The Pardoned Parent Essay - 670 Words

The Pardoned Parent There is a new breed of parent walking among us. Whether we recognized it or not, we have all run into one of them at one time or another. Maybe it was the young mother in the grocery store who handed her screeching child the candy she had just finished telling him he could not have. Maybe it was the man who sat obliviously behind you on the airplane, while his little boy ran up and down the aisle, screaming at the top of his lungs. These are the pardoned parents. To pardon means to excuse, absolve, exonerate, condone, or justify. A pardon for a crime can be granted by a head of state, such as a monarch or a president. If a pardon is granted, it means the person is absolved of all wrong-doing and any punishment†¦show more content†¦Many people have faced disabilities of some type and overcome them. Helen Keller is one of the most famous examples of this. Helen was both deaf and blind. As a young child, her parents thought that her disabilities made her unteachable. Because t hey pitied her, they allowed her to do as she pleased. They set no boundaries for her in any area of her life until a young teacher, Annie Sullivan, who was visually impaired herself, came to teach Helen. Miss Sullivan taught not only Helen, but also Helen’s family. Under her guidance, the family learned that Helen’s disabilities did not necessarily mean that she could never function as a useful member of society. They learned to set boundaries for Helen and to expect more from her. As a result of the changes in the way Helen was raised after Miss Sullivan arrived, Helen grew up to become a world-famous speaker and author (The Miracle Worker). Just because an illness or condition has only recently been named does not mean that it did not exist before it was named. Asperger’s Syndrome was not known as a disease until 1992, but this does not mean that it suddenly appeared on the planet at that time. It is widely believed that many successful people such as; William Henry Gates, Sir Alfred Hitchcock, Sir Isaac Newton, Jane Austen, and Albert Einstein suffered from Asperger’s Syndrome. Having this syndromeShow MoreRelatedPardoned or Punished: Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare693 Words   |  3 Pages Pardoned or Punished? The play, Romeo and Juliet, written by William Shakespeare, is about a tragedy of two star crossed lovers who want nothing more than to be together forever. â€Å"†¦Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love, And I’ll no longer be a Capulet.† (2.2.35-36) Romeo, a Montague, who is young and passionate, meets Juliet at a Capulet party. When they meet, it’s love at first sight. Juliet, a Capulet, is a beautiful young lady tired of being controlled by her father, Lord Capulet. The twoRead MorePatricia Hearst and the Symboinese Liberation Army1094 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"complex psychological problem† and a â€Å"survival mechanism† where a victim bonds with their kidnapper or captor in order to stay alive. The syndrome became widely known in accordance with Hearst’s case, she claimed that the group convinced her that â€Å"her parents did not love her.† Patty Hearst was tried very publically and declared that she was not guilty, yet the jury did not believe her. The case of Hearst it was the most public and media involved court case that the United States had seen up to thisRead MoreA Dear Friend Of Mine Has Faced One Of The Hardest Struggles1221 Words   |  5 Pagesslide. Considering I don’t skip and haven t missed any more days. The only thing between me and having Held harmless is two minutes.† The main group of individuals affected by the rules of Held harmless are students. However, parents may also be affected by the policy. Parents already have pretty tough schedules to work around and now they may be worse because instead of taking their kid to an appointment at a time that is convenient for them, they now have to take their kid at a time that is justRead MoreAt the End of the Play the Prince Says: â€Å"Some Shall Be Pardon’d and Some Punished†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Whom Would You Blame for the Tragic Deaths of Romeo and Juliet?1578 Words   |  7 Pagestragedy about lovers who end up killing themselves because they think that they cannot be together. Many people contributed to bringing about the tragic deaths of Romeo and Juliet. Some should be pardoned and some punished, but I think that the tragic deaths were caused mainly by fate. Juliet’s parents are partly to blame for the deaths of Romeo and their daughter. Lady Capulet seemed to be an extremely strict and pushy mother. â€Å"Do as thou wilt, for I have done with thee.† She and her husband shouldRead MoreDeadly Revolotionist1361 Words   |  6 Pages(Fidel Castro, Famous People J1). Fidel Castro Ruz was born August 13, 1926. He was born near Biran, Oriente Province, Cuba, on his family’s sugar plantation. Fidel Castro was illegitimate and his parents were not going to send him to school, but he wanted to go so much that he begged his parents until they let him go to school when he was six or seven. He studied in Jesuit schools in Oriente and Havana, Cuba. He did best in agriculture, history, and Spanish, and he entered law school in 1945Read More Rodrigo’s Reconcile Essay595 Words   |  3 Pageswith God by admitting their sins. Before you can heal mentally and spiritually you have to admit your sins. Rodrigo, who was a former slave trader and mercenary, committed a grave sin. 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The sisters protect each other during the toughest times, they always have that yearning to battle for their husbands and keep them alive, and they protect their parents, excluding them from some situations where they know it is hard for them to understand or conform with. The Mirabel sisters never stray from one another because of the connection they have and the love they have forRead MoreThe Soviet Revolution Of Russia926 Words   |  4 PagesRussian history had been prone to revolutions. Many a Tsar found himself on the short end of a sword or just the right amount of poison in his drink. All of the monarchs of Russia had this history in their minds when they began to rule but as the parent of their nation, they had no choice but to rule and do the best they could. Revolution was part of Russian life. There had been uprisings and revolutions throughout its history. The 18th and 19th centuries saw a big push toward â€Å"Westernizing† the

Vygotsky s Concept Of Zpd And Scaffolding - 889 Words

Vygotsky’s concept of ZPD and scaffolding may be applied as a strategy in the case study. This method can be used as a bridge between the information Kirit recalls and the information he is learning. Teaching Kirit the appropriate ways of behavior using social stories, simple and direct instructions written on the slate board and visuals for directions will reduce auditory input and provide support he needs to get back on track. A teacher can also provide visual and verbal models for language scripts to teach him request breaks or ask for objects (a ‘chewy’ thing, gum, or toothbrush) that help him with sensory issues. As all children with autism, Kirit demonstrates significant self-regulation challenges. His ability to adjust to the classroom rules and school surrounding has been lowered due to his grandma’s absence and due to the fact that his afternoon daily schedule is hectic and unbalanced. A few strategies may be applied to help Kirit with self-regulat ion of his behavior. Increased sensory issues such as spitting, biting and excessively touching others may be weakened if a teacher provides sensory brakes that include movement and/or proprioceptive input. Kirit may brush his teeth a few times a day, ask for a gum or a special rubber â€Å"chewy† toy or blow bubbles. He also may put on a sensory weighted vest when he is working at his desk or take a short walk wearing a vest. Those strategies are believed to calm, improve arousal level and consequently help withShow MoreRelatedEarly Childhood Course At Savannah Technical College Essay1662 Words   |  7 Pageseducation. The work of Lev Vygotsky greatly influenced the field of early education. This paper will include a brief summary of Vygotsky’s life, a description of his major ideas, and how those ideas impact early education today. Vygotsky’s Life According to New World Encyclopedia (2014), â€Å"Lev Vygotsky was born was born in Orsha, Belarus (then Russian empire), into a well-to-do family of Jewish ancestry, on November 17 (November 5 in the Old Style), 1896. Soon after Lev s birth, his father was appointedRead MoreEssay Sociocultural Theory: Lev Vygotsky1112 Words   |  5 PagesLev Vygotsky was a Russian psychologist, born November 17, 1896, who had a wide range of interests that included the cognitive and language development of children. Vygotsky’s theories are somewhat incomplete due to his death at the young age of 38 from tuberculosis. Vygotsky faced many struggles in life that he was able to overcome, such as being a young Jewish boy who grew up in a time where the Russian District limited the number of Jews who were allowed to be educated at a University levelRead MoreSociocultural Learning Affects the Development of Children Essay1491 Words   |  6 PagesChildren Lev Vygotsky believed that children learn from their own experience. As a teacher I have grown to learn that Vygotsky’s findings are true in so many ways. Just from watching the children in my classroom I see that the Zone of Proximal Development and Scaffolding play a huge part in the development of a child. Lev Vygotsky has had increasing influence on the practices of early childhood professionals. (Morrison, 2009). The work of the Russian psychologist Lev Vygotsky provided the groundsRead MoreVygotsky s Theory Of Internalisation1709 Words   |  7 Pages Vygotsky also introduced his theory of internalisation, one of the main concepts that differentiated from that of Jean Piaget (Duchesne, S., McMaugh, A. 2016. P.103). The theory of internalisation put forward by Vygotsky is an idea that suggests an individual is able to observe and internalise the ideas and processes of their surroundings as they partake in social interaction defined as, â€Å"new ways of thinking† (Duchesne, S., McMaugh, A.,2016p.103). During social interaction the individualsRead MoreVygotsky s Theory On Cognitive Development Essay733 Words   |  3 Pages â…“ of a page on vygotsky Lev Semionovich Vygotsky was a Russian psychologist and constructivist learning theorist who was known for arguing against the theories of psychologist Jean Piaget. Piaget believed that in order for any learning to occur there had to development within the individual first, but Vygotsky argued the contrary. He argued that in order for development to occur, the individual would first have to have learning take place through instruction and example in a given appropriate environmentRead MoreVygotsky s Theory Of Human Development1386 Words   |  6 PagesLev Vygotsky was an educator and a theorist known primarily for his sociocultural theory. Vygotsky developed the sociocultural theory, which is the theory of human development through social and cultural influences (Aimin, 2013), during the 1920’s-30’s. One of Vygotsky’s focuses was the concept of the zone of proximal development (ZPD), which is the idea of a child being appropriately challenged, this will be dis cussed further on. 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Most of his work was in developmental psychology and he emphasized that interpersonal connections and the social environment had a lot to development. He had different theories on how biosocial development is an important aspect of a child’s development. Vygots ky felt that language and play had a lot to do with childrensRead MoreThe Increase Of Globalisation Over The Years Has Made Our World Increasingly Interconnected1195 Words   |  5 PagesANALYSIS-VYGOTSKY THEORETICAL UNDERPINNINGS THERE IS A LOT OF WORK/LITERATURE IN REGARDS TO SOCIAL LEARNING. Vygotsky s theory put particular emphasis on the position social and cooperative interactive has on the development an success of a child s learning. He argued that the community possess a crucial role for cognition where there is a need to work on a social level. This emphasis leads to his fundamental concept of Zone Proximal Development (ZPD), which he described as the child s â€Å"actualRead MoreVygotsky - Zone of Proximal Development Essay example1322 Words   |  6 PagesHow can Vygotsky’s notion of the ‘Zone of Proximal Development’, and the related concept of ‘scaffolding’, be used to provide appropriate education and support to the full range of students in the classroom? Teaching is not just a matter of standing in front of a class and distributing knowledge to a group of learners. Teaching is a much more complex procedure that requires educators to consider a variety of educational components in order to maximize a learner’s true potential. Teachers are responsible

Organizational Leadership free essay sample

Although the success of an organization does not solely depend on leadership, leadership plays the major and critical role in ensuring that all the other employees of that organization are guided through the best ways Seibel Of achieving the organizations vision and its objectives. Organizational leadership can be described as a double management approach that focuses on ensuring that individuals as well as groups of people in a workplace are provided with all the support they need so as to fully work in what they are best in.It is a unique type of leadership in which individuals are empowered so that they can lead on the various specific roles they carry out within the organization. In this type of leadership, the role of management team apart from offering administrative services, also have a duty to play in guiding and providing inspiration to all the staff (White, 2005). The leadership team also plays the role of drawing objectives and identifying the individuals who are going be guided to undertake various tasks such that the objectives and the set goals are realized within the stipulated time. We will write a custom essay sample on Organizational Leadership or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In organizational style of leadership, the top ranked management do not simply come up with what they think needs to be done or should be done and impose it on other junior staff, but instead, the management undertakes an assessment of its employees so as to better understand them and further ropey define the goals of the organization so that they can bring all the employees together on board to work with the sole aim of achieving the set goals and objectives. Communication is an important key to success of this type of leadership (White, 2005).It enables free interaction between the management and the employees such that the employees can get a chance to share their opinions to the management. The management can then discover how they can work with them by finding out what the employees are good in, then they offer them support as well as guiding them to realize their full attention. In such a scenario, the employees will feel that their presence in the organization and their work i s valued and hence will get motivated to strive harder to ensure that the organization succeeds.They will feel that they are part of the organization and they are the ones owning the mission and vision Of the company, hence when the organization succeeds then they have also succeeded. There are a number of attributes that make one to be described as a good leader. Generally, a leader is described as someone who has a vision, who is pap able of communicating that vision to other people so clearly and vibrantly that they become so convinced by the vision and accept it as theirs too (Guppy, 2009).They can also be said to be people who have an understanding of what needs to be done so that a particular goal is achieve successfully. The role of a leader in any organization is to set the goals of the organization and put plans in place to help in working towards achieving the goals. Lastly he/ she will have to manage the employees in implementing the plans that bring about the desired outcome. Good leaders have the following qualities: he/ she is confident in whatever he/she does, this confidence helps to inspire the other employees or team in the organization to become also confident in whatever they are undertaking.When the team is confident, they can easily achieve their goals because they will put more efforts to the tasks they are doing (White, 2005). Good leaders are also orderly and organized; their actions are decisive and focused when faced with an uncertainty. Remember it is always the leaders in an organization who are looked upon by other employees during periods of bout and unfamiliarity. The leader therefore needs to remain purposeful during such times so that the other employees are reassured that everything is in order.This can only happen if the leader is calm and composed. The other quality of a good leader is that he or she should be of ideal character. This means a leader should be someone who is reliable and can be trusted to lead other people, should have an impeccable integrity and have been known to be honest all along in their lives (White, 2005). They should always be fully committed and wholehearted regarding their work so that their role as a deader inspires or motivates others towards working to achieve the required actions. In conclusion, we can draw some insight on leadership by having a kick on what role theory says in relation to organizational leadership. Role Theory can be described as the way in which leaders or the management of a business or an organization and also their employees identify their individual roles as well as those of others and how they are projected by other people to perform the roles assigned to them in an organization (Loretta, 2015). In this particular heron, how a leader defines his roles is influenced by how employees perceive the roles of the leader in that organization to be.

Role of Planning in Project Management

Introduction Projects involve temporary endeavours that are undertaken with the objective of attaining predetermined goals. Moreover, projects are adopted in an effort to address various organisational activities that might be difficult to achieve through the normal organisational operations.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Role of Planning in Project Management specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Soderlund (2004) argues that the decision to adopt projects is prompted by a number of factors, which include customers request, change in market demand, legal requirements, and technological changes. The intensity of competition and the high rate of globalisation have prompted organisations to focus on achieving competitive advantage. Subsequently, different management practices have been formulated in an effort to drive the attainment of long-term organisational goals. Soderlund (2004) confirms that projects are being utilised as an avenue of attaining the goals and objectives as stipulated by an organisation’s strategic plans. However, the effectiveness of projects in enhancing attainment of goals can only be achieved if the project goals are aligned with the formulated strategic plan. Srivannaboon (2006) asserts that project management â€Å"is a specialised form of management that is used to accomplish business goals, strategies, and tasks within a well-defined schedule and budget† (p.1). A significant gap exists between project management goals and an organisation’s strategic intent. Therefore, in a bid to bridge the gap between an organisation’s project management goals and the strategic intents, it is imperative for the management team to integrate strategic project management concepts (Srivannaboon, 2006). Soderlund (2004) defines strategic project management as the various processes, tools, behaviours, practices, and procedures that are adopted in order to establish valuable connection between an organisation’s business practices and project management practices. Subsequently, strategic project management increases the likelihood of achieving the overall organisational strategic objectives.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Most projects are complex, for they involve the execution of diverse tasks. Therefore, it is vital for an organisation to implement effective strategies to manage such complexities. Some of the aspects that project managers should consider include improving control and coordination of project activities. This research paper evaluates the various strategic aspects that an organisation should employ in the process of applying project management in its operations. Project management and its linkage to strategic management Most managers recognise that projects improve an organisation’s a bility to implement change. Additionally, the rapid change within the contemporary business environment is stimulating the need for organisations to implement radical organisational changes. Consequently, most organisations are adopting project-based approach in an effort to attain the desired level of growth. However, the outcome of the project is influenced by how well the projects have been implemented (Srivannaboon, 2006). Strategic management is an essential element in ensuring that projects are aligned effectively with business strategy. At the strategic level, the alignment process is comprised of two main elements, which include the strategic planning and project portfolio management (Srivannaboon, 2006). Project portfolio management entails the process of selecting and managing different projects as a group. It is expected that the significance of project portfolio management will grow into the future. Therefore, organisations will be compelled to maximise their resource ut ilisation. Moreover, projects will be selected based on their alignment with the organisational goals. Srivannaboon (2006) argues that projects â€Å"are first selected into the project portfolio to support the implementation of the business strategy† (p. 5). Conversely, organisations must ensure that the projects align optimally with the business strategy during the implementation phase. Figure 1 below illustrates how business strategy is linked with project management elements.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Role of Planning in Project Management specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Figure 1: Theoretical framework for aligning business strategy and project management. Source: (Srivannaboon, 2006) Figure 1 above shows that business strategy is critical in promoting focus and determining content in project management. Project management is extensive and it is comprised of a number of key areas, whi ch include project management office, portfolio management, and program management. Srivannaboon (2006) is of the view that establishing and maintaining â€Å"the process used to align project management elements and business strategy requires organisations to use the mediating process, which is comprised of strategic planning and project portfolio management† (p. 6). Soderlund (2004) emphasises that project management is based on a hierarchy of sub-projects, project, program, portfolio, and strategic plan. A program is composed of different related tasks that are coordinated in order to achieve the project goal. Conversely, portfolio entails a set of programs that are grouped together in order to ensure that they are effectively coordinated, hence increasing the likelihood of achieving the strategic objectives. The respective projects in the portfolio may be related or interdependent. Soderlund (2004) emphasises that organisations manage their project portfolio based on the formulated goals. In most cases, portfolio management in organisations is mainly reserved for senior management teams.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In the quest to improve project outcomes, the overall projects are subdivided into small manageable components [subprojects]. The sub-projects may be assigned to different functional units or external enterprises. Also, to the above project management elements, it is imperative for organisations to establish a functional Project Management Office, which entails an organisational unit charged with the responsibility of centralising and coordinating the management of various projects. Therefore, the Project Management Offices [PMOs] undertake different strategic tasks, which include planning, prioritisation, coordination, and execution of various project activities that are linked with the overall business objective. Additionally, the PMOs may also make crucial decisions relating to project human resource management, such as deployment of project personnel to specific project tasks. Strategic consideration; Planning Projects are complex undertakings, and hence the risk of failure is h igh. The degree of complexity varies from one project to another (Soderlund 2004). Subsequently, the implementation process varies across different projects. Projects will become smaller going into future as organisations increasingly invest in short-term projects as opposed to long-term projects. However, the level of complexity will increase substantially. In order to deal with project complexities, organisational leaders will be required to invest in effective project management skills in order to improve the likelihood of the project teams attaining the desired goals. Whilst projects are complex, PMOs are obliged to ensure that the respective projects are implemented successfully. This goal can only be achieved if PMOs integrate a number of strategic considerations. One of aspects that project managers should focus on entails establishing a strategic fit within the project, which ensures that the project is aligned with the organisations’ business strategy (Srivannaboon 2 006). One of the strategic considerations that organisations should take into account relates to planning. Soderlund (2004) posits, â€Å"Planning has been viewed as the main task of the project management unit† (p. 188). Moreover, Soderlund (2004) suggests that planning should not be considered as a simple task as it involves a myriad of activities. It is expected that strategic planning will become one of the most important project management elements in organisations’ efforts to deal with strategic change. Within the project context, project managers should ensure that planning is implemented effectively in the various project processes such as communication, managing risk, human resource, and project quality. An analysis of the various aspects that project managers should consider with respect to the above areas is illustrated below. Communication planning Effective communication is a fundamental element in successful project implementation. Despite the significanc e of projects in enhancing organisational performance, it is challenging to achieve desired project goals if the project stakeholders are not informed adequately about the project. Subsequently, PMOs should communicate regarding the project to sponsors, customers, and project team members, amongst other stakeholders. In a bid to be effective in their communication process, PMOs should undertake comprehensive communication planning by taking into consideration a number of issues. First, the PMOs should undertake a comprehensive communication requirement analysis by assessing the information needs of the respective project stakeholders. Secondly, the mechanisms to be used in sharing information among the stakeholders should be defined. The communication methodology selected is determined by the urgency of project information, the project environment, and length of project. Lack of knowledge hinders the extent to which project team members are focused and enthusiastic in executing the project tasks. In a bid to improve the execution of project tasks, project leaders should establish effective communication system throughout the course of the project timeframe. During the initial phase, it is imperative for the project manager to explain the project goal and the value that it is expected to deliver to the organisation. This goal can be achieved by establishing a clear link between the project and the organisation’s operational and strategic goals. For example, the project manager should explain how the project would contribute to the improvement in the firm’s market share, profit margins, and cost minimisation (Srivannaboon, 2006). Project managers should consider how information would be distributed to the respective project stakeholders. Therefore, project managers should ensure that the project team members are provided with necessary information as demanded. This goal can only be achieved if project information cascades the various levels of mana gement. Effective flow of information across the various project management levels increases the extent to which the project stakeholders understand how the various project tasks are aligned with the overall organisational strategy (Srivannaboon, 2006). Thus, it is essential for project managers to ensure that practical information distribution techniques are adopted. Some of the methods that can be adopted include hosting project meetings, conferencing tools, and other electronic tools like Web interfaces. Performance reporting is another core aspect that PMOs should ensure during the project implementation process. In a bid to achieve this goal, PMOs should gather sufficient project baseline data and distribute it to the stakeholders. Performance reporting should focus on different aspects, such as the utilisation of the various project resources. Additionally, the reports should outline the extent to which the milestones achieved have adhered to the set standards with reference t o project cost, quality, and project schedule. Considering the view that projects are exposed to different risks, it is vital for PMOs to communication on the various project risks faced coupled with how they can be avoided. Human resource planning In order to ensure that projects are executed effectively, it is imperative for organisational leaders to constitute a comprehensive project team. Soderlund (2004) asserts that projects constitute fundamental elements through which organisations can promote development of future leaders especially if the projects being implemented have strategic implications. Subsequently, human resource planning constitutes one of the core strategic considerations in project management. The decision on the size of the project team depends on the available project roles and responsibilities. In order to be successful in planning the human resource component in projects, project managers should consider four main aspects, which include Selection of projec t team Development of project team Management of project team During the human resource-planning phase, project managers should clearly define the project roles and reporting relationships. Additionally, this phase should also involve the establishment of a staffing plan. The project manager may decide to allocate the identified project roles to internal stakeholders or subcontract external stakeholders. Conversely, the staffing plan outlines the criteria to be adopted in selecting the project team members and the training needs. In a bid to succeed in human resource planning, project managers should incorporate a number of aspects. First, the project managers should determine departments from which the project team members will be selected. Also, to determine the most effective organisational units to be involved in the project, organisations should assess the necessary specialities and disciplines. Moreover, the project manager should examine the logistics amongst the various pro ject teams, for example, assessing the distance between the project teams. Human resource planning also involves a clear description of the project positions by adopting an organisation chart. Some of the organisation charts that the manager might adopt include hierarchical or the matrix structure. Therefore, investing in human resource planning plays an essential role in developing a clear definition of the roles and responsibilities, adoption of organisation chart, and formulating a staff acquisition plan. Acquisition of project team Considering the complexity associated with project implementation, it is crucial for organisational leaders to ensure that the selected team members are capable of handling the complexities. In a bid to eliminate possible skills deficiency within the project team, organisations should consider sourcing project team members from the internal and the external environments. Skills outsourcing will play a fundamental role in improving the project teamsâ⠂¬â„¢ competencies. During the process of constituting the project team, it is essential for organisations to assess the degree to which potential project team members are interested in executing the various project tasks. Success in constituting a project team can be achieved by adopting effective tools and techniques. One of these tools involves pre-assignment, which entails assigning project tasks to potential candidates (Soderlund, 2004). This technique is effective if the project being implemented requires a specific level of expertise. Alternatively, organisations can also adopt virtual teams if the project task being implemented does not require the team members to be physically involved. If an organisation adopts virtual teams, an effective communication plan must be developed to enhance data and information sharing. Developing project team After successful acquisition of the project team members, organisational leaders should formulate a plan to be adopted in order to enhan ce collaboration amongst the team members. This goal can be achieved by nurturing cohesiveness and trust amongst the project team members. Fostering these elements will nurture an optimal project environment whereby the team members assist each other in undertaking the project tasks. The plan should also outline how the organisation intends to improve the team members’ skills to enhance their competency in executing the project tasks. One of the techniques that organisations should consider in their quest to develop the selected project team includes training. The training process may involve on-the-job approach through mentoring and coaching. Conversely, off-the-job approaches can also be adopted by adopting computerised or online training sessions. Alternatively, organisations may also decide to foster team development through various team-building activities. According to Soderlund (2004), organisations should consider incorporating rewards and recognition as one of their team development strategies. Thus, organisations should recognise positive behaviour portrayed by the project team members. Recognition of positive behaviour will significantly motivate the project team members, hence increasing their commitment towards the respective responsibilities. Managing project team This aspect involves the process of tracking and evaluating team performance. Moreover, team management also entails establishing an effective feedback mechanism and resolving issues that might emerge during the project implementation phase. In a bid to be effective in managing project team, it is critical for organisational leaders to evaluate the behaviours of the project team members continuously. If the organisation has adopted the matrix organisation structure, it becomes difficult to manage the project team. The difficulty arises from the dual reporting relationship because the team members report to two parties, viz. the project manager and the functional manager. Thus, it is imperative for organisational leaders to manage the dual reporting relationship effectively. Quality planning Projects are designed in an effort to achieve a specific goal or objective. Additionally, the outcome of the project affects different organisational stakeholders such as the shareholders, customers, and employees. Srivannaboon (2006) corroborates that the â€Å"essence of project management is to support the execution of organisations’ competitive strategy to deliver a desired outcome† (p. 2). Thus, organisational leaders have a duty to assure the project stakeholders of optimal project outcome. In a bid to achieve this goal, organisations should consider investing in effective project quality planning. Thus, a number of aspects should be considered in quality planning process. First, project managers should develop a quality policy outlining the quality standards, regulations, and guidelines to be used in gauging the project outcome. Additionally, the pro ject managers should ensure that the project team members understand the quality policy and outline how the stipulated quality standards will be satisfied. The second phase involves performing quality assurance by assessing whether the project complies with the stipulated requirements. The quality planning process also involves defining how the quality gaps identified will be improved. Consequently, the project manager should formulate the steps that will be undertaken in order to determine the need for quality improvement. This goal can be attained by implementing various continuous improvement models, such as the PDCA cycle [Plan-Do-Check- Act]. Other quality management models that can be integrated in planning project quality include total quality management and six-sigma. Quality planning in project management should enable organisations to increase the level of satisfaction amongst the target stakeholders. In addition to the above quality management tools, organisational leader s should focus on incorporating various quality planning tools. Some of the strategic planning techniques that should be considered include cost-benefit analysis, cost of quality, and benchmarking. Benchmarking will enable the project manager to assess the costs and benefits of effective project implementation. For example, conducting a cost-benefit analysis will enable the project manager to understand the value of meeting the set quality standards by eliminating possibilities of re-work. Additionally, cost-benefit analysis will enable the organisations to determine the stakeholders’ level of satisfaction (Srivannaboon, 2006). Planning for risk Risks involve unfavourable outcomes and it is impossible to rule out their occurrence. As one of the organisational processes, projects are characterised by unique features and they are not free from risk. However, the nature of risk differs across projects. Some of the common sources of risks in projects relate to the project budget, time management, and assumptions made (Soderlund, 2004). Project risks may also arise from the project’s technical, commercial, or relational elements. In order to minimise the adverse effects associated with risks, project managers should invest in effective risk planning. One of the aspects that project managers should consider when planning for risk entails conducting a comprehensive risk analysis. The risk management plan should clearly outline the approaches and data sources to be adopted in managing potential risks. Risk planning should also clearly outline the risk management personnel, their roles, and responsibilities. The other elements that project managers should consider in the risk planning phase entails budgeting and timing. Risk budgeting involves estimating the cost to be incurred in managing risks. Conversely, timing entails planning the frequency within which risk should be assessed during the project’s life cycle. Conclusion Changes occurring the i n the contemporary business environment are motivating organisations to adopt project-based approach in an effort to align their operations with the business environment. Moreover, most organisations have realised the significance of project-approach in achieving their strategic goals. Despite these changes, projects are characterised by a high degree of complexity and hence they require effective management. One of the sources of project complexity is that they involve different tasks, which must be effectively coordinated in order to achieve the desired outcome. Additionally, most projects consume a substantial amount of resources. Consequently, project failure can significantly affect an organisation’s competitiveness. In their quest to adopt project as a method of achieving the desired goals, it is critical for organisations to ensure that the likelihood of project failure is eliminated. This goal can be achieved by integrating project planning as one of the strategic con siderations in their project management processes. The strategic planning process in project management should focus on a number of critical areas. Some of core planning areas include communication, human resource, risk planning, and project quality. Organisations should ensure that an effective communication plan is adopted. The communication plan should focus on ensuring that all the project stakeholders are adequately informed about the various project aspects together with how it will benefit the organisation and the project stakeholders. Effective communication planning can only be achieved if the â€Å"project manager understands the communication needs of the internal and external project stakeholders† (Soderlund, 2004, p. 187). Human resource planning is essential in developing a project team that will execute the various project tasks. This aspect increases the likelihood of successful project completion. Conversely, risk planning is essential in ensuring that the pr oject is not affected adversely by unforeseen occurrences, while quality planning ensures that the project outcome satisfies the target stakeholders. From the analysis conducted, strategic planning should be conducted throughout the project life cycle. Furthermore, the necessary adjustments should be implemented in the project plan. References Soderlund, J. (2004). Building of project management: past research, questions for the future. International Journal of Project Management, 22(2), 183-191. Srivannaboon, S. (2006). Linking project management with business strategy.  Project Management Journal, 37(6), 88-96. This research paper on Role of Planning in Project Management was written and submitted by user Parker Holder 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.

Dyslexia and the Good Life Essay Example

Dyslexia and the Good Life Essay Example Dyslexia and the Good Life Paper Dyslexia and the Good Life Paper In her book Overcoming Dyslexia: A New and Complete Science-Based Program for Reading Problems at Any Level, Sally Shaywitz says, †¦Dyslexia can infiltrate every aspect of a person’s life. It is often described as a hidden disability because it was thought to lack visible signs, but dyslexia is hidden only from those who do not have to live with it and suffer its effects (Shaywitz, 4). Shaywitz says further that dyslexic children are often misjudged on the level of intelligence due to the difficulty of reading. For example, when a child’s progress seems impeded, the blame is usually set on sociological or educational issues. Even though the general public is more aware of dyslexia and its effects, not enough people recognize it in small children. Given the ‘normal’ issues teachers face on the preschool level, sometimes dyslexia will be diagnosed as something else pertaining to learning difficulty (e. g. attention deficit disorder). The purpose of this essay is to engage the reader in the different aspects of this unique condition. It is not uncommon for dyslexic people to be seen as having an attention deficit disorder when the reality is that they are having difficulty seeing the letters the same way as the other children in the classroom. Some letters in a word are reversed or rearranged giving a preschool child an erroneous symbol for specific letters of the alphabet. Other issues accompanying letter distortion include poor organization and introversion due to the ‘difference’ realized in the mind of a dyslexic child. The word ‘dyslexia’ actually comes from a Greek word which means difficulty with words. It includes a wide range of learning difficulties where a person of normal intelligence has persistent and significant problems with reading, writing, spelling and sometimes mathematics and musical notation (Hicks, www. bbc. co. uk/health ). It should be known that people in the past have associated poor parenting as a cause of dyslexia. This could not be further from the truth. Although a cause has not been pinned down yet, there are a number of ways to detect dyslexia in children and adults none of which has to do with the way they are treated. Some of these include phonics, letter identification, and even counting. Since dyslexic people suffer with differing symptoms, helping them to cope with everyday life must be done on an individual level. If detected early enough there are three widely used methods to help dyslexic children overcome this barrier in learning. The first method is called the developmental approach and uses previous methods that are believed to be instructional and helpful and center on the extra time these special children need to learn specific tasks. Because the symptoms vary with each individual, the specific symptom would have to be predetermined in order for the developmental approach to work. A second method uses corrective measures in that it breaks the children into groups and emphasizes special interests and assets of the special child. This method is based on the hope it will give the child to overcome the disability. If used properly, this method could strengthen a child’s resolve to overcome which results in them feeling normal. Specific corrective measures are taken on the child’s initiative which enables the child to understand they have the power to do something about this problem they face. The last approach is a remedial approach. It attempts to overcome dyslexia through education and psychology. It is thought that dyslexia is just a learning disorder that can be overcome through educating the sufferer and psychologically helping them to cope with it. This approach is really the most involved of the three, but it only involves people on a professional level. This could be seen as a detriment to children with dyslexia. The time spent with psychologists and other medical professions takes away from the time they could spend with children their age. With enough interaction on their level they may be able to see their difference, and with the help of the other children psychological help is provided. WebMD states that dyslexia could be genetic in that people who suffer with it usually have someone else in the family lineage that also suffers with it. Genetic disorders are diseases that can be passed from parents to children. Some disorders may be inherited if only one parent has the gene, while others can be inherited only if both parents have the gene (Cooke, http://children. webmd. com/tc/Dyslexia-Cause). Cystic Fibrosis and Sickle-Cell are two samples given by WebMD as being on the list of genetically inherited medical problems. The examples below give a better understanding of the processes in the brain of a dyslexic person. The word sare n otsp aced cor rect ly We spell wrds xatle az tha snd to us Sometimesalltheletterarepushedtogether The brain suffering from the symptoms of dyslexia uses both the left and right sides of the brain to do what the left side does in brains not suffering from dyslexia. The above samples of how dyslexic people see words and sentences demonstrates the level of difficulty just to communicate written messages. Every textbook they encounter will be six times harder to read for them than the other children with the same textbook due to the inadequacy of the left side of the brain. In an effort to demonstrate the efficiency with which normal brains operate and make sense out of words that are collected for the purpose of communication look at these wrds tht are msing lttrs. Se hw esy it bcms to rd smthng lke ths? Imagine words and letters being even more mixed up than this and you have a day in the life of a dyslexic. A University of Auckland study showed mostly left hemisphere brain activity when normal readers were asked to perform three different reading tasks, including a phonics-based reading task where letter strings must be silently sounded-out to get the correct answer. In contrast, the dyslexic adults showed very limited left-brain activity during these tasks, with most activity being in the right brain ( engineering. auckland. ac. nz/uoa/engineering/news/2006/04/dyslexia. cfm). It is the left side of the brain that controls the phonics of words. When the normal brain sees a sentence it recalls the learning process and calls into action the left side of the brain which deciphers the letters and the sounds which causes the words and letters to make sense. To a dyslexic brain, with little or no left brain activity, the problem arises. The right side of the brain, which is not the center for decoding messages, tries to take up the slack of the left side and therefore hinders the learning process. Doctor Karen Waldie, of the University of Auckland, New Zealand, in an interview stated, The only significant activity in the phonological dyslexic group was in the frontal lobes of the right hemisphere of the brain, she continued. This might be the result of the dyslexic brain trying to compensate for an inefficient left-brain language system a system that might have been compromised during brain development or is simply genetically hard-wired to be a bit different from the norm. † The brain is so complex an organ that to understand how the right side of the brain compensates for the left side not functioning properly is a mystery. In relation to normal activity of the brain, dyslexia causes such a different pattern of activity that there are scientists who believe it is no more than a differing in brain activity and if the effected brain is properly trained it can lead a normal happy life. â€Å"The mental function that causes dyslexia is a gift in the truest sense of the word: a natural ability, a talent. It is something special that enhances the individual,† so says Ronald Davis in his co-authored book on the subject, The Gift of Dyslexia. He lists some well known people that were fortunate enough to have dyslexia; Hans Christian Anderson, Whoopi Goldberg, General George Patton and more. Davis, in an interview on a talk show, was asked if there was a positive side of dyslexia, when he gave her the list of famous people that had it, she was reported to have stated how fascinating it was that these people excelled in life in spite of their handicap. Davis notes in his book that he feels that they are famous as a direct result of their handicap, or as he says ‘their gift. ’ This book and others he has written have helped many people see their handicap as a gift and offers them a solution for their unique way of seeing the world. The brain is such a magnificent part of the human body. Some believe that the average person uses only about ten percent of their brain at any given moment. While this may lead to some fairly wild assumptions, it is clear and measurable that the dyslexic brain uses right brain matter to do what the left brain usually does. If this is the case, then it could be logically concluded that man does not really know what would happen if he was able to utilize more than that assumed ten percent at any given moment. It is a logical assumption (if you can use those two words together) then, that the human brain adapts to its surroundings. If a child is diagnosed as dyslexic the learning process will become different for him than it would be for one without it. When readers are asked to imagine cat without the kah sound, they readily summon at. The MRI photographs show their brains lighting up like pinball machines. When the brain gets it, the light bulbs really do go on. However, the brains of people who cant sound out words often look different on MRI pictures. There is less blood flow to the language centers of the brain and, in some cases, not much activity evident at all. Scientists are not sure why this is or what it means. But simply put, without the ability to sound out words, the brain is stumped (www. healthyplace. com). The main trouble dyslexics have when trying to read is the phonic sounds that the brain hears when it sees a word. According to the 2006 November edition of Scientific America, the dyslexic brain has little or no capability to phonically hear a word and thus has no reference point for the sounding of that word (101). The frustration is in the dyslexic’s ability to understand what they hear but not what they read. It’s like trying to remember something that you have remembered before, but now something is blocking the ability to recall that information again. Therefore people say things like â€Å"Until I remember it, it will drive me nuts! † The major life complication that most physicians will see as pertaining to people with dyslexia is self esteem issues. The fact that a basic fundamental part of everyday life is nearly impossible for them; dyslexic people are more prone to depression, withdrawal and isolation. Overall health can ultimately be affected depending on the depth of the depression or other complications arising as a direct result of being dyslexic. The remedies, for there is no known cure, are more home-grown than anything else. This means siblings and parents should read to them often to help them understand what they see, and should interact with them enough to be sure they feel as they are an important part of the family. Winston Churchill, a man who could move the masses, was dyslexic. Walt Disney, Henry Ford and Cher all dealt with, or in Cher’s case, still deal with dyslexia. The best treatment a dyslexic person can get is the friendly help from people who genuinely care about them. If your child has dyslexia, doctors would recommend that you be very supportive, talk to them about it, and develop study practices that will enable them to function in school. Self esteem goes a long way in children and youth alike. There will always be those who will ridicule, or make some other type of demeaning remark, so all the encouragement they can get will help them become productive members of society. Ronald Davis did something positive when he wrote Dyslexia the Gift, Cher sings and writes music, and there are probably people in your city dealing with dyslexia right now. As long as humans are in control of society, they will always have a way to cope with whatever life deals to them. Shaywitz, Sally, MD. Overcoming Dyslexia: A New and Complete Science-Based Program for Reading Problems at Any Level. New York: Random House Publishing, 2003. Hicks, Rob MD. Dislexia. December 2005. 18 April 2007. bbc. co. uk/health/conditions/dyslexia1. shtml Cooke, Kerry V. Genetic Disorders. 27 May 2005. 18 April 2007. http://children. webmd. com/tc/Dyslexia-Cause Faculty of Engineering. Map of the human brain sheds new light on dyslexia. 20 April 2006. 18 April 2007. engineering. auckland. ac. nz/uoa/ engineering/news/2006/04/dyslexia. cfm Davis, Robert D. and Braun, Eldon N. Dyslexia The Gift. New York: The Berkley Publishing Group. 1994. 4 10 Years of Brain Imaging. HealthyPlace. com. 2000. 18 April 2007.

King Pakal of Palenque

King Pakal of Palenque Kinich Jahahb Pakal (Resplendent Shield) was ruler of the Maya city of Palenque from 615 A.D. to his death in 683. He is usually known simply as Pakal or Pakal I to differentiate him from later rulers of that name. When he came to the throne of Palenque, it was an embattled, destroyed city, but during his long and steady reign it became the most powerful city-state in the western Maya lands. When he died, he was buried in a glorious tomb in the Temple of the Inscriptions in Palenque: his funeral mask and finely carved sarcophagus lid, priceless pieces of Maya art, are only two of the many wonders found in his crypt. Pakals Lineage Pakal, who ordered the construction of his own tomb, painstakingly detailed his royal lineage and deeds in finely carved glyphs in the Temple of the Inscriptions and elsewhere in Palenque. Pakal was born on March 23, 603; his mother Sak Kuk was of the Palenque royal family, and his father Kan Mo Hix came from a family of lesser nobility. Pakals great-grandmother, Yohl Iknal, ruled Palenque from 583-604. When Yohl Iknal died, her two sons, Ajen Yohl Mat and Janahb Pakal I, shared ruling duties until both died at different times in 612 A.D. Janahb Pakal was the father of Sak Kuk, mother of the future King Pakal. Pakals Chaotic Childhood Young Pakal grew up in difficult times. Before he was even born, Palenque was locked in a struggle with the powerful Kaan dynasty, which was based in Calakmul. In 599, Palenque was attacked by Kaan allies from Santa Elena and the Palenque rulers were forced to flee the city. In 611, the Kaan dynasty attacked Palenque again. This time, the city was destroyed and the leadership once again forced into exile. The Palenque rulers set themselves up at Tortuguero in 612 under the leadership of Ik Muuy Mawaan I, but a breakaway group, led by Pakals parents, returned to Palenque. Pakal himself was crowned by his mothers hand on July 26, 615 A.D. He was barely twelve years old. His parents served as regents to the young king and as trusted advisors until they passed away decades later (his mother in 640 and his father in 642). A Time of Violence Pakal was a steady ruler but his time as king was far from peaceful. The Kaan dynasty had not forgotten about Palenque, and the rival exile faction at Tortuguero made frequent war upon Pakals people as well. On June 1, 644, Bahlam Ajaw, ruler of the rival faction at Tortuguero, ordered an attack on the town of Ux Te Kuh. The town, birthplace of Pakals wife Ix Tzak-bu Ajaw, was allied with Palenque: the lords of Tortuguero would attack the same town a second time in 655. In 649, Tortuguero attacked Moyoop and Coyalcalco, also Palenque allies. In 659, Pakal took the initiative and ordered an invasion of the Kaan allies at Pomona and Santa Elena. The warriors of Palenque were victorious and returned home with the leaders of Pomona and Santa Elena as well as a dignitary of some sort from Piedras Negras, also an ally of Calakmul. The three foreign leaders were ceremoniously sacrificed to the god Kawill. This great victory gave Pakal and his people some breathing room, although his reign w ould never be completely peaceful. He of the Five Houses of the Terraced Building Pakal not only solidified and extended Palenques influence, he also expanded the city itself. Many great buildings were improved, built or begun during Pakals reign. Sometime around 650 A.D., Pakal ordered the expansion of the so-called Palace. He ordered aqueducts (some of which still work) as well as the expansion of buildings A,B,C and E of the palace complex. For this construction he was remembered with the title   He of the Five Houses of the Terraced Building Building E was built as a monument to his forebears and Building C features a hieroglyphic stairway which glorifies the campaign of 659 A.D. and the prisoners which were taken. The so-called Forgotten Temple was built to house the remains of Pakals parents. Pakal also ordered the construction of Temple 13, home of the tomb of the Red Queen, generally believed to be Ix Tzak-bu Ajaw, Pakals wife. Most importantly, Pakal ordered the construction of his own tomb: the Temple of the Inscriptions. Pakals Line In 626 A.D., Pakals soon-to-be wife Ix Tzak-bu Ajaw arrived at Palenque from the city of Ux Te Kuh. Pakal would have several children, including his heir and successor, Kinich Kan Bahlam. His line would rule Palenque for decades until the city was abandoned sometime after 799 A.D., which is the date of the last known inscription at the city. At least two of his descendants adopted the name Pakal as part of their royal titles, indicating the high regard the citizens of Palenque held him even long after his death. Pakals Tomb Pakal died on July 31, 683 and was entombed in the Temple of the Inscriptions. Fortunately, his tomb was never discovered by looters but was instead excavated by archaeologists under the direction of Dr. Alberto Ruz Lhuiller in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Pakals body was entombed deep in the temple, down some stairways which were later sealed off. His burial chamber features nine warrior figures painted on the walls, representing the nine levels of the afterlife. His crypt contains many glyphs describing his line and accomplishments. His great carved stone sarcophagus lid is one of the marvels of Mesoamerican art: it shows Pakal being reborn as the god Unen-Kawill. Inside the crypt were the crumbling remains of Pakals body and many treasures, including Pakals jade funeral mask, another priceless piece of Maya art.    Legacy of King Pakal In a sense, Pakal continued to govern Palenque long after his death. Pakals son Kinich Kan Bahlam ordered his fathers likeness carved into stone tablets as if he were leading certain ceremonies. Pakals grandson Kinich Ahkal Mo Nahb ordered an image of Pakal carved into a throne on Temple Twenty-one of Palenque. To the Maya of Palenque, Pakal was a great leader whose long realm was a time of expansion of tribute and influence, even if it was marked by frequent wars and battles with neighboring city-states. Pakals greatest legacy, however, is undoubtedly to historians. Pakals tomb was a treasure trove about the ancient Maya; archaeologist Eduardo Matos Moctezuma considers it one of the six most important archaeological finds of all time. The many glyphs and in the Temple of the Inscriptions are among the only surviving written records of the Maya. Sources: Bernal Romero, Guillermo. Kinich Jahahb Pakal (Resplandente Escudo Ave-Janahb) (603-683 d.C) Arqueologà ­a Mexicana XIX-110 (July-August 2011) 40-45. Matos Moctezuma, Eduardo. Grandes Hallazgos de la Arqueologà ­a: De la Muerte a la Inmortalidad. Mexico: Tiempo de Memoria Tus Quets, 2013. McKillop, Heather. New York: Norton, 2004.

Improving Decision Making Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Improving Decision Making - Essay Example The company's defence that the price was part of a "random price test" and could be refunded solidified the suspicion further it was into dynamic pricing activity, as similar instances were far too many. Just like the company offered $51 less by Amazon than its own usual price on a dedicated bargain website (ramasastry, cnn.com). An analysis can be done from figures provided as quarter wise sales data, of a particular book sold through this portal, (Niles, R., ojr.org). It shows that the company had skimmed high earnings through a dynamic pricing policy in the first quarter sales. Eleven and twelve copies of the same book were sold at the prices of $11.02 and $11.50 each respectively while in the second quarter the same book sold sixteen and eleven copies each at the prices of $11.02 and $11.70 respectively meaning a highly elastic nature of the book's demand can be computed at a elasticity demand- coefficient of two, which is greater than unitary. It may be noticed here that there was an increase in sales of the books even when the prices charged were higher. If total earnings based on variable pricing quarter - on - quarter are considered , then they range from 15% to almost as high as 40%. This is where the marketers like Amazon.com have the opportunity to maximize their earnings from unsuspecting custome rs through their dynamic pricing strategy as even against a higher price Amazon sold more number of copies. The remaining quarters also showed a similar effect. Benefits & disadvantages The benefits of dynamic pricing comprise of stimulating demand which helps to churn inventory quicker translating into more revenue and greater margins. The new focus is on target pricing, with technology profiling the price sensitivity of customers to determine the selection of groups which can be discriminated on pricing. . It is believed by the company to help in maximizing the total revenue for the company. The associates and partners of Amazon even share historical data of their dynamic pricing. (Liquid commerce, information-age.com). The disadvantages are also quite a few such as customer loyalty start disappearing once regular customers find out that they are being overcharged in contrast to a new customer offered a lower promotional price . This could drive customers to bargain counters where everyone is treated fairly and there is no discrimination through dynamic pricing. The other drawback of this method may be a legal threat incase it appears that the firm is violating an titrust laws or not having a fixed price policy. Conclusion However, it may be an end of an era of list prices where the product life cycle is short, (Strategic interactive marketing, managing change.com), the distance minimized and delivery lead times lessened with the help of technology and modernization. Industry experts have reportedly observed dynamic pricing to be a boon to high fixed and low marginal cost industries and also as a necessity for e commerce (Weiss, R., M. & Mehrotra, A., K.,

Macroeconomics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Macroeconomics - Essay Example The industry generates a lot of revenues for the United States, but the amounts of jobs created by these companies are limited and specialized. According to the article innovation and economic growth are two correlated concepts. An organization that has done a good job in promoting medical innovation is the National Institute of Health. In order for more innovation to occur in the United States across different industries the federal government and the academic community have to get more involved. The federal government can finance innovative projects by providing research grants to organizations. The government can also perform their own research in-house in order to promote innovation. In 2010 the government showed that its involvement can affect the private industry directly. The US government took over GM Corporation to safeguard the company from bankruptcy in to protect a car company that is currently one of the most innovative players in the auto industry. One of the showcase p roducts developed by GM is the Chevy Volt, a care capable of giving over 230 miles per gallon. The network of private and public universities in the United States is a big contributor to innovation in this nation. Universities receive funds from both the private and public industry in order to perform research. ... Exposing students to the research environment is the best way to get more students interested in pursuing careers dedicated to research. The colleges of this nation have to develop more scientist and engineers so that there won’t be a shortage of talent in the private industry. Basic research is often what economist called a ‘public good’ which offers economic returns for years to come (Leonhardt). An issue identified by the author of the article which is hurting the long term ability of the United States to get involved in innovative projects is the fact that our basic educational system is flawed. There are many students graduating from high school that do not have the capabilities and basic knowledge in math and science in order to perform research in innovative projects. Innovation is something that is not created out of thin air. People must provide the ideas needed to create innovative projects. The US Congress has to rethink its strategy concerning our chil dren’s educational system. More teachers need to be hired these teachers need better training in order to better prepare students for the realities of the working world. In high school teachers should encourage students to participate in events such as the science fair which promote innovation. The US government has to increase its educational budget to provide teachers and students access to better materials. A topic that was discussed by the author which has tremendous implication in the development of innovation is the use of clean energy. There has to be greater innovation in the green movement in order to develop alternative sources of energy that are not based on petroleum. Our society has to realize that the dependency on crude is not

Microbiology Module Essay Example for Free

Microbiology Module Essay 1.) This article was published March-April, 2001. 2.) The two main type are resident flora and transient flora. 3.) Hand hygiene is used to prevent the colonization of transient flora. It includes hand washing and disinfection. Hand washing refers to washing hands with an unmedicated detergent and water or water alone. Its objective is to prevent cross-transmission by removing dirt and loose transient flora. 4.) Hand disinfection refers to use of an antiseptic solution to clean hands, either medicated soap or alcohol. 5.) Alcohol is the agent that has excellent activity. 6.) Propanol is the most effective alcohol and ethanol the least. 7.) In several hours resident flora are completely restored. 8.) The type and duration of patient care influenced the amount of bacteria found on the caregivers hands. 9.) The factors for noncompliance include: insufficient numbers of sinks; low risk for acquiring infection from patients; belief that glove use obviates need for hand hygiene; and ignorance of or disagreement with guidelines and protocols. People also incur skin irritation. 10.)Reasons reported by health-care workers for the lack of adherence with recommendations include skin irritation, inaccessible supplies, interference with worker-patient relation, patient needs perceived as priority, wearing gloves, forgetfulness, ignorance of guide-lines, insufficient time, high workload and understaffing, and lack of scientific information demonstrating impact of improved hand hygiene on hospital infection rates 11.)Lack of knowledge on the topic is the key barrier. 12.) Highest compliance was ICU, and the lowest compliance was open ward. 13.) Hospitals should provide their workers with alcohol based hand rubs, and free lotions and antiseptics. They should also educate and stress the importance of hand hygiene to their workers. Hospitals should set up a framework and make good hand hygiene a part of the culture of their hospital

Sun Also Rises and Decline and Fall :: Free Essay Writer

Sun Also Rises and Decline and Fall Poverty is an issue which society faces each day. It is a constant struggle that cannot be ignored. Defeating poverty would take great efforts and contributions from all. Canada and the third world are examples of countries which are experiencing poverty, yet each differ in different ways. Once seeing the multitudes of condominiums, expensive restaurants, and streets jammed with cars, one would never see Canada as a place suffering from hunger, lack of food or clothing. Yet poverty exists. Poverty in Canada cannot be compared to that of a 3rd world country, since many of the poor have access to transportation and television. What people lack is ability to see the inadequate nutrition overcrowded housing and chronic unemployment. â€Å"A visitor to Canada from Africa or Asia, if told if told that there is a widespread poverty in this country, might find the statement hard to credit.†(Schlesinger 89) In most places, the poor are thought to be isolated, away from shopping zones a s well as residential areas. They are seen as a crowded cluster, living in shantytowns drinking a bottle of whisky, uselessly lying there in search for a job, or some method of employment. This is just one of the stereotypes given to the poor person, we must first define poverty. Individuals and families whose financial resources and/or other resources (including educational and occupational skills, the condition of the environment at home and at work, and material possessions) fall seriously below those commanded by the average person or family in society, are in poverty. (Schlesinger 105) The â€Å"poverty line†, is a method used by the government to determine the number of poor people living in a certain area. It is based on an individual’s income. Anyone below the annual level of income is classified as being poor. Who Are Our Poor? The Special Senate Committee on Poverty, using a poverty line, calculated that â€Å"approximately five million Canadians live in poverty† (NCW 10) Studies show various groups in society tend to be poorer in comparison to others. Over 1 million Canadians who work are poor. The working poor are usually employed in service sales, farming, fishing and clerical jobs characterized by low pay, limited opportunities for advancement, and instability. It is said â€Å"1 person in every eight who lives alone is member of the working poor.† (NCW 6) The second highest group is individuals that live in poverty are the elderly.

And the Fraud Continues

1. ) Discuss the Internal control weaknesses that existed at MCI that contributed to the commission of this fraud: MCI biggest internal control weaknesses at was Pavlo. Pavlo was able to manipulate MCI account receivable system which he helped to create and develop. When the same employee is able to receive and update payments, the chance of manipulation and embezzlement of funds is very high. By one person being able to record accounts receivable, or even reconcile the company's bank account, he/she may be able to embezzle money from the company. This is what happens to MCI with Pavlo, through the following: a. By writing off a companies account receivables and converting them into notes receivable, Asset are created on the balance sheet. When customers are unable or may not pay their debts, companies may be able to write-off bad debts on their income tax returns. Companies’ accounts receivable can present a problem when only a few employees are available to manage company fi nances. By allowing the same employee to receive payments, update accounts receivable records, and reconcile the company's bank account, he/she may be able to embezzle money from the company. b. Unapplied cash was used for the bad debt and slow payments. By allocations of delinquent or bad receivables, made the expenses related to the write off of the receivables will not be entered on the income statement. c. Credit Holds was used. MCI called customers in regards to their past due account receivables. MCI were told by the customer that they were sending a payment immediately, MCI credited their receivables before receiving the cash. By Pavlo’s manipulating the account receivable it helped him delayed the inevitable. The recognition of bad debt and uncollected receivables that have to be expensed on the income statement. . Identify and justify the approach you would take if you suspected fraudulent activity within an organization where you work: Should I suspect fraudulent activity within an organization. I would investigate the suspected activity and reporting the suspected activity to the correct personnel. The Internal Auditor’s Office should coordinate investigations of fraud, waste, or abuse. Employees shall not de stroy any document or record of any kind that may be relevant to a past, present, or future investigation of fraud, waste, or abuse. The application of professional skepticism is essential any audit investigation. Professional skepticism in auditing implies an attitude that includes a questioning mind and a critical assessment of audit evidence without being obsessively suspicious or skeptical. Don’t make matters worse by getting into legal liability by the way you handle the matter. Do not speak to anyone about the person that's suspected of committing the fraud before reporting it to management. By speaking to someone other than management you could be sued for slander. Consult an attorney who specializes in employment-related matters. When an employee has knowledge of fraud, waste, or abuse has good reason to suspect that such conduct has occurred should adhere to the procedures in the Organization’s Policy. When suspected fraudulent activity, waste, or abuse is observed by, or made known to an employee. The employee should immediately report the activity to his/her direct supervisor. If an employee believes that their supervisor are involved in the activity, he/she should immediately report the activity to the supervisor’s manager as well as the CFO and CEO. If an employee believes that the supervisor’s, management and/or the CEO may be involved with the activity, the employee should either contact the Internal Auditor directly or file a report via the Fraud, Waste, and Abuse Referral System also known as the Fraud, Waste, and Abuse Hotline, (McMullen, A. (2012). When an employee is suspected of any activity, he or she should not make any attempt to investigate the suspected activity prior to reporting it. The Internal Auditor’s Office will coordinate investigations of fraud, waste, or abuse. The employee should not destroy any document or record that he or she knows may be relevant to a past, present, or future investigation of fraud, waste or abuse. Employees that suspect violation or who have questions, complaints or suggestions, should share their concerns with someone who can address them properly. Thus, it's a myth that fraud is a big scheme that should be uncovered sooner and easy to detect. Most all fraud starts small and then gets bigger and bigger, until something becomes noticeably different or unusual. Once fraudulent activity has been noted, someone should take action to investigate the situation and determine if a fraud has been committed. Being aware of these activity are only step one and is usually not enough for the organization. Once these activity are identified, you must take action to determine its effect. Evaluating the fraudulent activity may be accomplished by financial analysis, observation or by any other technique that tests an apparent weakness. Once the analysis is complete it’s time to move on to correct the situation (Wells, 2012). . Critique the ethical nature of Pavlo’s actions in this case: Walt Pavlo, the Credit Collections Manager at MCI Telecommunications, Inc. Falsified MCI accounts receivables and stole $6 million from MCI, spoke of greed, opportunity, and culture. His testimony and facts, however, provides a far different view. This was a willful, active fraud involving a very small group of customers, executed by a very small group of peo ple. As a Fraudsters and white-collar, he acted deliberately, out of greed, power and perhaps even stupidity and ultimately got caught. These perpetrators exhibited many typical fraud behaviors. White-collar criminal that involves embezzlement and breach of trust being the prevalent modes involved. Pavlo had to collect on debts owed to MCI by large corporate clients. Pavlo's job was not easy. MCI extended large amount of credit to high-risk customers and refused to write-off receivables as bad debt. By doing this, MCI was in violation of accounting principles. Pavol was desperate to keep his job, he began to employ suspect accounting techniques to hide the unpaid debt. By falsification of accounting record in contravention of Pavlo, also found a way to siphon off $6 million for personal aggrandizement (Pavlo Jr. and Weinberg, 121). Pavlo claim of trying unsuccessfully to get MCI to take a $180 million charge blatantly conflicts with the facts. In a 2002 article, Pavlo had claimed the number was $88 million. Either inflation has increased his number or he didn’t review his earlier stories! Pavlo’s actions was illegal which would be characterized by deceit, concealment, or violation of trust. Which are not dependent upon the application or threat of force or violence. Pavlo action was a self-centered and motivated by his own greed, without regard for ethics or fiduciary duty to co-workers, and stakeholder (Pavlo Jr. and Weinberg 121). When it comes to Walter Pavlo Jr. and the choices he made. The phrase â€Å"power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely† is false. Having power alone does not have the ability to corrupt, but it does provides one of the three elements necessary for a person to commit a fraudulent act. Trusted persons sometimes become trust violators. When they conceive themselves as having a financial problem which is non-sharable, are aware these problem can be secretly resolved by violation of the position of financial trust and are able to apply to their own conduct which enable them to adjust their conceptions of themselves as trusted (Coenen 2009). Regardless of what moral code may be in place. Corruption occurs when a person breaks the moral code or principle that pertains to him or her. Which is what Pavlo did. According to the fraud triangle, in every instance of fraud three elements are present: motivation, opportunity, and rationalization (Coenen 2009). This theory was developed to help identify possible fraud, a name given to corruption within a business, it also applies to corruption in general. In order for corruption to happen, an individual or group of individuals, must have motivation, opportunity, and significant rationale to justify committing a fraudulent act. Because three elements must harmoniously combine to create an environment in which one may act corruptly, only one of the three elements needs thwarting to break the triangle and prevent corruption (Wells, 2012). All element of the fraud triangle must be present to break a moral code. The first element necessary where corruption may occur is motivation. Motivation can include a financial need, such as the need to take care of an ill parent who is quickly accumulating medical expenses far beyond what his or her family can pay. But motivation to commit a corrupt act can include perceived need also. When a person may be earning enough money to cover all of his or her needs, but he or she may feel driven to commit a corrupt act by a strong desire for a higher standard of living than he or she can not afford. A person may also come motivated by non-financial pressure to commit a corrupt act. A person can also be motivated by non-financial pressure to commit a corrupt act (Pavlo Jr. and Weinberg 121). The second element which must be in place to commit a corrupt act is rationalization. Humans have the complex ability to think deductively, inductively, and process large amounts of information to make rational decisions. Unfortunately, one’s ability to â€Å"employ reason† (rationalize) may or may not lead him or her down the right path. Pavlo’s story provides an excellent example of poor reasoning. Pavlo rationalized stealing from MCI by telling himself that MCI was committing much more heinous crimes than he was. He believed that MCI was so crooked that it could not come after him for doing the much lesser crime of stealing a few accounts receivables (Pavlo Jr. and Weinberg 257). Pavlo’s opportunity to pilfer accounts receivables was granted to him by MCI’s poor control environment. Pavlo often engaged the accounts receivable department in a practice known as accounts receivable lapping, posting payments received from one customer to another’s account to make overdue accounts appear current, in order to meet corporate bad debt expense goals (Pavlo Jr. and Weinberg 101). MCI’s management encouraged and rewarded Pavlo for accounts receivable lapping and many other inventive and extremely illegal acts that helped MCI reach its projected financial numbers. MCI’s flagrant desire to illegally hide its bad debt gave Pavlo the opportunity to conceal the accounts receivable he was thieving within the constant myriad of lies that constituted MCI’s financial department (Wells, 2012). He was involved in asset Misappropriation: Asset misappropriation schemes are frauds in which the perpetrator steals or misuses an organization’s resources. Common examples of asset misappropriation include false invoicing, payroll fraud, and skimming (Kranacher, Riley, and Wells, 2010). Corruption: In the context of occupational fraud, corruption refers to schemes in which fraudsters use their influence in business transactions in a way that violates their duty to their employers in order to obtain a benefit for themselves or someone else. For example, employees might receive or offer bribes, extort funds from third parties, or engage in conflicts of interest. Financial Statement Fraud: The third category of occupational fraud, financial statement fraud, involves the intentional misstatement or omission of material information from the organization’s financial reports; these are the cases of â€Å"cooking the books† that often make front page headlines. Financial statement fraud cases often involve the reporting of fictitious revenues or the concealment of expenses or liabilities in order to make an organization appear more profitable than it really is (Kranacher, Riley and Wells, 2010). It is fact that during 1996, MCI wrote off $120 million of carrier receivables and recognized even more exposure by adding to bad debt reserves. So, his claim that MCI â€Å"hid† bad debt expense is just bogus. He further claims â€Å"his bosses† said the maximum that could be written down would be $15 million, and that is also senseless (Pavlo Jr. and Weinberg 257). 4. Apply one (1) theory related to crime causation to this case: No one theory of crime explains all criminal activity and most theories are complementary to one another. You should approach crime causation with a multidimensional view because of the vast complexities involved in human actions and interactions. With that in mind, let’s take a look at one of the prominent theories that appears to relate to Pavlo’s fraud case. Social engineering/Social learning theory causation: They learn to engage in crime, primarily through their association with others. They are reinforced for crime, they learn beliefs that are favorable to crime, and they are exposed to criminal models. As a consequence, they come to view crime as something that is desirable or at least justifiable in certain situations. The primary version of social learning theory in criminology is that of Ronald Akers and the[pic] description that follows draws heavily on his work. Akers's theory, in turn, represents an elaboration of Edwin Sutherland's differential association theory. The Sociological school of crime causation defines that social disorganization is a major factor in criminal behaviors. Specifically the Sociological Theories theorize that the impact of individuals with the surroundings, groups, and social environment can dictate criminal behavior. Under this school of crime causation crime can be the growth of subgroup relationships (McMullen, 2012). According to Weinberg’s research, white-collar criminals are not just ordinary people; they are smart, well-educated and ambitious. They often start as wide-eye fresh graduate’s at large corporations of which profit-driven culture infiltrates all levels within. Why do they turn out to be the thieves stealing from the economy $2. trillion per year? Weinberg argues that these people like Pavlo, do not just wake up one day and decide to commit in a greed-inspired fraud. In fact, only 7% of perpetrators have prior conviction. They operate business under the performance pressure from investors, and stockholders, which present opportunities for companies to hide flaws and falsify earnings at multiple levels. Wei nberg presents a triangle of Need/Incentives, Opportunity, and Rationalization as a combined force triggering ordinary people to commit extraordinary crimes. In his book, he suggests that by pushing ethics education at school and setting the right tone at the top, we can reduce the damages caused by corporate frauds (Kranacher, Riley, and Wells, 2010). The connection between fraud and the â€Å"tone at the top† of an organization has received international attention over the last few years. Tone at the top refers to the ethical atmosphere that is created in the workplace by the organization's leadership. Whatever tone management sets will have a trickle-down effect on employees of the company. If the tone set by managers upholds ethics and integrity, employees will be more inclined to uphold those same values. However, if upper management appears unconcerned with ethics and focuses solely on the bottom line, employees will be more prone to commit fraud because they feel that ethical conduct is not a focus or priority within the organization. Employees pay close attention to the behavior and actions of their bosses, and they follow their lead. In short, employees will do what they witness their bosses doing (McMullen, 2012).

A Study in Adaptation Essay

Among the monographs found in the Culture and Ecology in East Africa Project is that of the work of Walter Goldschmit, entitled â€Å"The Sebei: A Study in Adaptiona. † It is among the ethnographic studies conducted to shed light on a particular community, which is that of Sebei. The project previously mentioned to which the monograph belongs is that of the University of California in Los Angeles which also carries the research design that was followed by the entire project (Mead 938). It has become important to evaluate this study because of the important role it plays in the field of ethnography and in the lives of the Sebei people. This paper will include the synopsis, a critique of the book, and the relationship with the materials and discussions found in the class. Synopsis of the Book The book primarily focuses on the people of Sebei, the socio-economic modes followed by the people there, and the adaptations which has happened throughout the existence of the community. People from Sebei speak Nilotic and have a connection with the Nandi and Kipsigis (MacGaffey 110). These people lives in the southeastern portion of Uganda and the elements of this community which has been discussed include the â€Å"history, environment, policy, social organization, animal husbandry, agriculture, a cash economy, sexual roles and marriage, child rearing, initiation, and the Sebei belief system† (Beidelman 542). The wide variety of the factors that have been covered in the study has been instrumental to the focus of the book, which is that of the ways of living of the people and how they have economically survived the environment they lived in. There are two environments which have been considered in the book to show the adaptive processes of the community under study. One is the area which is well-watered and is situated in the slopes of the mountains and the second is in the dry lands of the plains. With the conditions found in the said communities, there are also adaptive measures which have been taken by the people in terms of the production of their food and ways of living. One community concentrated on the hunting and gathering means of production because of the factors in the environment which makes this the most acceptable form of gathering food and sustaining the needs of the community. On the other hand, it is agriculture which has become the primary mode of economic production followed because of the availability of fertile soil that could be used for crops. Moreover, access to water is available that makes this a better option for the people. More so, it is seen to be the most effective in consideration of the available resources and conditions for the people. Economics-wise, this is the best methods for the respective communities discussed. Through time, it has been proven that Sebei people have the capability to adapt easily to changes in their environment and new situations which they are placed in (Mead 938). It has been shown in the book that the people have been able to be in contact with the Europeans when this group has been in a point where they are trying to adapt with the demands brought about by intra-African connections. The flexibility in adapting to such cultures has been carried out by the group by following the previous methods which have been used before by the group. It has been proven to be an effective pattern for the people since their first interaction with other cultures. Critique of the Book This particular book can be considered as one of the best monographs that have been written of an Ugandan community because of its succinctness and thoroughness. The ability of the author to present facts and data near what is real is considered to be a vital element of the author’s work. The author’s ability to record and research the past of the community has been helpful. The author, himself, has done quite an extensive job in proving the authenticity of his claims where there are primary evidences, such as photos, that has been shown together with the narratives provided. In writing a book, the ability of the author to provide evidences, especially in the field of ethnography, is considered to be vital in establishing the credibility and authenticity of the monograph. In a sense, this adds to the ability of the monograph to convince its readers that what is being said and shown in the account is true. Moreover, the book has shown one community but the picture that has been drawn and what has been learned over the discussions made of the particular community studied can be used in order to understand the African perspective. More so, the means of adoption that has been studied can be taken to a larger picture where it is also seen to exist in other areas and in different times. It has been found that the general perspective that can be used in order to interpret that of the Sebei culture is that â€Å"the maladies of the social system seem to outweigh their strengths† (Goldschmidt 338). With this particular statement, the author is then able to show that he has been able to observe the communities with a keen eye and relate it to the rest of the elements in the environment that surround the community. The author does not simply focus on what can be found within the community but also observes how it relates to the different links formed. More so, there is judgment that is found for these relationships from where a strong conclusion can be made. This monograph serves as a very good reading material for the members of the academic institutions and the epistemic communities from a wide variety of fields. Where field observations and thorough data collection has been done, there is the worthiness of examining the material and using it as a foundation of different researches. More so, an understanding of the different elements of the community can be easily derived through a reading of this material because of the substantial data that can be found here. This is not only for the purpose of studying communities but can also be taken by people from different fields such as psychology, economics, policy-making, sociology, and others in order to make researches and decisions. Relation to Class Materials and Discussions Understanding the book has been made easier because of the foundation laid by the class discussions and materials. The concepts that have been clarified in relation to culture, communities, and globalization has become an integral part of understanding how and why the Sebei communities had to adjust to the changing setting of the world and the communities which belong to it. It is difficult for a reader to understand the complex parts of the monograph if one would not take into consideration the aspects which relate the community to the changes in its surroundings. If the reader would not have the respective concepts and ideas, he/she might be limited to understanding the community in isolation and forget to relate it to the world outside the said community. There are factors which might be missed by the reader in understanding the community, in this case, and forget about the other forces that could change communities. Works Cited Goldschmidt, Walter. Culture and behavior of the Sebei: A study in Continuity and Adaptation. Berkeley, Los Angeles: University of California, 1976. MacGaffey, Wyatt. â€Å"Review. † ASA Review of Books 4 (1978): 110-111. Mead, Margaret. â€Å"Review. † American Anthropologists 79. 4 (1977): 938-939.