary while there are a lot of tools for good layout planning and each layout are dependent on the type of products and external variables impacting on the manufacturing process. A skilled layout planner working with manufacturing staff and management should work through objectives and options to determine the optimal solution for a given facility. Product Layouts and Group Technologies Essay -- Operations Management Product Layouts and Group Technologies In today’s world of operations management, layouts of manufacturing processes play a key role in achieving and maintaining long term goals. These layouts need to be well thought out and carefully planned for they can effect the cost or producing goods and delivering services for many years into the future. Layouts are dependent on the technology utilized and product type manufactured. There are four typical layouts: process layout, product layout, fixed position layout and combination layout. A combination layout is a layout that shares properties of two or more layouts. Such as a group technology layout that shares characteristics of a process layout and a product layout. They’re similar in that the cells are designed to perform a specific set of processes, and it is similar to product layout in that the cells are dedicated to a limited range of products. Each layout usually involves compromise and balancing of the process variables and it’s always debatable whether the perfect layout actually exists. â€Å"The purpose of layout planning is: to maximize the efficiency and profitability of a manufacturing operation to allow consistency and quality in products to be produced to allow flexibility and ease of adaptation for machinery and production personnel to products as required by the market†(Anonymous 2). Some characteristics of a good layout would be minimum material movement, workstations close together, easily adjustable to changing conditions and one plant floor so that everyone can see what’s going on. To define and explain, a product layout is a product-orientated layout that is appropriate for producing one standardized product in typically large volumes. Each unit being produced requires the same sequence of operations from beginning till end. During times when product demand is high enough and sustainable over a long period of time, it is usually cost effective to rearrange resources from a process layout to a product layout. In certain cases the equipment layouts are arranged so that the product in manufactured in a sequential and continuous arrangement. A good example would be an assembly line. Assembly lines can vary widely either they can be virtually 100 percent parts assembly by workers or by a transfer line where all the work being done is by machine. An assembly line is ... ...erformance. For example the decision to adopt a process layout which often groups workers according to skills may not be compatible with an operation requiring some persons of all skills to produce a variety of different products. For process and product layouts, the design begins with a statement of the goals and facility. Preliminary layouts are then designed to meet these goals. After initial designs have been developed, improved designs are sought through numerical analysis and discussion with the users. The development of a layout should involve everyone that it is effecting. Computer based models can be used for preliminary estimations to create some preliminary layouts using CAD or similar drawing software. The layouts then can be analyzed against the goals of the facility and improvement made if necessary. In summary while there are a lot of tools for good layout planning and each layout are dependent on the type of products and external variables impacting on the manufacturing process. A skilled layout planner working with manufacturing staff and management should work through objectives and options to determine the optimal solution for a given facility.

Race and Ethnicity Essay

The ongoing struggle to fight the skin color prejudice in the contemporary American society is portrayed in Michael Jackson’s song â€Å"Black or White. † Whereas the racism is defined as a superior behavior against other race-thus making it inferior, the singer refers to this term as â€Å"See, it’s not about races, just places, faces, where your blood comes from is where your space is. † Michael Jackson, one of the most influential artists in the music industry, calls for equality in how people view and behave towards each other. The question, which this master thesis investigates, does it matter if you’re black or white, is clearly answered by the singer: â€Å"It don’t matter if you’re black or white. † Jackson was trying to influence his society to act in a similar way and he calls for them to live their lives by Dr. Luther’s dream â€Å"†¦. judged not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character. † However, almost thirty years later, it still seemed only as a dream because he sang: â€Å"I’m tired of this Devil†, where the bad is being represented by the prejudice. At the same time, he clearly states: â€Å"I’m not gonna spend my life being a color† – this is where he makes his conclusion. This can imply that even though he doesn’t discriminate and would like to see color prejudice gone, he is still being discriminated against. While being the most prominent artist in the music industry, he still calls himself â€Å"a color† and he rebuts against it and wants to be seen for the person he is and not the pigmentation of his skin. It is widely known that Michael Jackson had many facial plastic surgeries and it is controversial whether or not he altered his skin color by chemical peels or was it the disease called vitiligio that changed his face color to white. Therefore, it can be speculated that he modified skin to appear white, which ultimately is his vision. It can be further questioned – since Michael Jackon can’t win his struggle for racial equality, did he give up and go white – just to end his inner battle? Will all his suffering come to closure since now he looks white? Is this the true answer? It may be deemed as so since the skin color is the guide of one’s position in the society where being white claims supremacy-control and power. It should be noted that Michael Jackson is one of the greatest musicians of all times, having sold over 750 million records worldwide. He has accomplished so much in his life, yet still feels inferior and calls for racial equality in the world. His vision for a better world to live in, free of racism, ends on a sad note: â€Å"It’s black, it’s white†. To summarize, through decades, the blacks have fought to be equal, as the American nation shall guarantee those rights, yet, the society is still divided into the superior, the whites, and inferior- the blacks (and other people of color). Blacks have always been portrayed as the dirty, the poor, the lesser-of-a human type whereas the whites are seen as the dominant, the good type. Again, Jackson does not agree with this stereotype in saying: â€Å"I ain’t second to none. † Moreover, he claims that he will no longer be scared and mentions historical symbol of a KKK group: â€Å"I ain’t scared of your brother, I ain’t scared of no sheets. † With his passing in 2009, many of his inner struggles come to the end, but will the next generation start working on being color-free as the king of pop envisioned? America has always struggled with racial issues, especially those of black and white. Some them included racial segregation, education, workforce, banking and even seating on the bus. Black people continuously tried to â€Å"break thru† into community, but were always pushed aside as dirty, poor and unwelcome. We, in modern times, see the United States of America as a country that treats everyone equal. Americans should all be all equal, no matter what race, color, religion or any other characteristics they have. After all, we all remember year 2009, which is when Americans elected their first African American President. Question that comes to mind – why â€Å"first African American President,† not just simply their 44th President? So – the race and color of your skin does matter in modern times. My analyses of selected books, academic journals, films and music video will concentrate and argue if Americans indeed discriminate against race or if it is history and no longer exists in American life. First, I would like to take into consideration the iconic Michael Jackson, one of the greatest, perhaps the greatest singer and performer of the 21st century. Not only his songs deserve a closer look, but also his lifestyle – ideas, fears and the public opinion. â€Å"Black or White† by Michael Jackson and Bill Bottrell is a one of the greatest singles in Michael’s career. It was released on November 11, 1991. What inspired Michael to particularly select these two topics? Black or white – as implied in the song, he sings about skin color. Songs starts in Africa, possibly showing Jackson’s â€Å"beginning† – he is black. In one of the scenes, Michael sings â€Å"I ain’t scared of no sheets; I ain’t scared of nobody† – while he is walking through fire images – which is being compared to KKK and its torch ceremonies. Here, he is portraying his painful vision of KKK and its vision. Later, the performers sing â€Å"I’m not gonna spend my life being a color. † What a great statement. Michael, throughout his whole life and his career, shows us his inner and constant fight for a non-racial America. Being black himself, he had struggled and finally came to the top, but still did not achieve the level of happiness – which is â€Å"no color† in his country. Later, Jackson sings on Statue of Liberty’s torch, again possibly reminding us about the KKK, and at the same time – the Statue symbolizes liberty, which for him will be color-free, no discrimination America. We shouldn’t forget about Michael’s actions in this video. In the original version, he is smashing the car, windows and the inn exploded. However, later he had to edit this version to minimize his violent behavior, however. He altered it by adding four racial graffiti messages onto the windows that he was smashing. As I suggested earlier, Michael Jackson is portrayed as an angry black man who simply hates the discrimination against black people and shows his feelings by destroyed his surroundings, as he was being destroyed himself –just for being of black color. In is interesting to observe, the Jackson, when asked to change his destructive aggressive music video, he indeed did change it, but didn’t forget about this hostility towards discrimination. He had just portrayed it differently (graffiti). First message reads: â€Å"Hitler Lives,† then â€Å"Nigger Go Home,† â€Å"No More Wetbacks,† and finally â€Å"KKK Rules. † It can be argued if Michael Jackson is simply smashing windows with those painful ideas – is destroying them – to make a better world? Finally, the song comes from the album â€Å"Dangerous. † What did the author have in mind? Are all of those issues, painful experiences and the fight for non-colored America dangerous? It can be argued that yes. Jackson showed us the dangerous side of being black, where he was always forced to fight and that causes different sorts of trouble. In â€Å"Black or White,† Michael brilliantly portrayed two core problems people were facing daily: black or white. As we look at his lifestyle and constant metamorphoses, Michael Jackson had numerous surgeries that altered the color of his skin and make him â€Å"white. † It is very controversial as many sources quote that Jackson had a condition where one looses a pigment of his skin, called vitiligo. However, Michael Jackson public image is seen as a person who constantly tried to be white, therefore, sought surgeries to help him attain this goal. Michael Jackson shows us that it could have probably been easier to make himself white and not struggle for color-free America, where everyone is equal, no matter of who there are or what they look like. It would also be important to analyze some of the lyrics from Jackson’s music video. He sings: â€Å"I had to tell them I ain’t second to none. † It can be understood that he no longer is accepting the fact that black is â€Å"second,† which is worse, just because of the color. He continues: â€Å"And I told about equality† – he tells us he wants to be considered equal, despite his skin color. Next verse, he has really had enough of being pushed around because he is black â€Å"I am tired of this devil, I am tired of this stuff, I am tired of this business. † Finally, he talks about racism in: â€Å"See, it’s not about races, Just places, Faces, Where your blood, Comes from, Is where your space is, I’ve seen the bright, Get duller, I’m not going to spend, My life being a color. † Here Michael Jackson compares himself to simply being a â€Å"color. † He is less than a human being only because he is not white. He is â€Å"black. † Again, he accents his refusal of living his life being black. He wants to be equal, equal to white. It should be also noted that throughout video, Michael Jackson is wearing black and white clothing (white shirt, black blazer, white accents on his right arm and nails, black shoes, white socks). He seems to be a person caught in a black-and-white world and struggles to change it, showing his pain. However, at the very end, he turns into a black panther. This transformation may symbolize him as a black man who will fight for his rights, yet, still remain black. In book â€Å"The Color of Credit: Mortgage Discrimination, Research Methodology, and Fair-Lending Enforcement† Stephen L. Ross and John Yinger present racial issues and argue the importance of skin color in banking. It should be noted that this book was published in 2002, year where we all think that American people are equal, especially on racial basis. Therefore, why and how does the skin color come into play in banking? First, the American lenders take many factors into consideration when disbursing the mortgage. Such factors include many details such as the creditor’s ability to repay the loan – where the lender accesses the potential risk of losing the loan. There are many different lenders and they base their information on statistics, demographics and make final decision based on the risk factors. Research showed that mainly blacks would seek loans, which are not favorable to all lenders. Therefore such bank does take race into consideration when reviewing for application for credit. It is also shown that blacks will most likely work with subprime lenders (44%) with comparison to whites (only 4%). Blacks generally cannot use the prime mortgage market due to their poor qualifications, thus creating the black to white ratio of getting the mortgage – with figures of 2. 28 denial for prime market and 1. 27 for subprime. At the same time, limited research shows that blacks-even though have some qualifications as white – would remain in the subprime market and thus be charged higher fees. Equal Credit Opportunity Act says: It shall be unlawful for any creditor to discriminate against any applicant, with respect to any aspect of a credit transaction—on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex or marital status, or age (provided the applicant has the capacity to contract). (U. S. Code Title 15, Chapter 41, Section 1691) This would mean that all people should be treated equally in banks, when doing business in banks, no discrimination in credit transaction. However, authors argue that the bank may take a different look at the person and who they are in â€Å"business necessity† can be proved. Therefore, even while it is regulated by law, certain discriminatory practices can and do exist. Later, it would be rather hard to prove that the lender discriminated based for example on race. All regulations are not very clear and courts find it hard to find such a connection of discrimination. It is implied that blacks, with poorer ability to repay, living in lower income communities, must face subprime, expensive mortgages – to possibly make as much money as possible in the shortest time-so if the black borrower defaults on his payments, the lender wouldn’t lose its investment. This is to compare with the white borrower who lives in the richer-type setting, is more likely to meet his payments, therefore, he is offered a prime mortgage rate, without the necessity to further secure the loan. It can be argued if blacks and whites are treated equally, despite many regulations. On one hand, the lender must adhere to all necessary regulations, but on the other hand, such institution can make necessary decisions to make that mortgage profitable – thus, taking all factors into consideration in the application process. We can further analyze that race and color of skin does matter when one is being evaluated for such an application. It is believed that whites pose a lower risk to a financial institution than blacks. This also means, as authors point out, that black are less likely to be approved for a higher-priced home than a white person, which causes the real estate agents to discriminate and not show the more expensive houses to blacks. Maybe they don’t discriminate, they just know that lender is not likely to approve a black person in comparison to the same application of a white person? It is particularly important to note that authors point out that ‘‘on average, black mortgage applications have higher loan-to value and debt-to-income ratios than do white applications. ’’ In closing, it should be noted that while many regulations exist, there is no proof that racial discrimination has gone away and some research suggests that blacks still have lower approval rate in comparison to the whites. It is said that race does play a key role when the lender looks at your mortgage application.

Fake Myth

How Shadows Came To Be In the kingdom of Ridonicorn, there was a peculiar king named Shade. He claimed that he could stalk anyone without being seen. The Olympians knew him well, for his boasts were somewhat true. Often times, they bet on him to see if he tail people. Poseidon and Hermes almost always won the bets since they usually on the same side. If there was ever an argument, Artemis would settle it by choosing the right side of the bet. One day, Hermes and Poseidon didn’t place the same bet.Artemis was not there to settle the argument. This may seem trivial but it greatly upset the Olympians. They were so confused that no one else placed a bet. Poseidon thought Shade would not be able to follow the mysterious citizen and Hermes thought he would. Shade had already followed the citizen one mile into the enchanted forest near Ridonicorn when he heard a voice telling him to come into the bushes. He obeyed silently and went off his path. â€Å"What dost thou want? † sa id Shade to the voice.Then, right before his eyes, an old man with a cane came out of nowhere and said to him; â€Å"Only to help my king. † Shade was curious at his response In his weird manner of talking, he said; â€Å"What would thou doest to helpeth me in my quest from the gods? † â€Å"I have an enchanted necklace,† replied the old man. â€Å"that will make it so that no one can see hear you but the gods. † â€Å"Give it to me now! † ordered Shade. The old man gave it to him and Shade immediately put it on. â€Å"Did it work? † he asked the old man.Deceivingly, the old man replied; â€Å"Shade? Where did you go? † Shade was filled with happiness and continued his peculiar errand. He did not know that the old man was Hermes and could indeed see and hear him. Hermes was trying to â€Å"secure† his success of his bet with the necklace. However, no one knew that the person who Shade was stalking could see and hear him perfect ly. She was Artemis. She had left Olympus to take a break and hunt since she was not a good mood. When she noticed that Hermes was trying to win a bet, she was filled with nger. She shot an arrow right past Shade’s head. Shade was surprised since he thought he could not be noticed. â€Å"You think I can’t see you, mortal? † Shade shuddered. The way she said â€Å"mortal† made it seem as if she wasn’t. He was too late to notice and Artemis placed a curse on him. He and his offspring were forced to follow everyone without secrecy. Poseidon won the bet, Hermes had to do Poseidon’s chores for a millennium, and Shade (now Shadow) and his children had to follow everyone while always being seen for eternity.

Direct and Indirect Competition Essay Example

Direct and Indirect Competition Essay Example Direct and Indirect Competition Paper Direct and Indirect Competition Paper Essay Topic: Competition The water Industry as many other industries has direct and Indirect competitors; the direct competitors are companies that are producing the same line of products and Indirect competitors are the ones that are selling something that your customers or potential buyers may use as an alternate or substitute of your products. An example of direct competitor is Seychelles Water Filtration company, they are a fast growing water company. They have complete portable water filtration products and brands in North America and world wide with breakthrough technology. Seychelles have a similar water filtration water bottle with a flip top and advanced water filter. They claimed that removes 99. 99% of pollutants up to 100 gallons. They package includes water bottle, 100 gallon filter and an insulated sleeve that can be attached to a belt or a back pack. Each bottle uses BAA -free low-density polyethylene, FDA approved for food products. Summary emergency food storage is another company that is a direct competitor, they are one of the united Kingdom and Europe largest and most trusted emergency preparedness company producing the life saver bottle with 100% filtration, the product Includes 4000 IF bottle, a carbon activated filter and a pre-filter disk. This bottle complies with all British, US and European drinking water regulations. Katydid is another direct competitor they offer a wide variety of water filtration and purification products with their headquarters in Kampuchea near Zurich, Switzerland, with offices in US, Europe and Singapore with a global market share exceeding 50 percent. They have been in business for more than 80 years and got into the water treatment sector since 2009. They have similar product My bottle microfilmed, it is a multi-purpose filtration system, that meets EPA guidelines for the removal of bacteria. Each bottle includes drinking straw, Internal carbon filter that cleans up to 100 liters depending on water quality. Indirect competitors are the beverage manufacturers, water bottlers, coffee and tea makers and even the utility companies that send water to your tap. Direct and indirect competition By glaziers The water industry as many other industries has direct and indirect competitors; the indirect competitors are the ones that are selling something that your customers or food products. Aquamarine emergency food storage is another company that is a direct competitor, they are one of the United Kingdom and Europe largest and most trusted filtration, the product includes 4000 IF bottle, a carbon activated filter and a pre-filter removal of bacteria.

USS New Jersey (BB-62) During World War II

USS New Jersey (BB-62) During World War II The USS New Jersey (BB-62) was an Iowa-class battleship that entered service in 1943 and saw combat in World War II and later fought in Korea and Vietnam. Overview of the USS New Jersey  (BB-62) Nation:  United StatesType:  BattleshipShipyard:  Philadelphia  Naval ShipyardLaid Down:  September 16, 1940Launched:  December 7, 1942Commissioned:  May 23, 1943Fate:  Museum ship Specifications Displacement:  45,000 tonsLength:  887 ft., 7  in.Beam:  108.2 ft.Draft:  36 ft.Speed:  33 knotsComplement:  2,788 men Armament Guns 9 Ãâ€" 16 in./50 cal Mark 7 guns20 Ãâ€" 5 in./38 cal Mark 12 guns80 Ãâ€" 40 mm/56 cal anti-aircraft guns49 Ãâ€" 20 mm/70 cal anti-aircraft cannons Design Construction of the USS New Jersey In early 1938, work began on a new battleship design at the urging of Admiral Thomas C. Hart, head of the US Navys General Board. Initially envisioned as an enlarged version of the South Dakota-class, the new ships were to mount twelve 16 guns or nine 18 guns. As the design evolved, the armament settled on nine 16 guns. This was a supported by a secondary battery of twenty dual-purpose 5 guns mounted in ten twin turrets.  Additionally, the designs anti-aircraft armament moved through several revisions with many of its 1.1 guns being replaced with 20 mm and 40 mm weapons. Funding for the new ships came in May with the passage of the Naval Act of 1938. Dubbed the Iowa-class, construction of the lead ship, USS Iowa (BB-61), was assigned to the New York Navy Yard. Laid down in 1940, Iowa was to be the first of four battleships in the class. Later that year, on September 16, the second Iowa-class battleship was laid down at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard.  With the US entry into World War II following the attack on Pearl Harbor, the building of the new ship, dubbed USS New Jersey (BB-62), quickly advanced. On December 7, 1942, the battleship slid down the ways with Carolyn Edison, wife of New Jersey Governor Charles Edison, acting as sponsor.  Construction of the vessel continued for another six months and on May 23, 1943, New Jersey was commissioned with Captain Carl F. Holden in command.  A fast battleship, New Jerseys 33-knot speed permitted it to serve as an escort for the new Essex-class carriers that were joining the fleet. USS New Jersey During World War II After taking the remainder of 1943 to complete shakedown and training activities, New Jersey then transited the Panama Canal and reported for combat operations at Funafuti in the Pacific.  Assigned to Task Group 58.2, the battleship supported operations in the Marshall Islands in January 1944 including the invasion of Kwajalein.  Arriving at Majuro, it became Admiral Raymond Spruances, commander of the US Fifth Fleet, flagship on February 4.  On February 17-18, New Jersey screened Rear Admiral Marc Mitschers carriers as they conducted large-scale raids on the Japanese base at Truk.  In the weeks that followed, the battleship continued escort activities as well as shelled enemy positions on Mili Atoll.  In the second half of April, New Jersey and the carriers supported General Douglas MacArthurs landings in northern New Guinea.  Moving north, the battleship bombarded Truk on April 28-29 before attacking Ponape two days later. Taking most of May to train in the Marshalls, New Jersey sailed on June 6 to take part in the invasion of the Marianas.  On June 13-14, the battleships guns struck targets on Saipan and Tinian in advance of the Allied landings.  Rejoining the carriers, it provided part of the fleets anti-aircraft defense during the Battle of the Philippine Sea a few days later.  Completing operations in the Marianas, New Jersey supported attacks in the Palaus before steaming for Pearl Harbor.  Reaching port, it became the flagship of Admiral William Bull Halsey who rotated in command with Spruance.  As part of this transition, Fifth Fleet became Third Fleet.  Sailing for Ulithi, New Jersey rejoined Mitschers Fast Carrier Task Force for raids across the southern Philippines.  In October, it provided cover as the carriers moved to aid MacArthurs landings on Leyte.  It was in this role when it took part in the Battle of Leyte Gulf and served in Task Force 34 which was detached at one poi nt to aid American forces off Samar. Later Campaigns The remainder of the month and November saw New Jersey and the carriers continue attacks around the Philippines while fending off numerous enemy air and kamikaze attacks.  On December 18, while in the Philippine Sea, the battleship and the rest of the fleet were struck by Typhoon Cobra.  Though three destroyers were lost and several vessels damaged, the battleship survived relatively unscathed.  The following month saw New Jersey screen the carriers as they launched raids against Formosa, Luzon, French Indochina, Hong Kong, Hainan, and Okinawa.  On January 27, 1945, Halsey departed the battleship and two days later it became the flagship of Rear Admiral Oscar C. Badgers Battleship Division 7.  In this role, it protected the carriers as they supported the invasion of Iwo Jima in mid-February before moving north as Mitscher launched attacks on Tokyo. Beginning on March 14, New Jersey commenced operations in support of the invasion of Okinawa.  Remaining off the island for a little over a month, it protected the carriers from relentless Japanese air attacks and provided naval gunfire support for forces ashore.  Ordered to Puget Sound Navy Yard for an overhaul, New Jersey was out of action until July 4 when it sailed for Guam via San Pedro, CA, Pearl Harbor, and Eniwetok.  Made Spruances Fifth Fleet flagship again on August 14, it moved north following the end of hostilities and arrived in Tokyo Bay on September 17.  Used as the flagship of various naval commanders in Japanese waters until January 28, 1946, it then embarked around 1,000 US servicemen for transport home as part of Operation Magic Carpet. USS New Jersey and the Korean War Returning to the Atlantic, New Jersey conducted a training cruise to northern European waters for US Naval Academy and NROTC midshipmen in the summer of 1947.  Returning home, it went through a deactivation overhaul at New York and was decommissioned on June 30, 1948.  Moved to the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, New Jersey was idle until 1950 when it was reactivated due to the beginning of the Korean War.  Recommissioned on November 21, it conducted training in the Caribbean before departing for the Far East the following spring.  Arriving off Korea on May 17, 1951, New Jersey became Seventh Fleet commander  Vice Admiral Harold M. Martins flagship.  Through the summer and fall, the battleships guns struck targets up and down the east coast of Korea.  Relieved by USS Wisconsin (BB-64) late that fall, New Jersey departed for a six-month overhaul at Norfolk. Emerging from the yard, New Jersey participated in another training cruise in the summer of 1952 before preparing for a second tour in Korean waters.  Arriving in Japan on April 5, 1953, the battleship relieved USS Missouri (BB-63) and resumed attacking targets along the Korean coast.  With the cessation of fighting that summer, New Jersey patrolled in the Far East before returning to Norfolk in November.  The next two years saw the battleship take part in additional training cruises before joining the Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean in September 1955.  Abroad until January 1956, it then served in a training role that summer before taking part in NATO exercises in the fall.  In December, New Jersey again underwent a deactivation overhaul in preparation for being decommissioned on August 21, 1957. USS New Jersey in the Vietnam War In 1967, with the Vietnam War raging, Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara directed that New Jersey be reactivated to provide fire support off the Vietnamese coast.  Taken from reserve, the battleship had its anti-aircraft guns removed as well as a new suite of electronics and radar installed.  Recommissioned on April 6, 1968, New Jersey conducted training off the California coast before crossing the Pacific to the Philippines.  On September 30, it commenced attacking targets near the 17th Parallel.  Over the next six months, New Jersey moved up and down the coast bombarding North Vietnamese positions and providing invaluable support to troops ashore.  Returning to Long Beach, CA via Japan in May 1969, the battleship prepared for another deployment.  These activities were cut short when it was decided to move New Jersey back into reserve.  Shifting to Puget Sound, the battleship was decommissioned on December 17. Modernization In 1981, New Jersey found new life as part of President Ronald Reagans plans for a 600-ship navy. Undergoing a large-scale program of modernization, much of the vessels remaining anti-aircraft armament was removed and replaced with armored box launchers for cruise missiles, MK 141 quad cell launchers for 16 AGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missiles, and four Phalanx close-in weapons systems Gatling guns. Also, New Jersey received a full suite of modern radar, electronic warfare, and fire control systems. Recommissioned on December 28, 1982, New Jersey was dispatched to support US Marine Corps peacekeepers in Lebanon in late summer 1983.  Arriving off Beirut, the battleship acted a deterrent and later shelled Druze and Shiite positions in the hills overlooking the city in February 1984. Deployed to the Pacific in 1986, New Jersey led its own battle group and that September operated close to the Soviet Union during a transit of the Sea of Okhotsk.  Overhauled at Long Beach in 1987, it returned to the Far East the following year and patrolled off South Korea prior to the 1988 Summer Olympic Games.  Moving south, it visited Australia as part of that nations bicentennial celebration.  In April 1989, as New Jersey was preparing for another deployment, Iowa suffered a catastrophic explosion in one of its turrets.  This led to the suspension of live-fire exercises for all ships of the class for an extended period.  Putting to sea for its final cruise in 1989, New Jersey took part in Pacific Exercise 89 before operating in the Persian Gulf for the remainder of the year. Returning to Long Beach, New Jersey fell victim to budget cuts and was slated for decommissioning.  This occurred on February 8, 1991, and deprived it of a chance to participate in the Gulf War.  Taken to Bremerton, WA, the battleship remained in reserve until being struck from the Naval Vessel Registry in January 1995.  Through reinstated to the Naval Vessel Registry in 1996, New Jersey was struck again in 1999 prior to being moved to Camden, NJ for use as a museum ship.  The battleship is currently open to the public in this capacity.

Project Management Philosophy Application Paper Essay

Project Management Philosophy Application Paper - Essay Example The purpose of the project was the redesign of a sample of the department website for the college. Teamwork was evident in the project with all the members completing their assigned duties within the time allocated and effectively providing required feedback. Having set objectives clearly defined and made known to all the members is the other principle of project management we applied for the success of the project. All the team members were made aware of the need to complete the website redesign within the allocated time and ensure the functionality of the website and satisfaction to the users of the project. Achieving quality was the main aim of the project. The other principle we used in the project was the understanding of the constraints that would limit the ability to meet the objectives and delivering the project. The constraints we identified included time, resources, and project scope, and we aimed at meeting the needs of the project within the time, resources, and scope req uired of us (Nicholas, 2004). Maximizing stakeholder return on investment is the other project management principle applied in the research and entailed the ensuring quality redesign and high satisfaction of the website users. To achieve the requirement for maximum stakeholder ROI, we took professional pictures, got in touch with the client for feedback and changes as required in agile methodology for constant client involvement, and received waiver for the use of the picture on the website. Rapid feedback from the client and the team members was also applied in the management of the project ensuring high client satisfaction and completion of the project within the allocated time Attention to the development of quality work was also evident in the redesign of the website through the use of professional photographer and ensuring the redesign was top notch as evidenced by the complete

Kanban Systems Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Kanban Systems - Research Paper Example This system was introduced in Toyota car plant in Japan as a means through which the company would smooth their produce throughout their production process. Through this system the company aimed at improving productivity of their system. This system will also ensure that the company secures its involvement and participation in realizing its aim of high productivity by acting as a better means of keeping on check flow of products through the production system. Kanban therefore provides highly visible means of keeping on track the build-up of inventory levels with a production system. The system is made up of cards with all the information of what is required to be done on a product at each stage of production. The cards also explain what parts should be inserted in the subsequent process. Through this cards a firm can therefore control a work in progress, its production and smooth flow of its inventory. Through Kanban system therefore a firm can achieve the following objectives among others Kanban systems was invented twenty years ago by the vice president of Japanese car giant Toyota. The main aim was to smoothen the flow of products in the car plants throughout the production system of the firm. Since then the system has gone through vary many modifications as a means of production activity control. As a measure of activity control Kanban system have helps firms to achieve goals of Just-in-time and manage operations of the same. Further, Kanban system helps in relaying crucial information for monitoring and controlling the quantities required by the firm according to its production plans. An effective Kanban system provides a better way for employees of firm to understand how the management want their time to be spent (Louis, 2006). This means a firm can identify where idle time lie easily and make further adjustment as fast as possible. This may come interns of

The Olympic and Paralympic Games were held in London in Summer 2012 Dissertation

The Olympic and Paralympic Games were held in London in Summer 2012. One of the major changes to delivery of the Games that has - Dissertation Example The committee not only suggested new plans for improving the environmental issues but also had made sure that they can serve the society positively. The survey which is conducted in GSM, London, throws light on the fact that the youth are interested in sports and extracurricular activities, but due to their busy schedule they forget to take care of their health. Sports are not only refreshing but also, help in eradicating diseases to make life healthier. The youth are aware of the sport-health relationship that indicates to the fact that they can educate the mass with their knowledge and help in creating a safer and healthier world. Olympic and Paralympics Games Summer 2012 The Summer Olympic 2012 had taken place in London from 27th July to 12th August, 2012 and it was followed by Paralympics Games 2012 from 29th August to 9Th September, 2012. 205 nations had participated in the 300 events that took place in Summer Olympic. However, 147 nations joined the events of Paralympics Games 2012. ... It is also described as the mean of achieving reconciliation and peace, which is the fundamental pre-condition for the principles of sustainability that has been applied and shared by the Olympic Movement (Olympic.Org., 2013f). The following are the key stakeholders of Olympic Movement who facilitates their sustainable development: 1) International and National Sports Federations (IFs and NFs) 2) National Olympic Committees (NOCs) 3) Olympic Games and youth Olympic Games Organising Committees (OCOGs and YOCOGs) 4) Corporate sponsors 5) Media 6) Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) 7) Most importantly the public. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is in a good position to assist the building of a sustainable future by encouraging the work with major groups, regeneration of the political commitments and also, by creating a worldwide support for actions. Sustainability Plan put forward by the organisers Sustainability can be described as the continuous project that was undertake n by the Olympic Movement (OM) and was also promoted for adoption worldwide. The process of adoption started with the execution of modest green actions. The Sustainability Plan has evolved for over 20 years since the Earth Summit, 1992. In 2012, the Olympic Games were held in London and before the grand event the supervisory committee had made a Sustainability Plan which had given shape to the overall development of the whole event. This section of the report elaborates the sustainability plan that was put forward by the organisers. London 2012 The consumer lifestyles in the developed industrial nations have dramatically surpassed the productivity capacity of the Earth. The world has already undergone ecological overshoot about 40 years ago and currently, the

Trend of Agencification

Trend of Agencification Introduction In the almost 800 years since the promulgation of the Magna Carta, there are a number of events in English constitutional history that would serve as useful points of commencement in the consideration of agencification and the related elements engaged by the title question. The present paper will commence the examination of the issues with reference to the well known 1976 commentary of Lord Hailsham concerning the governance of post World War II Britain as that provided by means of an elective dictatorship. The accuracy of this observation is considered in the context of both the creation and the extension of the role of state agencies in modern society. Agencification is next considered from the perspective of the basic purposes of government. Agencies are often regarded as the vehicles through which the real work of government is conducted; the notion that agencies are broadly perceived by ordinary citizens as the true face of modern government is also critically explored. In this context, a number of concepts that are closely connected to the overarching principles of governance are also discussed, including: governance as concept that is interchangeable with regulation; the rise of the contemporary Regulation State; agencies and their intended independence from policy making and political considerations; accountability. Specific attention is directed to the notion of regulation as a means of providing structure to society generally, as well as the role played by agencies in the regulation of internal government processes. The paper concludes with an examination of agencification and its particular constitutional challenges; the impact of the Constitutional Reform Act and the current debate concerning the desirability of a British Bill of Rights is also assessed in this context. It is noted that while the present paper has a British agencification focus, the sources relied upon to support the propositions developed here are drawn from a broad range of British and international commentators. For the purposes of the following analysis, agencification is defined as the delegation of decision making power and institutional autonomy to public bodies. Alternatively, any government decision to utilise or create state agencies or any other entity established by government to further any type of public policy object will form a part of the agencification process. As is noted below through the examples tendered for consideration, the formulation of a definition of agencification is relatively easy; understanding all of the parameters within which such entities now function in modern government structures is difficult. The definition of agencification in turn engages a number of related concepts; of special importance are regulation, autonomy, accountability, and credibility. Regulation has a range of possible meanings in an agencification context. At its narrowest definition, regulation means formulating authoritative sets of rules and establishing autonomous public agencies to monitor the relevant rules and to promote their public compliance. In its broadest meaning, regulation may refer to any form of state intervention designed to steer a society towards a particular public goal. In modern governance, the concept extends to how to regulate the regulators, the mechanics of managing intra-government systems and relations between agencies. Autonomy in the present context is the degree of supervision that is exercised by a central government branch or ministry over an agency or other publicly constituted body. Autonomy must also be considered in contrast to the real or presumed independence of the agency in question; as is discussed below in the context of the UK Food Standards Agency, the relationship between the agency to government, the public at large and the host of possible third party interests at stake make this dynamic very intricate. Accountability is a term that has a strong political connotation that also carries administrative overtones from the agencification perspective. As is further discussed below, the autonomous and semi-autonomous modern regulatory agencies have accountability not in vertical directions, but horizontally to the government at which they stand arms length, and the public to whom their efforts are intended to be directed. The distinction between agency accountability and ministerial accountability must be emphasised. Ministers of the Crown are responsible for the proper functioning of their respective portfolios; a failure to discharge those duties in accordance with the terms of office will often carry personal and political consequences for the minister and the governing party. A breach of duty on the part of the operation of a publicly constituted agency has only indirect consequences for the minister whose portfolio includes the works carried out by the agency in question. Credibility is a concept that is frequently considered in the agencification process. There is broad support in the academic literature for the proposition that an independent and properly structured agency is more inherently credible than a government ministry that is vulnerable to the pressures of political expediency. This support is countered by the observation that an agency may risk being influenced unduly by its client groups in the execution of its duties. Agencification and Elective Dictatorship In 1976 the former Lord Chancellor, Lord Hailsham, offered a commentary on the state of British governance. He suggested that parliamentary supremacy, a foundation of the unwritten English constitution, had been turned on its head the government now controls Parliament, and not the constitutionally accepted reverse proposition that Parliament was supreme. Lord Hailsham further stated that the power inherent in the principle of Parliamentary sovereignty had been exclusively directed to the continuous enlargement and expansion of the scale and range of government itself. The checks and balances presumed by Englands constitutional structure were perceived by Lord Hailsham as no longer functioning ands seemingly abandoned for an exercise of governmental power that continuously expanded, subject to no external controls. We live in an elective dictatorship, absolute in theory, if hitherto thought tolerable in practice. This conclusion as stated by Lord Hailsham has been selected as the point of commencement to the present agencification analysis because it permits a consideration of the reasons why agencies and other public entities have risen to particular prominence in British governance. The relationship between agencies and the broader perception of what government is and what it represents to the public is an important one. Further, a careful examination of the role of agencies permits a critical evaluation of whether the negative elements of big government and executive dominance as referenced by Lord Hailsham in 1976 are counter-balanced by the effectiveness of current government endorsed agency structures as essential to effective and desirable modern governance. Agencification underlying factors Government agencies and the extension of the modern welfare state are well understood as companion concepts. As a general proposition, as the state expands its role in the lives of its citizens to provide greater assurances of societal welfare, the state must create extensions of itself to deal with citizen demand and the regulation of activities across the broad spectrum of society. In this sense, agencification is organic agencies have grown in their influence upon the life of an ordinary citizen in proportion to the desire of government to extend the range of its services. In theory, this extension has occurred with the support of the public as evidenced through its democratic processes in electing governments that enact such programmes. It is plain that agencification has not occurred in Britain (or any other Anglo-American jurisdiction) in accordance with a true master plan. A common observation is that government agencies tend to have very diverse functions and have not developed in a coherent fashion there is a lack of consistency in their legal status, organisation, funding and degree of autonomy. The lack of apparent order may be offset to a degree by the assertion that agencies are cost efficient, more nimble and more responsive to the public needs than traditional government departments by virtue of their structure. The legislative role (both actual and theoretical) of a Member of Parliament is well defined in the understanding of the average citizen; the true extent of the powers and influence of a particular board, tribunal, or agency is often not so clear to even an informed citizen. As Banner noted, modern government is anything but monolithic. The proliferation of state agencies has made government organisation very difficult to penetrate. Banner suggests that the decisional processes have become more opaque for ordinary citizens who long for transparency. In this context, two issues may be usefully considered. The first is the agency as a remedy, a key player in restoring public confidence in government where a systemic failure in a particular government service has been identified. A prominent example, the creation of the Food Standards Agency in the wake of the BSE (mad cow) outbreak and the subsequent political crisis in 1996, is examined below. A further example of the agency as a tool to rebuild a particular institution in the public eye is the revamped Judicial Appointments Committee (JAC). The JAC, a creature of the Constitutional Reform Act, 2005, is intended to render the appointment of judges and certain tribunal members transparent, removing the process beyond the influence of government patronage. The second issue to be considered is that of the agency as the true public face of modern government. The typical citizen may not completely understand the nature and extent of a particular agency powers, but there is no question that agencies exert the greatest regulatory influence over day to day life. Regulation of both society and internal government function cannot exist without agencies; agencification has taken on ever increasing importance for these reasons. The Regulation State The Regulation State is the term of art commonly employed by academics to describe the modern relationship between government agencies and the public they are intended to serve. It is contended that the traditional welfare state was constituted on a command and control model, where public ownership and nationalization of certain public resources was encouraged. In the welfare state model, responsibility for decision making is somewhat more centralized; regulatory, operating, and policy making functions were relatively integrated. The Regulation State is a flatter, more horizontal government model than that of the welfare state. It usually seeks to advance different government goals, chiefly those of economic efficiency, the promotion of competition, and consumer protection.21In essence, the Regulation State marks the crucial demarcation point between direct and indirect governance, where autonomous agencies and single purpose government organisations are essential to overall government function. It is the organisation and regulation of the government apparatus itself that drives the Regulation State forward. Regulatory agencies operate in their assigned sphere through the exercise of delegated powers. It has been noted that many regulatory agencies have features that are both the product of a statute (The Judicial Appointments Committee noted earlier is such an example), as well as elements of an incorporated entity. This particular structure creates a regulatory body that is neither directly elected by the public nor is it directly accountable to Parliament. These free standing agencies are therefore potentially accountable to a range of government and public bodies where the relationships are circular, and not linear or hierarchical. It is in this context that a key strength of the agency as opposed to the centralized power inherent in the former welfare state model is revealed. Agencies constructed to advance a single public policy or designed to deal with a single issue can, at least in theory, acquire agency specific knowledge and operational expertise to function efficiently. If one were to coin a mantra to attach to the agencification that supports the Regulation State, it might be Better regulatory performance and efficiency without impacting adversely upon either democratic principles or political control. Agencification at work BSE and the Food Standards Agency The mad cow scare that first shocked the British public in 1986 was a public scandal that continued to resonate in 1997 and beyond. Revelations were made in 1997 concerning the degree of knowledge that certain government officials may have possessed at the time of the initial outbreak concerning the severity of the risks posed by Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) to human health. The James Report and other specialized investigations were undertaken to determine how to best prevent a similar animal disease outbreak. As a result, the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) was created by act of Parliament. In a parallel development, the Council of Europe established a similar body, the European Food Standards Agency. It is not the fact of the mad cow scare and the resulting political crisis that is central to the present analysis. It is the governmental mandate that has been provided to the FSA that is instructive on a number of fronts; the principles of agency independence and accountability discussed earlier in this paper are of particular relevance. The FSA reflects a movement in the regulation of all aspects of food production that mirrors the trend away from the order-command centralized structure of welfare state styled government to a broadly based system of risk regulation in food. However, what the BSE scare illustrated was that risk management was not the entire public concern. The James report identified a broad based lack of public confidence in British food production that emanated from the BSE scare. The FSA was created to regulate the production of British food from plough to plate. However, the public health mandate driven by the BSE crisis was accompanied by agricultural industry concerns regarding the feared decline of this aspect of the British economy. The FSA was plainly tasked to deal with two different issues within one agency framework. This duality raises the important question of whether the FSA is truly independent if there exists the prospect that in regulating one aspect of its mandate (public health) it may hinder the other (British agriculture). It is contended that the FSAs overly broad responsibilities run counter to the effective, single issue styled bodies that are a hallmark of modern agencification. Constitutional challenges Lord Hailshams criticism of British government in 1976 remains one that bears consideration in the agencification era. It is contended that there is a public perception that government is now amorphous, a construction with seemingly infinite tentacles influencing all aspects of modern life, yet not subject to the direct control of any one institution. Government may be seen as an entity that exists for itself, as opposed to clearly articulated public purposes and objectives, no matter how its roles are stated by its members. Recent developments concerning constitutional reform, including the ongoing debate concerning the implementation of a British Bill of Rights also bear upon the role played by agencification in modern government. The proponents of wholesale constitutional reform that include a written Bill of Rights seek to ensure that a balance is struck between the emphasis on individual rights that has been featured in English jurisprudence in the wake of the Human Rights Act and the increasing influence of European Human Rights Convention case law, and an appreciation by every citizen of a corresponding set of individual responsibilities. It is submitted that the merits of a written Bill of Rights make for an interesting academic debate. It is equally plain that in the devolutionary system that is inherent to agencification, the primary concern of the ordinary citizen is for good and effective governance a Bill of Rights has little effect on how that fundamental aspect of citizenship is achieved. A final brief observation a Bill of Rights that is intended to forge a linkage between citizen and modern government is misconceived. The diverse governmental mechanisms that have been spawned by agencification require a different approach. As agencies continue to be created to address specific societal interests, government will continue to become more indirect. The appreciation of the appropriate rights held by individual citizens that may properly coexist in this diffuse governmental structure cannot be cast in stone. An unwritten constitution remains the most effective companion to agencificationdriven governance.